The doctors saved the service member's leg By Elaine Sanchez American Forces Press Service SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 8, 2011 - A wounded warrior limped into Ryan Blanck's office at the Center for the Intrepid here one day with a plea for help.
So Blanck created one. He designed the Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis, or IDEO, a streamlined, energy-storing brace that delivers nearly instantaneous results. Now, most troops with salvaged limbs who wheel or limp into his office walk out a short time later, pain and limp-free. The injured warriors are impressed by the results. When they strap on the brace for the first time and start walking, Blanck said, some stumble midway across the room, but not due to discomfort. "They're uncontrollably weeping," he said. "It's the first time they've walked without pain in two or three, or seven years in one guy's case." Brace Proves to be 'Game-Changer' Blanck's creation is a lightweight, streamlined carbon-fiber device that can be tucked under a pant leg and into a boot or sneaker. It comprises a cuff that wraps around the leg just under the knee connected to a footplate by carbon-fiber rods. The brace works by offloading the limb and allowing the patient to operate the lower limb in a way that avoids pain, he explained. When a service member's heel strikes, the device stores energy through the gait cycle, then delivers it back to propel the foot forward. "That's the concept behind it all; energy storage and power," he said. Prior to IDEO, Blanck noted, "there wasn't a combination device that would allow offloading, adequate range restriction and then power generation." The device is proving a "game-changer" for service members with salvaged limbs, said Johnny Owens, a CFI physical therapist who is working hand-in-hand with Blanck in treating IDEO-fitted warriors. "We're seeing immediate changes we don't usually see," he said. Owens said the device also is singlehandedly helping to turn the tide on a trend of wounded warriors opting for delayed amputations -- amputations several months after injury. He attributes the trend to the slow, and sometimes frustrating, recovery for troops with lower leg injuries. "Prior to all this, limb salvage was a little bit of an unknown," Blanck explained. "You couldn't tell a patient, 'you're going to run.'" But amputees -- depending on the situation and barring other injuries -- can regain significant functions about six months after amputation, he noted. Meanwhile, limb salvage patients sit on the sidelines watching their amputee battle buddies walking or running as their own progress proceeds painfully slow. Frustrated by their limitations, some troops with salvaged limbs opted for late amputations. "It's enticing," Owens said. "You're in pain, but if you cut your leg off, you can run. Many invested a year or two in recovery and then decided to cut [a limb] off. It was psychologically frustrating to see these guys work so hard and then just cut it off." Thanks to IDEO, these troops now have another option, he said, that enables them to not only walk, but run, sprint and jump. Returning to Service Word is spreading of IDEO and its astounding results, and Blanck now is fitting troops from around the country with his device. After hearing of Blanck's and Owens' success, Army 1st Lt. Matthew Anderson traveled here from his unit at Fort Carson, Colo., hoping for similar results. Anderson, an infantry platoon leader, was injured in October 2010 while on a dismounted combat patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan. As his unit cleared a building, he stepped on a landmine. "It felt like a jackhammer hitting my ankle," he recalled. The explosive shattered his heel into a dozen pieces. The doctors salvaged his limb, but the injury left Anderson in pain and with a pronounced limp. While he was able to start walking again after about six months, this strapping, lifelong athlete figured his running days were over. It took Blanck just a few minutes to prove him wrong. With the IDEO, Anderson was walking comfortably within minutes and running within days. "It put the biggest smile on my face," the infantry platoon leader said. He had stopped by the CFI early one morning so Blanck could make adjustments to his device and fit him for another. "I went from walking with a severe gait issue and a limp to walking normally," Anderson said. Blanck finished his adjustments, and Anderson pulled a sneaker over the foot plate and walked across the office with a smooth stride. Once he got the brace, "I could run on it, jump vertically, laterally shuffle," Anderson said. "Things that there's no way I'd be doing with that much speed, efficiency or lack of pain. "For a guy that's in his late 20s that's always been a jock athlete, being hampered by these injuries is pretty tough mentally," he continued. "When you're given the option to get back into it, it's huge; it means a lot to me." Anderson soon will return to duty at Fort Carson. Of the nearly 200 cases they've seen, Owens noted, more than 30 have returned to service and 11 have combat deployed. As they test and improve the current design, Blanck and Owens also are looking into what they call a "widespread potential" for people with issues such as ankle arthritis, strokes and head, back and other injuries. The program's success has one limitation: space. Between amputees and warriors with salvaged limbs, the CFI can get crowded at times. The pair would like to see a rehab center like the CFI, but devoted to wounded warriors with salvaged limbs. There would be no shortage of demand, Owens said, noting that for every one amputee, there are about 10 limb salvage patients. Meanwhile, they have no plans to cut back, no matter how great the demand. Just seeing the joy in a wounded warrior's face at walking again pain-free, they said, makes every extra hour at work worthwhile. "I never thought I'd come to work and get hugged by a 220-pound, 6-foot-4, Special Forces guy," said Blanck with a smile, "but I've had a few hugs. "I loved my job before this, but this is a whole new level." � | ||
| Related Sites: Photo Essay Center for the Intrepid | ||
Friday, December 09, 2011
New Brace Salvages Limbs, Mobility � and Morale
Pentagon Official Lauds Services for Energy Strategies
Largest Energy User: "We are ... the largest energy user in the country," she said. "We have a big bill, even by DOD standards, because we have such a large built infrastructure. We have three times more building space even than Wal-Mart, [and] six times more than [the General Services Administration]." As with any large-scale organization, Robyn pointed out, the Defense Department faces challenges. "We have more than 400 threatened and endangered species on our installations," she said. "We are, among other things, a serious environmental steward. As with all things, we do that out of self-interest. We take care of threatened and endangered species to preserve the land so we can use it for testing and training. The desert tortoise is a particular challenge for any of you trying to do solar in the southwest." Robyn expressed optimism in the DOD's efforts moving forward in terms of energy strategy and working with the American Council on Renewable Energy. "We're very excited about what we're doing," she said. "We think this is just absolutely critical to it, and [I] look forward to working with you in the coming months and years." � |
| Biographies: Dorothy Robyn Related Sites: Special Report: Defense Department Operational Energy Strategy Special Report: DOD Goes Green |
DOD Honors Outstanding Disabled Employees
American Forces Press Service
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 7, 2011 - The Defense Department honored 19 people and four organizations here yesterday at the 31st annual DOD Disability Awards ceremony.
"At DOD," said Stephen King, the Pentagon's director of disability programs and equal opportunity, "we know our strength is in the diversity of our people -- our service members and our civilians. And by investing in workers with disabilities, DOD reaps the benefits many times over."
This investment helps to dispel myths and remove barriers that can hold back those with disabilities, he added.
John R. Campbell, deputy assistant secretary of defense for wounded warrior care and transition policy, echoed those sentiments to the honorees.
"That kind of adaptive empathy that comes from a military culture that values diversity is exactly what we need to cooperate with our partners and allies and defend freedom around the world," Campbell said. He recalled some noteworthy Americans who he said "demonstrated incredible resilience and compassion" despite their disabilities.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt led the country through "dark days not unlike today's" while he battled polio, a fact that was unknown to the American public for years, Campbell said. Today, he added, Roosevelt wouldn't have to hide his disability.
Army Gen. George Patton, best known for commanding troops during World War II, tried to overcome dyslexia his entire life, Campbell said. Stephen Hawking, a theoretical physicist and cosmologist who has serious physical limitations and complete paralysis from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, "is one of greatest minds alive today and continues to contribute to our scientific understanding," he noted.
He also cited Helen Keller, who earned a bachelor's degree and became a world-renown writer and lecturer despite the fact she could neither hear nor see.
"Where would we be without these leaders?" Campbell asked the honorees and the audience at the ceremony.
The Defense Department has led efforts to improve prostheses and assistive technologies for its wounded warriors, Campbell said, and these developments also are in use in the private sector.
"These investments and advances help us create a level playing field for people with disabilities, and offer them greater opportunities to succeed," he added.
Campbell reminded the audience of President Barack Obama's call to the federal government to become a model employer of individuals with disabilities.
"This demonstrates from the highest level in our government that the future of our nation depends on a talented, resilient workforce made up of men and women both in and out of uniform. The DOD challenges all [government and private sector] leaders to set the level for attracting, retaining and empowering these men and women who have so much to offer."
The following DOD components were recognized for their outstanding achievements in employing individuals with disabilities:
-- Department of the Navy, best military department;
-- Defense Commissary Agency, best mid-sized component;
-- Joint Staff, best small component; and
-- Defense Intelligence Agency, best intelligence component.
Military and civilian honorees are:
-- Bobbie Mezei, Department of the Army;
-- Trent Moore, Department of the Army;
-- Nathanael Wales, Department of the Army;
-- Army Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan M. Grundy;
-- William G. Conley, Department of the Navy;
-- Marine Corps Sgt. Matthew R. Koetting;
-- Robert Rudney, Department of the Air Force;
-- Air Force Senior Airman Michael James Malarsie;
-- Air Force Tech. Sgt. Frank Reilly;
-- Thomas J. Dembowski, National Guard Bureau;
-- Army Maj. Leland D. Blanchard, National Guard Bureau;
-- Jamie L. Critchfield, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General;
-- Garth Erik Porter, Army and Air Force Exchange Service;
-- Catherine A. Richardson, Defense Contract Management Agency;
-- Terry Lysaght, Defense Finance and Accounting Service;
-- Pamela A. Circo Webb, Defense Logistics Agency;
-- Sean L. Cumming, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency;
-- Andrew McKay, National Security Agency; and
-- Mark B. Rew, TRICARE Management Activity.
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John R. Campbell
Related Sites:
DOD Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity
Workforce Recruitment Program -- for college students with disabilities
Executive Order Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce
Presidential Proclamation
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Disabled Honorees Pave Trail for Others to Follow
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 7, 2011 - Nineteen Defense Department employees with disabilities who soon would receive awards for their outstanding work have helped to tear down barriers for others who will follow them, the Pentagon's director of disability programs and equal opportunity said here yesterday.
Speaking with reporters before the 31st annual Department of Defense Disability Awards Ceremony, Stephen King said the event does more than showcase this year's DOD outstanding employees and service members who have disabilities.
"Whether they intended to or not, ... they are addressing attitudinal barriers within an organization that we can only benefit from in the future," he said.
The annual ceremony highlights what individuals with disabilities can do, whether they're in uniform or never have served, King said. Four Defense Department components also were honored for their excellence in hiring individuals with disabilities.
This is the second year service members with disabilities were included as honorees, King said. "It's added a new aspect to the ceremony, and it's something we ... needed to do."
The recognition program helps people understand that disabilities do not limit an individual, he said. "There's nothing limiting them from being successful in what they do," he added. "All our award winners have excelled, and we need to recognize them."
But while DOD is a top employer of those with disabilities, King said, not everyone with a disability wants to disclose it.
"It's a personal decision, and every person has a different reason," he said. "Some people are there, some will get there, others may never [disclose their disabilities]. In the end, that's OK. DOD is still a model employer of people with disabilities, and we need to make sure we provide the opportunity for everyone's abilities and skills."
King, said he has a disability that isn't apparent, and that he made sure he was comfortable when he told his boss about the condition.
"I had to trust my employer [and] know how the information was going to be used, and how to be protected, before I was willing to say, 'I have a disability,'" he said.
Since that time, numerous federal government programs have been established to accommodate those with disabilities. This year, President Barack Obama issued an executive order calling for diversity in the federal workforce. He also issued a proclamation declaring October "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."
While significant strides have been made at the DOD level, work remains to be done, King said.
"We know we have to create an inclusive, accepting working environment in which individuals who are already employed in DOD feel comfortable disclosing a disability," he added. "Managers and human resources professionals need the tools to use hiring authorities that exist to expedite hiring individuals with disabilities."
Also critical, King said, is making sure people with disabilities know reasonable accommodations exist to "allow them to perform the functions of their jobs successfully."
Disabled or not, diversity and what it brings to the table in the organization is important, he said.
"Individuals with disabilities bring a unique perspective, in part because of the challenges they may face," he explained.
Diversity is an important factor in DOD, and it's also a necessary element of the federal government as a whole, he said.
"I'm in the field because I love what I do," King told reporters. "As the director of the disabilities program, I understand the importance of shining that spotlight on outstanding individuals with disabilities."
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Related Sites:Speaking with reporters before the 31st annual Department of Defense Disability Awards Ceremony, Stephen King said the event does more than showcase this year's DOD outstanding employees and service members who have disabilities.
"Whether they intended to or not, ... they are addressing attitudinal barriers within an organization that we can only benefit from in the future," he said.
The annual ceremony highlights what individuals with disabilities can do, whether they're in uniform or never have served, King said. Four Defense Department components also were honored for their excellence in hiring individuals with disabilities.
This is the second year service members with disabilities were included as honorees, King said. "It's added a new aspect to the ceremony, and it's something we ... needed to do."
The recognition program helps people understand that disabilities do not limit an individual, he said. "There's nothing limiting them from being successful in what they do," he added. "All our award winners have excelled, and we need to recognize them."
But while DOD is a top employer of those with disabilities, King said, not everyone with a disability wants to disclose it.
"It's a personal decision, and every person has a different reason," he said. "Some people are there, some will get there, others may never [disclose their disabilities]. In the end, that's OK. DOD is still a model employer of people with disabilities, and we need to make sure we provide the opportunity for everyone's abilities and skills."
King, said he has a disability that isn't apparent, and that he made sure he was comfortable when he told his boss about the condition.
"I had to trust my employer [and] know how the information was going to be used, and how to be protected, before I was willing to say, 'I have a disability,'" he said.
Since that time, numerous federal government programs have been established to accommodate those with disabilities. This year, President Barack Obama issued an executive order calling for diversity in the federal workforce. He also issued a proclamation declaring October "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."
While significant strides have been made at the DOD level, work remains to be done, King said.
"We know we have to create an inclusive, accepting working environment in which individuals who are already employed in DOD feel comfortable disclosing a disability," he added. "Managers and human resources professionals need the tools to use hiring authorities that exist to expedite hiring individuals with disabilities."
Also critical, King said, is making sure people with disabilities know reasonable accommodations exist to "allow them to perform the functions of their jobs successfully."
Disabled or not, diversity and what it brings to the table in the organization is important, he said.
"Individuals with disabilities bring a unique perspective, in part because of the challenges they may face," he explained.
Diversity is an important factor in DOD, and it's also a necessary element of the federal government as a whole, he said.
"I'm in the field because I love what I do," King told reporters. "As the director of the disabilities program, I understand the importance of shining that spotlight on outstanding individuals with disabilities."
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DOD Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity
Workforce Recruitment Program (college students with disabilities)
Presidential Proclamation
Related Articles:
DOD Honors Outstanding Disabled Employees, Agency Components
Combined Force Captures Taliban Facilitator
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 7, 2011 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained seven suspected insurgents during an operation in the Qalat district of Afghanistan's Zabul province today, military officials reported. The facilitator was responsible for making and employing roadside bombs. He armed and moved insurgents across the province and provided information on Afghan government officials for insurgent attacks. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- In the Tarin Kot district of Uruzgan province, a combined force seized three weapons caches containing 11 mortars, six 60 mm rounds, four 82 mm rounds, three recoilless rifles, various homemade bomb-making materials and small-arms ammunition. -- A combined force captured a Taliban facilitator and one suspected insurgent in the Qalat district of Zabul province. -- A combined force captured a Taliban leader and detained seven suspects in the Chamkani district of Paktia province. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- In the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province, coalition forces removed a homemade bomb and discovered 150 pounds of marijuana. -- A combined force confiscated a cache of bomb-making components containing 1,600 pounds of ammonium nitrate, 300 pounds of potassium and 200 pounds of aluminum powder during a patrol in the Nawaw district of Ghazni province. � |
| Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force |
In Final News Briefing
General Calls Iraq Operations "Worth it"
By Lisa Daniel American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2011: As the final U.S. military convoys roll out of Iraq these next three weeks, marking the end of eight years of operations, Americans can be proud of the work service members did there, U.S. Forces Iraq's deputy commanding general said today.
In USFI's final news briefing from Baghdad, Army Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick told the Pentagon press corps that Americans and Iraqis will have different opinions about whether Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn "were worth it."
"From where I sit, it was," Helmick said.
It was because of the U.S. military role that the country held historic elections in March 2010, giving Iraq "the opportunity for a sovereign future," the general said. And, he added, violence is at an eight-year low.
Helmick said his beliefs are underscored by the positive comments of some wounded warriors and family members of the fallen, which totals more than 4,500 U.S. service members.
"My firm belief is that there is no other military in the world that can do what yours did in Iraq," he said. "For eight years, they have been building and securing this country."
U.S. troops' greatest legacy in Iraq, Helmick said, is in the professionalism, confidence and esprit de corps of the Iraqi security forces.
"We gave 28 million Iraqis the greatest gift anyone can give and that is their freedom," he said.
Helmick marked the historic occasion by calling the veterans of Iraq operations the next "Greatest Generation," a reference to those who served in World War II.
"The significance of this day doesn't escape me," the general said on the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For their service in Iraq, he said, "America discovered the next greatest generation."
"Words cannot begin to express the pride I feel about America's military performance and service in Iraq," he added.
The 18-month process of drawing down forces in Iraq "is simply historic," going from 300,000 service members and more than 5,000 installations in 2007 to 8,000 troops and five bases today, Helmick said. Military drivers have logged 16 million miles, "moving a mountain of equipment and personnel," mostly through southern Iraq and into Kuwait, and have fewer than 1,000 truckloads left, he said.
U.S. forces built the Iraqi security forces to more than 700,000, trained them, and left them with "some of the best [equipment] we have," including the M1 Abrams tank and artillery equipment, the general said. U.S. forces also were in charge of the country's security until 2010 when Iraqi forces took the lead.
Every piece of U.S. military equipment "goes through an agonizing process" of determining whether it should be shipped out of the country or left for the Iraqis, Helmick said. The U.S. military has incurred significant savings in transportation costs by leaving equipment, namely office furniture, in Iraq, he said.
Iraq still has challenges, Helmick said, including continued threats from al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, Iranian meddling, and internal ethnic tensions.
Iraq has made good progress on police work, the general said, and is capable of securing the country internally, if not externally. "The Iraqis understand they have a security gap if someone comes into their air space who doesn't want to be seen," he said.
Whether or not the Iraqis choose a future U.S. military role in security is up to them, the general said.
"The sense I get from the Iraqis is that they want to have a strong relationship with our country," he said.
Asked about the military's "lessons learned" in Iraq, Helmick said, "We performed, really, beyond expectations."
Early on, the general said, service members in Iraq had to do things they weren't necessarily trained to do. They weren't very good at advising Iraqi farmers on wheat crops, "but we did that," or in helping with the oil refinery and distribution processes, "but we did that," he said.
"The military had to branch out through all the different portions of the government sector because, at that time, there was no one to pass the ball off to," Helmick said.
U.S. operations in Iraq later became the example of how best to synchronize military and civilian actions, Helmick said. Americans serving in Iraq learned about the country's culture and enabled the Iraqis to create a system of security and governance for themselves, he said, rather than a template of how things are done in the United States.
As for Iraq's future security, Helmick said, "We really don't know what is going to happen, but we know we've done everything we can for the Iraqi security forces."
Asked if the Iraqis are capable of doing their part to keep U.S. State Department employees and contractors safe when they take over the U.S. role there Jan. 1, the general said, "My gut tells me they will be capable to do this -- they're doing it today."
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Related Sites:"From where I sit, it was," Helmick said.
It was because of the U.S. military role that the country held historic elections in March 2010, giving Iraq "the opportunity for a sovereign future," the general said. And, he added, violence is at an eight-year low.
Helmick said his beliefs are underscored by the positive comments of some wounded warriors and family members of the fallen, which totals more than 4,500 U.S. service members.
"My firm belief is that there is no other military in the world that can do what yours did in Iraq," he said. "For eight years, they have been building and securing this country."
U.S. troops' greatest legacy in Iraq, Helmick said, is in the professionalism, confidence and esprit de corps of the Iraqi security forces.
"We gave 28 million Iraqis the greatest gift anyone can give and that is their freedom," he said.
Helmick marked the historic occasion by calling the veterans of Iraq operations the next "Greatest Generation," a reference to those who served in World War II.
"The significance of this day doesn't escape me," the general said on the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For their service in Iraq, he said, "America discovered the next greatest generation."
"Words cannot begin to express the pride I feel about America's military performance and service in Iraq," he added.
The 18-month process of drawing down forces in Iraq "is simply historic," going from 300,000 service members and more than 5,000 installations in 2007 to 8,000 troops and five bases today, Helmick said. Military drivers have logged 16 million miles, "moving a mountain of equipment and personnel," mostly through southern Iraq and into Kuwait, and have fewer than 1,000 truckloads left, he said.
U.S. forces built the Iraqi security forces to more than 700,000, trained them, and left them with "some of the best [equipment] we have," including the M1 Abrams tank and artillery equipment, the general said. U.S. forces also were in charge of the country's security until 2010 when Iraqi forces took the lead.
Every piece of U.S. military equipment "goes through an agonizing process" of determining whether it should be shipped out of the country or left for the Iraqis, Helmick said. The U.S. military has incurred significant savings in transportation costs by leaving equipment, namely office furniture, in Iraq, he said.
Iraq still has challenges, Helmick said, including continued threats from al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, Iranian meddling, and internal ethnic tensions.
Iraq has made good progress on police work, the general said, and is capable of securing the country internally, if not externally. "The Iraqis understand they have a security gap if someone comes into their air space who doesn't want to be seen," he said.
Whether or not the Iraqis choose a future U.S. military role in security is up to them, the general said.
"The sense I get from the Iraqis is that they want to have a strong relationship with our country," he said.
Asked about the military's "lessons learned" in Iraq, Helmick said, "We performed, really, beyond expectations."
Early on, the general said, service members in Iraq had to do things they weren't necessarily trained to do. They weren't very good at advising Iraqi farmers on wheat crops, "but we did that," or in helping with the oil refinery and distribution processes, "but we did that," he said.
"The military had to branch out through all the different portions of the government sector because, at that time, there was no one to pass the ball off to," Helmick said.
U.S. operations in Iraq later became the example of how best to synchronize military and civilian actions, Helmick said. Americans serving in Iraq learned about the country's culture and enabled the Iraqis to create a system of security and governance for themselves, he said, rather than a template of how things are done in the United States.
As for Iraq's future security, Helmick said, "We really don't know what is going to happen, but we know we've done everything we can for the Iraqi security forces."
Asked if the Iraqis are capable of doing their part to keep U.S. State Department employees and contractors safe when they take over the U.S. role there Jan. 1, the general said, "My gut tells me they will be capable to do this -- they're doing it today."
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U.S. Forces Iraq
Grandson Carries on Grandfather's Service
His father spent a 30-year career in the Army
By Stefan Bocchino
377th Air Base Wing
Tibbets said that while growing up he was aware of his grandfather's World War II accomplishments. His father spent a 30-year career in the Army reserve as a pharmacist and hospital administrator, he said, retiring as a colonel.
377th Air Base Wing
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M., Dec. 7, 2011 - Air Force Col. Paul W. Tibbets IV, the Air Force Inspection Agency's commander, is the grandson of retired Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., the pilot in command of the "Enola Gay" when it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.
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"My father had the biggest influence on me joining the Air Force," Tibbets said. "When I was in 9th grade, I became involved in youth service projects. It was a passion of mine to serve. My father said 'You seem to be very interested in serving -- what do you want to do with your life?' I told him I was interested in serving, and he told me to look into something like the ROTC or service academies."
Tibbets applied to the service academies and was accepted to the Air Force Academy, where he spent four years.
"The time that I spent with my grandfather was very limited growing up," Tibbets said. "It was an honor being a Tibbets, and I will always consider him a hero. The last time I saw him before leaving for the Air Force Academy, he told me, 'Paul, just remember, people are going to know you because of who I am. You be who you are and don't worry about who I was.' What I found out later was that he was really concerned his service would somehow have a negative effect on my career. I took his advice to heart the best I could."
Tibbets said he was interested in flying at the academy. Following graduation, he was selected to attend pilot training.
"There was no favoritism when I was chosen for bombers," Tibbets said, who has been in the Air Force for 22 years. "The Air Force can't afford to put someone in a job for which they're not qualified. I was told that it wasn't because of who I was, but because it was the best fit."
During World War II, General Tibbets flew B-17s in Europe. Later in the war, he returned to the United States to test-fly the B-29 Superfortress. He was selected to command the 509th Composite Group that was connected to the Manhattan Project. On Aug. 6, 1945, he flew a B-29, which he dubbed "Enola Gay" after his mother's name, during the bombing of Hiroshima.
"Even though there was controversy over the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, my grandfather said he never lost one minute of sleep," Tibbets said. "He emphasized that, 'My country asked me to do something, and I set forth with the men in the 509th Composite Group to accomplish it to the best of our ability, and it helped bring the war to an end.' It is interesting being a senior officer now and thinking about the challenges those men went through. They never lost focus on the mission they were to carry out, and they did it beautifully."
Tibbets was previously assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. That was the same unit his grandfather commanded during the bombing of Hiroshima.
"I competed to go to the 509th and was selected," the colonel said. "It was quite an honor to be in that organization. It's a highly skilled, highly capable organization with a very unique mission. Later, I was selected to command."
He commanded the 393rd Bomb Squadron, an operational squadron of B-2 "Spirit" aircraft at Whiteman, within the same wing his grandfather commanded.
"The wing commander made the decision that commanding the unit was where my skills were needed," Tibbets said. "It was one of those opportunities that the Air Force has given me, to command an operational squadron, and I'm obviously honored and thrilled to be a part of something like that. You add on that it was my grandfather's squadron and it meant just the world to me. Just as my grandfather did, I was focused on serving those entrusted to my command to the best of my ability. I thought, 'I won't let them down, I can't let my grandfather down, and I don't want to let my Air Force down.'"
General Tibbets died in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 1, 2007, at 92.
"It is a real privilege to serve our great nation, being part of something bigger than ourselves," said Colonel Tibbets, who took command of AFIA in July. "I am so proud of all our airmen and joint partners, who are a very small percentage of all Americans who are wearing the uniform and defending freedom. I love it."
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)
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