NEWS
FEATURE
CULTURE
FEATURE
Flight commanders: Leading the charge, Page 5
Airlifter of the Week: 86th LRS, Inbound Cargo NCOIC, Page 8
Tree lighting kicks off Ramstein Holiday season, Page 10
Staying vigilant through the holidays, Page 12
December 7, 2018 | Volume 42, Number 49
Read the KA also online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
Air Force fields next-generation CBRN protective masks by Kevin O’Neal, Jennifer Farrell, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Hamblin, Chief Master Sgt. Jonathan Redfern, Brian Brackens Air Force Life Cycle Management Center In November, the Air Force completed fielding of an improved chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protective mask for aircrew on rotary wing aircraft, allowing operational units to achieve full operational capability. This next-generation mask, also known as the Joint Service Aircrew Mask — Rotary Wing, replaces the Aircrew Eye and Respiratory Protection system on HH-60G Pave Hawk and UH-1N Huey aircraft. The new mask provides aircrew vastly improved ocular, percutaneous and respiratory protection and integrates with night vision goggles, requires no aircraft modification, and has joint service commonality, a five-fold increase in fit factor, a
six-fold increase in battery life, and a removable faceplate. In addition, the mask gives aircrew an enhanced field of view so they can better conduct combat missions in a CBRN environment. “With recent and continuing world events, our nation’s ability to effectively fight and win in an environment that involves weapons of mass destruction has become more and more important,” said Dr. Mohamed Mughal, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s CBRN Defense Systems Branch chief engineer. “So far, the Air Force has already delivered JSAM RW masks to almost a dozen airbases around the world.” Fielding teams from the joint program executive office for CBRN defense and Air Combat Command have trained aircrew flight equipment personnel on sizing, fitting and preventative maintenance checks and services for the JSAM See CBRN PROTECTIVE MASKS, Page 3
An Airman demonstrates the use of the next-generation chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protective mask known as the Joint Service Aircrew Mask - Rotary Wing during a test and fielding event. courtesy photo
Sharing sorrow, progress through storytelling Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Nesha Humes Stanton 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force Col. Donnette Boyd, right, wing chaplain for the 86th Airlift Wing, thanks six Kaiserslautern Military Community members for sharing their resilience stories during a Storytellers event on Ramstein Air Base, Nov. 16. Storytellers started at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in 2012 to support, aid, and promote understanding for Airmen enduring distressing events.
While meditation, exercise and adhering to your normal routine are common checklist items on how to cope with a traumatic event, another method to reconcile the process is storytelling. Six Kaiserslautern Military Community members embraced this method during a U.S. Air Force Storytellers event on Ramstein Air Base, Nov. 16.
On the dimly lit stage, a diverse panel of storytellers shared their triumphs of resilience covering heavy topics, including battling eating disorders, alcoholism, surviving sexual assault, and post-traumatic stress disorder. “The best lessons I’ve ever learned in life have come from the worst experiences,” said one of the event’s participants, Maj. Matthew Kless, U.S. Air Forces in EuropeAir Forces Africa desk officer. “The See STORYTELLING, Page 2