Proudly published by June 20, 2008 HAVE YOU READ YOUR KA TODAY? volume 32, number 24 Random checks increase security by Airman 1st Class Scott J. Saldukas 435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Teaming up with chief master sergeants, first sergeants, security forces, Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the legal office, the Drug Demand Reduction program is trying to prevent drivers under the influence and illegal substances from entering the Air Force comm- unity by doing random gate checks before entering Ramstein. “It helps to ensure the safety of our dependents and service- members on base,” said Alex Photo by Ina Stiewitz Tremble, program manager of Commander Col. Robin Akin (right) and Command Sgt. Maj. Angel Clark-Davis, 29th Support Group, case the the Drug Demand Reduction brigade’s colors during an inactivation ceremony for the 29th SG, its Headquarters and Headquarters Company, the program, also known as DDR. 512th Maintenance Company, the 596th Maintenance Company and the 618th Movement Control Detachment on The DDR is just a small Rhine Ordnance Barracks June 9. piece of the puzzle; it was implemented by the Military Personnel Drug Abuse Testing 29th Support Group inactivates Program in 1994 to help support the “Air Force Family.” by Angelika Lantz logistical modularization. One way the DDR helps 21st TSC Public Affairs Maj. Gen. Yves Fontaine, 21st TSC commander, lik- the Air Force is by trying to ened reviewing the 29th SG’s distinguished history to prevent any illegal substances or It was like a great book with a sad ending when reading a “brilliant manuscript.” anyone under the influence from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command said “It is a great organization and it is a sad day to reach entering the base by conducting goodbye to its 29th Support Group during an the end of this outstanding mission,” he said. random gate checks. inactivation ceremony on Rhine Ordnance Barracks For the brigade’s last commander, Col. Robin Akin, “It detects and identifies June 9. it was a bittersweet moment as well. those individuals who use and The multi-functional logistics unit with a history “Although I am saddened by the end of the unit’s service to our Army, it is a privilege for me to be spanning more than seven decades was inactivated See CHECKS, page 3 as part of the Army’s transformation process and See INACTIVATION, page 5 Don’t drink and drive. Hand over the keys! Call Armedforces NEWS SPORTS LIFESTYLES Against Drunk Driving. Army celebrates 233rd Sembach Airman wins Visit Cologne, experience Call 0631-536-2233 or 489-AADD. birthday, pg. 7 heavyweight title, pg. 22 the culture, pg. 12 Page 2 Kaiserslautern American June 20, 2008 Revisit basic fundamentals for success by Col. Bill Bender police us through inspections and exer- 86th Airlift Wing and cises to ensure we are compliant. As an KMC commander example, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency is ensuring our compliance with The KMC has a huge mission and the Conventional Forces Europe treaty does a phenomenal job in making that in an exercise June 26. I want to thank mission happen every day. Our jobs Lewis Gingery and Billy Hendricks include technical work that must be for their leadership in preparing the completed with the utmost care and KMC to meet the standards of this attention to detail. international agreed-upon treaty. Just as professional athletes spend I also want to thank Henry Kaaihue the fi rst several weeks of training camp and his entire U.S. Army Garrison focusing on the basic fundamentals Kaiserslautern Emergency Disaster of their positions, we must also pause Planning Office for coordinating Commentary occasionally and check ourselves exercises that involve Army and Air against an absolute standard – Force units. The next exercise that compliance with published guidance. focuses on community force protection This standard exists in every area of scenarios within the KMC will take our operations – from the fl ight line, place July 3. to the top of a microwave tower, to Exercises and inspections are one our records keeping. In our efforts to way for us to police ourselves, but I balance workload and time, we must would also ask you to look at your job not allow ourselves to accept a “that’s and embrace the idea of getting back the way we do it here” mentality. to basics in an effort to improve your Instead, we must focus on compliance unit. with the technical order or appropriate Instead of briefing “standard governing publication. operations,” brief the standard. You Photo by Airman 1st Class Amber Bressler At each organization throughout should continually ask yourself, “What Col. Bill Bender, 86th Airlift Wing and the KMC, there are units designed to does the book say?” KMC commander Commander’s Action Line Stay tuned for the Why does the traffi c light on Ramstein near the 723rd Air Mobility QSquadron Cargo Terminal not work for motorcycles? Motorcycles Summer 2008 KA coming to the light and making a left hand turn will sit there until another car pulls over the strip in the road to activate the light signal. Special Edition, Our technicians evaluated the traffi c light near the 723rd AMS Cargo on newsstands ATerminal and found the magnetic sensor was set with a low sensitivity, resulting in some motorcycles not being detected. The technicians adjusted July 4! the sensitivity and ran several tests with several different motorcycles, all of Col. Douglas Tucker, which were now detected and activated the traffi c signal. 435th Air Base Wing commander The Commander’s Action Line gives KMC members a direct link to wing leadership. The action line is a way for KMC members to ask a question or express a concern on the policies and procedures of the base, as well as discuss safety and secu- rity issues. 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The AdvantiPro staff reserves the right to ment, call 0631-3033-5536 or visit www. Ad Design & Layout Natascha Theobald- appearance of advertising in this publica- edit all submitted material. kaiserslauternamerican.com. Alexander Pütz Rüffl er June 20, 2008 Kaiserslautern American Page 3 Gen. Bishop reflects on 3rd Air Force tenure by Senior Master Sgt. graduating from the over the years. team to keep building upon what Hollis Dawson Air Force Academy. “We owe much has been started. 3rd Air Force Public Affairs In the following gratitude to the “Keep pressing forward with years, he has com- leaders who had clarifying the roles and mission He is one of the Air Force’s manded an oper- the vision of having between the numbered Air Force most experienced operators. He has ations support an operationally- and the major command; keep deployed numerous times through a squadron, a C-141 focused head- pressing on operationalizing the variety of operations, ranging from Starlifter flying quarters,” General Air and Operations Center; and Desert Storm to Shining Hope. As squadron, a C-141 Bishop said. “Thank- keep pressing on trying to get a an operations group commander, and C-17 Globe- fully, those leaders standardized Air Force-wide he led his group in support of master operations saw the need to approach to manning and training more than seven named contin- group and airlift have an organiza- an Air Force Forces staff,” he said. gencies. He has responded to numer- wing. tion focused on Reflecting back, the general said ous humanitarian calls for action, He has also the needs of the waking up every morning to go served as the deputy Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop combatant com- including the Mount Pinatubo erup- to a job he didn’t consider to be tion in the Philippines and multiple commander of mander – not just a job is what he will miss most typhoon, hurricane and famine Headquarters U.S.