USAFE commander addresses 48th SFS Airmen about Frankfurt Shooting Incident

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stephen Linch
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, spoke to more than 200 Airmen from the 48th Security Forces Squadron at the RAF Lakenheath Gymnasium, March 3, urging them to take care of each other in the wake of a shooting that claimed the lives of two Airmen and wounded two more.

The shooting incident occurred outside of Terminal 2 at Frankfurt International Airport the afternoon of March 2, as a 15-member Security Forces team was being transported from the airport to Ramstein Air Base, Germany. They were on their way to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom when the alleged shooter, whom German authorities have in custody, attacked the team.

The lives lost were that of Senior Airman Nicholas J. Alden , 25, of Williamston, S.C., assigned to the 48th SFS at Lakenheath, and Airman 1st Class Zachary R. Cuddeback, 21, of Stanardsville, Va., assigned to the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron at Ramstein.

The two 48th SFS Airmen wounded in the event are currently being treated at a German hospital in Frankfurt.

"I'm sorry all of this happened to your brothers," General Welsh said, noting that everything that could be done for the victims and their families was being taken care of.

The general continued addressing the somber crowd, saying they needed to first take care of the victims and their families, then their own families, who were probably worried about them, followed by each other and lastly, they needed to take care of themselves.

"You know how to take care of your own," he said, referring to the care and attention being given to the victims and their families, before telling the crowd of defenders to take care of their own family.

"They (your family) know what you do for a living, but sometimes when they hear the reality of something like this happening they really get concerned," the USAFE commander said. "Tell them you don't live in a dangerous place, but there are dangerous people - that's why you wear the (security forces) badge."

The general went onto tell the story of a young man who served under him in the days leading up to the Gulf War. Capt. Michael L. Chinburg, 26, died when his F-16 crashed during a night training mission in Saudi Arabia on January 8, 1991.

"Chins (Chinburg) wasn't just some guy, he was my guy. He was my brother," said the 34-year Air Force veteran.

"I grew up in a family with a father who was a fighter pilot," General Welsh said. "Death wasn't new to me, but my guy dying was new - and I had trouble dealing with it."

The general went on to tell the Liberty Airmen gathered in the gymnasium, if they had trouble dealing with their grief, they needed to look to each other and if necessary seek councilors or chaplains.

"Everybody in this command feels the pain with you - we don't feel it as intensely, because we don't know the guys," General Welsh said. "But when I meet them tomorrow, I'll cry for you - right there beside them, and I will hug their relatives, and I'll tell them you love them and can't wait to get them home."