What’s INSIDE
Be aware this Fire Prevention Week See page A-2
October 5, 2018
Coast Guard, Navy help victims in plane crash See page A-4
JBPHH celebrates Hispanic History Month See page A-7
www.issuu.com/navyregionhawaii www.hookelenews.com
Community, military clean fishpond together See page B-1
Volume 9 Issue 39
An MH-60R Seahawk, assigned to the “Easyriders” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 lands on the flight deck of the Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) Sept. 25 in the South China Sea. Photo by MC2 Justin R. Pacheco
Protectors at sea Navy to celebrate 243 years Kristen Wong Life and Leisure Editor, Ho‘okele The U.S. Navy in Hawaii celebrates the Navy’s 243rd birthday this year, today through Oct. 13. This year’s theme is “Forged by the Sea” (Haku ‘la E Ke Kai). “Our Navy was born as the ‘Continental Navy’ in 1775 even before our nation was created and before our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, which all Sailors are sworn to protect and defend,” said Rear Adm. Brian P. Fort, commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific. “Today, our Navy continues to deploy to protect and promote American interests and values around the world. We continue to stand together with our allies against those who would challenge our freedom. And we continue to live by our core values: Honor, Courage and Commitment,” Fort said. Naval Administrative Message 173/18 stated that in celebration of the birthday, the Navy will host events that strive to
build upon the Navy’s relationship with the public. Hawaii’s Navy will be busy with several events this year:
tions Command Hawaii will host its Navy ball. Rear Adm. Brian Fort, commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Mid-Pacific • The Pacific Missile Range Facility’s celwill be the guest speaker. ebration is today at the Grand Hyatt • On Oct. 13, Navy Region Kauai Resort and Spa. Hawaii is hosting a ball • On Oct. 10, there will be a special meal at Hilton Hawaiian Village in from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The special Waikiki. The ball will feature a meal is open to military retirees, Dehula and haka performance. partment of Defense civilians and mil- • On Oct. 15, the Pearl Harbor itary family members with a valid ID Rotary Club will host a Navy card. Bring exact change to expedite birthday presentation during its meettime spent at the cashier stand. Meal ing at Oahu Country Club at 11:30 price is $5.60. a.m. Jim Neuman, the Navy Region • On Oct. 12, there will be a Navy birthHawaii historian is scheduled to speak day celebration at the Pearl Harbor about U.S. Navy history and legacy Visitor Center in conjunction with an in honor of the Navy’s 243rd birthday extended performance by the U.S. Paat a future Pearl Harbor Rotary Club cific Fleet Band. meeting at Oahu Country Club. • On Oct. 12, the Navy Exchange Mall at Pearl Harbor will host a Navy birthday “I wanted to be part of something more celebration includes a cake-cutting cer- than what I was doing,” said Ensign Alemony, performances by the U.S. Pa- yssandra Rousseve, assigned to the USS cific Fleet Band and giveaways. Hopper, on why she joined the Navy. “The • On Oct. 12, Navy Information Opera- Navy’s founding to this day is based on
strong tradition and having those Navy holidays, Navy birthdays or anything to bring the crew together is important.” Rousseve, who has been in the Navy for one year, said she also chose the Navy because of her love of the ocean. “I love the ocean,” she said. “I love being out at sea. It’s hard work but overall most Sailors enjoy the time spent out at sea. It builds character. Character building is huge. Our Sailors work hard and you’ve got to enjoy moments like Navy birthdays.”
First Hawaii deployment proves B-2 strategic flexibility Story by Staff Sgt. Danielle Quilla 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs Three B-2 Spirits and approximately 200 Airmen completed their first deployment to Joint Base Pearl HarborHickam (JBPHH), Hawaii, in support of the U.S. Strategic Command’s Bomber Task Force (BTF) deployment, Aug. 15 to Sept. 27. Though bombers regularly rotate throughout the Indo-Pacific, this marked the first deployment of B-2s to JBPHH. “The B-2 Spirits’ first deployment to JPBHH highlights its strategic flexibility to project power from anywhere in the world,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Williams, director of air and cyberspace operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. “The B-2s conducted routine air operations and integrated capabilities with key regional partners, which helped ensure a free and open IndoPacific. The U.S. routinely and visibly demonstrates commitment to our allies and partners through global
employment and integration of our military forces.” Despite the deployment taking place in the middle of hurricane season, the B-2 pilots accomplished hundreds of local and long-duration sorties and regional training. Each mission focused on displaying the bomber ’s flexible global-strike capability and the United States’ commitment to supporting global security. One of the key integrations involved the B-2s and F-22 Raptors assigned to the 199th Fighter Squadron, a unit of the 154th Wing under the Hawaii Air National Guard. Like the B-2, the F-22 is virtually invisible to threats. This makes them the perfect match for escorting the stealth bomber and providing situational awareness. The training helped polish the cohesion between the pilots. “The Bomber Task Force is a totalforce integration deployment,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Adcock, Air Force Global Strike 393rd Bomber Squadron commander. “Our active-duty and guard members worked seamlessly
together with their counterparts here in Hawaii to determine the best way for the B-2 to operate from this location in the future.” The 154th Wing also supported the B-2 with the 203rd Air Refueling Squadron’s KC-135 Stratotankers. Although the B-2 is capable of flying approximately 6,000 miles without refueling, the KC-135s provided aerial refueling for long-duration missions. “The training with the Hawaii Air National Guard was invaluable,” Adcock said. “Together we refined and exercised multiple tactics that are crucial to the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.” In addition to air operations, the deployment also focused on hot-pit refueling. During this technique, the pilots land and continue to run the B-2’s engines while fuels distribution technicians refuel the aircraft. The pilots are immediately able to take off again with a full tank and maximize the amount of time they are in the air versus on the ground. One B-2 conducted hot-pit refueling at Wake Island, a coral limestone atoll in the
mid-Pacific, west of Honolulu, Sept. 14. F i n a l l y, w e a p o n s l o a d c r e w s exercised loading BDU-50s, inert 500 pound non-explosive practice bombs, into B-2 bomb bays on the JBPH-H flightline. “This weapons load is the first stepping stone to loading live munitions from this location,” said Master Sgt. Nicholas Lewis, 393rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons section chief. “Furthermore, it provides pilots and load crews valuable training necessary to accomplish future BTF missions.” From air-to-ground support, the first Bomber Task Force deployment at Hawaii has allowed each member to determine what it would take to operate the B-2 from JBPHH and execute strategic deterrence, global strike and combat support at any time. “I am very proud of every Airman that was a member of the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron,” Adcock said. “We flew to a forward operating location that the B-2 had never operated out of and overcame numerous challenges.