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Public Affairs, Volume 63, Number 54 Aug. 12, 2016

See Caramanno, Page 3

By Kenji Thuloweit412th Test Wing Public Affairs

412th MDG NCO ready for ‘outstanding’ journey

B-52 releases JASSM from internal bay here

By Christopher Ball412th Test Wing Public Affairs

Last month, the Air Force announced that one of Edwards AFB’s very own is one of 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2016.

In the entire Air Force, Staff Sergeant Raquel Caramanno is one of the 12 best.

Each year, dozens of exceptional Airmen across the Air Force are nom-inated and Caramanno, NCOIC of Medical Readiness for the 412th Med-ical Group, was selected through a competitive process based upon lead-ership, job performance, self-improvement, personal achievements and community involvement.

“Being selected as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year is an absolute honor and a humbling experience. It is an amazing feeling to be recognized for all of the hard work and commitment I’ve dedicated toward my career in support of the AF mission.”

The sergeant is responsible for the wartime readiness of all members as-signed to the 412th Medical Group. As the unit deployment manager, she prepares members for every stage of deployment and assists in their transition back home. Additionally, it is her responsibility to train 17 medical contin-gency response teams and manage the $1.1 million in War Reserve Materiel.

Caramanno hails from Staten Island, New York City. She joined the Air Force in 2012 and will have completed four years of service this Novem-ber. She has spent three-and-a-half years of her career at Edwards.

From the moment she entered the military she has always strived for excellence.

“Receiving this award is a direct reflection of the amazing leadership I have had during my time here at Edwards AFB. Without their mentorship

Staff Sgt. Raquel Caramanno is one of 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo by Christopher Ball)

and dedication towards my success, I would not be the Airman I am today.” Caramanno credits her mentor, Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Soto, 412th

MDG superintendent, for her achievement.“His selfless dedication ensured my accomplishments were recognized

and for that I am truly thankful.”“Taking care of Airmen is the most important thing we do as leaders,”

said Soto. “Staff Sgt. Caramanno was nominated because of her exception-al character, performance and professionalism. Simply stated, she leads

Team Edwards accomplished another first recently by executing a clean separation of three Joint Attack Surface Standoff Missiles, or JASSMs, from the internal weapons bay of a B-52 Stratofortress here.

The aircraft has long been capable of carrying JASSMs on its wing pylons, but this is the first time they have been successfully released from Conventional Rotary Launcher in the internal bay.

“That was a first-ever for the B-52, and is also going to be another amazing enhancement in B-52 combat capability for Global Strike,” said Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing com-mander, who flew the F-16 photo chase plane for the JASSM mission.

“I got to chase the first-ever JASSM drop from the internal weapons bay of the B-52. We dropped it right here on the range at Edwards.”

The venerable bomber could carry up to 12 JASSMs on its wing pylons, said Jose Estrada, a weapons integration engineer with the 775th Test Squadron. Integration of CRL in internal weap-ons bay adds a capability of carrying eight more missiles in the aircraft, increasing the B-52’s

JASSM payload by more than 60 percent. The previous, or legacy, launcher used in the

B-52 internal bay was the Common Strategic Rotary Launcher. This launcher was only capa-ble of carrying unguided munitions, or “dumb bombs.”

Another benefit to carrying weapons internal-ly is it creates less drag on the aircraft, increas-ing fuel efficiency. Brian Pinto, also a weapons integration engineer with the 775th, added that

“For long range operations, this means less drag. Estrada said. “The aircraft can fly fur-ther and faster and still return to base after the mission.”

Although the release of the missiles was the milestone, the missiles weren’t the main focus of the testing, Estrada said.

“The CRL is really what we’re looking at. We’ve already validated the [Joint Direct-ed Attack Munition], now we’re working the JASSM. The next step is the [Miniature Air Launch Decoy].”

Earl Johnson, the test project manager, said this separation test was part of the first of three phases, and primarily focused on data collec-tion. “We accomplished fit checks, making sure the weapons had clearance, within the weapons bay, while rotating on the CRL, demonstrated a clean separation of the weapon in flight, and made sure everything was done safely,” he said.

The next phase – the interim phase – will in-clude more of the same testing, but with the ad-dition of live weapons. And the third phase will validate the CLR system’s full capability.

Success marks another ‘first-ever’ for AFTC

A Joint Attack Surface Standoff Missile separates from the internal bay of a B-52 over Edwards range. This was the first time a JASSM was released from the internal weapoans bay of the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force image by Christian Turner)

By Kenji Thuloweit412th Test Wing Public Affairs

August 12, 2016www.facebook.com/EdwardsAirForceBase

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Summer is a great time to get out and golf, and that was the theme of the 412th Test Wing 2nd Quarter Awards Ceremony held Aug. 3 at the base theater. Brig. Gen. Carl Schae-fer, 412th TW commander, and Chief Mas-ter Sgt. Todd Simmons, 412th TW command chief, presided over the ceremony where top performing nominees and winners were an-nounced. Each award winner present got the chance to attempt a golf putt on stage with a portable green and hole after receiving their award from the general. Congratulations to all 2nd quarter winners!

2nd Quarter (April – June 2016)

Airman of the QuarterSenior Airman Cameron Farrell412th Civil Engineering Group

NCO of the QuarterStaff Sgt. Victoria Fiermonte

412th Medical Group

SNCO of the QuarterMaster Sgt. Joseph Duffy

412th Mission Support Group

Company Grade Officer of the QuarterCapt. Joshua Coughenour

412th Test Engineering Group

Field Grade Officer of the QuarterMaj. Margaret Coppini

412th MDG

Dorm of the QuarterSenior Airman Tanya Alvarez412th Mission Support Group

Honor Guard of the QuarterTech. Sgt. Stephen Pottinger

412th MSG

Supervision/Management of the QuarterGabriel Resendez

U.S. Air Force Plant 42

Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer (right), 412th Test Wing com-mander, watches Master Sgt. Joseph Duffy attempt a putt after being awarded the SNCO of the Quarter Award Aug. 3 in the base theater. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)

Top performers honored at 412th TW 2nd Quarter Awards Ceremony

Scientific/Engineering of the QuarterShawn Rexius412th TENG

Technician of the QuarterArcadio Garcia

412th CEG

Trades & Labor of the QuarterBert Maxwell

412th Maintenance Group

Secretarial/Clerical of the QuarterBelinda Miller412th MDG

Staff/Specialist/Analyst of the QuarterWilliam Starr

412th Operations Group

Program Manager of the Quarter Timothy James

412th CEG

Team of the QuarterWeapons Standardization

412th MXG

Volunteer of the QuarterAirman 1st Class Samantha Phillips

412th MDG

Tickets are on sale for this year’s Air Force Ball, which will be held Sept. 10 in Lancaster, California. The gala will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dinner will consist of tri-tip steak and tender-roasted chick-en breast, herbed potatoes au gratin and seasoned grilled veg-etables. A vegetarian option is also available consisting of lasa-gna. Formal or semi-formal wear is required for military and coat and tie for civilian men. Evening dress for ladies. There will be music, photos, beverages for purchase, dessert and dancing.

Ticket prices:

E1 - E4/GS-1 to GS-4: $20E5 – E6/GS-5: $30

E7 – E9/GS-6 to GS-8: $35O1 – O3/GS-9 to GS-12: $40

O4+/GS-13+: $45

Tickets are limited. No additional tickets will be available or sold once they’re gone. Contact your group POC or call 661-275-3521 to buy tickets. If selecting the vegetarian meal, please men-tion at the time of purchase.

www.facebook.com/CGOC-Sponsoring-AF-Ball-2016-Event-277200815980174/

2016 AF Ball

Dozens of representatives from colleges across the country dropped by Club Muroc Aug. 3 for this year’s annual education fair spon-sored by the Edwards Education and Training office. Visitors got the chance to talk to reps about education opportunities and programs available to them at different universities. They were also able to gather information about tu-ition assistance programs and enrollment tips. As always, Edwards Education and Training can help with questions regarding education options and payment methods available to both military and civilian personnel. The office is located at 140 Methusa Ave., Bldg. 2453. For more information, call 661-277-2713 or email 412.fss.fsde.education.services@us.af.mil.

Education fair gives lessons on learningBy Kenji Thuloweit412th Test Wing Public Affairs

(U.S. Air Force photo by Joseph Gocong)

August 12, 2016Desert Wingswww.edwards.af.mil3

Caramanno, from Page 1 by example…setting the standard for her peers. You will not find a more deserving Airman who truly embodies the Air Force’s Core Values and is as humble as she is. My greatest success is in-spiring others to succeed and grow and I couldn’t be more proud of Staff Sgt. Caramanno’s selec-tion as 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year!”

Caramanno describes her time at Edwards as an amazing experience.

“There are so many opportunities available for Airmen to take advantage of while they are sta-tioned here. The Air Force has so many opportu-nities for Airmen to prosper, and with the right mindset, goals, and dedication, [Airmen] can achieve whatever they set out to accomplish.”

As a 12 Outstanding Airman Award recipient, she will serve as an enlisted ambassador towards Air Force retention and recruiting efforts traveling the globe for the next year speaking to citizens and Airmen everywhere. Caramanno’s selection gives her the opportunity to represent not only herself but her fellow Airmen as well. Although she was selected for her achievements spanning the past year, she views her selection “as an opportunity to grow and lead other Airmen to success.”

“I want to inspire others to continue to push forward and strive to succeed no matter what the circumstance.”

Caramanno’s achievement will be honored at the Air Force Association’s National Conven-tion in Washington D.C. Sept. 17 - 18. There, she will be honored by the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff, along with senior lead-ers from across the Air Force.

Although she will no doubt be busy for the next year, Caramanno says her plans for the fu- -Taylor Steele, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this story-

Back in BAF: B-1B Lancer returns to Benefield Anechoic FacilityBy Kenji Thuloweit412th Test Wing Public Affairs

The B-1B Lancer has come home to test in the Benefield Anechoic Facility.

Engineers and maintainers from Edwards have teamed up with testers from around the Air Force to examine the B-1B’s ALQ-161 threat protection system with the goal of improving it to enhance the bomber’s survivability. The ALQ-161 is a receiver/transmitter that detects and identifies threat radio frequencies then ap-plies the appropriate jamming technique to pro-tect the B-1 while on missions.

“The ALQ-161 receives all of the radio fre-quency energy when it’s flying and will process it and determine if it’s a threat, and then it can set up automatic jamming to jam that RF ener-gy from a missile, aircraft or ground missile,” said Rodney Brooks, 579th Software Mainte-nance Squadron, out of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. “The 161 system has been on the B-1B since it was built and we’ve done a lot of im-provements in the last 10 years. We’re looking to make some more improvements in the future and we need to collect data from the antennas here in the BAF so we can move forward.”

Data is being collected from directional signal testing, antenna pattern testing and system chan-nel testing. The team is observing how the ALQ-161 responds to signals and what the system is looking at when it sees signals out in the field. The data will be analyzed to see if hardware, software, or both, need to be upgraded.

The BAF, operated by the 772nd Test Squad-ron, is the largest anechoic chamber in the world and can fit nearly any airplane inside. It pro-vides a signal-free space so electronic warfare tests can be conducted without radio frequen-

cy interference from the outside world.

“We should be able to get everything out of the BAF that we need. With the antenna patterning we seem to be getting a lot of good data. We will take that data back and see what we need to do with it,” Brooks said.

Carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force invento-ry, the multi-mission B-1 is the backbone of America’s long-range bomb-er force. It can rapidly deliver massive quan-tities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time. Along with its speed and agility, the B-1B’s ALQ-161 is part of a robust defense sys-tem that allows it to penetrate hostile airspace.

“Every test here in the BAF is different,” said Hannah Dahlgren, 772nd Test Squadron, project lead engineer. “The cool thing about this test is that the B-1 is the aircraft that the BAF was built for. They decided to build this facility to fix is-sues specifically on the B-1.”

The BAF was completed in July 1989. The anechoic chamber then commenced its first de-fensive systems test operations with the AN/ALQ-161A on the B-1B. Electronic warfare personnel used the B-1B aircraft to calibrate the new chamber, determine its baseline perfor-mance, verify and validate test procedures, and

to prepare its AN/ALQ-161A defensive system for future tests. A ceremony was held Nov. 14, 1990 where the facility was named the Benefield Anechoic Facility in honor of Rockwell chief test pilot Tommie D. “Doug” Benefield who per-ished Aug. 29, 1984 in a crash of a B-1A.

The BAF has since been used constinually for electronic warfare testing on all types of aircraft, from U.S. Air Force aircraft to allied nations air-craft. The chamber is filled with polyurethane and polyethylene pyramids designed to stop reflections of electromagnetic waves. The size of the pyramids, which are painted dark blue or black, varies depending on the particular fre-quency and test procedure being conducted. Air-craft systems can be tested and verified that they work properly prior to actual flight test.

The current B-1B test began July 27 and is scheduled to wrap up Aug. 12.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Chris Okula)

-Dr. Stephanie Smith, 412th Test Wing historian, contributed to this story-

ture have not changed. “This has been an amazing experience; I

never thought I’d get this far and receive such a high-level award. But, nothing has real-ly changed in regards to my goals. I’d like to commission into the Biomedical Service Corps once I finish my bachelor’s degree.”

Staff Sgt. Raquel Cara-manno takes a putt and sinks it as Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander looks on. Car-amanno was recognized at the wing’s second quarter award ceremony Aug. 3 for being named one of 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year by the Air Force for 2016. Caramanno is the NCOIC of Medical Readiness at the 412th Medical Group and hopes to commission into the Biomedical Service Corps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)

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This week in Edwards Flight Test History

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Commander, 412th TW ................. Brig. Gen Carl SchaeferInstallation Support Director ..................... Dr. David Smith Command Chief .............. Chief Master Sgt. Todd SimmonsDirector, 412th TW, Public Affairs ................... Ed BuclatinEditors ........................... Kenji Thuloweit, Christopher BallContributor ................................................. Dawn Waldman

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On Aug. 12, 1972 the McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle successfully passed its first

flight performance milestone six weeks ahead of schedule. This milestone consisted of

Mach 2 flight and altitude and g-load targets. (Edwards History Office file photo)

Edwards is participating in the Feds Feed Families Food Drive. All of the food collected will be distributed to the local food banks in the Antelope Valley. According to organizers, Edwards is leading the entire DOD in donated food and wants to continue this level of excellence. The food drive ends Aug. 31. Two major events are coming up. There will be the Car Wash Food Drive Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the High Desert Lanes parking lot. Donate a bag of canned food or non-perishable food items and receive a car wash. Next will be the Feds Feed Family Day Aug. 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Arnold Park. There will be wet and dry bounce houses for children, food, music and more. It’s a fun way to donate bags of canned goods and non-perishable food. Come out and have fun while helping those in need in the local community. For questions, call Master Sgt. Jarrod Miller at 661-277-3624.

Back to School Base schools will be open-ing back up Monday, Aug. 15. Team Edwards res-idents are reminded to watch for children riding bicycles and walking to school. There will also be increased vehicle traffic around the school areas and in the general housing area.