The 336th Recruiting Squadron NCO's story began with a mother's letter of gratitude.

Jennifer Safford, the mother of a recent basic training graduate, wrote to Sergeant Bass' commander to share how impressed she was with the recruiter's professionalism. Ms. Safford said that although she initially opposed her daughter's decision to enlist, Sergeant Bass (assigned to the Summerville, S.C., recruiting office) shared his confidence in her daughter's decision to join those who serve in the world's greatest air and space force.

Ms. Safford's reaction to her 19-year-old daughter's decision to enlist was not unusual, Sergeant Bass said. Parents, concerned for their child's future, commonly question recruiter honesty and voice concerns about enlistment as though recruiters are leading recent high school graduates away from pursuing a higher education.

"I support the military, but when it came to my daughter enlisting, I worried," said Ms. Safford, a high school administrator's assistant, of her daughter, Tiffany Sharp. "Sergeant Bass was kind, respected my feelings and gave me assurance that Tiffany was making a good decision."

Familiar with the drill, Sergeant Bass answered the concerned mother's many questions and spoke openly about Air Force life with not only Ms. Safford, but also Ms. Sharp's brother and sister. The recruiter had to wait for some answers, such as those about the job Ms. Sharp selected, because the recruit was still on a waiting list for the Air Force specialty. While waiting for those answers, the sergeant explained the Air Force job booking process and continually reassured the worried mother. He also worked with the future Airman, preparing her physically and mentally for basic training as he does for all his recruits in the Delayed Entry Program.

Sergeant Bass' dedication and attention did not end when Ms. Sharp shipped off to basic training and became "Airman Recruit Sharp."

Sergeant Bass maintained contact with Ms. Safford while her daughter attended basic, shared insights about the training and answered additional questions. Following the recruiter's advice, Ms. Safford was in the stands at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, during her daughter's graduation ceremony, ready to be the first person to give the now Airman Basic Tiffany Sharp a congratulatory hug.

"I personally hope that all recruiters would be able to care for the families like that because it means so much," Ms. Safford said. "The relationship that it builds is important. You never know how it could help later."

Proud of her daughter's achievement, Ms. Safford wrote a detailed letter to Lt. Col. Richard Van Hook, the commander of the 336th Recruiting Squadron, sharing her appreciation for Sergeant Bass' job performance.

The letter didn't stop with the squadron commander. Colonel Van Hook forwarded the letter to Brig. Gen. Alfred J. Stewart, Air Force Recruiting Service commander, who then shared it with Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the commander of Air Education and Training Command.

The general was impressed at how the recruiter's actions represented the professionalism of Airmen every day as they uphold the Air Force's focus on taking care of Airmen and their families. He shared this sentiment as an example of doing things right in his speech after accepting command of AETC in a ceremony July 2.

Airman Sharp will be an aircraft armament systems apprentice at Whiteman AFB, Mo. She plans to help Sergeant Bass for a few weeks following technical school graduation through the Recruiter Assistance Program, which will also give her time to be with her family before she heads to her first assignment as a B-2 Spirit weapons load crewmember.

And, to her mother's delight, Airman Sharp's training so far has earned her about 24 credits toward her associate's degree through the world's largest community college: the Community College of the Air Force.

Following up with parents and keeping them informed is an important part of recruiting that benefits all involved, the future Airmen, their loved ones and recruiters, Sergeant Bass said.

"I check on them because I'm a part of their community," the sergeant said. "They put their trust in me as a part of that community and in turn, it becomes a force multiplier for me."

In return, Sergeant Bass maintains a strong Delayed Entry Program, acquires helpers through the Recruiter Assistance Program and gains referrals from influential members of the community.

"Doing 'right' goes along with recruiting the right skills, at the right time, along with the right numbers," said Chief Master Sgt. Vance Clarke, the Air Force Recruiting Service command chief. "I believe this story bears out that 'staying the high road' and doing the right thing will always prevail."

By taking care of future Airmen and their families, recruiters ensure the mission will be completed with perfection, the chief said.

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Known as environmental qualification testing, the test program "exercised" the radar units -- an antenna, a power supply and a receiver/exciter module -- in a laboratory environment under extreme conditions of temperature, altitude, humidity, shock and vibration. It was conducted in collaboration with Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif., who developed the units under contract to Northrop Grumman.

"The completion of environmental qualification testing on schedule is a significant risk reduction milestone for the program," said John Buzby, director of the radar modernization program for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "It proves that the radar units are suitable for use in the operational B-2 flight environment."

According to Buzby, the qualification testing, which was conducted as part of the RMP system development and demonstration phase, also demonstrated the integrity of the new antenna's design.

The environmental testing is one of several activities Northrop Grumman has used to demonstrate the maturity and reliability of the radar units before beginning an RMP production program. The company has also been flight testing production-representative RMP units since January 2008 to demonstrate that they meet their operational radar performance requirements.

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is one of the most survivable aircraft in the world. It remains the only long-range, large-payload aircraft that can penetrate deeply into protected airspace. In concert with the Air Force's air superiority fleet, which provides airspace control, and the Air Force's tanker fleet, which enables global mobility, the B-2 helps ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

Northrop Grumman is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

This news release was distributed by PrimeNewswire, www.primenewswire.com

SOURCE: Northrop Grumman Corp.

Brooks McKinney, APR 
          Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems
          (310) 331-6610
          Cell: (310) 864-3785
          brooks.mckinney@ngc.com

The paper, "The 2018 Bomber: The Case for Accelerating the Next Generation Long Range Strike System," was presented today by Michael Isherwood, one of its authors and a senior analyst with the Northrop Grumman Analysis Center, at a media briefing at the National Press Club.

The paper can be downloaded at www.analysiscenter.northropgrumman.com.

"The Quadrennial Defense Review concluded in 2006 that the Air Force should accelerate the development and fielding of the NGLRS system," said Isherwood, who co-authored the paper with Robert Haffa, Jr., director of the Northrop Grumman Analysis Center. "Our paper identifies the many benefits that will accrue for theater commanders and joint warfighters if the Air Force pursues this strategy."

Northrop Grumman is currently the Air Force's prime contractor for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the flagship of the nation's long range strike arsenal. The B-2 is scheduled to remain in service until at least 2058 as the nation's largest payload, longest range bomber. The company is also prepared to compete for a next generation bomber, which is expected to complement the role of the B-2.

According to the Analysis Center paper, the proposed NGLRS, a stealthy, subsonic aircraft, will overcome the lack of friendly airfields by being able to deliver its payload at ranges exceeding 2,000 miles, unrefueled. Its enhanced survivability features will make it extremely effective at penetrating enemy airspaces undetected. And its enhanced communications systems and ability to carry up to 28,000 pounds of ordnance will allow it not only to drop more weapons with fewer sorties, but also to work either alone or as part of a "wolfpack" of networked manned and unmanned weapon systems to "swarm" over hostile targets.

"NGLRS will be the first bomber since World War II designed primarily for conventional operations," explained Isherwood. "As such, it will be expected to generate more sorties per day and have a maintenance concept that will support a high operational tempo."

NGLRS' advanced communications systems will also allow it to take on roles not conventionally assigned to bombers, added Isherwood. In addition to handling in-flight re-tasking to deal with time-sensitive targets, the aircraft could also set up an airborne "wide area network" for distributing critical information to warfighters, just as the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System serves as a distribution hub for the air-to-air operational picture.

The 2018 bomber will also have the size and electrical capacity to provide options for non-kinetic and cyber operations. Its advanced antennas might be used, for example, to sever communication links used to trigger improvised explosive devices, monitor enemy communications or conduct other types of electronic warfare operations.

At a strategic level, NGLRS offers U.S. leaders a unique and compelling capability: the ability to hold at risk any target worldwide -- hostile leadership, weapons facilities, infrastructure or enemy forces -- with a prompt, precise, man-in-the-loop global strike capability.

Northrop Grumman is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com

SOURCE: Northrop Grumman Corp.

Brooks McKinney, APR
          Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems
          (310) 331-6610 office
          (310) 864-3785 cell
          brooks.mckinney@ngc.com