Wanna Go to Afghanistan?

Kentucky Woman, over at "Little Drops....," is going to Afghanistan.....want to join her? I am. It seems that two Air Force journalists are taking a 3o-day swing through the country and documenting their trip. You, too, can sign up for updates and "virtually" tour the country with them. They're posting on Facebook and on the ISAF website. Here's what KyWoman says about the effort:

Now the why... So many of 'Our Guys' and 'Gals' have spent a good portion of their lives in the past 8 years working, fighting and paying the ultimate price with their life for our freedoms in the land called Afghanistan. There are many negative images of the country, people and the reason we're there and what we're doing. This 30 day trip being videoed by these two Airmen will perhaps give everyone who is curious and questioning a better understanding of what our soldiers see everyday. It's like taking a trip without ever leaving your home. Not quite how I like to travel, but sure beats reading the newspapers accounts and opinions.

Now isn't this a great idea, and a wonderful way to support those young men and women who are still serving?

"A Class Act"

Smiley sent this to me, and I'm posting it just as it appeared in the email....so I have no idea who I'm quoting; but it's a nice thought and a wonderful video:

"I once said, that some people take their football and the fighting for their alma mater way too serious in the "big" picture of life, a game should be a game with good sports, no hard feelings and being an adult. This was sent to me by a friend, and sort of points that out.

Just prior to the start of the Air Force-BYU football game, Sept. 22, 2009, this video was broadcast in the BYU stadium in Provo, Utah. Later, the USAF Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen Gould, showed this clip to the faculty and staff. He told everyone that BYU ran it minutes before the kickoff at the game. He was clearly moved by it, as were those who watched it. BYU is a class act."

Air Force Combat Controllers

George Smiley, over at In From the Cold, has a wonderful post paying tribute to the early efforts of our Air Force Combat Controllers to help resolve the post-earthquake chaos in Haiti. I happen to agree with Mr. Smiley; Combat Controllers are often unsung heroes. They are often the force and power behind the scenes in our Nation's response to natural disasters, as well as being a potent force in combat. Read the post....you'll have a new appreciation for the work these highly-trained warriors do.

Women in the Military....Making a Difference!

Here's a great story of an Air Force pilot who is making a difference...oh, and she happens to be a woman flying as a military advisor and an instructor pilot with the Iraqi Air Force. Who said cultural prejudices couldn't be overcome?

Female Advisor Invades Iraqi Airspace

by Senior Airman Alyssa C. Miles
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

11/4/2009 - CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- A female Air Force pilot deployed from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., works in a male dominated environment training Iraqi helicopter pilots.

Capt. Kacey Grannis, 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, is the Iraqi air force's first female Mi-17 instructor pilot at Camp Taji, a job which she describes as one of a kind.

"My primary duty as an air advisor is to train, advise and assist their pilots by expanding their knowledge base," she said. "I'm an American Air Force pilot flying in an Iraqi air force bird built by Ukrainians with an Iraqi co-pilot in a combat zone. Everything from the challenges we have to deal with, to the rewards that we reap from our relationships with the Iraqi co-pilots and the sheer 'cool' factor of the flying we get to do is rather unique."

In the Iraqi military female pilots are scarce, and upon notification their new advisor would be female, some Iraqi pilots doubted Captain Grannis' ability to handle the helicopter's large frame. However, the captain decided to let her skills speak for themselves.

"There have been other female air advisors, but not in this air frame," she said. "For the guys I was flying with, I think they were maybe not really sure what I could do, but they were at least willing to let me fly with them and let me demonstrate my skills. I was fortunate enough to have the best training in the world, so I was able to do what I know how to do. I believe I've garnered the respect I needed.

"One of my very good friends here is a member of Squadron 4's leadership," the Sturgis, S.D., native continued. "He's one of the most experienced Iraqi pilots here - he's an absolute wizard in the Mi-17 and he's known for being skilled for hovering without the flight control assist system. When I first got here, he wanted to fly with me to kind of gauge my skills. As we were out flying, I asked him if we could do some hovering with the auto pilot off, simply because I knew it was something he would find valuable if I could do it properly. I feel like the fact that I was able to one - do it, and two - do it well, I feel like he responded well to that."

Captain Grannis, who has more than 50 hours in the Mi-17, trains Iraqi pilots who have many more hours in the aircraft than she.

"Pilots as a whole tend to be competitive and respect number of hours and skill level," she explained. "The dynamic itself is very interesting - the pilots we fly with have a lot more experience in the aircraft specifically than we do; there are definitely things that we have as coalition advisors to learn from these guys. They are definitely the experts on the aircraft systems and the performance handling characteristics. However, we're not necessarily trying to teach them how to fly, we're trying to teach them how to employ the aircraft in ways that are different from what they've done in the past."

Outside of the learning environment, the Iraqis have come to view Captain Grannis as family.

"I get a lot of attention because I'm a female, but it's very respectful attention," she said. "A lot of times these guys kind of treat me like their little sister which is a great honor to me because I know in Iraqi culture, family is very important. I'm honored that these guys consider me a sister. But I tell them 'outside the aircraft, I'm a woman, inside the aircraft, I'm a pilot. And because I'm your instructor pilot, you're going to do what I tell you to do.'"

One student who has responded well to the Captain's training is Iraqi air force Capt. Jabbar, who says he has no qualms working with another female advisor "if they are as talented as Captain Grannis."

"Captain Grannis is the first female pilot I've worked with," he said. "She's a very good instructor and she has good experience for training and teaching. She always gives good advice and she never gives up."

With the training he and his peers are receiving, Captain Jabbar has high hopes for his country.

"We're making good progress with our training, and I hope the Iraqi air force is a strong air force for this country," he said. "I wish peace for Iraq and I wish the Americans a good and happy life, and I hope they wish the same for us."

Captain Grannis does.

"This has been a great experience," she said. "I'm very fortunate to have been able to come here and meet all these great people. I'm honored to work with the officers, warrant officers and airmen of the Iraqi air force. Without exception, every one of them is highly patriotic and dedicated to the job they're doing and dedicated to the idea of a free peaceful Iraq, and I think that's amazing."

Breaking the Barrier

Now this is a really cool picture of an F-22 breaking the sound barrier! GO AIR FORCE! According to FoxNews (where I saw the picture, although it's going around the internet), here's what scientists think happens:

"A layer of water droplets gets trapped between two high-pressure surfaces of air. In humid conditions, condensation can gather in the trough between two crests of the sound waves produced by the jet."

Whatever it is that produces the vapor cone, or shock collar, or whatever it is they call it....the picture is really cool!

The Ultimate Wingman

When I was on active duty, a lot of Air Force leaders talked about "the Air Force Family" and emphasized how the Air Force takes care of its own; that we're all "wingmen." Some Airmen (particularly those in trouble) thought the concepts were just a lot of empty air. But, for the most part, the concepts are true and they work. I've seen some really amazing examples of how Airmen do care for, and take care of, each other. The institutional "Air Force Family" may falter at times, and there may be times when an Airman's wingman may be absent; but for the most part Airmen really do take care of each other. The story below is a great example.

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M., Feb. 5, 2009 - On April 30, 2008, Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Jones became what some would call the "ultimate wingman."

Jones, a senior controller in the Maintenance Operations Center of the 58th Maintenance Operations Squadron here, gave one of his kidneys to Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam Johnson, a fellow controller who had been in total renal failure for more than 22 months.

Johnson was suffering from a rare autoimmune disease known as IgA nephropathy, which meant his body had turned against itself and his immune system was killing his own kidneys. He was undergoing long and painful dialysis treatments to remove the toxins from his blood that his kidneys no longer could.

"Adam would come to work on Monday and he would just be puffy. There's no other way to describe it," Air Force Maj. Mark O'Reilly, 58th MOS commander, said. "His skin was ashen, and there were bags under his eyes, but through it all, he never let it affect him or his professionalism."

Johnson's family all submitted to screening tests, but none were found to be a viable donor. Six members of the 58th MOS also volunteered to undergo screening; however, all but one were quickly eliminated. The sixth, another MOC controller, passed all but the last test before finding out that she, too, was not a viable donor.

After almost 18 months of dialysis, the prospects of finding a kidney were starting to dim.

Then, in the summer of 2007, Jones joined the MOC team as a weapons system controller. He heard about Johnson's fight for life and his need for a kidney, and without any hesitation, he volunteered to undergo the screening process.

The screening process is long and arduous. Besides the many compatibility tests and invasive procedures to ensure a donor kidney will be accepted by its host body, potential donors also must undergo many hours of counseling and psychological screenings. The tests are for the safety of both the donor and the recipient and are meant to ensure the donation is being made under proper legal and ethical circumstances.

For Jones, this meant that many tests had to be performed after long nights as the senior controller during the midnight shift. Then, finally, on April 1, doctors cleared Jones to donate one of his kidneys to Johnson.

"At first, I thought it was an April Fools joke," Jones said.

The surgery took place April 30. For six hours, doctors worked to remove the kidney from Jones and implant it into Johnson.

"The kidney 'pinked up' immediately," Lorissa Johnson, the recipient's wife, said. "Before long, the color returned to Adam's face and his energy started coming back. He had so much energy the nurses had to threaten to tie him down to keep him in bed!"

Meanwhile, recovery for Jones was painful, at times making even breathing unbearable. Family, friends and members of the 58th MOS stood by him, and despite the struggles, Jones never complained or regretted the decision.

"I felt that, for whatever reason, I was meant to be in the MOC and to help [Johnson]," Jones said.

Johnson said he'll always feel gratitude toward Jones.

"It is truly a humbling experience to have to ask someone outside of my family to give up an organ," he said. "[Jones'] decision to donate rescued me from a miserable existence on dialysis. His gift gave me my life back and saved my military career, and I will always be grateful for that."

Both sergeants have fully recovered and continue to work side by side in the MOC.

In my book, SSgt Jones is a hero and a wonderful example of how the Air Force Family helps its own.