Civil Air Patrol - California Wing - Aerospace Education

AOPA News: 'AOPA ePilot' Flight Training Edition

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:30:47 +0000

The August 14, 2009, issue of the weekly email newsletter from AOPA.

Air Force Top Stories: Shaw Airmen train with South Carolina Civil Air Patrol

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Staff Sgt. John Gordinier )) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:37:31 +0000

Shaw Air Force Base Airmen joined volunteers of the South Carolina wing of the Civil Air Patrol in Exercise Fertile Keynote Aug. 11 here.

The training exercise occurs five to six times per month and gives 20th Fighter Wing alert Airmen experience with different scenarios, said Maj. Benjamin Price, the 20th FW alert force director of operations.

"The Civil Air Patrol (fly) scenarios, so we can practice with a real target. The training we get from this exercise is crucial, and it's training we can't get unless we actually go up in the air and fly against small, general aviation aircraft," he said.
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Air Force Top Stories: 5 NATO countries take part in jump week

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss)) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:57:17 +0000

Five NATO countries including Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States participated in airborne jump operations during International Jump Week Aug. 9 thru 14.

Parachuting out of the back of a C-130 Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron here, more than 250 paratroopers guided their chutes toward a small bunker drop zone in southwestern Germany, including Airmen from the newly formed 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, 28 from the 435th Contingency Response Group and 11 from the 435th Air Special Operations Squadron.
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Air Force Top Stories: Gates, Mullen use new media to hear from troops, public

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Donna Miles)) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Got questions you'd like to pose directly to the defense secretary or chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Now is your chance!

Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen have launched interactive, virtual town hall sessions through the Internet.

The initiatives are part of a broad administration effort to connect more closely with the military, the American public and people overseas. The goal, officials explained, is to provide a forum for people to ask questions or offer suggestions or insights and get direct feedback.
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Air Force Top Stories: Guard chief encourages 'continual support' of families

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith )) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:07:56 +0000

The state's are doing a great job of supporting the National Guard and its families, but it takes continuous support to make sure no one falls through the cracks, the National Guard's top military officer said Aug. 18 here.

"If there is an area that we have to concentrate on, to continue to focus on, it's the caring and understanding of the stress on the family," said Gen. Craig R. McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau to an audience at the Minuteman Institute for National Defense Studies.
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Air Force Top Stories: Acquisition work force steps toward reform

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Donna Miles )) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Big changes are ahead in the acquisitions community as Defense Department officials increase and reshape the acquisition work force so it's better postured to support the reforms Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and President Barack Obama are championing.

The federal civilian defense acquisition work force is expected to grow by about 20,000 over the next five years, according to Shay Assad, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology.
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Air Force Top Stories: Flying hospital staff gives wounded fighting chance

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary)) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:45:02 +0000

At any given moment, a call can come in requiring an entire aeromedical evacuation staff here to stop what they are doing and begin preparing to care for the wounded and sick headed their way.

The team of Airmen will pull supplies, alert additional crewmembers, get updates from aid stations and make decisions on what the patients will require while in flight.

The 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight's charge is to create flying hospitals to transfer U.S. and coalition servicemembers and civilians to a higher level of medical care.
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Aviation Week and Space Technology: Shuttle Set To Launch Aug. 25

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:11:46 +0000

Discovery's 13-day mission will outfit the International Space Station for long-term scientific operations.

Air Force Top Stories: Clinic traffic downrange shows need for hearing protection

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Army Spc. Opal Hood )) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:04:00 +0000

When gearing up for a mission in Afghanistan, servicemembers don't forget their helmet, gloves, weapon, eye protection or body armor. But what about hearing protection?

Staff Sgt. Lee Adams, an ear, nose and throat technician here, said more than half of the patients seen in the ENT walk-in clinics are there for hearing related issues.

"The first question I ask a patient who comes in with a hearing complaint is 'Were you wearing hearing protection?'" said Col. (Dr.) Joseph A. Brennan, the ENT doctor here. "Since I arrived here in May, I have not had one servicemember answer yes to that question."
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Air Force Top Stories: Mildenhall serves as base for Turkish C-130 engine replacement

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Staff Sgt. Austin M. May)) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:38:03 +0000

A team of 13 Turkish air force mechanics arrived here Aug. 17 to repair one of their C-130s after a maintenance inspection revealed problems with one of the aircraft's engines.

Members of the 100th Maintenance Squadron lent support of its facilities and equipment to the team while they swapped out the airplane's engine.

The engine problem was discovered during a post-flight inspection Aug. 16, and the repair team was flown in the following morning. According to Turkish air force 1st Lt. Mustafa Erbay, the mission the plane was flying was in support of U.S. forces.
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Air Force Top Stories: Aug. 19 airpower summary: F-15E destroys enemy position

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil ()) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Aug. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, coalition aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces near Sheykhabad. Friendly forces reported taking enemy fire and requested a show of force. The shows of force, which included release of flares, were successful in stopping the enemy fire. In another engagement in the same area, a friendly force's patrol requested a show of force for reassurance that air power was in the area. The show of force, which included release of flares, was successful in deterring any enemy engagement.
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Air Force Top Stories: Four USSTRATCOM units win prestigious awards

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil ()) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:24:00 +0000

Four units of U.S. Strategic Command have been selected to receive the Omaha Trophy for 2008 in their respective categories. The trophy is presented annually to USSTRATCOM units demonstrating the highest performance standards.

Selection for each of the four award categories is based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety and other factors such as community involvement and humanitarian actions.

The 2008 Omaha Trophy winners are:

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Air Force Top Stories: General North assumes command of Pacific Air Forces

afnews@afnews.af.mil (afnews@afnews.af.mil (Master Sgt. Allison Day )) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:03:00 +0000

The command of Pacific Air Forces, celebrating 65 years of providing American airpower in the Pacific this month, was passed from Gen. Howie Chandler to Gen. Gary North during a ceremony here Aug. 19 on Freedom Tower Mall.

General North assumed command here after completing more than three years of leading the air campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. General Chandler, the commander since November 2007, will become the vice chief of staff of the Air Force at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
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Aviation eBrief: FAA pitches in $7.4M to help Connecticut town buy airport