You might be behind the wheel, but increasingly, computers control your car’s every function. Microprocessors direct braking, acceleration and even the horn these days. Read on http://ow.ly/n4NiT
Gerald C.L. Ching, 76, of Pukalani, Maui, passed away June 25, 2013 in Maui. Born February 27, 1937 in Kula, Maui. He retired from Hawai‘i National Guard. He was in charge of G&K Food Service for 7 years. He is survived by wife, Patricia (Hew) Ching; son, Kirkland (Maile) Ching; daughter, Gerilyn (Donny) Ma‘a; brothers, Elliot Ching, Harley (Florence) Ching, Melvin (Doris) Ching, Wilson (Betty) Ching; sisters, Irene Chung, Gertrude Ceballos, Joycelin (Albert) Chong, Bernice Lynch; 3 grandchildren.
The National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) periodically sends out NGAUS Legislative Alerts. The alerts are requests for support of certain issues that impact the National Guard.
It is an easy process – you log on to the NGAUS website (you don’t have to be a member) and go to the “Write to Congress” page. The page includes a short summary of the issue and a prepared text to send to Hawaii’s senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and your district’s representative, Colleen Hanabusa (District 1) or Tulsi Gabbard (District 2). You can edit the text and after providing some contact information – members of Congress will acknowledge your email – you press send and you’re done.
Air Force Magazine is the magazine of the Air Force Association. The magazine is a monthly paper and electronic magazine. Read the July issue http://ow.ly/n4COV
There will be a Freedom Salute Ceremony for Bravo Company, 777th Aviation Support Battalion on Saturday, August 3, 2013. The event will begin at 1330 at the Nehelani Banquet and Conference Center, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The ceremony will honor Soldiers returning from their deployment in support of the Kosovo Force (KFOR).
Military: Duty Uniform Civilian: Aloha Attire
RSVP by July 26, 2012 to SSG Julius Jaralba, (808) 844-6460 or julius.c.jaralba.mil@mail.mil
Numerous combat air forces units across the Air Force resumed flying operations on Monday, ending a standdown that began for them in April due to budget sequestration, announced Air Combat Command. The move affects units within ACC, US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, and Pacific Air Forces, supporting critical test and training operations for the remainder of the fiscal year, which runs through September, states ACC’s July 15 release. It came after the Air Force decided late last week to apply funds to flying hour accounts from other areas of its Fiscal 2013 budget. The restored flying hours represent some $208 million of the $1.8 billion reprogramming allocation that Congress granted the service, states the release. “Since April we’ve been in a precipitous decline with regard to combat readiness,” said ACC boss Gen. Mike Hostage. “Returning to flying is an important first step, but what we have ahead of us is a measured climb to recovery,” he said. For ACC, the restored flying hours will go toward the Air Warfare Center’s Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nev., as well as aggressor squadrons and the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, among others. Hostage said this restoration does little to address the long-term budget uncertainty surrounding sequestration. “We are using investment dollars to pay current operational bills, and that approach is not without risk to our long-term effectiveness,” he said. “We can’t mortgage our future.”
Soldiers is the official United States Army magazine. The magazine is produced by the Defense Media Activity for the Secretary of the Army Office of Public Affairs. Read the June issue http://soldiers.dodlive.mil/2013/06/
If you didn’t see it, the July 14, 2013 Star Advertiser featured an article interviewing Ray Starling. Ray served in the Hawai‘i Air National Guard from 1987 through 1991. He went on to serve two tours as the Air National Guard Assistant at Air Mobility Command, with his last assignment as the ANG Assistant to the Judge Advocate General, Headquarters, United States Air Force. He retired as a major general.
He is currently the Program Director for Hawai‘i Energy. The article discussed the company and their work in Hawai‘i. Read more Hawaii Energy
Special Thanks to Timmy Young who registered to “Follow Blog via Email” last week.
Retired Gen. Robert L. Rutherford, who led US Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command from October 1994 to July 1996, died of natural causes on July 4 in San Antonio, announced AMC. “It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of General Rutherford,” said Gen. Paul Selva, AMC commander, in a July 11 release. “This is a great loss to the mobility community,” he said. A graveside service is scheduled for Rutherford on July 15 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, states the release.
A native of Luling, Tex., northeast of San Antonio, Rutherford entered the Air Force in 1961 as a distinguished graduate of the Southwest Texas State University ROTC program. He held nine command positions at the squadron, wing, numbered air force, and major command levels before retiring in August 1996 after 35 years in uniform, states his official Air Force biography. Gen. Will Fraser, current TRANSCOM commander, credited Rutherford with helping to shape the organization into the command that has supported overseas contingency operations since 9/11 “so robustly.”
General Rutherford serves as the vice commander, then commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Air Force Base, Hawaii May 1992 – October 1994.
(Scott report by SSgt. Amber R. Kelly-Herard) (See also San Antonio Express obituary.)
click on photo to enlarge
Ted Merrill was the 154th Wing’s historian in the Hawai‘i Air National Guard. He sent in a DVD with a lot of HIANG historical material. Here’s a photo from that DVD.
From left to right: Byron Kim, Charles Bell, Dennis Taira and Maurice Kim
Dennis Taira provided the following comments about the photo. “My memory is in retirement mode. I don’t remember posing for this photo or who took it. The photo looks like the 1986 Red Flag deployment in June at Nellis AFB, Nevada. My memory is coming back… We got delayed coming home on the taxiway and got to spend another night at Vegas. (like we had any money left after 2 weeks)”
The Air Force Association unveiled its new website (www.afa.org), a total redesign that provides a more user-friendly and interactive experience for AFA members, field leaders, educators, corporate partners, and the media. “We are aiming to make afa.org a more useful destination for all,” said Craig McKinley, AFA president, in a July 9 release. “Our new website will better help us achieve our mission to educate, advocate, and support on behalf of the Total Force family. We want to clearly emphasize all of the programs we have here at AFA and the ways people can get involved to join us in supporting our airmen and their families,” he said. The website features sections on: upcoming events, such as AFA’s annual Air & Space Conference; AFA publications; scholarships and educator grants; corporate partners; and the media. Additionally, the website provides easier access to a fully revamped resource area for AFA members and field leaders and has a new donation section that showcases various donation programs and the importance of supporting AFA through financial gifts.
The July issue of National Guard magazine is available online http://ow.ly/mSQ2r
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2013 – If sequestration continues into fiscal year 2014, the Defense Department will be forced to consider involuntary reductions-in-force for the civilian workforce, draconian cuts to military personnel accounts and a virtual halt to military modernization, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a letter to Senate leaders today.
The senators had requested detailed information on how continued sequestration could affect the military.
In the letter, Hagel detailed the “Plan B” the department must confront if Congress does not pass legislation that averts sequestration in fiscal 2014. If the process continues, DOD will be forced to cut $52 billion more from the budget that year.
Hagel stressed in the letter that he fully supports President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget request and noted that if sequestration remains in effect, “the size, readiness and technological superiority of our military will be reduced, placing at much greater risk the country’s ability to meet our current national security commitments.”
Congress gave DOD some flexibility to handle the cuts need for fiscal 2013, but more than 650,000 DOD civilians must still be furloughed without pay for 11 days. However, the cuts in 2014 are too great even for flexibility within accounts to handle.
DOD hopes to avoid furloughs in 2014, the defense secretary said, but if sequestration remains in effect, “DOD will have to consider involuntary reductions-in-force to reduce civilian personnel costs.”
