Read Oct. 15 edition - MacDill Thunderbolt

Vol. 39, No. 43
Friday, October15, 2010
Sports Week ups! - page 14
Photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks
A team member from U.S. Special Operations Command jumps to score a point during a 3 on 3 basketball game between USSOCOM against the
6th Communication Squadron during sports week at MacDill Air Force Base Oct. 7. The 6th Security Forces Squadron won first place, 6 CS took
second place, and 6th Maintenance Group finished third.
COMMANDER’s CORNER
Examining who we are; thanks to week’s standouts
by Col. Lenny Richoux
6th Air Mobility Wing commander
Last Friday I spoke at our Hispanic Heritage Recognition Luncheon. In my comments
I discussed my own heritage and the road my
parents and grandparents took that brought
my heritage from France, to Nova Scotia, and
ultimately to the U.S.
I believe this is relevant because collectively
our backgrounds are important. No matter
what race, ethnicity, gender or religion you
are, you bring an important perspective and
point of view that if harnessed makes our Air
Force strong. There is definitely strength in
the uniformity of focus when we use unity of
effort, single strike and economy of force. But
when we add the aspect of diverse collections
of backgrounds and strengths, there are force
multiplication effects we benefit from and have
historically benefited from as a nation, which
makes us one of the most dynamic nations, if
not the most dynamic, in the world. Team MacDill, I encourage you to support and participate in these special observances.
I want to thank Master Sgt. Ivan Crespo,
Tech. Sgt. Jimmy Lopez-Beniquez, Tech.
Sgt. Joshua Gonzalez and Airman 1st
Class Karla Alvarado for the work they did
at the Hispanic Heritage Luncheon. They did a
fantastic job coordinating and moderating the
Friday’s event.
I want to recognize the winners of the Fitness Center’s Sports Week athletic competitions. For the Large unit winner, first place
went to the team representing the 6th Communications Squadron. The medium-sized unit
first place winner was U.S. Central Command,
and the first place winner for a small unit was
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Congratulations to all the winners in
the individual contests and unit-level competitions.
Tech. Sgt. Joshua Pillar, from the Maintenance Group Quality Assurance office stood
out in his performance of duties as a Quality
Assurance inspector and he holds an additional duty as an Exercise Evaluation Team member. He recently deployed to the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center to evaluated
ORE players’ performance on everything from
aircraft maintenance tasks in MOPP gear, selfaid buddy care skills, and attack recovery and
decontamination procedures.
Tech Sgt. James White and Staff Sgt.
Alejandro Cano, also from the 6 AMXS, repaired a C-17 returning
Airmen and equipment from the ORE by using their technical expertise to identify a defective ramp lock which they “safed”, allowing the
cargo to be offloaded and the aircraft to return
to home station on schedule.
I also want to recognize the achievements
of the Medical Group’s Senior Amn Diana
Photo by Tech Sgt. Tanika Belfield
Col. Lenny Richoux, 6th Air Mobility Wing
commander, with Master Sgt. Ivan Crespo,
6th Maintenance Squadron, present a plaque
to guest speaker Henry Gonzalez III, Bank of
Tampa executive vice president, during the
Hispanic Heritage Luncheon at MacDill Oct. 8.
Plazas-Ospina. Senior Amn Plazas-Ospina
is an aerospace medical service journeyman
who recently volunteered time with Habitat
for Humanity and participated in a ceremony
celebrating two families receiving keys to their
new homes.
As always I’m grateful to the group of people
who make up the greatest Air Mobility Wing
on the face of the planet!
COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE
The Action Line provides a two-way communication between the 6th Air
Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or
comments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or e-mail [email protected]
MacDill Thunderbolt
Publisher: Denise Palmer
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
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
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physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit
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Display advertising or classified advertising information
may be obtained by calling 259-7455.
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.
NEWS/FEATURES
Your T-bolt Today
Commentary
NEWS/FEATURES: page 4
‘I’m here to help ... Really’
Hispanic heritage
by Lt. Col. Michael R. Updike
Inspector General
SISTER SERVICES: page 12
JCSE
NEWS/FEATURES: page 10
News to know
NEWS/FEATURES: page 14
Sports Week
COMMUNITY: page 25
Events, movies, more...
Tuition assistance tid-bit #5
Air Force TA will not cover:
u Courses that apply toward an educational
goal at a lower or equal level of education to one
already attained either before or after entering
Service...
[5.5.6.] Exceptions are listed here:
u Off-duty courses.leading to completion of
one voluntary techn/voc/prof certificate or license in an AF career. [5.4.2]
u Foreign language classes even if not part
of a degree program and regardless of current
education level [5.4.3]
u An enlisted Airman with an associate or
higher degree wishes to pursue a CCAF degree.
[5.6.1]
u An officer wishes to pursue an additional
master’s degree from a civilian institution and
has received approval from SAF/IAPA to pursue
a master’s degree in a designated program of a
foreign language or international political-military studies with a foreign area concentration
(applies only to officers with 15 years or less
TAFCSD). [5.6.4]
u An Airman needs to pursue prerequisite
courses [5.6.5]
“I don’t know
where to turn?” is
what I hear when
someone walks
into my office
with a complaint.
Usually they have
exhausted their
chain of command and have
nowhere else to
turn. Sometimes
the supervisory
Lt. Col. Michael R.
chain of comUpdike
mand is involved
so they come to
me directly because they are in desperate
need of help. So people turn to the Inspector
General for assistance and that’s when I say,
“I’m here to help.” This is a sincere promise
due to the authority given to me by Title 10,
AFIs and the wing commander. I have many
tools and resources I can use to help solve
your issues.
The Air Force IG Complaints Program
– This IG program is a leadership tool that
indicates where command involvement is
needed to correct systematic, programmatic,
or procedural weaknesses and to ensure resources are used effectively and efficiently.
My mission is to resolve problems affecting
(you) and the Air Force mission promptly
and objectively; create an atmosphere of
trust in which issues can be objectively and
fully resolved without retaliation or fear of
reprisal; and assist commanders in instilling confidence in Air Force leadership. The
primary charge of the IG is to sustain a
credible Air Force IG system by ensuring
the existence of responsive complaint investigations, and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
programs characterized by objectivity, integrity, and impartiality. Only the IG may
investigate allegations of reprisal under the
Military Whistleblower’s Protection Act. The
IG ensures the concerns of Air Force active-
duty, Reserve, and Guard members, civilian
employees, family members, retirees, and
the best interests of the Air Force are addressed through objective fact finding.
I’m here for You – I’m separate for a reason. The concept of separate, full-time installation IGs was implemented to remove
any perceived conflict of interest, lack of
independence, or apprehension by Air Force
members. This came as a result of the previous practice of assigning chain of command
and IG roles to the same official. The installation IG is organized as a staff function
reporting directly to the installation commander.
How I help the Commander(s) — IGs are
the “eyes and ears” of the commander. I keep
the commander informed of potential areas
of concern as reflected by trends; and function as the fact finder and honest broker in
the resolution of complaints; I educate and
train commanders and members of the base
population on their rights and responsibilities in regard to the Air Force IG system;
and help commanders prevent, detect, and
correct FWA and mismanagement. Personal
complaints and FWA disclosures help commanders discover and correct problems
that affect the productivity and morale of
assigned members. Resolving the underlying cause of a complaint may prevent more
severe symptoms or costly consequences,
such as reduced performance, accidents,
poor quality work, poor morale, or loss of
resources. Even though allegations may not
be substantiated, the evidence or investigation findings may reveal systemic morale or
other problems that impede efficiency and
mission effectiveness.
IG areas not covered – Some complaints
are not really appropriate for the IG. But
that does not mean I won’t help you find
the right agencies or person to submit your
complaint. Some complaints are “referred”
or “transferred” to another agency for better processing. Some things the IG will not
handle include: Commander-directed inquires and investigations, Air Force Office of
See COMMENTARY, Page 6
NEWS/FEATURES
Hispanic heritage: the ones who started it all
Courtesy article
National Hispanic Heritage
Month is the period when people recognize the contributions of Hispanic
Americans to the United States
and to celebrate Hispanic Cultural
heritage and Hispanic culture. Hispanic Heritage Week was approved
by President Lyndon Johnson and
was expanded by President Ronald
Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day
period starting Sept. 15 and ending
today. It was enacted into law Aug.
17, 1988 on the approval of Public
Law 100-402. This article will serve
to pay tribute to the first Hispanic
military members, baseball players,
musician and more.
Air Force poster
Military: In 1866 David G. Farragut became the first U.S. naval officer ever to be awarded the rank of
admiral. In 1964 The first Hispanic American to become a four-star admiral was Horacio Rivero of Puerto Rico. Later in 1982, Richard E. Cavazos
became the Army’s first Hispanic four-star general. On Feb. 25, 1953,
Cavazos’ Company E was attacked by the enemy. During the fight against
a numerically superior enemy force, Cavazos distinguished himself and
received the Silver Star for his actions.
Secretary of the Navy: Edward Hidalgo, 1979.
Major league player: Esteban Bellán, 1871, Troy Haymakers.
Hall of Fame inductee: Roberto Clemente, 1973. He was also the first
Photo by Tech Sgt. Tanika Belfield
Guest speaker Henry Gonzalez III, Executive Vice President, Bank of
Tampa, gives a brief history lesson on the contributions of Latin AmeriHispanic player to serve on the Players Association Board and to reach
3,000 hits
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee: Carlos Santana, 1998.
NFL player: Ignacio “Lou” Molinet, 1927.
Starting NFL quarterback: Tom Flores, 1960. Flores and Mike Ditka
See HISPANIC, Page 18
Halloween dead ahead: stay safe while being spooky
Courtesy article
Calling all ghouls and goblins, it’s that time
of year again to get all dressed up and get free
candy! How exciting? The hours for trick or
treating on base will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, October 31.
The Independence Park, Chevron Park, Weary and Heritage Cove/McClelland Ave housing
areas will be open for trick or treating this year.
For on-base trick or treating, an adult is required to escort all children, unfortunately the
escorting adults cannot be in a costume.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable trick or treating experience we ask that you follow these
simple guidelines both on and off base:
u During the hours of darkness or limited
visibility everyone should wear and/or carry an
illumination device such as reflective belts or
reflective tape, flashlight or glow sticks to help
make them visible to cars.
u Adult’s in costumes are only allowed within the confines of club facilities or inside your
personal living quarters. Costumes should be
of good taste and not be designed or represent
anything associated with terrorism or be perceived as a threat to MacDill AFB.
u Inform your children not to eat any treats
until they are brought home and properly inspected. Discard any treats that are not individually wrapped and always wash or peel all
fruits.
u Never go inside of someone’s house, always
accept the treats from the doorway only.
u For safety reasons and out of consideration
for others, visit only houses where the front
porch lights are on. Residents, if you want children to visit your house, put the porch light on,
if not, we ask that you please leave it off.
u Do not run between houses as a shortcut. Please walk on sidewalks and driveways
only, and utilize crosswalks when crossing the
street.
u Costumes should be made of flame retardant materials. If the costume is homemade,
please ensure to either use a fire retardant
spray or fabric that has been treated with fire
retardant. And if your child is going to be wearing a mask ensure the holes are big enough to
See HALLOWEEN, Page 8
commentary
From Page 3
Special Investigations or security forces investigations, and investigations of civilian employees who have specific appeal rights under law
or labor union agreements. Investigations under the authority of the
Uniform Code of Military Justice or the Manual for Courts- Martial,
line of duty or report of survey investigations, quality assurance in the
Air Force Medical Service Boards, Air Force mishap or safety investigations, and medical incident investigations are also not covered under
the IG complaint program. Additionally, the IG complaint program
may not be used for matters normally addressed through other established grievance or appeal channels unless there is evidence that these
channels mishandled the matter or process.
How you can help the IG – When bringing a complaint to the IG you
must provide some relevant evidence that the process was mishandled
or handled prejudicially before IG channels will process a complaint
of mishandling. This means bring your documentation to back up your
complaint, this will only strengthen your case and make it easier to
sort out the facts. And please remember, when talking with any IG,
you are making a protected communication, which means you are protected from any reprisal actions that may come from your complaint
submission.
If you need assistance or just would like to discuss a possible complaint, please stop by our office, 8126 Hangar loop Road, Suite 130,
Bldg 296; call, 813-828-4961; or e-mail, [email protected]
and we’ll be glad to assist you.
halloween
From Page 4
see not only in front of them but peripherally as well.
u For all the non- trick or treating individuals driving on and off base
please pay extra attention to crosswalks, intersections and the sides
of the road. Kids are going to be extra excited and cutting across the
street to get to other homes. Keep scanning your surroundings while
driving.
u Finally, for all adults, stay alert for any suspicious activity and report anything unusual to the Security Forces Base Defense Operations
Center at 828-3322.
The 6th Security Forces Squadron is looking for adults that would
like to volunteer to assist security forces members at crosswalks and all
intersections for MacDill’s 2010 Operation Pumpkin Patrol. If you are
interested please contact Tech Sgt. Peters via e-mail at Andre.Peters@
macdill.af.mil or 828-2565 or SSgt Evans via e-mail at [email protected] or call 828-2373 by close of business Oct. 25. The individuals volunteering are going to be asked to meet at 4:30 p.m. in the
rear parking lot of Bldg 203 (the Security Forces Squadron) to receive
further instructions for the event.
Thanks in advance and we hope you have a safe and adventurous
night!
Political speech dos and don’ts
by Capt Jared Reeves
Assistant Staff Judge Advocate
It’s a long-standing policy that
U.S. Department of Defense members acting in their official capacity
may not engage in activities that
associate DoD with any partisan
political campaign, election, candidate, cause or issue.
Political activities of servicemembers are governed by DoD Directive
1344.10, and AFI 51-902, while our
civilian teammates are governed by
the Hatch Act. Airmen must avoid,
among other things, (1) partisan activities while acting in an official capacity, (2) attending political events
or rallies in uniform, (3) wearing
political buttons on their uniform,
(4) having large political banners
on their vehicle (bumper stickers
are permitted), (5) displaying a partisan political sign, poster, banner,
or similar device visible to the public at one’s residence on a military
installation, and (6) distributing
partisan political campaign literature. Also, steer clear of any conduct
which may imply official Air Force
endorsement or representation.
However, servicemembers may,
among other things, (1) vote, (2) sign
a petition for a specific legislative
action, (3) join in a political club and
attend political meetings when not
in uniform, and (4) make monetary
contributions to a political organization, party, or committee favoring
BRIEFS
a particular candidate. We may also
express our personal opinions about
political candidates and issues. If
you do so in the workplace, keep it
professional and ethical.
The Hatch Act applies to all civilian federal employees and prohibits certain political activities in the
federal workplace. An example in
today’s world involves e-mail.
Sending or even forwarding a email on your government computer
that advocate for a political party or
candidate for partisan public office
while on duty or in a federal building, and engaging in such activity
may subject them to disciplinary action.
Violations will be determined on
a case-by-case basis, looking at the
content of the message, who sent
the e-mail, and how many people
received the e-mail from the government computer. We’ve all seen
the forwarded e-mail praising or
lampooning a politician or political
party that goes far beyond the intended chat between friends. Military members would also be wise to
avoid sending such e-mails.
As citizens, you are highly encouraged to exercise your right to
vote. However, as election season
heats up, remember that we represent the U.S. military. We defend
our country and the ability to exercise our political rights.
Let’s be mindful to exercise those
rights within the proper guidelines.
Chapel sponsoring marriage seminar
The base chapel is sponsoring a marriage enrichment seminar Nov.
5, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration is free, but limited to 20 couples.
Continental breakfast, snacks, coffee, tea and a catered lunch will be
provided. A renewal of marriage vows will be held in the sanctuary after
the seminar, and there will be a date night after the event, with child
care provided by the Airman and Family Readiness Center. To register
call the chapel at 828-3621.
Med Group Veterans Day closings
The 6th Medical Group and Brandon Community Clinic will be closed
Nov. 11 and 12 in observance of Veterans Day and 6 Medical Group “Goal
Day.” The PharmaCARE (Zemke Ave, MacDill) will be open Nov. 12.
Full 6 Medical Group services will reopen on Monday, Nov. 15.
SISTER SERVICES
Photo courtesy of JCSE
Cpl. Iliana Flores demonstrates communications equipment during a recent career day at the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
JCSE demonstrates capabilities at West Point
by Nick Stubbs
Thunderbolt editor
When your military career field is technology rich, there’s nothing more rewarding than
showing off all your toys and capabilities.
That goes double when you are showing them
to a group of tomorrow’s military leaders at
the United States Military Academy at West
Point.
Four members of the Joint Communications
Support Element recently visited the academy
as part of a military career day, taking along
a number of the communication gadgets the
joint service unit uses on the job. A highlight
of the visit was a live satellite link to a forward location in which one of the cadets got to
video conference with his best friend, who it
turned out was assigned to the location in the
link-up.
Staff Sgt. Mathew Lavalley, one of the JCSE team members at the academy, said there
was a fair amount of interest in JCSE and the
technology the unit uses to ensure communiSee JCSE, Page 22
Sports Week event results
4x4 Football
1st place - COMM
2nd place - CPTS
3rd place - FSS
Sports Week
Photos by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks
Indoor Soccer
1st place - CPG
2nd place - 49 MMSS
3rd place - COMM
1-pitch Softball
1st place - JCSE
2nd place - COMM
3rd place - JCSE
Bench Press (Men); highest
lift, Schwartz Coefficient total score
1st place - Michael Schwanke, COMM,
470lbs, 261.13
2nd place - Rodney Webb, JCSE, 385lbs,
228.497
3rd place - Mike Perez, GS-11, NOAA,
300lbs, 190.17
Bench Press (Women); highest lift, Schwartz Coefficient
total score
1st place - LCDR Nicole Cabana, NOAA,
95lbs, 72.98
2nd place - Jess Williams, NOAA, 85lbs,
70.346
3rd place - Bianca Johnson, COMM,
100lbs, 65.63
Golf
1st place - COMM
2nd place - JCSE
3rd place - OPERATIONSGROUP
Dodge ball
1st place - OPERATIONS GROUP
2nd place - COMM
3rd place - CONTRACTING
Racquetball
1st place - MEDICAL GROUP
2nd place - NOAA
3rd place - JCSE
3 on 3 Basketball
1st place - SFS
2nd place - COMM
3rd place - MAINTENANCE GROUP
Punt/Pass/Kick
Servicemembers and civilians participate in an indoor soccer tournament during Sports Week Oct. 5 at M
Base. Sports Week is an annual event in which all from MacDill are invited to participate to boost morale an
derie.
1st place - Alexander Coston, MAINTENANCE
2nd place - Steve Durst, CENTCOM
3rd place - Harris Halverson, NOAA
1st place - Jessica Williams, NOAA
2nd place - Alesadra Horban, COMM
3rd place - Twining, NOAA
Track & Field 100m (Men)
1st place - Rodney Webb, JCSE
2nd place - Evan Drysdale
3rd place - Kenneth Holley, COMM
1st place - Brandon Johnson, CPTS
2nd place - Evan Drysdale
3rd place - Rodney Webb, JCSE
Track & Field 400m
Track & Field 100m (Women)
Overall winners of Sports Week 2010
2nd place - MEDICAL*
MEGA Unit
1st place - CENTCOM*
2nd place - SOCOM*
3rd place - JCSE*
Large Unit
1st place - COMM
3rd place - FSS
Small Unit
1st place - NOAA
2nd place - OPERATIONS GROUP
3rd place - 49 MMSS
Staff Sgt. Will Reig
ing the 1-pitch sof
tournament.
MacDill Air Force
nd create cama-
Rival team members from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the 49th
Material Maintenance Support
Squadron fight for the ball during a game of 3-on-3 basketball
during Sports week. The 6th Security Forces Squadron won 1st
place, 6 CS won 2nd place, and
the 6th Maintenance Group won
3rd place.
gle, 6th Communications Squadron, swings a bat duroftball tournament The 6 CS won second place in the
Players from the 6th Air Mobility Wing legal office and the Combined Planning Group get
their kicks in an indoor soccer match. The CPG ended up tops overall for indoor soccer.
(Left) During an indoor soccer game between the 6th Air Mobility Wing legal office and the
Combined Planning Group, a player gets a foot on a pass. (Right) U.S. Central Command
plays against the 6th Medical Group during a 1-pitch softball tournament.
hispanic
From Page 4
are the only two people in the Professional Football history to win Super Bowls as a player, as
an assistant coach, and as a head coach.
Astronaut: Franklin Chang-Dìaz, 1986. He
flew on a total of seven space-shuttle missions.
The first female Hispanic astronaut was Ellen
Ochoa, whose first of four shuttle missions was
in 1991.
Member of U.S. Congress: Joseph Marion
Hernández, 1822, delegate from the Florida territory.
U.S. Representative: Romualdo Pacheco, a
representative from California, was elected in
1876 by a one-vote margin. He served for four
months before his opponent succeeded in contesting the results. In 1879 he was again elected
to Congress, where he served for two terms.
Did you know there are 107 Hispanic males
per every 100 Hispanic Females and that 47
percent of the Hispanic-origin population lived
in California or Texas in 2009?
HEALTH
Clinic enforces DoD policy
Courtesy 6th Medical Group
The Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act
of 1986 (COBRA) established the Third Party
Collections Program. Under this program, Military Medical Treatment Facilities are mandated to bill health insurance carriers for the cost
of medical care provided to active duty family
members, retirees and family members who are
covered by other health insurance. The 6th Medical Group Clinic must comply with this law and
needs your help for continued program success.
You will be asked if you have other health insurance at every point of service when you use
services at the 6 MDG. If you are covered by
other health insurance or have a Medicare supplement, we need your insurance information.
The obligation to pay medical care costs applies only to the insurance carrier. The 6 MDG
is entitled the same benefits for its health care
services that any other health care provider
would receive. Your insurance company will pay
benefits directly to the 6 MDG and you will not
be billed or be responsible for any uncollected
charges.
The benefits for the patient include no co pay,
deductible or any patient responsibility charges
indicated in the Explanation of Benefits received
from the insurance company. This means you
may pay less out of pocket expense when later
seeking health care through a civilian provider.
Monies collected under this program are
deposited directly into the 6 MDG Operations
and Management (O & M) account. In Fiscal
Year 2009, $4M was collected which was 10% of
the 6 MDG O & M budget. The $4M was used
to fund the following: medical staff contracts
($1,660), non-medical supplies ($1,362), staff
training ($688K) and patient travel ($290K).
The ultimate goal is to provide enhanced health
care services for you – the patient.
In most cases, the 6 MDG is no different than
civilian health care providers who need insurance information at each clinic visit. To collect
benefits covered by your other health insurance,
we must have the information that appears on
your other health insurance identification card.
Please have this card with you when you visit
See COBRA, Page 20
JCSE
COBRA
From Page 12
cations during time of war, including internet,
secure and non-secure telephone lines, satellite links and video feeds even from the most
remote parts of the world.
“It (the visit) came off great,” said Sergeant
Lavalley. “We set up quickly, had very few technical issues and looked really good.”
That pretty much sums up the goal of every
mission JCSE takes on, as the unit is known
for being able to hit the ground and have
“comm.” Established in very short order.
The power and importance of communication during conflict, if not already known to
the cadets, was illustrated during a live video
conference conducted between the academy
and a forward location, where Col. William
Burnham spoke to cadets from the field half a
planet away. When one of the cadets realized
From Page 20
his best friend, and best man at his wedding,
was assigned to the colonel’s unit, Colonel
Burnham mustered him to the video camera.
The two friends chatted and caught up courtesy of JCSE technology.
“They (the cadets) got to see that within
15 minutes VTC (video teleconference) could
be established and two best friends could be
brought together,” said Sergeant Lavalley, adding it’s the same technology and immediacy
JCSE brings to the fight.
Other JCSE members who attended include
Lt. Col. Jeff Worthington, 2nd JSCE commander, Sgt. Shaun Ellis and Cpl. Iliana Flores.
While the request to attend came on short notice, JCSE responded well, Sergeant Lavalley
surmised, and the team is looking forward to
holding similar demonstrations in the future.
the 6 MDG Clinic.
If you are a dependant of an active duty member, retiree or family member of a retiree, you
will be asked to fill out a DD Form 2569, Record
of Other Health Insurance, regardless of whether you have other health insurance. The form
will be scanned and maintained in an electronic
system. The form must be updated annually unless there are changes to your information.
The collection of other health insurance information is a DoD requirement. We appreciate your assistance in helping the 6 MDG Clinic
keep up with changing trends and creating a
healthcare environment we can all be proud of.
For further assistance with the Third Party
Collections Program, please stop by the TPC office located in the 2nd floor, room 2L01 or call
our TPC representatives at 827-9154/9156.
NEWS/FEATURES
New single staffing tool implementation
Courtesy article
A new civilian recruitment process is scheduled to begin Nov. 15.
This new recruitment process requires the use of a resume when
applying for vacant positions instead of the career brief used today.
All vacant positions for internal Air Force civilian employees, with the
exception of those located at Arnold AFB, Tenn., Brooks AFB, Texas,
Edwards AFB, Calif., Eglin AFB, Fla., Hanscom AFB, Mass., Hill AFB,
Utah, Hurlburt AFB, Fla., Kirtland AFB, N.M., Luke AFB, Airz., Tinker AFB, Okla., Robins AFB, Ga., or Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, will
be posted at www.usajobs.gov. Employees interested in employment
opportunities at those excepted areas listed above will continue to selfnominate through the AFPC Secure Civilian Employment web site.
Two town hall meetings to discuss the new announcement and application process are scheduled for Oct. 26 and Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to
11 a.m. at the 6th Operations Group Auditorium, Building 53. The
briefing will include information on the new application process, how
and where to find the announcements on USAJOBS, and where to seek
assistance in preparing a resume.
Current civilian employees are highly encouraged to begin developing a resume highlighting knowledge, skills, and abilities, based on
employment history for future career opportunities. For assistance
with developing a resume contact the Airman and Family Readiness
Center.
MACDILL COMMUNITY
EVENTS
Friday
Bayshore Club
Membership Breakfast from 6:308:30 a.m.
Arts & Crafts Center
FREE Open Scrapbooking from
10 a.m.-3 p.m. New & experienced
scrapbookers welcome!
Outdoor Recreation
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN
UP! Swamp Buggy Tour on Oct. 24
from 6:45 a.m.-5 p.m. $45 pp. Call
Outdoor Recreation at 840-6919.
Scotch Doubles Tournament
5:30 p.m. $15 per couple. For more
information call 828-4005.
Saturday
Youth Center
In the Breeze Horse Ranch Teen
Nite. For more information call 8287956.
Monday-Saturday
Library
Teen Read Week – Books with a Beat
at your library!
Tuesday
Arts & Crafts Center
Trick-or-Treat Quilt Bag Class from
10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information
please call 828-4413.
Thursday
Youth Center
National Lights on After School/
Character Counts Celebration from
3-6 p.m.
Base Library
Teen/Tween “Got Game?” Every
Thursday from 6-7:30 p.m.
For more information please visit our
website at www.macdillfss.com
Child watch
Photo by Tech Sgt. Tanika Belfield
Col. Dennis Beatty, 6th Medical Group commander, Donald R. Infante, chairman emeritus, Armed
Services YMCA National Board of Directors, and Lt. Col. Caroline C. Omdal, 6th Force Support
Squadron commander, participate in the Child Watch Center ribbon cutting ceremony on MacDill Air
Force Base recently. The newly completed center will open soon, with details to follow.
CHAPEL SCHEDULE
Protestant services
Catholic services
Sunday - 9 a.m., Traditional Service
10:30 a.m., Religious Education, Noon, Gospel Service
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)
Wednesday - 10:30 a.m., Women of the Chapel
Thursday - 11:30 a.m., Officers’ Christian Fellowship
For more information regarding the Chapel or Chapel services, call 828-3621.
AT THE MOVIES
Islamic services
Friday - 1:15 p.m.
Jewish services - Call 828-3621
$4 for adults / $2 for children 828-2780
Friday - 7 p.m.
Saturday - 3 p.m.
Saturday - 7 p.m.
The Last Exorcism (PG-13)
Takers (PG-13)
The Expendables (R)