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San Diego, California. (December 7, 2023): In this photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Richard Uranga, crew members of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche stand at attention on the flight deck as they prepare to offload drugs interdicted in the Eastern Pacific. Joined by the Cutter Active, these top-of-the-line ships eliminated 8,264 Kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $239.7 million in value from the American streets.
Commanded by Captain Robert Mohr, the Waesche was commissioned in 2010 and is one of the most sophisticated vessels in the Coast Guard. This 418-foot-long cutter has a top speed of twenty-eight knots and a range of 12,000 miles. The Waesche has a hanger and flight deck to launch helicopters, essential to running down drug smugglers whose tactics are becoming more creative.
A third of this recent seizure came from a semisubmersible drug-running boat that was carrying 2.5 tons of cocaine in its hold. These so-called “drug subs” are custom made ocean going self-propelled vessels that sail nearly submerged to reduce the likelihood of detection by radar, sonar, and infrared systems. The cargo capacity varies but most can carry several tons of drugs as far away as Europe.
Multiple U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security work with the Coast Guard to combat international drug cartels. The FBI, Customs, and Drug Enforcement Administration also play a significant role in counter-narcotic operations.
Support Our Troops congratulates the highly professional crews of the Waesche and the Active on a job well done.
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Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. (December 1, 2023): True partners have each other’s back. In this photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Earick, South Korean and American Air Force military police secure their position during anti-terrorism drills held here recently. The U.S. Air Force 8th Security Forces and their opposite number, the South Korean 38th Fighter Group, defend this sprawling military facility of over 2,800 personnel and billions in vital air assets.
Kunsan Air Base is home to the 8th Fighter Wing, known as the "Wolf Pack," which is a part of the 7th Air Force based at Osan, South Korea, Kunsan is one of the last of the Air Force’s “warrior bases” where members serve for one year unaccompanied by family. All troops assigned to the base live in the old-fashioned dormitory style.
Also based at Kunsan is the Army's 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery, which is equipped with Patriot missiles to protect the base against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and even advanced aircraft.
Located on the west coast of the Korean peninsula, Kunsan Air Base will be a major hub for follow on forces from the United States in time of war. Originally built by the Japanese as a fighter-interceptor base in 1938, Kunsan was recaptured by the U.S. Army's 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry and became home to the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group at the end of World War II.
Toay’s Air Force security forces go through extensive training in law enforcement and combat tactics to protect bases like these both stateside and overseas. In this exercise, the Americans joined the South Korean 38th Fighter Group police to tackle various scenarios ranging from a simulated firefight to the apprehension of opposing forces.
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Mildenhall, England. (November 30, 2023): They are the vital link during mid-air refueling and give the Air Force the ability to fly anywhere in the world non-stop. In this photo by Airman 1st Class Christopher Campbell, Airman 1st Class Anthony Toliver and Technical Sergeant Fernando Brome, boom operators with the 351st Air Refueling Squadron, lower the boom during mid-air refueling. Since the beginning of the Cold War, enlisted boom operators have played a leading role in the Air Force’s crucial ability to keep planes flying longer and farther.
Boom operators are responsible for the delicate task transferring aviation fuel from “flying gas stations,” in this case the KC-135 Stratotanker. For the past 60 years, the reliable KC-135 and its many versions have extended America’s reach around the globe. Able to fuel two planes at once, these super tankers can dispense over 30,000 pounds of fuel and carry 50,000 pounds of cargo while cruising at over 530 miles per hour. In addition to its duties as a mobile petrol station, the KC-135 can also be used to transport patients during aeromedical evacuations.
The boom operator is stationed in the rear of the plane to control what is called the “drogue.” The drogue is shaped like a bad mitten collar attached to a hose trailing behind the aircraft. The boom operator manipulates the drogue into position using 3-D cameras and direct coordination with both pilots. This is a delicate and potentially dangerous operation where one mistake at such close range and at high speeds can be catastrophic.
It’s a little tricky for the receiving pilot too. Each receiving aircraft is fitted with multi-point refueling points consisting of special pods mounted on their wingtips. The pilot makes an approach to connect with the drogue which is stabilized in flight by the bad mitten “collar” which acts as a funnel. The receiving probe is designed to be retractable when not in use, particularly for high-speed aircraft. The valves in the drogue are “NATO standard” which mean the KC-135 can refuel aircraft from many nations.
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Pacific Ocean. (November 27, 2023): Talk about a day at the office! In this photo by MC3 Adina Phebus, Sailors watch as an F/A-18F Super Hornet launches off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Unlike most offices, the deck of an aircraft carrier must be one of the most dangerous and thrilling experiences anyone can ask for. Launching and landing high speed aircraft requires an elegant symphony of tasks done in coordinated duties by various air crews working seamlessly under enormous pressure.
Deck crews are assigned separate roles in managing these air operations signified by the color of their jerseys. Sailors wearing Yellow are responsible for the movement of all aircraft on the flight deck and hangar assisted by entry level flight deck workers who wear Blue. Sailors that operate the catapult and arresting gear wear Green while aviation fuel handlers are identified by their Purple jerseys. The fire fighters and damage control parties wear Red as do those that oversee explosives. Finally, Brown is worn by the air wing squadron personnel who prepare aircraft for flight while White is worn by quality assurance and landing signal officers.
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Camp Pendleton, California. (November 21, 2023): In this photo by Sergeant Sean Potter, retired U.S. Marine Corps and Army veteran Maj. Billy Hall, age 97, enjoys the view of the California coastline during an honor flight in a UH-1Y Venom helicopter with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Major Hall celebrated the 82nd anniversary of his graduation from Marine Corps Recruit Training by reconnecting with his Marine brothers who volunteered to take him aloft one more time. Major Hall has the distinction of being the last living veteran to join the armed forces before the U.S. entered World War II, at just 15 years old.
He went on to see combat action in three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
Hall served as a radioman and gunner on Guadalcanal in 1942 and later flew bomber aircraft on over one hundred combat missions. After the war, Hall joined the Army National Guard as an infantry officer and was deployed to Korea where he devised ways to improve radio communications between units. In Vietnam, Hall trained as a helicopter pilot where he flew over fifty insertion and extraction missions during nine months in-country.
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Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. (November 17, 2023): Given the recent seizures of private vessels by Iran-back Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen, the U.S. Navy has ramped up training to go into action should these violations continue. In this photo by Corporal Ryan Ramsammy, Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/8, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit race along in their rigid-hull inflatable boat during visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) training off Chesapeake Bay. This VBSS course teaches Marines how to properly board suspicious vessels and the procedures and maritime rules for interdicting vessels in international waters. Not everyone measures up as the school has a wash-out rate around thirty percent.
VBSS teams are designed to capture enemy vessels involved in terrorism, piracy, and smuggling and to conduct customs or safety inspections. To qualify, candidates must pass three courses lasting eight weeks each as well as follow on training. Students are taught Close Quarters Battle skills, hand-to-hand combat tactics, search methods, and arrest procedures. The teams practice tactical movements including rappelling from helicopters onto suspect vessels.