AFRS participates in first tweetchat

Filed under Air Force by on June 13, 2013 at 3:44 pm {no comments}

Carissa PictureThe Air Force Recruiting Service participated in its  first tweetchat June 6 and received more than 100 recruitment questions from online participants. During the hour-long Web event, AFRS officials answered questions about enlistment eligibility requirements, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test scores and other career field-specific questions. The first 15 questions were answered during the tweetchat and are available here. The rest of the unanswered questions are below. AFRS will host monthly tweetchats showcasing Airmen from different career fields who will share their Air Force experiences.  

PHOTO: Carissa, Air Force Recruiting Service online advisor

Q16: Can I still try out for Pararescue even though I wear glasses?
A16: Yes, but you must meet all physical and ASVAB requirements and the physical ability and stamina test (PAST). Vision requirements for Pararescue include passing a color vision test, having uncorrected vision 20/70-20/200, corrected vision or 20/20 vision each eye.

Q17: Could I join the Air Guard on top of ROTC if I don’t get a four-year scholarship and then transfer to active duty upon commission?
A17: For Air Guard information, you may contact the Air National Guard on their website. They have a live chat capability to answer your questions: http://www.goang.com.

Q18: Can you join with type 2 diabetes?
A18: Unfortunately, this is a potentially medically disqualifying condition. However, the doctor at the Military Entrance Processing Station  (MEPS) will make that determination. Your local recruiter can have your medical records for this condition prescreened by the doctor at the MEPS for you to find a preliminary ruling in your particular situation.

Q19: In regards to the Health Professions Scholarship Program, do Air Force physicians choose their specialty or does the Air Force assign a specialty based off of their need?
A19: Physicians can list three specialties and the specialty may be determined by the needs of the Air Force. You can find all of our health profession job descriptions here: http://www.airforce.com/careers/#education:healthcare-professional.

Q20: Will a professional pilot’s degree with a commercial rating and several hundred flight hours give me a leg up for a pilot’s slot?
A20: Here are the general requirements to be a pilot:

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • 4-year college degree
  • At least a 2.5 GPA
  • Must meet the selection board before age 28
  • Between 5’4″ and 6’5″ in height
  • Distance vision no worse than 20/70, correctable to 20/20
  • Near vision 20/20, uncorrected.

There are many possible paths you can take in pursuit of earning your wings. You could choose to get your degree on your own and apply for your commission following graduation. Or, you could choose to come on to active duty and let the Air Force pay up to 100 percent of your college tuition.You could gain valuable Air Force experience while getting your degree. Once you have obtained your degree, apply for your commission and select to become a pilot. Having earned your private pilot’s license will increase your chances of being selected, as well as earning a technical college degree, though you may apply with most any type of degree.

Q21: Is it likely for a girl to be able to go to Airborne School?
A21: Airborne is an Army Military Occupational Skill (MOS). The Army runs the Airborne School and the Air Force does not have this job. However, Battlefield
Airmen (males only) attend Airborne School. There has been no official Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) announcement of any change in policy to allow women in combat positions. As soon as we learn more details, we will provide them.

Q22: I will be graduating my junior college with around 62 credits. Will that help out at all when trying to enlist?
A22: Advanced rank can be earned through many different channels for your accomplishments before entering the Air Force.
College Credits (Qualifying):
- 20 semester or 30 quarter hours = E-2
- 45 semester or 67 quarter hours = E-3
You will need to provide official college transcripts to verify the amount of college credits you have earned.

Q23: What is the best way to become a helicopter pilot in the Air Force?
A23: Here are the general requirements to be a pilot:

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • 4-year college degree
  • At least a 2.5 GPA
  • Must meet the selection board before age 28
  • Between 5’4″ and 6’5″ in height
  • Distance vision no worse than 20/70, correctable to 20/20
  • Near vision 20/20, uncorrected.

There are many possible paths you can take in pursuit of earning your wings. You could choose to get your degree on your own and apply for your commission following graduation. Or, you could choose to come on to active duty and let the Air Force pay up to 100 percent of your college tuition.You could gain valuable Air Force experience while getting your degree. Once you have obtained your degree, apply for your commission and select to become a pilot. Having earned your private pilot’s license will increase your chances of being selected, as well as earning a technical college degree, though you may apply with most any type of degree.

Q24: How long would it take an enlisted airman to work up to an officer after their BMT and starting tech school?
A24: If you are active duty United States Air Force and inquiring about a commission, applying to Officers Training School, your point of contact is your Base Education Office. The Base Education Office is responsible for the application process and will answer any inquiries pertaining to this process. If you are not active Air Force, the length it may take you to earn your college degree depends on how motivated you are toward earning your degree in your off duty time.

Q25: I’m interested in security forces. What are the qualifications? Requirements?
A25: You must meet the requirements to enlist in the US Air Force, to include qualifying on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), and passing a physical examination. You must have a minimum of a 33 in the General Aptitude Area of your ASVAB test. It is mandatory that you have a valid driver’s license.

Q26: What’s the best way to get in touch with someone to talk about OTS if there aren’t any offices nearby?
A26: You will need to contact your nearest active duty Air Force recruiter and ask to speak to an officer accessions recruiter. http://www.airforce.com/contact-us/recruiter-locator. Or you can visit the OTS website. http://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/OTS/index.asp.

Q27: I was DQ’ed for asthma a few months back. Is there any chance of being able to reapply? Do the MEPS stations ever drop files?
A27: Asthma, including reactive airway disease, exercise-induced bronchospasm or asthmatic bronchitis, reliably diagnosed at any age, is disqualifying. However, you are disqualified after your 13th birthday if any evidence of it still exists. The doctor at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) will make the determination of whether or not your situation is disqualifying. Your local recruiter can have your medical records for this condition prescreened by the doctor at MEPS for you to find a preliminary ruling. Yes, the MEPS does drop/delete files.

Q28: With fewer slots available today, what are the minimum requirements for enlisting?
A28: To quality for the Air Force, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or have a valid unrestricted alien registration card from the USCIS with at least two years remaining until expiration. (You must obtain this status on your own, the Air Force cannot assist you with obtaining it.)
  • You cannot be a conscientious objector. A conscientious objector is an individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.
  • Any law violations will need to be evaluated.
  • Any use of illegal drugs or misuse of prescription medication will need to be evaluated.
  • You will have a credit check run looking for delinquencies and overbalanced credit.
  • Be between the ages of 17-27. If 17 you will need parental consent.
  • Be of good health all medical issues will need to be evaluated. Meet our height and weight requirements.
  • To enlist, be a high school graduate, junior or senior.
  • To be an officer, be a college graduate or a senior.
  • The Air Force allows you to be single with no dependents, married to a military member with no dependents, or married to a civilian with one dependent upon entry to enlistment.
  • You will need to have a Social Security Card.

Q29: What jobs are typically in demand right now?
A29: The job you train and serve in is dependent upon your successful qualifying in the United States Air Force. Jobs in demand are ever-changing, and are based upon the needs of the Air Force.

Q30: I went Palace Chase a few years ago. I was in four years. Can I go back AD after I graduate from dental hygiene school as a 4yh?
A30: You must meet the requirements for the Air Force Prior Service Program. If you have been out of the military for six years or longer, you will not qualify to reenter the US Air Force. Prior Service vacancies are based upon the Air Force Special Code (AFSC), and the total number of years you have served in that particular job. Jobs are based upon your successful qualifying to reenter the Air Force, and the needs of the Air Force.

Q31: After attending the Academy, what continued medical educational opportunities you offer?
A31: Those individuals who are graduating from the Air Force Academy and are continuing education or pursuing higher education in the Health Professions area, may apply for the Air Force’s Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), or depending upon the type of degree, may apply through the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).

Q32: What are the height and weight requirements to be a pilot?
A32: Height requirements for pilots:
- Standing must be between 64 and 77 inches
- Sitting must be between 33 and 40 inches

Q33: Do Airmen receive vacation time?
A33: Active Duty Air Force members earn 2.5 days per month or 30 days of vacation each year.

Q34: If you get injured in Basic Military Training, what happens?
A34: If you become injured while in Basic Military Training, you will be referred to a doctor(s) who will make a medical eligibility determination to continue training or separate, depending upon the severity of the injury.

Q35: Can you join the Air Force with a peanut allergy? Can you be a pilot?
A35: Peanut allergies are medically disqualifying, and would not be eligible to pursue Pilot Training.

Q36: What heart conditions, confirmed or suspected, exclude someone from joining the Air Force?
A36: Unfortunately, heart conditions are a potentially medically disqualifying condition. However, the doctor at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) will make that determination. Your local recruiter can have your medical records for this condition prescreened by the doctor at the MEPS for you to find a preliminary ruling in your particular situation.

Q37: How much physical preparation is needed before MEPS?
A37: There is no preparation to take the Air Force entrance physical examination.

Q38: What jobs are open to a Security Forces Specialist after time in the Air Force? What educational degrees are helpful?
A38: Individuals who have been trained in Security Forces in the Air Force, most always qualify as a Peace Officer, Law Enforcement in the civilian sector. With a degree earned while serving in the Air Force, you may qualify to apply for most all federal law enforcement jobs. A degree(s) earned in Criminal Justice is helpful.

Q39: What are the steps needed to become a fighter pilot? What are the requirements?
A39: Here’s what it takes to become an Air Force Pilot:

  • U.S. citizen
  • Any four-year college degree
  • Must meet the selection board before age 28
  • Be between 64 and 77 inches in height
  • Distance vision no worse than 20/70, correctable to 20/20
  • Near vision 20/20, uncorrected, color vision is required.

Path to a Pilot seat:
Once you are qualified to join the Air Force as a commissioned officer you will take this path to get your wings.
1.) Complete Officer Training ( AF Academy, AF ROTC, OTS)
2.) Enter Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) and begin your flight training. (one year)
3.) Nearing completion of UPT you will be assigned an aircraft. It’s called getting your Seat Assignment. This is determined by these factors: class ranking, training performance reports, instructor recommendations, your aircraft preferences, and our needs.
4.) Upon completion of UPT and your seat assignment, you continue your flight training for the specific aircraft you were assigned. (six months to one year)
5.) Nearing completion of your Advanced Flight Training, you will be given a squadron and location assignment. Your location preferences are considered.
6.) The commitment for an Air Force pilot is 10 years of active duty service after completion of pilot training.

This website offers excellent information regarding pilot testing, selection, training and lifestyle: http://www.baseops.net/militarypilot.

Q40: As a CSO, can you choose a specific aircraft?
A40: The type of aircraft a Combat System Officer is rated in is determined by academic achievement(s), commander/supervisor recommendation, and the needs of the Air Force.

Q41: Can I enter the Air Force with increased rank if I am in Civil Air Patrol?
A41: Yes, if you have earned the Billy Mitchell, Amelia Earhart or Carl Spaatz award, you may qualify with advanced rank of E-3.

Q42: I am a junior in college, should I wait until I graduate to join the AF? Should I enlist and try to become an officer later?
A42: The decision and time to join the U.S. Air Force is yours to make. If you are a junior in college and progressing toward a Bachelor’s Degree, once you have earned it, it may qualify you to apply for Officers Training School. Should you decide to quit college and complete your education while enlisted and serving in the Air Force, college credits you have earned may qualify you for advanced rank up to E-3. Your Air Force recruiter will discuss qualifying, options, and opportunities with you.

Q43: What is it like to be a Pararescue Jumper?
A43: Are you willing to do whatever it takes to save a person’s life? To parachute, scuba dive, rock climb or even snowmobile into hostile territory to get to a wounded Airman who needs your help? Then you may be ready to be a Pararescue specialist. You’ll be trained in emergency medical tactics, as well as in combat and survival skills so you can go anywhere necessary. You’ll train extensively and be on alert 24 hours a day, because when the call comes, it will be up to you to answer it.

Q44: What are the standard ASVAB requisites and training for Security Operations Specialists?
A44: The score required for Security Forces is General 33; based on Air Force requirements, the minimum Armed Forces Qualifications Test (AFQT) score required for entry on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is 36. However, due to the high number of individuals who are qualified and waiting to depart for Basic Military Training (over 90 percent of them possessing an ASVAB score over 50 percentile) your recruiter may not be able to process you and may ask you to return when they have space on their waiting list to add new applicants. So study hard and good luck!

Q45: Does it matter what field of study your bachelor’s degree is in for OTS?
A45: No, it does not. You may apply for OTS with most any type of college degree. To be eligible to apply for Officer Training School, one must have a baccalaureate degree or be a senior at a college or university that is accredited by one of the six regional accreditation commissions recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education. Applicants who have graduated from a non- accredited college or university in the United States or from another country may apply. However, they must present evidence from an accredited institution of higher learning that their credits are acceptable for graduate work. You must have earned a GPA of 3.0 or better to be eligible to apply.

Q46: What is the probability of a female becoming a top-ranked sniper?
A46: It is possible as females are a part of Security Forces. You could apply after two years as a Security Forces member to be a part of the close precision engagement (sniper) team.

Q47: I was medically separated in March. Do I need to wait six months to reenlist or can I do it sooner?
A47: Yes you must wait six months before reapplying to join the Air Force. Make sure you keep all of your paperwork, and the reason for being medically separated no longer exists.

Q48: What is the outlook for flight training candidates needed in the next few years?
A48: The Air Force accepts applications for Officer Training School (OTS), and pilot training from highly qualified applicants for scheduled selection boards throughout the year. Selection boards meet to select candidates, based on the needs of the Air Force.

Q49: How big a demand is there for accounting and business majors in the AF?
A49: The OTS selection board selects the best qualified applicants to become Air Force officers. A board of senior Air Force officers at Headquarters Air Force Recruiting Service will review your application. Selection is competitive and based on your desires, qualifications (such as aeronautical ratings, type of bachelors or master’s degree, or civilian or military specialty skills), and specific Air Force manpower needs. Each applicant is evaluated for character, academic accomplishments, community service, and leadership potential. As part of the selection process, board members review both objective and subjective factors. Objectively, the board considers each applicants academic discipline, and AFOQT scores. Subjectively, board members evaluated work experience, accomplishments, adaptability, character, leadership ability, potential for future growth, and other recommendations. For active duty enlisted members, performance reports and commanders recommendations are also evaluated. A minimum of three Air Force colonels reviews every application. The selection process is similar to an Air Force Officer Promotion Board. Key to the entire process is that no single factor leads to an individual’s selection. Boards meet to select candidates, based on the needs of the Air Force.

Q50: I want to go in as an officer in International Affairs? What is your best advice for jobs associated in that specialty?
A50: There isn’t an International Affairs career field, but Public Affairs officer would be close. Here is a link of our officer careers: http://www.airforce.com/careers/#education:college-graduate

Q51: Are actual manned aircraft being replaced by unmanned drones in the near future? Do we use drones for anything other than military missions?
A51: There is the possibility of unmanned aircraft in the future. Drones can be used for many different purposes like visual check of an area after a natural disaster and patrolling U.S. borders. The use of drones or Remotely Piloted Aircraft contribute to our aircraft inventory and successful mission accomplishments

Q52: Can you go to airborne school if you are Air Force Reserve?
A52: Airborne is an Army Military Occupational Skill (MOS), and training is provided by the U.S. Army. You may contact the Air Force Reserve, a Reserve component of the U.S. Air Force, on their website. The Air Force Reserve has a Live Chat to answer your questions. http://www.afreserve.com

Q53: Is it difficult to get into the ROTC program?
A53: Air Force ROTC is a highly competitive program that leads to commissioning as an officer in the U.S. Air Force following graduation from college. For further assistance, you may contact Air Force ROTC on their website for more information. http://www.afrotc.com

Q54: Does the AF Reserve offer TACP as a career field?
A54: Yes, the Air Force Reserve offer Tactical Air Command and Control as a career selection provided you meet the requirements. You may contact the Air Force Reserve, a Reserve component of the U.S. Air Force, on their website. The Air Force Reserve has a Live Chat to answer your questions. http://www.afreserve.com

Q55: How difficult is it to switch from AF Reserve to active duty?
A55: It will depend upon your qualifications and what jobs the active duty Air Force is looking for. You would fall under the Prior Service program. The Prior Service (PS) program is an enlistment program allowing a select number of separated individuals to return to active duty. The program will access a total of 250 applicants during FY13. The total accession is subject to change based on Air Force needs and is separated into three categories: Category I – Direct Duty (DD): return without consideration of years of service (YOS) and Category II – DD: YOS restriction. Category III – Retraining. Your Air Force Recruiter has a listing of jobs which we are currently looking for, based on the job you are qualified in, years of service, and your successful qualifying. Applicant must not have a break in service exceeding six years. Applicant must have performed duties in the requested return AFSC during their last term of enlistment. An Air Force Recruiter will determine if an eligibility determination is required, to permit you to enlist. Please contact a recruiter nearest you for details. The prior service program is open at this time, and positions are filled based upon the needs of the U.S. Air Force. http://www.airforce.com/contact-us/recruiter-locator

Q56: Is loadmaster a high-demand job?
A56: This Air Force no longer offers Loadmaster as a job. This job has been incorporated into the Special Missions Aviation Apprentice (1A931). This job, just as the loadmaster, is a highly demanding, yet rewarding job. Contact your Air Force recruiter to discuss qualifying, options, and opportunities.

Q57: What are the jobs that are in high demand?
A57: Our Special Operation careers are always in high demand as well as cryptologic linguist.

Q58: Are there jobs that include signing bonuses?
A58: Yes, currently they are:

  • A8X1 AIRBORNE LINGUIST $11,000
  • 1N3XX CRYPTO LINGUIST $11,000
  • 1C2X1 COMBAT CONTROLLERS $15,000
  • 1T2X1 PARARESCUE – $15,000
  • 1C4X1 TACP – $14,000
  • 1T0X1 SERE – $13,000
  • 3E8X1 EOD – $13,000
  • 3P0X1 SECURITY FORCES – $1,500
  • 1W0X2 SPEC. OPS. WEATHER – $13,000

Keep in mind that these bonuses can change based on the needs of the Air Force.

Q59: What is the process to becoming a Special Operations TACP?
A59: You will schedule an appointment with a recruiter and start the process of ASVAB testing and completing a medical exam. Your ASVAB and your medical exam determine your job qualifications. After you have completed processing, you will then be schedule by your recruiter to take the TACP Physical Ability Stamina Test (PAST) to see if you can qualify for that career.

Q60: Does the AF Reserve offer engineering jobs?
A60: Yes, the U.S. Air Force Reserve offers engineering jobs. You may contact the Air Force Reserve, a Reserve component of the U.S. Air Force, on their website. The Air Force Reserve has a Live Chat to answer your questions at http://www.afreserve.com

Q61: Can graduates with degrees in English Literature join as officers, or do you need a science/math-related degree?
A61: Yes you may apply for Officers Training School (OTS) with most any type of college degree. To be eligible to apply for Officer Training School, one must have a baccalaureate degree or be a senior at a college or university that is accredited by one of the 6 regional accreditation commissions recognized by the US Dept. of Education. Applicants who have graduated from a non- accredited college or university in the United States or from another country may apply. However, they must present evidence from an accredited institution of higher learning that their credits are acceptable for graduate work. You must have earned a GPA of 3.0 or better to be eligible to apply.

Q62: Does the AF still offer tuition assistance?
A62: Yes we do still offer the tuition assistance program. Tuition Assistance is a program that the Air Force uses to pay 100% of the tuition cost for college classes that you take in your off-duty time. This is not a loan, and is at no cost to the Air Force member. Using the tuition assistance program will not have any effect on the availability of the Post 9-11 GI Bill funds.

Q63: Does previous flight experience give you a better chance at becoming a pilot?
A63: Along with meeting requirements to apply for Officers Training School (OTS), and pilot training, earning a technical degree and a private pilot’s license will increase your chances of being selected.

A chance encounter

Filed under Wingmanship by on June 12, 2013 at 3:41 pm {one comment}

Lorenz photoby Retired Gen. Steve Lorenz
U.S. Air Force Academy Endowment President

As a leader, you must always be observant of what is going on around you. Literally you need to observe, listen and sense in a 360 degree circle in real time. To truly be effective, you need to have your radar up and running at all times because you never know when you can make a difference.

Recently, I was walking to my car after a meeting with the Air Force Academy Director of Athletics and I chanced upon a cadet walking back to the cadet area. She seemed deep in thought and very preoccupied. I turned and asked her how she was doing. I could tell she was thinking, “who is this stranger and I don’t have time to talk to him.”

I persisted and once again asked how she was doing.

She said “fine”, but I could tell something was wrong. I introduced myself and reminded her that I had talked about leadership with her cadet class about six months before. She seemed to remember and then finally told me about her recent academic and discipline challenges. I listened carefully, paused and related to her some similar challenges I faced 40 years before when I was cadet. We talked about the struggles of having to study harder to make better grades, and that when you break the rules you must be a leader and accept the consequences of your bad decisions. I asked her what her personal goals were and she said she wanted to graduate from the Academy and be commissioned an officer in the Air Force.

I remember all those many years ago when I was restricted to my room studying and serving confinements. I would get depressed and start feeling sorry for myself. To keep my motivation up, I would look at a picture of my class ring and remind myself why I was at the Academy. It helped me on my darkest days. This cadet was still a year away from ordering her ring, so I gave her my tie tack which had the Air Force symbol on it. I told her that she must never give up on her goal and that when she was down in the months to come, she should hold that small Air Force symbol in her hand and let it remind her why she was at the Academy. She took it, said thank you and said she had to get back to class. As she walked away, I realized that I never even got her name. I told my wife about this encounter and put this chance meeting out of my mind.

However, much to my surprise, two days later I received an e-mail from the cadet’s father. In part it said:

“Hello Mr. Lorenz, I have not had the honor of meeting you, but…my daughter, though, has had the opportunity. You see, my daughter was the cadet you came across two days ago outside Clune Arena. Although you may believe it was a chance encounter, she believes it was something quite different. Her exact words to her mother and I was that running into you was ‘a sign.’ What you told her and said to her had a huge impact on her, one that she will never forget. You helped her to reaffirm her commitment to the Academy and why she went there.

“After a hard day with some difficult conversations and the normal struggles that most cadets face, she was starting to question whether she belonged at the Academy. Suddenly, you appeared, and were kind and compassionate enough to realize she was in need of a sympathetic person who could relate to her. Your conversation impacted her greatly, and she left your encounter more determined and intent on graduating because she received (your message) when she needed it most.

“Her mother and I live close to 650 miles away. We couldn’t be there for her at that moment, but we want to thank you for taking the time to stop and help someone in need. Taking time and having the patience to listen, be understanding, sympathetic, and impacting a stranger’s life forever. This is not an exaggeration, but a fact we feel strongly about. There was a reason you were there to help her and, for that, we will always be thankful to you. We just wanted you to know the influence you had on our daughter and that you made a difference in her life that day … Thank you again!”

Let me emphasize that this story is not about me. I was just there and asked the cadet how she was doing. It is about observing those around you and making a difference when you least expect it. If you are observant, even chance encounters provide an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. So, the next time you are out among people, even if you are just walking down the street, take the time to notice each one as an individual. You may have the chance to make a huge difference.

PHOTO: General Stephen Lorenz, Air Education and Training Command commander, visits with 312th Training Squadron students at the fire academy Sept. 8, 2008. Lorenz retired from the Air Force Jan. 1, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. John Barton)

Airmen contribute to success of EDC campaign

Filed under Air Force by on June 7, 2013 at 2:58 pm {no comments}

130416-F-SC698-001Throughout the month of May, Airmen submitted more than 11,000 cost-reducing ideas during the “Every Dollar Counts” campaign, an initiative that empowered Airmen to find and recommend areas of savings that may be used to support more urgent readiness needs.

In a letter to all Airmen June 5, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer highlighted the great ideas Airmen submitted and also encouraged Airmen to continue looking for innovative ways to save Air Force resources:

Fellow Airmen,

Thank You! We asked for your help to find more cost effective ways to deliver airpower and you delivered — big time! The response during the “Airmen Powered by Innovation Call” generated 11,000-plus ideas in just 30 days! Now the ball is in our court to quickly assess the ideas and implement those that show the most promise — several of which have been implemented already!

To provide a recap of what we received, most of the ideas, 38 percent, affect personnel policy, 23 percent involved logistics and installation support and 11 percent recommended changes in information technology. Next, in order of the most suggestions, were current operations, financial management, health services and acquisition. Recommended changes in personnel ranged from eliminating enlisted performance reports for chief master sergeants, (we’re giving that serious scrutiny now) to suggesting Airmen remain at permanent change of station locations longer. In the logistics area, many of you suggested creative ways to save energy, and Airmen at Joint Base Andrews, Md., suggested transitioning to lower-cost, leased vehicles for visiting distinguished visitors, which we implemented this week.

We also received several suggestions to limit the number and use of portable mobile devices.

Again, we extend our personal thanks for your enthusiastic support of our Air Force. As ideas are approved and implemented, I will continue to share them. In the meantime, I want to share some stories I have received about some of the amazing initiatives our Airmen are undertaking out in the field.

In a cost savings effort, Airmen at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., are sharing training facilities and conducting joint exercises between the base fire department and Miami-Dade, Broward, Charlotte and Lee counties. The joint exercises save a cumulative total of approximately $500,000 a year. Additionally, the 482nd Communications Squadron at Homestead ARB developed a procedure to audit their telecommunications bills for discrepancies. This effort ensured they were being charged correctly for services and constituted a total of $400,000 in savings.

Sometimes change happens because Airmen believe there might be a better way to get the job done and that’s what happened at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. The 50th Flying Training Squadron transitioned to a centralized scheduling operation where all instructors were pooled together, maximizing their ability to fill the schedule while giving back hours each day to the flight commanders and flight schedulers. With this fairly drastic change in how they did business, they were able to fill their flying schedule and reduce their flying window by one hour. Although it is hard to quantify the specific savings generated from the change, the new system allows pilots to work more efficiently and take better advantage of their time and resources.

Then there are superstars like Stacy Burgess, from the 97th Comptroller Squadron, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Stacy realized that many mandatory deployment items could be returned to the unit deployment manager and reissued to others who are deploying. The cost for required items prior to this policy was $2,892.64 per member; by reissuing many of the required items from returned inventory, the cost for new purchases was significantly decreased to $1,498.67 per Airman. On average, Altus deploys 188-236 individuals per year. This new policy has the potential to save the base and the Air Force approximately $50,000 to $100,000 per year. Our job as a headquarters is to share great ideas like Stacy’s with every base around the world — think of the savings!

Air Mobility Command’s Theater Express program is also a praiseworthy example of how a team can achieve significant cost savings. Aided by a decrease in overall airlift demand and the implementation of a more robust software tool, the Air Mobility Division team was able to more accurately estimate military airlift costs. This allowed them to increase the amount of cargo transported by regularly scheduled military aircraft resulting in a $342 million savings this year. Also, for the first time in AMC’s history, the AMC commander held a commander’s conference using Defense Connect On-Line and milBook. Both tools allowed approximately 250 people to participate in a fully interactive conference without the associated TDY costs.

While you were submitting your innovative proposals, I had a small team examining our current idea programs. Their task focused on four areas: consolidating and streamlining the processes, decreasing the cycle time from submission to approval, increasing the effectiveness of harvesting ideas that generate tangible savings and increasing replication of approved ideas across multiple locations. Early progress updates indicate a promising new innovation idea process that will be more responsive to submitters, and is expected to generate a higher percentage of approved and implemented concepts. This effort will result in a revamped Innovative Development through Employee Awareness and Productivity Enhancing Capital Investment programs. We will continue accepting your outstanding suggestions for improving our Force, but will take a 30-day pause on processing ideas while the team prepares to stand up the new capability. In the interim, ideas can be submitted at the following website: https://ipds.randolph.af.mil.

I encourage you to keep thinking about how we can accomplish our mission faster, better and cheaper. Today’s fiscal constraints are the tightest our Air Force has experienced in many years. Your overwhelming response during the Airmen Powered by Innovation Call for Ideas has emboldened us all with confidence that our Air Force will persevere through these tough times and emerge a more effective and efficient fighting force for America.
LARRY O. SPENCER
General, USAF
Vice Chief of Staff

Warrior Games 2013: Airman faces challenge at Games as TBI victim

Filed under Air Force by on May 16, 2013 at 2:49 pm {one comment}

Capt. Mitchell Kieffer gears up for a bike ride during the Wounded Warrior Games training camp.by Tech. Sgt. Mareshah Haynes
Air Force News Service, Colorado Springs, Colo.

By looking at him, you would never be able to tell he is a battle-tested, combat-injured Airman. He is a testament to invisible wounds and just how their effects can become visible in everyday life.

Capt. Mitchell Kieffer is a mathematician at heart and an operations research analyst at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The three-time Air Force triathlete and personal trainer was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., working at the Air Force Research Laboratory there when he got the opportunity he had been waiting for — a deployment.

He had volunteered to go into an engineering job at AFRL to increase his chances of deploying. He got his wish in 2010 and left for Iraq with a team from the Army Corps of Engineers.

“I was an Air Force guy in an Army uniform,” Kieffer said. “I was attached to the Baghdad Resident Office, and I volunteered to be an operations officer for them. I planned and executed a lot of movements to the different project sites. We were there to build police stations, hospitals, telecommunications centers, tank facilities for their Army and all sorts of stuff.”

Keiffer said for the most part, the deployment went smoothly. He had been there for five of the six months of his deployment and travelled “outside the wire” more than 40 times without incident. Typically, he and his team would use lightly-armored SUVs when they were going downtown and mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles on the outskirts of town.

But on this particular day, things were different.

“We were going to a place that was a one-way-in, one-way-out type of a place, so that’s really not the best case scenario,” Kieffer said. “And this time instead of taking MRAPs, we were in the lightly armored SUVs because the MRAPs were in the shop that day.”

Other factors that day led to a situation that would soon lead to a tragic chain of events. According to Kieffer, there was no close air support available, and the team was going out later in the day than normal.

“Basically we got ambushed,” he said. “The first out of the four vehicles got hit by a conventional (improvised explosive device). Our vehicle, the third vehicle, almost simultaneously got hit by an explosively formed penetrating IED, so it’s basically like a copper plate that has the munition behind it, and forms a slug and basically punches through anything. That went through our vehicle like butter about two feet in front of my forehead, and I was sitting on the blast side.”

Three of the four vehicles in the convoy were hit. In addition to the EFP IED, the attackers sprayed the vehicles with automatic weapons fire and rocket propelled grenades.

“I was knocked out for a few seconds. I can’t really remember,” Kieffer said. “Then I woke up inside (the vehicle) and the major, my boss, was next to me screaming and I was just like, ‘What the heck is going on here?’ All of the lights and AC displays were dislodged. They were hanging by the wires. The entire inside was fragged with the copper fragments, the interior was all ripped; smoke was inside.”

“‘I was like, ‘What do I do?’ I was like, ‘OK, he’s higher ranking than me,’ so I basically just laid on top of him and let the contractors do what they needed to do to break contact to get out.”

The British contractors were able to subdue the attackers and all four vehicles in the convoy managed to make it back to the base. The team changed their flat tires and fixed whatever damages they could before making the two-hour drive back to base with three busted vehicles.

“It was an act of God that we all made it out, especially with our vehicle being fragged,” Kieffer said. “Before I left, my cousin Chris gave me this four-way medal that St. Christopher is part of, and he’s the guardian of travelers. That was the main reason for Chris to give me this, so I never took it off since the day he gave it to me. And I have yet to take it off, except when I have x-rays or when I wear my blues and what not. I feel like that had a great deal to do with me getting out alive.”

Once they arrived back at the base, each person on the team was examined by the doctors. It seemed everyone was fine – until it was Kieffer’s turn. He wasn’t able to pass a preliminary traumatic brain injury test. He was sent to the hospital in Baghdad for doctors there to observe his condition.

“While I was there, things weren’t getting better,” Kieffer said. “I used to joke around with the British contractors, and we would make fun of each other and banter back and forth. I was so slow mentally it felt like English was a second language because the processing speed was so slow. They would ask me how I’m doing and it would take a bunch of time to figure out what they said, to hear it, to break down the message, to figure out what they’re trying to get across and how I would respond. That’s a long time to say, ‘I’m good.’ So the bantering back and forth stopped.”

Besides not being able to keep up with the quick-witted conversations with his comrades, Kieffer said he was worried he wouldn’t be able to do the things he really enjoyed.

“I was pretty darn scared because I always felt like school was pretty easy,” Kieffer said. “I was a math guy and I enjoyed intellectual kinds of things. It scared me quite a bit. It actually brought me to tears one time thinking I was going to be that slow forever.”

Kieffer spent a week in the hospital in Baghdad and then returned to the United States to be treated. He said after a month he began healing but he still faced some huge challenges. His TBI not only affected his cognitive thinking skills, physically it left him to deal with excruciating headaches that nothing could soothe.

He tried to keep his injury under wraps but an upcoming assignment would put him to the test. Prior to being wounded, the Purple Heart medal recipient was accepted into the Air Force Institute of Technology ‘s engineering graduate school program. Just six months after returning home from his deployment, he was scheduled to start school.

“The first assignment I did there took me seven hours straight sitting at a computer,” Kieffer said. “I had to get it done. I had to figure everything out, and it was so frustrating because I knew it shouldn’t be (this hard). It was a probabilities and statistics course and this was stuff I had known for a long time and had mastered before.”

As Kieffer pushed himself to keep up with his studies, he stumbled upon a treatment for his TBI.

“As time went on in the program, that seven hour assignment became five hours and then four hours and after a year and a half in school those assignments were taking an hour and a half, two hours tops,” he said. “I think that has been my best therapy for improving my cognitive capabilities after the traumatic brain injury. It’s been basically just doing mental workouts.

“I thank God that I was able to go that assignment because I don’t know if I would’ve had the motivation to do all that learning on my own,” he said.

He also used his time in school to research the issues he and other injured, ill and wounded Airmen were facing and used it as the subject of his thesis.

These days, Kieffer continues to exercise his mind and his body.

Since his injury, Kieffer married his wife, Ana Maria, and inherited two daughters, Ana Paula and Ana Cristina. The couple was married in his wife’s native Peru, and her family only speaks Spanish. Kieffer said learning to speak Spanish as part of a bilingual family is something that helps him keep his cognitive skills sharpened.

“I noticed that if I don’t do anything intellectually, it’ll start to fade again,” he said. “That stuff goes if I have lack of sleep or high stress. Now it’s just a point of coping with it.”

Keiffer, who has scored 100 points on every active-duty physical training test he’s taken, continues to work his physical muscles in his personal training business and as an athlete in the 2013 Warrior Games. He will represent the Air Force in the Ultimate Champion – a pentathlon-style event that pits warriors from each branch of service, including Special Operations Command, against each other for the title of Ultimate Champion.

No matter what the score cards say, the resiliency and gumption displayed by wounded warriors like Kieffer, pushing through their pain – physically and mentally – has already earned them the title of champion.

PHOTO: Capt. Mitchell Kieffer gears up for a bike ride at the Academy during the Wounded Warrior Games training camp held in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 15, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo by Desiree N. Palacios)

Warrior Games 2013: Competing ‘medicine’ for AF wounded warrior

Filed under Air Force by on May 15, 2013 at 3:41 pm {one comment}

Master Sgt. Shawn Schwantes gears up for a bike ride at theWounded Warrior Games training camp. by Randy Roughton
Air Force News Service, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Master Sgt. Shawn Schwantes may have been a pleasant surprise for his Air Force Warrior Games coaches during the team’s training camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy. But Schwantes fully expected to flourish on the track and with his teammates because he considers sports his most effective medicine.

Representing the Air Force Warrior Games team in the men’s open 30-kilometer cycling and 1900-meter open track and field is a natural fit because of a strong running background that includes ultra marathons with distances of 26-plus miles.

“It’s medication for me,” Schwantes said. “I’m completely off my pain meds, primarily because nothing works. I’ve made the life choice to not stay at home and have self-pity and kind of wither away on a couch, because that’s not me. I live with chronic pain every day. But I’ve chosen to get up, get out, be active and I’m seeing positive results from it.”

In January 2012, Schwantes was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome, chronic pain that usually develops in an arm or leg after an injury, surgery, stroke or heart attack. The pain is usually considerably more severe than the original injury.

“Because it’s very rare, and doctors still don’t fully understand it, your mind kind of just goes blank when you hear you’ve been diagnosed with CRPS,” Schwantes said. “You get very worried about what the future’s going to be like.”

Schwantes began his career in security police and combat arms in 1995 and cross-trained into tactical air control party 15 years later. By the time he showed up for his first TACP duty station at Fort Campbell, Ky., after technical training three years ago, he had a severe stress fracture in his heel and a torn rotator cuff.

“I had a bunionectomy and osteotomy in my right foot in January 2010, and a month after the procedure, I started noticing things didn’t look or feel normal,” he said. Schwantes, who was recovering from surgery in San Antonio, sent photos of his foot to his physician. His podiatrist at Fort Campbell immediately determined he had CRPS, although they needed a specialist to make the official diagnosis.

At the time of the training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., Schwantes was waiting to hear the results from his appeal of his Medical Evaluation Board’s disability rating.

Running, especially at a competition level in the Warrior Games, gives Schwantes an outlet for coping with stress from his almost 20-year career being in jeopardy to his CRPS.

“I was told you’ll never run as fast as you did or as far as you did,” he said. “‘You’ll never upright cycle again.’ That was a huge part of my life, and I hate being told you can’t do something.”

Schwantes’ Warrior Games track coaches certainly don’t share the opinion that he lost his ability to run at a high level. Capt. Ben Payne, coach for the running events, was not only impressed by Schwantes’ running, but also by how he motivated his teammates.

“Shawn was a very talented runner from the very beginning,” Payne said. “He pushed himself in any workout I gave him. The altitude has a big effect on long-distance runners, but he’s overcome that. I’m excited to see what he does on his own (for the three weeks between the training camp and the Games), and when he shows up for the Warrior Games being fit and ready to compete with the top guys and maybe get a medal for the Air Force.”

As much as placing in the Games would mean for Schwantes, it is not what his mind is focused on as he’s training for the competition. Instead, he is relishing the relationships he’s building with his teammates and the impact it’s having on him during this pivotal time in his personal and professional life. Just being around fellow wounded warriors has been inspiring him, even as he awaits the decision on his MEB appeal.

“It ignites a fire,” Schwantes said. “It is a competition. I get that. I’m here to compete, but that’s not my priority. My priority is to be with my teammates who have made the same choice I have. Whatever condition or problem occurs, they have similar stories I have of being told they’re never going to be able to do these types of things again. Yet, here they are, world-class athletes performing at a high level, and some of them performing better than able-bodied athletes. Just to hang out with them, with the drive and passion they have, is another form of medicine for me.”

PHOTO: Master Sgt. Shawn Schwantes gears up for a bike ride at the Academy during the Wounded Warrior Games training camp held in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 15, 2013. Schwantes is stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Desiree N. Palacios)

For more information check out the 2013 Warrior Games bios.

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