JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Key Air Force leaders and think tank scholars gathered to discuss the force's strategic vision and contributions to national defense during the 5th Annual National Security Scholars Conference here May 16.
Event attendees, including the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, spent the day focusing on how to operate in contested environments while keeping America's Air Force the most capable service in the world.
Throughout the conference there were discussion panels and breakout sessions. These provided Air Force leaders and think tank members an opportunity to discuss and debate strategic discussions decisions facing the Air Force, Department of Defense and national decision makers. Three Air Force District of Washington Airmen participated in a discussion panel sharing their Air Force stories.
1st Lt. Sarah Batzer-Frye
Batzer-Frye, 779th Medical Operations Squadron critical care nurse, shared her experiences serving at Forward Operating Base Orgun-E, Afghanistan, located close to the Pakistan border. During her deployment, she spent six months working with two Army forward surgical teams. In this role, she was responsible for assisting with the stabilization of battlefield injuries from improvised explosive device blasts to sniper attacks and mortar strikes.
She told the group about what happened at her FOB Sept. 16, 2012, when her FST received six critically wounded Soldiers injured by an IED blast during a dismounted foot patrol. While helping to stabilize the soldiers' injuries, Batzer-Frye spotted a military working dog and handler who were also victims of the blast. She realized the dog needed emergency medical care, and following her direction, the trauma team responded by inserting a chest tube for the dog while also addressing the handler's life-threatening injuries.
Batzer-Frye felt honored to share her Air Force experiences with the group.
"It was amazing and overwhelming at the same time," she said. "It is important for our leaders to see different perspectives. It is easy for them to get hung up on the numbers. But we were able to share a human perspective with them."
Tech. Sgt. Jason Sitzes
Sitzes, 1st Helicopter Squadron helicopter flight engineer, also discussed his deployment to Afghanistan with the group. Sitzes deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan for a year to help prepare members of the Afghan air force for independent operations.
One month into his deployment, Afghanistan experienced unusually heavy rains resulting in an Afghan rescue call. Sitzes and his fellow crew members arrived on scene in an Afghan Mi-17 helicopter to find two Afghan men clinging to the roof of their flooded truck, struggling desperately to stay above the rising water. The hoist installed on the helicopter was not capable of safely lifting both men from the roof of the truck, so the team quickly devised a plan to make an approach at a low hover next to the truck and then on-load the men via the aircraft's crew entry ladder.
Sitzes provided approach calls that directed the pilot to position the helicopter within inches of the stranded vehicle. Once the pilot stabilized the helicopter in a precise hover above the rushing water, Sitzes stepped out onto the aircraft ladder and pulled the men off of the truck and into the helicopter one at a time.
"I never hugged someone so tight in my life," he said. "Afghans watching the rescue take place took a video of it. The best part of the video is when we leave and you can hear the crowd clapping. That was pretty amazing. They were proud to see an Afghan helicopter with an Afghan flag being used for the rescue."
Sitzes stressed to the group of Air Force leaders and think tank members how important working as a team was for the rescue.
"I didn't do this by myself," he said. "There was a crew. I'm honored and humbled to be able to share our story."
Staff Sgt. Jennifer Powell
Powell, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard pallbearer, is one of two females qualified to carry fallen heroes to their final resting place and is the only active female pallbearer on the team. She is also the only female NCO currently assigned to the fly-away team. This group of Airmen responds when a senator, former president or current holders of their positions pass away.
She shared the story of how she decided to apply for the Air Force Honor Guard. While stationed in Germany, Powell's close uncle passed away. At the funeral, she watched an Honor Guard team give her uncle military honors. This inspired her to become part of her base Honor Guard team. After experiencing the impact she had on the lives of others as they grieved the loss of their loved ones, Powell knew she wanted to continue this tradition on a larger scale.
"When I was done with my tour there, I knew I wanted to continue this service to those who served," she said. "At the funerals, you can hear the family members say how much they appreciate what we do. It can be overwhelming."
She discussed how physically demanding being a pallbearer is. Caskets can weigh anywhere from 600 to 800 pounds. So the pallbearers have a very vigorous physical fitness routine and standards they must meet.
Powell enjoyed sharing her Air Force story with the group.
"I don't think a lot of them understand what the Honor Guard does," she said. "What we do is something that needs to be done; it is a tradition that needs to continue."
After each Airman shared their stories, they took questions from audience members. These questions ranged from whether the Airmen felt the general public understood their mission to what they would say to someone thinking about joining the Air Force. After everyone spoke, the group praised the three AFDW Airmen for their service and the sacrifices they have made.