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Show 2 ; Hilltop Times 0 oS April 22. 1993 fomses syppirtf Bosnia BsmiD(Sfl - WASHINGTON (AFNS) Air Force 5 fighters deployed from g AB, Germany, as part of U.S. in enforcing the United participation Nations-mandateno-fl-y zone over F-1- ing in the Adriatic. "The Air Force ' fighter aircraft deployed from Bitburg to ensure we could quickly respond to NATO requirements and taskings when the operations are ordered," said Bob Hall, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, at an April Bit-bur- d Bosnia-Herzegovin- effective April 12, a zmie imo-ifl- ly Pentagon officials said.' The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution March 31 authorizing members to take all necessary measures in Bosnian air space to ensure no-fl- y zone compliance. The United States announced its intention to participate in no-fl- y zone enforcement through NATO Feb. 19. On April 2, NATO's North Atlantic Council announced its readiness to support the resolution. Twelve aircraft from the 36th Fighter Wing at Bitburg moved into position at Aviano AB, Italy, April 8. Also involved are 12 FA-1- 8 aircraft from the Carrier Air Wing 8 aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, operat Zone No-f- ly U.S. participation in the NATO operation to enforce the no-fl- 12 zone resolution. y F-15- U.N. CS 8 Defense Department news briefing. In addition to the and Navy F-1- aircraft, Hall said the United States is also providing five KC-13- 5 tankers from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England, to support NATO operations. The tankers operate from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. The U.S. European Command is also deploying about 430 support people. Sixty to 70 total aircraft are involved in the alliance operation. Dutch and French planes started arriving April 7. C 12 Navy 5 FA-1- 8s KC-13- 5S 430 ttttWfWWWtt people Source: DOD AFNEWS Aspin, leaders greet returning aircrews by TSgt. David P. Masko Air Force News Service SEYMOUR JOHNSON AFB, N.C. Defense Secretary Les Aspin said Air Force people continue to do the hard work of protecting U.S. interests around the world, but, unfortunately, they are doing it in an era of shrinking military budgets. Aspin made the remarks during a visit to Seymour Johnson last month after he and other military leaders welcomed home 12 F-15- E aircrews from Operation Southern Watch." The secretary's visit came just four days after he unveiled the fiscal 1994 defense budget that cuts Air Force fighter wing equivalents from 28 to 24 and manpower by almost 19,000. Aspin said the administration is determined to reduce the U.S. budget deficit, and to do that, it must forgo more defense spending. On hand to welcome Aspin to Seymour Johnson was Lt. Gen. Stephen B. Croker who, as vice commander of Air Combat Command, is one of the Air Force leaders tasked with helping . the Air Force get ready for the 21st century. During the planning phase of the ACC stand-up- , Croker told Air Force News Service that it's a real challenge to increase the combat efficiency of a new command like ACC, and make it better, "even though the Air Force is getting 25 percent smaller. Our goal is to come out a stronger Air Force, and to do that people have to be up to the challenge," he said. Seymour Johnson and other Tactical Air Command, and Strategic Air Command bases came under ACC control June 1. Since becoming a new command, ACC Commander Gen. John M. Loh said ACC continues to be "very busy" in putting into practice the tenets of the global power part of the Global Reach Global Power theme that today serves as the Air Force's strategic planning framework. "Today, ACC is as busy as either SAC or TAC ever were," Loh said during the Air Force Association's national symposium in February. "Since the Gulf War, our combat airplanes and people have been in every theater and participated in every force package America has deployed." Loh said he has several wings in ACC sending aircrews back to the Gulf region for the third time, and some wings whose aircrews are now deployed more than 150 days a year on temporary duty. During the Seymour Johnson visit, a staff sergeant from the base's 336th Fighter Squadron had a chance to tell Aspin about his unit's continued deployment to the Gulf. "I think I surprised Secretary Aspin when he asked me if I've been to the Middle East," said SSgt. Robert Lee. "I said, 'Yes sir, I've been there three times and I'm planning to go back again this summer.' "Well, he just dropped his mouth and smiled," Lee said. "It was interesting, we just talked for a few minutes." Since becoming part of ACC, and KC-1- 0 aircraft from Seymour Johnson's 4th Wing have supported Operation Southern Watch in Southwest Asia and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. In addition, 4th conducted the first at Wing F-15- E F-15- tack into Iraq Jan. 13, when the U.S.-le- d air assault destroyed Iraqi military targets. "Our ACC units see ourselves com- ing and going," Loh said. "They have a tough job to do. They are meeting all of these pop-u- p commitments with excellence, but it is taking its toll." At every turn, people at ACC bases like Seymour Johnson agree with their commander that they are indeed very busy today. But they also feel they are ready for the future and hope, even with more budget cuts, that they will continue to be in charge of their own destiny. Since Seymour Johnson became an ACC base it's been a little hectic out on the flight line, but it's also been challenging, said CMSgt. Derell Wald-hauesuperintendent of airfield operations for the 4th Wing. "I think the consolidation here with KC-lO- s and under the same wing has helped us tremendously because, for one thing, the scheduling folks are talking to each other more than they used to. So now, as far as air traffic control is concerned, we're'sim-pl- y doing a better job." r, F-15- Friemdl . Continued from Pag 1 Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Maine, Alaska and California. The drones' flexibility is why the Navy liked the 514th involvement, according to TSgt. Ed Forbes, NCO in charge of Standardization and Evaluation in the squadron. "The drones the Navy uses are to follow a specific flight path," he said. "Ours are remotely controlled by joystick, which gives the mission much more flexibility and realism. The drones can be remotely piloted from as far away as 180 miles. But it wasn't always Navy missions the unit supported. For instance, during the mission over Alas pre-program- ka, squadron crews helped test a new Early Warning Radar System. For the test the drones needed to be touched up a little cosmetically to give the image of an Alcum missile on the radar screen. Mission was accomplished, the radar picked up the drone. Jack Wagner was the maintenance foreman for the Lockheed team that took care of the maintenance. He is also a retired Air Force master sergeant and a former member of the 514th TS from 1979-8who was involved from the start with the DC-13In fact, Wagner was part of the crew that traveled to the "boneyard" at n in December 1988, to pick out a suitable 0 aircraft DC-130- A 9 0. Davis-Montha- C-13- "Air Force people building the world's most respected Air and Space Force-Glo- Hilltop Times Published by MorMedia. Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. 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He was also selected to help refurbish and modify the plane to specifications at an aircraft depot in Birmingham, Ala. The unit losing the mission and the came DC-130- A as no surprise to anyone, Wagner said. "When we originally took the plane out of the boneyard, it was only supposed to be for five years. We knew it could end anytime before then," he said. "We finished three and a half years of the five. "But the Navy may have an entirely different plan m mind for it (the he said. "They may ny it until us wings lall off. DC-130A- ),: Power and Reach for America." Hill AFB Editorial Staff: Maj. Gen. Dale W. Thompton 3r: .....Cemmondtr, Mo. Wad J. Habshey Director, Public Affairs Gary Hatch..... Editor Jay Joersz, Valerie Burke $aH writers OO-AL- C Deadlines! Editorial and "Around tho Hill" Horns, 3 p.m. Tu.tday, nino day boforo publication; (parts orticl.i, 9 a.m. Monday, wood of publication; clot .rfiod ads, 2 p.m. Tuesday, wooh of publication. 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