1

Schwartz defends cost of next-

gen bomber … pg 10

The Dropzone

General Schwartz

Defends Cost of

Next-Gen Bomber…

pg 10

February 2012 Issue

2

Table of Contents

Front cover is a oicture of General Norton A.

Schwartz

Happy Birthday Cadet Enlow………page 4

Flying High……...page 6

“Attorney” General………page 10

3

Drill and Ceremony……… page 14

Back Cover is a picture of a C-17 Globemaster III

being refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker

4

Detachment 772 was able to celebrate cadet Enlow’s twenty-first birth-

day on February 9 of this year. The party was organized by former cadet

Cumbee to whom the entire detachment owes thanks. The party was a

complete surprise to Cadet Enlow who seemed to enjoy the festivities. The

entire class chipped in funds for the pizza, cupcakes and soda but what

made it special was the fact it was done by her fellow cadets who care

about her.

The party was not only a great time for cadet Enlow but for everyone

involved and gave a chance for the newer cadets to grow closer with the

older cadets. Silly music was played, jokes were told and bonds were

formed. The party was an overall success and this will truly be a memorial

birthday celebration for cadet Enlow.

Cadet E

nlow

By Cadet Morgan

5

6

On Friday, 17 February, 2012, five cadets from Detachment 772

had the awesome opportunity to be guests on a C-17 training sortie with

the 14 Airlift Squadron of Charleston Air Force Base. This was a great

opportunity for some of Detachment 772’s cadets to interact with our

Active Duty counter parts and experience firsthand what the 14th Mis-

sion is and how the Air Force gets the job done. Unfortunately the cadets

did not get to see all the behind the scenes activities, such as mission

planning and aircraft maintenance. What the cadets did experience had

them grinning from ear to ear and

frankly acting like kids in a toy

store.

At 0800 Detachment 772 ca-

dets met with Captain McNeal

and chatted with him about his

Undergraduate Pilot Training and

Initial Flight Screening experi-

ences. Around 1100 everyone at-

tending, including Lt. Col Dudley

and MSgt Rogers, transitioned

via transport bus from the termi-

nal to the C-17 Globe Master. The Cadets were given a safety brief by

the Load Master (an enlisted crew member whose job entails loading

cargo etc.) The cadets were allowed to move about the C-17 and even

talk with the Pilots as they were performing their pre-flight check lists.

Around 1200 everyone buckled up and prepared for takeoff.

Flying High By Cadet Diaz

7

During the Five hour adven-

ture the cadets were able to occa-

sionally move about the aircraft

and rotate in and out of the two ex-

tra cockpit seats, which are located

just behind the pilot and copilot

seats. The cadets sitting in the

cockpit could use a headset to lis-

ten in on the pilot and copilots

conversation as well as hear the ra-

dio traffic. One piece of critical in-

formation I learned is that while pilots must perform the very attention

orientated and mentally exhausting task of flying, they must keep a con-

stant level and cool attitude about them or they would easily get over-

whelmed with the task at hand. This goes to show how extensive the

United States Air Force training is.

Some of the flight maneuvers

the pilots were practicing during

this particular training sortie were

as follows. The first was a low

level flight, which is a unique ma-

neuver to the USAF and our allies

which allow us to fly at very low

altitudes and at high speeds to en-

ter a hazardous area with the pro-

tection of mountains or any other

cover there may be. This, for obvi-

ous reasons is dangerous, as it does not leave the altitude for correction if

there was an in-flight emergency. Next the pilots trained for a modern Air

Force necessity, in-flight refueling.

8

This was amazing as the C-17 crept closer and closer to the KC-

135 until they made contact with the boom and received their needed

fuel. In-flight refueling is a force multiplier as it allows for more aircraft

to be in the air and stay airborne for longer periods of time.

The only thing holding the

aircraft back is the amount of

time the pilots can safely fly be-

fore total exhaustion. Another

maneuver was a tactical decent

which practically allows the pi-

lots to use a self-induced stall and

then turn the nose low and drop

in altitude very quickly. The op-

erational use of this would be to

enter a hazardous area at higher

altitudes to avoid attack and then drop quickly in a short distance for an

air drop or landing. The last maneuver the pilots practiced was a tactical

landing, which allows the pilots to land on a very short stretch of

ground. This is done by landing the aircraft and engaging the thrust re-

versers thus stopping the large plane in a very short distance. Engaging

the thrust reversers make the turbine engine itself slide open, exposing a

port in the engine which allows the air being moved through the engine

up and forward acting as a break because this pushes air against the di-

rection the plane is moving. Over all, this experience was amazing and

very interesting. The cadets of Detachment 772 highly enjoyed them-

selves and look forward to flying with the 14th again, if so lucky.

9

10

“Attorney” General Schwartz defends cost of next-gen bomber

11

The Air Force’s next-generation bomber comes with a hefty price tag:

$550 million per aircraft — and that assumes no cost overruns similar to

those plaguing the F-22 and F-35 fighter programs.

At a breakfast with reporters Wednesday, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Nor-

ton Schwartz explained why he expects the bomber’s sticker price to stay at

$550 million a pop.

“If it doesn’t, we don’t get a program,” Schwartz said. “I mean, that

was the guidance of the secretary of defense — so either deliver or, you

know, you’re out of there — essentially was [former Defense Secretary]

Bob Gates’ guidance. I get it, loud and clear.”

The bomber isn’t expected to enter service until the mid 2020s, but the

Air Force believes it is critical for future missions, so much so that the pro-

gram was left untouched by recent proposed budget cuts, which include get-

ting rid of 9,900 airmen and hundreds of aircraft.

These cuts come as the military looks to change its focus from the

Middle East to Asia.

“There’s a recognition in the strategy that as you make the shift from

the focus on the [Persian] Gulf area and Iraq and Afghanistan to a more

maritime focus, to the Asia-Pacific requirement, that long-range strike in

particular, and legs, become increasingly important,” Schwartz said at a Feb.

3 news conference.

One lawmaker sounded skeptical about just how important the bomber

is when quizzing top Air Force officials at a budget hearing Tuesday before

the House Armed Services Committee.

“We’ve got a penetrating bomber capability from the B-2s for several

more decades, and we’ve got cruise missiles, we’ve got unmanned stealth

strike aircraft,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga. “Why in the world do we

need a next-generation bomber?”

12

While the 20 B-2s in service are capable aircraft, their stealth

technology is “ ’80s vintage,” Schwartz replied.

“The reality is that the B-2 over time will become less survivable

in contested airspace,” he said.

On Wednesday, Schwartz went even further, saying the Air Force

needs to improve its technology to meet potential threats from China

and Iran.

“Do you think that the Chinese have established one of the

world’s best air defense environments in their eastern provinces just

to invest their national treasure — or, for that matter, that the Iranians

have established integrated air defenses around certain locations in

their country?” he said.

“I would say they are not doing this for the fun of it; they’re do-

ing it because they have a sense of vulnerability. And I ask you: What

is it that conveys that sense of vulnerability to others? One of those

things is long-range strike and that is an asset that the United States of

America should not concede, and that’s why [the] long-range strike

bomber is relevant and will continue to be relevant.”

Air Force Times

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/02/airforce-schwartz-defends-cost-of-next-gen-bomber-022912w/

13

"There is many a boy here today who

looks on war as all glory, but boys, it is

all hell." — Major General William Tecumseh Sherman

14

LC DC Drill & Ceremony

By Cadet Bredesen

The Low Country Drill Competition, held February 25th, was a flurry

of activity for the cadets of Detachment 772. All of the bleary eyed cadets

arrived at 0500 to begin set up for the event that day and the work did not

stop until twelve hours later at 1700. With the small hiccup of a car occu-

pying the middle of the drill pads and having to be towed, the day began

without a hitch. Over 400 people arrived to represent and support the

fourteen low country high school JROTC units. For the junior cadets that

represented these units the tension was high as schools competed in

events such as fancy duets with weapons and with out. These events had

as little as two people to as much as an entire platoon.

Units primarily represented the Air Force branch although with indi-

vidual flourishes to the traditional uniform known so well by the public.

Ascots, berets, and chrome helmets were the big crowd favorites. As the

biggest money maker for Detachment 772, the focus for the cadets was

on the food stand.

15

Assembly lines were set up to sell meals, make hot dogs and ham-

burgers, hand out drinks, chips and candy in order to meet the

lunch rush that is so well anticipated every year.

Once the lunch rush is done and the competition comes to a

close and the scores are being tabulated the cadets, both high

school and college, prepare for the facing competition. The biggest

change to this event is that the winner receives the coveted Lieuten-

ant Colonel Dudley Award. With the watchful eyes of the judges

from the Citadel looking over them the cadets face left, right, sa-

lute, parade rest, etc. with faces that aim to mimic a statue but in-

stead look more akin to a cadet on a C-17 flight. Finally after over

a hundred cadets are knocked out the winner is a cadet from Irmo

High School. Master Sergeant Rogers could not have put the ca-

dets reaction better when she said, “the kid looked like he had won

a million dollars”.

By this time the scores

are done and the winners

are ready to be announced

with the Overall Winner

being Spring Valley High

School and the Second

Overall taken by surpris-

ingly Irmo High School.

With a collective sigh of re-

lief led primarily by Cadet

Diaz the weary cadets of Detachment 772 clean up, relax with the

knowledge that they made over two thousand dollars for the Aero-

space Club and collapse on their beds, exhausted.

16