Ft. Greely Interceptor - November 2009

8/8/2019 Ft. Greely Interceptor - November 2009

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by Alex McVeighArmy News Service

Installation Management Command saidfarewell to its first commanding general,Lt. Gen. Robert Wilson, Nov. 2 and wel-comed Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch as its newcommander.

In a ceremony held at Fort Myers

Conmy Hall, Wilson said farewell to thecommand he had presided over since itsinception in October 2006, and passed thereins to a commander who is ready to takeon the challenges of the Armys home.

Along with being IMCOM commander,Lynch also takes the title of the Armys

Assistant Chief of Staff for InstallationManagement, or ACSIM.

Soldiers from the U.S. Army BandPershings Own played a brief pre-ceremony concert, featuring Army

Strong by Mark Isham and Black Jack

by F.K. Huffer, among others.Soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regi-

ment (The Old Guard), including the Com-mander in Chiefs Guard, the Continental

Color Guard and The Old Guard Fife andDrum Corps, also participated in the cere-mony.

After the units sounded off and fixedbayonets, Col. David Anders, RegimentalCommander of The Old Guard and Com-mander of Troops for the ceremony, es-

corted Wilson on his final inspection of thetroops.

After Pershings Own played the Na-

tional Anthem, command was officiallychanged, with Lynch and Command Sgt.Maj. Neil Ciotola receiving the IMCOMguidon from Wilson and outgoing IMCOM

Command Sgt. Maj. John Gaines.Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W.

Casey Jr. served as host for the event. Hetook the podium first to thank Wilson forhis almost four decades of service, and towelcome Lynch to the position.

TEAM GREELY

ALWAYS ON GUARD DEFENDING FREEDOM November 2009

See NEW COMMANDER, Page 3

Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch takes the Installation Management Command guidon during theIMCOM Change of Command Ceremony at Conmy Hall on Fort Myer, Va., Nov. 2.

Photo by Adam Skoczyla

Fort Greely will kick off theholiday season in grand stylewith several events Dec. 4-5.

A special holiday service isslated to begin at 4:30 p.m.Dec. 4 in the Fort Greely

Chapel. A Holiday Tree Light-ing Ceremony will follow theChapel service at 5 p.m. at theroundabout near the main en-trance. A bus will be availableto take those who attend the

Chapel service to the tree light-ing.

The evening will wrap upwith a Family Holiday Celebra-tion beginning at 5:30 p.m. inGabriel Auditorium.

The 9th Army Band fromFort Wainwright will performand Santa Claus will make anappearance!

On Dec. 5 an adult HolidayGala will take place in GabrielAuditorium from 6 to 11 p.m.There will be entertainment andthe event will be catered. Dressfor the Gala is holiday attire.

Tickets are $25 per personand are available at FamilyMorale Welfare and Recrea-tion.

Fort Greely holiday events kick off the seasonActivities will include a Chapel Service,

Tree Lighting, Family Celebration, Gala

Command of IMCOM changes hands


2/8

Happy Holidays Team Greely! This

is a great time of year to live in thewinter wonderland of Interior Alaska.

We plan to kick off the season in grandstyle with a special Chapel service, TreeLighting Ceremony, and a Family HolidayCelebration on Dec. 4, as well as an adultHoliday Gala on Dec. 5. More detailsabout these events are in this months is-

sue of the Interceptor. Enjoy the festivi-ties. This is the time of year to take thetime to spend with family and friends andrecharge your batteries. An exciting andchallenging new year is just around the

corner.This is also a good time to reflect onthose in harms way. Right now our com-

rades in arms are fighting in two wars invery distant landsand they are awayfrom their families and our nation. Ourthoughts, prayers and support need to goout to all the military members servingaround the globe who are fighting the waron terrorism. Take the time to send a Sol-dier a holiday packagethose of you whohave been deployed to combat know whata package from a total stranger can meanduring the holidays.

I would like to update you on some re-cent events:

Last week, Installation ManagementCommand said farewell to Lt. Gen. RobertWilson - our first Commanding General -and we welcomed Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch asthe new IMCOM Commander. Pleasetake time to review the new IMCOMCommanders Intent on page 3.

As all of you know, the Federal govern-ment, including the U.S. Army, is operat-ing under tight budget constraints. How-ever, I want to assure Fort Greely mem-

bers that one of our most important mo-rale, welfare and recreation project is stillmoving forward. The Community Activi-

ties Center, which will

be located at the cur-rent Parade Field(behind the Fire De-partment), is on trackto begin constructionthis Spring and to becompleted in 2011Iconfirmed this person-ally while at the recentIMCOM GarrisonCommanders Conference. The 36,000

square foot CAC will include a snack bar,pub, an eight-lane bowling center, a video

game room, and meeting/conference/ballroom spaces.The Residential Communities Initiative

is also moving forward. Work on walk-ways, landscaping, and pavilion amenitiesbegan in September. Our partner, ActusLend Lease, is committed to completingdesign work through the Winter. This af-fords them the opportunity to go out forbid immediately following the financialclose, which is anticipated late this year orearly in 2010. Construction of homesshould begin in Summer or Fall of 2010.

As many of you are aware, the contract

for Army Education Centers worldwidehas been protested, not once - but twice!Until this matter is resolved, Ed Centersacross the Army are closed or operatingwith skeleton crews. Members of FortGreelys Army Community Service are

manning the FGA Education Center toallow members of the post community toutilize the Ed Center computer lab.

We want to thank everyone for the tre-mendous support of our ethnic and specialobservances at Fort Greely. We ask thatyou continue supporting these great events

put on by our Equal Opportunity Council.The next event is the National AmericanIndian & Alaska Native Heritage Month

Celebration at 1 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the

Gabriel Auditorium. The event will cele-brate the rich ancestry of American Indi-ans and Alaska Natives and recognizetheir many contributions to the UnitedStates. Alaska Native dancers will per-form and ethnic food samples will be of-fered.

Missile Defense AgencyOperationsSupport Group Alaska will be conductinga Post Missile Launch Consequence Man-agement Exercise on Nov. 19. The exer-cise is designed to exercise procedures andcapabilities in the event of a missile launch

operation. The exercise will include theuse of the MDC Explosive Facility AreaWarning System, The Garrison GiantVoice as well as testing shelter in placemeasures in our Cantonment Area. Col.George Bond will give a post missilelaunch safety presentation at a 6:30 p.m.Town Hall Nov. 18 in the Fort GreelyChapel. He will discuss safety issues in-cluding shelter in place procedures to pre-pare the post populace for the exercise.

Many of you are aware the InstallationTheater is temporarily closed due to reno-vation and construction projects. The con-

struction crews are working hard to com-plete their projects as soon as possible.The theater should re-open to by the endof November and AAFES will beginshowing movies once again.

Finally, I want to thank you for the manysacrifices you and your families makeevery day. Our mission here is critical andwe serve in the most rugged and austerenon-combat assignment in the Army.Please get outside and enjoy nature and theoutstanding Winter recreation that Alaskaoffers. Keep safety in mind as you travel

and remember not to drink and drive -there is no excuse. We want everyone tohave a safe and happy holiday season!

CommandCorner

TheINTERCEPTORis an authorized unofficial publication for military and civilian members of Fort Greely. The INTERCEPTORis published monthly by the Public Affairs Office, Fort Greely Garri-son. Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, nor endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Army. While contributionsare welcome, the PAO reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, make corrections, changes, or deletions to conform with the policies of this paper. Articles and photos submitted by the20th of each month will be considered for publication in the next issue of the INTERCEPTOR. Submit via email to [email protected], or mail to: Garrison Commander, ATTN: Newsletter,PO Box 31269, Fort Greely, AK 99731.

Commanding Officer ............................... Lt. Col. Chris ChronisDeputy Commander .. ............. ............ ........... ............ Will WileyPublic Affairs Officer .......................................... Kent CumminsPublic Affairs Specialist..... Deborah Ward

2 INTERCEPTOR November 2009

Message from the Garrison Commander

Lt. Col. Chris ChronisGarrison Commander


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November 2009 INTERCEPTOR 3

Rick is a proven leader, and he has the

vision and the drive to continue the trans-formation of our installations, so that theybest support our Army, Casey said.

When Lynch took the stage, he spoke ofthe Army as not just a job, not just a pro-fession, but a passion.

At some point in your career, that pro-

fession changes into a passion. A passionto prepare for and execute our nations

wars in defense of our nations freedom,

and a passion to truly take care of ourSoldiers and their families, Lynch said.

He also credited Wilson for going

above and beyond in his briefings about

the position, saying, I had all the rightbriefings, I had all the right conversa-tions ... Im [very] thankful for that.

Lynch comes to IMCOM after com-manding III Corps and Fort Hood, Texas.He has also served as commander of the3rd Infantry Division, deputy chief ofstaff for Operations at Allied Joint ForceCommand-Naples, and deputy chief ofstaff for Strategic Effects for Multi-National Force-Iraq.

His awards and decorations include theDistinguished Service Medal with Oak

Leaf Cluster, the

Defense SuperiorService Medalwith Oak LeafCluster, the Le-gion of Merit withOak Leaf Cluster,the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster,the Defense Meritorious Service Medal,Joint Service Commendation Medal andArmy Achievement Medal with Oak LeafCluster.

(Alex McVeigh writes for the Penta-

gram newspaper at Fort Myer, Va.)

IMCOM COMMANDERS INTENT

NEW COMMANDER, from Page 1

Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch

At some point in your career, that profession changes into a passion. A passionto prepare for and execute our nations wars in defense of our nations freedom,

and a passion to truly take care of our Soldiers and their families. - Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch


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by Deborah Ward

Public Affairs Specialist

Fernando Elkins,Fort Greelys Fight

Operations Super-visor for Allen Army Air-field, enters his office eachwork day morning with thearoma of freshly made cof-fee and the scent of diesellingering in the hanger.

Elkins loves his dream jobworking in aviation with his six

Flight Operations team mem-bers: Merrill Elkins, MarvinFord, Josiah Holbrook, JeremyMarkham, Mike Ferguson andAbbie Cottle. To Elkins and hiscrew Allen Army Airfield istheir second home.

First on the list each morningis to meet and greet his co-workers.

Each member has their place.

Merrill Elkins, Fernandos

brother, and Ford specialize inelectrical maintenance whileHolbrook specializes in mainte-nance and operations. Cottleand Markham oversee theAviation Administration Opera-tion with Ferguson handling thelogistics and maintenance.

They sit down together in theuncluttered and brightly lit VIPlounge and discuss the days

priorities and what equipmentis due for maintenance and thestatus of each piece.

With a total team of sevenmembers these meetings arequick and to the point theres

no time for lackadaisical con-versations.

We just dont have the time

to sit around and do nothing.Were constantly moving here,

said Elkins.Each morning two members

from the crew conduct an air-

field inspection. When the Run-way Condition Report comesback they plan their next move.

With a scale of seven to 25for favorable runway conditionsAllen AAF often sees six orless on the RCR, which meansa long and arduous day for theFlight Operations crew.

Every time the weather

changes or when the airstrip isplowed clear we go out and testthe runway again. Some daysits a real battle to keep that

runway operational, Elkins

said.With several pieces of equip-

ment that can be used individu-ally or to complement one an-other, the plow trucks, sweep-ster, loader and crew strive tokeep Allen Army Airfield readyfor training and potentialmedevac flights.

When the snow that clings tothe runway is dry and light the

Flight Operations crew can getby with using the sweepster.The sweepster is an immensemachine with a stiff rollingbristle brush that is pulled alongby another good-sized tractorthat runs at a top speed of 15miles per hour.

Fifteen miles an hour for that

sweepster is tough so a lot ofthe time we go much slower.Fifteen is just too hard on thatmachine, said Elkins.

The brush churns up the loosesnow and debris and the blowerthat sits behind the brush blowsthe snow out to the side wellclear of the runway at a rategreater than 300 miles per hour.

If the snow is wet, heavy orhas been crusted with a layer ofice the sweepster cannot handlethe job of clearing the runwayalone.

The plow truck is a monsterof a machine with a 20-footwide blade attached to a 12-yard dump truck and as large asthat sounds it still takes thetruck four passes to clear thesmallest runway (the new airassault strip) with a width of 90feet.

Once the snow has been re-moved and thrown off to theside of the runways and taxi-ways the sweepster comes outto clean up anything left behindand any FOD that may havebeen kicked out from the plowblade passing over the edge ofthe runway.

At four passes with a topspeed of 15 miles per hour anda length of 3,500 feet thats

roughly four hours of runwayclearing for the sweepsteralone.

The mounds of snow that arecollected at the ends and sides


Allen Army AirfieldRound the clock team keeps us from being grounded

Merrill Elkins operates a John Deere loader with a snow blower attachment at the airfield.

Photo by Josiah Holbrook

See AAAF, Page 5


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of the runways are then removed with ablower and loader.

Unlike Eielson Air Force Base and their

runway crew of 67 for a single air strip,Elkins and his crew of six are responsiblefor three runways, four taxiways and oneramp.

This same dedicated crew is also onstand by status from midnight until 7

a.m. and twenty-four hours on weekends.One of those missions that Elkins is re-

ferring to is the assault landing training,which until recently, cost the Air Forcemore than $100,000 for each successfullanding.

With the new assault landing strip that

cost is cut down considerably.The majority of Fort Greelys populationis aware of the need for the assault landingtraining exercises and the possible lives,missions and equipment that will be saveddue to this training.

Since the September 2009 ribbon cuttingceremony Allen Army Airfield has seenthree C-17s perform assault landings onthe new airstrip.

Those planes have a maximum weight

of 585,000 pounds, they come in andplummet toward the ground at max speed,

land within 500 yardssee those four pan-els they have to land in between thosethen they slam on the brakes to quickly

unload and drop mission essential cargo,turn around and then they are back up inthe air again. The idea is to spend minimaltime in danger on the ground, he ex-

plained.Here at Fort Greely this type of training

continues year round. Due to the frozenground there is no weight limit for the air-strip during the winter months.

The only circumstances that may tempo-rarily delay training are extremely strongwinds and low visibility.

Allen Army Airfield is equally equipped

for other traffic as well, both fixed wingand helicopters are able to fly in and out ofthe air field.

For example, he explained that medicalevacuations are in and out of the airfieldall of the time. They vary in frequency andintensity.

Elkins crew can see as little as one flight

to upwards of one hundred flights a monthor more.

The medevacs are another reason Elkinsand his crew are so dedicated to their jobs.

With no emergency care and no large

medical facilities within 100 miles, thecommunity of Fort Greely, Delta Junctionand its outlying areas depend on fast and

reliable medical transportation in lifethreatening conditions.

Every vehicle operator, to include theemergency ground transportation like am-bulances and police vehicles, is required totake a test in order to drive out on to theairstrips. It requires a special license andadditional training.

Elkins crew ensures the standards are

met and that safety is their top priority foreveryone involved.

During his ongoing tenure, which beganin May 2005, not a single accident has

befallen Allen AAF.If there is ever a problem Elkins and hiscrew can handle it.

We come in each day, keeping safety as

our focus and proficiently and effectivelycomplete our tasks whatever they may be,

said Cottle.Just as the warmth returns to their faces a

call comes in over the radio, so with acheerful goodbye and a genuine offer tostop by any time, Elkins and his team headback out into the cold to assist the firstmedevac arrival for the day.

What do all thosecrazy lights mean?Red lightsEnd of run-wayBlue lightsTaxiwaysClear lightsRunwayedge lightsYellowRunway edgelights that mark the last2,000 feet of runwayPapi lights A row olights that indicate to thepilot whether the plane istoo high or too lowTurning beaconTwowhite lights and a greenindicate a military airfieldwhile a single white lightand a green denotes acivilian airfield.


Allen Army AirfieldAAAF, from Page 4

Flight OpsTeam

Top row, from left:Fernando Elkins,Merrill Elkins andJosiah Holbrook.Bottom row, from left:Abbie Cottle,Mike Ferguson ,Jeremy Markham andMarvin Ford.

Photos by Josiah Holbrook


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Photos courtesy of Mike Kingston, CRTC

by Clara ZachgoCold Regions Test Center

eople who live in theInterior of Alaska fre-quently ford rivers,

streams, and creeks to hunt andtrap. It becomes a routine eventto many.

Members of the U.S. ArmyCold Regions Test Center arealso becoming familiar withfording water as a way to ex-pand test capabilities.

The vast land west of theDelta River provides largerranges than available on theeast side of the River. Thechallenge is getting to the otherside of the Delta River sincethere is no permanent bridgecrossing it.

CRTC has found ways aroundthis obstacle with low watercrossings, helicopter trips, sling

load operations, and icebridges.

John Viggato, the testofficer for the Non-Line ofSight Launch System, wasone of the first test officersin recent years to expandtest capabilities to the westof the Delta River.

Weve expanded the ca-

pability of the test center, andhope to continue to have a pres-ence west of the Delta River in

coming years, said Viggato.Its essential to our customers

as system needs grow and morespace is needed to accommo-date the mission.

On Oct. 26, the first low wa-ter crossing of the test seasontook place.

Last winter, CRTC reestab-lished the Arkansas WinterTrail Crossing, a point in theDelta River where employeesconstructed an ice bridge inorder to move materials and

equipment across the River forthe NLOS-LS test. In the

spring, at the same location,vehicles forded the Delta Riverto bring remaining equipment

and supplies back across theRiver. With the return ofNLOS-LS for a second winter,there will be more operationswest of the Delta River and theneed to get supplies across theRiver.

With numerous helicoptertrips and sling load missionsalready taking supplies to thedifferent test sites, Viggato waswaiting for the right time tobegin taking vehicles across theDelta River.

This fall, the conditions at theArkansas Winter Trail Crossing

were ideal for fordingduring the last week ofOctober. The glaciershad stopped meltingand the ground waterwas frozen.

In addition, the tem-peratures had beenwarm enough to keepan ice dam from form-ing downstream from

the Arkansas WinterTrail Crossing, result-ing in a low waterlevel.

Viggato decided totake advantage of thisopportunity to getsupplies and vehiclesacross the Delta River.

We operate over 50

miles of roads and

trails west of the Delta River,

Viggato said. The only infra-

structure in the area is what we

bring with us or what weveemplaced.

Six Small Unit Support Vehi-cles were loaded with suppliesand personnel and drove to theArkansas Winter Trail Cross-ing.

An M113 would be the firstvehicle to cross, checking riverconditions as it went. Onceacross, it would remain on thefar bank to lead the returningSUSVs back at the end of theday.

The M113, driven by Viggatoand Todd Zachgo, maintenancelead, crossed the Delta River,measuring the water flow anddepth as they went to ensuresafe conditions. Once person-nel in the M113 confirmed safeconditions and were on the westbank, the SUSVs began cross-ing.

After all the SUSVs weresafely across, they began the 20-mile, two-hour trip across

rough terrain to ObservationPoint 26.

OP 26 is the base location forNLOS-LS operations west ofthe Delta River. OP 26 housespersonnel, equipment, and willserve as command and controlcenter during testing. Crewshad to work fast in order toreturn before dark, since

CRTC members ford waters

to expand test capabilities

CRTC personnal check river conditions while crossing in an M113. See CRTC, Page 7


7/8

daylight hours are quicklydiminishing in Alaska this

time of year.There is an average of only

nine hours of daylight in Oc-tober and November.

After personnel completedeverything they set out to do,the crew loaded up threeSUSVs and began headingback. Test crews will use theremaining SUSVs while trav-eling among the 50 miles oftrails in the area to complete test set-up.The three SUSVs made it back to the Delta

River just before dark, where the M113was waiting.Once again, Viggato and Zachgo crossed

in the M113 to ensure conditions were stillsafe. Once the M113 was across, the three

SUSVs forded the River without any trou-ble.It was a very successful trip. We man-

aged to stage the majority of the equipmentand supplies well need for remote opera-

tions for the next month, Viggato said.Even though this was a one-day trip, it

was integral to the successful test set-up ofNLOS-LS. Without the SUSVs across theDelta River at OP 26, there would be noeasy way for crews to travel back and forthover the rough terrain to the different testsites.

When temperatures drop enough for theDelta River to freeze, the 6th Engineersfrom Fort Richardson, Alaska, will travelto CRTC to construct an ice bridge at theArkansas Winter Trail Crossing. The icebridge will allow vehicle access to NLOS-LS test sites throughout the winter.

With the success of this crossing, therewere plans for another the following Mon-day, but in one short week River condi-tions changed drastically. The water levelwas now higher and a thin layer of ice hadformed. The combination of high waterand ice prevented another crossing, butViggato said he will continue to monitorthe Delta River conditions for another op-portunity to cross.


CRTC, from Page 6

Members of CRTC use Small Unit Support Vehicles, or SUSVs, to cross the Delta River.

It was a very suc-

cessful trip. Wemanaged to stagethe majority of theequipment and sup-

plies well need for

remote operationsfor the next month.

-John Viggato

CRTC used Small Unit Support Vehicles, or SUSVs, to cross the Delta River in October.


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Spec. Julio Velez, Military

Police Officer, provides

cover for the search of a

simulated "hostile person"

on the Missile Defense

Complex at Fort Greely,

Alaska, during the recent

force protection exercise.

Members of the 49th Mis-

sile Defense Battalion par-

ticipated in the four-day

exercise developing team-work, unit cohesion, and

mission readiness.

Col. George Bond, of the Missile De-fense Agency-Alaska, will give a missilelaunch safety presentation at a specialTown Hall Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in theFort Greely Chapel. He will discuss safetyissues including shelter in place proce-dures to prepare the Fort Greely populacefor a Missile Defense Agency MissileLaunch Exercise scheduled for Nov. 19.

The exercise is designed to evaluate pro-cedures and capabilities in the event of amissile launch operation. The exercisewill include the use of the Explosive Fa-cility Area Warning System, as well astesting evacuation and shelter in placemeasures. The event will include voiceannouncements and sirens. While thevoice responses and sirens may be some-what loud, there is neither threat nor dan-

ger to any of the local populous and/ortheir property.

These types of exercises and tests helpensure the safety of the personnel whowork on Fort Greely and the Missile De-fense Complex.

Fort Greely members are highly encour-aged to attend the Town Hall briefing tolearn more about the upcoming exerciseand procedures required in the event of anactual missile launch operation.

For more information, call Kent Cum-mins, Fort Greelys Public Affairs Officer,

at 873-5023, or Ralph Scott, Missile De-fense Agency - Alaska Public Affairs Of-ficer, at 552-1687.

Photo by Sgt. Jack W. Carlson

Exercise, Exercise

How will I be warned of an actualor exercise missile launch?Klaxon (warning siren) followed by

announcement (giant voice system) ofpending launch and instruction to goindoors and close all windowsDA police driving through neighbor-

hoods announcing the need to go in-doors and close all windowsLoud rumbling noise lasting 15-45

seconds

Shelter in place is the most effective

responseDo not look toward missile defense

complexGo indoors, preferably to an interior,

above-ground room without windowsClose all windows and doorsTurn off air conditioning, HVAC

units, and any fans that draw outside airRemain inside for at least 30 min-

utes, or until an all-clear is given byFort Greely authorities

National American IndianAlaska Native Heritage

celebration Nov. 19

MDA launch presentation Nov. 18

Fort Greelys National American

Indian and Alaska Native HeritageMonth celebration is set for 1 p.m.Nov. 19 at Gabriel Auditorium.

The celebration will include AlaskaNative dancers, ethnic food samplingsand displays.

What began at the turn of the centuryas an effort to gain a day of recogni-tion for the significant contributionsthe First Americans made to the estab-lishment and growth of the UnitedStates has resulted in the month ofNovember being designated for thatpurpose.

In 1990 President George Bush ap-proved a joint resolution designating

November 1990 as National Ameri-can Indian Heritage Month. Similar

proclamations have been issued eachyear since 1994.

National American Indian andAlaska Native Heritage Month is cele-brated to recognize the intertribal cul-tures and to educate the public aboutthe heritage, history, art, and traditionsof the American Indian and AlaskaNative people.

Documents

Ft. Greely Interceptor - November 2009