Retirement of CMSgt DJ Cantwell

"Col Brad Thompson officiated the retirement of CMSgt DJ Cantwell on 4 Jun 2010. It was a great turnout from both Jenni and DJ's side of the family. We also had a very large representation of fellow STS and other members from across the Air Force both active duty and retired with standing room only. Though we have lost DJ as an active duty CMSgt, we still have him as an advocate for ST in the Pentagon working more strategic level Special Operations issues on the Joint Staff. Hoo-Yah DJ, thanks again for everything!!!"



TR

720 STG Change of Command

Lieutenant General Donald C. Wurster

Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command

cordially invites you to a change of command ceremony

at which

Colonel Bradley P. Thompson

will relinquish command of the

720th Special Tactics Group

to

Colonel Robert G. Armfield

on Thursday, the third of June, two thousand and ten

at eight o’clock in the morning

Air Park

Hurlburt Field, Florida

Reception immediately following at the Soundside Club

Argel, Crate, Fresques Memorial Push-Ups

Don’t forget your Memorial Push Ups for Capt. Derek M. Argel, 28, of Lompoc Calif. Capt. Jeremy J. Fresques 26, of Clarkdale Ariz.; and Staff Sgt. Casey J. Crate, 26, of Spanaway Wash. All were assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. These teammates were lost when their plane crashed May 30 2005 about 80 miles north east of Baghdad in the Diyala province.

OFFICER VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

VACANCY: Control and Recovery - Special Tactics Officer AFSC 13D3B Authorized Grade: Maj

CLOSE OUT: 15 July 2010

WHO MAY APPLY:
Commissioned officers in any U.S. Military branch, ORANG personnel who are eligible for commissioning, or personnel who are eligible to be appointed in the ORANG who meet the below requirements. All qualified applicants will be interviewed.

HOW TO APPLY:
All application packages submitted must contain the following information:

Officers: resume describing education and experience, reference listing, a vMPF Records Review RIP, and a current Physical Fitness Assessment. Non-Air Force component officers must also include an AF FM 24.

Civilians and Enlisted members: resume describing education and experience, reference listing, a vMPF Records Review RIP, a current Physical Fitness Assessment, college transcripts, AFOQT score, letters of recommendation and an AF FM 24.

For questions regarding the application process, contact MSgt Elaine Nguyen at (503) 335-4057, DSN 638-4057. Submit completed packages to 142 FSS/FSMP, 6801 N.E. Cornfoot Rd, Portland, OR 97218-2797.

1. Specialty Summary:
1.1. Provides assault zone reconnaissance and assessments, terminal control, and personnel recovery (PR). Manages day-to-day operations of PR activities to coordinate PR system and organize, train and equip assigned personnel to conduct rescue and recovery operations; manages survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) programs; and surveys, establishes, and controls the aerospace surface interface in objective areas. Deploys as team member, team leader or mission commander as a direct combatant or to command and battle staffs to provide subject matter expertise to plan for and manage command and control for special reconnaissance, terminal control and PR operations. Related DoD Occupational Group: 220500.

2. Duties and Responsibilities:
2.1. Plans missions and manages PR, SERE, and control of the aerospace interface in objective areas. Supports joint and combined forces engaged in conventional and special operations air, ground, and maritime military operations. Advises on readiness of forces based on force status reports, inspections, training exercise and evaluation results. Coordinates, plans, and conducts PR missions, emergency trauma care, movement and medical evaluation of personnel.

Must maintain physical fitness and water confidence standards IAW AFI 13-219, Special Tactics Operator Standards and Evaluation Program, and AFSOCI 36-2204, Special Tactics Operator Training, throughout the training pipeline.




//Signed//

STEPHANIE A. BAENEN, Lt Col, ORANG
Commander, 142 FSS

BGen Aderholt's Passing

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Harry C. "Heinie" Aderholt passed away May 20, 2010, at his home, surrounded by family, loyal friends and his devoted caregiver, Jamie Newman..He was born on Jan. 6, 1920, in Birmingham, Ala., to Forest Aderholt and Katie Banholzer and was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years, Jessie; brothers, Roy Aderholt and Robert Aderholt; and sister, Cornelia Akin.He is survived by his wife, Anne; daughter, Janet Lynn Elliott and husband Chaplin Col. (Ret.) Richard G. Elliott Jr. of Panama City, Fla.; son, George Aderholt and wife Pat of Navarre, Fla.; one sister, Katherine McDaniel of Trussville, Ala.; two brothers, Warren Aderholt and his wife Bunny of Marietta, Ga., and Louis Aderholt of Huntsville, Ala.; grandchildren, Kevin Richard Elliott and wife Kathy Anderson Elliott, Stacie Lynn Elliott, Kellie Marie Elliott and Mark Randall Elliott; great-granddaughter, Annie Lynn Elliott; and several nieces and nephews.Heinie was one of seven children raised by his widowed mother (his father died, as a result of an accident, when Heinie was just a boy of nine), and he learned very early in life many lessons that would shape his future. Undoubtedly, his mother's influence from her strength, courage, love and strict discipline, provided him with the solid foundation that helped him to grow and develop into the remarkable man he became.Heinie's love of people was obvious and his sincerity and straight forward, up-front approach encouraged the development of many life-long friendships. None more enduring than the bond of love, loyalty and mutual respect that he shared with Maj. Gen. Richard Secord.We wish to thank his faithful friend, Joseph Caruth, who enabled him to continue his early morning ritual of working out at Aderholt Fitness Center.Until his final days he remained close to his brothers and sister and their families. As recently as late January, he made a trip to Birmingham, on to Huntsville, then to Atlanta, assuring all he would be back soon.Gen. Aderholt's 30-plus year military career is legendary. His status as a leader, his many accomplishments, awards and citations will be recorded in the annals of military history.His innumerable friends will remember him as a man of integrity with a loving heart who inspired and touched so many lives.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Gen. Aderholt be made to the McCoskrie Threshold Foundation, P.O. Box 67, Mary Esther, FL 32569, to support projects in Thailand and Laos.A special thank you to the staff at Davis-Watkins Funeral Home.
A memorial service will be held at Hurlburt Air Park on July 2 at 9 a.m.

Air Force takes gold in pistol competition

Staff Sgt. Marc Esposito, a combat controller from the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., brought home gold May 13 in the pistol-shooting competition at the inaugural Warrior Games here moments after earning bronze in the 20-kilometer upright bike competition.

"It's exactly what we're trained to do as U.S. Air Force special operators," he said. "The battlefield is as dynamic as the sports field, and you're going to have to go from one extreme to the other. And, you have to do it quickly, and you have to do it flawlessly, without fault.

"Sergeant Esposito is no stranger to shooting. His job as a combat controller often put him at risk in situations where he had to return fire on the enemy. He said he was able to use that experience to his benefit, despite the differences between shooting in combat and shooting competitively.

Link to article:

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123204558

Combat Controller to compete in Warrior Games

According to the Warrior Games Web site, "The Warrior Games provide a focal event to empower the incorporation of athletics into military wounded warrior programs, and provide an opportunity to introduce paralympic sports to injured service members, while at the same time building camaraderie and raising awareness of paralympic competition and adaptive sports in general.

"The games are a joint effort between the Department of Defense and the U.S. Olympic Committee and are part of an effort to inspire recovery, capitalize on physical fitness, and promote new opportunities for growth and achievement, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee Web site. Since 2003, the U.S. Paralympics Committee has worked in partnership with Veterans Affairs, providing adaptive sports therapy to veterans.


Link to the article below.

http://www.pope.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123204076

Lt Col Parks Hughes
Commander, 21st Special Tactics Squadron