CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand -- Utilizing night vision equipment and navigating around volcanic ash hazards, a C-17 Globemaster III and crew from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, alongside aeromedical evacuation and Critical Care Air Transport Team Airmen, successfully evacuated an ailing Antarctic government contractor June 30. The contractor, who was transported to a local hospital for further treatment, received in-flight care from Airmen assigned to the U.S. Air Force-led Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica, which is a joint service, ongoing Department of Defense activity in support of the National Science Foundation. NSF is the lead agency for the U.S. Antarctic Program. "Within the scope provided by NSF policy and direction, JTF-SFA coordinates with inter-agency and international partners to provide air and maritime cargo and passenger transportation throughout the Antarctica joint operations area," said Lt. Col Edward Vaughan, JTF-SFA Joint Operations and Plans chief.

"A request for medical assistance was channeled to the joint task force and we quickly coordinated with U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Pacific Command to provide dedicated airlift and medical personnel to the contractor operating at McMurdo Station." Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen attached to this mission assembled the full range of medical and support capabilities and less than 18 hours after being notified of the mission arrived in Christchurch for staging. The crew, comprised of a CCATT, an aeromedical evacuation team, pilots, loadmasters and maintainers, planned side-by-side with interagency partners as they faced the challenge of safely evacuating the patient out of the Antarctic. "The main focus for us was to stage the crew to successfully perform the aeromedical evacuation," said Chief Master Sgt. Connie Hoffman, JTF-SFA Joint Operations and Plans superintendent. "There were so many variables that we had to deal with and consider, from local earthquakes to the hazard of volcanic ash and severe weather in Antarctica -- the combination of elements faced here makes these types of missions a little more challenging." According to the chief, the long-standing relationship between the National Science Foundation and JTF-SFA made for streamlined and rapid stand-up of JTF operations here in Christchurch and led to successful mission execution. The U.S. Air Force's C-17 Globemaster III, known for its ability to rapidly conduct tactical airlift and ambulatory patient movement, successfully delivered the ailing patient to Christchurch medical personnel at approximately 8:30 p.m. local, traveling more than 4600 miles. "Flying into Antarctica is always a challenge, though we have the training and experience to make operations such as this one routine," said Lt. Col. Robert Wellington, 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, permanently stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. "Use of night vision goggles is a core competency of C-17 crew members and by developing and refining procedures over the last 4-years we were able to successfully our mission in a dark, arctic environment." According to the colonel, the team couldn't have accomplished the mission without the tremendous support of Joint Base Lewis-McChord Active Duty and Reserve operations and maintenance units, Air Mobility Command and the Tanker Airlift Control Center, Pacific Air Forces and 13th Air Force, and Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica. For Capt John Fowler, CCATT critical care nurse, this mission underscores the great capability and responsiveness that exists within his unit and the U.S. Air Force at-large. "While we faced several weather hazards and operated in austere conditions today, our team of Airmen came together quickly to provide support to our interagency partners," said the captain. "This is what we train to do everyday - integrating with our aeromedical evacuation teams and providing intensive care unit-like capabilities to the [C-17 Globemaster III].

I'm extremely proud that we were all able to come together to make this one happen." JTF-SFA forces consist of active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard as well as DOD civilians and attached non-DOD civilians. As a joint service, inter-agency operation, most of the military aircraft and ships used are coordinated and provided by the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command and then attached or assigned to the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command for mission execution.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord tested its ability to respond to a simulated Air Force plane crash on the McChord Field flightline Tuesday for the first time in the joint base's young history. The scenario, designed to evaluate and validate the competence of joint base's emergency management personnel, ensures the base is ready to react immediately should the real thing ever happen.

Using Air Mobility Command's upcoming Rodeo international military airlift competition as the backdrop for the simulated crash of a 62nd Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster III, the Major Accident Response Exercise assessed JBLM directorates' speed, communication and coordination to put out the fire, treat casualties, secure the site and clean up the debris. Mannequins placed in a field near the simulated burning aircraft represented "dead" airplane crew members.

The crashed C-17 ran off the runway and into a construction crew working near the flightline, causing several injuries that required substantial medical attention. The plane's explosion upon impact resulted in injuries to several children a half-mile away at Holiday Park.

More than 60 people volunteered to participate for the exercise, said Dana Lockhart, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.

The installation's multifaceted response honed relationships between medical, fire, security forces and readiness personnel. Within minutes of the crash, personnel from the Directorate of Emergency Services, 627th Security Forces Squadron and Madigan Healthcare System were on the scene.

Firefighters put out the fire, evaluated casualties, and delivered the most grievously injured individuals to Madigan paramedics standing by. Security forces set up a cordon around the perimeter, and recovery personnel gathered the wreckage and collected the casualties.

"The expectations were for the exercise to (happen) safely and that we learn we can work together as a joint base," Lockhart said.

The exercise took two months to plan, and validated the emergency response skills of the team of Army, Air Force and civilian employees. Lockhart was pleased that common objectives were achieved while executing the contingency plan.

"The joint base is testing something that no one in this setting has done before," Lockhart said. "It's good to have that communication and see how well (all) sides can work together."

The exercise does not conclude preparedness disaster training and exercises on the joint base. A major earthquake exercise is in development for next year, along with an oil spill cleanup operation.

"Exercises test how well we are able to communicate as a joint base and work together regardless of the type of incident we are dealing with," Lockhart said.

A training byproduct of joint basing is how traditional Army and Air Force assets find best practices or create new ways to tackle major incidents like Tuesday's scenario. For instance, JBLM uses the National Incident Management System for disaster response, which the Air Force started using before the Army. It's the sharing of information that makes first-time exercises like this one easier for both sides to conduct.

"Just the process of building this exercise has advanced a long way in developing the (joint base) relationship," said Ed Wood, DPTMS.

In an effort to improve customer support and expedite travel voucher payments, Air Force financial management leaders will mandate standardized use of the Defense Travel System for contingency, exercise and deployment travel, officials said here June 28.

The change will be mostly transparent to the traveler, who will still receive a paper CED order from the personnel readiness unit; however, these orders will now be stamped "Certified in DTS," reminding the traveler and the local financial services office to file the settlement voucher in DTS, officials added.

"The FSO will continue to support the traveler throughout the entire process," said Chief Master Sgt. Jesse Stirling, financial management's enlisted career field manager.

Finance management officials said this translates to significant reductions in voucher turnaround time; DTS payments average three days, whereas filing a paper voucher averages 8 days.

"Standardized CED travel operations will provide a consistent practice for all Airmen without regard to deployed location or primary duty station," said Joan Causey, the deputy assistant secretary for financial operations. "Expanding DTS procedures for CED travel to all locations will bring long-range benefits such as increased transparency and timelier travel payments to Airmen."

Chief Stirling said the new process will positively impact Airmen in exercises or downrange, allowing them to focus more on the mission and less on getting mired in the administrative side of filing travel claims.

"For example, scheduled partial payments (or accruals) for the duration of the trip will become automatic after the initial payment is loaded into DTS," Chief Stirling said. "This new procedure will standardize voucher computation across the Air Force and streamline the filing process for the customer."

The program is slated for Air Force-wide use June 30. For more information, contact the base financial services office.

The sun is setting over the gorge.  The crowd is on their feet, hands in the air, cheering wildly, as country music icon Tim McGraw bursts into song.

Reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing were rewarded through the Get 1 Now program with free tickets to the Tim McGraw concert held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on June 18.  They were also given passes to a VIP private show with Mr. McGraw before the main show.

The Get 1 Now program is a way to keep the Air Force Reserve strong.  Current members can refer someone to the Reserve, and when their referral turns into an enlistment, they become eligible for awards. 

"The Get 1 Program is awesome!," said Tech. Sgt. Gregory Abel, a member of the 86th Aerial Port Squadron. "If you get someone to sign up, you get cool things such as free tickets to a Tim McGraw concert at the Gorge!  Nothing can compare to standing three feet from him."

"I referred my step-brother to the Air Force Reserve so he can better himself before he goes to college, " said Senior Airman Kyle Knox, a member of the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron with the 446th Airlift Wing. "This is an excellent experience for me.  Because of my referral I got to come close to Tim McGraw and enjoy a concert."

From last fiscal year October 2009 through June 2010, the wing received 47 new leads through the program.  From October 2010 to present day, there were 143 referrals; an increase of approximately 300%.  

"The reason the program works so well is only a Reservist knows what it's like to be in the Reserve," said Chief Master Sgt. Scott Terpening, chief of recruiting for the 446th Airlift Wing. " They are able to promote the Reserve from their own perspective."

For this event alone, the Air Force Reserve at McChord Field received 43 new leads from 25 Reservists who then had the opportunity to attend the concert on behalf of Air Force Reserve Recruiting and the Tug McGraw Foundation.

According to www.tugmcgraw.org, The Tug McGraw Foundation was established by former Mets/Phillies pitcher, Tug McGraw, in 2003.  Tug McGraw served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam era. Tim McGraw, Tug's son and a Grammy Award-winning musician, is the McGraw Foundation's Honorary Chairman and a strong supporter of the military and of the military's efforts in brain injury research and patient care. 

Through the Tug McGraw Foundation, Tim McGraw expresses his gratitude to military members for their service to the nation.

For more information about the Get 1 Now program, please visit http://www.get1now.us

Commanders and enlisted leaders gathered here to discuss principles for dealing with the 18th Air Force's most pressing issues during the command's annual Commanders and Command Chiefs Conference, June 22-24.

The theme of this year's conference was "heritage and resiliency", underscoring the importance of considering the hard-won lessons of past mobility leaders in dealing with modern challenges. In particular, Lt. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, 18th Air Force Commander, noted that the conference provided a venue for applying those lessons toward create a command staffing structure "that identifies issues, sets priorities, and sets up business rules to produce solutions for all of us."

As a basis for the group discussions and workshops that made up the conference, commanders and command chiefs were asked to read "Over the Hump" by the late Lt. Gen. William Tunner, widely recognized as the Air Force's "outstanding authority" on airlift. As one of the original architects of the Air Force's transport agencies, General Tunner commanded the World War II "Hump" operation and the Berlin and Korean airlifts. In addition to the historical insights derived from General Tunner's book, conference attendees also had the opportunity for firsthand discussion with another mobility pioneer, Col. Earl Young, the 97-year old first commander of the 18th Air Force (1951), who offered his own thoughts on the components of resiliency.

"Resiliency is about energy, incentive, belief, and confidence," Colonel Young said. "You have to have the energy to approach every task with enthusiasm and excitement. You also need the incentive of understanding why what you are doing is important. More than understanding, you also have to believe in what you are doing. And finally, to be truly resilient, you need the support and confidence of your leaders."

Colonel Young was joined by three other former 18th Air Force commanders; Lt. Gen. William Welser III (2003-2005), Maj. Gen. James Hawkins (2005-2008), and Maj. Gen. Winfield W. Scott III (2008-2009), all of whom offered their own unique perspectives on both individual and organizational resiliency.

"Continue to be innovative. Continue to think forward. Don't let the past define you and move forward as a team," said General Welser.

"Prepare, grow, and train your successor because he or she is right there behind you," added General Hawkins. "Put the time and emphasis into it, because that is resiliency."

General Scott reiterated Colonel Young's observations, noting that the command could not be successful if "our wing commanders didn't have the energy, the confidence, and support of leadership." He also emphasized the importance of taking care of oneself "physically and spiritually" adding that it was "most important [to] take care of your family - your Airmen and your personal family."

In addition to group discussion and the opportunity to hear the perspectives of former 18th Air Force commanders, conference attendees also participated in a formal Heritage Dinner at the Air Mobility Command Museum, further embodying the conference's theme. Amidst a variety of displays honoring AMC's heritage, attendees offered toasts recognizing the command's past accomplishments as well as those of its pioneers like Colonel Young.

"The basic issues back then are the basic issues we face today," said Lt. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, 18th Air Force Commander. "Take care of your people. Set high standards. Get smart, analytical people to figure out what the real problems are. Identify the problems. Look at them from multiple perspectives. Insist on excellence. And know that you are always answering the call and setting the conditions for others to prevail."

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash.  -- Congratulations to the following Airmen who have been selected for promotion to technical sergeant.

Staff Sgt. James Chestnut
Staff Sgt. Jeffery Patterson
Staff Sgt. Gabriel Reams
Staff Sgt. William Green
Staff Sgt. Michael Kurta
Staff Sgt. Matthew Mckenna
Staff Sgt. Yuri Miller
Staff Sgt. Qwanzetta Young
Staff Sgt. Walter Beard
Staff Sgt. Joseph Bilger
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bixel
Staff Sgt. Jason Bolen
Staff Sgt. William Buffington
Staff Sgt. Thomas Cadick
Staff Sgt. Alejandro Castillo
Staff Sgt. Richard Cismowski
Staff Sgt. Wade Claypool
Staff Sgt. Michelle Cosgrove
Staff Sgt. Joshua Crosby
Staff Sgt. Katherine Danks
Staff Sgt. Justin Doud
Staff Sgt. Steven Fraas
Staff Sgt. Harvey Freeman
Staff Sgt. Christina Gibson
Staff Sgt. Courtney Granato
Staff Sgt. Michael Granato
Staff Sgt. Christo Grulkowski
Staff Sgt. Brian Guernsey
Staff Sgt. Brandon Hall
Staff Sgt. Scott Hall
Staff Sgt. John Havens
Staff Sgt. Kyle Hersel
Staff Sgt. Mark Jackson
Staff Sgt. Jennifer Jenkins
Staff Sgt. Jesse Kessler
Staff Sgt. Nathedus Kittles
Staff Sgt. Andrew Kohn
Staff Sgt. Tyler Kost
Staff Sgt. Amber Lawrence
Staff Sgt. Kurt Lewandowski
Staff Sgt. Sean Lyons
Staff Sgt. Daniel Mcquistion
Staff Sgt. Dawn Mertens
Staff Sgt. Michael Mihalyi
Staff Sgt. Darcy Morgan
Staff Sgt. Terra Nelson
Staff Sgt. Jason Norwood
Staff Sgt. Douglas Pack
Staff Sgt. Casey Payne
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Pevehouse
Staff Sgt. William Phelps
Staff Sgt. Matthew Reddick
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Rice
Staff Sgt. Jason Sanders
Staff Sgt. Jaysa Schieble
Staff Sgt. Trace Schreiber
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Sherrill
Staff Sgt. Peter Stein
Staff Sgt. Gregory Stucky
Staff Sgt. Ryan Sullivan
Staff Sgt. Andrew Tishim
Staff Sgt. Lee Paul Ubungen
Staff Sgt. Cory Van Antwerpen
Staff Sgt. Jedediah Venable
Staff Sgt. Richard Wark
Staff Sgt. Christopher Woods
Staff Sgt. Joseph Zupin
Staff Sgt. Jessica Bissell
Staff Sgt. Israel Elizondo
Staff Sgt. Brennen Huff
Staff Sgt. Trenton Lackey
Staff Sgt. David J Mac Andrew
Staff Sgt. Robert Bruce Olson

MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- Air Mobility Command's Rodeo competition is approaching fast and the Reservists of the 446th Airlift Wing's Rodeo team are ready to fly, fight and win.

AMC's Rodeo is July 23-29 here. Teams from across the United States, active-duty, Reserve, Guard and sister services, and foreign air force teams will assemble at McChord field for the bi-annual competition. Before the competition week, AMC will host an Aeromedical Evacuation and En Route Care Symposium, and an Airdrop Symposium.

Rodeo is a chance to demonstrate Air Force mobility capabilities, test and refine new procedures, tactics and concepts that improve mission results, promote international relations in a friendly, competitive environment and enhance esprit de corps by recognizing crew and unit professionalism and outstanding performance.

The 446th AW will field five teams lead by team chief Lt. Col. Hans Bley: aircrew, aerial port, maintenance, security forces, and aeromedical.

The Rodeo Team (minus the security forces) left today for Moses Lake, Wash., for a week to train for the event.

"All the teams will have full days and will get some great training accomplished," said Colonel Bley. "I am looking forward to getting the team together (away from home station), building some camaraderie and focusing solely on Rodeo."

The aircrew team will consist of Lt. Col. Derek Leckrone, Maj. Kevin Peterson, Capt. Patrick Hancock, and Master Sgt. Robert Bertsch. The team will compete in airdrop (personnel, heavy equipment, container delivery system), assault landings, backing/combat offload, engine running onload/offload, and aerial refueling receiver events.

The aerial port team is made up of Tech Sgts. Kathleen Myhre and Joshua Warbiany, and Senior Airmen Eric Gregory, Christopher Griffen, and Janelle Marshall. This team will participate in seven events: engine running onload/offload, 10K forklift, 25K Halverson, pallet build-up, joint inspection, in transit visibility, and a challenge course.

The aeromedical team is comprised of Capt. Jason Cross, Lt. Catherine Carroll, Staff Sgt. Krystal Reinstadler, and Senior Airmen Dylan Congrove and Marcello Yamaguchi. The team's events are aeromedical contingency flight and aeromedical configurations.

The security forces team will compete in combat tactics, combat challenge course, and combat weapons. The team is Tech. Sgt. Pierce Christopher, Staff Sgts. David Buchanan and Damon Hahn, and Senior Airman Gregory Griffen.

The SFS team has been running each day in preparation for Rodeo, with plans to run further distances as the competition draws near and sharpen their arms skills.

"We have a lot of range time planned and our ongoing motto of 'Aim Small...Miss Small," is going to get us to where we need to be, come competition day," said Sergeant Pierce.

The 2009 446th AW SFS team took home the trophy for Best Security Forces Team.

"The guys are looking forward to finally making it to competition and trying to take another trophy home," said Sergeant Pierce.

The largest team making up the 446th Airlift Wing is the maintenance team. The team will compete in events pre-flight maintenance, post flight maintenance, refueling, and compete for the Knuckle Buster Award. Team members are: Senior Master Sgt. Tungyoga Monroe, Master Sgts. Kurt Ertel, Devin Eierman, John Gan, and Randy Wentz, Tech. Sgts. Heribert Maldonado, Jeffery Reinke, David Timney, Juan Duran, Eric Martin, and Eric Matteson, and Staff Sgt. Kimberly Shadlow.

In over 50 years, Rodeo has never strayed from its core mission: creating training scenarios with concrete operational impact while at the same time developing ever-closer relationships with staunch international allies who continue to help us fight and win. By participating in Rodeo, all aspects of aerial refueling and airlift/airdrop, aeromedical evacuation, and security forces are showcased, capabilities demonstrated, procedures improved, techniques compared, and consistency enhanced for worldwide operations.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Liposuction, a popular shortcut to a leaner body, might be a shortcut to a leaner paycheck, loss of rank or a career-ending ticket to civilian life for Airmen.

The cosmetic procedure is not an acceptable solution to trimming inches or weight to meet physical requirements, said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Dave Simon, chief of the medical staff for the 6th Air Mobility Wing. In short, trying to make tape via liposuction is not something the Wing will ever sign off on, and "sneaking" off to have the procedure done could not only lead to a ding on one's Air Force career, it could hamper readiness, jeopardize health or otherwise interfere with the duties of Airmen and jeopardize the mission, Col. Simon noted.

"I can't foresee any situation in which it would be approved," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Terry Haag, chief of aerospace Mmdicine at MacDill AFB. "It's cosmetic and elective, and not something you have to have done."

The primary concern is that with physical fitness requirements becoming more stringent and the emphasis on being "fit to fight," Airmen worried about that little extra around the middle will be tempted by the promises of liposuction.

The bottom line, however, is liposuction is a surgical procedure, which has risks, requires a recovery period and potentially renders an Airman-patient unable to perform at peak level, perhaps even interfering with duty or deployment.

"Infection," said Colonel Haag is the number one risk of liposuction. "There can be other complications, but that is the biggest concern."

Liposuction also doesn't make a person more fit, he said.

"It isn't real," Colonel Haag said.

In addition, unless a lifestyle change is made, such as adjusting the diet or exercising more or more effectively, the weight removed with liposuction is bound to return in short order.

"There are no shortcuts to physical fitness and better health," Colonel Haag said. "It's something that requires work and discipline."

From an Air Force and 6th AMW standpoint, a ready force able to deploy in short order is a priority, which is why any elective surgery has to be approved by a unit commander and medical staff. It also is why there can be severe consequences for Airmen who have elective surgery done without prior clearance.

Disciplinary action for Airmen who have surgery done without command or medical approval can lead to anything from a letter of reprimand to an Article 15 or even a courts martial under Article 92, dereliction of duty, said Capt. Joey Smith, chief of military justice in the 6th Air Mobility Wing Judge Advocate office.

The action taken depends on the Airman's history, as well as the commander's discretion, said Captain Smith. Among the options could be loss of pay, loss of rank and even discharge.    

If Seattle news meteorologists forecast bad weather, the rain might ruin the afternoon by coming a few hours earlier than expected. For the Airmen of the 1st Weather Squadron at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a wrong weather update can be the difference between mission completion and failure, or life and death for Army units in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Part of the 1st Air Support Operations Group, the 1st Weather Squadron, is traditionally aligned to assist JBLM assets: I Corps, the Stryker brigades, an Army aviation unit, and eventually, the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade when it stands up, and the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. The 75-plus squadron headquarters element delivers "operationalized" weather reports to battlefield commanders so they can determine the best time to conduct full-spectrum operations, said squadron commander Lt. Col. James Mackey. Instead of just providing a report of the weather conditions for the next 24 hours, battlefield weather Airmen take a detailed look at their supported unit's future missions and create battlefield reports to the unit commander on whether that mission will be impacted by the weather and local environment.

"Our job is to find that window of opportunity to leverage our assets for advantage," Mackey said.

Finding the window of opportunity to turn a "no go" mission into a "go" is the crux of the unit's downrange mission. These Air Force staff weather officers, part of most Army brigade-level headquarters, give the battlefield commander the "so what" factor behind every weather forecast. Most Army assets, like helicopters, need good visibility to fly. If a dust storm is coming in, a battlefield weather Airman can take a look at a real-time satellite image, and through weather sensors emplaced around various locations on the battlefield, get a detailed weather forecast that is accurate to the minute.

So if an aerial medical evacuation is needed in Afghanistan, and there's a two-hour window during which the helicopter is cleared to fly, the SWO finds that piece of information and briefs it to the battlefield commander, said Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Briggs. "Many weather guys a long time ago didn't realize that we'd be at this level, down to the finite detail of a squad of Soldiers, determining whether missions would make it or not make it, depending on the weather Airman's (call)," Briggs said.

Technical Sergeant Travis Rieken can attest to how important his job can be in battle. He recently redeployed after conducting battlefield weather reports for Rangers in Afghanistan. A convoy was stuck in a flash flood in a mountainous region of the country. Bad weather delayed aviation help, until finally, the weather broke and troops were sent out to help the convoy. When the helicopters arrived, they found the stranded troops engaged with Taliban insurgents. The enemy was suppressed, and a Soldier swept away in the water was promptly recovered. The commander attributed the mission's success to Rieken's, and his battlefield weather team's, diligence in always looking to find opportunities to move out.

"It's a thankless job - if you forecast the weather right, that's your job, you are supposed to do that. But its not perfect and you do get it wrong sometimes," Rieken said. "You just hope that you catch it before a pilot gets into serious danger or someone on the ground gets into serious danger because of something you did or did not forecast."

Like the Joint Terminal Attack Controllers with the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron, these aren't your normal Airmen, let alone weather Airmen. They are trained in infantry tactics and learn the same skills as Soldiers do. They are trained in multiple personal and crew-served weapons, movement under fire, basic convoy and land navigation skills and driver's training.

The 1st Weather Squadron Airmen are so different from their non-tactical weather Airmen, that the two sides are referred to as "green" and "blue." Being on the "green side" means distributing battlefield weather forecasts and briefing to Army leaders, not Air Force.

"On the ‘blue side,' they have jets and big airplanes that can fly through just about anything," Staff Sgt. Charles Williams said. "But for ‘green' and dealing with helicopters, you have to be spot on because they don't have all the leeway (in maneuvering through different types of weather) that an airplane would have."

Ask any Joint Base Lewis-McChord combat arms Soldier to rank the people he'd like to see come to his aid when the bullets start flying, and a surprising percentage will tell you No. 1 is a battlefield Airman from the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron. These highly trained and skilled radiomen make up a tactical air control party, capable of calling in any type of air asset to support Army ground troops engaged with the enemy in the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 5th ASOS falls under the 1st Air Support Operations Group, and gives Army combat units joint tactical air controllers, or forward-deployed Airmen who can call in fires and direct the action of close air support. One JTAC and a subordinate radio operator, maintainer and driver, embed with Army combat companies, battalions or brigades. Their primary jobs are to support units in combat situations, those reacting to improvised explosive devices or fighting their way out of ambushes. The Airmen can be on the ground moving with the unit, or back at headquarters watching on a live video feed.

"We can do as much from 30 miles away as from 10 feet," said Senior Airman Josh Lawrence, 5th ASOS.

With just a few calls on the radio, those battlefield Airmen can get "air on station" - unmanned aerial systems flying around the contact zone providing commanders a visual picture of the situation, Army combat helicopters like Apaches or Kiowas or Air Force combat aircraft like the F-16 Fighting Falcon or A-10 Warthog.

Having an Airman nearby who monitors the engagement as it develops gives an added dimension of situational awareness to commanders, and potentially puts more weapons at his disposal.

"Anything that flies, we can talk to it and control it," said Airman 1st Class Adam Long, 5th ASOS. "The Army has guns; we have aircraft. You are the Army's main priority in a sticky situation."

Long and other members of the squadron recently returned from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan. The battlefield Airmen worked with units in the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, a Stryker unit from Vilseck, Germany. The 5th ASOS' JTACs are traditionally aligned with I Corps and the JBLM-based Stryker brigades, but due to manning shortages and theater requirements, the Airmen have deployed with many different units during the past decade. Regardless of the unit, the mission doesn't change, said ASOS Commander Lt. Col. Matthew Parker.

"We are advocates for air power," Parker said.

The Army and Air Force combine forces to fight the enemy with both land-based troops and air-based aircraft to provide full-spectrum operations to battlefield commanders.

"The Army and Air Force are significantly better when we work together," Parker said. "We advise commanders what exactly is the best solution for a given tactical problem - Air Force rotary wing or Army kinetic effects - and give the commander all the necessary information to make the best decision on what kind of ordnance is going to be used."

Developing the commander's trust to make a proper decision can take some time, especially when the typical JTAC is a junior enlisted Airman and has less than three years in the Air Force. There are fewer than 1,000 TACP Airmen in 10 units around the world.

"(The Army) isn't going to just trust you with the world, but if you are a qualified JTAC and they know what you are capable of, and know you on a personal level, it makes it better," Senior Airman John Zimmermann said.

When the 5th ASOS personnel aren't downrange, most of the unit's nearly 100 people are training at Yakima with JBLM infantry brigades or on temporary duty in Alaska, Idaho or Utah. Many of their skills are perishable and need constant attention to stay effective, Parker said. With so many Army units constantly deploying in and out of two combat theaters, and so few JTACs, it's not hard to see how demanding this job can be for these battlefield Airmen.

"When you demand a lot of young Airmen, not just physical performance, but ask them to make decisions that have some widespread effects, that matures you very quickly," Parker said.

And because of their close proximity to the Army, the Air Force troops have fired their weapons at the enemy during firefights and served alongside Soldiers who have died in combat. Those negative aspects of the mission aside, to these Airmen, there's no greater feeling than making the radio call that prevents American casualties and destroys the targets.

"You feel like a million dollars because you know you have saved peoples' lives," Zimmermann said.