The 52d Contracting Squadron (52 CONS) provides agile contracting support and solutions for Spangdahlem Air Base, its GSUs, and deployed operations. Retka said he was also carrying a tall glass of beer in front of him, and told someone else that Kennedy may have felt the glass against her. Maj. Charles Schulz temporarily assumed command of the squadron the following day. John covers U.S. military activities across Europe and Africa. Calling from CONUS: Near the end of 1992, it began receiving A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. I didnt want to make a big deal of it because the night had just started and I wanted to honor these nice people, Kennedy told Air Force Times. According to the report, Retka, the Kennedys and other staff and family from the 52nd attended a farewell dinner for the former vice wing commander at the Schloss Neiderweiss restaurant on May 3. 16. The last major downsize at Spangdahlem came in 2013 with the departure of the 81st Fighter Squadron, the last A-10 unit based in Europe. He was also told to make up for time absent from work as a result of the Air Force directed-med board appointments. 8. All Rights Reserved. The 52d Security Forces Squadron (52 SFS) provides base wide protection, ensuring the security and safety of 11,000 personnel through the entire spectrum of threats and force protection. I would have wanted to stay in the Air Force, if not for Widmans treatment of him, the airman said. It was assigned to Air Defense Command and equipped with North American F-86 Sabre aircraft. The group is also responsible for the safe storage, maintenance, buildup, and delivery of a combat ready munitions stockpile valued in excess of $275 million. The Air Force last week halted the intelligence mission of the 102nd Intelligence Wing as the services inspector general investigates. The wing provides United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa and/or the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems. Melody W. Howley), U.S. Air Force Col. William McKibban, 52nd Fighter Wing vice commander, stands at parade rest in front of a formation for the 52nd FW Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Its a commander-run program that fell under the oversight of the Airmen and Family Readiness Center, CL explained. Were looking forward to another amazing season with this team. Germany owes billions and billions of dollars to NATO, and why would we keep all of our troops there?. Saber Nation is driven by initiative and innovation by our most junior Airmen and our management and tolerance of risk at our most senior levels so we can fail fast and fail forward to succeed., An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Before saluting the Airmen of the 52nd FW for one last time as its commander, Epperson praised the Sabers for their hard work throughout his nearly two years at the helm. The new mix of Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft will replace the A-10s now based at. The Air Force has suspended leaders of the Massachusetts Air National Guard unit involved in the leak of a trove of classified documents, the service said April 26. They were suspended pending further investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information, the Air Force said. The 52nd has always been prepared to SEEK ATTACK DESTROY. This was unfortunate because theyre both wonderful people, but theyve continued to persevere despite it. Col. Anthony Retka, who retired earlier this month, was accused of abusive sexual contact against Jordana Kennedy, the wife of Lt. Col. Patrick Kennedy, at an off-base going away party in May 2019. Its no surprise to me that this team was the first in-theater to reach Initial Operation Capability for a new paradigm of deterrence that we call Agile Combat Employment, Reed added. Before the investigation concluded, Retka decided to retire several months earlier than originally planned, Myers said. Calling from CONUS: The squadron commander was the only person strong enough to break Retkas hold on the pilot, witnesses said. 2023 Stars and Stripes. Oink, oink. Lieutenant general belittled staff, mocked female airmans weight, IG found. The group consists of 7 squadrons providing communications, security, contracting, transportation, supply, deployment planning and execution, education, lodging, food services, recreation, personnel support, fitness programs, engineering, housing, disaster response, explosive ordnance disposal, fire and environmental protection for more than 15,000 personnel in the local community and geographically separated units, all while preparing combat ready forces for US and NATO missions. August 1999 July 2001, Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 389th FS, Mt Home AFB, Idaho, 5. Calling from Germany: The Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing has been working toward the F-35 for years nowTruax Field was selected as one of two preferred locations for, Eighteen KC-135s, spread over more than half a mile, lined up on the runwayat MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., on April 26the sixthelephant walk the Air Force has put on across the country in the past six weeks. They support on-going contingency operations by deploying fully trained members for traditional security missions and joint expeditionary taskings. Hauck is a command pilot with more than 2,400 hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, including 285 combat hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In these types of situations, I never forget that were dealing with real human beings, that I care deeply about, and that we are charged to take care of. Within one month the wing had deployed people and equipment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in and around Afghanistan. Members of those fields are widely understood to be the most depressed members of the service, and data leaked to the popular Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco in 2020 showed a higher suicide rate among those career fields than the rest of the branch. Hauck comes from Aviano Air Base, Italy, where he served as the commander of the 31st Operations Group. And the United States has been taken advantage of on trade, and on military, and on everything else for many years, the president said. The wing is comprised of approximately 5,000 military and civilian personnel spread across nine geographically separated units and thirteen real property sites in five different nations. Col. Peter M. Bilodeau. His retirement ceremony was held Jan. 6 at Spangdahlem. Our team is committed to instilling professional leadership characteristics not only for leadership at the squadron level, but for every airman Col. Young wrote in his statement. Both spoke under the condition of anonymity out of fear of professional retaliation. The 52d Force Support Squadron (52 FSS) supports the wing with Airman & Family Services, Community services, Force Development, Manpower & Personnel and Sustainment services. I really hope that the Air Force can grow and move forward in a more positive environment. DSN: 314-452-1110, An official website of the United States government. -Deterrence Meanwhile, two wings that had planned to move to Spangdahlem will now stay put. Additionally, we work hand-in-hand with our mission partners to include DoDEA, AAFES, 726 AMS and DeCA. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. By the time Retka returned to Spangdahlem as a group commander, he was viewed by some as a bully who had a tendency to mock, disparage or undermine his subordinates. In addition to air interdiction and counter air operations, the 480th is EUCOMs sole squadron capable of performing the "Wild Weasel" mission of suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD). [9] As a result of the drawdown of F-16s, the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons were inactivated on 13 August 2010 and formed a single "new" squadron, the 480th Fighter Squadron. Mission: Deliver Airpower options to deter and combat aggression. The 52nd FW commander oversees all five of the wings groups, who directly support the mission to provide strategic, theater and contract commercial air mobility capability for Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. U.S. Africa Command will also move out of Stuttgart, though its ultimate destination is yet to be determined, Wolters said. This article is about the 52nd Fighter Wing activated in 1948. Unfortunately, this airman may not the first to be served paperwork after a suicide attempt. However, she didnt want to make a scene and ruin the evening, as she and her husband had gotten a babysitter to be able to go out for the night. [I]f you want to understand my leadership style, it would be if its based on increasing combat capability, then youre doing the right thing and keep doing it. If not, lets talk and lets work on trying to get better while taking care of our airmen and families, he added. The group consists of the 52d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and the 52 Maintenance Squadron, which together provide safe, reliable maintenance for F-16 C/D Fighting Falcons, and a variety of other combat and support aircraft transiting the region. A female officer acting in the skit played the part of a harasser who was badgering a junior male airman for a date and offering her number. During that assignment, he was chastised by his wing commander for making an inappropriate joke after a skit on sexual harassment. The Public Affairs office is unable to redirect calls or provide phone numbers. The group consistently proves its combat effectiveness and versatility while supporting operations at home station, and at temporary duty and deployed locations throughout Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. She was very unfair and unethical to members going through medical treatment and those who sought mental health, said an airman who served with 317 AMXS for five years who agreed to speak with Task & Purpose under the pseudonym CL.. Pentagon leaders on July 29 sought to highlight the strategic goals of the moves, but Trump said the impetus is largely to punish Berlin. In Colonel O'Malley's case, this little sojourn into blue humor movie making didn't seem to hold him back much. Though the investigation of Widman is still ongoing, two airmen who served under her spoke with Task & Purpose about their experience under her command. Witnesses said Retkas chokehold was a full asphyxiation that caused the drunk pilot to lose consciousness and soil himself. Widman was mad the unit was already trending at this time due to those logistics issues, CL said. The 52d Maintenance Group provides peacetime and combat maintenance support for the 52d Fighter Wing. Shortly after publishing this piece, Colonel Derek 'Maestro' O'Malley gave us an exclusive and unprecedented in-depth interview in which we discuss the Gold Bon video, making mistakes, achieving redemption, and becoming a better leader because of it, as well as what goes into making a disciplinary decision for an Airman that has fallen into trouble. I dont know why they had it out for me so bad.. For example, he kept his supervisors aware that he was taking medication to treat his depression. Several witnesses told OSI the event was somewhat crowded, but relatively easy to navigate without bumping into other people. The Air Force did not provide details on how such a move would impact force support at the base. Many of the more than 50 leaked documentsNBC News obtainedwere labeled Top Secret, the highest level of classification. U.S. European Command is broadly restructuring to better address the needs of the National Defense Strategy, which focuses on advanced military adversaries like Russia and China rather than insurgents in the Middle East. Lt. Col. Michael Driscoll, who was deputy commander under Retka, is now the groups acting commander. The 480th Fighter Squadron operatesover two dozenblock 50 F-16 aircraft in the most challenging air-to-air and air-to-ground mission sets. After 20 years of war you think the Air Force wouldve figured it out by now, he said. In January 1973, a Wild Weasel defense suppression mission was added. This new way of operating is still developing, but with the innovation and flexibility in your blood, Saber Nation leads the way in this new way of fighting, and the rest of us are following you.. Witnesses also told OSI investigators that while at Kunsan, Retka once placed a much smaller pilot who became extremely intoxicated as part of a squadron initiation rite and drunkenly tackled Retka in a chokehold and refused to let go. DOD is also rethinking its brick-and-mortar infrastructure amid fears that permanent bases could be vulnerable to attack. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. This was made years before she served in the same squadron. Dynamic operations and force employment deliver joint force commanders the critical capability to move forces fluidly into and across the . Myers said the administrative action was taken only in response to the dinner incident, not the other incidents described to OSI. The 480th Fighter Squadron (480th FS), nicknamed the "Warhawks", is an active United States Air Force unit operating the General Dynamics F-16CJ Fighting Falcon.The 480 FS assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany is the only United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa flying unit performing the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission. July 2011 June 2012 Director of Operations, 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. 12. The 52d Contracting Squadron (52 CONS) provides agile contracting support and solutions for Spangdahlem Air Base, its GSUs, and deployed operations. He is also the base commander. Courtesy of U.S. Air Force (), In a 52nd Fighter Wing tradition, outgoing acting wing commander Col. Lars Hubert, right, passes a saber to incoming wing commander Col. Peter Bilodeau at the wing's assumption of command ceremony at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Friday, July 11, 2014. The airman said he was completely open with his leadership about mental health issues he was going through in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021. I was done, no more dreams of commissioning and doing 20 years in the service. Even now, 75 years after the wars end, Germany hosts one of the largest contingents of U.S. troops in the world. Retka declined to comment, according to USAFE. The 52d Communications Squadron (52 CS) provides war-ready Airmen, communications capabilities, and cyber services to sustain Saber operations and Air Force power projection anytime, anywhere. Read the full fact sheet. classified documents that were leaked on the internet, Allies criticize U.S. handling of top-secret documents after massive leak. But the distance did not stop Widman and the assistant first sergeant of the 317 AMXS from making the drive down to the hospital to serve the airman separation paperwork. Retka returned to Kunsan in 2012 as a squadron commander. Copyright 2023. September 1998 August 1999, student, F-16 Initial Qualification Training, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. 4. The 52nd MMG maintains a 15-person staff that provides command leadership and support for more than 620 active-duty personnel from 26 Air Force specialty codes at their four geographically separated units. The member of Key Spouses managed to get those orders on her own, and she worked with the Airmen and Family Readiness Center to make sure the other spouses had access to the right resources. Affected allied nations and NATO leaders were notified in the past few days, Esper said. It was originally approved for the, Learn how and when to remove this template message, United States Air Forces in Europe Air Forces Africa, United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, 81st Tactical Fighter (later, 81st Fighter), 480th Tactical Fighter (later, 480th Fighter), https://www.spangdahlem.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/729630/52nd-operations-group/, https://www.spangdahlem.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/293554/52nd-fighter-wing/, https://www.spangdahlem.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/293615/52nd-maintenance-group/, https://www.spangdahlem.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/1501409/52nd-medical-group/, https://www.spangdahlem.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/729629/52nd-mission-support-group/, https://www.spangdahlem.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/293616/52nd-munitions-maintenance-group/, "480th activated as Spangdahlem's newest F-16 squadron", "Fighter squadron inactivation signals end of A-10s in Europe", "Wing commander relieved of post in Germany", "Spangdahlem bringing back former vice wing commander", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=52nd_Fighter_Wing&oldid=1152228417, 52nd Operations Support Squadron (52 OSS), 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (52 AMXS), 52nd Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (52 OMRS), 52nd Healthcare Operations Squadron (52 HCOS), 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron (52 LRS), 470th Air Base Squadron (470 ABS) NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany, 701st Munitions Support Squadron (701 MUNSS), 702nd Munitions Support Squadron (702 MUNSS), 703rd Munitions Support Squadron (703 MUNSS), 704th Munitions Support Squadron (704 MUNSS), Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 September 1950 6 February 1952, Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe), 1 December 2006 present, 606th Air Control Squadron: 30 Sept 1995 - 1 April 2017, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 23:39. This situation gives us an opportunity to reflect on the culture we need, where airmen understand their responsibilities as both leaders and wingmen, she said at the time. Col. Leslie Hauck accepted responsibility of the 52nd FW from Col. David Epperson in front of Airmen, local leaders and family, making him the 30th commander since its activation as the 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing in December 1971. Melody W. Howley), U.S. Air Force Col. Leslie Hauck, 52nd Fighter Wing incoming commander, gives his first remarks during the 52nd FW Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. We have thousands of Airmen across our Air Force serving our country, and not one of them is perfect. 6. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. The culture within the USAF has changed to some degree since its inception, but it stands as an incredibly stark reminder that really talented and valuable people can make really dumb decisions.
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