Monday, May 31, 2010

355th Fighter Wing A-10s caught at Nellis May 14, 2010

Updated June 4, 2010

On May 14, 2010, at Nellis AFB, Nevada, Warthog News contributor Bruce Smith from United States had the opportunity to take the following shots of A-10s from the 355th Fighter Wing (ACC), Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona:



A-10 78-0673. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 79-0168 with black fin flash from the 358th Fighter Squadron. Sniper XR targeting pod on station 2. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 80-0151 with black fin flash from the 358th Fighter Squadron. Sniper XR targeting pod on station 2. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 80-0215 with black fin flash from the 358th Fighter Squadron. Sniper XR targeting pod on station 10. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 80-0273. Sniper XR targeting pod on station 2. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 80-0205. Sniper XR targeting pod on station 2. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size

Update June 4, 2010:

As Bruce told me in an e-mail today, all pics were taken during arrival at Nellis. The D-M Hogs were there to participate in a runup for the ME phase of Weapons School. ME is the shortcut for mission employment, it's like final exams for weapons school. They only flew at night, so these shots were the only taken by Bruce.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Remaining two A-10Cs left Lajes for CONUS

According to an e-mail from Warthog News contributor André Inácio, the remaining A-10Cs 78-0640 and 78-0719 already left Lajes Field for Continental United States (CONUS) on Tuesday morning, May 25, 2010.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Major takes off to new heights

Updated June 1, 2010



Major Olivia Elliott, a former T-38 instructor, now a 303rd Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, has been accepted to Test Pilot School where she will learn to fly more than 20 different aircraft. TPS, she said, is a step toward her ultimate goal - becoming an astronaut. (Courtesy photo)) Hi-res

by Senior Airman Danielle Wolf
442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/28/2010 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Within a few years, she became spacey - literally - planning to eventually work for NASA as an astronaut, something she knew she could only do if she joined the Air Force and became a fighter pilot.

Today, nearly 20 years later as an active-duty pilot for the 303rd Fighter Squadron, part of the 442nd Fighter Wing, she is one step closer to hanging up the flight suit and putting on a space suit.

After months of applications, interviews and test flights, she has been accepted to Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, Calif.

"When I found out I was accepted to Test Pilot School, I was shocked," she said. "I was on my way out to fly and Col. (James) Mackey, who I was going to be flying with, got a message on his Blackberry that I was accepted."

While attending TPS at Edwards AFB, Calif., she will attend academic training for a year while flying the C-12 Huron, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft. She will also fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon, fighter aircraft capable of possessing many roles, on a regular basis.

Major Elliott's academic training will include systematic training in gathering flight data and then interpreting it. Additionally, she will fly the T-38 Talon, a trainer aircraft she is now familiar with after several years working as a T-38 instructor at Sheppard AFB, Texas before coming to the 442nd FW to fly the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

For the next year after her academic training is complete, she will visit Air Force bases, one week at a time, to fly more than 20 different aircraft. Not only will she be responsible for testing developmental aircraft, but also their munitions. She will have to handle the airplanes with precision, control and accuracy.

While she has only been an A-10 pilot for two years now, after training she said she hopes to eventually be stationed at Eglin AFB, Fla. where she can test new developments with the A-10.

"I like the A-10 because it is a single-purpose aircraft," she said. "The A-10 is not a supersonic, pointy nose, fast aircraft, but is has what an (close air support) aircraft needs."

Major Elliott said often people are impressed with one general aircraft that can accomplish everything. She likes that the A-10 has a specific mission to support ground troops, and she wants to continue to "keep the CAS mindset alive." Also, she said, she thinks the fighter-pilot experience she has received on the A-10 assisted her in getting accepted to Test Pilot School.

The school, which has only two, 24-student classes each year, is made up of 12 pilots and 12 engineers. While she said time management will be her biggest challenge, Test Pilot School is not for the faint at heart. The school requires applicants to have scientific and engineering knowledge, critical and reasoned judgment and excellent managerial skills, all in addition to superior flying skills. While the academic and flight training will be tedious and even painstaking at times, Major Elliott can be sure her colleagues at Whiteman AFB are behind her 100 percent.

Capt. John Tice, former 303rd FS pilot, now an A-10 pilot at Moody AFB, the 442nd FW's associate unit, encouraged her to apply, she said.

"He kept telling me to put in the application and if I didn't get accepted, it wasn't a big deal," she said.

"She's extremely intelligent and an exceptional pilot," Captain Tice said. "I just thought that if anyone had a chance, she would be the one, being a top graduate of the Air Force Academy and having her master's degree."

The two other female pilots in the 303rd FS, Maj. Valerie Saur and fellow-active duty pilot Capt. Laurel Lee, have also been an encouragement to Major Elliott.

"Being female pilots, they have been such great supporters and can really empathize with me and help push me further," she said.

Major Elliott said she has found many mentors from around the squadron.

"There's so much experience in this reserve squadron," she said. "Instead of always flying with lieutenants and captains, I am flying with majors and colonels with thousands of flying hours. There are more viewpoints, more experience and it's a very tight-knit community here."

While someday, hopefully not too long after TPS, she hopes to board a shuttle headed to space, she said she is thankful to have had the 442nd FW as a stepping stone to reach her goals.

"Every kid has a dream to want to be an astronaut," Captain Tice said. "There are a few people who can legitimately aspire to be one though, and she is one of them."

Source

Update June 1, 2010:

Cover of "Mohawk" (official 442nd Fighter Wing newspaper), June 2010 public online PDF issue:



COVER PHOTO: Maj. Olivia Elliott, a 303rd Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, was accepted to Test Pilot School, where she will learn to fly dozens of different aircraft and get one step closer to her dream of becoming an astronaut.
(Photo by Senior Airman Danielle Wolf)


Source

'Warthogs' scrambled

May 28, 2010
By Lauren Boyer
The Patriot-News

The A-10 fighter aircraft is nicknamed the "Warthog," pilots say, because it's ugly.

But when it comes to heavily armored 25,000-pound planes with 30 mm canons -- specifically built for going low and killing tanks -- beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

"It's really not that pretty of an airplane, but I think it's the most beautiful plane in the world," said Maj. Scot Zamolyi of the 111th Air National Guard fighter wing at Willow Grove Air Reserve Station.

For the last time, Zamolyi, 42, hopped in the cockpit of an A-10, which can fire 70 rounds per second, and cruised the 20-minute flight from the base near Philadelphia to Fort Indiantown Gap's 2,000-acre Bollen Range impact area on Wednesday.

The 111th, the only fighter wing in Pennsylvania, is shutting down June 6, a victim of the Pentagon's 2005 decision to close Willow Grove as part of its 2005 base realignment efforts.

The 86-year-old unit includes about 1,000 guardsmen, mostly in the Philadelphia area. About 300 of them will lose their jobs. Zamolyi is employed as a range operations officer at Bollen Range.

On Thursday, he commanded a training session with three A-10s from a booth on top of a nine-story metal tower swaying in the wind.

As the wing dissolves, its remaining five A-10 fighters will be redistributed to out-of-state Guard units.

"I've always known this is what I wanted to do," Zamolyi said. "It's hard giving it up. I've enjoyed every last minute of it."

Along with tours overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan, Zamolyi and his colleagues see the sports world by air, soaring over Philadelphia Eagles games, Philadelphia Phillies games, and Pocono Raceway events when military flyovers are requested.

Now, those A-10 flyovers will have to come from other states or other Pennsylvania National Guard airplanes, public affairs officer Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver said.

The Pennsylvania Air National Guard still has two flying units, the 193rd Air Special Operations Wing in Middletown and the 171st Air Refueling Wing in Pittsburgh.

In 2005, Gov. Ed Rendell filed suit against Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, challenging the attempt to deactivate the branch without his gubernatorial approval.

On Aug. 26, 2005, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled that portion of the base realignment report was "null and void" for violating federal law requiring the approval of a governor.

That same day, the Base Closure and Realignment Commission ruled that, while the unit would remain at Willow Grove as part of a military enclave, the 111th's A-10 aircraft would be distributed to other units in 2009 and 2010.

Zamolyi said he might try to find work flying A-10s in another state.

"[The 111th wing] is just like a family. It's definitely a loss," he said. "This is the end of an era."

Source

A-10's days at Gap numbered

"Wharthogs" belonging to Pennsylvania Air National Guard will be transferred to other states.

By Brad Rhen, Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News
Updated: 05/28/2010 09:51:50 PM EDT

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP -- For more than 20 years, A-10 Thunderbolts have been a familiar sight in the skies over the military base.

But the single-seat, straight-wing aircraft -- commonly known as "wharthogs" -- soon will cease to be so common a sight in the skies of northern Lebanon County.

Most of the A-10s that train at the Gap belong to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 111th Fighter Wing, which is based at Willow Grove Air Station outside Philadelphia. In 2005, the federal Base Realignment and Closure commission decided to remove the 111th Fighter Wing's air mission and transfer its A-10s to other units.

The 111th will continue to exist as a unit and will remain at Willow Grove, but it will be taking on a new mission.

"What is historic about the next few weeks is we lose our only fighter wing in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard," said National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver. "And this is our oldest and most historic unit by far."

The A-10s actually belong to the 103rd Fighter Squadron, which is the flying element of the 111th Fighter Wing. The 103rd can trace its roots back to 1924 at an airfield that is now part of Philadelphia International Airport, said Maj. Scot Zamolyi, an A-10 pilot in the 111th Fighter Wing.

"We went through a number of different aircrafts and missions throughout the years, and we transferred to our current location in Willow Grove in 1963," said Zamolyi, who works full-time as a range operations officer at the Gap. "We are the last fighter unit in Pennsylvania. There used to be several, actually, at one time if you go back to the '50s."

Zamolyi, who has been with the 111th since 1991 and became an A-10 pilot in 1994, flew his last mission in an A-10 on Wednesday.

"It's just like a family," he said. "I've been with this organization for over 18 years, and it's definitely a loss."

On Thursday, Zamolyi watched from an observation tower as three A-10s that made the 20-minute flight from Willow Grove to the Gap's 2,000-acre Bollen Range conducted one of the unit's last training sessions there. The planes took turns, first dropping 25-pound BDU-33 training bombs that emit a puff of smoke when they hit the ground, then making strafing runs with their 30-milimeter machine guns.

As for the A-10's nickname, "wharthog," Zamolyi said the plane got it because some people think it is ugly. Zamolyi, however, is not one of them.

"I love it," he said. "I think it is the most beautiful plane in the world.

"It's not a real pretty airplane," he later admitted. "It doesn't win the beauty contest, but it wins the talent show."

A-10's are primarily used for close air support for ground troops. They can carry up to 16,000 pounds of ordnance, Zamolyi said.

"But the significant thing about the A-10 is the 30-millimeter gun, and that's pretty much the pilots' favorite thing on the A-10," he said. "It's a 30-millimeter cannon, it fires around 70 rounds per second, and the bullets are about the size of a 16-ounce Coke bottle. They're very large."

Since the 111th started flying A-10s in 1988, the unit has made several combat deployments, including both Iraq and Afghanistan.

While the A-10s belonging to the 111th Fighter Wing will no longer be training at the Gap, that doesn't mean the aircraft will no longer be seen there altogether. Units with A-10s from other states also use Bollen Range, and, Cleaver said, Gap officials are in the process of acquiring an A-10 to put on static display alongside other aircraft currently on display along Fisher Avenue.

Associated pictures:



Maj. Scot Zamolyi, a range operations officer at Fort Indiantown Gap's Bollen Range, watches for A-10 Thunderbolts during a training run Thursday. Zamolyi is also an A-10 pilot for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 111th Fighter Wing. (Photo by Brad Rhen, Lebanon Daily News)



An A-10 Thunderbolt from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 111th Fighter Wing passes over Fort Indiantown Gap's Bollen Range during a training run Thursday. (Photo by Brad Rhen, Lebanon Daily News)

Source

A-10 79-0219 ladder door art

In response to my post Defining our Legacy, Warthog News contributor Brian Walter from United States e-mailed me the following ladder door art close-up:



A-10 79-0219 from the 103rd Fighter Squadron, 111th Fighter Wing. "It's a bunch of stickers", Brian told me. Please give me time to interprete at least some of these stickers during the next couples of days. Any help from Warthog News readers? Full size

Today, in an e-mail Warthog News contributor James O'Rear from United States told me: Stickers: The 185FW BATS sticker on the door is the unit designation for the (now) 185th Refueling Wing Guard unit flying out of Sioux City, Iowa. Formerly they flew the F-16 and before that A-7s. They are now a KC-135 wing. The Vipers of the 174th FS/185FW used to have that bat symbol on the tail, you can see it at the site below under the Air National Guard title: http://bathead.com/noseart.html Hope this helps!

Let me try to identify this cluster of patches

On the ladder door:

- Hawgsmooke 2004, Alexandria, Louisiana

- "Washed" United States Flag

- 104th Fighter Squadron patch [104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing (Maryland Air National Guard)]

- Princess Louise Fusiliers [The Princess Louise Fusiliers is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces]

- T 2 B W

- FIRST IN THE GUARD "OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH" (SYRIA, IRAQ, IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT) 103 FS 111 FW PA-ANG 32° latitude [Please note: In the past, on this location there were two other stickers]

- 185FW "THE BATS"

- 181ST TACTICAL AIRLIFT SQDN. [= 181st Tactical Airlift Squadron, 136th Airlift Wing (Texas Air National Guard)

- BAMEO GHREENWOOD CP140 MAINTENANCE WIZARDS

- Canadian Air Force roundel

- Maryland ANG 135TH AS [= 135th Airlift Squadron, 175th Wing (Maryland Air National Guard), C-130 Hercules]

- 1st BN 111th AVN REG [= patch of the 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, Florida Army National Guard, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters]

- CONNECTICUT HOME OF THE FLYING YANKEES

- GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS 134TH FS [= 134th Fighter Squadron "Green Mountain Boys", 158th Fighter Wing (Vermont Air National Guard), F-16C/D Fighting Falcon]

- act ASSOCIATION OF CIVILIAN TECHNICIANS Duty...Dedication...and Dignity [= Association of Civilian Technicians - A National Labor Organization Representing National Guard Civilian Employees]


Inside the ladder bay:

- A-10 KC HAWGS

- 175TH WING MARYLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD

- 103TH FIGHTER [...] [= 103rd Fighter Squadron, 111th Fighter Wing (Pennsylvania Air National Guard)]

- ARKANSAS AGASHAW[...] AREFG

- DRAGON WHALES HELSUPPRON EIGHT [= Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron "Dragon Whales" (HSC-28), United States Navy]

- [Not readeable]

- AIR FORCE MATERIAL COMMAND

- 2951 CLSS [652nd Combat Logistics Support Squadron (CLSS), formerly the 2951st CLSS[probably related to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm]

- RAYTHEON AGM-65 H/R [...] PERFO[...]

- AIR FORCE SERGEANTS ASSOCIATION [= Air Force Sergeants Association]

- SAVANNAH GUARD DAWGS GEORGIA AIR GUARD 165 AW [= 158th Airlift Squadron, 165th Airlift Wing (Georgia Air National Guard), Savannah International Airport, C-130H Hercules]

- THUNDER & LITENING [...] LITENING AT [= related to Northrop Grumman's AN/AAQ-28 LITENING AT targeting pod]


On the ladder:

- A-10 PHILLY'S FIGHTIN' 103RD VIRTUTE ALISQUE

- TF34 [...]00A [The General Electric TF34 engine enables the the A-10 aircraft to operate from short, remote airfields, withstand frequent exposure to ground fire and provide effective close-air support for ground forces.]


Please await further interpretations.

Friday, May 28, 2010

A-10s Fly Final Flights Out Of Pa. Base

Posted: 2:29 pm EDT May 27, 2010
Updated: 8:45 pm EDT May 27, 2010
8 WGAL-TV

WILLOW GROVE, Pa. -- Several A-10 Warthogs made their final flights out of Willow Grove Air Base on Thursday.

The planes will move to another base as the 111th Fighter Wing of the Pennsylvania Air Guard reorganizes.

The Last Flights Of The PA Warthogs

The Willow Grove base, which is in Montgomery County north of Philadelaphia, is losing the planes as part of the nation's Base Realignment and Closure process, also known as BRAC.

The planes used to train at Willow Grove and drop bombs on targets.

Willow Grove will remain a reserve facility, but it will not fulfill as many missions as it once did.

Associated video "The Last Flights Of The PA Warthogs". New 8's Barbara Barr watches A-10 Warthogs take practice at Fort Indiantown Gap before the combat unit is moved out of the state.

Source

Please note: I'm busy to get an embedd solution for this video, please wait.

Related news article:

111th Pennsylvania National Guard wing shutdown leaves vacancy in Pennsylvania skies


By Lauren Boyer
The Patriot-News
May 27, 2010, 4:44PM

The A-10 fighter aircraft is nicknamed the "Warthog," because it's ugly. But when it comes to 25,000-pound planes with 30mm canons, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

"It's really not that pretty of an airplane, but I think it's the most beautiful plane in the world," said Major Scot Zamolyi, of the 111th Air National Guard fighter wing at Willow Grove Air Reserve Station.

For the last time Wednesday, Zamolyi, 42, hopped in the cockpit of an A-10, which can fire 70 rounds per second, and cruised the 20-minute flight from the base near Philadelphia to Fort Indiantown Gap's 2,000-acre Bollen Range impact area.

The 111th unit, the only fighter wing in Pennsylvania, is shutting down June 6, as mandated by the Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) report issued May 2005. The 86-year-old unit includes about 1,000 guardsmen, mostly in the Philadelphia area. About 300 of them will be losing their jobs.

As the wing continues to dissolve, its remaining five A-10 fighter planes will be redistributed to out-of-state guard units and the skies above Lebanon and Dauphin counties will be a little more naked without them.

Along with tours overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan, Zamolyi and his colleagues see the sports world by sky, soaring over Philadelphia Eagles games, Philadelphia Phillies games, and Pocono Raceway when events request military flyovers.

Now, those A-10 flyovers will have to come from other states or other Pennsylvania National Guard airplanes, said Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver.

The Pennsylvania Air National Guard still has two flying units, the 193rd Air Special Operations Wing in Middletown and the 171st Air Refueling Wing in Pittsburgh.

Associated picture:



A-10 fighter jets with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 111th Fighter Wing out of Willow Grove, fly training missions on the Bollen air-to-ground weapons range at Fort Indiantown Gap Thursday May 27, 2010. (Photo by Chris Knight, The Patriot News)

Source

By the way:
Warthog News contributor Brian Walter from United States is very busy to take any shots of the A-10's final days at Selfridge.

Selfridge Honors America's Heroes

by TSgt. Dan Heaton
127th Wing Public Affairs

5/28/2010 - Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich. -- As A-10 attack aircraft fly overhead and National Guard color guards appear in Michigan parades and other events Memorial Day weekend 2010, the men and women in uniform on the homefront will be keeping in mind the hundreds of Michigan Guardsmen currently deployed overseas.

"Memorial Day is one of the most solemn dates on the American calendar," said Brig. Gen. Michael Peplinski, commander of the 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in suburban Detroit's Harrison Township. "This is the day that we pause to reflect on the sacrifice of the more than 1 million men and women in uniform who have died in service to this nation since the founding of our great country."

As has become the custom, the 127th Wing's aircraft will be crisscrossing the skies over southeast Michigan Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend, flying in formation over a number of area parades. Known to the troops as the Warthog, the A-10 aircraft based at Selfridge is a rugged air-to-ground attack aircraft. The A-10s have been operating from Selfridge for only about the past year.

While Memorial Day observances in the U.S. trace their roots back to the days immediately following the U.S. Civil War, the origins of special services to honor those who die in war can be found in antiquity. In the 400s B.C., Greek general Pericles led a service to honor the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War, offering this eulogy:

"For heroes have the whole earth for their tomb; and in lands far from their own, where the column with its epitaph declares it, there is enshrined in every breast a record unwritten with no tablet to preserve it, except that of the heart."

Tributes to the fallen have continued through the ages, though famed World War II leader Gen. George S. Patton stated that ultimately, Americans should not give thanks that brave men and women were willing to die for their country. "Rather we should thank God that such men lived," the general said.

Source

Behind the Scenes: The Making of an A-10C Pilot "Rite of Passage"

by Capt. Stacie N. Shafran
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/27/2010 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- (Editor's note: Curious about what it takes to become an A-10 pilot? Follow along as this series showcases 1st Lt. Daniel Griffin's journey to becoming a fully qualified A-10C attack pilot.)

"Everyone says you remember the first time you shoot the gun - how it smells, how it feels and how it sounds," said 1st Lt. Dan Griffin, as he prepared for this rite-of-passage sortie May 3.

The lieutenant, a student in the 358th Fighter Squadron's A-10C Pilot Initial Qualification Course, was finally flying an A-10C with real, live rounds loaded into his GAU-8/A 30mm cannon.

During his pre-flight inspection, Lieutenant Griffin examined the aircraft, noticing the 12 BDU 33s, or practice bombs, which were placed under the wings for the first time.

Once it was time to depart, Senior Airman Jan Wampler, the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief assisting Lieutenant Griffin, saluted the pilot. In a few hours, Lieutenant Griffin would return back to the parking spot with his jet stripped of its bombs and carrying fewer bullets.

Lieutenant Griffin and his instructor pilot, Maj. Cameron Curry, flew north to Range 2 at the Barry M. Goldwater Range. Major Curry's role was to make sure Lieutenant Griffin hit all of the parameters and correct him if he did something wrong.

While at the range, Lieutenant Griffin fulfilled the requirements for his first basic surface attack mission and practiced low-altitude tactical navigation. In other words, he approached the target, aimed the gun's site, and fired.

The lieutenant practiced all of this in a simulator the week before, reviewing procedures for rolling in on the range's targets and practicing what to say on the radio.

All of the training helped him have a successful mission.

During his first strafing pass he fired 80 rounds and on his second pass, he fired 20 rounds, hitting the target with all of the rounds.

"The experience was amazing," said Lieutenant Griffin. "I could feel the whole plane shake and see the smoke and the rounds hit downrange. I even felt the gun rotate to cool the barrels down."

The A-10 is configured so the pilot sits on top of the gun. It is placed slightly off center in the nose of the plane, with the front landing gear positioned to the right of the center line, so that the actively firing cannon barrel is directly on the aircraft's center line. The gun is capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute to defeat a wide variety of targets including tanks.

Lieutenant Griffin also performed air-to-ground tactics by releasing the BDU 33s, marking the first time he was allowed to release something from an aircraft.

"I was excited to see the bombs hit the targets, see their smoke and receive real-time feedback," he said.

The achievement of firing the gun for the first time formally welcomed Lieutenant Griffin into the A-10 community and instantly earned him a bit more respect among his peers.

After Lieutenant Griffin returned to base and parked the jet, 358th Fighter Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Scott Campbell passed by -- he had also just returned from a sortie, and he became the first to offer congratulations.

Next, Major Curry came by and placed an A-10 patch on Lieutenant Griffin's left sleeve.

It was proof he was now truly one of them.

Most of us will only see the jets fly overhead, taxi down the runway, or take off. This series, through stories, photographs and videos, will go behind-the-scenes into Lieutenant Griffin's life as he becomes one of the Air Force's next warriors; an A-10C attack pilot. The photos and video from Lieutenant Griffin's trip to the range, along with the rest of the series, can be found on www.dm.af.mil.

Source

Video: National Security Forum

Released on USAF's public main website:



From the transcript:

EVERY YEAR THE AIR WAR COLLEGE AT MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE HOSTS THE NATIONAL SECURITY FORUM, OR N-S-F. A MAJOR PART OF N-S-F TAKES PLACE ON THE FLIGHT LINE, SHOWING OFF SOME AIR FORCE CAPABILITIES THROUGH ARIAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND STATIC DISPLAYS.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

ANG "Rainbow Team" A-10Cs caught at Lajes on their way back home from Afghanistan

On May 21, 2010, Warthog News contributor André Inácio from Portugal had the opportunity to catch ten of the twelve A-10Cs taxiing for take off en route Continental United States (CONUS), and also to catch two jets of the entire twelve-ship aircraft package which were delayed. André e-mailed me the following exclusive pictures, posted by me in chronological order (some fine-tuning with André's EXIF data is needed).

First launch (six aircraft, shots probably taken between 09:05 and 09:08 local time):



A-10C 78-0682 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 78-0659 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 78-0613 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 79-0165 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 80-0166 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 79-0082 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size

Second launch (four aircraft, shots probably taken between 09:34 and 09:35 local time):



A-10C 78-0646 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 78-0702 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 78-0720 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 79-0129 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size

Delayed from launches (two aircraft):



A-10C 78-0640 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing, still parking at sunset after delaying. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size



A-10C 78-0719 from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing, still parking at sunset after delaying. (Photo by André Inácio) Full size

Special thanks for these great pictures, André!!! And thanks again for supporting Warthog News. By the way: Additional aviation photographers are always welcome.

Latest related posts:
188th pilots, A-10s return from Kandahar deployment, unit's first combat mission since aircraft transition
Family Reunites After Deployment
188th Fliers Return Home
ANG "Rainbow Team" A-10Cs on stopover at Lajes en route CONUS back from Afghanistan
188th Fighter Wing burns midnight oil in late night homecoming; more than 200 Airmen return from Kandahar deployment"

Remaining group of 188th Airmen return from deployment to Kandahar

by Capt. Heath Allen
Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs Officer

5/25/2010 - FORT SMITH, Ark. -- The long, tiresome wait was finally over. Approximately 50 Airmen from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing returned Tuesday, May 25, from an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

The group touched down at Fort Smith Regional Airport at 4:02 p.m. in a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

The AEF mission was the 188th's first combat deployment as a unit with A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" since it officially began a transition to A-10s from F-16C Falcons on April 14, 2007.

"We worked very hard to prepare for this deployment and many sacrifices were made not just by the Airmen but by their families as well," said Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "It was a group effort and all of our Guardsmen performed admirably while deployed to Kandahar. It was an important mission and we accomplished it with pride. Most importantly, though, we're glad to have everyone home safe."

The 50 Guardsmen with the 188th were the final group with the unit to return from Kandahar and closed the chapter on AEF 2010. Approximately 275 Airmen with the 188th were deployed to Kandahar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"We're very glad to be home," said Master Sgt. Jay Greer, an A-10 crew chief with the 188th. "We had a successful deployment and the guys all worked hard. We have a great group of people in this unit and we all support each other. We all love our jobs but it feels great to be back home."

The 188th shared the four-month AEF rotation with the 175th Wing, an A-10 Air National Guard unit based in Baltimore, Md. While in theater the 188th was attached to the 451st Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield. The 188th's A-10s have been in theatre for more than four months.

More than 200 Airmen returned from Kandahar May 17 and a group of 10 aviators piloting 10 Warthogs arrived at the 188th May 22. The group that returned Tuesday left Kandahar May 15 but airflow issues prevented it from returning with the A-10s and pilots last Saturday.

"If feels like it took us forever to get home," said Master Sgt. Michael Kolb. "We tried to stay positive and thinking about going home and being with our families made it easier. I'm very happy to be back home. I'm looking forward to taking a few days off and spending time with my family."

While deployed, members of the 188th maintained and repaired A-10s, flew countless sorties, conducted numerous inspections and marched to the cadence of an intense, 24-hour operations tempo.

The A-10 mission in southern Afghanistan is to fly close-air support in response to ground troops who may be in contact with the enemy, or to escort convoys in particularly hostile areas. When not supporting ground troops, A-10s patrol designated sectors and provide aerial reconnaissance on locations of interest to ground commanders.

More than 50 members of the 188th left Jan. 8, 2010, and spent the entire four-month AEF rotation in Kandahar. An additional 225 Guardsmen joined them in early March for the 188th's official two-month portion of the rotation.

Before this mission, the 188th's last AEF rotation transpired in 2005 when the unit deployed 267 Airmen and 10 F-16s to Balad Air Base, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For more information on the 188th Fighter Wing please visit www.188fw.ang.af.mil. You can also find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Smith-Ark/188th-Fighter-Wing-Arkansas-Air-National-Guard/113971391965165?ref=mf



Master Sgt. Danny Staggs, right, shakes hands with Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander, May 25, 2010, at the 188th. Staggs was the first Airmen to depart a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III based out of Charleston AFB, South Carolina. Approximately 50 Airmen from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing returned Tuesday, May 25, from an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Brambl / 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs) Hi-res

Source

Arizona boy discovers D-M as May Pilot for a Day

by 2nd Lt. Sarah Godfrey
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/24/2010 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB, Ariz. -- Nathan Hoffman, an eight-year-old who recently underwent a heart transplant surgery, toured the base May 21 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program.

The Pilot for a Day program gives local children with serious illnesses a special day for themselves and their family to enjoy, focusing on military aviation on the base.

Nathan, accompanied by his mother Eredka, father Shane, and older brother Seth, started out his day meeting host pilot Maj. Erik Axt, an A-10 instructor pilot with the 357th Fighter Squadron.

Major Axt brought Nathan and his family to his squadron, where Nathan was presented with a personalized flight suit complete with name tag and the 357th Fighter Squadron patch. Col. Edward Kostelnik, the 355th Operations Group commander administered the Pilot for a Day oath, where Nathan was ordered to have fun and ask lots of questions. While at the 357th, Nathan and his family checked out life support gear and night vision goggles that A-10 pilots use.

Then Nathan and his family visited the Davis-Monthan Fire Protection Flight where he got to ride shot-gun in the truck and spray the hoses.

From there, the group visited an A-10 static display and then an HC-130 rescue aircraft at the 79th Rescue Squadron.

Before the group enjoyed Nathan's favorite meal of pizza and soda, they stopped by the control tower.

"My favorite part of the day was walking on the catwalk at the tower and seeing the airplanes take off," said Nathan.

The group then headed to the 355th Operations Group. Nathan experienced the A-10 flight simulator, a system that replicates flying an aircraft over a virtual map before he and his family left the base to return home.

"It was a real pleasure showing these kids all the incredible things we do here at D-M," said the major.

Source

Note: Related pictures will be uploaded soon.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

188th pilots, A-10s return from Kandahar deployment, unit's first combat mission since aircraft transition



A four-ship of A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" fly over the 188th Fighter Wing May 22, 2010, in preparation for landing. Ten pilots and ten A-10s with the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th returned from an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan Saturday. (U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sgt. Stephen Hornsey / 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs) Hi-res

Note: All four aircraft - still unknown by serial numbers - are A-10Cs from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing.

by Capt. Heath Allen
Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs Officer

5/23/2010 - FORT SMITH, Ark. -- A long, arduous journey came to a halt Saturday here at the home of the 188th Fighter Wing. Ten pilots and ten A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" from the Arkansas Air National Guard unit returned from an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

The AEF mission was the 188th's first combat deployment as a unit with A-10s since it received its first Warthog April 14, 2007. The 188th shared the four-month AEF rotation with the 175th Wing, an A-10 Air National Guard unit based in Baltimore, Md. While in theater the 188th was attached to the 451st Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield.

The 175th flew A-10s from its unit as well as aircraft from the 188th during their portion of the rotation in January and February. The 188th flew A-10s from home station and the 175th during its deployment as well.

The 188th's A-10s have been in theatre for more than four months. The 188th pilots who returned Saturday were deployed for approximately 10 weeks.

"We pulled together to make this a successful deployment," said Lt. Col. Ray Hunter, a 188th pilot who served as the 184th Expeditionary Squadron commander while deployed to Kandahar. "It was a pretty intense operation, long hours and long missions but we made the community, the Air National Guard, the Air Force and our country proud. It was nice to see the support from everyone when we returned."

Family and friends of the deployed pilots assembled on the 188th's flightline to welcome home their heroes.

"It makes you feel patriotic and good inside that the people, the community appreciates what we do," said Lt. Col. Tim Eddins, a pilot with the 188th who returned from Kandahar Saturday.

Some, like 188th aviator, 1st Lt. Wade Hendrickson, have missed some monumental moments in their families' lives. And on Saturday, Hendrickson was reunited with his wife, Malea and five-month-old daughter, Rylin.

"I've missed half her life already," Hendrickson said. "Flying back home, as every mile ticked down we all started to get more excited. When we crossed the Mississippi River, we knew were in Arkansas and you could hear everyone chattering on the radio, 'we're almost home, we're almost home.' Then we taxied in and saw our families. It put a big smile on my face for sure."

More than 200 members of the 188th returned to home station from Kandahar last Monday. The remaining 188th Airmen, approximately 50, will return later this week.
While deployed, members of the 188th maintained and repaired A-10s, flew countless sorties, conducted numerous inspections and marched to the cadence of a 24-hour operations tempo.

"This is what the A-10 was made for," Eddins said. "It's not the prettiest airplane but it's the best airplane for the job that it's asked to do. It is truly suited for the environment we were in while in Kandahar. I couldn't be happier with how the aircraft performed and how hard everyone worked to make every mission a success."

The A-10 mission in southern Afghanistan is to fly close-air support in response to ground troops who may be in contact with the enemy, or to escort convoys in particularly hostile areas. When not supporting ground troops, A-10s patrol designated sectors and provide aerial reconnaissance on locations of interest to ground commanders.

"If we saved one ground troop's life, we did our job over there," Hendrickson said. "...We did 24/7 operations over there. I think most pilots averaged 20 or 30 sorties. I flew about five times a week and most sorties averaged from four to six hours. Some lasted eight hours but that's combat. You got tired but all the guys pushed through it and made it happen."

More than 50 members of the 188th left Jan. 8, 2010, and spent the entire four-month AEF rotation in Kandahar. An additional 225 Guardsmen joined them in early March for the 188th's official two-month portion of the rotation.

Before this mission, the 188th's last AEF rotation transpired in 2005 when the unit deployed 267 Airmen and 10 F-16s to Balad Air Base, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For more information on the 188th Fighter Wing please visit www.188fw.ang.af.mil. You can also find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Smith-Ark/188th-Fighter-Wing-Arkansas-Air-National-Guard/113971391965165?ref=mf



First Lt. Wade Hendrickson, an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog" pilot with the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing awaits the aircraft shutdown signal from his crew chief May 22, 2010, at the 188th. The 188th just returned ten A-10s and ten pilots from an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sgt. Stephen Hornsey / 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs) Hi-res

Note: Wade in the cockpit of A-10C 78-0613 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing. Note the huge teddy bear and a folded American flag behind the wind shield.



Lt. Col. Tim Eddins, an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog" pilot with the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing, hands the Weapons Systems Video cartridge to a 188th crew chief May 22, 2010, at the 188th. Eddins along with nine other pilots from the 188th returned from an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan Saturday, May 22, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Heath Allen / Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs) Hi-res



Lt. Col. Ray Hunter, an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog" pilot with the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing, reunites with his wife May 22, 2010, following an Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Hunter served as the 184th Expeditionary Squadron commander while deployed to Kandahar. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Heath Allen / Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs) Hi-res

Note:Lt. Col. Ray Hunter returned with A-10C 78-0659 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing.

Source

Family Reunites After Deployment

Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 9:40 am | Updated: 9:44 am, Mon May 24, 2010
By Wanda Freeman
The Times Record

Keeping busy and communicating daily helped Ashley Ahlert get through her pilot husband's three-month deployment to Afghanistan, but she held on to one surprise until his homecoming last week.

Her husband, Maj. Brian Ahlert - a pilot with the Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing - spent the past three months flying daily in the unit's first mission employing the A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs."

The couple have a 19-month-old son, Ben, and Ashley, 28, is expecting a daughter soon.

"I'm due any day, probably next weekend," she said Friday.

Although she e-mailed pictures of Ben to her husband every day - "He's at such a crucial age, when every day he has growth spurts" - she didn't let on that she was preparing the new baby's room.

"We had lots of projects. We built a pond, and I got the nursery all ready. I didn't tell him about the nursery or send him pictures because I wanted to surprise him," she said.

"Yeah, she did all kinds of things to the house," Brian said. "Everything looks great."

Ashley also continued to work full-time as an agent with Bradford & Udouj Real Estate.

"It was a challenge, because I was essentially a single mom with a full-time job, but if I hadn't done that I would've just stayed home and been sad and depressed," she said.

The upside was that whenever she had to show a house in the evening, Ben got to bond with his grandparents.

Both Ashley's and Brian's parents live in Fort Smith.

Ashley also regularly took Ben to her parents' lake place at Mount Harbor and on other trips around the state to see family members - and "to get one more weekend out of the way."

Brian's deployment began in mid-February, a month before most of the other airmen deployed.

Both Ashley and her husband appreciated the benefits of Skype, an online video-call service that allowed them to have virtual dinner together.

"It was hard to get Ben to sit in front of the computer," Ashley said. "He'd pull the screen down and try to look behind it, like he was trying to figure out where his dad was. So then we Skyped during dinner. I'd put the computer in front of him and Brian could watch him eat and Ben was able to show him how he can use his fork and spoon."

Brian, 36, said he and his fellow airmen had access to Skype in their rooms, so he was able to stay in touch easily, even in the midst of the very busy mission.

"We flew daily," he said. "It was a 24-hour deal, with three shifts so the guys could get their rest."

As a scheduler, Ahlert was responsible for keeping the 12 Warthogs up in the air with a fresh crew at each shift change while following requirements for crew rest periods between flights.

An active Guard reservist for nearly 19 years and a pilot for 10 years, Ahlert also flew the 188th's previous craft, an F-16 fighter plane, during a 2005 deployment to Iraq.

"The F-16 was a sexy airplane that flew fast and high, but the A-10 is the right plane for the type of fighting we're doing now," he said. "You're able to get low and stay on station. ... We were sent to support ground troops, Marines and Army guys. Our job is to remain overhead to protect the ground guys when they take a village."

Ahlert said the terrain in the southern part of Afghanistan is desert, flat and sandy, while occasional flights north brought high terrain with 18,000-foot mountains and snowy peaks.

"The big difference this time was the airplane. It was designed around the gun," he said.

The ground troops, he said, expressed relief that they had constant communication and support from the airmen and their Warthogs.

"I'm sure we'll be heading back," Ahlert said.

But for now, he'll have time to rejuvenate, spend time with his growing family - and postpone a welcome-home party one more week.

"We were going to the lake next weekend, but we found out Ashley is further along than we thought and the doctor said we should stay close to home," he said.

Source

Please let me repeat Maj. Brian Ahlert: "The F-16 was a sexy airplane that flew fast and high, but the A-10 is the right plane for the type of fighting we're doing now,"

Sunday, May 23, 2010

188th Fliers Return Home

Posted: Sunday, May 23, 2010 9:58 am
By Hicham Raache
The Times Record

Pilots with the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing were met by jubilant family members upon returning home Saturday from a nearly three-month deployment in Afghanistan.

Flying in a four-ship formation, 10 airmen with the 188th Fighter Wing flew their A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs back to their air base in Fort Smith, returning home from deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. For Lt. Wade Hendrickson, being back home means being back with his wife, Malea, and his 51⁄2-month old daughter, Rylin.

"I've been gone basically most of her life," Hendrickson said. "She's doubled in size since I've been gone."

Standing alongside her and her husband's extended family, Malea Hendrickson held Rylin, dressed in a red, white and blue polka dot dress, and cheered as her husband and the nine other airmen flew in. "I'm very excited for him to see (Rylin)," Malea Hendrickson said. "She was so little when he left. That was the hardest thing for him, leaving while she was so young."

Hendrickson was one of 275 Guard members deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 188th's Aerospace Expeditionary Forces rotation, sent to provide air support to ground forces fighting in Afghanistan, according to Capt. Heath Allen, public affairs officer for the Arkansas National Guard.

"This was the first (Aerospace Expeditionary Forces) deployment for the 188th as a unit since receiving A-10 Thunderbolt II 'Warthogs' on April 14, 2007," Allen stated in a news release.

Although some of his fellow airmen returning with him have multiple past deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, this most recent deployment was Hendrickson's first.

"Anybody who says they're not a little apprehensive or scared (before deployment) are just tricking themselves," Hendrickson said.

Lt. Col. Tim Eddins has been with the 188th for 17 years and returned from his third deployment on Saturday.

Eddins said he flew missions supporting ground forces throughout Afghanistan.

"We gave more support (during this mission) than we probably ever have before," Eddins said.

Lt. Col. Ray Hunter, who has been deployed five times so far and was met at the base by his wife, Tina, said he and his fellow airmen worked with the Army in this recent mission and therefore saw a lot of action.

"It was an around-the-clock operation," Hunter said. "(The 188th) did their country proud, their state proud and their Guard proud."

Hunter said the excitement of returning home was evident among his comrades as they flew back to their home base.

"It was big smiles on their faces," Hunter said. "You could hear it on our radios."

Hendrickson said he now looks forward to rest and relaxation, which he said means spending time in the Ouachita Mountains with Malea and Rylin.

More than 200 other members of the Arkansas Air National Guard returned last Monday and around 50 more are scheduled to return this week.

The seven other 188th airmen who returned Saturday include: Capt. Doug Davis, Capt. Drew Nash, Lt. B.J. Ginger, Maj. Patric Coggin, Lt. Mark Cox, Lt. Col. Ross Sauter and Capt. Ryan Carter.

Associated pictures:



The first formation A-10C Thunderbolt II's fly over Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday as ten pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard arrive home after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)



A line of A-10C Thunderbolt II's taxi to their parking spots at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Ten pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)



Lt. Col. Ray Hunter waves to family and friends as he taxis his A-10C Thunderbolt II to a stop at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Hunter was one of 10 pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard who flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)

Note: The aircraft is A-10C 78-0659 from the 184th Fighter Squadron.



Lt. Col. Tim Eddings talks to a reporter while being interviewed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Eddings was one of 10 pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard who flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)



Lt. Wade Hendrickson greets his wife Malea and his 5-month-old daughter Rylin after stepping down from his A-10C Thunderbolt II at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Hendrickson was one of 10 pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard who flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)



Tech. Sgt. Orion Stell performs post-flight maintenance on a A-10C Thunderbolt II at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. The plane was one of ten flown home by pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)



Tina Hunter holds a welcome sign while waiting for her husband, Lt. Col. Ray "Rainman" Hunter to arrive at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Hunter was one of 10 pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard who flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)



Vivienne Carter, 4, wears hearing protection while waiting for her father, Capt. Ryan Carter, at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Carter was one of 10 pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard who flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. Vivienne was waiting with her sister Annabelle, 2, and her mother Natalie Carter. (Photo by Times Record)



Family and friends of retuning pilots point to the sky and take photos as the first of 10 A-10C Warthogs come into view at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on Saturday. Ten pilots with the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard flew their planes home from a Guard base in Baltimore after a two-month deployment in Afganistan. (Photo by Times Record)

Source


See also the following AP news, distributed by 5NEWS / KFSM-TV:

Fort Smith, Ark., Air Guard unit returns 10 Warthog pilots from Afghanistan action

By Associated Press
3:47 PM CDT, May 23, 2010

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — The green grass of the Arkansas River valley was a welcome sight for Lt. Col. Ray Hunter, accustomed for two months to the browns and grays of the Afghanistan countryside.

Hunter and nine other A-10 Warthog pilots of the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing returned Saturday from their deployment overseas. They were greeted by about 35 friends and family members.

The pilots spent two months at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan, flying 12 to 16 sorties a day in the A-10 Warthogs. The Afghanistan assignment, which began March 8, was the unit's first combat deployment in the A-10s.

Source

Vance AFB change of command ceremony Monday in hangar 199

The Enid News and Eagle
May 22, 2010

ENID — Col. Chris Nowland, wing commander at Vance Air Force Base since July 2008, will be replaced by Col. Russell L. Mack in a change of command ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday in Vance's hangar 199.

Mack, a 1984 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, comes to Vance from the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. Prior to that he served as vice commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

Mack is a former member of the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's aerial demonstration squadron, with whom he flew from October 1998 to July 1999. His last experience in Air Education and Training Command was first as operations officer, then commander of the 87th Flying Training Squadron at Laughlin AFB, Texas.

He is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours, primarily in the A-10 Thunderbolt, better known as the "Warthog."

Among his major awards and decorations, he has received the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Mack and his wife, Lynne, have two children, Austin and Abbey.

Nowland, who has been nominated for promotion to brigadier general, will next be assigned as director of plans, programs, requirements and assessments at AETC headquarters in San Antonio.

Nowland and his wife, Kristan, have three children, son, Nick, and daughters Natalie and Isabella.

Source

Friday, May 21, 2010

Slideshow: Good Neighbor English Camp wraps up at Osan

Released today by 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs:

5/20/2010 - OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- A graduation ceremony at Osan Middle School May 20 recognized 23 students from 22 schools in the Pyeongtaek area who attended this year's English Camp program at Osan, which matches Korean students with host U.S. families for three days of educational and cultural immersion.

Fifty-nine students and two teachers from schools in Seoul, Daegu and Pyeongtaek also visited the base May 19 and viewed static displays of Osan aircraft and equipment as part of the annual U.S. Forces Korea Good Neighbor English Camp program.

Related A-10 shots:



High school students gather for a photo with 1st Lt. Mike Krestyn, 25th Fighter Squadron pilot, during a visit to Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, as part of the annual U.S. Forces Korea Good Neighbor English Camp. Fifty-nine students and two teachers from schools in Seoul, Daegu and Pyeongtaek visited the base May 19 and viewed static displays of Osan aircraft and equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Burks) Hi-res



1st Lt. Mike Krestyn, 25th Fighter Squadron pilot, helps high school student Hyun Chang Kim try on pilot gear May 19 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Kim was one of 59 students from schools in Seoul, Daegu and Pyeongtaek who visited the base, viewing static displays of Osan aircraft and equipment as part of the annual U.S. Forces Korea Good Neighbor English Camp. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Burks) Hi-res

Source

Note: The aircraft in both pictures is A-10 82-0651 from the 25th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing (PACAF), Osan AB, Republic of Korea. Pilot's rank and name inscription: COL PATRICK MALACKOWSKI. Since December 2009 Col. Patrick C. Malackowski is Commander, 51st Fighter Wing. Please also take a look on the ladder door art: It's the Reaper!!!



Reaper door art. Just a cut-out from the hi-res version of the picture above.

Update May 23, 2010:

As Dice pointed out in a comment to my post, this door art originally was painted for A-10 81-0959, also from the 25th Fighter Squadron. But sometime later, the door was moved to A-10 82-0651. For the original placement on A-10 81-0959 please check the picture Reaper, hot-linked by Dice in his helpful comment.

By the way: Dice is Joe "Dice-man" Hodges, the top source for A-10 ladder door art. As a long time Hog maintainer, he does a great job with his outstanding door art project. Please visit his unique A-10 ladder door art online gallery.

Meanwhile, from Joe "Dice-man" Hodges I got permission to post the following ladder door art close-up from his website:



Full size



Just another cut-out from the hi-res version of the picture above: Left air intake cover with inscription 25th AMU - DRAGON MAINT - 82-0651. 25th AMU means 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, and DRAGON MAINT means Dragon Maintenance. "Dragons" is the nickname of the 25th Fighter Squadron.

Challenges keep job interesting, say flyers

By Carl Bergquist
Dispatch staff writer
Maxwell-Gunter News
May 21, 2010

Wednesday brought the aerial demonstration for this year's National Security Forum, and Maj. Johnnie Green of the A-10 East Demo Team at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., gave the audience a taste of what the Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt II can do.

Developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s, the A-10 is designed to provide close air support for ground forces and is sometimes affectionately known as the Warthog.

"I've had three deployments, and I love working with the demonstration team," said Major Green, who is in his second year of a two-year tour with the team. "It provides a great chance to show the capabilities of the A-10 and to meet new people in the process."

He said there are challenges at every base he takes his A-10, but that is what keeps the job interesting. The major, who has more than 1,700 flight hours in the Thunderbolt II, said because of the flat terrain there are not a lot of challenges at Maxwell.

"The primary challenge I have here is not to overfly the show box," he said. "I want to avoid housing areas, crowds and business districts because if something goes wrong and I have to put the plane on the ground, I want to have an open area to do that."

Major Green said one of the reasons he flies a practice run the day before the show is to map out and make adjustments to his flight plan for the next day.

Also on hand for NSF's aerial events day were Maj. Jason Pifer of the 48th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. and Maj. Mike Gallagher of the 71st Rescue Squadron at Moody. Both squadrons fall under Moody's 23rd Wing. Major Pifer described NSF as a "phenomenal opportunity" for NSF participants to get a "snippet into" the thought processes and analytical thinking of the Air Force and to see "what is expected of upcoming officers." Major Gallagher said NSF is a "free snapshot" into the next level of critical thinking for the Air Force.

Both agreed their participation in NSF was also a great opportunity to hear the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force speak about the issues of the day.

When not flying demos, Major Green works with Majors Pifer and Gallagher on search and rescue, humanitarian and personnel recovery missions. In combat, A-10s provide cover and protection while rescue members extract wounded and downed personnel.

Major Gallagher said one advantage of the rescue operations is that the personnel are stationed together and stay together as a team.

"That allows us to get to know each other's capabilities and confidence levels," he said. "This aspect of the job helps because rescue is a reactive process. You have to sit and wait at your base until blank hits the fan, then go do it."

Major Pifer said about 50 percent of rescue operations in Afghanistan involve Afghan citizens, and not all of them are associated with the coalition. Sometimes the calls for help are ploys by insurgents to gain intelligence about coalition operations.

"We do know the bad guys are testing us and observing our procedures. They will often injuresomeone intentionally just to see how long it takes us to get there," he said. "In Afghanistan, Air Force rescue is a lot about achieving the positive effect of helping those hurt. Anyone who gets hurt, to include the enemy, gets our attention."

The major said Air Force rescue is "an extremely busy capability" right now, and is also "very tactically focused" and has an operations tempo of "go, go, go" from the first notification to wheels up on the helicopters.

Major Green added that most search and rescue missions involve non-standard methods to accomplish the goal.

"In search and rescue, there really is no such thing as a standard mission," he said.



Maj. Johnnie Green waves from inside his A-10 Wednesday. (U.S. Air Force photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox)

Source

Bareback rider a pilot



(Photo courtesy Bud Munns)

By Courtesy of PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association)
Posted Thursday, May 20, 2010
Rodeo Attitude News

Bud Munns isn't your average circuit cowboy, to say the least. Not only is he the owner of two college degrees, but he also has earned a rare and distinct title few PRCA contestants have known: certified pilot.

Munns, a bareback rider who is coming off his first career Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo appearance, has been a certified pilot for nearly four years, flying planes up to 12,500 pounds. For the past year, he has worked as a flight instructor at Utah Valley University in Orem, where he earned a degree in aviation science and rodeoed for ProRodeo Hall of Famer Lewis Feild.

Growing up on a ranch in Hansel Valley, Utah, Munns and his brothers Sonny and Bill rodeoed for entertainment with high school friends at the ranch arena. Sonny went on to become a PRCA bull rider, and their uncle, Randee, is a longtime PRCA clown, barrelman and bullfighter. Their interest in the sport led Bud to high school rodeo, where he competed in all three roughstock events, and thus his career began.

Munns competed on the College of Southern Idaho rodeo team for two years under the direction of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Shawn Davis while earning an associate's degree in ag-business and liberal arts. Munns said he'd always had an interest in flying, and rodeoing for Davis – a former pilot who flew himself and others to rodeos across the country – only fueled that fire.

When he found out that UVU had an aviation science program, Munns jumped at the chance.

"I knew they had this (aviation science) program here, so I thought, 'Well, this might be my only chance to get to fly,'" said Munns, who lists Yeager: An Autobiography by legendary pilot Chuck Yeager as his favorite book. "So, I came here on a rodeo scholarship and got involved with the program then. The flight instruction gig is really good because I can set my own schedule and go rodeoing any time I want. The winter rodeos are good, because you can enter them and just go on the weekends."

Munns said his job as flight instructor at UVU is surprisingly much easier than another potential employment option.

"It's a whole heck of a lot easier than working for my dad cutting hay or chasing calves," Munns said. "I don't break a sweat at all. I think I should have been born in the '30s or '40s, because that was the golden age of pilots."

He recently beat more than 90 other candidates to earn a job flying A-10 Warthog fighter jets for the Idaho Air National Guard, a role he's thrilled about. Munns said he thinks his rodeo background helped him get the exclusive spot.

"We fly a lot of training missions to stay combat-ready in case we're deployed," Munns said. "More than 90 people applied, they interviewed 22 people, but only one got it. All the guys (who applied) are good pilots, but you have to have something that sets you apart. I definitely think rodeo helped me get it because of my diversified lifestyle and being able to adapt to certain situations."

For Munns, flying and competing in rodeo offers his life a great balance that helps keep him energized and mentally sharp.

"The balance keeps me sane, it really does," Munns said. "I come to the flight school, and the other instructors don't believe what I do on the weekends. But in the same sense, I go to a rodeo and the other cowboys don't have a clue about what my other professional career is like.

"I'll get tired of being at the flight school, then go rodeo for three or four days and completely forget about flying. If you have a bad weekend rodeoing, you can come back here and completely forget about it for a few days."

Munns said that there are some similarities to flying and riding bucking horses.

"Having to have the quick reaction and the pressure is similar," Munns said. "When you take tests to get higher ratings, it's pretty intense and you get nervous. So, I relate those "check flights" to getting on a big horse like (Kesler Rodeo's) Cool Alley or (Calgary Stampede's) Grated Coconut.

"I get more nervous on the check flights than getting on the horses. I tell myself, 'Man, if I had the choice of getting on a horse like Grated Coconut or taking this test right now, I'd take the horse any day.'"

Munns has learned many things from rodeo, especially after a pair of difficult "losses." At the 2003 National High School Finals Rodeo and again at the 2007 College National Finals Rodeo, he was announced as the bareback riding winner, only to have judges' audits reveal that he was instead the runner-up both times.

"I definitely learned a lot from those two losses," Munns said. "You can never guarantee anything until you've got that buckle in your hands. That's why I say rodeoing is 90 percent luck. Sometimes, I look back and think where I'd be if I had won those two rodeos. Would I be better off in my rodeo career, or would I be better off in my other professional career? In the long run, I think I'm better off where I am after finishing second at both of those rodeos, because when you don't win, it just makes you work harder to get back at it."

Munns has been at it in the PRCA ranks since 2004. He has gradually improved his final world standings rank each year, going from 100th in 2005 to 80th in 2006, 40th in 2007, 30th in 2008 and 29th in 2009.

He advanced deep into the bracket at RodeoHouston in 2008, giving Munns confidence to compete against the PRCA's elite bareback riders at the highest level.

"I remember looking down the chutes before I rode and seeing the caliber of guys who were there, and it was pretty neat," Munns said. "I liked the camaraderie and the competition at that level. It was a lot of fun."

He lists veterans Scott Montague and Cody DeMers as mentors, and Munns has earned the respect and admiration of his peers for his success in both careers.

"Bud, he's kind of a closet genius. He's really brilliant," DeMers said. "He's got things figured out, knows where he wants to be, has his goal and has plans of reaching of that goal. He's got his life mapped out, and he rides pretty dang well, too.

"He likes to have fun, no matter if he's digging post holes or at the bar with his friends. He's always having fun with what he's doing, and I've never seen Bud have a bad day. He's always in a good mood and excited to do whatever needs to be done."

For the entire, in-depth story, see the May 14 issue of ProRodeo Sports News, THE Voice of ProRodeo! magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Source

Note: Nice story - From a rodeo cowboy to an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot. WOW!!!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

ANG "Rainbow Team" A-10Cs on stopover at Lajes en route CONUS back from Afghanistan

Updated May 22, 2010

Twelve A-10Cs from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing (Maryland Air National Guard), Martin State (tailcode MD), and from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas Air National Guard), Fort Smith (tailcode FS), are currently on their way back home to United States (CONUS) after a four-month combat deployment to the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After a stopover already at Al Udeid AB, Qatar (379th Air Expeditionary Wing), on May 19, 2010, they arrived at Lajes Field, Azores, for their second stopover.

Warthog News contributor Fábio Pinheiro from Portugal have the details, e-mailed to me today and further edited by me (Please note: According to Fábio, Warthog News contributor Paulo Santos from Portugal also contributed to this first-hand info):

First to land:

A-10C 78-0659 (tailcode FS) TREND31
A-10C 78-0613 (tailcode FS) TREND32
A-10C 80-0166 (tailcode FS) TREND33
A-10C 79-0082 (tailcode MD) TREND34
A-10C 78-0719 (tailcode MD) TREND35
A-10C 79-0165 (tailcode MD) TREND36

+ KC-10A Stratotanker 60035

Second to land:

A-10C 78-0646 (tailcode FS) TREND41
A-10C 78-0720 (tailcode MD) TREND42
A-10C 79-0129 (tailcode FS) TREND43
A-10C 78-0702 (tailcode MD) TREND44
A-10C 78-0640 (tailcode MD) TREND45
A-10C 78-0682 (tailcode MD) TREND46

+ KC-10A Stratotanker 91710

Looks to me that Fábio confirmed 78-0646 for first time as part of this deployment.

Could be that the entire aircraft package will arrive at first at Martin State Airport on the East Coast, and then, the 184th Fighter Squadron jets will fly further south-west to Arkansas.

Special thanks to Fábio for his great support!


Update May 22, 2010:
They departed Lajes Field in the morning hours on May 21, 2010, Warthog News contributor Leandro Rocha from Portugal told me.

In contrast, on the Dutch Scramble Message Board, RH. (user name Dutchmil) mentioned: Ten A-10s arrived this evening at Martin State airport as Trend 31 and Trend 41 flight. The A-10s that stayed at Lajes should depart after the weekend.

I will try to get some more related update info.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

New A-10 unit provides close air support

Released today by 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs:



Lt. Col. Ron Stuewe, 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander, waits in the cockpit for the crew chiefs to do their post flight checks on the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft upon landing at Kandahar Airfield May 11, 2010. More than 200 members from the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the 81st EAMXS deployed here from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Within a two-week period, approximately a dozen jets arrived on KAF. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft is A-10C 81-0945. 1945 marking on the ejection seat, 10945 marking on the canopy rail.

by Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton
451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

5/18/2010 - Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan -- More than 200 Air Force pilots, maintainers and crew chiefs of the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the 81st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron arrived on Kandahar Airfield May 11 to provide close air support throughout Afghanistan.

They are taking over from the Airmen of the 184th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron who have since returned home to Fort Smith, Ark.

"The mission of the unit is to provide close air support for coalition forces," said Lt. Col. Ronald Stuewe, commander, 81st EFS.

"That is the bread and butter of this aircraft and the bread and butter of the mission here. That's what we train to do and that is what we are here to execute," he said.

The two units are scheduled to be deployed here for four months, said Capt. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, commander of the 81st EAMXS.

They are assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
The units brought with them most of the support personnel, maintainers, aircrew flight equipment personnel, intelligence personnel, and medical personnel assigned to their home station, said Captain Fitzpatrick.

The average flying time for the A-10 unit has been low due to aircraft upgrades and flight restrictions at home station, said Colonel Stuewe, but the pilots were able to get phenomenal training hours in the States before coming here, he said.

Although this is the unit's first time at KAF, the A-10 unit has deployed to other locations in the area of responsibility.

"The duration of sorties is a little longer than we normally do but that's to be expected. We are extremely excited."

"One nice thing we like about the location is the proximity to all the back-shop support. It's all right here," he said.

"We are glad to be here and ready to go. We've hit the ground running. We've had a great start to what seems like a fantastic deployment," he said.

"The number one goal for our squadron is 100 percent positive impact to the battle space. That comes across in many forms. Not just pilots flying the aircraft, but our people launching the aircraft, as well," continued Colonel Stuewe.

The fighter squadron has recently completed upgrading the aircraft to the A-10C model, featuring new avionics and software systems.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II maneuvers at low air speeds and altitude and is a highly accurate weapons system. It is used to provide close air support and non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

The Thunderbolt IIs have night-vision imaging systems.

The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles.

The aircraft's self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam.

Other upgrades include glass cockpit displays, moving map, hands on throttle and stick, digital stores management, advanced targeting pod integration, situational awareness data link, variable message format, GPS-guided weapons and upgraded DC power.

Avionics equipment includes multi-band communications, global positioning system and inertial navigations systems, infrared and electronic countermeasures against air-to-air and air-to-surface threats.

Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.



Members of the 81st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare to set a toe bar to the nose wheel of an A-10 Thunderbolt II to push the aircraft back into parking position May 11, 2010. Within a two week period a total of 12 jets arrived on Kandahar Airfield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft is A-10C 81-0945.



Col. Peter Hunt, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander, greets Lt. Col. Ron Stuewe, 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander, upon arrival to Kandahar Airfield after a four hour flight from Spangdahlem AFB, Germany. The 81st replaced the 188th EFS from Fort Smith, Arkansas, guard unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft is A-10C 81-0945.



A crew chief from the 81st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron gives a signal for the A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot to hold his position as the chalks are put in place May 11, 2010, on Kandahar Airfield. The crew chiefs are conducting post flight checks to make the jet ground safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft is A-10C 82-0649.



The remaining six A-10 Thunderbolt II jets from Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, arrive at Kandahar Airfield May 11, 2010,after a four hour flight. The Spandahlem team will be replacing the 188th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Arkansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircrafts (from left) are A-10Cs 82-0649, 82-0654 and 81-0945.



A crew chief from the 81st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron relays information to an A-10 pilot from Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, here May 11, 2010. Within a two week period a total of 12 jets arrived on Kandahar Airfield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft is 81-0980. Very nice zoom shot, depicting external fuel tank on center station 6 and MXU-648 baggage pods (also called travel pods) on stations 4 and 8.



The remaining six A-10 Thunderbolt II jets from Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, arrive at Kandahar Airfield May 11, 2010, after a four hour flight. The Spandahlem team will be replacing the 188th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Arkansas. In a two-week period 12 jets arrived on KAF. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft is 81-0980.

Source



Cover of The Kandahar Chronicle (May 17, 2010, public online PDF issue), official newspaper of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

From the Warthog News Editor: Special thanks to Senior Airman Nancy Hooks from 451st AEW Public Affairs for their outstanding arrival shots of Spang Hogs at Kandahar Airfield!!! They are very important for the A-10 history books.

Meanwhile, 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs copied this news article to place it on their own website: Source