Team Seymour communicates to congressional visitors

  • Published
  • By Robin DeMark
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
During the past several weeks, Team Seymour hosted three military legislative assistants to become more familiar with the missions of the 4th Fighter Wing and 916th Air Refueling Wing.
 
Military legislative assistants work for members of congress, providing military-related information and advice to their respective congressperson.

The military legislative assistants for North Carolina Senators Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole joined the assistant for Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina's 3rd District to tour the base, speak with leadership about current and future military construction projects.

These visits highlight the completed and future projects of the base that show influential leaders what impacts the mission at Seymour Johnson.

The day began with a wing mission brief by 4th Fighter Wing commander, Col. Steve Kwast, who emphasized the importance of what the Air Force will bring to joint military operations fighting the Global War on Terror for the next several years.

"The Army has already included the Air Force into their budget because they are counting on the traditional and non-traditional combat capabilities we provide to ground forces and in air combat," Colonel Kwast said.

To gain insight on the new combat tactics of the F-15E Strike Eagle, the legislative assistants visited the 335th Fighter Squadron.

"The fighter data link is the F-15E's revolution which has changed the way we fight," said Lt. Col. James Jinnette, 335th FS commander. "We now have immediate situational awareness with unprecedented data and communications between air and ground targets."

The strike eagle provides non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and close-air support that was first used during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

"Then and now we target with precision and save the lives of our ground troops because of these advanced weapons systems," Colonel Jinnette said.

The Strike Eagle is projected to remain capable of combat operations through the year 2025, said Col. Todd Boyd, 4th Operation Group commander.

 "The F-15E targeting capabilities are a quantum leap from its original design years ago," said Colonel Boyd. "Technology has completely transformed targeting capabilities. A good example of this is our new technology which links the jet's targeting pod video to ground forces so they both see the same picture."
 
The legislative assistants toured the weapons standardization facility to get a close look at the satellite-guided bombs and missiles carried by the F-15E. This included viewing the new, compact and highly-efficient Smart Diameter Bomb.

"Today, weapons are about proficiency and putting bombs on target, in real time, exactly where and when they're needed," said Col. Alan Northrup, 4th Maintenance Group commander. "These new weapon systems enable us to complete combat missions without causing collateral damage."

The Air Force is not limited to delivering precision munitions. Airmen also provide combat support on the ground with other military services as seen at the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron's explosive ordnance disposal flight.

"Since 9/11, focus on EOD technologies position the Air Force to fight the GWOT with more than airpower," said Col. Russell Walden, 4th Mission Support Group commander. "The EOD flight uses robots, specialized response vehicles and demolition material to eliminate explosives. These Air Force capabilities provide EOD response for 41 percent of improvised explosive device responses, 56 percent of stock piles ordnance and 64 percent of unexploded ordnance for all four of the military services."

The next stop on the legislative assistant's tour was the $12 million fire, crash and rescue station funded by Senator Dole in 2004.

"This emergency response facility provides state-of-the-art communications and emergency-response capabilities benefiting the base, city and county," said Thomas Wade, chief of fire emergency services.

Not only does the base have a defense mission, it also provides housing for military families.

"For fiscal year '05 through '07, congressional funding allowed us to replace old housing units with new two-story duplexes for our enlisted and officers," said Robert Hankins, 4th Civil Engineer Flight chief. "By 2010, we will have 900 new or renovated housing units ready for our military families."
 
Upon conclusion of the tour, the legislative assistants were briefed on future military construction. Estimated funding for two-phase construction projects over the next several years include the base's consolidated support center valued at $24 million, the radar approach air traffic control tower and base operations complex valued at $19 million and the 916th ARW's tanker campus valued at $26 million. 

Concluding the tour, Colonel Kwast presented the legislative assistants with a wing coin symbolizing Air Force tradition.
 
"This coin represents our combat missions and the heart and soul of our heritage beginning with the Royal Air Force's spirit of volunteerism defending our country," he said. "Our senate, congress and the American people can always rest assure they can count on their Air Force to be warriors and friends."