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Vietnamese Air Defense AF delegation visits USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Pentagon

  • Published
  • By Maj. Elizabeth Erickson
  • 13th Air Force International Health Specialist
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  A delegation of five Vietnamese Air Defense Air Force Senior Leaders, led by Deputy Chief of Staff Senior Colonel Dang Van Trang, made a ground-breaking trip September 10-14 to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and Washington D.C.

The delegation also included a representative of the Vietnam Ministry of Defense External Relations Department. The engagement was sponsored by United States Pacific Command through the Asia-Pacific Regional Initiative and implemented cooperatively by Pacific Air Forces 13th Air Force, Secretary of the Air Force/International Affairs and the U.S. Embassy Hanoi Defense Attaché Office.

The visit was the direct result of discussions during Airmen to Airmen Talks in August 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii and June 2012 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The focus of the visit was Aerospace Medicine and Flight Safety, both areas of mutual interest between the Vietnam and United States Air Forces.

This was the first delegation of Vietnamese Air Defense Air Force Officers to visit the Pentagon since the Vietnam War.

At Wright-Patterson AFB, the group visited the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, where they participated in hands-on demonstrations of a spatial disorientation trainer, virtual parachute trainer, altitude chamber and C-130 Aeromedical Evacuation simulator. The Vietnamese airmen were also briefed on the training opportunities for international students available through the School of Aerospace Medicine.

The delegation was also briefed by the 88th Air Base Wing Safety Office, with particular focus on Flight Safety programs such as the Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) program and the Safety Investigation Board process.

While in the Wright-Patterson area, the delegation enjoyed visiting historic sites related to the origins of flight in the birthplace of the Wright Brothers. They also visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The delegation spent Sept. 14, at the Pentagon and met with Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas Travis, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General; Maj. Gen. Richard Johnston, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs and received briefings from Air Force Headquarters Safety and International Affairs.

The senior leader visits during this engagement demonstrated the U.S. Air Force's commitment to continued engagement with Vietnam's Air Defense Air Force in order to work together toward regional security.

The U.S.-Vietnam Air Force-to-Air Force relationship is growing rapidly and the two services have cooperated on activities such as the humanitarian-focused series of PACIFIC ANGEL operations in 2009, 2010, and 2012.