It`s on: Air Fest dates set, Snowbirds to headline

C
M Y K
Friday, January 25, 2008
Vol. 35, No. 4
Photo courtesy of the Snowbirds
The Canadian Air Force Snowbirds flying team will dazzle the MacDill Airfest crowd this year. It will mark the first time the Canadian fliers
make an appearance at the base.
It’s on: Air Fest dates set, Snowbirds to headline
by Nick Stubbs
Thunderbolt editor
We’ve seen the Air Force Thunderbirds over
MacDill; the Navy Blue Angles have been here,
too. But this year, MacDill will give Tampa
Bay a taste of flying precision from the Great
White North, bringing the Canadian Snow-
birds Aerial Demonstration Team to AirFest
2008 for the first time ever.
The Canadian Air Force team will headline the show both days, Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, when MacDill will swing
its gates open to invite thousands on base for
the free show. Past shows have seen upward of
300,000 people visiting over the course of the
weekend.
“We are proud to be opening MacDill up to
the public for AirFest ’08,” said Col. Robert
Thomas, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander.
“This is our way of thanking the community
for the incredible support it provides to our
military members and their families.”
See AIR FEST, Page 5
INSIDE TODAY
In with the new
Page 4
Top eats!
Page 4
Political protocol
Fighting Airmen
Page 8
Page 13
Commentary
The two-way street of mentorship: give and take
by Lt. Col. Scott Warner
386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron
commander
When I was a young lieutenant, I had no
idea what I was getting into when I joined
the Air Force.
I was not a military brat, nor had I had
any experience with the military other than
my college ROTC. I was assigned a sponsor,
who did a great job of getting me settled at
the base and into my daily routine. After
the first six months in, I was comfortable in
the job, but not as comfortable with the Air
Force.
I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be
doing. Should I pursue a master’s degree, get
my professional engineer rating, or volunteer
for deployments?
It felt like everyone else knew what they
were doing and what they were to do next.
I was uncomfortable and unsure of what I
should be doing, so I began to ask questions
of the major who was my supervisor. He took
pity on the poor lost lieutenant and introduced me to what I now know to be mentorship.
To me, mentorship is a powerful type of relationship. It is more than that of a student/
teacher relationship that is more of a oneway relationship where the teacher teaches
and the student learns. Mentorship is more
of a two-way relationship; a more appropriate example for me comes from the karate
dojo.
When I was studying karate in Hawaii, we
were required to learn the different levels
and relationships in the dojo. The instructor,
who in my case was a seventh-degree black
belt, is called a sensei. The senior students
in the class, normally the brown and lesser
black belts, were called sempai. The junior
students in the class, all the lower belts from
white through green, were called kohei.
As a shodan, I was considered a sempai in
the class. Of course, the other sempai in the
class were considered to be my peers, much
MacDill Thunderbolt
Publisher: Carla Floyd
Editor: Nick Stubbs
The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air
Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized
publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military
services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are
not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S.
government, the Department of Defense, the Department of
as you would consider the Airmen in similar
ranks. The relationship between a sensei
and a sempai was more than just that of student/teacher; a sempai is expected to do more
than just learn. They have responsibilities to
help with the class, to teach the kohei as well
as pursuing their own learning. In my case,
I spent at least as much time teaching other
students their basic katas and positions as I
did learning my new ones.
Mentorship is similar to that. It is not just
a matter of receiving, it is a matter of giving
as well.
Even if you are the chief of staff of the Air
Force or the youngest airman basic in the
Air Force, you have people around you that
are more experienced or less experienced.
Mentorship is the responsibility of each and
every person to learn from those more experienced than you and to help teach those
less experienced than you. Mentorship also
implies a special relationship, a personal
one that is similar to friendship or that of an
older brother/sister to a younger sibling. In
the Air Force, we refer to it as the wingman
concept.
Having a mentor senior to you is an opportunity.
As a military member interested in your
own career, a mentor offers you the opportunity to benefit from someone else’s experience. Ask them questions, get their advice
and use them as a sounding board for your
future plans, whatever you want advice on.
And the real beauty of it is, you don’t have to
have just one mentor. You can have as many
as you want. In fact, it can be a real benefit
to get the viewpoints of multiple people when
you are looking to make an informed decision. Seek those out who you have respect
for, who set an example you identify with, or
that are on a path you are interested in traveling down. Engage them in conversation,
ask their advice and you are well on you way
to cultivating a new mentor.
Being a mentor to those junior to you is a
responsibility.
the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing.
The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement
by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air
Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of
the products or service advertised.
Everything advertised in this publication shall be made
available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status,
physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit
factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
Advertising information may be obtained by calling 2598104. For classified advertising call 657-4500.
Lt. Col. Scott Warner
As you progress through your military
career, you acquire knowledge. I’m not just
talking about the kind of knowledge you
get from attending school and training; I’m
referring to what my Dad calls the “School
of Hard Knocks.” A lot of this knowledge
is taken for granted. It seems so basic or
maybe the importance fades as the years go
by. However, to an Airman junior to you, this
might be crucial information that can help
them make a touch decision or resolve a difficult situation.
As stewards of this information, you have
a responsibility to assist your more junior
members by allowing them to learn from
your experiences, both positive and negative.
Find those more junior to you who could benefit from your experiences and offer them the
opportunity to learn from them. Not only will
you be helping them, but also you will find it
personally rewarding as well.
News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted
to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, Bldg. 299, at
8208 Hangar Loop Drive, Suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or
call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at 828-4586. Email: [email protected].
Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to
appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after
deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions
are considered for publication based on news value and timeliness.
Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity,
brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook
and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.
Goal Day Tracker
To the point
Maintenance Group looking for stories
The 6th Maintenance Group at MacDill is having
its Annual Knucklebuster Awards Ceremony soon,
and the theme will be the history of MacDill aircraft
maintenance. It is looking for retired Air Force personnel who served in an Aircraft Maintenance career
field at MacDill during the 1940’s through the 1990’s.
If you are a retired aircraft maintainer that was stationed at MacDill and interested in telling your story please call CMSgt Shatsar, the 6th Maintenance
Group Superintendent at (813) 828-2025.
Way to reward top performers
MacDill’s Tony Jannus Chapter of the Airlift/Tanker Association sponsors an award program with two
categories: E-1 to E-4, and E-5 to E-6, members from
all five services. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and
Coast Guard, compete for basewide honors, winning
an Airlift/Tanker Association Performer of the Quarter trophy, a free lunch, and the option of joining the
Tony Jannus Chapter. The theme for nomination
packages is “How the Individual’s Performance Contributed to Air Mobility.” Nominees must be stationed
at MacDill; no attached personnel. Simply type five
main bullets, with no more than two supporting subbullets (maximum of 15 lines), on an AF Form 1206
(save in .xfd format) listing actions and results from
October to December 2007 (Do not add filler or job descriptions, focus on job performance). Please submit
nominees via e-mail to [email protected] by
close of business Jan. 11. For more information, contact the Tony Jannus chapter president, Lt. Col. Jon
Incerpi at 828-3702.
Thrift shop deals
The shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Consignments are accepted on
Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon and Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers are needed.
EO deployment briefings
The Equal Opportunity office is conducting weekly
15-minute deployment briefings at 1 p.m. in the EO
office. You don’t have to call to schedule an appointment, just stop by Building 299, Wing Headquarters,
suite 15. If due to a short notice deployment you are
unable to make the Wednesday briefing, please contact Staff Sgt. Sewell or Tech. Sgt. Crouse at 8-3333 to
schedule a one-on-one briefing.
Divorce recovery
The MacDill Family Resource Center will offer divorce recovery groups for adults and children, called
DivorceCare and DivorceCare for Kids, beginning
next month. Both groups will be meeting at the Brandon Family Resource Center, Mondays from 6:30 to
8:30 p.m., starting Feb. 4. Space is limited, so reserve
a spot by calling the Base Chapel at 828-3621.
See TO THE POINT, Page 11
Current as of Jan. 25
New MacDill clinic marks the beginning, end of a era
by Airman First Class Stephenie
Wade
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
The MacDill family will be saying goodbye within the next two
years to one of the base’s oldest
facilities, the current base clinic and former hospital — in its
place, a sparkling new clinic facility.
“Construction began during the
last quarter of 2007 and is scheduled to be complete in December
2009,”said David Lehosit, 6 Civil
Engineer Squadron, a civil engineer oversight. “The new clinic
is a multi storied 254,000 square
foot facility and is currently 8
percent complete.” he added.
MacDill’s Family Treatment
Center, located on base was constructed in 1956 and has evolved
from having an emergency room
to a clinic, and now makes way
for a new state-of-the-art facility.
According to the hospital’s executive summary, due to an abundance of hospital alternatives in
the local civilian market, base
officials found that it was more
cost efficient to replace the hospital with a clinic.
“One of the reasons why MacDill is building a new clinic is
Courtesy graphic
because Tampa General Hospital
is so close, MacDill needs only to An artist rendering of the new clinic facility, under construction now.
See CLINIC, Page 6 The clinic will replace the aging base hostpital, built in 1956.
‘A Team’ is tops!
It was a battle of MacDill’s culinary
warriors Wednesday when teams
squared off in a base version of a top
chef competition. Two teams created
three-course meals for the judges to
rate, the winners being awarded top
chef bragging rights. (Left) Staff Sgt.
Andrea Turinsky and Airman Cedeno
wait patiently while Colonel William
Francis, 6th Mission Support Group
commander, tastes their entries at the
dinning facility. (Below left) Tech Sgt.
Teron James helps Staff Sgt. Andrea
Turinsky prepare the chicken saltimbocca for judging, while (Below) Colonel Francis cuts into the chicken dish.
In the end, Team A, Staff Sgt. Denesha Clavo, Staff Sgt. Lashonna Wooten and Airman First Class Frankie
Hall were named the winners.
Photo by Airman First Class Nancy Hooks
air fest
From Page 1
Pulling together the displays, shows and
vendors, along with traffic and crowd control,
all while maintaining high security is an intensive process, involving elements of nearly
every wing unit on base. Fortunately, MacDill
has a lot of air show experience under its belt
and despite the challenges, always produces a
top quality event praised by those attending
and show participants.
Details of other flying demonstrations,
types of aircraft that will be on hand and static displays will emerge in the coming weeks,
but plans are to stage a show that will have
something for everyone — particularly aviation enthusiasts.
The Snowbirds Demonstration Team (431
Squadron) is a Canadian icon comprised of
serving members of the Canadian Forces.
Their pilots and technicians work as a team
to bring thrilling performances to the North
American public. Serving as Canadian ambassadors, the Snowbirds demonstrate the high
level of professionalism, teamwork, excellence,
discipline and dedication inherent in the women and men of the Air Force and the Canadian
Forces.
The team uses CT-114 Tutor jets, the Canadian Forces pilot training jet until 2000.
The Snowbirds fly the Canadair CT-114 Tutor, a Canadian built jet used by the Canadian
Forces as its basic pilot training aircraft until
2000. The Tutor weighs approximately 7170
lbs and is powered by a J-85 engine producing
2,700 pounds of thrust. Top speed of the aircraft, with smoke tanks attached, is 412 knots,
or 470 mph.
The basic Tutor is only slightly modified for
use by the Snowbirds. Modifications include:
a smoke generating system, a unique red a
white paint scheme representing the Canadian colors for added crowd appeal, and a highly
tuned engine to enhance engine response in
low level flying.
The team currently consists of 11 fliers and
seven ground crew members. The team’s motto
is THE HATITEN RONTERIIOS (Warriors of
the air).
As always, Air Fest visitors will be admitted
to the base free of charge. Parking for thousands of vehicles will be provided, but it is
limited and the large crowds mean the earlier
visitors arrive, the better.
Food, drink and souvenirs will be available
from vendors, and don’t forget sunscreen.
Those planning to attend should keep their
eyes open for more news as the event approaches.
clinic
From Page 4
provide a clinic,” said Mr. Al Martin, 6th Medical Group
facility manager.
“MacDill is not the only base that is down sizing its
hospital to a clinic operation, many have already or are
in the process of doing so for the same reasons. The inefficient configuration and rapidly aging systems and
infrastructure of the hospital make it unnecessary to
renovate the building,” said Mr. Martin.
Additionally the executive summary states that the
electrical system, fire alarm system, nurse call system,
plumbing system, and air conditioning system need to
be replaced in the existing clinic. Required infrastructure and functional renovations would necessitate gutting the existing facility at a high cost and cause great
inconvenience to patients and staff.
“The new clinic facility will relocate to the main base
area, near the Dale Mabry front gate,” said Mr. Martin.
“In the future patient’s access will be improved, the
parking space shortage will be corrected and all medical functions will be consolidated under one roof eliminating the separation of facilities. Now we can meet a
world-class standard MacDill’s needs.” he added
Jump Start replaces Right
Start, CBI briefings
by Airman 1st Class Latanya Reid
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
Beginning in March, servicemembers arriving here can
expect to Jump Start their orientation to MacDill without
leaving their office.
Air Force Smart Operations 21 has streamlined the
orientation process by providing both the Right Start and
consolidated base in-processing slides online for newly
arriving military personnel.
“The new program, called Jump Start will be accessible
online through the Air Force Portal,” said Shirley Smith,
Airman and Family Readiness community readiness consultant. “It will help to shorten the time it takes for the
Airmen to in process at their bases.”
One of the challenges Airmen face when getting settled
at their new base is in-processing in a timely fashion.
Currently, appointments have to be made to attend a
Right Start orientation, which is held once every month
except in July, September and August when it’s held
twice, said Ms. Smith. The right start orientation consists
of approximately 12 briefings from various base organizations, including an exchange fair of 22 base community
services and points of interest for family members.
While these briefings are extremely helpful, they used
to last more than five hours and the wait time before attending lengthened the in-processing period.
Instead of attending the CBI briefings, as a group, servicemembers will receive one-on-one time upon arrival
at their medical appointments, she said. This results in
much faster service.
According to the Rapid Improvement Events team,
Jump Start will be an interactive web based tool that will
provide the newcomers the briefings and printed information currently presented at Right Start and CBI.
Master Sgt. Nona Chambers, noncommissioned officer in charge of patient administration, remembers going
through the briefings, after arriving at MacDill and how
Jump Start will be a welcomed change.
“Jumpstart helps lessen the load for the servicemembers arriving at their new bases by having the information available online,” she added. “It also provides the individuals easier access to the data from the briefings in
comparison to having to go through tons of paperwork.”
Even though the program’s main requirement will be
to fulfill the administrative functions of the briefings, it
gives the servicemember more time to learn his job at his
new unit, said Sergeant Chambers.
Walk the line when it
comes to politics
WASHINGTON (AFPN) — As U.S. servicemembers
and Defense Department civilians ponder candidates
during the election season, they should realize there
are limits placed upon their involvement in certain political activities.
Political-related “dos and don’ts” pertaining to military members of all service branches are proscribed
within Defense Department Directive 1344.10, titled:
Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces on
Active Duty.
The federal Hatch Act delineates what federal civilians, including those working for the Defense Department, may or may not do in the political realm.
For example, servicemembers and government civilians may attend political events like meetings and rallies, but military members must only be spectators and
not wear their uniforms.
In addition, troops aren’t permitted to make public
political speeches, serve in any official capacity within
political groups or take part in partisan political campaigns or conventions.
Under Hatch Act rules, government civilians may
be active in and speak before political gatherings or
serve as officers of political parties or partisan groups.
They are also allowed to manage political campaigns;
distribute literature, except at work; write political articles; or serve as spokespersons for political parties or
candidates.
Military members generally aren’t allowed to campaign for political office. Civilians can campaign for office in non-partisan elections. Partisan political activity is defined as activity directed toward the success or
failure of a political party or candidate for a partisan
political office or partisan political group.
Yet, basic rules apply to both military members and
government civilians. Neither can use their position in
the military or the government to influence or interfere
with elections. Servicemembers and federal civilians
never can engage in political activity on the job, in a
government vehicle or while wearing an official uniform.
For example, servicemembers and government civilians are not to distribute political literature at work.
This also applies to politically partisan electronic mail
messages forwarded over the Internet.
Servicemembers and government civilians are encouraged to exercise their right to vote and participate
in the democratic process. But, they should know there
are rules in place that govern the extent of their involvement in political activities, officials said.
Airmen advised to avoid
partisanship when voting
by Nick Stubbs
Thunderbolt editor
Tuesday MacDill voters
registered in Florida will
get a chance to do something they’ve never been
able to do: vote a full week
ahead of most of the nation in a primary. The early vote puts Florida voters
in a unique power position
to potentially influence the
outcome of the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday voting. That
means there may be unusual media and public attention in Florida.
And that means wing
Airmen voting in uniform
should take special responsibility.
There is nothing in the
regulations that prevent
an Airman from voting
in uniform, but stopping
to answer questions from
the media or responding
to exit polls could get you
into hot water, said First
Lt. Robert Thompson, 6th
Judge Advocate chief legal
assistant.
Airman are advised
to avoid controversy by
keeping a low profile to
avoid crossing of the line
between political activity
and military service. That
can happen when a person in uniform expresses a
partisan position or a candidate preference. Comments to media about poSee VOTING, Page 10
Still time to sign up for Brandon
Resource center career workshop
Thunderbolt staff report
Seats are still available for our upcoming Career By
Design workshop being held at the MacDill Family Resource Center in Brandon.
This workshop helps people assess and define career
interests, values, motivation skills, and career goals by
using interactive exercises and tools. It can help aid in
long-term goal planning and career fulfillment.
The workshop will be held Feb. 11 from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
at the Brandon facility, located at 710 Oakfield Drive
Suite 153, Brandon.
Call 655-9281 for reservations.
voting
From Page 9
litical positions or preferences or wearing of a partisan
or cadidate’s button while in uniform are examples of
crossing the line into partisan activities, said Lieutenant Thompson.
Be careful with exit polls and going on the record
while in uniform, he advised. “Perception is truth.”
“The easy answer is to vote in civilian clothes,” said
Lieutenant Thompson, which allows military members
the latitude to express their positions without the appearance that they are speaking in any way for the Air
Force.
According to the regulations, as a general rule, if an
activity is political or partisan in nature, Airman should
not be involved or even present in uniform. Voting activity is not partisan, said Lieutenant Thompson, but it
easy for an Airman to find himself in an awkward position when he does anything more political than vote in
uniform.
“You even have to watch what people shove in your
hand outside,” he said. “Even if you are carrying literature for multiple candidates, what you are displaying is
partisan material.”
Directive 1344.10 provides the information Airman
need to clarify what they may and may not do with respect to political activity.
To the point
From Page 3
Ball field closed until Feb.
The football/soccer field is closed for maintenance until Feb. 1. For more information, contact the Fitness Center at 828-4496.
vention and Response Program relocated to
Bldg 1066 on Blackbird St. The building is directly across the street from the Vet Clinic, behind the Base Exchange.
Sexual Assault Prevention move
Burger King hours
The 6th Air Mobility Wing Sexual Assault Pre-
Burger King’s new hours or operation for the
dining room and drive-through are as follows: Monday through Friday dining room 6
a.m. to 7 p.m., drive through 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday dining room 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., drive
through 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10:30
a.m. to 4 p.m., drive through 10:30 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Injured Marine’s return to hospital provides hope, inspiration
by Pfc. Bryan Carfrey
Headquarters, United States Marine Corps
WASHINGTON — A previous hospital patient returned January 17 to give backpacks
and words of encouragement in support of
wounded service members.
Klay South, 31, and his Veterans of Valor organization made visits to hospital and physical
therapy rooms at Bethesda Naval Hospital and
Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
South, accompanied by country singer John
Kiger, shared war stories and presented backpacks put together through donations to Veterans of Valor.
The backpacks contained iPods, video games
and athletic gear that included athletic pants
that open on the side. The pants were especially well received.
“The backpacks were just phenomenal. One
of the best things in there were the side opening sweatpants, because in my case I have gun
shot wounds in my legs and the doctors have to
continually check them,” said Lt. Col. Keith Schuring.
The visits were a surprise to the patients
and many weren’t aware that Veterans of Valor
would be stopping by.
“I was surprised by the visit and the bag. I
had just gotten finished with my physical therapy and was asked to hang tight. The bags are
just great, it’s something that is certainly needed,” said Cpl. Jimmy Kinsey.
South drew upon personal experiences in
designing both the bags and the trip to the
wounded warriors. He spent many days in surgery and nights in thought through his time at
the hospitals.
“I was turning a corner in Fallujah in November of 2004 when I was shot point blank
in the face with an AK-47, “ said the Franklin,
Indiana native. “Sometimes I felt like there was
no light at the end of the tunnel.”
South had between 40-50 surgeries to reconstruct his face and jaw, he said. During his
own long road to recovery he realized help for
wounded veterans was needed and he wanted
to do something.
Being a previous patient and wounded warrior was also well received by the recipients of
the gifts. South was able to sympathize with
the feelings that the patients were experiencing and offered his advice on how to get through
the recovery process.
“We have had visitors like Donald Rumsfeld
and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. But
when Sgt. South came in it was like a breath of
fresh air. A Marine that has been in combat, a
Marine that has started such a great program
as Veterans of Valor, its just wonderful to see
someone step-up and take charge like he has
because he has lived this life. He knows what
it’s like to be in this position,” said Schuring.
Schuring was also impressed that a young
Marine spearheaded the organization and talked highly of the non-commissioned officers in
the Marines.
“What Sgt. South has done with Veterans
of Valor speaks volumes of the NCO corps. We
have the strongest NCO corps in the world –
bar none,” said Schuring.
The Veterans of Valor organization was officially launched on October 4, 2007 after raising $21,000 through donations and fundraisers.
The quest for donations never stops
“We are constantly looking for new ideas for
fundraisers and doing ground work to get donations,” said Janet South, Klay’s mother.
Klay has no intentions of slowing down with
his newly founded organization.
“My main goal right now is to do everything
I can for Veterans of Valor,” said Klay. “As long
as there is a need I’m going to supply it.”
To make donations to the organization visit
www.veteransofvalor.org.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Leo A. Salinas
Sgt. Klay South with help from this mother
Janet launched Veterans of Valor on October 4, 2007. South was wounded November
2004 and spent a long recovery process to
reconstruct his face and jaw after being shot
in the face with an AK-47. Veterans of Valor
visited Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter
Reed Army Medical Center January 17 to give
backpacks and words of encouragement to
wounded service members.
Swift supports environmental research during Africa Partnership
DAKAR, Senegal (NNS) — An Africa Partnership Station (APS) initiative to support the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) oceans and climate research
and data collection efforts kicked off Jan. 18-21
when the crew of High Speed Vessel 2 Swift deployed five surface drifting buoys at sea during
a transit from Rota, Spain to Dakar.
Drifter buoys move with ocean currents and
collect data such as sea surface temperature.
Data is transmitted via satellite and distributed to meteorological services and made available to researchers worldwide.
The Global Drifter Program is managed by
NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), which worked
closely with Swift to provide training prior to
the ship’s deployment Jan. 4 to join APS.
“After learning how vital the drifter data
is in Africa and around the world, it’s a good
feeling to help,” said Mineman 2nd Class Matthew Rishovd, a Swift (Blue) crew member who
visited AOML’s Miami facility in December for
training.
Rishovd is now training other crew members
and overseeing the four-month project.
Drifters consist of a surface float and a 15meter drogue, or sea anchor attached by a
thin tether. The first large-scale deployments
See SWIFT, Page 14
Battlefield training making
warriors out of Airmen
At MacDill, battle skills part
and parcel of new training
by Nick Stubbs
Thunderbolt editor
Photo by Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio
Instructor Staff Sgt. Felix Villarreal acts as an opposition force member during the
final day of the Common Battlefield Airman Training Bridge course field training
excercise Dec. 20 at Camp Bullis, Texas. Students use the skills taught to them
throughout the week to maneuver into a hostile village.
by Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio
12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE,
Texas — The team was winded now.
They knew they had to make it to the
safe area.
All of a sudden, someone called out,
“contact front!”
Bang.
They knew what to do, and with that
sound came the chance to show the cadre
they hadn’t wasted their time.
As the first class of the Air Force’s newest week-long combat training, Common
Battlefield Airman Training Bridge, 56
Airmen traveled to Camp Bullis, Texas,
to learn basic combat skills from Airmen
who do it for a living.
“Common Battlefield Airman Training
Bridge is a combat-focused expeditionary training platform for every Airman of
our total force,” said Master Sgt. Norman
Watson, the CBAT-B course superintendent. “Targeted individual augmentees
and first-time deployers to Iraq and Afghanistan receive a mission-focused warfighting orientation, ensuring our Airmen
continue to be the best-trained force in
the world.”
During the week, Airmen are placed in
realistic and strenuous training scenarios used to teach skills in rifle firing, communications, individual and team movements and land navigation.
The course cadre consists of battlefield
Airmen of all specialties, including security forces, transportation, explosive ordnance disposal, survival, combat weather,
tactical air control, combat control and
pararescue.
“Our goal is to teach the most essential
common expeditionary skills at a level
See COMBAT, Page 13
Airman at MacDill well know that each time
there is an exercise, participants in full “battle rattle,” armed security forces members or other players
assigned to force protection roles, abound.
For new Airman, it’s just the way it is in today’s
Air Force. But for those who have been servicemembers for a few years, the metomorphosis is clear —
this isn’t your father’s Air Force.
From a force in which boots rarely saw mud and
rifles were rarely slung, today’s deploying Airman is
hard to distinguish from Soldiers and Marines.
“It’s the nature of the mission,” said Col. Robert
Thomas, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander. “The
Air Force now supports the mission by doing jobs it
did not do in the past.”
Col. Thomas recalls that when he entered the
Air Force as a young lieutenant in airlift, just 15
percent of personnel were on mobility status. Today,
mobility status is at 100 percent, he said.
“The mission is driving the training and types of
jobs we are doing now,” he said. “The Air Force has
stepped up to do what needs to be done and we take
pride in being full members of the (armed forces)
team and contributing in nontraditional ways.”
Seeing Airman being deployed and assigned to
gun truck duty is “surprising” when viewed from an
historic perspective, Colonel Thomas noted, but it is
commonplace in today’s Air Force. Being prepared
for that type of duty is why combat elements are a
key part of Airman training now, he said.
“We have to be prepared for whatever the mission
dictates and we want to impress the other services
and work hard to contribute at a very high level.”
To that end, members of the 6th AMW are proving their worth in ground combat. In next week’s
installment, we’ll talk to wing Airman who have
been in the line of fire performing jobs ranging from
convoy security and searching for and disarming
improvised explosives to capture of enemy combatants.
Close calls, some too close, and their experiences
in the line of fire offer insight into a new and evolving Air Force that not only has the capability to provide for its own security, but effectively assist other
services in offensive and security operations.
SWIFT
From Page 12
of modern drifters took place in 1988, in
the Pacific, according to information available on the AOML Web site. The effort
was extended worldwide and made it to
the tropical and South Atlantic Ocean by
2004. Drifters can last and transmit data
for years.
In addition to improving short-term
weather forecasts in the region, data collected from drifters can assist with longer
term forecasts of droughts and floods, according to Rick Lumpkin, an AOML research scientist.
Swift is carrying a total of 70 drifting
buoys and 10 Argo floats, which also collect and transmit data such as temperature and salinity. Swift crew will deploy
the drifters and floats at AOML-provided
positions as the ship transits to various
APS ports in West and Central Africa.
Dedicated time has also been built
into the APS schedule for Swift to support AOML in specific areas of the Gulf
of Guinea where little data is routinely
available. The first five APS buoys were
deployed when Swift crossed latitudes 33,
25, 22, 19 and 17 degrees north while transiting to Dakar.
“I volunteered because it seemed interesting and sounded like it could be fun,”
Rishovd said.
After having overseen the first buoy deployments during APS and based on what
he learned during his visit with AOML in
Miami, Rishovd acknowledged the fun fac-
tor while recognizing the significance of
what he’s doing.
“The data is important and affects people,” he said.
During an upcoming APS visit to Ghana, Swift will host a four-day AOML-led
training seminar for regional researches
in buoy deployment and data usage that
includes time at sea for practical demonstrations.
The ultimate goal is to generate regional
partners in various African countries who
can continue to deploy drifters as gaps develop, Lumpkin noted.
“The upwelling regions off Africa’s west
coast, particularly off Senegal and in the
Gulf of Guinea (eastern sides of the North
and South Tropical Atlantic) are persistently under sampled,” Lumpkin said. “We
are encouraged by any efforts to help generate partnerships in this region, and excited to reopen collaboration with the U.S.
Navy.”
During APS, Swift is supporting several
APS initiatives in partnership with NOAA. These include serving as a training
venue for the National Marine Fisheries
Service and its fisheries observer course
for Ghana’s Fisheries Ministry, as well as
conducting maintenance on moored ocean
buoys in the Gulf of Guinea on behalf of
the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.
(Courtesy High Speed Vessel 2 Swift,
Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs)
Telecommunications; You are subject to being monitored
by Mr. Charles Laedlein, HQ AFCA/JA and
MSgt Cindy Crowe, HQ AFCA/GCIS
Scott AFB IL
You’ve seen it numerous times. In fact, it
has become so routine that you probably are
unaware as to why it’s there and what it really
means. You see it every morning when you
first power up your computer and you see it
every time you pick up your telephone on your
desk. Yes, we’re talking about acknowledging
the fact that you are subject to being monitored, whenever you use any telecommunications device on base. Remember that notice
and consent banner that appears when you
first turn on your computer in the morning
(that annoying screen that keeps staring at
you until you hit a key to go on)? How about
that red sticker (DD Form 2056) that keeps
trying to peel off your phone?
Biennially, during even-numbered fiscal
years, each base/site must be certified for tele-
communication monitoring by the Secretary
of the Air Force General Counsel. This is accomplished by completing the requirements in
AFI 33-219, Telecommunications Monitoring
and Assessment Program (TMAP). Each base
must certify that they have legally notified
all personnel that use of telecommunications
devices constitutes consent to TMAP monitoring. The most common telecommunications
devices are telephones, computers (including
networked systems, stand-alone computers,
servers, portable computers, laptops, routers,
etc), fax machines, portable electronic devices
(cellular phones, text pagers, PDAs, Blackberries, etc), and hand-held radios.
TMAP is a key part of the Air Force’s Operations Security efforts. In accordance with AFI
33-219, it permits monitoring of unsecured
telecommunications systems to determine
vulnerability to hostile signal intelligence exploitation. However, because TMAP involves
surveillance of base communication systems,
the AFI contains very clear and concise mandatory notification procedures that must be in
place to support this function. To ensure compliance, the instruction requires an extensive
review of base or organizational user notification processes every 2 years. Rules of engagement concerning TMAP are found in Attachment 3 to AFI 33-219.
A critical part of the TMAP certification
process is the requirement for legal review
at base and MAJCOM levels. The purpose of
legal reviews is to certify that users of telecommunications devices have been provided
sufficient notice of consent to monitoring. In
addition, the AFI requires further review by
the Air Force Communications Agency and the
Air Force General Counsel. .
Contact the wing Information Assurance office for further information on the TMAP program or go to their website @
https://private.macdill.amc.af.mil/6msg/
6cs/SCXS/TMAP/TMAP.htm
Airmen compete for spot on Air Force boxing
SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) — The Air Force Box-Off
was held at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 18 and
19 at the Bennett Fitness Center. Matches featured 16
Air Force members hoping to make the Air Force Boxing
Team, which will compete in the Armed Forces Boxing
Championship.
The main event featured Rodney Ellison from F.E.
Warren AFB, Wyo., matched against James Sterling from
Kadena AB, Japan, in the Heavyweight (201 pounds) division.
Ellison came into the match the more experienced boxer, and that proved to be the difference, winning convincingly in the final match of the night.
At the Middleweight (165 pounds) Division, Anthony
Jones from Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal, defeated local
boxer, Paul Romero, winning in the second round after
the referee stopped the contest.
Matches also featured Rosey Summerville from Shaw
AFB, S.C., fighting Chance Yearwood from Charleston
AFB, S.C.
Summerville brought home a gold medal for the Air
Force in the Lightweight (132 pounds) division last year
at the Armed Forces Championship.
“(Sommerville) had a chance to go to the Conseil International du Sport Militaire Camp last year,” said Air
Force Boxing head coach Edward Rivas, from Dyess AFB.
“He brought some of that stuff he learned from CISM,
but the biggest thing he brought into training camp was
confidence.”
Summerville began the first round a little timid, but toward the end of the second round and in the third round,
he began to relax and box much better.
Summerville won 3 to 0 by the judge’s decision.
“I was very happy with the judges,” Rivas said. “They
were very sharp.”
Michael Haywood from Tinker AFB, Okla., was also
in action, defeating Justin Williams from MacDill AFB,
Fla., in the Light Welterweight (138 pounds) division after losing his match the night before to Zaire Naylor, from
Moody AFB, Ga.
Naylor was victorious Jan. 19, beating Thomas Carleton from Hickam AFB, Hawaii, in the Light Welterweight (138 pounds) division.
Lackland hopeful Matthew McCoy was defeated by
David Russell, Pope AFB, N.C., fighting in the Light Welterweight division. McCoy easily defeated Williams the
night before, winning 3 to 0 on a judge’s decision, but was
having problems with Russell who is a southpaw.
Photo by Robbin Cresswell
Anthony Jones ducks under the arm of Raul Romero
during the Air Force Box-Off at the Bennett Fitness
Center Jan. 19 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas .
Jones won the bout in the first round with a “referee
stopped the contest” decision.
“Most of that stuff is just mental for McCoy,” Rivas
said.
Also featured was Mario Cooper-Padilla from Tydall
AFB, Fla., losing to Thomas Jacobs from Robins AFB, Ga.,
in the Middleweight division.
“Overall, I would give us a C-plus for the weekend because I think these guys have so much more room to grow,
and I think we will improve a lot before the Armed Forces
Championship,” Rivas said.
The Armed Forces Boxing Championship will be held
at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., from Feb. 3
to 8.
During the next several days leading up to the championship, the Air Force Boxing Team will focus more on
strength and conditioning and sparring, and focus less on
technique, Rivas said.
Attic says thanks
We at the Attic want to thank all the wonderful people that have donated items to the Attic.
The Attic has recieved so many donations to provide
to all the E-1 to E-6 military members and their dependents. Our purpose here at the Attic is to serve all
active duty personnel E-1 to E-6 and their dependents
with numerous items for their use.
A special thank you to all of our volunteers that work
diligently to keep the Attic’s mission on track with all
their dedication and commitment.
Angelo R. Pizzi E-8 RET, Attic manager
Calendar
Feb 1.
The 20th Annual City of Tampa Black History Celebration will pay tribute to regular
men and women that have provided an extraordinary service on behalf of their communities. The celebration will take place in the
Tampa Convention Center, Ballroom D at 11
a.m. The program’s theme is “Reaching Back,
Moving Forward, Holding Up the Light.” Mayor Iorio, Tampa City Council Chair Gwen Miller and committee founder Bobby L. Bowden
will be part of the program with Bay News 9
Anchor, Erica Riggins as emcee. Scheduled to
perform is musician Maurice Jackson and poet
and performance artist Venus Jones. The keynote address will be delivered by Hillsborough
Community College professor and “Florida
This Week” political pundit, Dr. Keith Berry.
For more information about the COTBHC, call
(813) 814-3031.
Feb. 8
Big For A Day 2008 is an annual event held
in cooperation with Big Brothers and Sisters of
Tampa Bay. Volunteers (Bigs) mentor a child
(Little) for the day while attending multiple
activities around base. Big and Little have the
option to attend activities such as static displays, military working dog shows, bowling,
and golf. Throughout the day, Bigs will have
the ability to sign up as traditional volunteers
in the program. However, there is absolutely
no obligation to work with Big Brothers and
Big Sisters beyond that day. We simply appreciate your support of this event.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Capt Elisha Parkhill at 827-9170 or [email protected] or Capt Jeff
Sliwinski at 8-3298 or [email protected].
Feb. 9
The MacDill Scouts are hosting their annual
Pinewood/Powder Puff Derby on 9 Febuarary
at the base chapel. The scouts are looking for
volunteers to help in the following areas: wood
shop, derby car construction, race/design judging, crowd control, food preparation, etc. If you
would like to help, please contact Joe Simek
at email: [email protected] or phone:
(813)514-7404. You can also contact him if you
are interested in participating or watching.
Feb. 19
The Suncoast Chapter of the Association of
United States Army will hold its 2008 NCO of
the Year Luncheon at the Surf’s Edge Club at
11:30 a.m. Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston will be the guest speaker.
The chapter will recognize the outstanding
NCO from USCENTCOM, USSOCOM, JCSE,
Tampa Recruiting Battalion, ROTC, ARNG, &
USAR, along with the outstanding ROTC &
JROTC cadet.
Guests assemble at 11:30 with lunch starting at 11:45 a.m. The dress is duty uniform or
business attire, and the cost is $10 per person. You can pay in advance with a check
made payable to Suncoast Chapter AUSA, &
mailing it to Suncoast Chapter AUSA, PO Box
6455, Tampa, FL 33608-0455. Or you can pay
with cash or a check at the door on the day
of the luncheon. For more information, contact
SGM Carol Costello-Jose at carol.costellojose@
us.army.mil
Chapel Schedule
At the Movies
Protestant services
Catholic services
Sunday - 9 a.m., Traditional Service
10:30 a.m., Religious Education, Noon,
Gospel Service
Tuesday -Noon, Promise Keepers
6 p.m., Pioneer Club(grades 1 to 7)
Thursday - 11:30 a.m., Officers’ Christian Fellowship
Friday - 10 a.m., Women of the Chapel
Saturday - Mass, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday - Mass, 10:30 a.m.
Monday to Thursday: Mass, 12:10 p.m.
Saturday - Sacrament of Reconciliation,
4:30 p.m., (or by appointment)
I am Legend
Saturday 7 p.m.
Alien Vs. Predator II
Alien Vs.
Predator
The Golden Compass
Based on author Philip Pullman’s novel, ‘The Golden Compass’
is an exciting fantasy adventure,
set in an alternative world where
people’s souls manifest themselves
as animals, talking bears fight
wars, and Gyptians and witches
co-exist. PG-13
The Golden
Compass
Call 828-3621 for information.
Coming Soon
Tonight 7 p.m.
I am Legend
Robert Neville is a brilliant
scientist, but even he could not
contain the terrible virus that
was unstoppable, incurable...and
manmade. Somehow immune,
Neville is now the last human
survivor in what is left of New
York City...and maybe the world.
Shows and times are
subject to change. Call the
MacDill Theater at 8282780 for complete listings.
Doors normally open 20
minutes prior to showtime,
but call the theater for
verification because they
may open earlier. Tickets
are $3.25. Children under
4 are free, unless it’s a Grated movie.
Jewish and Islamic services
The Aliens (and a Predator)
have landed on planet Earth,
and small town America is about
to become the scene of an epic
interstellar showdown. As these
two breeds of cosmic killers clash
in the small-town streets Gunnison, Colorado, the locals are sent
running for their lives. R
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Three chipmunk brothers,
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are
adopted by a man named Dave.
PG
Alvin and the
Chipmunks
combat
From Page 13
every Airman, regardless
of Air Force specialty, can
easily comprehend and apply,” Sergeant Watson said.
“Students live and train in
a simulated deployed environment, identical to a forward operating base site
structure.”
Master Sgt. Andy Weeks,
an Air Force Reservist
from Whiteman Air Force
Base, Mo., who attended
the first CBAT-B course
in preparation for a deployment to Iraq, said the
training was invaluable.
“I have also been on
many short-term deployments all over the world,”
he said, “but in my 20
years of service, I have
never attended combat
skills training.”
Although the camp
mimicked field conditions
typical of forward bases
with tents, meals ready to
eat, portable bathrooms
and showers, students also
had access to such amenities as a laundry facility
and gym.
During training days,
Airmen are broken into
squads to practice the
skills taught in the classroom.
The last day students
use all their skills and
training in a strenuous
exercise. Students are re-
quired to maneuver into
a hostile village, armed
with weapons loaded with
training rounds.
“It is hard to imagine
what people go through if
you have never been in a
combat situation. You really can’t tell how you will
react when being fired
at,” Sergeant Weeks said.
“Being shot at with real
guns loaded with training
rounds gives you an idea
of the chaos that takes
place when you are under
fire. While training this
way may be a game, it is
realistic and you take the
training seriously. It’s not
always you who has to survive, it’s also others who
rely on you to know what
to do.”
With new skills and experience, Sergeant Weeks
said he feels confident that
he will know what to do in
a combat situation.
“That is what this training is all about,” he said.
“As a senior NCO, I need
to know what to do if I and
my people come under fire.
I think now, due to this
training, I can lead with a
much broader idea of how
to survive and be productive in a hostile situation.”