Volume 9, Issue 2 CHPA • The Swash Plate www.chpa-us.org

July 2014

From The President Milan Tesanovich

• “From The President” Milan Tesanovich

• “Mission Inn Visit” Jim Drivdahl

• “Reunions and Gatherings”

• “Welcome New Members”

• “ISAF News” SSG Whitney Houston

• “SecDef Hagel Visits Ft. Rucker” Cheryl Pellerin

• “2014 Convention Information.” Randy Zahn

And much, much more!

Presenting!

We are seven weeks away from our annual meeting for 2014. This one is being held from Sunday, September 7th to Wednesday, September 10th in sunny Riverside, California. Our host hotel is the world famous Mission Inn Resort and Spa. It began as a two-story adobe guest house in 1876. Today, it is an icon of breathtaking architecture, timeless beauty, and old world charm. History, grandeur, and inspiration are found around every corner. Life Member Randy Zahn has negotiated a Deluxe Room rate of $129 per night.

Our group can visit several tourist attractions in the rich Southern California historical area.

1. You can take advantage of the Mission Inn Foundation and Museum’s daily tours to acquaint yourself with the rich history of the Mission Inn Resort and Spa.

2. You can take a tour of the Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula (about 45 miles SSE of the hotel), which includes a wine tasting;

3. You can visit the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs (about 60-miles ESE of the hotel) 4. While in Palm Springs, you can also take a 10 minute ride up America’s sheerest mountain

face, through 5 eco zones, to the alpine forest on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (about 60-miles ESE of the hotel) where the Peaks Restaurant offers a dining experience at 8,500 feet ASL;

5. You can visit the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino (about 20-miles West of the hotel);

6. You can visit March Field Air Museum in Riverside (about 11-miles ESE of the hotel);

7. You can visit the Wings and Rotors Museum in Murrieta (about 40-miles South of the hotel) where we are hoping to have a BBQ cookout;

8. You can visit Big Bear Lake/Big Bear Alpine Mountain Resort (about 50-miles NE of the hotel);

9. Further west is Disneyland in Anaheim; Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park; Legoland in Carlsbad, and many more attractions.

The President’s Welcome Reception will run from 6:30 to 11:00 PM

PDT on Sunday, Sept. 7th. The annual meeting will take place from 9:00 AM until 11:30 AM on Tuesday, Sept. 9th. The banquet will take place on Tuesday night, Sept. 9th beginning at 6:30 PM with cocktails.

I look forward to welcoming you all on September 7th.

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Mission Inn Resort and Spa Visit Jim Drivdahl

The Swash!

One of the things we all know, nobody tells a better story than a combat helicopter crewmember, whether it’s the truth or “enhanced truth.” Our most entertaining and informative stories come from you, our membership. We often receive responses from our members when an article is published that opens a memory or touches a nerve, in a good way.

So where are all the story tellers out there? All you veterans of the skies of OEF and OIF with an idea for an article, or a story to tell it’s as easy as sending it in. Take a moment to lay fingers on keyboard or just put pen to paper and send them in. You can email them to hq@chpa-us.org or through the US Post Office to: CHPA • PO Box 42 • Divide, CO 80814-0042

Help us help you tell the tales of your experiences and continue to preserve our shared legacy of combat under a rotor disc.

[Call for Articles]

Earlier this month I had the good fortune of spending time with Randy Zahn at the Mission Inn Resort

and Spa in Riverside, California, the site of our fast approaching 2014 Convention and Business Meeting. We were there to exchange information with Kristina, our onsite event planner. Randy, having spent many holiday seasons at the Mission Inn, was able to give me the cook’s tour. I am so impressed with that place I plan to take my wife there for at least a meal and some exploration sometime before the Convention.

As Randy told me, there really is no reason to leave the hotel. There is plenty to do there. He showed me the bell collection that includes the oldest dated (A.D. 1247) bell in Christendom. There are pictures of all of the Presidents that visited the Inn. Richard and Pat Nixon were married there and Ronald and Nancy Reagan honeymooned there. There is the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel with 18 karat gold leafed Rayas Altarpiece and huge mahogany doors. Outside the chapel door is the Famous Fliers’ wall. The chapel and atria were dedicated as the International Shrine of Aviators on December 15, 1932. The shrine honors 154 individual aviators or group of fliers by displaying copper wings for each. The décor and architecture of the entire hotel is magnificent. The founder, Frank Miller, brought in an army of European craftsmen to design, build and decorate the Inn. I urge everyone to take advantage of the guided tours that are offered.

And restaurants! There is Duane’s Prime Steaks and Seafood Restaurant, a four diamond rated restaurant; Mission Inn Restaurant with indoor or starlit dining; Las Campanas Mexican Cuisine and Cantina featuring authentic Mexican dishes; there is Bella Trattoria Italian Bistro with southern Italian dishes; 54˚ at Duane’s featuring fine wines, sushi, and tapas; finally Casey’s Cupcakes will satisfy any sweet tooth. All at the Inn!

I could go on and on, but there is an easier way. If anyone is on the fence about whether or not to attend the 2014 Convention just take the time to go to http//www.missioninn.com. It will make your decision a lot easier.

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Reunions and Gatherings

Welcome New Members

Please feel free to forward

this issue of “The Swash Plate” to

your colleagues, potential

members and other interested

parties!

Share the “Swash”

Are you planning a reunion or event that may be of interest to our members? Let us help you get the

word out and support veterans groups of all sizes and locations. Just send a message with the information to HQ@chpa-us.org. If you have a logo, send that along as well.

Be sure to include accurate contact and registration information and we’ll take care of the rest.

50th Anniversary Vinh Long Outlaws Association

62nd, A/502nd, 175th Assault Helicopter Companies 50th Anniversary Reunion of the Vinh Long Outlaws Association at Washington, DC - Sept 18 - 22, 2014

Outlaws, Mavericks, Bushwhackers, and Roadrunners at Vinh Long, Vietnam 1964 -1972

Contact: Tom Anderson (teander@cox.net) Info: www.vinhlongoutlaws.com (Click: "Reunions")

CHPA extends a hearty “Welcome Aboard” to these new members, who joined in July, 2014. Robert J. Asbell Michael B. Clark Stephen DaCosta Keye E. Perry Wayne M. Stewart

Please consider sponsoring

CHPA’s programs. You may make tax

deductible donations to support the

Goldie Fund, CHPA’s Scholarship

program, the Holiday Boxes for the

Troops, T-shirts for Heroes or the

Association. For further information

please look at Sponsorship at the

website, http://www.chpa-us.org.

Sponsorship

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CHPA continues to receive quite an assortment of patches from our members. These patches are displayed at our booth at HAI, Quad A, and VHPA. Several of you have donated patches, but we’re always looking for more. They are very eye catching and help us garner attention. So please dig through your old patches and if you have some you’d like to share, send them to us at:

CHPA • PO Box 42 • Divide, CO 80814-0042

GOT PATCHES?

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ISAF News SSG Whitney Houston

The US Army's 1st Cavalry Division took charge of Regional Command-South from the 4th Infantry Division in a transfer of authority ceremony July 7th at Kandahar Airfield.

MG Paul J. LaCamera, commanding general of 4th Infantry Div., Combined Joint Task Force 4, handed over command authority of RC-S to MG Michael A. Bills, commanding general of 1st Cavalry Div. and CJTF-1.

As part of the ceremony, the colors of the 4th Inf. Div. were furled and cased, while the 1st Cav. Div. colors were unfurled, symbolically signifying the transfer of authority.

“We assume authority here today knowing that Combined Joint Task Force 4 has set the best possible conditions for the transition, and the First Team is ready to continue that important work,” Bills said. “General LaCamera, you’ve set the bar high and I personally thank you and your soldiers for setting us up for success.”

LTG Joseph Anderson, commanding general of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, presided over the event and gave thanks to both the outgoing and incoming divisions and explained the near-future change in mission for RC-South from Operation Enduring Freedom to Operation Resolute Support.

“Today is another historic day as we transition Regional Command-South, as we know it, for the final time,” Anderson said. “Like so many other changes occurring across Afghanistan, we will soon transition this headquarters from a Regional Command to a Train, Advise, and Assist Command, thereby ushering in a new era of our long conflict here in Afghanistan.

“The groundwork has now been laid for RC-South’s transition. The conditions are set for coalition forces to provide functionally-based security force assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces,” Anderson said. “And the Afghans are now carrying the fight to the enemy.”

During his speech, MG Abdul Hamid, commanding general of 205th Corps, Afghan National Army, said the departure of the 4th Inf. Div. demonstrates that the Afghans are truly in the lead.

“With the assistance of ISAF, the Afghan National Security Forces have reached a tipping point of irreversible momentum, meaning we are prepared to begin assuming all security requirements in Regional Command-South,” he said.

Anderson highlighted a number of milestones that RC-S and 4th Inf. Div. accomplished during the last year.

“Over the past 12 months, RC-South has supported the ANSF in relentlessly pursuing the enemy, resulting in the killing or capture of nearly 3,000 insurgents, the clearance of nearly 500 weapons caches, the seizure of thousands of kilograms of explosives, and enemy-initiated attacks are 40 percent lower than what they were only a year ago,” Anderson said.

In his closing remarks, LaCamera expressed his sentiment for his Afghan counterparts and the new team.

“To my Afghan brothers: Congratulations on your many victories. I pray for your losses, and for a speedy recovery of your wounded,” he said. “More importantly, I pray God’s blessing on you and your countrymen every day.

“The fight is far from over and General Mike Bills is the right man for the job to carry us on to Resolute Support,” he added. “I wish the First Team all the best and God’s blessing as they continue the fight, and to train, advise and assist our Afghan brothers.”

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SecDef Hagel Visits Ft. Rucker Cheryl Pellerin

Continued on Page 7

BG Michael Lundy, commanding general of USAACE and Fort Rucker, gives Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel a tour of UH-72 and TH-67 helicopters July 10. Photo by USAF MSGT Adrian Cadiz

On the last stop of his two-day trip to military bases in the Southeast, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel stopped July 10 at the home of Army Aviation, hopping onto the grass of Howze Field from the backward-sliding door of a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter.

That morning, Hagel had visited for the first time Eglin Air Force Base on the Florida panhandle, home to the Air Force’s first full squadron of F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft, to meet with F-35 pilots and maintainers and base leadership, and host an all-hands event with Eglin troops.

The secretary’s first stop the previous day had been Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, GA, the east coast homeport for six Ohio-class fleet ballistic-missile and two guided-missile submarines. There, he met with 14 female submarine officers, toured the fleet ballistic-missile submarine USS Tennessee and the base’s Trident Refit Facility before speaking with Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard troops.

Hagel made the trip to ensure the department stays focused on long-term concerns affecting American interests and allies in Asia, Europe and around the world.

Defense officials characterized his visit to Fort Rucker and the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence as an effort to highlight the Army Aviation Restructure Initiative, a key component of the fiscal year 2015 budget proposal.

The initiative allows the Army to meet drawdown targets, but retain the fleet’s most capable platforms and was developed as an alternative to across-the-board cuts to Army Aviation programs.

In written testimony June 18 before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, Hagel said the Army would streamline its helicopter force from seven to four airframes. Aging Kiowa helicopters and older training helicopters will be retired and replaced

with more advanced Apache helicopters that will move from the National Guard to the active force, the secretary said.

The Guard will receive Black Hawk helicopters that are critical for war fighting, and more adaptable for such Guard missions as disaster relief and emergency response, Hagel told the senators.

In the past decade of war, Apache helicopters have been in high demand, he added.

“We need to put the Apaches where they will be ready to deploy fast and frequently when they’re needed,” the secretary said. “This decision will help the Guard’s helicopter force … adhere to state and federal requirements for homeland defense, disaster relief and support to civil authorities while still serving as an important operational and strategic complement to our active-duty military.”

Hagel said the Guard’s helicopter fleet would decline by 8 percent and the active Army’s by 25 percent, but “the overall fleet will be significantly modernized under the president’s budget plan.”

The Army’s four remaining airframes will be the Apache attack helicopter, the Black Hawk, the Chinook and the Lakota light utility helicopter, used mainly for training and for use within the National

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Concluded on Page 8

Guard. The Lakota helicopter is a dual engine, glass

cockpit similar to modernized Army aircraft like the Chinook, Black Hawk and Apache helicopters. Commercial off-the-shelf aircraft are maintained according to Federal Aviation Administration requirements, and the Lakota needs only a few modifications to serve as the Army’s training helicopter, the defense officials said.

Active Aviation brigades will be reduced and reconfigured from 13 to 10, officials said. The Reserve component will retain 12 Aviation brigades, but they will be restructured and optimized for homeland security and combat assault, lift and medical evacuation missions.

Hagel had a roundtable discussion and lunch with Army Aviators, and then inspected and received briefings on several Army helicopters displayed on Howze Field.

Later, at the Army Aviation Museum, Hagel addressed nearly 200 Fort Rucker troops, offering remarks, thanking them and their Families for years of dedication and sacrifice, and taking a few questions from the audience.

But first, the secretary wanted to express a long-time personal appreciation that was apparent in his voice, understandable to any former infantryman, of combat helicopter pilots everywhere.

“What you do here is essential,” Hagel said to the troops of USAACE and Fort Rucker. “I saw it firsthand when I was in Vietnam in 1968 and I saw some of the photos on the wall of what we used to refer to as Eagle Flights.”

In that war, helicopters took infantrymen like Hagel into remote jungle areas that were hard to reach by other means.

“The helicopter would hover 4 feet to 6 feet off the ground, and we would jump out of the helicopters,” the secretary recalled, “and then five or six days later, we’d find our way out of wherever we were.”

Very early in life, Hagel added, he established a significant appreciation for the work performed at Fort Rucker.

“I saw amazing courage and commitment from all of you and those who went before you,” he said, “and that was, in your opinion, not anything special. It was just who you were, what you did and that was just expected.”

The secretary added, “I think often that’s taken for granted, but I want you to know with this secretary of defense it’s not, and I know our leaders in all our services feel the same way. I know President [Barack] Obama feels the same way.”

When Hagel invited questions from the Soldiers, topics included the severe budget cuts known as sequestration, and what the department will do about the lack of military personnel available when the next conflict arises.

“If sequestration continues – and it is the law of the land and it will come back in 2016 unless the Congress changes it – then it will affect everything we do and every decision we make,” Hagel said.

Sequestration, part of the 2010 Budget Control Act, will make it necessary for the Defense Department to go back to taking another $50 billion-a-year cut from the base budget in addition to a 10-year, $490 billion cut that two years ago began to come out one year at a time for 10 years, he said.

“Last year, we took about a $37 billion cut,” Hagel explained. “We had to furlough people. There was a government shutdown for 16 days that further complicated everything, hurt your training [and] hurt your operations. You were not able to fly, nor was anyone else in training.”

Army and Navy were unable to train, the secretary added, and the shutdown affected defense maintenance, operations, all training and directly affected readiness.

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“So sequestration will come back in 2016 unless Congress changes it, and we have been making the case in our budget presentations in all the committees that they’re going to have to do something about this, because it will affect everybody,” Hagel said. “We can [reduce the budget] now in a gradual way, but if we’re forced into sequestration again, where we’ve got no other recourse, then it will get a lot tougher than it is.”

In response to the question about a lack of military personnel for a future conflict, Hagel said that in future years the military services will have a fully capable force in every service and the necessary capacity in numbers of service members.

“Historically – you all know this – when this country comes out of war … there’s always a resetting, a reposturing. There is always an examination of how you handle not just current threats and realities you’re dealing with in the world, but the future,” Hagel said.

The secretary said he’s even heard people say that the US Army may, through sequestration cuts, get to the lowest point in terms of capacity that it has reached since just before World War II.

“I don’t know if that’s true, but we’re still going to have a big Army and Marine Corps, and Navy and Air Force components. But let’s just take that comparison,” he said, looking around the

audience. “Does anybody seriously believe that you can equate a Soldier in the United States Army in 1940 to a Soldier in this [2014] Army in terms of capability, capacity, technology, weaponry, training, leadership or motivation? Come on,” he said.

He looked at them briefly in theatrical disbelief before warming to his argument.

“I don’t buy into a quantifiable, capacity-to-capacity, number-to-number comparison. Our ships, our platforms, our helicopters – it’s a whole different world, the capability we have. We can do more things than ever before with actually fewer numbers of people,” Hagel said.

But the secretary said he understood the Soldier’s point.

“You can’t ever allow a force to get too low … and we don’t intend to do that,” he said.

“When you look at the big numbers, we’re talking about 480,000 depending on how bad sequestration gets. If Congress doesn’t change sequestration, then we’re going to be faced with more reductions – we won’t have any choice. So, I get exactly your question, and I, too, am concerned,” Hagel said. “But we won’t allow those numbers to go down to anywhere near any even questionable number. We’ll have the capacity.”

2014 Convention Hotel Reservation Guidelines Riverside, CA ‐ September 7th – 10th, 2014

The deadline for lodging reservations at the preferred rate is August 8, 2014 so please make your hotel reservations NOW by visiting the Mission Inn website at www.missioninn.com. On the main page, find and select the “Reservations” section at the top. Then select the “Groups” option on the top of that page. You should then enter our designated group code of COMBA090704 and then log in. After logging in, select the dates of stay and continue your reservation process. Online reservations are based on the availability of our contracted room block and are only available at the contracted group rate on or before August 8, 2014. You may cancel up until 48 hours before arrival at no penalty. For pre and post night reservations, please contact the Hotel’s Room Reservations Department at 800-843-7755 and reference the group name of CHPA Annual Convention & Business Meeting. If you have any special needs, the Reservations Department will be available to assist with those as well. Remember that the CHPA block rate is only available up to August 8, 2014.

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The schedule of events is beginning to shape up, though it is possible some minor changes will still be necessary.

SUNDAY, September 7: Convention registration Open: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM President’s Reception: 6:30 – 11:00 pm The charge for the reception is $12.00 per person to help defray the cost of the catering. There will be a cash bar

MONDAY, September 8: Wings and Rotors Museum, Murrieta - http://wingsandrotors.org/about/ $5 suggested donation. CHPA will host a BBQ feast for those interested. Cost is $25.00 per person. Transportation will be by car pool so we’ll need some volunteers.

TUESDAY, September 9: Mission Inn Group Tour for wives and families: 9:30 to 11:00 The cost for the group Tour is $10.00 per person; children under 11 are free but must be accompanied by an adult. Annual Business Meeting: 9:30 to 11:00. Breakfast will be available for $24.00/person Free day to enjoy the hotel and pedestrian walks of Old Town Riverside. Cocktail hour: 5:30 – 6:30 with cash bar. Banquet: 6:30 to TBD

WEDNESDAY, September 10 Hotel check out is 12:00PM but you can stay and enjoy the amenities!

Other attractions available in the area include: Wilson Creek Winery Tour with Wine Tasting, Temecula - http://www.wilsoncreekwinery.com

Planes of Fame Museum, Chino - http://planesoffame.org General Admission - $11.00 Children under 12 years - $4.00 Children under 5 years - Free Seniors ages 65+, Veterans - $10.00 AAA members (with current membership card) - $9.90 Active duty military, police, and firefighters - Free

March Field Air Museum, Riverside - http://www.marchfield.org 12 years old and up - $10.00 5-11 years old - $5.00 4 years and under - Free Active Duty Military and Reserves with DOD ID card - Free

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear – Alpine mountain resort at 6,750’ASL - http://www.bigbear.com

Palm Springs Air Museum - http://www.palmspringsairmuseum.org

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Call on Us! Contact Quick Reference Chairman of the Board – Robert Frost Buzz Covington Chairman@chpa-us.org BCovington@chpa-us.org President – Mick Tesanovich Mark Hilton Call us! president@chpa-us.org MHilton@chpa-us.org 800•832•5144 VP Administration – Rich Miller Alex Horony Fax us! admin@chpa-us.org AHorony@chpa-us.org 719•687•4167 VP Membership – Al Major Randy Jones Write us! membership@chpa-us.org RJones@chpa-us.org CHPA

PO Box 42 Secretary – Rhea Rippey Dan McClinton Divide, CO 80814-0042 secretary@chpa-us.org DMcClinton@chpa-us.org Treasurer – Loren McAnally Randy Zahn Remember! Treasurer@chpa-us.org RZahn@chpa-us.org Feel free to contact

us any time. Executive Director – Jay Brown HQ@chpa-us.org

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway - The twelve-and-a-half minute ride begins at the Valley at 2,643 ft. and passes up North America's sheerest mountain face through five life zones (biomes) on its way to the Mountain Station at 8,516 ft. above mean sea level. Start in the Sonoran Desert and arrive at an alpine forest. http://pstramway.com/index.html

Disneyland - https://disneyland.disney.go.com. See https://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets/ for ticket prices.

Knott’s Berry Farm - https://www.knotts.com. See https://www.knotts.com/tickets/ for ticket prices.

Newport Beach - http://www.visitnewportbeach.com All are located within one hour of the hotel.