Page 5 - Desert Lightning News So. AZ Edition, May 7 2021

4 May 2021 Desert Lightning News Desert Lightning News May 2021 5
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Chaplain’s thoughts ... mEDIcS (from Page 1) 355th Wing flies toward future objectives
said. “Their handling of testing and contact
tracing has been phenomenal, and how they
The last ride ever forget him. He was born several surrounding military The driver, still holding tightly have enlisted the support of the entire D-M
in Venezuela but loved his
communities. They knew our
to his coin looked at me and
adopted country passionately. names and embraced us with said, “We are taking a non- team. This is not just a medical fight.” by Senior Airman Brendan Gallagher, 563rd Rescue Group including personnel recovery and initial rapidly after working with many mis-
The 355th MDG Airmen have been operating a
by Chaplain (Lt Col.) He joined the U.S. Air Force, tears. I won’t forget the two standard route to the cem- JACoB T. STepheNS chief of weapons and tactics. “Due to the airfield assessment. sion partners to meet the needs of our
DAviD LeoNARD quickly moving up the ranks chaplains who stood beside us etery. I hope you don’t mind.” drive-thru surveillance testing station, managing 355th Wing Public Affairs hard work and preparation of our load- “The idea and execution of moving (the operators and warfighters,” Bieryla said.
a COVID-19 call center, providing vaccinations
and being selected for senior as we received his body. Their We pulled out onto the sun masters and the 571st MSAS, we were aircraft) in a more deployable state is a “This movement with LIFT exemplifies
355th Wing master sergeant before being steadfast presence was calm draped Terrazzo where stu- at the base theatre, and deploying to assist the The needs of the tomorrow’s Air Force able to safely and effectively load the great validation of the design and how how we aren’t content to sit around and
Yesterday started unevent- commissioned. Phil had five amidst the storm. dents march and travel to and Federal Emergency Management Agency and must be met today. The 355th Wing re- equipment onto the HC-130J.” it was built,” said Jace McGowan, LIFT wait on anything. We are getting after
fully, until I learned that the kids, four of whom have served We followed his car in a bus from class, but that day was Defense Support to Civil Authorities to treat and mains on the leading edge of this effort Loading this equipment onto the HC- Aircraft flight development engineer and the Chief of Staff’s call to ‘Accelerate
25th Operational Weather in the active duty military. down the two-mile corridor not a day of coming and going. vaccinate the public against COVID-19. to ensure its continued ability to wield 130J for the first time was no simple chief pilot. “We took the aircraft from just Change or Lose’.”
Squadron was gathering to Phil was a foreign language of Peterson AFB and out the That day they lined his route. This left 355th MDG positions vacant, and lethal, ready combat airpower anywhere, task, however. Air Force cargo spe- over 15 feet to just under eight. We are The eVTOL aircraft’s use in the upcom-
commemorate the sacrifice of professor at the U.S. Air Force front gate. It was lined with A silent field of blue with D-M Airmen from different units stepped up anytime. cialists and flight engineers at LIFT also working to get the time from unload- ing Bushwhacker exercise is expected
Capt. Nathan Nylander, the Academy in Colorado Springs, hundreds of U.S. and Allied proud, slow salutes walked and volunteered to fill these vacant positions Airmen from the 355th Wing, 621st Aircraft worked together to figure out ing it off the aircraft to ready to fly down to demonstrate capabilities including
Silver Star recipient for whom Colorado. He deployed to Af- military, civilians and Patriot beside us as they said goodbye to keep the mission going. Contingency Response Wing and AFW- configuration the eVTOL would need to under two hours.” personnel recovery and resupply. The
their squadron is named. I ghanistan to help train the Af- Guard riders. A rolling salute to their beloved professor. His “Their partnership across the base is huge,” ERX Agility Prime teamed up to move a be placed in for safe travel, proving that As Airmen and industry partners look 355th Wing also looks to test other more
called over to the unit and ghan Air Force. His life came followed his remains. I re- life and his death would not Kolczynski said. “We talk about making part- LIFT Aircraft electronic vertical takeoff they can be transported using relatively toward the future of innovation with this in-depth use cases in the future. This
requested to offer a prayer, to an end in Kabul after a lone member distinctly the elderly be forgotten. His lessons will nerships everywhere we go, but they have and landing aircraft using a military small military aircraft with minimal technology, AFWERX continues push- will improve dynamic forward adaptive
not as a chaplain, but because gunman opened fire, killing woman with an oxygen tank continue. really fostered that relationship here at D-M.”
Capt. Nylander died trying to nine Airmen. I suppose I had standing in the cold, hand over Ernest Hemmingway said, aircraft for the first time. The eVTOL equipment. ing it into new environments to test its basing concepts by pushing capabilities
save the life of my brother-in- gotten used to deployments. heart, giving honor to Phil as “Every man has two deaths: One example is the 355th MDG’s Satellite vehicle was transported from Springfield, “With it being new, unfamiliar equip- capabilities. closer to the fight.
law, Maj. Philip Ambard. Of- We are a military family with he passed by. when he is buried in the Pharmacy, where volunteer Airmen from across Ohio, to Austin, Texas, March 23 – 24. ment, we had to come with a lot of vari- “This load exercise came on the heels “This is the first milestone in develop-
fering a brief prayer reminded many deployments to the area The cadets led his remains ground and the last time the base were — and still are — assisting phar- This effort was a proof of concept for ants and contingencies,” said Tech. Sgt. of major flight testing in Springfield, and mental operations of eVTOL in rescue
me of my own journey in say- of responsibility. None of us through an arch of sabers into someone says his name.” As macy technicians with checking in customers the Air Force as the 355th Wing, the Joseph Wruck, 571st MSAS air trans- we have more testing coming up in Aus- and attack, which highlights how the
ing goodbye to the finest man ever thought we would have to the hallowed steel cathedral. we near the end of our nation’s and handing them their prescriptions. 621st Contingency Response Wing and portation team sergeant. “Alongside the tin and the Bushwhacker exercise (the wing continues to actively engage on
I have ever had the privilege pay such a high price to defend His five children, my sister and longest war, we have a choice “They truly are badgers. They have taken other units across the force look to inte- 79th RQS, AFWERX and LIFT, we came 355th Wing’s agile combat employment the front end of these efforts to continue
to know. freedom. the USAFA Dean of Students before us. We can assign the this challenge, met it head on, and have done it grate the eVTOL technology into upcom- up with a simple, safe and expedited way exercise) in May,” said James Bieryla, building our readiness for tomorrow’s
Ten years ago, I was entrust- I have officiated dozens of spoke eloquently of his life. The long war to our past as some- with incredible resiliency and have set the ex- ing training. AFWERX and industry part- to load the aircraft with minimal special- AFWERX Prime division chief. fight,” Gallagher said. “By doing this,
ed with leading the procession funerals as a military chap- hundreds of mourners and I thing that happened and is ample for some of our other facilities on how to ners are working together to aggressively ized equipment by using the ramp sys- Bushwhacker is the 355th Wing’s ongo- we are furthering the rescue and attack
of family, friends, and Airmen lain, but I have never seen shared that moment. We felt a forgotten, or we can live with handle multiple challenges at one time,” Hogg develop this to support the Department tem. The load took roughly 40 minutes, ing series of agile combat employment capabilities as we look toward the future,
to Maj. Philip Ambard’s final anything as profound as what connection to his life and to his purpose honoring those who said. “I am going to take back some of what they of Defense as it pursues further agile but we can get that down to 15 minutes exercises. The next iteration is scheduled because these are the next generation of
resting place. I handed a coin took place during the days sacrifice as only military fami- went before us. Memorials combat employment capabilities. in the future.” this summer and will be the first time flying platforms.”
to the driver saying, “You are that followed Phil’s death. lies can in the face of our fallen. serve not to close the final have done and see how I can incorporate that
taking my brother-in-law on His body came into Peterson When I led my family out to chapter of a life, but instead to across the entire Air Force Medical Service.” “We are working with industry and The further integration and testing of AFWERX eVTOL vehicles are integrated The future is now, and the Air Force
his last ride. I don’t want you Air Force Base, Colorado, on the hearse, I remember think- remind us not to let someone The Desert Medics are continuously adapt- Air Force partners to continue develop- this technology will ensure its employ- into dynamic military exercise scenarios. is adapting and innovating the way it
to forget this.” No one who a Wednesday. Our family was ing only of the graveside, but worth remembering face a ing, improving and finding new ways to keep ing this next-generation technology to ability in austere environments. In the “Our goal within Prime is to find operates to ensure its ability to deter
knew Maj. Philip Ambard will met by the senior leadership of I was not ready for the drive. second death. Davis-Monthan Airmen medically fit to fight eventually be able to do anything that future, operators expect this aircraft will emerging technology with dual capa- and defeat any near-peer adversary that
in spite of COVID-19. a traditional aircraft can do,” said Maj. be able to support a variety of missions, bilities and transition to deploy them may arise.

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