April 3, 2023 - VOLUME 4 - ISSUE 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Canines have been working alongside humans in some capacity for most of recorded history. In fact, origin of canines working with humans in combat dates all the way back to around 600 BC, when ancient Romans used canines for security and hunting. As society has progressed, so have the roles of working dogs in militaries around the world, as has the number of military dogs in service. Currently, the United States employs over 2,500 military working dogs (MWD) on installations around the globe. One of the installations that utilizes the services of MWDs is Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) New Orleans.
Military working dogs serve a variety of functions, such as tracking, explosives detection, and patrol. NAS JRB New Orlean's three MWDs first had to go through a complex process to determine whether or not they were fit to handle the responsibility that comes with being a MWD. The process takes place at the hub for all things MWD: Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, Texas. At Lackland AFB, MWDs are trained and tested to determine which dogs are sent to installations around the globe to become as full-fledged MWDs.
When the MWD graduates its initial training, they're permanently assigned to a military unit and most importantly, a MWD handler. Becoming a handler in the Navy is like being accepted into one of the military’s most exclusive clubs, as there are currently only around 250 MWD handlers in the U.S. Navy.
Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Tressa Jenkins, a MWD handler assigned to NAS JRB New Orleans, is one of those select few. Jenkins said that much like the MWDs, the handlers must undergo thorough training at Lackland AFB; but the training doesn’t stop there.
Traditionally, Master-at-Arms and civilian police jobs can provide an avenue to become a MWD handler. For Navy personnel, the opportunity exists to cross-rate into the position if a Sailor shows enough dedication and willingness. For instance, Jenkins started her career as an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and worked toward the steps necessary to be nearly qualified at the same level of a Master-at-Arms. She was granted the ability to cross-rate, and went to Master-at-Arms “A” School at Lackland AFB, where she says that getting into the MWD handler program was no easy task.
“As soon as I got to Lackland, I immediately found the next person in charge and told him about how passionate I am about this,” said Jenkins. “I went through the pipeline process and was boarded to see if I have what it takes to be a handler, and I was chosen! Now I’m at NAS JRB New Orleans as a handler, and I’m pretty happy with how [my career] is going so far.”
One of the primary functions of MWDs onboard NAS JRB New Orleans is explosive detection. The dogs have been specially trained to be able to distinguish an odor and notify the handler of its presence, and it is crucial that they are able to execute their training. Because of the dangerous nature of the profession, this exclusive group of Sailors and Department of Defense civilians demand a special dedication to their unique craft; and handlers are sure to keep each other accountable.
“Our standard is high because when you’re leading a convoy down a dirt road, you’re the person that everybody is relying on,” said Lt. Jared Folse, a civilian MWD handler onboard NAS JRB New Orleans. “[Handlers] are always at the front, leading the pack. It’s our job to make sure that the people behind us have a clear way through.”
The services of a MWD are not limited to the functions of this base. Jenkins mentioned that sometimes dogs are requested to conduct sweeps for events such as the Marine Corps Ball, which was held at the Superdome this past year, and sweeps can be requested for large-scale events like Mardi Gras.
Like any rate in the U.S. Navy, there comes a time in which a service member leaves their command. For handlers, that means bidding farewell to their dog. According to Folse, MWDs and their handlers have a strong relationship with one another. Since each dog is assigned to a specific handler, they become fond of each other, making it hard to say goodbye when the time comes for a handler to rotate on permanent change of station orders.
“One of the hardest parts about this job is leaving your dog for another installation,” said Folse. “Handlers grow a strong attachment to their partner. You grow a love and respect for the animal that you never knew could exist.”
Dogs that are dropped from the program due to a medical separation or retirement are put up for adoption. In order to ensure that the dogs are able to live a comfortable life in their retirement, any adoptive parent of a MWD must sign legal documentation that states that they are not allowed to give the retired MWD to another person.
From Captain Lena Kaman
April will be a busy month, for all the best of reasons. Throughout the month of April, NAS JRB New Orleans will be observing Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month (SAAPM), Child Abuse Awareness Month (CAPM) and celebrating our children as it is also the Month of the Military Child.
To kick off this active period, we will gather on April 3rd at the air traffic control tower, where I will sign SAAPM and CAPM proclamations, and then we will create our human SAPR ribbon to be photographed and displayed on our social media pages. I encourage you to come to the tower that day at 11 a.m. to be a part of this kick off!
The Department of Defense observes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month every year. The 2023 DoD SAAPM theme is “Step Forward. Prevent. Report. Advocate.” It is intended as a call to action for individuals at all levels of the DoD to use their personal strength to advance positive change in preventing sexual violence. I ask that everyone join in taking a “Step Forward” and highlight the power of acts that can bolster prevention, increase reporting, and promote advocacy for a safer DoD community.
At all times, we commit to treating others with respect. We protect one another from harm and retaliation through active intervention. We empower those around us to speak up or intervene.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone, no matter your age, your gender, your race or ethnicity, or your sexual orientation. Perpetrators can be any gender identity, sexual orientation, or age, and they can have any relationship to the victim. Statistics show that victims often know their perpetrators. It does not have to be this way. We all can get involved in making a difference and ending sexual violence.
Our Sexual Assault Response Coordinator has numerous events scheduled throughout the month designed to raise awareness on this issue. We will post the events on our Facebook page—watch for the teal-colored flyers! Please join as many of these events as possible. We all can get involved in making a difference and ending sexual violence.
April is also the Month of the Military Child and National Child Abuse Prevention Month. It represents an opportunity to recognize the sacrifices made by military families, especially children, while also renewing the commitment to ensuring all children can grow and prosper in an environment that is free from abuse and neglect; an environment that fosters and bolsters their social and emotional well-being.
Military children and their families face unique stressors, primarily associated with the military lifestyle, such as frequent moves, changing schools, and adjusting to new caretakers. There are approximately 1.6 million military children in the United States. Wear purple to show your support and celebrate military children.
Hurricane Exercise/Citadel Gale (HURREX/Citadel Gale) begins April 23, to run through May 5. These are annual exercises conducted in preparation for hurricane season. The exercises provide focused hurricane preparation, recovery, consequence management, and personnel accountability procedures training for afloat and shorebased East Coast and Gulf Coast commands. The exercises also focus on installation response and recovery to hurricanes as well as Navy family support.
Hurricane preparations include knowing what resources are available before a crisis occurs. Our Fleet and Family Support Center maintains a wealth of materials to help you prepare. Additionally, an abundance of information is available online through the American Red Cross, Ready Navy, Getagameplan.org, and other helpful sites. Become a friend or fan of the NAS JRB New Orleans Facebook page, follow @NASJRBNOLA on Twitter, and @NASJRBNewOrleans on Instagram for updates. We also have a hurricane section on our Base App! Should a storm come our way we will use each of these tools to distribute information. Simply put, if you have not prepared for hurricane season, start now! Become part of the solution, and don’t be afraid to ask for help in your preparations.
In closing, thanks to each of you—and your children—for your service and sacrifice. You make military service in New Orleans a rewarding experience!
Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are portable, life-saving devices designed to treat people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest—when the heart stops beating suddenly and unexpectedly.
The combination of CPR and early defibrillation is effective in saving lives when used in the first few minutes following a collapse from sudden cardiac arrest.
However, even after training, remembering the steps to use an AED the right way can be difficult. To help keep your skills sharp, below is a quick step-by-step guide that should be printed and placed in a prominent location. This way, you can review the AED steps any time, at your convenience, and keep them fresh in your memory.
After checking the scene and ensuring that the person needs help, you should ask a bystander to call 911 for help, then, upon determining that the victim is in cardiac arrest:
- As soon as an AED is available, turn it on and follow the voice prompts.
- Remove all clothing covering the victim's chest. If necessary, wipe the chest dry.
- Place one pad on the upper right side of the chest.
- Place the other pad on the lower left side of the chest, a few inches below the left armpit.
Note: If the pads may touch, place one pad in the middle of the chest and the other pad on the back, between the shoulder blades.
- Plug the pad connector cable into the AED, if necessary.
- Prepare to let the AED analyze the heart’s rhythm.
- Make sure no one is touching the person.
- Say, “CLEAR!” in a loud, commanding voice, to further ensure no one is touching the victim.
- Deliver a shock, if the AED determines one is needed.
- After the AED delivers the shock, or if no shock is advised, immediately start CPR, beginning with compressions.
There are many AEDs on NAS JRB New Orleans, located throughout the installation. Contact Chief Timothy Rayborn, 504-678-9873, for a complete list of AED locations or check the NAS JRB New Orleans apps. You may save someone’s life.
Thanks to the Marines’ Hymn and some of the most thorough indoctrination-style training in the world, every Marine knows that Marines fought in a battle somewhere called Tripoli, and the sword carried by Marine officers is based on the sword gifted to one 1st Lt. Presley O’Bannon for his gallantry at the aforementioned battle.
There are a few problems with this. The first, and most notable, is that the battle didn’t take place in Tripoli (now the capital city of Libya), but rather in the city of Derna, the capital of Cyrenaica (now eastern Libya), a state of the Ottoman Empire. Tripoli is, in fact, more than 1,300 kilometers from Derna on the Libyan coast.
The 1805 Battle of Derna—not the Battle of Tripoli—was the final decisive battle of the First Barbary War, one of two small wars fought by the newborn United States, Sweden, and Sicily against various North African states over trade and shipping in the Mediterranean.
So why does the Marines’ Hymn refer to the “shores of Tripoli”? Probably because the entire reason American forces assaulted Derna was an attempt to restore the rightful (and conveniently western-friendly) heir to the Tripolitan throne; Tripolitania being another state of the Ottoman Empire.
Hamet Karamanli was supposed to be king of Tripolitania, however his younger brother, Yusuf Karamanli, assassinated their third brother and deposed Hamet before he could take the crown.
Throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Barbary Coast—North African states under the Ottoman Empire mainly comprising Tripolitania, Algiers, Tunis, and Morocco—were the bane of western shipping interests. Piracy and the enslavement and ransoming of European sailors were big business for these states. If a western nation wanted to avoid all this, each Barbary state demanded regular “tributes” (read: bribes).
In 1801, then-President Thomas Jefferson joined with Sweden in declaring they wouldn’t pay a dime, thus kicking off the First Barbary War. This brings us back to the brothers Hamet and Yusuf, and why America cared so much about who ruled Tripolitania.
Army officer and General Consul to Tunis William Eaton cooked up the plan to put Hamet on the throne in 1804 as the war ground to a stalemate. Hamet, in exile in Egypt, agreed that if the U.S. could make him Pasha of Tripolitania, he would not only stop demanding tribute for American vessels, he would also compensate the U.S. for everything spent in the war.
“As a result of these negotiations, Eaton, assisted by U.S. Navy Lieutenant John H. Dent (later replaced by Midshipman George Mann), was able to assemble a mixed force of some 400 men, composed of 38 Greek mercenaries, 25 mostly European artillerists, 90 men serving under Hamet Karamanli directly, 190 camels and their drivers, a small force of Arab cavalry, and eight US Marines commanded by First Lieutenant Presley Neville O’Bannon,” according to a Naval History and Heritage Command article.
By March of 1805, Eaton was ready to move. Eager to really spice things up, Eaton decided the best way to get to Tripoli from Egypt was a 500-mile forced march through the North African desert. Keep in mind, this was slightly before the days of online banking. If the mercenaries wanted to get paid for completing a 500-mile force march through the desert, they had to see the march through and hope Eaton, now a self-styled general and commander-in-chief, would keep his promise that they’d get paid upon reaching the port city of Derna.
In a plot twist everyone saw coming, the springtime march through the desert was plagued with food and water shortages and, naturally, mutiny after mutiny. Eaton quelled each mutiny and by April, the ragtag force had crossed the Libyan border.
Eaton made the fortuitous decision (or just plain desperate) to stop at another port city for supplies and troop pay before reaching Derna. On April 25th, their arrival at Derna was greeted with barricaded gates. When he asked Mustafa Bey, the governor of Derna, for safe passage through the city, Mustafa allegedly responded, “My head or yours.”
In other words, someone was going to die, and Mustafa was confident it wouldn’t be him. It is unknown whether or not he was right.
The U.S. Navy had sent the brig Argus, schooner Nautilus, and sloop Hornet to barrage the Derna fort, and the Argus loaned a cannon to Eaton’s ground forces in their heavily outnumbered assault against Derna’s 945 cavalry and 1,250 infantry. Eaton even sent a letter offering Mustafa the chance to surrender.
On April 27, Eaton, with gunfire barrages from the Navy’s ships offshore, began his assault.
O’Bannon and his Marines lead the vanguard, unknowingly cementing their place in Marine Corps mythology. With 50 Greek gunners and the cannon from the Argus, O’Bannon’s forces weakened the fort’s defenses so much that their Arab cavalry allies were able to ride in.
According to Eaton, O’Bannon and his men "pass'd through a shower of Musketry from the Walls of houses, took possession of the Battery."
Upon taking the fort, the Marines raised the American flag over foreign soil for the first time in the nation’s short history.
Eaton himself was wounded by a musket ball to the wrist while leading a charge. Within two hours of starting his attack, Eaton held the fort, the city, and its defenders were on the run.
Despite a few small skirmishes and an attempt by Pasha Yusef to retake Derna, the city remained in American control until June 10, when a treaty between the U.S. and Yusef was signed and Eaton was ordered back to Egypt with Hamet.
He considered the treaty a betrayal. He, the Marines, and the Greek mercenaries left without informing their Arab counterparts of the situation. The Arab mercenaries were never paid and Tripolantia remained in Yusef’s control.
According to Marine Corps legend, in appreciation for O’Bannon’s efforts, ultimately pointless though they were, Hamet presented the Marine officer with the famed Mameluke sword all Marine officers would later carry. Unfortunately, much like fighting on the shores of Tripoli, there is no evidence this ever happened. In fact, the Mameluke sword is of a style that was extremely popular in Europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Marines most likely adopted this style of sword in an effort to match their contemporaries.
The sword may be a lie, and no Marines landed on Tripoli in 1805, but Marines did raise the stars and stripes over foreign territory, marking a distinct step as a nation competing for global power.
The Louisiana National Guard’s 756th Medical Company Area Support (MCAS), 415th Military Intelligence Battalion, 139th Regional Support Group, held a departure ceremony in the post theater at Gillis W. Long Center on March 25.
“Teamwork and taking care of yourself are two key pieces of advice for success,” said Maj. Gen. Keith Waddell, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard. “This team is only as strong as its weakest link, so look out for one another, be safe, be excellent every day and listen and respect your teammates.”
Waddell went on to discuss how important taking care of oneself is for the success of the mission.
“This focuses on four aspects: physical, mental, spiritual and financial well-being,” he continued. “I encourage each of you to develop or sustain a personal plan to address these areas and remain disciplined to your commitment.”
The adjutant general concluded by thanking the families of the deploying Soldiers.
“Without you (families), we would not be the great organization we are. You are the backbone of this unit and the true unsung heroes of the Louisiana National Guard,” said Waddell.
More than 75 Soldiers are scheduled to deploy in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
“We are proud, we are capable, we are dedicated, and most of all we are excited to be asked to represent LANG, our families and our friends,” said Lt. Col.
Connie Gates, commander of the 756th MCAS. “For some, this is their first deployment and for others, this is their fourth. We are ready to deploy, and we are committed to service to our state, our nation and this mission.”
The 756th MCAS, headquartered at Gillis W. Long Center in Carville, Louisiana, is organized into three platoons: treatment, ambulance, and headquarters. It comprises of medical occupation specialties such as surgeons, doctors, physician assistants, nurses, combat medics, radiology technicians, dental technicians, and vehicle and generator mechanics.
In her address to the deployment ceremony audience, Gates expressed her appreciation for the Soldiers’ family members and friends.
“Thank you for your support and sacrifice. We could not do this without your love, support and commitment. We are grateful knowing you are taking care of everything at home while we are performing our mission,” said Gates.
The 756th will conduct mobilization training at Fort Hood, Texas, before deploying. They have previously deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom along with various state missions in support of their fellow citizens of Louisiana. The 756th MCAS is ready to “Protect What Matters” whenever and wherever they are asked to serve.
Fellow pilots and crew members were there to congratulate Col. Jonathan D. Mumme upon landing at Naval Air Station - Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana, where he achieved the coveted 2,000 flight-hour milestone in the F-15C Eagle fighter jet, Feb. 9.
It is becoming an increasingly rare occurrence for fighter pilots to accumulate 2,000 flight hours in a specific aircraft. There are only two other pilots in Mumme’s Squadron that have 2,000 or more flights hours in the F-15.
“It’s not really about the number of hours to me. It’s about the significance of each hour that you flew,” Mumme stated, explaining that this milestone does not alone signify a pilot’s competency or proficiency. He continued, “The quality of the sorties I flew is significant. I think that is more meaningful than the number of hours”.
In addition to his 2,000 flight hours in the F-15C which includes 62.9 combat hours over Iraq, Mumme has accumulated more than 700 hours in the F-16 Falcon.
Mumme is the commander of the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana Air National Guard. Prior to transferring to the Air National Guard, Mumme held several assignments within the active-duty Air Force to include serving as initial cadre for the 18th Aggressor Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
Mumme transitioned from active-duty service to the Louisiana Air National Guard to fly his jet of preference and to live relatively closer to his parents in his hometown of Houston, Texas. “I started my Air Force career flying in the F-15C, and this was a way to put the opportunity back into my own hands …I get to fly the C-model (F-15C) for the rest of my career,” said Mumme.
Mumme’s wife, Col. Jennifer Mumme, director of public affairs for the LANG, had the opportunity to witness her husband’s 2,000-hour achievement from aboard a KC-135 refueler aircraft.
“Most of the time the family, the spouse, whoever can make it, is there when you land to be part of the congratulations at the end of the sortie. We thought it would be unique, fun, and interesting for her to be airborne with me as I crossed over the 2,000-hour milestone,” said Mumme.
The Mummes have had the uncommon opportunity to share multiple achievements throughout their Air Force careers. They both commissioned on the same date from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Texas State University in 1999 and luckily have spent little time stationed apart since. Elaborating on the benefits and challenges of a dual-military household. Mumme explained that their shared understanding of the rigors of a military career mean that the long hours and deployments are never a source of conflict.
Becoming a United States Air Force fighter pilot is incredibly rare and challenging, let alone reaching the rarefied 2,000-hour mark. “There were probably some genetics that were passed down to help get me to where I am,” said Mumme, speaking to his familial inspirations. Along with his late father, who flew for the Air Force and later for NASA, Mumme has two great uncles, two grandfathers, and an uncle that flew for the Army Air Corps and Air Force during all major conflicts since World War I.
In addition to his role as a fighter pilot, Mumme is responsible for formulating, developing, and coordinating all policies, plans and programs affecting more than 1,500 Louisiana Air National Guard service members. “My Wing Commander Goals are Airmen, readiness, and continuous improvement,” said Mumme on his priorities as commander of the 159th Fighter Wing.
Click here to return to the Table of Contents