Randolph Air Force Base Texas 61st Year No. 10 March 16, 2007 End nears for Randolph’s T-37 mission New pharmacy By Staff Sgt. Lindsey Maurice huge part of Randolph aviation The students, which include 12th Flying Training Wing history leave,” said Lt. Col. Mitch Capts. Jeremiah Dixon, Joe Rucker system boasts Public Affairs Ashmore, 559th Flying Training and Lacy Gunnoe, will go on to Squadron director of operations. instruct at Columbus Air Force Base, Like the saying goes, “All good “Just about every pilot above the Miss., and Sheppard Air Force Base, comfort, service things must come to an end.” rank of captain has a history with Texas, where the T-37B will remain By Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio This time the “good thing” the T-37. Randolph pilots alone have in the Air Force fleet for a couple Wingspread editor includes Randolph’s most historic accumulated more than 814,000 more years before it retires active aircraft and the valuable flying hours on the aircraft.” permanently. March 26 marks another milestone in the mission it has served here for The last T-37B instructor pilot “It’s very cool to think that we’re Randolph Pharmacy’s quest to provide stellar 42 years. class underwent 13 weeks of a part of aviation history – being customer service, when a new queing system In just one week, the last T-37B classroom, simulator and aircraft the last student IPs to train on the is put to use. Tweet instructor pilot class will instruction, learning how to T-37B,” said Captain Rucker. “To The queing process, in which customers are graduate and depart the base, with simultaneously fly and instruct finish out the career of an aircraft issued a numbered ticket, uses an automated the last Randolph T-37 to follow just future Air Force pilots. In all, they that has been serving the Air Force system to alert customers when their two weeks later after its official base averaged about 55 hours in the for 50 years is pretty significant.” medication is ready. retirement ceremony April 6. classroom, 30 hours in the simulator “The system will eliminate long lines at the “It’s going to be sad to see such a and about 60 hours in the air. See T-37 on page 8 service windows,” said Maj. Arshad Qureshi, chief pharmacist. “Patients will be able to sit comfortably until they are called.” When the customer visits the information desk to get a ticket, the pharmacy technician will categorize them based upon the Department of Defense mission and the various types of prescriptions the pharmacy offers, the major said. “The categorizing is called triaging and allows us to better care for patients, return uniformed personnel to duty promptly and improve quality prescription processing in a timely manner,” Major Qureshi said. The different categories, or types of prescriptions, processed through the pharmacy include computer entered prescriptions or Provider Order Entry from military treatment facilities in the local region and handwritten prescriptions from civilian providers. Each type of prescription requires different processing. The pharmacy staff will manage the customer workload using these categories in order to provide individual care and service to each customer. “We are currently limited by resources and the number of service windows,” the major said. “In order to ensure all patients are seen Capt. Lacy Gunnoe, 559th Flying Training Squadron T-37 instructor pilot student, runs the interior inspection checklist before a training mission. (Photo by Melissa Peterson) in a timely manner, the pharmacy service See Pharmacy on page 6 Team to visit, review NSPS By Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio implementation of NSPS with approx- Wingspread editor imately 3,100 employees leaving the Annual General Schedule personnel system to awards As part of a review of the National enter NSPS. Randolph completed its winners Security Personnel System, a five-person conversion in January of this year with honored team will visit Randolph Tuesday and approximately 1,700 conversions. meet with supervisors and employees to Although the program is in its initial 4 evaluate implementation of the program. stages of implementation, it is not a new The U.S. Army Civilian Personnel concept to Team Randolph. According to Evaluation Agency has been designated Barbara Bragg, NSPS Program chief, by the NSPS Overarching Integrated NSPS training has been ongoing for the Product Team to lead, plan and conduct last year. the review which will focus primarily on “The team who will visit is going to be the Performance Management System evaluating the effectiveness of NSPS and preparatory NSPS training. The team training provided to Randolph will be here for one day as part of a visit employees, the thoroughness of Freedom Flyer to several military installations around employees’ performance plans, and the reunion planned the country. communication taking place between 6 supervisors and employees,” Ms. Bragg NSPS is a program developed to reshape the old rules governing civilian said. employee management by changing the The CPEA will start by meeting with way civilian jobs are graded and Col. Richard Clark, 12th Flying Training classified, the way performance Wing commander, and the Executive objectives are set, managed and Steering Committee, chaired by Col. rewarded, and how the Department David Allvin, 12th FTW vice Pharmacy customers will receive a ticket like hires, promotes and adjusts its workforce commander. The committee is made up the one above starting March 26 based on CSOs graduate size. the category as part of the new automated 7 On April 30, 2006, the Air Force began See NSPS on page 5 waiting system. 2 Wingspread March 16, 2007 COMMENTARY Commander’s Action Line Call 652-5149 or e-mail [email protected] While our goal is to provide the best programs, When those officials are unable to provide products and services to our customers, there will be satisfaction, the individual may contact me through instances when people believe we could have served the Action Line. I will ensure each Action Line call them better. is looked into and a reply is given by telephone or In those cases, I ask the individual to first contact in writing. I ask callers to include their name and 62% the responsible organization to allow the unit telephone number so we may send a personal commander or manager an opportunity to ensure response. professional and impartial treatment. Col. Richard Clark 12th Flying Training Wing commander Training the world’s finest Airmen for tomorrow... Deploying combat-ready warriors today. 12th Flying Training Wing Mission Statement Deployed behind... Randolph’s AFAF Thanking our unsung heroes on the homefront campaign contribution By Col. Christopher Weggeman as of Thursday 12th Operations Group Commander “There are no medals or citations for the sleepless nights There is a group of unsung heroes spent with sick toddlers, or for the courage displayed who have silently supported our when consoling the inquisitive minds of Airmen and our nation as we fight the Global War on Terror whose sacrifice, young children who ask those incredibly 12th Flying Training Wing service and heartache too often go astute, yet emotionally Editorial Staff without recognition or respect. taxing questions about Col. Richard Clark These heroes are the spouses and Commander family members of our warriors who Mom or Dad’s service to Capt. Sharon Branick have selflessly created the bed-rock our great nation.” Chief of Public Affairs from which our nation launches its Gabe Myers virtuous defense of our constitutional Chief of News and Information freedoms. Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio To all of you I personally say thank takes the very gifts of freedom our Air minds and unwavering confidence in Editor Melissa Peterson you! Most people know the general Force spouses provide for granted. knowing harmony and stability reign Photographer details of our mission and deployed In today’s Air Force environment of supreme at home. The pillar of strength Prime Time Military Newspaper environment we must endure, but too fiscal conservatism, recapitalization they provide allows Airmen across the Contract Staff and off-the-chart operations tempo, world to commit 100% of their heart few words are spoken regarding the Maggie Armstrong absolutely fundamental mission one often hears the phrase, “We must and souls towards achieving repetitive Graphic Designer carried out around the clock on our do more with less.” I contest this mission success, anywhere, home front by all of those we “deploy phrase applies more to our spouses, anytime...preserving our service’s global behind.” deployed behind and forced to support monopoly on Air and Space supremacy! Wingspread office: It is their endless love, care, patience and provide for our families without Their cause is extremely difficult and 1 Washington Circle, Suite 4 and selfless devotion to our families their proverbial soul mate, sounding selfless but above all else righteous. Randolph AFB, Texas 78150 and our country, which provides our board, rock, center, companion, They embolden our service and Phone: (210) 652-5760 deployed Airmen the peace of mind, husband, wife, dad, or mom home to preserve the prosperity of our families Fax: (210) 652-5412 focus and balance needed to excel in share in this great inexorable and our nation. Every medal or award our undertakings when serving experiment we call life. their military member earns is equally Wingspread Advertisements: halfway around the world. No one has There are no medals or citations for earned