(62nd AW PA)- More than 100 airmen from the 8th Airlift Squadron will soon deploy to the Middle East in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. For approximately 120 days, the unit will operate out of a single base, managing and flying missions concentrated in and around Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa. 

The McChord Field airmen will take over the operations of the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The mission of the 816th EAS is to provide global strategic airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and humanitarian relief, to create an air bridge for personnel, equipment and supplies throughout their assigned areas of responsibility.

For more on the upcoming deployment, click here.

The X-37B, the Air Force's new unmanned space plane scheduled to launch Thursday, will test a new batch of reusable technologies, including new silica re-entry tiles, as well as "other technologies that are sort of one generation beyond the shuttle," one program official said.

High-tech stuff. Unfortunately, it won't come close to McChord Field. The craft is scheduled to land at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., when it completes the mission. 

Read more about the craft and its mission here.

The Carol's Daughter beauty products counter inside the McChord Field BX is offering free makeovers from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (April 17).

Spots are limited and those interested are encouraged to call (253) 582-3110 to make an appointment.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber will recognize the Howard O. Scott Citizens of the Year at its 29th annual presentation May 4.

The chamber is currently seeking nominations for the award.  Guidelines are as follows:

1. A Reservist or National Guard member, any service;

2. A resident of Tacoma or Pierce County;

3. Professional in both military and civilian occupations;

4. An exemplary volunteer in the community

5. Additional consideration given if the nominee is an employee of a Chamber member or owns a business that is a Chamber member.

Nominations should be no longer than two pages (no photos).  While military professionalism is important, this is usually a given standard, according to a letter from Gary Brackett with the chamber.  As such, he recommends the nomination focus on the nominee' s volunteerism in the community.

Selection of the honoree will be made by the Military Affairs Committee of the chamber.  Wing Reservists' nominations should be submitted to Lt. Col. Anna Sullivan, 446th AW Public Affairs, in Bldg. 1214.  Deadline for submitting nominees to public affairs is April 19.

Courtesy 446th AW Public Affairs

As Osan's 731st Air Mobility Squadron begins to prepare for the re-establishment of the Patriot Express making its way through Korea, details are becoming available on the projected days and times of routes to connect passengers with Japan and the United States. 

There will be two Patriot Express missions here, and while there are projected times and dates, all Air Mobility Command missions are subject to change without any prior notification. The estimated date of the first departure mission is April 7. 

The first route is scheduled to arrive here from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Misawa Air Base, Japan on Mondays at 12:20 p.m. It will leave the next day, Tuesday, with a 6 a.m. Space-A roll call time, bound for Misawa AB and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 

The second route is scheduled to arrive here from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Yokota Air Base, Japan on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. It will leave the same day for Kunsan Air Base, with a Space-A roll call time of 10 a.m. (prior to the aircraft arrival). The aircraft will then come back through Osan via Kunsan at 10:50 a.m. Thursday, with Space-A roll call time for departure to Yokota/Seattle-Tacoma of 9 a.m. Thursday. 

"Once the Patriot Express is back in service, the flight times will be as steadfast as any AMC flight can be," said Tech. Sgt. Robert Wooley, 731st AMS and Osan Passenger Terminal representative. "However, these times may still go through several changes before the first Patriot Express aircraft arrives here in April, so if your booked against one of these missions or planning on flying them as a Space-A, make sure to refer to your booking agent for show times or call the Osan Passenger terminal for an update 72 hours prior."

The new Osan Joint Reception Center will be the hub for all passengers traveling AMC after it is completed in late summer 2010, but for now, the 731st AMS asks for patience with the facilities at the current passenger terminal, which was designed to handle primarily mission-related flights with limited Space-A capability. 

"The terminal, in its capacity to move large amounts of passengers, is limited since we are a small location" Sergeant Wooley said. "It provides the necessities for business and that's about it. We are doing our very best to ensure as many amenities are available as you might find in a large terminal, but in some cases these will be limited, if available at all."

Sergeant Wooley added that the 731st AMS is working with AAFES to bring an additional food option to the passenger terminal, but that parking, telephones and internet access will be limited, with the nearest ATM at the Base Exchange. 

Here's a great story about a former combat controller (and WSU grad) who was stationed at McChord. He had an accident which damaged his spinal cord but he's now a star skier. Read more here.

For those of you who are members of the social networking Web site Facebook, the 446th Airlift Wing at JBLM-McChord Field recently started a fan page. It has posted a few items on there already, and includes a discussion question under the discussion tab. The Reserve wing is encouraging people to become fans and let them know what you think.

A pair of local former WWII female pilots were among a select group honored March 10 in Washington, D.C.

Each received the Congressional Gold Medal, the top honor awarded to a civilian.

Here is a link to the story in The News Tribune.

Thirty Reservists with the 446th Civil Engineer Squadron, JBLM McChord Field, returned March 15 from a six-month deployment to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq.

Forty Reserve Airmen from the 446th CES deployed at the end of August 2009, with some returning earlier.  The 446th CES still has eight firefighters in Iraq who deployed in December.    

This week six 62nd Airlift Wing airmen and one 446th AW reservist will compete at the third annual Aviation Maintenance Technology Society's Aircraft Maintenance Professionals Skills Competition March 16-18 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Read more about the competition and the airmen headed there.