The Word from DET 630
04 Feb 2010 Summer/Fall 2013
University of Akron Baldwin Wallace University Case Western Reserve Cleveland State University Hiram College Kent State University University of Mount Union Youngstown State University
The Word From DET 630 Issue 8 22 I hope this newsletter finds all of you well and in good spirits. I am Lt Col Daniel Finkelstein, the newest commander of Detachment 630. As alumni, each of you left an indelible mark on this detachment and helped make it one of the best in the nation. It is my honor to accept the guidon and produce the next great crop of leaders for our Air Force.
The Word From DET 630
The opportunity to be a PAS and influence the next generation of young officers is really a dream come true. After all, I spent 4 years in ROTC trying to stay out of the PAS office, now that is my office…hard to believe. What isn’t hard to believe is how amazing our cadets are. Our Cadet Wing has approximately 120 cadets from Kent State University, Case Western Reserve University, the University of Akron, Youngstown State University, and Cleveland State University. ROTC, like the rest of the military, is shrinking, and that is making it extremely competitive. They quality of our cadets is astonishing. More importantly, the quality of the officers we commission is equally impressive. They really are the best of the best, which is a reflection of the alumni of our program. If you are ever in town, please make some time to stop by and see us. We would love to have you participate in Leadership Laboratory or our Aerospace classes. But, you might not recognize the place. The detachment just got a $20,000 facelift and looks amazing…thanks to Mrs. Smith. We have an exciting semester planned and may contact you to help with career day. Our cadets are always interested in “war stories” from active duty and previous generations of officers, especially Det 630 grads. If you are available, consider joining us for the Fall Dinning Out on 22 November. If you have any questions call anytime at (330) 672-8212. Dan Finkelstein
From the
CONTACT US:
AFROTC DET 630 125 Terrace Drive Kent State University Suite 104 Terrace Hall Kent, OH 44242 330-672-2182
of Cindy
First let me apologize for the late date of this newsletter. I promise you that I am still producing them. Many changes have taken place in DET 630. Over the summer I was promoted and have taken on some additional administrative duties for the university. Terrace Hall has been freshly painted; and the columns are now blue. Classrooms have been updated with new technology and equipment and we are about to embark on room revisions. Thank you for including me on the plans for the recent reunion. Next time, I promise I will plan better so I can attend! Please keep the stories and pictures coming!!
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The Word from DET 630 Incoming Cadre:
LIEUTENANT COLONEL DANIEL E. FINKELSTEIN Lt Col Dan “Fink” Finkelstein is the Commander and the Professor of Aerospace Studies at DET 630 AFROTC, Kent State University. Lt Col Finkelstein received his commission through ROTC in 1998 at the University of Kentucky. Prior to his assignment at KSU, Lt Col Finkelstein was the Technical Director of Analyses, Assessments and Lessons Learned Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command. He was directly responsible for the quality and accuracy of all analyses, assessments, and lessons learned conducted in support of the commands 23,000 professionals operating the nation's inventory of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, B-2 and B-52 bomber aircraft. Lt Col Finkelstein has been deployed three times to Africa, Europe and Southwest Asia. His most recent deployment was as the deputy chief of operational assessment for the Combined Air Operations Center. In support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, he was forward deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to develop vector space models for predicting improvised explosive devices.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Meritorious Service Medals with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal Air Force Outstanding Unit Award National Defense Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon 2013 Air Force Association Aerospace Award, Citation of Honor for the outstanding contributions to the development of aerospace power for the betterment of mankind. 2012 Air Force Analyst of the Year 2012 Field Grade Officer of the Year, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command 2011 Field Grade Officer of the Year, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command Air Force Institute of Technology Dean’s Award for Leadership and Research
EDUCATION 1998 Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. 2004 Distinguished Graduate, Master’s of Science degree in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 2004 Air Command and Staff College (in residence), Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH 2010 Doctorate of Philosophy in Systems and Information Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
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CAPTAIN PHILLIP E. BERGERON Captain Phillip Bergeron is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies and the Recruiting Flight Commander at DET 630 AFROTC, Kent State University. Captain Bergeron received his commission through ROTC in 2008 at Arizona State University. Prior to his assignment at AFROTC DET 630 at KSU, Captain Bergeron was Officer in Charge, Standardization and Evaluation, 15th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base LangleyEustis, VA. In June 2012, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the IJC ISR OPS OIC.
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Phillips Ms. Patricia Ann Sergey Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Timothy E. Spaeth Captain Chris P. Folk Miss Cassandra Rogers Patrick and Julie Miller Lt Col Gerald Duckett, Jr. Mr. Richard B. Vogenitz Mr. and Mrs. Richard Benson Thank you for helping us develop quality leaders for the Air Force. Your continued support is greatly appreciated. Page 3
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Cadet Diaz
Alumni and Friends‌ We extend an open invitation to come and visit with us. We are on a mission to develop quality leaders for the Air Force. Detachment 630 has produced hundreds of quality officers and will continue to do so with your continued support. We invite you to help us in any way that you can. There are several ways in which to contribute monetarily. Your choices include: donating to the university foundation, donating directly to the DET 630 booster club which is named the Fighting Flashes Student Organization, or setting up a scholarship opportunity for an incoming cadet. For more information on how each fund is appropriated, please contact Mrs. Smith. If a monetary contribution is not possible, there are plenty of other ways to contribute back to DET 630. You can volunteer to be a guest speaker, or provide us with creative support ideas. We are also accepting your coin and patch donations. Every penny helps!
Kent State University Foundation P.O. Box 5190 Kent, OH 44242-0001 330.672.2222 advancement@kent.edu http://www.kent.edu/advancement/welco me/index.cfm
Air Force ROTC DET 630 Attention Mrs. Smith Make checks or money orders payable to: Fighting Flashes Student Organization 125 Terrace Hall, Suite 104 Kent, OH 44242-0001 330-672-2182 Page 4
The Word from DET 630
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Col. David Hathaway, 24th Air Force director of operations, presents the certificate for the Bronze Star Medal to Lt. Col. James Burleigh, 24th Air Force Operations director of current operations, during a ceremony here Sept. 24th. Burleigh was also awarded the U.S. Army Combat Action Badge for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan as the Expeditionary Cyber Support Element - Afghanistan deputy officer in charge and computer network operations planner. He was the mission commander for more than 5,000 cyber operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by William Parks) 12/7/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Editor's note: Lt. Col. James Burleigh returned from a deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, and was presented with the Bronze Star Medal in a ceremony at 24th Air Force headquarters in September, and returned to duty in November as the operations directorate chief of current operations. This commentary is his account of his experiences while deployed to Afghanistan, where he also was awarded the U.S. Army Combat Action Badge for engagement with the enemy. Returning from my six-month deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, seemed to take forever. Working 12-18 hour days, seven days-a-week makes the time go by quickly, but not quick enough when I had family waiting for me to return home. Add to that the almost four months of pre-deployment training, and it seemed like forever since I left San Antonio for Afghanistan in March 2012. This was my third deployment, having been deployed to Iraq in 2007 and Bosnia in 2002, and by far the most rewarding one. Rewarding from the standpoint of job satisfaction - contributing to the mission, directly supporting the warfighter, and disrupting insurgent lines of communication while protecting American and coalition lives. This was where I needed to be.
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My deployment was to the International Security Assistance Force - Joint Command in Kabul, Afghanistan. I was the Expeditionary Cyber Support Element - Afghanistan deputy officer-in-charge and computer network operations planner. I was part of a U.S. Cyber Command nine-person team of joint cyber planners that executed numerous classified cyber operations in support of U.S. and coalition forces. As the lead CNO planner, I served as the mission commander for cyber operations and was responsible for the direction and execution of operations that targeted anti-Afghanistan forces while protecting U.S., coalition, and Afghan forces and the lives of the Afghan population. Our team was small and spread out over the country. We were joint service with allied support. Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines, civilians ... we were as "joint" as you can get. However, our cyber effects reached across Afghanistan and our capabilities were continually requested. I was the first cyber planner embedded with the Military Information Support Task Force - Afghanistan as the cyber subject matter expert; and integrated cyber capabilities during a coordinated information operations campaign. I executed nine cyber operations during the campaign that was designed to counter the Taliban's propaganda. The part of the deployment that I'm most proud of is supporting the special operations forces. While serving as the lead IJC cyber planner, I supported numerous on-call SOF missions that required quick planning and coordination of cyber effects in response to high value target kill/capture/rescue missions. I developed cyber focused target sets that provided the ability to disrupt the adversary's ability to command and control their forces. Working with our coalition partners, my team developed and implemented new procedures which increased the ability to execute cyber operations against insurgents by 60 percent. This dramatic increase in cyber capability allowed United States Forces - Afghanistan to target selective insurgents, disrupting their operations against U.S., coalition, and Afghan forces. I was the cyber "trigger puller" of the team. It was my job to submit, coordinate and manage all USFOR-A cyber requests with the U.S. Cyber Command Joint Operations Center. I had situational awareness of every cyber operation taking place in theater. I deconflicted/prioritized cyber requests within theater. A big part of the job was briefing senior leadership on the cyber capabilities my team brought to the fight, and how to incorporate those cyber effects with both kinetic and non-kinetic operational planning and execution. The worst part of the deployment was the continual danger. Bad food, austere living conditions, long hours, and missing family and loved ones are bad enough; but being under attack is the worst. On May 2, while attending a planning meeting at Camp Green, we came under direct insurgent attack. A suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device detonated at the main exit gate. I could feel the concussion from the explosion as it tore the gate off the tracks and damaged several buildings. Insurgent forces rushed the gate, firing several types of weapons. Hearing bullets ricochet off the ground and nearby buildings is something you hope you never experience. When the attack was over, several good people had lost their lives, including some innocent Afghan children that were nearby. I was one of the lucky ones and didn't get a scratch. How, I have no idea.
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The Word from DET 630 I had the honor of working with some of the smartest, brightest, hardworking people in my life during this deployment. Everyone pulled their weight, helped each other out, and were good battle-buddies. It's amazing to me how a diverse bunch of people, thrown together in a terrible environment, can run like a well-oiled machine. My team and I didn't "do well," we kicked some tail! I hope that the senior leaders of our U.S. and coalition forces have taken note of the lessons we learned, and the progress we made in applying cyber operations to the overall mission, so that we can continue to use more cyber capabilities and better ways to apply this 21st century tool set in the way we conduct modern operations.
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The Word from DET 630
Capt Gail Smicklas Flight Commander, DSCS & WGS Operations Satellite Operations at Schriever AFB, CO.
2003 DET 630 Family
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Air Force ROTC at Kent State Participates in 2013 Air Force Marathon By Cadet Andrew Bostwick Eight representatives from Air Force ROTC Detachment 630 at Kent State University traveled to Dayton on Saturday, Sept. 21, for the annual Air Force Marathon, an international race that began in 1997 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Air Force. The team from Kent State included both cadre and cadets. Five representatives participated in the 26.2-mile run, and three other representatives participated in the 13.1mile half marathon. “It’s one of the greatest moments to test your warrior ethos, because you have to physically and mentally challenge yourself to get to the breakpoint. You have to run through that wall,” says Cadet Gage Philp, a junior in the Air Force ROTC program at Kent State. “You physically get tired and then you have to be mentally strong enough to push through.” Philp mentions the motivation for running nonstop were the shirts that they wore that bore the names of some local heroes who had served in the military and paid the ultimate sacrifice. “When I would tire, I would find the motivation to go on. I didn’t want to let those people down because their names were on our backs,” Philp says. Running the Air Force Marathon is a personal challenge for many people. To many of the cadets and other runners, running and finishing the race meant something much more than the medal they received at the finish line. The Air Force Marathon is held every year in Dayton. Registration for the Air Force Marathon 2014 opens Jan. 1, 2014. If you are interested in participating, visit www.usafmarathon.com for more details.
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The Word from DET 630 Kent State Air Force ROTC Cadets Honor Navy Veteran
On Sept. 14, Detachment 630 Air Force ROTC cadets at Kent State University partnered with Guardian Angel Home Care and Hospice Services to honor George Hoover, a navy veteran from World War II, by celebrating his years of service. Guardian Angel Home Care and Hospice Services provides emotional, physical and spiritual support to individuals in their final stages of life, and their family members. One in four patients of the Guardian Angel Home Care and Hospice Services is a veteran. Joanna Ripple, a volunteer coordinator from Guardian Angel Home Care, helped plan and organize the event. Hoover was a motor machinist first class in the United States Navy from June 1939 - June 1942. He was stationed on the USS Lassen that delivered ammunition and supplies to support the frontlines during World War II. Hoover was filled with excitement when Air Force ROTC cadets at Kent State arrived to his house to spend the afternoon with him. Ripple presented a certificate and Pin of Gratitude for his years of service in the navy. Kent State Air Force ROTC cadets performed a flag-folding ceremony for presentation to Hoover. During the visit, Hoover told stories and advised young cadets that hope to one day become a hero like him. Hoover was surrounded by friends, family and Air Force ROTC cadets, who learned the importance of honoring the nation’s veterans. Hoover spoke words and stories that touched the hearts of everyone that surrounded him that day. “It was one of the most touching moments I have ever had,” says Cadet Theodore Rask, cadet wing commander of Detachment 630 Air Force ROTC. “I do not think there was a dry eye at Mr. Hoover’s house when he spoke about the selfless dedication and ultimate sacrifice that so many men and women have made for our country”.
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The Word from DET 630
Air Force ROTC at Kent State Makes Appearance at 2013 Timken Grand Parade The Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) at Kent State University joined in the 2013 Timken Grand Parade in downtown Canton on Aug. 3. Members of the Air Force ROTC were given the honor to walk alongside the Ohio Fallen Soldier Dedication Float during the parade. The float was dedicated to honoring local heroes who have been killed in action in recent conflicts, and was made by Steve Toohey of Rapid Response Restoration, Inc. The Air Force ROTC also was allowed on the float a day before the parade at the Stark County Fair Grounds during the judging ceremony, where the float was awarded in the Best Non-professional Builder category. Members of the Air Force ROTC program at Kent State who participated in the parade included Capt. Phillip Bergeron, 2nd Lt. Kevin Papp and Cadet Theodore Rask. “Participating in the parade allowed the AFROTC to show our support for the Ohio Fallen Soldier Dedication Float, which honors the many heroes of our state that made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Rask says. “Many AFROTC cadets will soon commission as active duty officers in the United States Air Force; supporting such a cause as the Ohio Fallen Solider Dedication Float seems only natural.” Thousands of spectators lined the 2.2-mile parade route and stood to honor and appreciate the soldiers when the float passed by them, clapping, whistling, placing their hats over their hearts and shouting, “Thank you for your service.” “The love and respect shown by the parade audience was a very humbling experience,” Rask says. “It's great to know that the local community supports our military with such drive and dedication. However, the support was pale in comparison to that shown to the Ohio Fallen Soldier cause and rightfully so. We still have yet to serve and are honored to be held in anywhere near the same light as the heroes represented on the dedication float at the parade.”
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The Wing at Leadership Lab
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Air Force Family Life:
Top Left: Lt Col Dan Finkelstein jumps up on the rock and ignites the cadet’s enthusiasm for AFROTC. (Notice his son at the back of the rock…) Right: Notice his children following in his footsteps. Bottom: The Finkelstein family. “Air Force is number 1”
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The Word from DET 630
Most graduates make a promise to donate back to DET 630. Some do, and in a big way! 2Lt Kevin Papp visited DET 630 during the summer. We talked frequently about the needs and wants of the department. We had no idea that he would turn around and have a big black squirrel donated and delivered shortly after he departed. Lt Papp, we want to thank you for your thoughtfulness and making this happen for us. It will be used by cadets for many years in carrying on the “spirit missions� of detachment 630. Wing Commander, Theodore Rask felt it appropriate to bring back his medal from the Air Force marathon and hang it on our squirrel. We will be having a spirit squirrel nickname contest. Send in your ideas so we can vote on them. Page 18
The Word from DET 630
AFROTC DET 630 125 Terrace Drive 104 Terrace Hall Kent State University Kent, OH 44242 PHONE: (330) 672-2182 FAX: (330) 672-2189
Spring 2013 Commissioning Show: E-MAIL: CSMIT121@KENT.EDU
http://www.photoshow.com/watch/AM9GI3NQ
DET630@KENT.EDU “Friend” us on Facebook: AFROTC DET 630
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