Dispatches from Antarctica

Dear Lt. Col. Vaughan

My name is Kathleen O Prokop

I am a member of Diamond Valley Arts Council

Diamond Valley Arts Council operates Esplanade Arts Center

We would like perhaps some photos of dispatches from Antarctica and videos as well with naration

If you would call so you can make arrangments to exhibit photos and videos with naration at the Esplanade Arts Center

Thank you so much

Kathleen O Prokop
DVAC Member
FOA committee member
EAC volunteer docent

Hi. Lt. Col Vaughan. We live in Lafayette, Louisiana. We love this website. It has taught us so much about Antarctica. A friend of mine has a 9 year old daughter, Amari, that would like to do her social studies project on Operation Deep Freeze and the Antarctica. She plans on ustilizing your web posts for content. How hard would it be to get a video or blog “shout out” to her class?

Thank you for your time,

Heather Manrique

Yes, I would be delighted to answer questions your students might have.  I have access to some of the world’s leading scientists here.  So I hope if I can’t provide an answer, then one my distinguished colleagues here might.  Given our work schedule here, I may have to answer a few at a time depending on the difficulty level.�
�
On the subject of flying near the poles, allow me to pose these questions back to your students in order to help us frame the discussion.�
�
What is the difference between the Magnetic South Pole and the Geographic South Pole?  What is the difference between true and magnetic heading? What are isogonic lines and how do they influence magnetic compass readings?  Most modern airplanes have both magnetic compasses and gyroscopic compasses of some sort.  Given the relationship between the Geographic South Pole and the Magnetic South Pole, and especially the density of isogonic lines in the region, which describes the rate of change of magnetic variation, magnetic compasses are next to useless here for flying. Once you’ve digested all these questions, ponder this bonus question: if one were standing directly on the point that is the Geographic South Pole, facing true north, and that person turn 90 degrees to the right, still on the same point, what would be the new true direction faced?
�
On a related note, I want to thank you for your work as a high school teacher, particularly inspiring young people in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects.  My high school physics teacher, Mr. Gerald Fujii, inspired me to study engineering in college and eventually go into aviation as a career.
�
More to follow…

Lt. Col. Vaughan,

Thanks for the gracious response. My students would like clarification on the bonus question. Specifically, is “true north” equivalent to “geographic north” , “magnetic north”, or neither?

Here are a few of the hodgepodge of questions submitted:

Other than extreme cold temperature, what advantages exist for scientists, besides scientists specifically studying the polar region, in Antarctica?

What kinds of hydrolic, brake, and other fluids do the C-130s run with in order to prevent freezing?

How do you prevent ice from forming on the control surfaces both on the ground and in the air?

What kind of animals are there (where you are in Antarctica)?

What are the seasonal differences in weather at the base?

How equipped and manned is the medical unit at your base?

How are the quarters on the base, in terms of weather resistance and durability?

What do you do in your free time?

What is the highest UV level recorded at the station.

I would like to know, as a future member of the USAF, what high school/college course would I need for being a fighter pilot and for air maintainance? What kind of courses will I need to take for special forces in the Air Force.

Are there any unique cooking styles or methods employed at the base?

What is the tidal range for the nearest bay?

What is the local gravity?

Is the base conducting any research which may eventually influence the field of psychology?

Thanks so much Lt. Col. Vaughan.

Regards,
Eric Eisaman
DoDEA Teacher

I’m trying to get down there as a firefighter been one here in wisconsin for 3 years… could u send me an email on info how to do

In order to answer the questions about serving in Antarctica, I have to
provide some background on the military’s role in the mission. Bottom
line is that your chances of serving in Antarctica are better as a
civilian, working through the primary contractor’s human resource
office, than trying to deploy as a military member.

The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) is a standing inter-agency
activity led by the National Science Foundation. By Presidential
directive, DOD plays a subordinate, support role to NSF’s science and
research objectives in Antarctica. Aside from specific aircraft and
ship operations, the vast majority of USAP support functions are
performed by civilian government contractors, not military members. The
military portion of the USAP is referred to as Operation Deep Freeze.

Operation Deep Freeze is executed by Joint Task Force – Support Forces
Antarctica (JTF-SFA), under US Pacific Command. As a standing Defense
Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) mission, the force providers for
deployed military personnel are primarily assigned to USTRANSCOM and
include both active and reserve components of the US Air Force and US
Navy. Because the mission is highly specialized, the best way to get
involved as a military member is to arrange an assignment to one of the
force provider units. With the exception of the medical corps, military
members are not typically drawn from deployment buckets at large. So
you’ll need to be assigned to one of a handful of units.

For the Air Force, C-17 personnel deploy forward from the 62d Airlift
Wing (active duty) and the 446th Airlift Wing (AF Reserve Command), both
based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. LC-130 personnel deploy
forward from the military’s only ski-plane unit, the New York Air
National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton ANGB, New York. On the
Navy side, ships from the Military Sealift Command and cargo handlers
from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion – One deploy forward.

Given that background, if you’re still interested in serving, then I
recommend you contact your military assignments personnel and try to get
to one of the force provider units.

What type of coordination do you do with the other nationalities who have a stake in Antarctica?  Is there any tension at all?

Thanks Carla!

 will Santa visit the South Pole? Do any real children live there?