More than the National Anthem

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Below is a YouTube video featuring a combined choir from the United States Military Academy (West Point), the United States Naval Academy (Annapolis), the United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy performing the National Anthem.  At first blush, it is simply magnificent patriotic music performed at the Super Bowl in 2005.  But, if you watch it again it makes you both think a few things and recognize some wonderful truths and insights.

After the choir appears to have finished the National Anthem, at least traditionally in the minds of most Americans, as indicated by the crowd beginning to cheer, the game should be closer to starting.  But then the United States Army's Herald Trumpet Corps begin to play and the choir begins a new refrain of the Anthem.  Suddenly, and anyone who has been to an Air Force Academy football game knows it's going to happen, a flight of fighter jets scream overhead.  The football players gaze skyward in awe at the jets, you also get the sense they are really enjoying and appreciating what is probably one of the finest renditions of the National Anthem they've heard.  According to Wikipedia it had been more than 30 years since all four service academies sang together—the last time was at the second inauguration of President Richard Nixon in 1973.

As you watch the video, you should notice former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. What I like about this part is the genuine admiration each former President clearly has for each other.  These were political foes who long ago put aside their difference to work on various projects.  You can also see the pride each former Commander in Chief has in this group of fine young men and women, training to serve the nation.

A foundation of serving is understanding those who have served before you.  In this video we catch a glimpse of several older black gentlemen in red jackets.  These men are Tuskegee Airmen.  They served in World War II in segregated units as pilots and support personnel mostly in the 332nd Fighter Group known as the "Red Tail Angels."  For me this group has always been special.

My first introduction to the Tuskegee Airmen was during Air Force ROTC at the University of Michigan.  Some of them came and spoke to us and memorably participated in our Tri-Service Military Ball.  I remember, in particular, meeting Lt Col Alexander Jefferson who flew with the 332nd.  What a terrific gentleman and an incredible warrior hero.  He spoke of his treatment and segregation beginning in Detroit when he signed up where he was not allowed to go into the Officers Club at the Selfridge Air National Guard base.  He told us stories of riding on a train to Alabama in less than comfortable accomodations, simply because he was black.  His stories of being held captive as a POW which you can read about in his book "Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free."  To summarize, these men are incredible heroes with a past worth knowing, studying and emulating for all American service members.

When I deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006, I was assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, the successor unit to the "Red Tail Angels."  I am proud that I was able to serve in such an historic and significant unit.

So as you begin to take in this tableau, it becomes clear, this performance really is so much more than the traditional national anthem.  As I look at the football players, many of whom were clearly touched by the performance, the fly-by and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the complex picture begins to become more clear.  As I look at these cadets and midshipman, I'm struck by their import.  While the players certainly contribute much to our nation in terms of entertainment, building a sense of community among their fanbase and even economically, it cannot even begin to compare to those young cadets and midshipmen.  Consider this game was played in 2005.  It stands to reason many of these cadets and midshipmen are now Lieutenants and Ensigns serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard.  And by serving, I mean here in the States, but most certainly many have served in combat zones in Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa.  They are building on the foundation laid out for them by the Tuskegee Airmen and by former President Bush who also fought in World War II.

So as you watch this video, consider these fine young Americans and those who have served before them and will serve in the future.  The National Anthem is so much more than a way to get a crowd psyched up for a game.  It should make us deeply think about our nation and what it means to be an American and how each of us can serve this nation.







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AF Provincial Reconstruction Team Members Killed in Afghanistan

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Defense officials identify Air Force casualties

5/27/2009 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Department of Defense officials announced May 27 the death of two Airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 26 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.

Killed was Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton II, 39, of Houston, who was deployed as the commander of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team. He was assigned to the Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. as an executive assistant for the Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs, Asia.

Also killed was Senior Airman Ashton L. M. Goodman, 21, of Indianapolis, who was also deployed to the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team. She was assigned to the 43rd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.

A senior navigator for the RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft, Colonel Stratton previously served on the staff at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Lt. Col. Stratton received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1992 following his graduation from Texas A&M University in 1991.

Senior Airman Goodman, a vehicle operator dispatcher, enlisted in July 2006. Pope Air Force Base was her first duty assignment.
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New Air Force Branding Campaign

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The United States Air Force introduced a new branding campaign called "Above All.""The new slogan is admittedly a bold one," said Col. Michael Caldwell, deputy director of Air Force public affairs, "but so are Airmen." This campaign accurately portrays Airmen and how they're executing the Air Force mission to ensure the security and safety of America now and in the future. 

""Above All' is  about what we do and how we do it," Colonel Caldwell said. "The job of the Air Force is to defend America and we do that by dominating air, space and cyberspace. The new campaign and slogan captures our roots, but also illustrates where we're going as a service as the Air Force prepares to contend with future threats." 

The purpose of the campaign is to create a dialogue with potential recruits, their parents and those most likely to influence young people to join the military about the critical role the Air Force plays in defending America's future, said Colonel Caldwell. 

The "Above All" campaign kicks off this month and will be prominent on television, in print and, of course, in cyberspace. In addition to being shown at several sporting events, "Above All" ads will be seen in magazines and during commercial breaks on many top-rated commercial and television news and entertainment programs, Colonel Caldwell said. 

Northrup-Grumman and Airbus win Air Force Tanker Contract

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Northrop Grumman and the maker of Airbus planes beat out Boeing Co. to win a $35 billion government contract to build military refueling planes, the Air Force said Friday.

The selection of Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman and its Paris-based partner, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., came as a surprise to Wall Street.

It is a big blow to Chicago-based Boeing, which has been supplying refueling tankers to the Air Force for nearly 50 years and had been widely expected to win the deal.

The contract positions EADS to break into the U.S. military market in a big way. And it opens up a huge new business opportunity for Northrop Grumman.

In after-hours trading, shares of Northrop climbed $3.74 to $82.37, while Boeing's stock price fell $2.59 to $80.10.

The Air Force has estimated the tanker contract will be worth between $30 billion and $40 billion over 10 to 15 years. It is the first of three deals that could eventually be worth as much as $100 billion over 30 years to replace the entire Air Force fleet of nearly 600 refueling tankers.

As the winners of the first award, EADS and Northrop will be in a strong position to win the two follow-on deals, analysts believe.

Military officials say the Air Force is long overdue to replace its air-to-air refueling tankers, which allow fighter jets and other aircraft to refuel without landing. The service currently flies 531 Eisenhower-era tankers and another 59 tankers built in the 1980s by McDonnell Douglas, now part of Boeing.

But the new contract has emerged as a major test for the Air Force, which is trying to rebuild a tattered reputation after a procurement scandal in 2003 sent a top Air Force acquisition official to prison for conflict of interest and led to the collapse of an earlier tanker contract with Boeing.

The tanker deal is also certain to become a flashpoint in a heated debate over the military's use of foreign contractors since Boeing painted the competition as a fight between an American company and its European rival. The Chicago-based company is expected to protest the decision.

The EADS/Northrop Grumman team plans to perform its final assembly work in Mobile, Ala., although the underlying plane would mostly be built in Europe. And it would use General Electric engines built in North Carolina and Ohio. Northrop Grumman, which is based in Los Angeles, estimates a Northrop/EADS win would produce 2,000 new jobs in Mobile and support 25,000 jobs at suppliers nationwide.

"I've never seen anything excite the people of Mobile like this competition," Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said. "We're talking about billions of dollars over many years so this is just a huge announcement."

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Associated Press Writer Ben Evans contributed to this report. 

Air Force assists in Darfur troop movement

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10/22/2007 - KIGALI, Rwanda (AFPN) -- Airmen from the 786th Air Expeditionary Squadron, along with two C-17 Globemaster IIIs and aircrews from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., provided airlift for 400 Rwandan soldiers Oct. 20 who are supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan. This is the seventh deployment in which Airmen have assisted in rotating Rwandan troops in and out of Darfur.

"We are happy to be able to assist the African Union's efforts in Darfur," said Lt. Col. Kevin Therrien, the 786th AES commander. "My incredible team of professional Airmen has been dedicated to this mission since 2004." As the Rwandan military band played, soldiers marched with rifles onto the C-17 on their way to Darfur.

"We feel happy to relieve the situation in Darfur," said Rwandan Lt. Col. Ludovick Mugisha, who noted that his last name means "good luck" in Kenyar-Rwandan.

"My troops are trained and ready to fight." The band once again played in the afternoon as the C-17s returned with Rwandan soldiers coming home after their eight-month deployment in Darfur. "I am very happy to see my family and enjoy my country," said Rwandan Lt. Népo Mulindabyuma, who was returning home to his wife and three children. The returning soldiers were dismissed only after the Rwandan Chief of General Staff Gen. James Kabarebe thanked them for their service and participated in a celebratory traditional dance with his soldiers.

The 786th AES will continue to support the multiday mission based out of the Kigali International Airport in Rwanda. They expect to assist in transporting approximately 2,200 Rwandan troops and heavy equipment in and out of the Darfur region.

USAF: Buys Environmentally Friendly Energy/Active in Conservation

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6/13/2007 - SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- The Air Force continues to set the example as the nation's top customer for buying energy that comes from environmentally-friendly sources. Airmen should always look for ways they can reduce the amount of energy they use. A few energy saving examples are carpooling when available, turning off lights when not in use and turning off computer monitors when leaving for the day.

Due to innovative thinking, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and Fairchild AFB, Wash., now receive 100 percent of their energy from wind or other renewable energy power sources. And by the end of next year, the Air Force will operate the largest solar farm in the world at Nellis AFB, Nev.

6/5/2007 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- With an energy efficiency commitment, Air Force officials pursue leading-edge technologies for energy efficient lighting as part of its energy strategy for the 21st century. The Air Force spends about $1 billion annually for the 77 trillion British thermal units of energy required to run more than 700 million square feet of facilities at 166 sites worldwide, with 20 percent of the cost for lighting.

"The Air Force's innovation and energy conservation efforts have been successful for many years, from retrofitting inefficient hangar lighting with upgraded compact fluorescent lighting to replacing thousands of fixtures and installing wireless controlled ramp lighting," said William C. Anderson, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, logistics and environment.

Today, the Air Force continues its forward-looking pursuit of efficient lighting alternatives, integrating the use of compact fluorescents with daylight controls wherever possible. Compact fluorescent bulbs produce about one-fourth of the energy of incandescent bulbs, contributing to the fight against climate change.

Bases such as Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., are leveraging light emanating device technology by installing LED airfield lighting, expected to reduce the energy load and maintenance requirements with projected savings of more than $600,000 annually. At Dyess AFB, Texas, hundreds of installed solar day lighting units use the power of the sun to light hangars and engine shops. Because of Dyess AFB's pioneering lighting initiative, many other Air Force and Army installations now are investing in the same units, with the Department of Energy's support. The Air Force is also studying the benefits of using compact fluorescent lights and LED technology for tent lighting in deployed locations. Possible benefits are reduced heat and increased safety.

"When fully implemented across the Air Force, the execution of energy innovation can help to mitigate some of the significant resource constraints the Air Force faces and enhance Air Force safety, while at the same time serve as an energy model and leader for the Department of Defense and the United States," Mr. Anderson said.