COMMUNITY
FEATURE
HOUSING
HEALTH
Garrison water safe, Page 6
Exchange program NCO strengthens European partnership, Page 8
Demolition leads to housing construction at Baumholder, Page 12
New DHA director visits Europe, talks military healthcare consolidation, Page 15
October 18, 2019 | Volume 43, Number 41
Read the KA online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
Meet USAFE-AFAFRICA’s newest command chief, CMSgt. Brion Blais Story & photo by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Waller U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
Chief Master Sgt. Brion Blais, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa command chief, speaks to squadron superintendents during the USAFE-AFAFRICA Squadron Superintendents and Spouses Course, Oct. 1, on Ramstein Air Base. The 25-year veteran is the senior enlisted advisor to the commander on all matters affecting operations, training and readiness, health, morale and welfare, discipline and effective use of total force personnel assigned to eight wings and 88 geographically separated units across 104 countries.
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa mission is best executed when Airmen are developed and cared for, and the new USAFEAFAFRICA command chief is here to ensure Airmen can rise to the challenge. “I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to be here in USAFE -AFAFRICA, and I am excited to serve the Airmen in this capacity,” said Chief Master Sgt. Brion Blais, who became the command chief in July. As the air component for U.S. European Command and Africa Command, more than 35,000 Airmen work around-the-clock to support the USAFE-AFAFRICA mission. They provide the Air Force’s full-spectrum warfighting capabilities to forward-
786 FSS: Going green, making green with Spark Tank idea Story & photo by Senior Airman Kristof J. Rixmann 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs The 786th Force Support Squadron recently purchased six environmentally friendly treadmills for use in the Northand Southside fitness centers. These treadmills require no energy to function, and as an individual runs on the treadmill, the machine actually transmits energy back into the power grid. The utility of these six treadmills has made Master Sgt. Joseph McTaggart, noncommissioned officer in charge of Ramstein Air Base Southside Fitness Center, a candidate of the 2020 U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s Spark Tank competition. “We just wanted to solve some
Master Sgt. Joseph McTaggart, non-commissioned officer in charge of Ramstein Air Base Southside Fitness Center, walks on one of the new environmentally friendly treadmills at the Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Oct. 4. The treadmill functions entirely on the individual’s own energy. As the individual moves, the treadmill transfers the individual’s energy into usable energy, which is put back into the power grid.
based airpower and infrastructure in order to conduct and enable theater and global operations. The 25-year veteran is also the senior enlisted advisor to the commander on all matters affecting operations, training and readiness, health, morale and welfare, discipline, and effective use of total force personnel assigned to eight wings and 88 geographically separated units across 104 countries. “Here, we have an in-place and force projection mission,” Blais said. “We send Airmen forward throughout EUCOM and AFRICOM areas of responsibility to support operations and exercises, train GSUs and even provide support to Air Force Central Command when requested.” As USAFE-AFAFRICA continues to evolve, Blais has a deliberate See COMMAND CHIEF, Page 2
energy problems [on Ramstein], especially at the Northside Fitness Center,” said McTaggart. The Northside Fitness Center was constructed in 1952 and the gym has two large open areas. The main one, which is now used to hold the majority of gym equipment, was once a basketball court. Apart from lighting, the basketball court required no energy costs. Today, much of the gym equipment found on the retired court requires an immense amount of power. In 1952, the fitness demands of today couldn’t be foreseen, and it’s evident the Northside Fitness Center wasn’t designed for this magnitude of energy consumption. “Think about the amount of money we’re spending on our electric bill,” said McTaggart. “We’re at a point where See GOING GREEN, Page 2