Army to assume responsibility for Pope Air Force Base

The C-130 Hercules aircraft displays the Fort Bragg-Pope Field tail flashing of the 440th Airlift Wing at Field, N.C. The former air force base was redesignated Pope Field March 1, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Peter R. Miller)

FORT BRAGG-POPE FIELD, N.C. (AFNS) -- Pope Air Force Base became Pope Field March 1 as it transitioned to be an Army operated facility supporting Air Force operations.

Several Air Force units were redesignated or inactivated, marking a significant moment in Air Force history.

The signing of a proclamation by Col. Stephen Sicinski, the Fort Bragg Garrison commander, and Col. Paul Kucharek, the 43rd Operations Group commander, marked the handover of responsibility for Pope Field.

Colonel Kucharek presided over the inactivation of Pope AFB's mission support group, maintenance group, contracting squadron, security forces squadron, communication squadron and civil engineer squadron whose missions will be assumed by the Army garrison.

"The transfer of Pope Field to Army control is certainly an emotional event for our Air Force brethren, but it would be hard to find a closer relationship between sister services than Fort Bragg has had with Pope Air Force Base," Colonel Sicinski said.

The War Department officially established "Pope Field" in 1919 and it ranks as one of the oldest installations in the Air Force.

When the Air Force became its own branch of the military in September 1947, Pope Field officially became Pope Air Force Base.

Today, Pope Field continues to put the "air" in airborne for Fort Bragg missions by providing airlift and close air support to American armed forces and to humanitarian missions flown all over the world.

Pope's transition to Army management was directed by public law in keeping with the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission's recommendations to improve military efficiency and reduce redundancy.

The 43rd OG, a vital part of Pope Field's continuing mission, was redesignated the 43rd Air Group during the ceremony, and the 43rd Air Wing was inactivated.

The changes that the Fort Bragg-Pope Field community will notice will be minor, Colonel Sicinski said, but will go a long way to providing consistent quality of life services to all of Fort Bragg's uniformed service members and their families.

The consolidation of family and morale, welfare and recreation services including child-development centers, school-age services, bowling alleys and a planned all ranks club to be built on the site of the former NCO.

Religious support for all of Fort Bragg and Pope Field will be under one management. Post-wide emergency services will be centrally managed.

Gates that once separated Fort Bragg from Pope Air Force Base will no longer be required.

Pope Field will be Fort Bragg's third airfield, joining Simmons Army Airfield and Mackall Army Airfield in supporting combat training and rapid contingency deployments of the post's airborne and special operations communities.

The 440th Airlift Wing, a Reserve unit stationed at Pope Field will, also assume duties the 43rd AW previously had.

"In most instances Airmen will only notice a difference in uniforms," said Col. John Stokes, the 440th Airlift Wing vice commander. "Throughout all of the transitions, the 440th Airlift Wing will continue to provide total forces mission ready combat airlifters and equipment, anywhere and anytime," said. "The big message for those in the Fort Bragg community is that the Air Force mission at Pope Field continues post March 1.

"In some cases the responsibility for functions changes from 43rd AW to 440th AW, or Army Garrison, but all five major commands (Air Force Reserve Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command) will still have units operating at Pope Field."

Airmen, Soldiers continue tradition of joint operations training

Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C., prepare to board C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on nearby Pope Air Force Base April 28, 2010. The Soldiers will be jumping from the aircraft during a joint forcible entry exercise. The exercise provides the Soldiers with training for real-world contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Sean M. Worrell)

by Ryan Mattox, Joint Hometown News Service

POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFNS) -- Airmen from here and Soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division at nearby Fort Bragg joined forces April 26 to 29 to demonstrate to each other and master the capabilities their service can provide and help each branch achieve its objectives in a combat or humanitarian environment.

This four-day joint exercise, known as Joint Forcible Entry, is conducted quarterly and offers Airmen and Soldiers at this centrally located area the opportunity to practice how they can come together and operate in a joint environment.

This means two things. For the Air Force, it's about moving large amounts of equipment and large numbers of people from one location to another anywhere in the world in a moment's notice and securing a runway for future use. For the Army, it's about mastering their ability to take an airfield or airport in another country and make it usable by the Air Force and other U.S. forces during contingency operations.

Since Fort Bragg and Pope AFB are located next to each other, this makes their location ideal for Airmen and Soldiers to train and prepare for any future joint operations.

In fact, some say it is the type of training being conducted during this exercise that made humanitarian relief operations performed this past winter in Haiti operate smoothly.

"My first operational mission was Haiti," said 1st Lt. Steven Parsons, a pilot with the 2nd Airlift Squadron at Pope AFB. "I was tasked to fly operations in response to the earthquake in Haiti a day after it happened. We airlifted food, water, communication equipment, water purification equipment, and we returned with 10 patients back to the States."

However, Lieutenant Parsons credits exercises like JFEX with teaching Airmen and Soldiers the operations tempo needed to move equipment and servicemembers quickly to any place around the world and deal with situations similar to those in Haiti.

"I'm here to support the airlift mission requirements, from dropping paratroopers from Fort Bragg to last minute requests from higher headquarters. We are ready to go because of the preparation done here," Lieutenant Parsons said.

For those Airmen working flightline operations or working with aircraft during JFEX, their portion of the exercise is this: how to move a very large unit like their Army neighbors, the 82nd Airborne Division, all at once.

"The objective is to provide the aircrews with quality aircraft to fly their training missions," said 1st Lt. Jose Perez, an aircraft maintenance officer with the 2nd Airlift Squadron. "We take these aircraft and help the Army achieve its objective by getting them to their destination. This exercise forces you to continually think outside the box and multitask. You learn to balance and accomplish multiple assignments and issues that are impeding the mission. This exercise really does a good job preparing you to deploy."

For the Army's side of the exercise, it's about taking an airfield or airport. This means Army leaders need aircraft to move paratroopers and equipment as quickly as possible to any place in the world. Once over their target, Army paratroopers jump to a destination below them.

"Seizing control of an airfield is a very complex operation, which requires several units with far-ranging capabilities," said Army 1st Lt. Jason Jones, company executive officer with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg. "For our unit, we learn to quickly assemble as a company and destroy any enemy in a specific location to prevent them from affecting airfield operation and keep delivery of supplies coming into that particular location."

The "seizing control of the airfield" portion of this exercise entails soldiers and airmen conducting nighttime air drops. During the jump, more than 800 soldiers parachuted over their landing zone to "take an enemy airfield," and completed their mission and the exercise with an 11-mile march back to a predetermined area on Fort Bragg.

Air Force officials unveil new rescue aircraft model

by Airman 1st Class Brigitte Brantley, 23rd Wing Public Affairs

MARIETTA, Ga. (AFNS) -- A new model of an aircraft used in Air Force rescue efforts since 1956 was formally presented to the Air Force in a ceremony April 19 here.

The HC-130J Super Hercules combat rescue tanker is configured to provide support to special operations missions and will become a backbone of Moody Air Force Base's mission upon reaching its scheduled initial operating capability in 2012.

The geographically separated 563rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., as well as Kirtland AFB, N.M., will be the first bases to receive the new model for training purposes once it has undergone initial testing, which typically takes about a year.

"The unveiling of this new model is the dawn of a new day in personnel recovery," said Ross Reynolds, the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company C-130 programs manager. "There are few missions as honorable or challenging, and we are extremely proud to present our oldest customer with this vastly more capable version of the C-130."

The aircraft was designed with mission flexibility in mind. It's capable of combat delivery, air-to-air refueling, special operations and humanitarian and disaster relief missions, all of which equate to increased ground and air combat effectiveness.

"The recapitalization of the C-130 fleet is a big deal and the new model represents a quantum leap in technology which allows us to continue completing the mission," said Maj. Gen. Thomas K. Andersen, the Air Combat Command director of requirements. "Right now, the C-130 has one of the lowest availability rates in the Air Force and the introduction of the J-model will increase that rate by 46 percent as well as decrease needed crewmembers from seven to five."

The increase in capability comes from a slew of new features that differ greatly from those in the first operational model of the C-130 that debuted in 1956 and has the longest continuously-running military production line in history.

"The ability to complete the mission is improved because of several innovations with the J-model," General Andersen said. "There is an improved diagnostic system, a universal air refueling receptacle on top of the aircraft and enhanced generators which enable us to power more equipment.

"There is also a 34 percent increase in space, which allows more pallets to be loaded," he said. "Fuel capacity and efficiency are also greatly improved and allow us to fly for longer periods of time."

In addition to the operational features, there are also improvements to the quality of life for crewmembers while on board. These include an improved air conditioning system, flushable toilet and a microwave.

"The new features of this aircraft are great and will definitely make life easier for anyone who works with them," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Schlauderaff, who will be one of the first loadmasters to be assigned to the HC-130J. "One thing extremely notable is the improved diagnostics system and how computers are now used to find out what is wrong much quicker.

"Before, it was having one thing go wrong with four or five possible solutions," he said. "Now, it is much quicker to find out what is wrong and maintenance needed between flights decreases sharply from 30 hours to eight hours."

Other features on the aircraft include an internal winch, built-in roller, faster ramp, electronic locks for loading and a built-in tow plate for air drops, all aimed at saving man-hours without compromising mission capabilities.

"The increase mission capability makes this model quite valuable to the Air Force," said Lt. Col. Janet Kasmer, the ACC HC/MC-130J recapitalization program manager. "Right now, we have authorization to buy five more J-models, with four of those aircraft being purchased in the next fiscal year."

Other variants of the C-130J include models specialized for aerial and ground refueling, weather reconnaissance, electronic warfare, special operations and combat delivery.

Mobility Airmen continue Haiti relief operations

Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., get off a C-130 Hercules Jan. 15, 2010, after arriving at Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The C-130, from the 2nd Airlift Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., brought the Soldiers to Haiti as part of the relief efforts ongoing in Haiti. U.S. Southern Command is deploying assets to Haiti to conduct search and rescue operations, damage assessments, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE Ill. (AFNS) -- Air Mobility Command Airmen have flown more than 470 sorties in support of Haiti relief efforts, rushing food, water and medical supplies to the people of Haiti.

In fact, since Jan. 13, AMC Airmen and aircraft have delivered nearly 2,250 tons of cargo and about 2,000 passengers to Haiti and evacuated nearly 2,000 American citizens from the earthquake-ravaged country.

Eight Little Rock AFB C-130 Hercules aircraft and their support elements are part of the massive Air Mobility Command airlift mission to support Haitian earthquake relief as part of Operation Unified Response.

Aircrews are flying missions to Haiti as part of an operation that has delivered supplies to the region.

Little Rock AFB's C-130 airlift mission has been crucial to the relief operation. An aircrew from the 41st Airlift Squadron was one of the first called Jan. 13 to support the relief operation. That aircrew left Little Rock AFB around midnight Jan. 13, then loaded personnel and equipment before dawn Jan. 14 at Biloxi-Gulfport International Airport, Miss., and delivered them to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the morning of Jan. 14. That crew is still forward deployed as part of the airlift effort.

"This is what we train to do," said Maj. Lewis Messick, the 41st Airlift Squadron director of operations. "Anytime we can be of assistance in cases like this, we're ready to do our job."

Airmen from Dover AFB delivered the Joint Communications Support Element to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, aboard a C-17 Globemaster III during the early morning hours of Jan. 16.

On the way to Haiti, the Air Force Reserve aircrew stopped at MacDill AFB, Fla., to load up the JCSE personnel and equipment.

The JCSE deploys ahead to provide early entry communication support for the regional combatant commands, Special Operations Command, and other agencies back in the U.S. The JCSE is set up within 72 hours to provide communication for the full spectrum of operations.

"We were prepared to do what we needed for this mission and there are more crews back at Dover on standby ready to be called upon," said Capt. Jim McCann, the C-17 aircraft commander.

"I have been watching to see if and when we would be called, and I knew that this might be our mission when I saw it in the system," Captain McCann said. "We train to do this and jumped at the chance to help the people of Haiti any way we can."

Three C-17 cargo jets assigned to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, left Jan. 19 for South Carolina to help in the relief effort. A fourth plane will leave Wednesday.

The teams will fly missions from Charleston AFB, S.C., to Haiti to bring in food, water and medical aid.

For the next two weeks, they will also evacuate those still in need of medical care.

Additionally, AMC continues to support relief efforts through transporting life saving medical supplies. Crews from Scott AFB loaded nearly 40,000 pounds of medical supplies into a C-17 bound for Haiti. Medical teams from across the command are posturing to provide medical assistance in Haiti.

Last Flight of an A-10 at Pope is Scheduled

The 23rd Fighter Group expects its last A-10 attack jet flight at Pope Air Force Base to be on Dec. 19. The group is moving to Moody Air Force Base at Valdosta, Ga. The 2005 Base Closure and Realignment law mandated the move. The group's airplanes have been flying at Moody since September. Most airplanes are being upgraded before arriving at Moody. The move is taking about 1,000 airmen away from Pope