United We Roll at Stardust Radio

United We Roll World Tour Show
Stardust Radio www.stardustradio.com
Tuesday 01/15/13 1:00pm- 2:30pm Central (Live)
Wednesday 01/16/13 6:00pm- 7:30pm Central (Repeat)

Welcome Stardust Listeners -
We thank you for joining us on Tuesday, January 15th of 2013.

First of all, however did we get to the middle of January so fast?

This week, we bring you two more outstanding and very informative visits with deployed members from two of our Armed Forces (US Air Force and US Army) who are serving in Afghanistan and in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. By listening to these visits we learn information from the men and women who are making accomplishments every day that we should be seeing on our news each evening. We appreciate the time that these deployed Heroes of Freedom are able to make for us even when their duty schedules are very long and time is very precious.

United We Roll at Stardust Radio Network, Inc
www.stardustradio.com - click Listen Live button

SHOW SCHEDULE

1:00pm - Introduction / Announcements

45th MICO

Interview #1 (appr 1:10pm) - CPT Marvin A Gipson
45th Military Intelligence Company
Afghanistan

376 AEW "Liberandos"

Interview #1 (appr 1:43pm) - CH/CPT Donald R Crandell
376 Air Expeditionary Wing
Republic of Kyrgyzstan

Show ends at appr 2:30pm Central

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If you are not able to stay through the show this afternoon,
it will repeat on Wednesday 01/16 evening at 6:00pm Central.
After the repeat show has been broadcast, an MP3 copy will be posted on the
Stardust Radio Network Inc Archive site at www.stardustradio.info.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL & MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!

If you have listened to many of our weekly interviews with members who are deployed to the Transit Center at Manas in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, you are well aware that winters there are extremely cold. And, if you look at a map to see where this country is located, you probably understand why. Now, picture the flightlines at this base where there are no cozy, warm hangers in which to park a plane while it receives maintenance. Nope - nada.

Also, if you have heard these interviews, you know how critical are the missions that the folks stationed at the TCM accomplish everyday. And nothing, not even the coldest of weather, will interfere with getting those jobs done. This article is just one story of so very many that could be told every single week of the incredible people who serve, of their commitment and dedication to complete their tasks, of the accomplishments that should be on our news every night and in every newspaper.

With unending pride and appreciation for all that you do, we salute the men and women of the 728th Air Mobility Squadron Maintenance Crews!

Maintainers work around the clock to return aircraft to flight

Posted 1/14/2013 Updated 1/14/2013

by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

1/14/2013 - TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- Foreign object debris, or FOD, can cost millions of dollars in damage and numerous maintenance hours to repair. Despite efforts to minimize FOD, damage does happen occasionally.

On Jan. 11, 2013, a C-17 Globemaster III suffered FOD damage to one of its engines. With the aircraft playing a major role in the Transit Center at Manas airlift mission, maintenance crews from the 728th Air Mobility Squadron Operating Location-Alpha jumped into action to replace the engine and return the aircraft to the fight.

After engine shut down, one large and several small pieces of titanium were found behind the number four engine and on the taxiway leading to the parking spot.

"We can only speculate at this time what this piece of metal was that caused the damage because there were no identifying markings on the metal," said Maj. Thomas Albrecht, 728 AMS/OL-A aircraft maintenance officer in charge. "We believe the metal was sitting on the runway and when our aircraft landed and deployed the thrust reversers, the downward deflected air from the engine kicked up the piece of metal, which was then ingested by the engine."

A thorough inspection revealed extensive cuts and dents around the engine inlet, as well as dozens of damaged fan blades. Fortunately, there was no internal damage to the engine. However, the external damage could not be repaired with personnel and equipment on site, so a new engine and specialized maintenance teams were ordered from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and an air base in Southwest Asia.

"Our personnel are limited based on the mission here," said Albrecht. "We probably could have done the engine swap, but it's always better to have specialists who have done it multiple times. So we asked for a team of four."

With the request put in Saturday, the engine and maintenance teams arrived Sunday and went straight to work on the engine swap, a task that takes approximately 24 hours to complete.

"That's 24-hours straight of maintenance," said Albrecht. "That's why it's always best to have a team of four folks. When the teams got here, two went right to work and the other two went to bed so they could swap out later."

Around the clock maintenance operations can be more challenging in location such as the Transit Center where all maintenance is performed outdoors.

"Our biggest problem is freezing temperatures," Albrecht said. "Temps were in the teens last night so there was additional work to get heaters out there. Our maintainers are tough and will work through it, but we also have a work/rest cycle to make sure our folks get a break from the chilly temperatures."

Early Monday, the maintainers were performing engine runs to check the new engine, completing the maintenance is a little more than 24 hours.

"Although this was not the first time an engine was changed at Manas, this was the first time for members of this rotation," said Albrecht. "I'm proud of the camaraderie and teamwork displayed by all involved. The perseverance of each engine change team member led to the quick recovery of this aircraft and the return of a valuable asset to support our airlift mission."

ref: http://www.manas.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123332361#.UPP1rYnx1jY.facebook

It is heartening to read and learn about the programs that have been developed to help the members of our Military and National Guard units and their families to deal with deployments. It is very difficult to imagine what each family does go through with each deployment. When we ask our interview guests who have been on multiple deployments if it gets easier with each additional trip away from home, we usually hear that the mechanics of the tour are easier, but the separation from loved ones gets harder.
As little ones begin to grow, it is harder for them to understand why Mommy or Daddy can't be home for birthdays or holidays. How many wives have given birth to a child - and many first born children - while their husband has been serving in harm's way?

Add this to the fact that our National Guard members are peppered around their communities and do not live in as tight an area as most active duty Military members who live on or near a base, and this is especially a time when we - the neighbors - need to show our support. A plate of freshly baked cookies, a smile and a knock on the door to let a family know that they have help and friends next door goes a long way to help a lonely spouse who has assumed total control and maintenance of the kids, the home and the vehicle(s). (In fact, we should do this with all of our neighbors. Perhaps it will help to bring back the closeness that communities used to have.)

We salute the Yellow Ribbon program and all the other organizations who reach out to make deployments and military/guard life easier for members and families.

Yellow Ribbon support still relevant for deploying Guardsmen

January 13, 2013
Written by Master Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa

ORLANDO (Jan. 13, 2013) – After nearly five years of Yellow Ribbon events, the Florida National Guard’s continuing efforts to support Guardsmen and their families during deployments are still relevant.

During a Yellow Ribbon pre-deployment event in Orlando on Jan. 12, Soldiers and program staff explained that the events are still helpful for the units and the families.

“I think that every time someone comes to one of our events, they get something new out of it,” explained Deployment Cycle Support Chief for the Florida National Guard Maj. Sarah McLevy, who manages the Yellow Ribbon program.

Since 2008, when the Yellow Ribbon program was incepted under the National Defense Authorization Act, the Florida National Guard has held more than 65 pre-deployment, mid-deployment and reintegration events across the state for deployed Army and Air units.

While the numbers of deploying Soldiers and Airmen have decreased over the past few years, McLevy and her team average about 14 events per year throughout Florida.

McLevy said that her team really studies the after-action reviews and comments from the events, and makes adjustments or adds new components to keep Yellow Ribbon events important to the deployment process. One of the newest additions to the events is the “Four Lenses” workshop on temperament which evaluates personality types and teaches people ways to approach conflicts and interpersonal communications.

“This actually helps the servicemembers and it helps the families because they learn about their own temperaments and (the temperaments) of the people around them; it really helps with their communications,” McLevy said of the workshop they implemented in August.

The Jan. 12 event in Orlando brought nearly 150 Soldiers and their families together for the pre-deployment briefings. The majority of the Soldiers attending were from the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and smaller groups represented the 715th Military Police Company and the 3rd Battalion, 116th Field Artillery Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Robert Rivera of Hollywood, Fla., attended the Yellow Ribbon in preparation for an upcoming deployment to the National Capital Region with the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. He said even though this would be his fifth federal deployment, he still appreciated the information and resources available at the Yellow Ribbon events – especially since he will be leaving behind his wife and three sons during the deployment. At the Orlando event he learned about his options for military dental coverage, and what would be the best one for this family.

“It has been very helpful for the family,” Rivera said. “(The events) just seem to get better and better. Every time you come you get something new.”

Transition Assistance Advisor for the Florida National Guard Roger Jarriel has been attending the Yellow Ribbon events since 2008, and agreed that the program still maintains its value to Guardsmen and their families. Jarriel assists servicemembers with accessing Veterans Affairs’ health care services and benefits, and joined representatives from groups including TRICARE and Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) at the Jan. 12 event.

“All of these agencies – government and civilian agencies – are here to support our service members,” Jarriel said. “And they’re passionate about doing it.”

The Florida National Guard units represented at this most recent Yellow Ribbon event will be deploying to the National Capital Region and Southwest Asia within the next year.

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ref: http://www.floridaguard.army.mil/282245

Anyone who lives in or near areas plagued by wildfires can certainly appreciate the men and women of the National Guard who participate in the efforts to control and extinguish these flames before homes are lost. One can only imagine the amount of training and the nerves of steel required to fly into a fire, let alone going down to a water source to fill one's bucket.

As with so many situations that occur around our country, from hurricanes to tornadoes and more, we can count on the members of our National Guard to come to our assistance. We will never be able to express the amount of gratitude we carry for these amazing men and women and their families.

Florida aviators train to extinguish wildfires

Written by Sgt. 1st Class Blair Heusdens
January 14, 2013

By Spc. Kenneth Tucceri
http://www.floridaguard.army.mil/282257

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment participated in a training mission with the U.S. Department of Forestry and the Florida Forest Services at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center Saturday, January 12, to prepare for Florida’s upcoming wildfire season.

The Florida Forest Service aided the joint training mission by setting a fire that could be put out by large containers of water, referred to as bambi buckets, which were attached to Florida National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

The prescribed fires were set by using a dispenser that drops small plastic spheres from the forestry helicopter to determined areas to create the fires, said John K. Fish, a Florida Forest Service fire chief.

The presence of a controlled burn added a sense of realism to the training scenario.

Once the fire was started by the forestry aircraft, the military aircraft worked together to put out the fire. A command and control helicopter, with both military and forestry personnel, directed the other helicopters on where to best drop the water on the burning area.

Variables such as wind and geographical surroundings are considered when directing the water drop from the helicopter, said Maj. Michael Adler, operations officer for the battalion.

The bambi buckets carried 324 gallons of water for the training operation, said Fish. The Chinook helicopter can carry up to 2,000 gallons of water to put out spreading fires.

This mission is the first tactical drill after the unit’s recent overseas deployment, said Adler. This type of training helps the unit not only in their state response mission, but also helps them to train for federal missions.

“We are trying to combine what we would do for a state emergency with what we would do overseas to get the most bang for the buck out of the training,” said Adler.

“The goal for today was to get out here, get all the companies working together again and operating with a civilian agency,” said Lt. Col. Pat Mignon, the battalion commander.

The time of the training is very beneficial with the beginning of wildfire season approaching.
“Wildfire season for Florida starts in about 60 days,” said Adler. “We’re just working out the kinks and issues now before we get into the season.”

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