L O G I S T I C S O F F I C E R A S S O C I AT I O N
The Exceptional Release
Enhancing the military logistics profession since 1982
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Spring 2003
IN EVERY ISSUE:
President Col Carmen Mezzacappa president@loanational.org
VA N TA G E P O I N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 EDITOR’S DEBRIEF ....................5
Vice President Lt Col Evan Miller vicepres@loanational.org
C O N F E R E N C E U P D AT E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 C H A P T E R U P D AT E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9
Treasurer Major Kevin Sampels treasurer@loanational.org
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Assistant Treasurer Lt Col Tracy Smiedendorf assttreas@loanational.org
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FEATURES
Executive Senior Advisor Lt Gen Michael E. Zettler ANG Advisor Brig Gen Paul S. Kimmel AFRC Advisor Maj Gen Douglas S. Metcalf Retiree Advisor Col (ret) Geary W. Wallace
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Historian Col (ret) James E. Maher
THE EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE
A G I L E C O M B AT SUPPORT IN ACTION... 14
Editor-In-Chief Lt Col James “Reggie” Hall editor@loanational.org Assistant Editors Lt Col Michael Moore assteditor@loanational.org Col (ret) Kent Mueller kmueller@arinc.com Executive Director, Marketing/PR ER Managing Editor Marta Hannon pr@loanational.org
LOGGIE LIFE IN THE
“SANDBOX”... 19
LOA Scholarship Committee Chair Lt Col David Brown scholarship@loanational.org
M I S AWA A I R B A S E , J A PA N . . . 2 3
LOA Website www.loanational.org Webmaster Capt JD DuVall webmaster@loanational.org LOA National PO Box 2264 – Arlington, VA 22202 ISSUE NO. 88 - SPRING
AMC’S AIR MOBILITY SQUADRONS... 26
Vantage Point Thanks to Kim Kortum for her service to LOA over the past two years as our Executive Director of Public Relations. She stepped in as an “interim” replacement in June 2001. Welcome Marta Hannon, our Executive Director of Marketing/PR & ER Managing editor. She is a marketing professional with a wealth of experience. Direct corporate membership/ conference attendance/sponsorship inquires to Marta at pr@loanational.org.
C O N F E R E N C E 2 0 0 5 B I D S . Bids are due from chapters wishing to host the 2005 Conference due 30 July. Pkg must include: detailed info on booth space; capacity for break out, general sessions and meals; hotel(s) location to conference venue; number of hotel rooms available and gvt. rate; potential professional development tours; key team members by name/rank and continuity; unique things you bring as Conference location. Note: we are trying to stabilize conference dates. The 2004 Conference in Las Vegas will mark the 3rd year of the conference starting on Columbus Day with the golf tournament. Consideration will be given to units that can work with this starting date and end with the banquet Thursday evening. The Executive Board has published a new LOA G covering our Awards Program. All nominations are due by mail or email NLT 30 July. The categories and information about each follow.
L I F E T I M E A C H I E V E M E N T A W A R D . This award recognizes LOA members who have demonstrated sustained superior leadership in service to our organization. Nominees must have at least 20 years of service in a logistics-related career and at least 10 years membership in LOA. Chapters and LOA Executive Committee members can nominate. N A T I O N A L D I S T I N G U I S H E D S E R V I C E A W A R D . The General George T. Babbitt Award recognizes two LOA National members who make the greatest contributions to the furthering of LOA National’s goals and objectives during the applicable year––30 June -1July. Each active chapter can nominate a member for this award. AF Form 1206 is required and will be scored in the categories of: Contributions to LOA National Goals and Objectives and Innovative Ideas. C H A P T E R O F T H E Y E A R A W A R D . Small category 10-40 National LOA members with Large category being 41 or more. AF Form 1206, bullet format with three scoring categories: Support of LOA National Objectives, Innovative Programs, and Community Support. C H A P T E R D I S T I N G U I S H E D S E R V I C E A W A R D . Recognizes 3 National members who made the greatest contributions supporting their chapter. Active chapters may nominate. AF Form 1206 and scoring categories are: Contributions to Chapter Goals/Objectives and Innovative Ideas. S C H O L A R S H I P N O M I N A T I O N S . Chapter’s Scholarship nominations must be in by 30 July! Program supports enlisted/ DoD civilian logisticians in pursuit of education goals toward an associate/bachelors degree. Last, but not least, the Executive Board has voted to extend a “good deal” to our newest logisticians, and foster a long, rewarding partnership between these potential new members and LOA. Major Kevin Sampels, LOA Treasurer, is working the details with the core logistics officer schools (i.e. AMOC, etc.) to offer students a one-time opportunity to join LOA for $15 for their first year of membership. This idea has come forward more than once from the membership, and we’ve decided it’s an opportunity worth pursuing. It also supports our National Goal to have 2500 LOA members by 2005!
––C O L C A R M E N M E Z Z A C A P P A , LOA President
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A Professional Military Journal written by logisticians for logisticians The purpose of the Logistics Officer Association (LOA) is to enhance the military logistics profession. LOA provides an open forum to promote quality logistics support and logistic officer professional development. Policy on Written Submissions The editor invites articles and other contributions on issues that support LOA’s purpose. Direct manuscripts, letters and other communications to pr@loanational.org. Deadlines: The 1st day of March, June, September and December. Story Format: Double-spaced typed and electronically submitted to pr@loanational.org. Photos & Graphics: (black and white or color) should be sent individual electronic files (JPG, TIFF or EPS with type as outlines) along with stories (not embedded) and should include cutlines/captions. All photos should be at least 300 dpi or greater resolution. Submitter data: Should be typed at the end of the story file. Information included should be: Rank; full name; service; home mailing address; business name and address; business phone (DSN and commercial); email; three to five sentence biographical sketch; and a photo (as a separate file – see photos and graphics above). Editorial Policy: The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity and libel. All submissions become the property of LOA. Advertising: Ms Marta Hannon Managing Editor, ER PO Box 2264 Arlington, VA 22202 email: pr@loanational.org Subscriptions: The ER is published quarterly and is available via membership in the Logistics Officer Association at the annual rate of $25. Access membership forms on the website at www.loanational.org.
Editor’s Debrief FELLOW LOGGIES: We certainly hope you enjoy this edition of the ER. We’ve taken your comments from the recent survey and revamped, revitalized and reconfigured the magazine to give you more of what you want. In addition, LOA’s new Executive Director for Marketing and PR, Marta Hannon, has infused numerous professional publishing touches throughout this debut issue that I’m sure you’ll notice right away – and it will get even better in the future! As we go to press, our country is immersed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, a contingency operation President Bush has termed a “logistics war” in public commentary. The articles in this, our Contingency Operations feature, echo the statements from our Commander In Chief in the words and efforts of our fellow loggies working around the globe to defend freedom, support US and coalition forces, and make airpower happen. We’ve complied several pieces from deployed logisticians to provide you with a glimpse of logistics functions in the forward expeditionary mode. The common thread that binds these stories from logistics warriors at the frontiers of freedom is one of inter-disciplinary teamwork and dedication to duty. The old paradigm of logistics as a group of independent commodities which can be ordered ala carte is shifting to a new and more inclusive lens which reveals logistics as an inter-dependent system of diverse disciplines which must be managed with an integrated understanding of the complete spectrum to maximize enabling effects for the war fighter. Our prayers go out to the deployed men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Keep your heads down, your ears and eyes open and come home safe. Your ER Executive Editor,
––R E G G I E H A L L
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The LOA National Conference Returns to Oklahoma City… “OKC in 2003” We invite you to Oklahoma City, in the heart of Oklahoma and the Crossroads of Logistics; home to the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and Tinker Air Force Base, both commanded by Major General Charles L. Johnson II. Maj Gen Johnson and LOA’s Crossroads Chapter are honored to be your hosts for the ‘03 LOA National Conference.
ER: OKC
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Seven years ago Tinker hosted the 1996 National Conference—concentrating on “Enhancing Quality Maintenance”— while the Air Force was engaged in an overseas drawdown. The buzzword “expeditionary” wasn’t quite buzzing. My how things have changed. Our theme this year is “Expeditionary Crossroads” focusing on contingency operations. Chief of Staff, General John P. Jumper, is scheduled as the keynote speaker for Thursday night’s banquet. Continuing to make registration as accessible as possible, we offer two ways to sign up: electronically via the LOA homepage (www.loanational.org) or by downloading the registration form and mailing it in with your payment. You will find this year’s electronic registration to be much more user-friendly as we have combined conference registration and accommodations into a single, easy-to-use application. Electronic registration will go live on 1 June 03 and close on 19 Sep 03. We are offering an early-bird on-line only discount thru 15 Aug. Standard registration rates will apply after 15 Aug. The slate of military tours on Thursday afternoon includes a trip to a Wal-Mart Distribution Center (a very cuttingedge technology driven operation); the Federal Aviation Administration’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center; the General Motors plant adjacent to Tinker; and last but not least, a tour of Tinker itself, including stops at OC-ALC’s B-1 and B-52 Programmed Depot Maintenance production lines, the 552d Air Control Wing (AWACS), and the Navy’s Strategic Communications Wing ONE (aka TACAMO). For the spouses attending in October, we will be offering tours and shopping Tuesday thru Thursday. Tuesday features the Legends of Wichita, Wednesday is Historic Guthrie and Thursday morning will be shopping at the elegant Penn Square Mall. Sign-up for a tour when registering and, as always, first come, first serve. Making your stay convenient and comfortable, we have arranged for rooms in the Renaissance & the Westin, each connected via glass-enclosed skywalk or an underground concourse to the newly-renovated Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. An additional hotel, the Biltmore, has been reserved for overflow should we need it. All of the conference activities will be in the Cox Convention Center with the exception of Monday’s golf tournament at Tinker, the Icebreaker at the Bricktown Brewery and the professional development/spouse tours. Bricktown is similar to San Antonio’s Riverwalk featuring a wide selection of great restaurants and sports clubs along with gardens and riverboat rides. The 2003 LOA National Conference will prove to be a first class event for all of our members and we sincerely hope you can be a part of it. See you October 13th!!
––M A J O R G E N E C A R T E R OC-ALC/MABB Tinker AFB 6
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A Roar in the Desert BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
been on the minds and status boards of the folks in the Readiness Flight within the 363d Expeditionary The alarm sounds at o’dark thirty… time to rise and shine Transportation Squadron. This flight forms the Logistics and prepare ourselves for another day of supporting Readiness Center (LRC) who prepare and maintain various Operations SOUTHERN WATCH (OSW) and ENDUR- plans, manage large unit aviation package deployments and ING FREEDOM (OEF), here at Prince Sultan Air Base, redeployments and are responsible for the wing’s support agreements proKingdom of Saudi Arabia. As gram. The deployMaintainers/ Logisticians, our jobs are demanding, dynamic, “We are expeditionary only in the way we assem- ments / re-deployments element challenging, and exciting as we ble at PSAB, we fly and fix jets, planes, and coordinates all work together to execute the vehicles in the same spirit of in-garrison wings actions necessary mission. Logistics Plans, Transportation, Contracting, and groups. Thank you for this opportunity to for the orderly reception and Supply, and Maintenance… we highlight what we do at the tip of the spear.” redeployment of each have a different story to aviation units tell and we all have our own –– B R I G A D I E R G E N E R A L ‘ M U D D Y ’ W A T E R S assigned to PSAB. way of writing it, yet our ending Commander, 363d Air Expeditionary Wing They do this by is the same as we create the the daily monitor“roar” in the desert that will ensure the national interests of the United States of ing of the theater Time-Phased Force Deployment Database (TPFDD), facilitating the collection and transmission of all America, are protected. cargo and personnel data between deploying units and HHQ in order to arrange the appropriate type and amount LOGISTICS PLANS From the moment your unit at home station is notified that of strategic airlifts, and finally by facilitating the submission it is coming to PSAB, to the moment you board the rota- of unit import and export requests through the Friendly tor or dedicated airlift to head back out, your move has Forces Coordination Cell (F2C2) at CENTAF-PSAB.
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These requests are translated into Arabic by our coalition partners and sent to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MoDA). Once import and export are approved by our host nation, the LRC arranges a series of meetings with representatives of each unit to schedule their redeployment back to home station. The schedule includes a timeline of suspenses for the information required to complete the cargo manifests, passenger manifests, hazardous material declarations, and aircraft load plans
“Logistics supports the whole spectrum of the mission—from units that fly aircraft to those that take care of our troops. No unit on the installation can do it’s job without support from the loggies and, in an expeditionary environment, mission accomplishment becomes very personal. So, it is not surprising that these dedicated professionals make miracles happen on a daily basis, despite the challenges of a 90-day rotation. Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at what gets accomplished often by very junior people. This is an ideal environment for building our future leaders.”
The Plans element is responsible for the Base Support Plan (BSP), the Installation Deployment Plan (IDP), applicable Concept Plans (CONPlans) and Operations Plans (OPlans). The PSAB IDP outlines the responsibility of all units in the orderly redeployment of passengers and cargo to home station and is reviewed annually. These plans are critical in documenting installation capabilities to allow assessment of our capabilities to support wartime and contingency operations on the base. Our Air Transportation element coordinates the transportation aspect of unit rotations. This involves reviewing load plans and conducting joint inspections on all cargo leaving PSAB in conjunction with unit rotations. Our Support Agreements element manages the wing Support Agreement program to include two geographically separated units. This program involves the development and maintenance of
–– C O L O N E L C H E R Y L D O Z I E R Commander, 363d Expeditionary Mission Support Group
Inter-service, Intra-service, International Support Agreements, Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreements and Implementing Arrangements. The primary goal of this element is to ensure fiscal accountability and to delineate specific parameters of support. The complexity of the various missions conducted here are compounded daily by the contingency environment in which these technicians work. At the end of the day, the wing at PSAB is always ready to meet the challenges to come...in part due to the diligent planning and execution of the talented folks in the Logistics Readiness Center.
TRANSPORTATION Providing transportation support for ACC’s busiest base, and the most diverse wing in the Air Force, is a demanding job. Over 4,500 personnel and several varieties of aircraft at PSAB need around the clock support. Fortunately, 1,200 permanent party and deployed transportation professionals of the 363d Expeditionary Transportation Squadron (ETS) combine throughout the year to meet, and exceed, this challenge. The 363 ETS is a key enabler. We help this wing get to the fight and impact every facet of the wing’s missionessentially, very few people or things move into, on, or out of this base without the 363 ETS being involved. Three continued on following page... EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE
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“Time to make the donuts,” my roommate and I have jokingly said to each other on many occasions as we get out of bed just when most people would be rolling over to get a little more comfortable. “Time to make the donuts,” because it’s the same routine day in and day out… launch an entire package to support the Southern No Fly Zone, to include the low-density, highdemand reconnaissance aircraft, the RC-135. For 40 year-old airplanes, they fly well every day despite the amount of hours we put on them.
ER: A ROAR
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distinct flights keep this base moving: Vehicle Operations, Traffic Management, and Vehicle Maintenance. Vehicle operators execute the on-base aspect of transportation operations. These desert warriors drive over 1.4 million miles and move close to 1 million troops on shuttle bus runs each year! While the shuttles run, other operators are keeping us well fed by annually transporting over 1,200 tons of perishable food to the three dining facilities. While vehicle operators coordinate on-base movements, it is the proud professionals in the Traffic Management Office (TMO) that facilitate virtually every move into and out of PSAB. TMO’s Passenger section books over 30,000 passenger reservations each year, carefully managing DoD funds by maintaining an amazing 98 percent utilization rate on AMC chartered flights. Not to be out done, the TMO Freight section keeps PSAB’s aircraft flying by working MICAPs 24/7. Finally, the Vehicle Maintenance Flight is the tie that binds this proud organization together. The world famous “Al’s Garage” houses some of the Air Force’s best mechanics and fleet managers, who oversee and maintain ACC’s newest fleet. These mechanical geniuses ensure that upwards of 90 percent of this fleet is up and running at all times. A commitment to excellence; an inherent trait these vehicle maintenance pro’s and their TMO and Vehicle Operations brethren all share-and a trait that will ensure that the 363d ETS will continue to facilitate PSAB’s extraordinary success for a long time to come.
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CONTRACTING
The 363d Expeditionary Contracting Squadron is the Air Force’s representative in the Saudi Arabian business community. Contracting is particularly important in deployed locations like PSAB because most materials and services are not readily available from normal military supply channels. Contingency Contracting Officers (CCO) interact and negotiate daily with local businesses to procure a variety of supplies, equipment and services to support the mission. CCOs have a challenging task of quickly adjusting to various cultures and customs in order to do business with the local vendors. It is still interesting at PSAB with respect to the language barrier and different cultural views. The squadron is separated into three flights. The flights are based on their respective support functions: Services, Commercial, and Infrastructure Flight. Collectively, we purchase just about anything to support and maintain a “small city” ranging from bottled water to sewage treatment services. If you have requirements come see us because there is a legal and proper way to procure any requirement. The result at the end of each day is that we feel good knowing that we have provided the troops with potable water, clean facilities, transportation, cable TV and all the necessities to live and work.
SUPPLY Expressions like “you can’t fly without supply” and “without POL, pilots are pedestrians” are perpetuated in Air Force life for one simple reason –– they are true! Working in the desert heat, sand, and a bare base environment, the men and women of the 363rd Expeditionary Supply Squadron provide world-class logistics support to combat airpower executing Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and ENDURING FREEDOM. When faced with the challenges of supporting low-density, high-demand aircraft and the geographic separation from CONUS-based AFMC depots, supply effectiveness becomes critical to maintenance activities fixing jets, and
ultimately combat operations. As we all know, Mobility Readiness Spares Packages (MRSPs) are computed assuming cannibalizations are minimal and are created to be lean and mean in order to reduce the logistics footprint. It therefore becomes crucial to get items into the Southwest Asia AOR quickly as well as for the host (PSAB) to stock the right items. Supply “providers” meet these challenges through innovative programs, tenacity, and certainly not least, an outstanding working relationship with the Air Combat Command’s Regional Supply Squadron (ACCRSS), whose stellar support is the lifeblood of ACC logistics operations. The world of contingency fuels is wrought with potential danger and requires a marked workload increase over normal in-garrison fuels operations. The personnel of the Fuels Management Flight meet this challenge head-on. In the deployed environment, we utilize bladders to store a 4.5 million gallon fuel inventory. These bladders store small inventories and can rupture due to the harsh desert climate. To combat expected loss from potential ruptures, flight personnel constructed a mobile spill response trailer that facilitates quick fuel filtration and reclamation.
die-hard mission orientation run through every fiber of our people, our processes, and our operation. We have taken dismantled and ignored facilities and programs, transformed them into showplaces and benchmarks not only for the AOR, but also for the Air Force as a whole. Our Squadron motto is “Meet Every Demand” and we do… every time!
MAINTENANCE
What do you call over 400 Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve maintainers from 40 different bases meshed into eight flights, supporting nine different MDSs at PSAB? The 363d Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron––proof the Total Force concept and Expeditionary Operations can flourish in an austere combat environment. This Day in, day out, the 363 ESS is putting combat airpower Maintenance Group’s mission, everyday, is: Powering over the hostile skies of Iraq and supporting forward- Warfighters… Maintaining Readiness. The 363 EMXS deployed forces chasing evil terrorism. Expediency and a houses most of the capabilities found at stateside Component and Equipment Maintenance Squadrons, minus a propulsion flight. The real challenge is taking “Every ninety days we totally swap out person- such a diverse group of maintenance professionals and nel and I have been amazed at how fast each creating a “PSAB way of doing business.” It is common for maintainers from PACAF to work Reserve jets; AEF forms into a team!” RC-135 fuel cell technicians on Tanker maintenance; –– L T C O L C I N D Y L U N D E L L , F-16 phase crew chiefs assisting with QA prep on F-15 Deputy Commander, 363d Expeditionary Maintenance Group continued on following page... EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE
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Of course, the 363 EMXS does not just support the Air Force. We support the Navy, British, and French, in addition to crash and recovery support for our Saudi Arabian hosts. While we have extensive repair capabilities, we do utilize the Centralized Intermediate Repair Facility (CIRF) concept for certain items. In these cases, we do not conduct repairs frequently enough to justify maintaining the equipment and trained technicians at PSAB. Our higherprofile CIRF items are F-16/F-15 engines and F-16C ALQ-131 ECM pods.
phases. The squadron has eight flights; AGE, Armament, Avionics, Accessories, Fabrication, Maintenance, Munitions, and TMDE. There’s no room for an “it’s not my job” mentality in the 363 EMXS-we have a mission to do!
Nearly a third of 363 EMXS personnel make up the Munitions Flight. Two distinct areas 15 miles apart make the span of control a challenge for Flight and Squadron leadership. The Forward Operating Location (FOL) is near the active runway, but is accessed by a dirt road that can disappear during the frequent winter and
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City is home to LOA’s Crossroads Chapter, host of the 2003 LOA National Conference. Tinker is also home of one of the Air Force’s three premier aviation repair and overhaul facilities and the Air Force’s only engine depot-level repair facility. This year’s conference theme, Expeditionary Crossroads, focuses on expeditionary logistics and transformational issues. Mark your calendar now for October 13-16, 2003. For more information, visit www.loanational.org.
See you in OKC!
spring sandstorms. The FOL supports daily flying operations with assets located nearby for quick response. Chaff/flare, 20mm ammunition, and missiles ensure Operation SOUTHERN WATCH aircraft have the teeth to successfully enforce the United Nations’ “No Fly/No Drive” zones. The Munitions Storage Area (MSA) is located at the extreme west side of PSAB. The second largest MSA in the USAF, the Security Forces Squadron calls it ‘Viper Land’. Bet you can guess why. While an AMU deploys and stays an integral unit for a 90day AEF cycle, EMXS flights are an instant mix of skills, backgrounds, and AF components. Flying operations into the hostile AOR are non-stop, so there’s no dress rehearsal; we must provide combat-ready maintenance right out of the blocks. The 363 EMXS motto is “Working Together,” and that’s what we do, from day one. It’s clear the OSW/OEF missions are made up of many components that work together to accomplish our goal of putting aircraft in the air. Each agency is a major player and contributor to this massive logistical machine and it is only through
the talents, motivation, and continuous labors of all deployed logistics personnel––maintenance, supply, contracting, logistics plans, and transporters––that the Desert Lions are the Kings of the air. Working toward the same mission: powering warfighters and maintaining readiness… ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT… THE DEN OF LIONS. Contributors to this article: Lt Col Cindy Lundell 363 EMXG/CD, Lt Col Jim Ayers, 363 EAMXS/CC, Maj Paul Wood 363 EMXS/CC, Capt Mark Lynch 363 ETS, Capt Todd Oxtra, 363 ESS, Capt Spencer Van Meter 363 ETS, 2Lt Amphone Phommachanh 363 ECONS, Capt Jeff Russell 363 EMXS, 1Lt Richard Jackel 363 EMXS, 2 Lt Aaron Maynard 363 EMXS, Capt John Benedict, 363 EAMXS/F-16CJ, Maj Bill Kountz, 363 EAMXS/F-16C, Capt Camille Juenke, 363 EAMXS/F-16C, Capt Mike O’Connor, 363 EAMXS/KC135, Capt David Seitz, 363 EAMXS/F-15, Capt Ron Llantada 363 EAMXS/F-15C, 2 Lt Katie Helfrich 363 EAMXS/RC135, 2 Lt Adam Stiegelmeier 363 EAMXS/U-2, 2 Lt Justin Gilbreth 363EAMXS/E-3, LtJG Joe Ruff, USN, EA-6B VAQ-142 and LCDR Mark Dover, USN, ELU-2. K
2003 LOA Scholarship Call for Nominations
The LOA scholarship program is intended to assist the most deserving Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, National Guard, or Reserve enlisted or DoD civilian (grade GS-1 through GS-7) in a logistics specialty, with college expenses towards an associate or bachelor degree. Each active chapter may submit one individual for a scholarship. Chapters that do not have their key leadership positions filled with active National LOA members WILL NOT be eligible to submit scholarship nominations. Winners are presented their scholarship award at the annual conference banquet. For submission criteria please visit: http://www.loanational.org/g-3.htm
Agile Combat Support in Action Logistics Operations CENTAF PSAB
i
’m a little embarrassed to say that unlike
a lot of folks in the Air Force today, up until now I had never deployed for an AEF rotation. So I felt the need to volunteer for this, my first experience in South West Asia. Being so close to retirement many people would have questioned my sanity in doing something like that, especially given the current state of affairs. But old die-hard warrior that I am, or would like to think I am, I felt compelled to do something significant before I hung up my blues and I have no regrets that I did. This has been a truly eye opening experience that I’d recommend to anyone. For me it was very worthwhile to put into practical application all the experience and training I had obtained as a logistician over these many years. Now I have the distinct pleasure and of serving at the HQ Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), Central Command Air Forces, Prince Sultan Air Base (CENTAF-PSAB), formerly known as Joint Task Force, South West Asia (JTF/SWA), Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, which is principally responsible for command and control of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. As a little background for those like me who may not have been aware, Operation SOUTHERN WATCH is not just a “joint” affair. It’s actually made up of coalition forces. At present that coalition consists of American, Saudi, British, French and more recently Australian and Canadian personnel charged with monitoring Iraqi activities below the 33rd parallel, com-
monly referred to as the southern “no-fly” zone. President George Bush created this “no-fly” zone in 1992 to support the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 688 which demanded Saddam Hussein cease his repressive behavior towards the Iraqi people, specifically the Kurds in northern Iraq and the Shiite Muslims in southern Iraq. Since 1992 when the surveillance operations started, Hussein has continually challenged the nofly restrictions. He did not feel that he needed to abide by its decision, so sorties flown have not been without their fair share of hazards, and incidents have been occurring with increasing frequency as regional tensions rise. I will tell you that it’s very sobering, seeing the F-15s as they take off at night, pulling up at full throttle with afterburners ablaze. You see them climb straight up to gain altitude, and then suddenly the bright light of the flames go out as the afterburners shut down, and flying with no lights the jets seem to disappear into the total darkness of the Saudi night sky. But you still hear the roar of those twin F-100 engines as they continue to climb, and as the sound gradually fades the stark realization hits you that they are not flying training missions and you are not home. You’re in a combat zone and those jets are “loaded for bear” and on the hunt. They are going into harm’s way. Lives literally depend on you doing your job right. Since the inception of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, units in the CENTAF AOR have flown over a quarter million sorties with nearly two-thirds over Iraq. CENTAF-PSAB supports activities for over 20 different locations in about 14 countries throughout the region. These range from beddown locations for full air expeditionary wings of well over 3,000 personnel, to small gas and continued on following page...
If you did your job right as a logistician, they are more than ready for whatever they may encounter. They have the right parts, delivered on time, the aircraft are in excellent condition, and full of fuel, the ordinances are the right ones for the mission, and it all has been well planned and executed. That’s an awesome feeling!
AIRCRAFT SUPPORTING OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH
US AIR FORCE Fighter/Bomber/ Attack:
A-10A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II F-15C/D/E Eagle F-16C/D, F-16CJ & F-16CG Fighting Falcon F-117A Nighthawk B-1B Lancer B-52H Stratofortress
Tankers:
KC-10A Extender KC-135 Stratotanker
Transport:
C-21A C-130E Hercules
Reconnaissance U-2R/S Dragon Lady & Special Purpose: E-3B Sentry (AWACS) RC-135V Rivet Joint EC-130H Compass Call RQ-1A Predator (UAV) Rescue:
HH-60G Pavehawk MH-53 Pave Low MC-130H Combat Talon HC-130P UH-60A
U S N AV Y / U S M A R I N E C O R P S Fighter/Attack:
F-14A/D Tomcat FA-18C Hornet S-3B Viking AV-8 Harrier AH-1/UH-1 Super Cobra/Huey
Transport:
CH-46 Sea Knight CH-53 Sea Stallion
Reconnaissance E-2C Hawkeye & Special Purpose: EP-3 Orion EA-6B Prowler RQ-2A Pioneer (UAV) Rescue:
HH-60H & SH-60F Seahawk
UNITED KINGDOM (RAF) Fighter/Attack:
GR-1 Tornado F-3 Tornado FA-2 Harrier
Transport & Tanker: VC-10 Reconnaissance:
Nimrod
F R A N C E ( FA F ) Fighter/Attack:
M-2000 Mirage F-1 Mirage
Tanker:
KC-135F
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ACTION IN
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go operating locations for intra-theater airlift with less than 25. Regardless of whether the Army, Navy or the Air Force is responsible for providing base operating support they all have varying degrees of Air Force logisticians assigned and most of them are either on a 90 to 179 day AEF rotation or are permanent party serving a one year remote tour. Many of the sites are in austere field conditions and subject to harsh climate and high threat terrorist activity. As you listen to the Joint Patient Medical Regulating Center (JPMRC) give account of casualty movement requirements around the AOR during the daily Logistics Readiness Center (LRC) briefs again you are sobered to the fact that this is real, you realize that it’s logistics that is critical to getting those troops to treatment. Working in our area, the CAOC’s Combined Forces Air Component Command CFACC/C4-LRC is the best vantage point to get an understanding and appreciation of the full spectrum of logistics support occurring throughout the AOR. We operate as CENTAF forward deployed, managing the day-to-day operations in the region, with CENTAF rear at Shaw AFB, providing oversight, policy and guidance. Our C4LRC staff consists of personnel in aircraft maintenance, ammo, supply, fuels, logistics plans, services, contracting and my branch, transportation. Also, though not a part of
Operation Southern Watch AOR
C4, the JPMRC provides daily updates and coordinates for patient movements. Additionally, civil engineering has such a huge amount of construction projects and programs in the AOR more than $2 billion divided among 19 sites, that it has its own C7 cell, with an O-6 designated base civil engineer. They also provide daily updates and coordinate requirements with us in C4. Each division within the LRC itself is manned for 24-hour coverage and on a daily basis each has its own share of issues to tackle. The Aircraft Maintenance Division compiles aircraft and related systems status twice a day for all aircraft operating in the AOR. These statistics are provided directly to the CFACC/CC, enabling him to make real-time decisions on whether operations are supportable. The aircraft status is also reviewed by CENTCOM and several MAJCOMs, to include ACC, AFMC, and AF/IL. Think it’s difficult to keep your AMU’s aircraft status straight on a slide for daily wing stand up? Try fielding questions for more than two-dozen bases and a mixed armada of 15 dif-
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ferent types of aircraft, from fighters to heavies, both fixed wing and rotor, not to mention Predator UAVs. In the Munitions Division our ammo folks are busy ensuring sufficient quantities of munitions are available to support the air tasking order. The inventory of munitions within the AOR is a virtual candy store for planners and operators. To date, in support of the current operations within the CENTCOM AOR, U.S. and Coalition forces have expended more than 9,200 short tons of munitions. We have two positions on the C4 staff to manage all this: the theater munitions manager and the theater munitions liaison. The munitions manager is the focal point for all munitions matters in the AOR, coordinating and communicating requirements between the operating locations, joint task force command authorities and US CENTAF munitions personnel. As well he establishes theater munitions pre-positioning requirements for contingency taskings. The theater munitions liaison, on the other hand, performs regional ammunition control point duties and is the single point of contact for all Air Force munitions matters. Supporting the munitions sites within the AOR, he assists units with formulation and submission of munitions forecasts. No matter what the requirement, these two individuals ensure the right mix of munitions are available to meet CENTAF objectives.
lishing new MRSP supply accounts they come through our supply folks to set it up and establish demand levels. Supply also identifies the requirements for other classes of supply that are needed for distribution throughout the AOR. They coordinate directly with the HQ ACC Regional Supply Squadron and CENTAF for support.
Organizational Chart USCENTCOM in the AOR
Working hand-in-hand with aircraft maintenance and munitions, the Supply Division tracks MICAPs daily for the 400-plus assets dispersed throughout the theater. There are some 159,000 MRSP kits for airborne assets throughout the AOR. If the base supply units have problems with estab-
The fuels storage in the AOR consists mainly of bladder storage trucked in to each of our operating locations by contracted commercial carriers. As a result of the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996, large commercial vehicles are not allowed on our bases. The commercial refuelers download the fuel far away from our installations and the fuel is then piped into to our storage facilities. Because of this our fuels personnel who service these trucks in the AOR probably have the highest susceptibility to risk of any logistics discipline. The C-4 Fuels Division has the responsibility of checking the status of refueling vehicles and equipment, tracking our enormous consumption rates, ensuring the supply of fuel keeps flowing and meets the ever increasing demands and, accomplishing quality control measures on all fuel products. They also identify the requirements for and ensure the availability and distribution of liquid oxygen throughout the theater. In the Transportation Division we manage most aerial port and all base transportation functions in the AOR. We monitor each location to ensure they have all required resources to perform their mission. We are deeply involved continued on following page... EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE
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in airlift validation and providing in-transit visibility for the intra-theater star missions routed through 14 countries. We also ensure important links in the distribution chain exist, such as surface movement from the aerial ports to final destination. Additionally, we coordinate customs clearance requirements for general cargo coming into or departing from Saudi Arabia. When the U.S. brings into country everything from weapons to water purification systems; we have more than our fair share of challenges coordinating with the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation. We coordinate the Commercial Ticketing Office contracts for passenger travel, and provide management and maintenance support for the 6,000 plus vehicles to include WRM assets. The transportation division also performs in depth coordination with several agencies such as the Joint Movement Center, and the Director of Mobility Forces.
ing support capabilities and requirements. As you can imagine, when things begin to escalate and new locations begin to open up reception of forces becomes a big issue. Log Plans also manages and controls the release of WRM assets in the theater, another key issue in days to come.
Finally, the Services Division ensures that each of our locations has the best amenities possible to support and sustain our forces. We are afforded a lot of comforts that you would not expect in a deployed environment. One should never underestimate the significance of good morale, and morale here is high thanks to the efforts of our folks in services who go out of their way to make our lives comfortable. We are the envy of our hosts and coalition partners alike because of the level of support services provides, whether it’s lodging meals, entertainment or recreation, it’s all there. Services also manages Contracting, like the and coordinates the requirements for other C4 divisions is “I can tell you first hand, without MWR events that come to the AOR such responsible for activities the support of services, deployed as USO tour groups, movie stars, performin the entire AOR. They ers, singers and other celebrity visits. On life would be unbearable.” function as CENTAF forthe more somber note our Services staff is ward providing advice also involved in coordinating the handling and guidance on acquisition to more than 90 contingency of human remains, to include the preparation, storage and contracting officers. They review all high-dollar acquisi- movement of the deceased. tions and everything from commodity to construction The mission of CENTAF-PSAB is a big one. As more buys. If there was ever any doubt remaining as to whether forces deploy into the region the associated movement of contractors are combat essential personnel, being here in personnel, supplies and equipment to support and sustain the AOR definitely dispels that belief. Contractors are a operations will grow significantly. Our job in CFACC/C4very important part of our logistics arsenal, and by far they LRC is to ensure that those people and things get to where are the most mobile of the C4 divisions; visiting other they have to be on time to support the warfighters, or to contracting offices throughout the AOR to establish conborrow a phrase used by the PACAF/LG; time-definite tracts, and reviewing records, contracting actions, and production, time-definite delivery, increased visibility, and local procedures. Every member of the contracting staff is reduced variability. There is no doubt on the resolve of all a warranted contracting officer prepared to deploy to any the personnel in the AOR to accomplish any given task location in order to provide essential items for the and under any adversity. We have a great sense of comwarfighters. radery, commitment, dedication and professionalism that is It is the responsibility of the Logistics Plans Division to very impressive. I am proud to be a part of it. review the TPFDL, track the movement of forces through the JOPES system and inform the C4 director on the status of the arrival of those forces. They monitor the SITREP JOSEPH L. ROBINSON, Lt Col, USAF inputs from our existing locations and they also oversee site CFACC-C4 Director of Transportation surveys for new operating locations, consolidating inputs CENTAF-PSAB K from other functional managers to determine base operat18
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Loggie Life in the “Sandbox”
D
eploy to the Arabian Peninsula—oh no! If you haven’t made your pilgrimage to the “sandbox” yet, know up front, that although Air Force life in the desert is challenging, it’s not nearly as harsh as one might envision. The 405th Expeditionary Mission Support and Maintenance Groups did a terrific job in establishing operations here, and the torch is passed to each successive deployment to continuously improve the infrastructure and the ways we do business. We’ve erected hospitable living quarters from an area previously occupied by desert critters and sun-scorched sand, and continue to press forward and carry out the daily combat flying mission.
SANDBOX IN THE
ER: LOGGIE LIFE
The fight against terrorism is first and foremost on the minds of all those who serve here. As the motto goes, “One team—One fight.” Whatever the duty an airman performs, from the wing commander on down, it’s ultimately to win the war against terrorism. With this in mind, the E-3A AWACS and KC135R tanker aircraft maintainers, expertly supported by the loggies and the 405th Expeditionary Mission Support Group successfully consolidated their efforts as true logisticians. One of the more challenging aspects of working in an austere environment is acquiring assets—equipment, spares, tools—whatever it takes to keep jets in the air. This is where the rubber meets the road for loggies. Close coordination between the 407th (Tankers) and 460th (AWACS) Expeditionary Maintenance Squadrons (EMXS) aircraft maintainers and the women and men of the 405th Expeditionary Logistics
Readiness Squadron (ELRS) routinely overcome global obstacles in receiving critical aircraft parts through various methods. This tight-knit working relationship pays huge dividends in
the identification, acquisition, transportation and receipt of mission critical assets supporting our warfighters. The premier challenge, in many cases, is the fact that command support relationships and chain of command is very different than encountered at home station. For instance, the ELRS Distribution Flight/Mission Capable (MICAP) Element works with the maintenance Mission Readiness Spares Package (MRSP) Element to identify and prioritize critical aircraft parts. The MICAP Element then coordinates with the Air Combat Command/Regional Supply Squad-
ron, who sources the assets and coordinates shipment to the area of responsibility (AOR). The MICAP element, working with the ELRS Traffic Management Office (TMO) and Aerial Port, confirm shipment and track movement of assets with real-time data. TMO secures the most expeditious air or surface transportation and provides global tracking of assets. The Aerial Port coordinates airlift with the theater Joint Movement Center at Prince Sultan Air Base and other stations throughout the world to ensure our parts make it here as rapidly as possible. With approximately 85% of requisitioned assets airlifted into our station, ensuring this intricate web of dialogue works to near-perfection is crucial to the wing’s mission.
Our maintenance and ELRS personnel continually scout for improvements in the way we wag the logistics tail, too. Exhaustive research is conducted daily into improved sourcing and transportation modes. We routinely request the movement of critical assets on organic military and civilian theater rotator aircraft, as well as hand-carried assets on steady Our Loggies are absolutely first rate! They live in tents for months, endure state mission aircraft tail the dust, and dirt, the heat of the day and the coldness of the night and swaps originating from statenever complain. They are the muscle and sinew of our present and future side bases. Likewise, we combat operations… true warriors! achieved great success in identifying additional theater ––C O L O N E L P E T E R K I P P I E airlift missions, kits searches Vice-Commander, 405 Expeditionary Wing (with visibility into those of
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other theater-deployed units in addition to our own), and by finding suitable substitutes through direct dialogue with depot engineers. Result—we successfully execute the war on terrorism with more than a hint of efficiency. This cohesive working relationship of maintainers and the ELRS spills over into the Fuels, Vehicle Management and Readiness arenas. As in any wing, Fuels Flight is responsible for the order, receipt and issue of jet fuel and cryogenics. Here at the 405th AEW, they do this 24/7 to a challenging array of assigned and multi-national civ/mil transient aircraft (have you ever refueled an Antonov AN-124?). Oh, by the way, the ultimate challenge being the coordination of fuel deliveries, since all fuel comes over the road, because no pipeline to the port exists! As the saying goes in Fuels, “Nothing goes until it gets the hose”. Like any Vehicle Management Flight, ours provides direct flightline support to maintainers, aircrew, and the base populous. This dynamic team repairs and maintains the entire wing fleet of over 140 vehicles, as well as manages over 40 additional organic and leased assets. The fleet includes fire trucks, forklifts, cargo loaders, dump trucks, and a host of other mission critical vehicles. Not only do we fix them and manage them, we also drive them. Our vehicle operators provide operational support for everything from cargo and passenger movement to USO entertainers.
Finally, no operational unit can successfully execute war without knowledge of short and long-term plans. The ELRS Readiness Flight is the wing’s plans and programs office. This flight develops and maintains various base support and contingency plans in conjunction with wing agencies. Readiness is the wing’s central point of contact
for mass movements of USAF and inter-service units. While the ELRS is supporting the wing with a wide array of logistical support, the 405th Maintenance Group aircraft maintainers are free to focus on honing the point of the spear. In the desert, this can be a daunting task. Rocks the size of marbles seem to leap out of nowhere and run rampant on the flightline, requiring constant observation, sweeping,
and FOD walks to prevent FOD-related incidents. Ever-present blowing sand, no friend to avionics, means the maintainer’s tool of choice may well be a whiskbroom or vacuum. Although the E-3A AWACS and KC135R Tankers have uniquely different missions, the 140+ technicians and officers who keep them flying safely know what it takes to be successful, often sharing their resources, equipment, and expertise. It’s a survival skill exercised every day due to the criticality of the job they do; unlike training missions at home, each AWACS and Tanker mission launched from here has the lives of ground forces in direct contact with the enemy tied to it. Lack of an AWACS or tanker on station means no air control or refueling, which equals no close air support for combat engaged units on the ground. Additionally, the remoteness of our location dictates flexibility in the types of missions flown, with the need for maintainers to launch an aircraft, with little or no notice. For example, the 407th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron was called upon to perform medical evacuation duties, moving stabilized patients to locations with more robust medical support. So working diligently through the unique challenges encountered in harsh desert climates, rough terrain, and stationed far, far from home, our personnel are bolstered by the knowledge that lives are literally at stake.
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ER: LOGGIE LIFE
IN THE
“SANDBOX”
All of these maintainers work 12-hour (in reality, 13½ hour) duty days, often 7 days a week throughout their tours. Ironically, it seems the hard work and long hours has little effect on morale here, and only increases unit cohesion and dedication to the job. People know why we are here and want to be a part of it. Our sun-bronzed, windburned logisticians still have time to enjoy many of the events held by 405th Expeditionary Services Squadron. Big Bucks Bingo draws a large, lively crowd and it’s definitely not your grandma’s bingo game. There is always a volleyball game with room for one more, as well as horseshoes, karaoke, and many other activities. And since an Air Force, just like an Army, “marches on it’s stomach”, lobster tails, crab legs, and down home barbecue are not at all uncommon items on the menu. In fact, the bigger danger here may not be from terrorist strikes, but from cholesterol (something that can be worked off in our full-up gym and weight rooms). In short, working on the other side of the world doesn’t mean you have to
feel like you’re staring at the edge the earth. While we’re here accomplishing the goal of flushing out terrorism, we’ll continue to perform as “One Team—One Fight.”
SPRING 2003
960th EMXS Commander, and is assigned to Tinker AFB, OK as the 552d AMXS Assistant Avionics Flight Commander. Capt Jason Ring currently is the 405
The following individuals, currently deployed to the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing in the Sultanate of Oman, contributed to this article: 1Lt Charles Murchie currently is the 407th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron (EMXS) Commander, and is assigned to McConnell AFB, KS as the 22d MXS Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight Commander.
The loggies of the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing do a Herculean job of safely and solidly supporting and maintaining our weapons systems while keeping the spirits of deployed personnel high. 22
1Lt Thomas Chong currently is the
Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron (ELRS) Distribution Flight Commander, and is assigned to Dyess AFB, TX as the 7th LRS Fuels Flight Commander. Capt Patricia Csank currently is the 405 (ELRS) Air Terminal Operations Center (ATOC) Flight Commander, and is assigned to McChord AFB, WA as the 62nd APS ATOC Flight Commander. K
Misawa Air Base, Japan... The Point on the Tip of the Spear MISAWA
IS
LOCATED
IN
AN The 35th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Misawa Air Base
NORTHABOUT 400
AGRICULTURAL AREA OF EASTERN
JAPAN,
NORTH OF METROPOLITAN TOKYO. MANY LIKE TO REFER TO MISAWA AS “MAYBERRY RFD,” MILES
a sleepy hollow where you can leave your doors unlocked and everyone knows everyone. It’s hard to imagine you’re 8,000 miles from Washington D.C. and only 800 from Pyongyang, placing us near the front line, or “the point on the tip of the spear.” The Misawa community is far from quiet and when you open the door and look inside you’ll be amazed at what you will find.
and is the only operationally combined four-service installation in the Pacific Command, with a population of about 14,000. Four groups are assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing: the 35th Operations Group, the 35th Maintenance Group, the 35th Mission Support Group, and the 35th Medical Group. The associate units include Naval Air Facility Misawa; Naval Security Group Activity Misawa; Sub-Unit 2, Company I Marine Support Battalion; 301st Intelligence Squadron and the Army’s 403rd M i l i t a r y Intelligence Detachment. Naval Air Facility, Misawa has a huge presence with a population of over 1,000 active duty members providing aviation logistics support for EP-3E, EP-3, and C-12 aircraft that support the U.S. 7th Fleet. You may
... the standard for excellence
E R : M I S AWA A I R B A S E J A PA N
recall the Navy EP-3E Aries II reconnaissance aircraft, which collided with a Chinese F-8 fighter over the South China Sea and made an emergency landing in China last year. That aircraft was assigned to Misawa. The Misawa Cryptologic Operations Center, or MCOC, is a joint service operation that conducts signals intelligence and provides information warfare data for the national command authorities and theater war planners. The mission of these U.S. Armed Forces units, an integral part of the worldwide U.S. communications network, is to provide rapid radio relay, secure communications, and C2W support to U.S. and Allied Forces. Their unit personnel develop and apply techniques and technology designed to enhance friendly command and control communications while denying the enemy the same capabilities. They also advise U.S. and Allied commanders concerning procedures and techniques that could be used to counter enemy command and control communications. They also conduct research into electronic phenomena, provide direction-finding assistance to air-sea rescue operations, aid with navigation, and provide support to the F-16CJ’s High Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) Missile Targeting System. Now that I’ve introduced Misawa’s team, let me discuss the Wild Weasel mission and how we assist in the defense of Japan. The wing’s mission is to “help defend Japan and promote regional security in the Pacific by pro-
viding forward presence, deployable forces, and quality mission support.” The wing flies two squadrons of the Block 50 model F-16CJ and F-16DJ Fighting Falcon and our primary mission is suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses. The two squadrons, the Panthers and the Fighting Samurai have become known as the world’s greatest Wild Weasels. Our forward presence means we have front-row seats for a wide range of potential flash points in the pacific region. North Korea remains unpredictable with its socio-economic instability and aggressive politic. China and Taiwan remain a topic of discussion while Russia remains unsettled. The Philippines, East Timor, Spratly Islands, and Indonesia are all in various states of unrest. Since the mid 1980’s, when the first F-16CJ’s arrived at Misawa, our mission focus has expanded across the globe. Over the past year Misawa has set the standard for excellence. Our people have personified the Air Force’s core competencies of “Rapid Global Mobility” and “Air and Space Superiority.” In fact, this past year we flew over
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SPRING 2003
12,000 hours and successfully completed 21 deployments moving nearly 2,000 personnel, and 425 short tons of supplies and equipment to Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East. We launched back-to-back Wild Weasel fighter aviation packages along with associated support personnel to Saudi Arabia for AEF 3 and 5 for durations from 30 to 179 days in support of Operation Southern Watch. With the changing face of air combat, night flight training has become more critical. Nearly one-half of our sorties are flown after dusk. In addition to flight training, our people and aircraft participate in regularly scheduled exercises, such as COPE NORTH, COPE TIGER, COPE THAW, COMBAT ARCHER, and MAPLE FLAG. Our exercises test the wing’s ability to quickly move aircraft, cargo, and people to deployed locations and the ability to survive and operate under wartime conditions, in addition to our air combat role. Misawa also contributes to PACAF’s combat lethality by providing F-16 engine maintenance support for Misawa,
Osan, and Kunsan Air Bases at our “Queen Bee” regional maintenance center. There is no question the key to enhancing our mission readiness is our people. They make the mission happen every day. Misawa’s leadership team is committed to creating a positive environment where our people can work, live, and play and I’m honored to be serving with such a great group of dedicated professionals. LIEUTENANT
COLONEL
JAMES E. EILERS is the Commander, 35th Logistics Readiness
Squadron,
35th
Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan. He is responsible for providing comprehensive logistical support to the 35th Fighter Wing and associate units at Misawa Air Base. K
AMC’s Air Mobility Squadrons Our Role in Contingency Operations BACKGROUND To appreciate an Air Mobility Squadron’s role and contributions in worldwide contingency operations, first it’s necessary to understand these unique units and their functions. Air Mobility Command’s “Air Mobility Squadron” (AMS), commonly referred to as an “En Route”, is often confused with the AMOS or AMOG in the CONUS. The designation “AMOG” (Air Mobility Operations Group) is used for two types of groups performing distinctly different functions within AMC. In the Pacific for example, the lesser-known AMOG at Hickam AFB, consists of six Pacific Air Mobility Squadrons. These over-
seas squadrons are in-place “airports” designed basically as planned stops for transiting channel and contingency airlift missions. However they were primarily established to support the tanker and airlift air bridge, host base deployment activities and other service components at their location according to OPLAN. The more widely known 615th AMOG and its squadrons based at Travis AFB, function primarily by deploying forward into the field, often in a tanker airlift control element (TALCE) capacity in the theater they’re called to support. AMS brings super logistics to the fight! AMSs, both Pacific and Atlantic, are hybrids, made up of
essential logistics, operations, and support functions to keep AMC’s global mobility machine rolling 24/7. These squadrons encapsulate all the airlift functions of an AMC base to include limited aircraft parts supply containing an average of 1,200 high-use line item spares for C-5, C-17, and C-141 aircraft, including engines. Strength varies among AMSs, depending on location and mission. The AMS at Hickam, for example, consists of over 430 military and civilian personnel. As with all AMSs, the 735th Air Mobility Squadron is an associate unit on a host base. En Routes generally enjoy cooperative partnerships with host wings, but the unique pairing
does present challenges. Coordination between AMC and host wing command centers is critical. Often the traditional wing C2 does not fully understand the business or mission of AMC, and confusion occurs. This can be especially true during base deployment/mobility exercises. There are three logistics functions within an AMS, aircraft maintenance, air transportation, and supply. Log plans does not exist in an AMS, but is facilitated by the Combat Readiness and Resources Staff. The maintenance flight including the AMU, and Aerial Port Flight together constitute more than 75 percent of the squadron. Maintainers and transporters must be proficient on multiple airframes. Opportune training on transiting aircraft must be maximized to maintain this currency. Maintainers normally arrive at an AMS in at least their second term, most already having an SEI on one heavy aircraft. Even before arrival at the En Route, a maintainer may be matched against another heavy MDS, and attend familiarization training en route to the overseas
assignment. Similarly, an Air Transporter loads or services over twenty different military and commercial aircraft during a typical assignment in an AMS. Significant Air Mobility Squadron facilities include a passenger terminal, freight warehouse, aircraft maintenance complex with supply point, and fleet service center. Geographical separation of facilities is a challenge
faced by almost all AMSs. A vehicle fleet can contain up to one hundred assigned vehicles. Specialized vehicles include 60K Tunner loaders, passenger stair trucks, aircraft tow tugs, and hireach maintenance platforms. AMSs do not, however, possess any aircraft.
WORLDWIDE CONTINGENCY I N V O LV E M E N T An Air Mobility Squadron supports hundreds of real-world contingency, joint, training, relief, humanitarian, med-evac, exercise, and DV efforts annually; all without necessarily deploying a single troop. The number one mission is support for 15 – 25 missions daily. The 735th AMS handled over 9,000 missions during CY 2002, moving more than 40,000 tons of cargo and 115,000 troops and passengers to destinations across the globe. Exercises Tandem Thrust, Cobra Gold, Terminal Fury, and JTF Full Accounting are just a few major operations coordinated through Pacific AMS’s. Examples of AMS contingency involvement are many and varied. Customers span all DoD branches, as well as numerous commercial-based entities. During initial phases of Operation Enduring continued on following page...
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ER: AMC’S AIR MOBILITY SQUADRONS
Freedom, the 735th planned and coordinated reception and integration of an entire tanker task force into Hickam. Within a 9-hour window, 14 KC-135 refuelers, 228 troops, and 27 tons of aircraft parts and support equipment were in place and missionready. A major part of 735th AMS contingency support is for the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The 25th ID rotations to Bosnia are vital to sustaining the peacekeeping mission in that region. As sole manifesting agency for Hickam AFB, the 735th processed and moved 12,500 personnel with equipment via AMC charter MD-11 and L-1011 aircraft throughout 2002. Another primary customer is the U.S. Navy. A highlight of recent interservice support was the first-ever cargo joint inspection (JI) and load validation of the Navy’s new and advanced SEAL Delivery System Submarine. 735th AMS aerial port maintainers, load planners, and cargo handlers teamed with contract engineers and Navy operators to write procedures for load/unload of the submersible into/out of the C-5. The weeklong validation with the 84-ton vessel measured rapid deployment and launch insertion/extraction capabilities of this new weapon system. Staging and support for the Navy EP3 aircraft recovery from Hainan Island, China in 2001 was provided
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exclusively by Pacific Air Mobility Squadrons. Russian AN-124 airlifters ferried the dismantled mishap aircraft to depot on missions into and out of Kadena AB, Japan and Lingshui AB, China. The 733d AMS at Kadena was instrumental in this Herculean effort.
Additionally, the 23-person EP-3 aircrew was transported home via C-17, launched by the 733d and recovered by the 735th AMS at Hickam. The mobility piece of Air Mobility Squadrons is currently in flux. Thoughtful arguments have been made both for and against tasking AMS personnel and resources to fill AEF rotations. The AMS position for filling AEF buckets is driven by the reality that large pools of highly versatile aircraft maintainers and air transporters who, depending on the world situation, may be underutilized during a period of known/forecasted decrease in airflow through an AOR. AMS resources would also relieve pressure on airlift wings and deployable AMOGs during periods of high
OPSTEMPO. Conversely, the position for AMSs not deploying is that they are in-place, daily war fighters; separate from their OPLAN commitment in a respective AOR. In essence an AEF commitment would degrade an AMS’s ability to support their wartime tasking. Surge flexibility also evaporates, which affects multiple AORs simultaneously. Air Mobility Squadrons routinely send Maintenance Recovery Teams (MRTs) to locations within their AOR. Air transporters at some AMSs do fill mobility slots, and support worldwide manning assist taskings as they arise. Support and posturing for contingency operations is one the Air Mobility Squadron’s primary functions. It’s an exciting time in the evolution of these unique squadrons. Roles and responsibilities Air Force wide are changing to meet new threats, and new demands. AMC’s Air Mobility Squadrons will rise to meet those challenges. Capt Mike Dailey is a core airlift 21A, in his second year as a 21R in the Logistics Crossflow Program. He has been assigned to two Air Mobility Squadrons, as both an aircraft maintenance officer and an air transporter. He is currently Chief of Passenger Service in the 735th AMS, Hickam AFB, Hawaii. K
Chapter Updates THE LOOKING GLASS CHAPTER - OFFUTT AFB The Looking Glass Chapter was formed in Dec 01 and currently boasts 17 National LOA members. Our current officers are: President: Maj David Foote Vice President: Lt Paul Schultz Event Committee Chair: Lt Randy Schwinler Membership Committee Chair: Maj John Rogers Information Officer: Lt Andrew Lonas
T H E T E X O M A C H A P T E R - S H E P PA R D A F B The Texoma Chapter is coming on strong in North Texas! We have had three meetings plus one tour since Oct 2002. In Feb 03, members from the Texoma Chapter traveled to the Delta Airlines Heavy Maintenance Facility at DallasFort Worth International Airport. We had a lively question and answer session with our gracious hosts from the Delta Maintenance department and then went into their state-of-the-art 6-bay large aircraft hangar. We got a good look at how Delta maintains their fleet of aircraft and saw two 757 aircraft in C-check. Upcoming events include a mentoring session with Lieutenants and Colonels, a tour of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and a tour of the Lockheed-Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. National membership of the Texoma Chapter has grown 50% since last October and our goal is to make the Top Ten chapter list by the end of 2003.
LLOA CHAPTER – LANGLEY AFB Here is our new staff at Langley: President: Capt Tracy Delaney, email: tracy.delaney@langley.af.mil ACC Vice: Maj Joseph Connell, email: joseph.connell@langley.af.mil 1FW Vice: Capt Jonathan Bland, email: jonathan.bland@langley.af.mil
RAZORBACK CHAPTER – LITTLE ROCK AFB The Little Rock AFB “Razorback” Chapter recently held elections. Our new leaders are: President: Maj John Migyanko, email: john.migyanko@littlerock.af.mil Vice President: Capt Forrest Jackson, email: forrest.jackson@littlerock.af.mil Recorder: Lt Steve Howard, email: steven.howard@littlerock.af.mil Treasurer: Lt Alex Santiago, email: alexander.santiago@littlerock.af.mil Membership: Lt Joe Copous, email: frank.copous@littlerock.af.mil Publicity: Lt Joe Cole, email: joseph.cole@littlerock.af.mil
THE ICEMAN CHAPTER – EIELSON AFB We recently had new officials elected to the Iceman Chapter. Here are our fearless new leaders: President: Maj David Hunt Vice Pres: Capt Aaron Cowley Treasurer: Lt Joe Toup Secretary: Lt Rick Parent continued on following page... EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE
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T H E G AT E WAY C H A P T E R – S C O T T A F B It has been a pleasure serving Scott LOA and helping our chapter grow from a small cadre of a dozen officers to over 125 members this past year. Our chapter has accomplished some amazing things and there are still many more challenges to face. I would like to thank Brig Gen Reno (senior advisor) and Col Gary Melchor (Advisor) for their outstanding support and guidance. The outgoing executive council have been true leaders…each of you have set good examples as you took the helm… I commend you for taking the time to mentor junior officers and help make a difference in officer professional development.
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I would also like to announce our recent Logisitician of the Quarter award winners for Oct - Dec 2002. SNCO: SMSgt Erik Wineland, HQ AMC/LGS NCO: TSgt Scott Cairy, 375 MXG AMN: A1C Ryan Kerniskey, 375 MXS Civ: Maureen Wells, HQ AMC/LGT Finally, the new Scott LOA officers are… drum roll please…. President: Capt Heather Hunn, HQ AMC/LGSR Vice President: 2Lt Ernest Cage, AMCRSS/LGSM Treasurer: Maj Dennis Dabney, HQ AMC/LGMM Secretary: Capt William Webb, HQ AMC/LGTP Best wishes and good luck, Capt JD DuVall! Outgoing Gateway Chapter President http://www.loanational.org/scott/
WA S AT C H WA R R I O R S – H I L L A F B The Wasatch Warriors continue their busy professional development programs and are growing in size! We have been active the last three months even with all that is going on in the world. In January, we heard from Capt Christine Rilovik, who shared her experiences in Explosive Ordinance Disposal. She is the flight commander of the largest EOD flight in the Air Force and the EOD community has been heavily tasked since 9/11. Her experiences working at the White House and doing EOD sweeps for the Superbowl were especially interesting. In February, we hosted a Munitions panel comprised of Col Walter Saeger, Air-to-Surface Munitions Directorate, Maj John Stewart, 649 MUNS and Lt Jeff Cowan, 388 FW Munitions Flight. This was particularly interesting and fitting considering the recent events in Afghanistan and Iraq. Thirty members of the Hill LOA visited Thiokol in March and were able to see an ICBM first stage rocket motor test burn. Quite a sight to see! Also in March, we held a Chief’s Panel. The logistics chiefs presented a lively discussion on their expectations of officers. The Hill LOA started a Professional Reading Group initiative in 2003. Led by Capt Tanya Kubinec, the professional reading group meets monthly to discuss books from the CSAF Reading List. Each month a different LOA member develops questions and moderates the discussion. Our March book was Bin Laden, The Man who Declared War on America, by Yossef Bodansky. Maj Drake Daggett moderated and he arranged to have Dr. Byron Cannon, Middle East historian professor at the University of Utah Middle East Studies Outreach Program on hand to discuss the book. What an insightful lesson! You can find the discussion questions to this book and others on our website. The Wasatch Warriors are looking forward to our summer events which will include a visit by AFPC and a field trip 30
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to the Utah Test and Training Range. If you are in the area, please join us!
T H E PA L M E T T O C H A P T E R - S H AW A F B The Palmetto Chapter recently held elections. Here are our brave new leaders: President: LtC Al Clark (20 MXG/CD) Vice President: 2Lt Kristie Tunney (20 LRS) Recorder: 2Lt Jerry Ottinger (20 LRS) Treasurer: 1Lt Renee Russo (20 CONS) Events Coordinator: 2Lt Sara Loyd (20 FW/XP)
T H E FA I R C H I L D C H A P T E R - FA I R C H I L D A F B The Fairchild AFB Chapter is in the process of being revitalized. After being mothballed for the last 6-8 months, we’ve held elections for new officers and are pressing on with the resurrection. We are currently working on a visit of the Aerial Port at McChord AFB WA and several local businesses. In addition, we are scheduling numerous training events for the upcoming year. Our newly elected officers are: President: LtC Kurt Kitti Vice President: Capt Frank Shifflett Secretary: 2d Lt Jason Okumura Treasurer: 2d Lt Elise Strachan We are looking forward to a great year with Fairchild LOA!
HIGH FLIGHT CHAPTER - BEALE AFB By 2nd Lt. Jared Eros, High Flight LOA Chapter Originally started in 1978, the “National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week” is a way to call upon people to volunteer at Veterans Administration hospitals or clinics. Sixteen members of the Beale High Flight Chapter of the Logistics Officer Association and Beale Airman’s Council extended its volunteer spirit and paid a visit to the Sacramento VA Medical Center at Mather Field on Feb. 13 to share some Valentine’s cheer with a few local veterans. “I’m proud of men and women of the LOA and the Airman’s Council for arranging this special outreach,” said Col. Les Calahan, 9th Maintenance Group commander. “It’s actions like this that remind each of us to thank those veterans who served before us and to applaud the efforts of groups like these that are leading the way toward a bright Air Force future.” The airmen were given a brief tour of the facilities and informed of what the VA does for veterans. Finally, the visitors were escorted through the surgery ward and introduced to the veterans. Brownie Troops, Webelos, Tiger Cubs and the Wheatland High School student council created and donated hundreds of Valentine’s cards. Team Beale came through with lithograph donations from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing public affairs office and Lockheed Martin. “Valentine’s Day is an appropriate time to tell veterans that we care and appreciate what they’ve done for us,” said 2nd Lt. Dave Reilly, project coordinator and LOA community service chairman. “We owe them so much for the sacrifices they made to ensure our freedom and quality of life.” continued on following page...
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CAJUN CHAPTER - BARKSDALE AFB It’s been a busy year here at Barksdale AFB. We supported the NASA Columbia Accident Recovery Operation, the Taranak Farms Article 32 Hearing, and have seen the deployment of most of our B-52s and ECS to multiple locations around the world, which has kept us very busy. We are looking forward to an exciting year when everyone returns. Trips are planned to the Red River Army Depot, Fort Polk Joint Training Facility, American Airlines maintenance facilities and the Lockheed Martin production facility in Dallas. We recently held our annual elections. Luckily the voting was completed before the majority of the wing deployed. The new officers are: President: Capt L.D. Buerger Vice President: Capt Tim Gillaspie Treasurer: Lt Kevin Kulz Secretary: Lt Carisa Proctor-Schwarz
CHARLESTON CHAPTER – CHARLESTON AFB
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Just wanted to pass on that Charleston just had their officer elections. The congratulations to our new officers: President: Capt Matthew Berridge Vice President: 1Lt Derrick Seaton Secretary: 1Lt Aaron Rivers Treasurer: 1Lt Micaela Brancato
LIGHTNING CHAPTER – MACDILL AFB The MacDill “Lightning Chapter” took a “behind the scenes” tour in February of ground operations at the St. Petersburg/Clearwater United Parcel Service regional hub. This 2.5 hour “in-the-weeds” tour gave the chapter an appreciation of the precision and vast logistical coordination required to get “stuff” from here-to-there while maintaining an accurate account of it’s location. Thanks goes to Lt Jose Lasso for arranging this tour and especially to Mr. Phil McNiff (UPS Ground Operations Manager) for guiding the tour. K
Front Row: (L-R) Lt Chris Fontana, Lt John Harrison, Maj Michael Todd, Lt Donny Bagwell, Lt Jose Lasso (tour coordinator) Back Row: (L-R) Lt Col Brad Reinert, Capt Nick Dyson, Lt Joe Whittington, Lt Jeff Holland, Mr. Phil McNiff (UPS Operations Manager), Lt John Scofield, Maj Jay Kent 32
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On behalf of the Logistics Officer Association’s “Lightning Chapter,” Lt Jose Lasso thanks UPS ground operations manager (Mr. Phil McNiff) for an awesome tour!
On The Move LT COL (RET) JOE SHURILA WRITES: It’s been one year since my retirement and I have moved to a new position as the President of Defense Partnering Group, LLC. You can contact me at 405-732-9772 or email me at joe@defensepartnering.com Keep them aircraft flying! CAPTAIN JEFFEREY HUNTER WRITES: Well, after 3+ years as a Munitions Flight commander at both Holloman and Vandenberg AFBs, it was time to spread out and learn something new. As of 17 March 03, I’m the 576th Resources Flight Commander. Sections within the flight include the Instrumentation Lab, Electronics Lab, Mech/Pneu, and PREL. I’ll miss my AMMO guys but I’m looking forward to being involved in yet another aspect of the ICBM test launch business. I hope to get another munitions-related job when it’s time to PCS next year. Capt Jefferey Hunter 576th Flight Test Squadron Vandenberg AFB, CA COLONEL JAMES L. HASS WRITES: Well, I have finally moved up to the Chief of the Aircraft Division at Air Combat Command. I did the Deputy Chief job twice. I guess they wanted to ensure I had it down before they moved me up. This is a great assignment for the “last assignment”. I plan to retire on 16 Jan 04, with just a little over 40 years on active duty, all in aircraft maintenance, completed. Where did all the time go? I hope I get to see most of you at the Conference this year in Oklahoma City for one last beer. ––Jim COLONEL (RET) JENNIFER FOX WRITES: In March 2003,I changed jobs and positions and am now working for CACI here in Oklahoma City as a program manager. I enjoy the new position and am still active in the Crossroads Chapter of LOA as the Retired Advisor and the co-chair of the exhibitor committee for the upcoming 2003 LOA conference. Looking forward to seeing everyone in October! MAJ DEREK OLIVER WRITES: Current assignment: Joint Mobility Operations Officer, USTRANSCOM J3, Scott AFB, IL
MAJ STEPHEN PETTERS WRITES: Happily moving on from ACSC to take command of the newly created 48th MUNS at Lakenheath in August. IYYAYAS!! COLONEL RICK MATTHEWS WRITES: Reluctantly gave up the reins of the 57th Maintenance Group to Col Johnny Smith on 2 December. Now at Wright-Pat as B-2 System Program Director. COLONEL (RET) ALFTER WRITES: Retired after 33 years, on 1 Sep 02, as Deputy Director of Airborne Accessories at OC-ALC. Am now working for Honeywell in Phoenix in Military Avionics Aftermarket Sales. Because of this position, I am fortunate to be able to see many of you from time to time in not only business, but also as old friends. See you at the Convention in OKC! LT COL (RET) BERT EVERHART WRITES: Currently serving as the Quality/ Safety/Environmental Compliance Manager with DynCorp International WRM Program in the Middle East. We store, maintain, reconstitute the vast majoity of the Harvest Falcon equipment in the USAF inventory. Our sites are in five countries and OLs in a few more. My task at the moment is to get us recertified under ISO 9001:2000 as our 1994 certification runs out soon. This is being done as we are busier than at any time in history supporting our customer - CENTAF. As a team, we are proud of our accomplishments in the past year and one-half and expect to be an even more vital force enabler. COL MARY H. PARKER WRITES I’m leaving Kirtland AFB after 3 yrs as the DOGM for the 58 OG and 6 mos as the Dep Cmdr for the 58 MXG to be the Commander for the 605th Air Support Squadron and the 5 AF/A4 at Yokota AB. It was my privilege to be the Sandia Chapter President at Kirtland for the past 3 years, and have turned over the helm to Capt Shetler. I’m looking forward to becoming involved with the Chapter at Yokota!
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MAJ JEFF DICICCO WRITES: PCS from Prince Sultan AB, KSA to Ellsworth AFB, SD to be 28 MXS Maintenance Supervisor CAPT JD DUVALL WRITES: PCSing to Kirtland AFB. LT COL (RET) DAVE MILLER WRITES: Thanks to Charlie Botello, I am now with NCI Information Systems as Vice President, Air Force Marketing. Contact Info: 937-427-0252, ext 102; (cell 937-602-1046) Keep the Faith. CAPT JOE BANKS WRITES: My family and I have settled in to life in the Eifel region of Germany. I am the Assistant Commander of the 81st AMU in the 52 AMXS at Spangdahlem.
MAJ MONTY DEIHL WRITES: My family and I made a short notice move from Tyndall and are now at Sheppard AFB; cows, horses, and tumbleweed have replaced the white sand and King Mackerel fishing. I’m here to build and teach the new Maintenance Course for Operations Commanders (MCOC). MCOC is a new initiative to bring all future flying ops commanders to Sheppard for a 2-week aircraft maintenance course with the first classes scheduled to begin in Jan 03. More to come. LT COL (RET) BARBARA REYNOLDS WRITES: I recently retired after 24 years. Enjoyed every bit of it. I am now working on the acquisition of the MC2A platform. What a challenge! Decided to stay in Langley area for now. K
MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY
You may know them now, but would you know them then?
How many of these people can you name and where are they now? The answers in the Summer ER due out in early September. MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY MOA-LOA HISTORY
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