SMSgt (Ret.) Mort Freeman has passed 27 March 2014

Mort's funeral will be in the Barangay near his house about 15 miles from Cagayan De Oro.  Dates will be determined later today, but I suspect visitation will start tomorrow for 3-4 days.

I am not a big flower person, but this kind of thing means a lot to Filipinos.  If you want to send flowers for Mort you can mail a check to:

                James Bird

                2372 Happy Lane

                Oak Harbor, WA 98277

               

               

(Some background on Jim.  He was the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union manager for the last few years of Clark AB.  He was one of Mort's closest friends and he has handled Mort's USA banking and numerous personal items since Clark AB closed.)

A small stand of flowers costs about $25 and a Medium to Large stand costs $60.  Just mark the check as FLOWERS for Mort.  Send me an email at jc.margarita@gmail.com when you mail the check to Jim and I will front the money so that by Monday morning the flowers are in the funeral home outside Cagayan De Oro.

My Filipino partner, Aida, is flying to Cagayan De Oro on Sunday to represent Margarita Station since Mort was the General Manager for years.  She will purchase flowers for anyone that wants to send them. 

After the funeral Mort's remains will be cremated.

I'm currently enroute to Nepal.  In May when I return from Mt. Everest area I will quick turn and meet up with Jim Bird in Cagayan De Oro.  He will arrange for several banca boats for 15 May 2014.  IAW with Mort's wishes we will put his ashes to rest on the reef a few hundred yards from his home.  Anyone that wants to attend the ceremony on the 15th is welcome to join us just let me know so I can coordinate hotel rooms and transportation in CDO.

JC

TSgt. William H. Jefferson Memorial Push Ups

TSgt. William H. Jefferson Jr., 34, of Norfolk, Va., died 22 March 2008 from wounds received when his vehicle struck an IED near Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan. Jefferson was from Air Force Special Operations Command’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope AFB, N.C.


Knock em out.

Jack Fanning's Stem Cell Treatment

The CCA has organized a fund to help out one of our brothers.

Thanks Mickey

Combat Control Association Fund

Special Tactics Airmen earn Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Medal

3/14/2014 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla.  -- Four Special Tactics Airmen from Air Force Special Operations Command were recognized with medals for actions downrange in a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., March 14.

Tech Sgt. Michael Blout, a combat controller, earned the Silver Star Medal; Staff Sgt. Stephan Merlics, a tactical air control party member, earned the Bronze Star with Valor; Airman 1st Class Philip Armstrong, a Special Tactics pararescueman received the Purple Heart Medal and Senior Airman Nathan Wright, a combat controller, earned the Combat Action Medal. All four Airmen are assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field.



Link to article

Mark A. Forester Memorial Ruck March

Please consider participating in this event. This year, I will join my son and members of Mark's family (including his military brothers and sisters) on the 33 mile ruck. While the major activity will be the 33 mile ruck (a mile for each year of age Mark would have been), there are several other activities ranging from a 1 mile fun run to a 5 mile walk. But, just being there would be a blessing. If you are unable to attend, please consider a monetary donation to the Mark A. Forester Foundation. May God Always Bless The U.S.A.

Link to page;

SrA Mark Forester Ruck March

CMSgt (Ret) Johnnie Yellock

Remembering our fallen heroes on the 12th anniversary of their fate.

Technical Sergeant John Chapman (CCT) and Senior Airmen Jason Cunningham (PJ) were both killed-in-action (KIA) during Operation Anaconda, also commonly known as “The Battle of Roberts Ridge” named after Navy SEAL, Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, who fell from the helicopter when it took heavy fire on the initial infiltration on the mountain near Tahur Ghar, Afghanistan on March 4th, 2002.  Both were posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross medal for extraordinary heroism.  Below are excerpts from their medal citations plus a personal story that I witnessed at the Coca Cola Memorial Day Race and Dr. (Maj.) Brian Burlingame’s recollection of SrA Cunningham’s interaction with him, pre- and post-Anaconda. 

 

Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman

Without regard for his own life Sergeant Chapman volunteered to go back and try to rescue his missing SEAL team member from the enemy strong hold.  Shortly after insertion, the team made contact with the enemy. Sergeant Chapman engaged and killed two enemy personnel.  He continued to advance reaching the enemy position then engaged a second enemy position, a dug-in machine gun nest. At this time the rescue team came under effective enemy fire from three directions.  From close range he exchanged fire with the enemy from minimum personal cover until he succumbed to multiple wounds. His engagement and destruction of the first enemy position and advancement on the second position enabled his team to move to cover and break enemy contact. In his own words, his Navy SEAL team leader, Senior Chief Petty Officer Britt “Slab” Slabinski, credits Sergeant Chapman unequivocally with saving the lives of the entire rescue team.

Back in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Valerie Chapman was anxiously awaiting her husband’s return from deployment.  John “Chappy” Chapman was an avid NASCAR fan and Valerie had a nice surprise waiting for him.  She had already purchased four tickets to the Coca Cola 600 Memorial Day race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2002, for John, herself and their two young daughters, Madison and Brianna.  John never got to see that race, but Valerie did. 

Valerie Chapman and Mark Martin

As coincidence would have it, AFSOC’s Stars Parachute Demonstration Team was scheduled to jump during pre-race ceremonies.  One of “Chappy’s” former teammates, Staff Sgt. Mike West, was a member of the Stars Team and asked if I (as the Team Coordinator) could somehow work with the pre-race event coordinator, Jay Howard, to have Tech Sgt. Chapman honored and have Valerie, Staff Sgt. Keary Miller and Staff Sgt. Gabe Brown introduced.  Keary and Gabe were on Operation Anaconda and both earned the Silver Star medal for their heroic action. 

Valerie Chapman & Mike Martin

Mike West knew that “Chappy’s” favorite driver was Mark Martin, so during the pre-race driver introductions Mike worked with Martin’s publicist and arranged to have Valerie meet him.  She told Mark that he was her late husband’s favorite driver – then she reached into her purse and presented Mark Martin with Chappy’s CCT coin.  She said the CCT motto is “First There” and wished him good luck in winning the race.  Mark Martin took the checkered flag for the first time in over two years that day with Chapman’s “First There” coin in his pocket.  We all shed a few tears of joy that he won… and tears of sadness, because “Chappy” wasn’t there to witness the victory.

CMSgt. (Ret) Wayne Norrad

Let's remember our fallen comrade today, RIP John Chapman

DMOC Senior Analyst Position

Gents,

I was contacted today to see if I was interested in the Senior Analyst position below. I think they need to fill it pretty quick.

Can you guys put this out on your Facebook any other sites that pertain to CCT, TACP and JTAC? I don’t do facebook.

I never post on Linkedin but, this one, I did.

They want to pay about 85K but the recruiter said a guy could get 92-95K. I SAIC is losing money while no one is in the seat.

Looking for an Air To Ground SME, not just a pilot. Advanced level JTAC will fit.

Phillip Freeman, Contractor

AFSOC Special Tactics SME

Odyssey Systems Consulting Group

Office: (850)710-5007

Cell: (702)738-0448