Truckin' On Mar 2014

8/12/2019 Truckin' On Mar 2014

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Disclaimer: Truckin On is an unofficial newsletter published every month in the interest of serving Air Force active duty, civilian and retired vehicle operations

maintenance personnel. Articles submitted by its contributors are not to be considered official statements by the U.S. Air Force.

1 Mar 2014

SPECIALPOINTSOFINTEREST:

Vietnama look back: PG 1-6

Inside this issue:

Transporting the Army PG 7-9

Inside PACAF

keeping Yokota mobile

PG 10

USAFE / PACAF

in the news

PG 11

Vehicle to Vehicle

PG 12-

13

Web News, Info &

Videos

PG 14

Snuffys Corner PG 15

Dedicated to the Men and Womenof

AF Vehicle Operations & Maintenance Past, Present, and Future

Truckin On Reunion

3-7 Nov 2014

Las Vegas, NV

Interested Members

Sign-up NLT 3/31/14

ietnam a look backTransporters recall what it waslike for them over 40 years ago

Editors Comments: It is not ourintent to discuss the politics of the

Vietnam War in this article. Thoseissues have been debated endlesslysince the war ended many years ago.We simply wanted to capturethe thoughts of a few members whowere therein country.

History doesnt record the everydayexperiences of Air Force groundtransporters, so we offered them achance to tell their own stories here.This newsletter is dedicated to them

and others who served in Vietnam.The map below depicts major USAFbases in Southeast Asia at the time ofthe war and serves as a point ofreference.

Truckin onTruckin on


2/15

ietnam a look backPhu Cat

George McElwain, 37th Transportation Squadron, Phu Cat

AB, RVN, Feb 67Feb 68, NCOIC MHE/463L Shops

The flight to the RVN landed at Tan Son Nhut AB in Saigon;

however, I was unable to walk as my right ankle had swollen

twice its normal size. I was hospitalized for 7 days in Qui Nhon

before making the onward flight to Phu Cat. We arrived at Phu

Cat late at night, but had no place to sleep. Everyone was

issued a cot, blanket, and pillow andtold to find a barracks. We

found an empty building and grabbed some shuteye, only to be

awakened to the sound of rain, and the fact that we were gettingwet as the barracks we selected had no roof.

I reported for in-processing and duty assignment and the

NCOIC told me I was assigned to the MHE/463L shop. I asked

him where it was and he said under the shade tree behind the

supply tent. It was also close to the constant hum of a 60KW

generator that provided power for all the shops.

I went looking for the shop and found several mechanics busy

with forklifts and tugs. I found some tools and was introduced to

an older SSgt. He informed me that he was in charge, which

the boss confirmed; however, he only had a 5-skill level. I had

already passed the 7-skill level test, so I was now in charge and

the shade tree was mine!

The first thing we needed was a shop floor and the RMK -BRJ

construction company (contractor) was busy pouring the runway

and taxiways. We found out they had some bad loads of

concrete, so we laid forms, found some steel, and prayed for

more bad batches, especially the soupy stuff. Damn nice floor!

We stuck some poles in the ground and boards across the roof

and laid a tarp. We scrounged materials from all over base and

moved them to our location with a 1 1/2 ton truck. We needed a

place for tools, parts, and a break area, so we built a "hot dog

stand" with windows that opened for air, and it provided shelter

from the rain. The shop truck served as our office.

I explained to supply that we just opened a new shop, so they

agreed to issue jacks, stands, battery chargers and all the other

equipment we needed. We were so excited, but when we

opened the boxes the waterproof paper and most of the

equipment wrapped in it were ruined. Parts were a real

problem; the overhaul kits that were sent only had parts for IHC

trucks, but none for Hyster, Baker, or Minneapolis Moline. We

ordered them, but the due outs didn't match what came in. So,

we found small parts, nuts, and bolts in a nearby Army junkyard

at Phu Bai; they took apart blown up equipment.After 9 months of the tree and tent, we moved into the

RMK-BRJ building vacated by the base construction crew. Life

was better after that, but we kept the hot dog stand for parts,

etc. The remaining time was just hard work and we said that we

worked from can to can't and that was from can see to can't

see.

We worked 7 days a week, but we were able to sneak off

occasionally on an afternoon and then show up late for roll call

the next day. Troops at some locations were not able to leave

the base, but the town of Qui Nhon was secure.

It was one tough year, but we opened a new base with nothing

but resourceful mechanics with a ton of talent, and the job was

accomplished. We only had to defend the base once, which

proved you should never give weapons to mechanics.

MHE/463L Shop Phu Cat

HotDogStand

1 Mar 2014

ShadeTree

MyCrew

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ietnam a look back


1 Mar 2014

Tan Son Nhut

Al Baird, 377th Transportation Squadron, Tan Son Nhut AB,

RVN, Aug 68Aug 69, Vehicle Maintenance Superintendent

In 1968 my four-year tour at the USAF academy, currentenlistment and 20 years of service expired all at once. I had notbeen to Vietnam, so when I reenlisted for four years I got myorders for Tan Son Nhut AB, Saigon faster than the speed oflight.

Shortly after relocating my family, I was aboard a charteredaircraftheaded toSaigon. WhenI arrived thereIwas met at theairport byour maintenance officerand theE-8 I was replacing. Iwas impressed by that, so from that day on I personallypickedupeveryone at the airport who reported to our organization and

delivered them to it when they departed.After settling in, it quickly became quiteclear that "wewerenolonger in Kansas." Our lube section consisted of a concretehole in the ground (grease pit) with no lights, a fewhandoperated grease guns, and some hand-operated oilpumps that fit 55-gal drums, but equipment wasn't therealproblem.

Many ofour customers were scattered all over the place doingimportant work that they could not accomplish without theirlimited transportation. So, many of their vehicles went withoutservice and were only delivered to us when they were on lifesupport. We could not communicate with most of our

customers, and

we could barely communicate with

our outlyingshops a mile away (primitive land line system).

Later on they built us a new service station maintenance shopwith a great lube rack, which, after ashort time, presented itsown maintenance problems. However, as you might expect,obtainingreplacement parts for our vehicles and equipmentwasthe real problem, and it could not be solved.

Vehicle maintenance, and everyone else on base, was orderingthousands and thousandsof parts and supplies, so the systembecame saturated. Furthermore, with the procurement systemthe Air Force had in place at that time,we just had to acceptthefactthat it was the bestwe could do.

On the brighter side, our maintenance officer was one of thegood guys. I still communicate with him. Ourshop foremen andour mechanicswere highly skilled andcould do whatever it tookto get the job done. We didn't have all the fancy tools weneeded, but a lot of us older guys were taught to do a lot ofthings without fancy tools. It would be nice to say that thelonger we were there the better things got, but they didn't. We

just did the best we could with what was available.

Just to let you know that we had a corrosion problem, I need totell this story: We had a jeep in our back lot with the left frontwheel folded straightout from underthe vehicle and lyingflat onthe ground with the wheel hub pointing skyward. The lowercontrol arm had rusted through and broken completelyoff, a sad

sight indeed.We were technically in a war zone but ourSecurity friendsprettywell kept between us and the Viet Cong. The area that weoccupiedhad beenoverruna few months before I arrived duringthe Tet offensive, but nothing serious happened while I wasthere. They did fire a few rockets at our base, but only at night.When they attacked, a siren sounded and we made a mad dashfor our bunker.

My most lasting personal impression of our country'sinvolvementin Vietnam was after working there and talkingwithsome of the local national workers it became obvious to methatmost of themhadno idea why this war was going on.

The average citizendidn't reallyknow what form of governmentthey were living underat the timeor the difference between acommunist, democratic ortheocratic form of government, or that

their millions and millionsof citizens lives wouldhardly changeor be affected in any significant way no matter who won thewar.

More than three million of us were involved in some way in thiswar. More than 58,000 of us died and now, years later, thelivesof these Vietnamese people are basically unchanged andtheylive on, day after day and year after year.

The average citizendidn't reallyknow what form

of government they were living underat the timeor

the difference between a communist, democratic

or theocratic form of government, or that theirmillions and millionsof citizens lives wouldhardly

change or be affected in any significant way no

matter who wonthe war.

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ietnam a look back


1 Mar 2014

Tan Son Nhut

Bob Wiley, 377th Transportation Squadron & 7th Air Force,

Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN, Jun 70Jun 71, Supervisor,

Maintenance Analysis

Like most contract flights into Vietnam, they flew high anddropped rather suddenly once in the airfields airspace tominimize the amount of time we were vulnerable to ground fireduring conventional low altitude approaches.

Once deplaned, in-processing began immediately, and it waspretty chaotic, what with instructions on how to hunker downquickly if we began taking fire; moving from place to place forpersonnel and finance concerns; and converting our UScurrency into military scrip, that paper currency our countryprinted that substituted for US currency and coin in foreigncountries.

It was during this in-processing that I got my first look at thetraditional clothing item most Vietnamese women of somestatus wore, the "o Di".Its very simple, consisting of aclose-fitting blouse, with long panels in the front and back,which is worn over loose white or black trousers and almostalways with heels.Women of a lesser status typically wore veryloose fitting pajama-like garments, usually white tops with blackpants.

Once finished with this in-process goat roping, we, newlyarrived, were bussed to Tan Son Nhuts transient area, and itstruck me as pretty dismal, though I think some of that wasbecause I was separated from my wife and kids. But we had tohang around there until more in-processing was completed.

We all needed to be issued our tropical weight fatigues andnylon cloth-upper boots, squadron billets, bedding, tobacco andbeer/liquor ration cards, and final in-processing at the orderlyroom. Im thinkin.one of these days Ill finally get to go towork.

While at the 377th, I supervised the R&A office with three otheranalysts and one Vietnamese clerk assigned. One benefit of

working R&A was we operated the cardpunch machine tocapture vehicle MX data, and the punch cards were rathersensitive to humidity; that meant our work area had to be airconditioned. How tough was that? Capt Truetler was the MXofficer when I first got there; when he rotated, Capt Jerry Galloreplaced him.

The Vietnamese clerk I had, named Miss Voc, did a lot ofkeypunching and if you saw how long her fingernails were youdhave to wonder how she could keypunch with them. The wayshe did it was to hold a pencil upside down and speed aroundthe numeric keyboard tapping the keys with the eraser. By theway, in their culture, long nails on women signified a certainstatus so asking them to trim their nails was out of the question.

The R&A office was upstairs over one of the several shops inthe MX compound, almost right up against the cyclone-typefence that separated the airfield from some of the Saigonneighborhood. Id have to say I was never totally comfortablewith that arrangement.

Though in reality, Tan Son Nhut was secure, and while I wasthere we never had mortars or rockets, or sappers infiltrating thebase, we were still in a combat zone. There was, however, anabundance of bunkers scattered throughout the base. We weresupposed to hunker down in them in the event of an attack.

Speaking of where to go in the event of an attack, if we hadbeen told we needed the M-16 weapon that was assigned toeach of us, we had to hustle over to our motor pool area, andhope someone who had the key to the weapon storage areawas there to issue the weapon and some ammo; that wasanother reason to be a bit uneasy.

But just about all of us did get an opportunity to hold ourweapon for about ten minutes or so every other month when wereceived no-fire weapons training.

TSgt Bob Wiley Tan Son Nhut 1970

MPC or Scrip

Continued on PG 5

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ietnam a look back


1 Mar 2014

Our squadron troops occupied several two story barracks andthey, along with other units barracks, flanked a sprawling latrinefacility that was used by a large number of GIs. One end of itwas showers, and up and down both sides of the remainder ofthis facility were urinals, commodes, and sinks; it seemed like1/3 of each group of those items was out of order at any onetime; I mean really out of order. Fortunately, the upper third ofthis building, on all sides, was screening, and that was a goodthingsort of odor control.

After a short while in-country it became commonplace to see alot of wheeled armored vehicles patrolling the base; and someof RVNs no-nonsense military police officers (we referred toem as white mice) directing traffic. The white mice stood outby wearing a distinctive arm band and a bright white US forceshelmet liner. Nobody gave the White Mice any lip.

I got an appreciation for our MX troops doing more with less;base contracting specialists providing some amazing support,and inter-service support agreements with the US Armyproviding in-country depot-like support for some of our outsizedstuff. It was also surprising to me to see how industrious andcapable many Vietnamese were in a land that was way lessthan being industrialized. If you gave them a widget,unavailable anywhere, theyd copy it and make however manyof them you needed.

So then I find myself at 7AF HQ, assigned as a Veh Opssupervisor. My immediate boss was Major Russ Pentz, whohad previously spent quite a bit of his career at SAC.

This assignment was a typical HQ thing which meant a fairamount of time was spent on TDY. Much of my travel was byC-130 and the C-7 Caribou (pretty much a smaller, two-engineversion of the C-130). The word was that the Caribou couldactually fly backward in a strong enough headwind, though Inever personally experienced that, nor did I want to. But it was

true that some in-country flights carried a few indigenouspassengers to include their live poultry and a goat or two.And itwas during these TDYs that I got a taste of actually being lesssecure than I was accustomed to at Tan Son Nhut.

I recall a TDY to Binh Thuy (bin tooey) with another of my HQsmates, and it was supposed to be a one-day affair. But then thecommander of the unit we were visiting said hed need us therethrough the following day as well, and hed call our boss tosquare it away. We argued that we had no change of clothes orgrooming gear because this was supposed to be only a singleday soiree, whereupon he told us hed get us whatever weneeded to freshen up the following morning.

If you guessed that he never came through with any of thatstuff, you were correct. If you also guessed we didnt look orsmell so great the next day, you were likewise correct.

There was some hostile activity going on at those TDYlocations. I found myself TDY to Cam Rahn Bay and Da Nang,and several other locations I cant recall anymore. But what Ican remember is that almost anywhere I went TDY the Vietconghad just paid the base some attention, or was trying to pay thebase some attention, so we were on alert for a while.All thingsconsidered, Id rather have stayed put at Tan Son Nhut. But theenemy didnt have to fear meremember Im the one that didnthave a weapon to carry around.

Was it all bad? Not at all. Saigon was a truly interesting place,and 7 AF people were frequently doing things to help take theedge off being in Vietnam. For example, I had attended my firstever luau there, an authentic luau with the pig buriedunderground. Saigons also the place where I took my firstcyclo ride. The cyclo was a three-wheeled conveyance youwould hire to zip you around the city. Some were powered byscooters and others by bicycles. You would be seated in thefront of this thing and the cowboy driving it apparently wantedto be a race car driver. Saigon streets were full of a variety ofconveyances powered by 2-cycle engines, so you can prettywell imagine how polluted the air was in the city proper. Butunless youve seen it, you cant begin to know how much stuff

can be transported on a conventional or motorized bicycle.As my tour was winding down, the Vietnamization Program wasspinning up; the US forces were working very hard to try tomake the RVN troops self-sustaining and capable of militarilyprotecting the South from the North. The US put a tremendousamount of time and materiel into this Vietnamization thing, onlyto see it totally fall apart while we were in the final throes ofclosing down our US military presence. Despite peace accordssigned in Paris, as soon as the US forces were gone, the NVAinvaded the south and the RVN capitulated almostimmediately. Kind of reminds me of our current Iraqexperience.

Cyclo Ao Dai

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ietnam a look back1 Mar 2014

Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie and the Rescue of Roger Locher

Final Salute.

by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)

As a Vietnam Era veteran, putting this article together has beenspecial for me. The stories submitted here arent heroic, buttheyre real and describe the everyday grind of ordinary menserving their country in a war zone, and at a time when it wasntpopular to do so. To all those who served in Southeast Asia,men and women, thank you.

There are two more tributes on this page that I urge you to taketime to watch and listen. The first, submitted by Col LarryKearns, features Brigadier General Steve Ritchie, a real-life

hero of Vietnam. The story he tells in this 8-

minute/44-

secondvideo is riveting and inspirational.

The second homage to Vietnam veterans is in a song I found,also on YouTube, called The Eagle Cried. Its a heartwrenching song accompanied by scenes of the war and tellsthe story of a soldier who survived and returned home to acountry that had turned its back on its military.

It describes how attitudes toward our military have changed in ageneration and how our men and women in uniform are onceagain appreciated. So, to all those who served in Iraq and

Afghanistan and are still serving today, we thank you too.

The song also reminds us to never again lose sight of the

sacrifices paid by our veterans, a lesson that seems to be loston many of our leaders and representatives in Washingtontoday.

Note: The Eagle Cried (bottom right) is embedded so just click

on the arrow and it will take you directly to the video where you

can select play to watch and listen to it.

Brigadier General Steve Ritchie Vietnam War Ace

submitted by Larry Kearns, Col, USAF (Ret)

On July 8, 1972, then-Capt Steve Ritchie downed two MiGswith three missiles in 1 minute, 29 seconds. Less than twomonths later, on Aug. 28, Ritchie downed his fifth MiG 21 tobecome the Air Force's only pilot ace of the Vietnam War --and the only American pilot in history to shoot down five of thelegendary Russian-made fighter planes.

In this YouTubevideo, Brig Gen Ritchie addresses the RotaryClub of Eustis, Florida and talks about the rescue of fellowpilot, Roger Locher. This is an outstanding story of heroism

and camaraderie. Click on the link below.

The Eagle Cried

by U.S. Army Major J. Billington

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvRcP4go-eg&authuser=0http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ehbc1zU1BwQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvRcP4go-eg&authuser=0


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Transporting the rmyransporting the rmy 1 Mar 2014

379th ELRS moves 1-43rd ADA

by Master Sgt. David Miller

379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

1/23/2014 - AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- The 379thExpeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was recentlytasked to move 51 vehicles and other miscellaneous pieces ofequipment from the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade,1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to acollection point for further distribution. All vehicles wereinoperable and had to be towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailerfor movement. This was the final push in the completemovement of the 1-43 ADA from their old site to their newlocation. Other items included in the move were CONNEX's,generators, tents, barriers, lightalls and other equipment. Themove took three days to complete.

Senior Airman Hunter Spears and Senior Airman ShaneZimmerman prepare to secure a U.S. Army M939 5-Ton vehicle at

Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17, 2014. The 379th ExpeditionaryLogistics Readiness Squadron was tasked to move 51 vehicles

and miscellaneous pieces of equipment from the former 11th AirDefense Artillery Brigade, 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense ArtilleryRegiment site, to a collection point for further distribution. Allvehicles were inoperable and had to be towed or loaded onto aflatbed trailer for movement. This was the final push in thecomplete movement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site to theirnew location. The move took three days to complete. Spears is a379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed from Minot Air Force Base,N.D., and a Fort Smith, Ark., native. Zimmerman is a 379th ELRSvehicle operator deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and aBear Creek, N.C., native. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt.David Miller)

Recently moved U.S. Army M939 5-Ton vehicles are lined up ata collection point at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17, 2014. The379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was taskedto move 51 vehicles and other miscellaneous pieces ofequipment from the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade,1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to acollection point for further distribution. All vehicles wereinoperable and had to be towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailerfor movement. This was the final push in the completemovement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site to their newlocation. Other items included in the move were CONNEX's,generators, tents, barriers, lightalls and other equipment. Themove took three days to complete. (U.S. Air Force photo by

Master Sgt. David Miller)

SrA Elisha Bryant prepares a U.S. Army M939 5-Ton vehicle fortowing to a collection point at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17,

2014.The 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadronwas tasked to move 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces ofequipment from the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade,1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to acollection point for further distribution. All vehicles wereinoperable and had to be towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailerfor movement. This was the final push in the completemovement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site to their newlocation. The move took three days to complete. Bryant isdeployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and is aGoldsboro, N.C., native. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt.David Miller)

Continued on PG 8

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8/15


Senior Airman Richard Narvaez (right) and Senior Airman ElishaBryant hook up a U.S. Army M939 5-Ton vehicle to a tow truck formovement to a collection point at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan.17, 2014. The 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron

was tasked to move 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces ofequipment from the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 1stBattalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to a collectionpoint for further distribution. All vehicles were inoperable and hadto be towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailer for movement. Thiswas the final push in the complete movement of the 1 -43rd ADAfrom their old site to their new location. The move took three daysto complete. Bryant is a 379th ELRS vehicle operator deployedfrom Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and is a Goldsboro, N.C.,native. Narvaez is a 379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed fromMinot Air Force Base, N.D., and a Bronx, N.Y., native. (U.S. AirForce photo by Master Sgt. David Miller)

Senior Airman Shane Zimmerman secures a U.S. Army M9395-Ton vehicle at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17, 2014. The379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was

tasked to move 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces ofequipment from the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade,1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to acollection point for further distribution. All vehicles wereinoperable and had to be towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailerfor movement. This was the final push in the completemovement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site to their newlocation. The move took three days to complete. Zimmermanis a 379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed from Eglin AirForce Base, Fla., and a Bear Creek, N.C., native. (U.S. AirForce photo by Master Sgt. David Miller)

Senior Airman Hunter Spears and Senior Airman ShaneZimmerman prepare to secure a U.S. Army M939 5-Tonvehicle at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17, 2014. The 379thExpeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was tasked tomove 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces of equipment from

the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 1st Battalion,43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to a collection pointfor further distribution. All vehicles were inoperable and had tobe towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailer for movement. Thiswas the final push in the complete movement of the 1-43rd

ADA from their old site to their new location. The move tookthree days to complete. Spears is a 379th ELRS vehicleoperator deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and a FortSmith, Ark., native. Zimmerman is a 379th ELRS vehicleoperator deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and a BearCreek, N.C., native. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt.David Miller)

Continued on PG 9

8


9/15


Senior Airman Richard Narvaez secures a U.S. Army M939 5-Tonvehicle to a tow truck at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17, 2014.The 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was taskedto move 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces of equipment fromthe former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 1st Battalion, 43rd AirDefense Artillery Regiment site, to a collection point for furtherdistribution. All vehicles were inoperable and had to be towed orloaded onto a flatbed trailer for movement. This was the final push inthe complete movement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site to their

new location. The move took three days to complete. Narvaez is a379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed from Minot Air Force Base,N.D., and a Bronx, N.Y., native. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt.David Miller)

Senior Airman Richard Narvaez tows a U.S. Army M939 5-Tonvehicle to a collection point at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17,2014. The 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron wastasked to move 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces of equipmentfrom the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 1st Battalion,43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to a collection point forfurther distribution. All vehicles were inoperable and had to be towedor loaded onto a flatbed trailer for movement. This was the final pushin the complete movement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site, totheir new location. The move took three days to complete. Narvaezis a 379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed from Minot Air ForceBase, N.D., and a Bronx, N.Y., native. (U.S. Air Force photo byMaster Sgt. David Miller)

Senior Airman Hunter Spears directs Senior Airman ShaneZimmerman as he moves an inoperable U.S. Army M9395-Ton vehicle at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 17, 2014. The379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron was taskedto move 51 vehicles and miscellaneous pieces of equipmentfrom the former 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 1stBattalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment site, to acollection point for further distribution. All vehicles wereinoperable and had to be towed or loaded onto a flatbed trailer

for movement. This was the final push in the completemovement of the 1-43rd ADA from their old site, to their newlocation. The move took three days to complete. Spears is a379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed from Minot Air ForceBase, N.D., and a Fort Smith, Ark., native. Zimmerman is a379th ELRS vehicle operator deployed from Eglin Air ForceBase, Fla., and a Bear Creek, N.C., native. (U.S. Air Forcephoto by Master Sgt. David Miller)

Editors Comments: We would like to thank CMSgt

David Belcher for bringing this article to our attention.

Truckin On makes every effort to feature fellow vehicle

operators and maintainers in the AOR; however, we

cant capture all of the articles alone. We need yourhelp. If you see recent stories (within 90 days), please

forward them to me for publication.With regard to this article, I had to modify it to fit the

newsletter format. For example, some photos have

been cropped and I elected to use only one caption for

the last two pictures on this page because theyre

duplicated in the original article, as are others. This

news feature can be viewed at the following website:http://www.379aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?

id=123377547

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http://www.379aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123377547http://www.379aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123377547http://www.379aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123377547http://www.379aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123377547http://www.379aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123377547


10/15

Inside PACAFInside PACAFInside PACAF

Keeping Yokota mobileby Airman 1st Class David C. Danford

374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

1/29/2014 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- There's a group ofAirmen at Yokota that many might not associate with having akey part of mission success.

The Airmen from the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadronvehicle maintenance work to keep Yokota Air base runningsmoothly. Whether it's getting people around the base ingovernment owned vehicles or towing C-130s with the MB4

tow-tractor, the mission needs all its vehicles to be in goodworking order.

"As a mechanic the best thing is, after you've performed themaintenance, to see the vehicle doing its job," said Staff Sgt.David Klimas, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron flight supportmanger. "It gives you a sense of satisfaction andaccomplishment."

In today's economy, Yokota cannot afford to simply replacebroken vehicles, so it relies on its mechanics to complete themission despite limited resources. Working with Japanesemechanics, several of whom have been turning wrenches forover 30 years, they focus on repairing the broken parts.

"We're not just part-changers, we have highly trained techniciansto fix the broken vehicles," Klimas said. "There is no vehicle youcannot fix, there is always a way."

There are a number of challenges facing the career field, such asa lack of resources to the normal safety hazards associated withheavy machinery according to Senior Airman Christopher Sy,374th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle management ana-lyst.

"Every day is a big challenge," Sy said. "But when you see avehicle around the base you know that somehow, somewayyou've made an impact on the mission."

Senior Airman Darryl Coleman Jr., 374th Logistics ReadinessSquadron vehicle management analyst, configures a Halverson 25Kloader for shipping at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Jan. 24, 2014. TheHalvorsen Loader is a mechanized aircraft loader that can transportand lift up to 25,000 pounds of cargo and load it onto military andcivilian aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class DavidDanford/Released)

1 Mar 2014

Staff Sgt. Angel Suarez, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadronnon-commissioned officer in charge, and Senior Airman ClintWilliams, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer,work together to reconfigure a Halvorson 25K loader at Yokota AirBase, Japan, Jan. 24, 2014. Working together they reduce thechance for injury caused by pinch points. (U.S. Air Force photo by

Airman 1st Class David Danford/Released)

Editors Note: See the PACAF website for additional photos:

http://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123378295

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1 Mar 2014

USAFE / PACAF.USAFE / PACAF. ININTHETHENEWSNEWS

Editors Note: See the USAFE website for additional photos:

http://www.usafe.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123374507

Newly assigned low-carbon, fuel-efficient diesel sedans are ready foruse Dec. 6, 2013, on RAF Mildenhall, England. The 100th LogisticsReadiness Squadron have replaced 19 vehicles with a newer, moreenvironmentally friendly fleet. To further reduce the squadronscarbon footprint, they ensure transportation dispatch personnelprovide the appropriate size bus to minimize the use of excesstransportation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Gina Randall/Released)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jandreau Lance, 100th LogisticsReadiness Squadron vehicle maintainer from Caribou, Maine,tightens a bolt Dec. 6, 2013, on the engine of a newly assignedlow-carbon, fuel-efficient diesel sedan on RAF Mildenhall, England.The 100th LRS has replaced 19 vehicles with a newer moreenvironmentally friendly fleet. This update optimizes the use of thevehicles and minimizes fuel consumption. (U.S. Air Force photo byGina Randall/Released)

100th LRS reduces carbon footprint

Posted 1/7/2014

Editors Note: See the PACAF website for additional photos:

http://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123376970

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anthony Tavares, 354th LogisticsReadiness Squadron vehicle maintenance journeyman, cleans thefront axle housing of a flightline snow broom Jan. 8, 2014, Eielson

Air Force Base, Alaska. Winter months can cover the base withsnow and ice, requiring snow removal operations all week long. The354th LRS perform maintenance on vehicles to ensure the 354thFighter Wing mission is unhindered. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior

Airman Joshua Turner/Released)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anthony Tavares and Airman 1st ClassMitch Whitman, 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehiclemaintenance flight, disassemble a differential from a flightline snowbroom Jan. 9, 2014, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Winter monthscan cover the base with snow and ice, requiring snow removaloperations all week long. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior AirmanJoshua Turner/Released)

354th LRS Icemen maintain snow broom

Posted 1/24/2014

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1 Mar 2014

U.S. regulators pave way for vehicle-to-vehicle

communications, safety technologyExperts begin framework for 'the Internet of cars'Gabe Nelson

Automotive News | February 3, 2014 - 8:29 am EST

--UPDATED: 2/3/14 2:43 pm ET -adds details

WASHINGTON --After years of research into vehicle-to-vehiclecommunications technology, federal regulators declared that thetime has come for cars to talk to each other to improve safety.

U.S. regulators will soon begin working on regulations requiringnew light-duty vehicles sold in the United States to be equippedwith wireless chips so they can communicate over the airwaves,U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said today during apress conference at Department of Transportationheadquarters.

Foxx stopped short of setting a target date for the mandate, buthe made clear that he is committed to the technology, calling ita "moon shot" that could prevent 70 to 80 percent of crashesinvolving unimpaired drivers.

"Keeping drivers safe is the most important advantage of V2V,but it's just one of many," Foxx said. "V2V can also help reducecongestion and save fuel. The potential of this technology isabsolutely enormous."

David Friedman, acting administrator of the National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration, said it would be an innovation inhighway driving matched only by the creation of the interstatehighway system.

"This is that important of a moment in time," he said.

Internet of cars

Government engineers and a consortium of leading automak-ers, including General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen, haveworked for more than a decade to write the rules for what somepeople have taken to calling "the Internet of cars."

These "connected cars" would communicate over a specialwireless frequency called Dedicated Short-RangeCommunications, or DSRC. That sets the technology apart fromthe 3G and 4G cellular networks that automakers are alreadyputting into cars to offer Internet-based services.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, automakers' mainlobbying group in Washington, said that it recognizes thebenefits of DSRC technology, but that there are issues thatneed to be resolved. Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the

Alliance, said the group's members would prefer a voluntaryagreement to a mandate.

"DSRC radios may play a larger role in future road safety, butmany pieces of a large puzzle still need to fit together,"Bergquist said in a statement. "We need to address security andprivacy, along with consumer acceptance, affordability,achieving the critical mass to enable the 'network effect' andestablishment of the necessary legal and regulatory framework."

Car companies have voluntarily pledged to roll out connectedcars in Europe, with the first cars hitting the road in 2015. In areport last year, the London-based consultancy ABI Researchpredicted that global penetration of the technology in new vehi-cles will grow from 10 percent in 2018 to 70 percent in 2027.

How it works

The new DSRC system functions much like the Wi -fi used bypersonal computers, and performs some of the functions of thecameras and sensors that are increasingly common in today'scars.

Cars equipped with these wireless chips would receive andprocess signals from nearby DRSC-enabled cars to learn theirlocation, direction and speed --and detect impending danger. Ifthe driver does not react, the car could then sound a warning orapply the brakes automatically to prevent a crash.

Regulators say that cars could also gather signals fromsmartphones and other devices, which could help them avoid

collisions with pedestrians, cyclists and older cars that havebeen outfitted with aftermarket transmitters.

NHTSA said it feels confident in the technology based on itstesting, including a yearlong study on the streets of Ann Arbor,Mich., that included nearly 3,000 cars equipped with DSRC. The$25 million study, which began in August 2012, indicated thatproducts from different vehicle manufacturers and suppliers cantalk to one another, and "that they work in real-worldenvironments," the DOT said today. The agency said it willpublish a report on the tests for public comment "in the comingweeks."

Continued on PG 13

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1 Mar 2014

The decision to move forward with DSRC technology marksanother step in the U.S. government's shifting strategy formaking roads safer.

Regulators have spent the past four decades emphasizingstronger crash structures, seatbelts and airbags that help

passengers survive crashes. NHTSA has finalized dozens ofperformance rules over the past four decades and continuallyrevised its five-star crash test program to steer buyers to carsthat will keep them safe in a crash.

But the safer cars become, the harder it gets to continueimproving accident survival rates that way.

"While the auto industry has made great strides to reducefatalities and injuries after a crash," said Scott Belcher,president of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America,"the next giant leap is to enable real-time communicationbetween vehicles and with the world around them so crashescan be avoided in the first place."

Automakers' plans

For the new technology to be useful, cars will have to speak ashared language, so that a Honda can communicate with aHyundai or an Infiniti. But the automakers are putting their ownstamp on DSRC technology by customizing the alarms that theyuse to warn drivers of a dangerous situation.

Most automakers rely on beeping sounds and warning symbolsin the instrument cluster. Some automakers, likeMercedes-Benz, also use flashing lights. General Motors holdsa patent on a vibrating seat that can quietly notify drivers ofdanger, while Ford Motor Co. uses a rumbling steering wheel.

Regulators and automakers are also thinking of other ways that

DSRC could be used for purposes besides safety, says RichardBishop, who led the DOT's vehicle automation program in the1990s.

For example, the new wireless frequency could be used tocollect tolls, or to tax drivers based on the number of miles theytravel, in lieu of taxes on gasoline and diesel.

For all its potential safety benefits, the technology will open upsome privacy and security risks, just as the spread ofcellphones exposed people to risks that did not exist with landlines.

Despite the best efforts of government and industry engineers,DSRC creates a new opening for hackers and holds a risk ofprivacy breaches.

Lawmakers are worried. During a May hearing, U.S. SenateCommerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.,

asked whether wireless communications could potentially allow"some 14-year-old in Indonesia" to "shut your car down."

Bishop, who now works as a consultant on automated andconnected cars, says the risk isn't as great as the risk from cellphones, because people carry their phones everywhere they goand because phones store more sensitive personal information.But he said that automakers and government engineers shouldtake the risk seriously.

"Nothing is airtight," Bishop says, "but that's just the world welive in."

Editors Comments: I received this article from AutomotiveNews a few weeks ago through an email subscription. Theresalso a letter from the U.S. Department of Transportationannouncing plans to move forward with this technology. Seethe attached document.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)has also compiled a very informative article on this subject. Itcan be viewed at the following website:

http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/safercar/ConnectedVehicles/

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WebNews,Info&Videos

WebNews,Info&Videos

WebNews,Info&Videos

1 Mar 2014

20 Astonishing Car Facts20 Astonishing Car Facts20 Astonishing Car Facts

submitted by George McElwain, CMSgt (Ret/472)

http://www.pinterest.com/deliverymaxx/20-

astonishing-facts-about-cars/

Clever Honda CommercialClever Honda CommercialClever Honda Commercial (Click on the arrow)

submitted by Ralph Celento, CMSgt (Ret/2T1)

Sandy's CanCarsSandy's CanCarsSandy's CanCars

Hotrod models out of beer cans

submitted by Larry Kearns, Col, USAF (Ret)

http://www.sandyscancars.com/

Snow BlowerSnow BlowerSnow Blower (Click on the arrow)

submitted by Reade Holzbaur, WS-12 (Ret/2T3)

This is very apropos and would make a good project inany VM shop. -Reade

Chinas New "Little Car" aka "The HighwayChinas New "Little Car" aka "The HighwayChinas New "Little Car" aka "The HighwaySuppository"Suppository"Suppository"

submitted by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)

This is not a joke, they do sell for $600.00 and they wontbe able to make them fast enough.

http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/Cool-Jam/CHINA-S-NEW-quot-LITTLE-CAR-quot-aka-quot-THE-HIGHWAY/td-

p/36074875

The History of the AutomobileThe History of the AutomobileThe History of the Automobile

The Internal Combustion Engine and Early Gas-Powered

Cars

submitted by Carl Hunsinger, CMSgt (Ret/2T1)

http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aacarsgasa.htm

Alpine Coaster w/No Brakes!Alpine Coaster w/No Brakes!Alpine Coaster w/No Brakes!

submitted by Reade Holzbaur, WS-12 (Ret/2T3)

Editors Note: This might not be the first time youve seen this

video; however, its worth another look. Its quite a sensation.Jaw dropping, high-speed, brakeless journey down themountain. Austrian downhill coaster is terrifying. The coaster,located in Mieders, Austria, starts at the top of a mountain,reachable by a cable car.

It's pretty simple: single pipe, single person, single giant sloping,and winding hill. But there are hundreds of pine trees whizzingpast you on tight bank curves, and it gets a bit scarier.Oh ... there are no brakes!!!

Take a ride: (Click on the arrow)

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Truckin' On Mar 2014

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