Veterans Day for Oregon's Airmen, 1944

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Story by TerrenceG. Popravak, Jr., Lt Col, USAF (Retired),142nd Fighter Wing Historian
As we celebrate Veterans Day, let usremember the original members of the Oregon National Guard’s first aviationunit, the 123rd Observation Squadron, who remained in the unit all through itsWorld War II existence, including the wartime overseas deployment toChina. 
Redesignated as the 35th PhotographicReconnaissance Squadron (35PRS) before going overseas (and as the 123rd FighterSquadron after the war), these Oregonians and many other American Airmen of thewartime 35PRS operated the F-5E Photo Lightning in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theaterof operations.
On Nov. 11, 1944, the squadron’s GeorgeFlight, a small detachment of four aircraft and required personnel, wasoperational at the forward airfield of Yunnanyi, 130 miles west of Kunming nearthe Burma border. 
On this day, known then as ArmisticeDay, 1st Lts. William W. Dean III (later MIA) and Estal W. Behrens (later KIA)flew combat aerial reconnaissance missions. 
Dean flew F-5E #806 on a two-hour30-minute photo recon mission along a strip in between Bhamo, in the northernpart of Burma, eastward across the border back into China at Manhsien.
Behrens flew F-5E #810 on a two-hour and45 minute “Tri-Met” mission along a portion of the famed Burma Road fromWanling south to Lashio.  The Trimetrogonconfiguration of two oblique right and left cameras and one vertical camera wasused for aerial photo-mapping, a welcome capability in the poorly chartedexpanses of the CBI.
Both missions were flown over enemyoccupied areas of Burma surrounding the northern part of the Burma Road, towardwhich Allied forces from India and China were approaching in the hard-foughtBurma campaign of 1944.
Just a few days before, on Nov. 5, 1944,the squadron lost its first member in the war, when 1Lt Franklin H. McKinney wasdeclared missing in action.  Recently areport by the government of Thailand reported that his F-5E aircraft, #811 hasbeen found in Ban Mae Gua, SobprabSub-District, Lampang Province in Thailand. This report has yet to be verified.
As Armistice Day, 1944 progressed westwardacross the planet to the Europe Theater of Operations (ETO), the 371st FighterGroup (371FG, today’s 142nd Fighter Wing) was involved in split operations.  Group personnel were at Dole Airfield ineastern France not far from the Swiss border, and the group’s P-47 Thunderboltfighter-bombers were at Dijon Airfield, some 30 miles to the northwest ofDole.  The aircraft were flown to Dijon asa result of flooding at Dole the day before due to the Doubs river overflowingits banks.  Back in the Dole tents, messhalls and line equipment were hastily moved to higher ground as the floodwatersspread.
The group was informed that it wouldcontinue these split operations between Dole and Dijon until the Doubs recededand the aircraft were able to return to Dole, which turned out to be 11 dayslater.  However, on Nov. 11, the weatherwas terrible and there was no flying at all. Rain, mud, snow and flood would hamper the group’s plans.
In this period the 371FG was flyingmissions in and out of nasty weather in support of the Franco-American 6th ArmyGroup, which included the U.S. Seventh Army. In the last week of October, the group’s 405th Fighter Squadron had justflown a remarkable series of aerial resupply missions in support of the “LostBattalion” in Vosges Mountains, many in miserable weather, losing 1Lt Robert A.Booth and two P-47 aircraft in the process.
The service and sacrifice of thepersonnel in these flying units on Armistice Day, 1944, in China, Burma and inFrance, gives an inspiring example of service and sacrifice for us today.  On many subsequent Armistice Days since WWII,and continuously since the early 1960s, men and women of the ORANG’s 142ndFighter Wing have maintained Aerospace Control Alert, serving and sacrificingon what for many citizens is perhaps just another holiday. 
But it’s not just any holiday.  We should pause on Veterans Day to rememberand honor our veterans and all their years of dedicated duty for our community,state and nation, whether overseas or stateside now, at war in 1944 or in peacetoday, ready to defend, 24/7.

Stolen WWII medals reinstated to Soldier's sister

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121109-Z-TK422-788, a photo by oregonmildep on Flickr.David Funk (right), Chairman of the 41st Infantry Division Association, presents Rosetta LaBonte, of Portland, Ore., with the Purple Heart medal at the Oregon National Guard's Open House at Camp Withycombe, in Clackamas, Ore., Nov. 9, as former Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski looks on.

The medals, which were stolen during a home burglary, were bestowed to LaBonte's family following numerous inquiries by Funk as he worked through various government agencies to have the medals reinstated.

LaBonte's brother, Sgt. Eli A. DuMonte, who was a member of the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Division during WWII, was killed during the battle of Biak in 1944.  He was posthumously awarded the medals.

"This was the right thing to do, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer," Funk said, speaking about the government bureaucracy he faced trying to get the medals reinstated.

Funk also faced the challenge presented by archived military records in St. Louis, Mo., which had been destroyed in a fire in 1973. Undaunted, Funk queried several government agencies, and tracked down a fellow Soldier of DuMonte in order to obtain sworn statements supporting the original awarding of the medals.

"This is for my brother, but it's really for my mother and my family," LaBonte said following the ceremony in the second floor auditorium.

The 41st Infantry Division's deployment during WWII was the longest on record, and involved the largest number of Oregon Soldiers.  Personnel were primarily assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations, fighting in several key battles, including Biak and New Guinea.

The ceremony was attended by about 100 local business leaders, Oregon National Guard leadership, and well-wishers.

The Camp Withycombe open house also brought together several groups, including Native American Tribal members, Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, veterans groups, and area residents.

A portion of the ceremony included a presentation of donations by local businesses for the renovation of the Oregon Military Museum, located at Camp Withycombe.  Three companies each donated $50,000 at the event.

For more information on the 41st Inf. Div. Association, go here.  For more information on the Oregon Historical Outreach Foundation, and the capital campaign to raise funds for the renovation of the Oregon Military Museum, visit their website here.


Photo by Master Sgt. Nick Choy, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs.

Oregon's Assistant Adjutant General joins local leaders for Veterans Day ceremony at Vancouver Barracks

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121111-Z-CH590-003, a photo by oregonmildep on Flickr.

Oregon Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Bruce W. Prunk, Assistant Adjutant Gen. Air; U.S. Army Col. Peter Norseth; Ann Rivers, State Senator for the 18th district; Vancouver Mayor Timothy D. Levitt; and Dan Tarbell, event Co-Chairman, render honors during a wreath laying ceremony at the Veterans Day event held at the Fort Vancouver Barracks post cemetery in Vancouver, Wash., Nov. 11. (Oregon Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. John Hughel, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs)

Oregon's 142nd Fighter Wing welcomes new commander

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121202-Z-CH590-268, a photo by oregonmildep on Flickr.

Story by Staff Sgt. Brandon Boyd, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs.


PORTLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Portland, Ore.— Oregon Air National Guard Col. Richard W. Wedan, former 142nd Fighter Wing vice commander, assumed command of the 142nd Fighter wing from Col. Michael E. Stencel during a change of command ceremony Dec. 2.

The wing’s colors were passed to Wedan during the ceremony, heavy with the responsibility and significance of leading the storied group called the Redhawks.

In his previous role as the vice wing commander, Wedan assisted in leading over 1,000 personnel in the execution of the F-15 aerospace control alert mission defending the Pacific Northwest, worldwide deployments, and domestic operations. The supporting role now becomes the leading role.

The outgoing commander thanked his family for their support during his tenure and the distinguished guests for attending the ceremony. Stencel also addressed the members of the 142nd in attendance, thanking them for their contributions, leadership and sacrifices that helped the wing achieve each mission.

During the ceremony, Wedan thanked Stencel in turn, for his leadership and tireless work ethic.

“Mike, you are truly a great man of tremendous character,” said Wedan.

As wing commander, Wedan will oversee the 142nd Fighter Wing just as Airmen prepare for an upcoming Combined Unit Exercise (CUE) scheduled for July, 2012.

During the ceremony, Wedan laid out a four-point leadership plan for the future of the 142nd Fighter Wing focusing on the homeland defense mission, base facilities, community engagement, recruitment and retention.

“I challenge you to embrace the endeavor through your whole-hearted contribution and best efforts,” said Wedan.

Wedan enlisted in the Minnesota Air National Guard in 1988 as a command post controller with the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, Minn., attended undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, and received his initial F-16 training at Kingsley Field, in Klamath Falls, Ore., in 1991.

In 1997, Wedan returned to Oregon as an instructor pilot with the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field, where he served for 12 years prior to being assigned to Oregon’s Joint Force Headquarters for three years as the director of operations.

Oregon City recruiters don’t stop at the enlistment

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Storyand photos by Sgt. 1^st Class Pete Fritsch, ORARNG Recruiter
For several of the Oregon National Guard’s newestSoldiers, the day after Christmas wasn’t spent sleeping-in or shopping at themall.
Home for their Holiday Block Leave (HBL), theirfocus was on developing a plan of integration once their Basic Training/AIT isover.  They received several briefs includinghow to fill out an ADOS packet, what is offered by the Hero’s 2 Hired campaign,and ROTC opportunities, to name a few.
“I was pleasantly surprised that the recruitersspent so much time talking with us about our plan for when we completetraining”, said Pvt. Kayla Peterson, who just completed basic training, and isin her fourth week of AIT at Fort Jackson, in Columbia, S.C.
“I don’t think that anyone else in my platoon backat Fort Jackson had this opportunity over HBL,” she added.
Under the Hometown Recruiting Assistance Program(HRAP), Soldiers who return home for the holidays are allowed to work withtheir recruiters in lieu of charged leave. The Oregon City recruiters have also elected to provide a seminar forthe new Soldiers to help them understand all of the opportunities that awaitthem when they return home after AIT.
“In Oregon, the CTAP, Yellow Ribbon and other reintegrationprograms are nationally recognized and have proven to be extremely successfulfor Soldiers returning from deployments,” said Oregon City recruiter Staff Sgt.Roger Griffin.  “We wanted to bring thosesame resources to our soldiers returning from their initial training,” he said.
The seminar concluded with Oregon Army NationalGuard Sgt. Maj. Beau Lintner, 82 Brigade S-1 Sergeant Major, who addressed the newSoldiers and shared his advice for making the most out of their National Guardcareer.  Most important, he told them howto stay on track with promotions.
“The future of the Oregon National Guard looksbright after what I saw and heard today,” Lintner said.  “These professional young Soldiers askedquestions that show me they are eager to be problem solvers and future leadersin our organization,” he added.  “It wasan honor for me to welcome them home.”
The newly-minted Oregon Soldiers are due to reportback to their various training sites including Fort Jackson, Fort Benning, Ga.;Fort Sill, Okla.; and Fort Gordon, Ga. between Jan. 1-3.  Some have as few as three weeks remaining intheir training while others will continue training for up to 11 weeks.
Participants agreed that they are eager to returnand complete their training but even more excited to have their first drillwith their Oregon Guard units.  In turn,the Oregon National Guard will be happy to welcome them back.
More informationregarding the Oregon City recruiters and their upcoming events, visit them onFacebook here.

New Milestone in the Afghan War

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Commentary by Lt. Colonel John Lewis Cook, USA(ret.)
The war in Afghanistanreached a new, and historic, milestone on Monday, the 24^th of December,2012.  It is ironic that this eventhappened on Christmas Eve, the holiest night in the Christian faith.  We may never know what possessed SergeantNargis, a female veteran of the Afghan National Police, to pick the day beforeChristmas to launch herself into the history of this tragic war, but there isno denying this is the day she became a historic figure.  
It was on this day thatSergeant Nargis pulled out her 9mm standard issue pistol and murdered anAmerican advisor to the National Police in a police station in downtown Kabulat point blank range.  At that point, themother of four became the first female member of the Afghan Security Forces tokill a coalition member in an insider attack, an all too common occurrence inAfghanistan today.  So far this year,sixty-one Americans have been killed in such attacks.  In 2011, the total killed was thirty-five.This trend is clearly going in the wrong direction.
Sergeant Nargis is notjust an average female policeman; she belongs to the elite Gender AffairsDepartment within the National Police Headquarters, the single most importantdepartment fighting for the rights of women across Afghanistan.  This is the department the coalition likes topoint to when discussing the progress we’re making there concerning women’srights.  And this is the department thatis at the forefront of recruiting more women into the National Police andbreaking down the barriers that a male dominated society has put in place forcenturies in an attempt to keep women in Afghanistan is a second class status. 
Since the growing alarmover insider attacks can no longer be ignored, the U.S. Army is developing anew handbook for the troops addressing this issue.  Being careful not to offend the Afghangovernment and President Karzai, this handbook will attempt to lay the blamefor most insider attacks at the feet of the troops for not being sufficientlysensitive to the Afghan culture.  It willlist a number of topics that the troops cannot discuss with their Afghancounterparts.  The list includes thetreatment of women, homosexuality, bestiality, and pedophilia. Any discussionthat could be considered offensive to Islam is to be avoided. 
This was the approachthe coalition planned on pursuing, taking a politically correct stance andwrapping it in cultural sensitivity.  Ofcourse, it required throwing Western cultures and values under the bus but thecoalition was willing to pay that price. It also required the coalition toadmit that practices not tolerated in the West were okay in Afghanistan as longas the “culture and tradition” blanket could be stretched to cover them. 
All of that changed onChristmas Eve and Sergeant Nargis has forced the coalition to develop a newparadigm to excuse what is happening there. No doubt, the coalition spinmachine in Kabul is busy right now trying to mitigate this serious body blow toone of the key objectives we claim we are trying to achieve there, which isimproving the deplorable state of the treatment of women.  However, the usual excuses of insider attackswill not wash in this case.  This attackdid not occur in some remote outpost down range where a clash of cultures isoften used to excuse such attacks.  Thishappened in the heart of Kabul, with no connection between the killer and thevictim.  The only requirement was thevictim had to be from the West. Any Westerner would do in thiscircumstance.  This incident will, nodoubt, be investigated and a report will be written.  The National Police, the organizationSergeant Nargis belongs to, is changed with doing this.  However, a report is not necessary to knowwhat happened. It’s fairly obvious that she was recruited by the Taliban whoreminded her of her duty to conduct a jihad,or Holy War, against the West.  Whenone of the women we went there to help build a better life for her self andother women murders one of our advisors with a weapon we issued to her, andtrained her to use, it’s over. At this point, it’s time to finally realize wehave failed.  No more excuses, simply turnthe lights out and come home.   We need no more milestones to understand this and,God knows, we have an abundance of tombstones. 
About the AuthorLieutenant Colonel JohnLewis Cook, United States Army (Retired), “served as the Senior Advisor to theMinistry of Interior in Kabul, Afghanistan, with responsibility for developingthe force structure for the entire Afghan National Police.  As of 2012, this force totals 157,000.  From March 2008 until August 2012, his accessand intimate associations with all levels of the Afghan government andcoalition forces have provided him with an unprecedented insight into thepolicies which will determine the outcome of the war.  It is this insight, coupled with his contactsand associations throughout Afghanistan that form the basis of Afghanistan: ThePerfect Failure.
Click to read moreabout Lt. Colonel John Lewis Cook

The Real Benghazi Tragedy

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        Commentary by Lt. Colonel John Lewis Cook, USA(ret.)
For weeks now, theBenghazi tragedy has been a major story in Washington.    It’s safe to say that now, most Americansare aware of what happened to our consulate there back in September.  Some points are no longer in dispute.  Four Americans died over a number of hourswhen the consulate was attacked multiple  times. No rescue effort was launched in a timely matter that could havepossibly saved them.  If this were acriminal trial, both the prosecution and defense would stipulate to these factsand move forward.  
However, this isWashington, where the favorite game is the blood sport of raw politics, whereeach side fires on the other with whatever ammunition is available, hoping toinflict serious casualties.  TheRepublicans accuse the administration of deliberately mischaracterizing theattack as spontaneous out of fear this would destroy President Obama’scarefully built narrative that it wasn’t terrorism.  As a result, the counterterrorism brain trustwas not convened.  Neither was a rescueattempted.  The Democrats fired backquickly, accusing the Republicans of playing politics with national securityand engaging in vicious, personal attacks against senior administrationofficials.  And so it goes, with eachside firing volley after volley, not so much searching for the truth as thedesire to cause damage.  Yet, somewherebetween these polarized positions lies the real explanation of this tragedysince neither side has prevailed in this slugfest. 
Current body countstands at four, all from the Department of State.  Susan Rice is no longer a candidate forSecretary of State and three bureaucrats from Foggy Bottom were thrown underthe bus.  All this was on the diplomaticside since the State Department was responsible for the consulate security andclearly, security was not up to standards. That will, no doubt, be addressedand corrected.   However, once the attack began, the situationquickly turned into a military issue if a rescue attempt was in the cards, and,at this point, the State Department was no longer a player.  Diplomats are of little value in a fire fight under any circumstances.  In any event, these two issues must beseparated and dealt with individually. 
The most troubling partof the Benghazi story was not that the consulate  was under protected. Rather,  it was the rescue attempt that neverhappened.  Why not? Aside from all thehype,  this has to be carefully examinedin an objective manner, free of recrimination and personal attacks. This iswhere the postmortem should focus now, not the lack of security.   So whywas no rescue mounted immediately?  Ithink Secretary of Defense Panetta gave an unwittingly  strong indicator back in late October when he toldreporters, “The basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s waywithout knowing what’s going on, without having some real-time informationabout what’s taking place.”  He went on to explain that, under theseconditions, forces simply could not be put at risk in this confused situation.  Onit’s face, this explanation seemed quite reasonable and the reporters dutifullyreported it.  And why not?  After all, this doctrine is practiced dailyin official Washington.  No seniorbureaucrat would dream of walking into a meeting or conference without knowing what’son the agenda.  More importantly, isthere a hidden agenda that could blow up in his face?  These people are very risk-adverse and theydid not work their into the highest levels of government by being easilyambushed or blindsided.   This explainswhy important meetings are often cancelled on short notice and why someofficials suddenly become ill.  We areall a product of our experience and, unfortunately, Mr. Panetta is no exception.  
Let’s give Mr. Panettathe benefit of the doubt and agree that he honestly believes this.  If he does believe it, then it exposes aserious misunderstanding of the military’s most basic reason to exist.  If we carried this  view to its logical conclusion, we wouldnever deploy military forces anywhere because real-time information and groundtruth are rarely available to the men leading the charge and what is availableis usually wrong.  The men on the groundunderstand this reality and they accept it.  That’s why they are very good at adapting torapid changes in a hostile environment. They practice various scenarios and contingencies all the time becausethey know, whatever they are told, the situation they encounter will usually bedifferent.  Of course, they have nopolitical ambitions so they can focus on what they do best.  This is a cautionary tale that officialWashington should take to heart.  Thisbrutal fact is what separates line units in combat from bureaucrats inWashington. They are from two different cultures and this is what dividesthem.  Neither culture fully understandsthe other.
If this is truly whathappened, then Mr. Panetta does deserve credit for thinking he was doing theright thing, but he is wrong this time.  Itappears that he is taking responsibility for not responding to the franticpleas for help once the attack started and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs ofStaff has provided him some cover. However, both of these men were in Washington and they are the seniorleaders of the Department of Defense, not the Department of State. We haveevery right to expect sterner stuff from these guys.  Had local ground commanders been given themission, a rescue effort would have been launched immediately.  That’s how the system works.  It’s called the chain of command and, whenused, it works with incredible efficiency. However, in this case, it was obviously not even initiated because theSecretary of Defense was not convinced it would succeed. The truth is, nomilitary operation has the luxury of guaranteed success, no matter howcarefully planned or how critical.  Therewas no guarantee on May 6^th, 1944 that we would be successful, yetno one called it off for fear of failure.   However, without making the effort, we canguarantee failure.  This is whatleadership is about, what it has always been about. 
If we learn anythingfrom Benghazi, it is this.  Even theSecretary of Defense must leave operational decisions to those commandersclosest to the operation, not thousands of miles away and trust them, notsecond guess them.  Tell them what needsto be done, give them what they need. and leave them alone.  They can perform quite well without interferencefrom Washington. In the meantime, Washington will, no doubt, continue toconduct its own kind of political warfare. That will not change.  However,the military should be left out of these purely partisan food fights and notget chewed up in the process.  
About the AuthorLieutenant Colonel JohnLewis Cook, United States Army (Retired), “served as the Senior Advisor to theMinistry of Interior in Kabul, Afghanistan, with responsibility for developingthe force structure for the entire Afghan National Police.  As of 2012, this force totals 157,000.  From March 2008 until August 2012, his accessand intimate associations with all levels of the Afghan government andcoalition forces have provided him with an unprecedented insight into thepolicies which will determine the outcome of the war.  It is this insight, coupled with his contactsand associations throughout Afghanistan that form the basis of Afghanistan: ThePerfect Failure.
Click to read moreabout Lt. Colonel John Lewis Cook

New training facility opens in Guernsey

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by Staff Sgt. Torri Savarese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

12/21/2012 - F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Almost ten years of joint effort and cooperation culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Nuclear Security Tactics Training Center in Guernsey, Wyo., Dec. 13.

The $4.2 million facility boasts 14,500 square feet of functional space for training classrooms and cadre offices, and has been something the leadership of the 20th Air Force has been hoping for since 2004.

"This facility has been a vision of Air Force nuclear leaders, as well as Wyoming state leaders, for years," said Maj. Gen. Michael J. Carey, 20th AF commander. "It was truly a joint effort between the town of Guernsey, the state of Wyoming and the Air Force to make that vision come to fruition."

Carey was the keynote speaker for the ceremony, and shared the honor of cutting the ribbon with Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner, The Adjutant General of Wyoming, and Maj. Jay Parsons, 620th Ground Combat Training Squadron commander.

"The Air Force has always had a requirement to secure nuclear weapons, to ensure the safe and secure transport of these weapons and to deny any unauthorized access to secure areas," Carey said. "Camp Guernsey (Wyo.) is the only place in the world where this type of specialized training, to prepare security forces Airmen for that mission, takes place. This facility gives us the necessary infrastructure for both cadre and students to participate in professional training for nuclear security."

Carey expressed the importance of the 620th GCTS mission, both in training nuclear security forces Airmen, and Airmen who are preparing to deploy overseas for contingency operations.

"This allows more fielded forces to benefit from structured, focused training and further develop in-home squadron advanced training," Carey said.

The new facility increases the training capability by four times what it was before, Carey added. Instead of only 100 students able to receive training at one time, now 400 are able to train at Guernsey.

"We work hand-in-hand with Guernsey and the surrounding communities," Parsons said. "We do a lot for each other and having that relationship helps us all get a lot of things done."

He explained how the members of the 620th GCTS participate in everything local from parades to clean up to cattle branding.

"It really makes us a tighter group," he said.

Mr. Dave Lycan, 620th GCTS deputy commander, who has been involved in the project since the beginning, cited how beneficial the increased space will be for the 620th GCTS, as well as incoming students.

"We're not limited in class size, so we can have 150 students per classroom, allowing students to get all their classroom training before going out for the application piece," he explained. "This increases throughput, as well as gives us more room for staff and cadre."

The new facility adds to the existing 23,000 square-foot building the squadron inhabits on Camp Guernsey.

Carey, Parsons and Lycan all stated how good it was to see the project all come together, and how it could not have been completed without the joint efforts of local, state and Air Force leadership.

Along with his appreciation for the local community, Carey concluded his visit with a thank-you to the men and women who serve at Camp Guernsey every day.

"Thank you. I salute you, and I'm proud of you," he said.

Airman Gets Presidential Christmas Call

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By Air Force Capt. Tristan Hinderliter
451st Air Expeditionary Wing

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Dec. 26, 2012 – "Hello, President Obama? ... I'm great, how are you?"

Air Force Senior Airman Keshia Shutts receives a Christmas morning phone call from President Barack Obama while deployed at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 25, 2012. Obama called Shutts to wish her a Merry Christmas and thank her for her service. They talked about her 3-year-old daughter and her upcoming wedding. U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Tristan Hinderliter   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

So began the most memorable phone call of a six-month deployment for Air Force Senior Airman Keshia Shutts with the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here, who received a Christmas morning phone call from President Barack Obama.

The commander in chief thanked Shutts for her service and asked if she had been able to talk to her 3-year old daughter, Sienna, back home in Angola, Ind. He also asked if Shutts, who is engaged, had set a date for her wedding ceremony.

"September 1, 2013," she replied. "You're more than welcome to attend our wedding."

Shutts, originally from Montpelier, Ohio, is deployed from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Logistics Readiness Squadron, based at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio.

She is nearing the end of a six-month deployment to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, where she has worked as an administrative assistant in the 451st ELRS command section for the last five months. She was nominated by her command to receive the call from the president in recognition of her outstanding performance.

"Airman Shutts conducts herself as a true quality airman," said Air Force Lt. Col. Manuel Perez, the 451st ELRS commander. "She demands perfection and professionalism and she really sets the example."

In addition to her official duties, Shutts volunteered at the Role 3 hospital, at the USO and as a victim advocate in the wing's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program. She also mentored 30 Afghan children at the Kandahar Bazaar School.

Volunteering at the hospital and working with the Afghan children have been two highlights of her deployment, Shutts said.

Since Shutts has been at KAF, she has also completed Airman Leadership School and is pursuing her second bachelor's degree, in nursing.

"For me, nominating her was a no-brainer," Perez said. "If I had to pick my No. 1 airman in the squadron it would be her."

Shutts, who has been selected for staff sergeant and will sew on her new chevrons next month, said it was an honor to be selected to receive the phone call from the president.

"It was awesome," she said of the call. "Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Face of Defense: Military Brothers Meet for Christmas

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By Air Force Staff Sgt. David Dobrydney
455th Air Expeditionary Wing

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Dec. 27, 2012 – Up until a few days ago, Air Force Staff Sgt. Derek Allen hadn't seen his brother, Army Cpl. Greg Allen, in more than three years. However, a twist of fate brought them together here for the Christmas holidays.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Derek Allen, right, and his brother, Army Cpl. Greg Allen, compare unit patches at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 23, 2012. The brothers spent the holidays together for the first time since 2009 after the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft Derek maintains provided vital combat support for Greg and his fellow soldiers. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jun Kim   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

"Both of us being here in [Afghanistan] is the closest we have ever been to each other since Thanksgiving 2009," said Derek, a 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron tactical aircraft maintenance craftsman, deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

As a teenager in Akron, Ohio, Derek said, he was driven to join the Air Force following 9/11.

"We took the path less traveled," Derek said of the choices he and his brother made to join the armed services.

Their parents, Charles and Melissa, said their eldest son's decision to join the Air Force was long planned.

"[Derek] knew well into his senior year," Melissa said. "He signed even before he graduated."

But while Derek chose the Air Force, his brother opted for the Army.

"He didn't want to be like his older brother," Derek said with a grin. "He wanted to blaze his own path."

Greg said his brother was one of the biggest supporters of his decision to join the Army.

Despite some good-natured ribbing about each other's chosen service, the Allen brothers say they have found the military has only strengthened their relationship despite their physical distance.

Recently, that special relationship was strengthened even further. Derek was able to look out for his younger brother without even realizing it at the time.

As a member of the A-10 Thunderbolt II phase inspection team here, Derek ensures that the A-10 aircraft are ready to execute their close-air support mission for troops in the field. One December day, two A-10s were providing air support when they received a call that a unit was under fire and needed overhead assistance. One aircraft made a pass over the area and got the call from the joint terminal attack controller that they needed some heavy fire. The aircraft dropped two 500-pound bombs, hitting the target; the hostile fire subsided.

Derek later found out the unit that needed assistance was part of the 101st Airborne Division and his brother was among the troops whose lives were safeguarded that day.

"When it comes to close-air support, the A-10 is the first thing you think of," Greg said. It was a tremendous confidence boost to watch the A-10 do its work, he added.

"That was a moment where I knew everyone was going to make it back," he said.

Soon afterward, Greg contacted his brother via Facebook asking him to thank the A-10 pilot. Derek said he has always taken pride in his work, but hearing the news of how the type of aircraft he prepares for flight helped to protect his brother increased that pride.

"It's not every day that an older brother truly gets to make sure that the skies over his little brother are safe,” he said. "To know my brother gets to come home to my niece and his wife is a great feeling.”

When the brothers’ respective leaders heard the story, they launched a successful effort to get them together for the holidays. When Greg arrived here, the time they’d spent apart seemed to disappear, the Allens said.

"It was literally like having seen him just yesterday," Derek said of his brother's arrival.

That came as good news to their parents.

"They don't want us to worry," Melissa said. "When we finally got the gist of what happened, we were like 'Oh, wow, those types of things really are going on.'"

Charles echoed his wife's feelings.

“Like any other parent you're always thinking about it but at the same time you aren't thinking about it,” he said.

For the time being, however, Melissa and her husband said they were thrilled at the thought of their boys spending Christmas together for the first time in years.

"It really is an awesome Christmas gift," she said. "They may not be with us and we're not with them, but at least they can be with each other."

Stolen WWII medals reinstated to Soldier's sister

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121109-Z-TK422-788, a photo by oregonmildep on Flickr.David Funk (right), Chairman of the 41st Infantry Division Association, presents Rosetta LaBonte, of Portland, Ore., with the Purple Heart medal at the Oregon National Guard's Open House at Camp Withycombe, in Clackamas, Ore., Nov. 9, as former Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski looks on.

The medals, which were stolen during a home burglary, were bestowed to LaBonte's family following numerous inquiries by Funk as he worked through various government agencies to have the medals reinstated.

LaBonte's brother, Sgt. Eli A. DuMonte, who was a member of the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Division during WWII, was killed during the battle of Biak in 1944.  He was posthumously awarded the medals.

"This was the right thing to do, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer," Funk said, speaking about the government bureaucracy he faced trying to get the medals reinstated.

Funk also faced the challenge presented by archived military records in St. Louis, Mo., which had been destroyed in a fire in 1973. Undaunted, Funk queried several government agencies, and tracked down a fellow Soldier of DuMonte in order to obtain sworn statements supporting the original awarding of the medals.

"This is for my brother, but it's really for my mother and my family," LaBonte said following the ceremony in the second floor auditorium.

The 41st Infantry Division's deployment during WWII was the longest on record, and involved the largest number of Oregon Soldiers.  Personnel were primarily assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations, fighting in several key battles, including Biak and New Guinea.

The ceremony was attended by about 100 local business leaders, Oregon National Guard leadership, and well-wishers.

The Camp Withycombe open house also brought together several groups, including Native American Tribal members, Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, veterans groups, and area residents.

A portion of the ceremony included a presentation of donations by local businesses for the renovation of the Oregon Military Museum, located at Camp Withycombe.  Three companies each donated $50,000 at the event.

For more information on the 41st Inf. Div. Association, go here.  For more information on the Oregon Historical Outreach Foundation, and the capital campaign to raise funds for the renovation of the Oregon Military Museum, visit their website here.


Photo by Master Sgt. Nick Choy, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs.

Oregon's Assistant Adjutant General joins local leaders for Veterans Day ceremony at Vancouver Barracks

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121111-Z-CH590-003, a photo by oregonmildep on Flickr.

Oregon Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Bruce W. Prunk, Assistant Adjutant Gen. Air; U.S. Army Col. Peter Norseth; Ann Rivers, State Senator for the 18th district; Vancouver Mayor Timothy D. Levitt; and Dan Tarbell, event Co-Chairman, render honors during a wreath laying ceremony at the Veterans Day event held at the Fort Vancouver Barracks post cemetery in Vancouver, Wash., Nov. 11. (Oregon Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. John Hughel, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs)

Oregon's 142nd Fighter Wing welcomes new commander

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121202-Z-CH590-268, a photo by oregonmildep on Flickr.

Story by Staff Sgt. Brandon Boyd, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs.


PORTLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Portland, Ore.— Oregon Air National Guard Col. Richard W. Wedan, former 142nd Fighter Wing vice commander, assumed command of the 142nd Fighter wing from Col. Michael E. Stencel during a change of command ceremony Dec. 2.

The wing’s colors were passed to Wedan during the ceremony, heavy with the responsibility and significance of leading the storied group called the Redhawks.

In his previous role as the vice wing commander, Wedan assisted in leading over 1,000 personnel in the execution of the F-15 aerospace control alert mission defending the Pacific Northwest, worldwide deployments, and domestic operations. The supporting role now becomes the leading role.

The outgoing commander thanked his family for their support during his tenure and the distinguished guests for attending the ceremony. Stencel also addressed the members of the 142nd in attendance, thanking them for their contributions, leadership and sacrifices that helped the wing achieve each mission.

During the ceremony, Wedan thanked Stencel in turn, for his leadership and tireless work ethic.

“Mike, you are truly a great man of tremendous character,” said Wedan.

As wing commander, Wedan will oversee the 142nd Fighter Wing just as Airmen prepare for an upcoming Combined Unit Exercise (CUE) scheduled for July, 2012.

During the ceremony, Wedan laid out a four-point leadership plan for the future of the 142nd Fighter Wing focusing on the homeland defense mission, base facilities, community engagement, recruitment and retention.

“I challenge you to embrace the endeavor through your whole-hearted contribution and best efforts,” said Wedan.

Wedan enlisted in the Minnesota Air National Guard in 1988 as a command post controller with the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, Minn., attended undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, and received his initial F-16 training at Kingsley Field, in Klamath Falls, Ore., in 1991.

In 1997, Wedan returned to Oregon as an instructor pilot with the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field, where he served for 12 years prior to being assigned to Oregon’s Joint Force Headquarters for three years as the director of operations.