VOL. 46 NO.41 OCTOBER 13, 2006 Madness tips off hoops fever By Wayne Amann Academy Spirit Editor Air Force hoops fans have been waiting for this day since March, when the Falcon men made only their fourth appearance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament and the Falcon women capped their winningest season ever at the Division I level. Both teams tip off the 2006-07 campaign with their 5th annual Mid- Day Madness event Saturday from 1- 3 p.m. at Clune Arena. It’s free and open to the public. Fans can hear from coaches, meet players and pick out season tickets. Kids can participate in a basketball clinic run by Air Force coaches and players will be available for autographs. Air Force ticket officials say the best way to ensure having tickets for high-profile home games against Mountain West Conference oppo- Photo by Danny Meyer nents San Diego State, BYU and Wyoming, plus perennial Atlantic Naval maneuver Coast Conference power Wake Forest at the Colorado Springs World Arena, Air Force linebacker Austin Randle reaches for Navy slot back Reggie Campbell Saturday at Falcon Stadium as is to purchase season tickets. Air Force’s John Rabold looks on. Campbell ran for 58 yards on seven carries as the Midshipmen rushed for 317 yards en route to a 24-17 win. Their victory denied the Falcons a shot at the coveted Commander-In-Chief’s Those ducats are on sale online Trophy for the fourth straight year. Randle set a career-high with 14 tackles in the game, while Rabold tied his at www.goairforcefalcons.com. career-best with 13. For story, see Page 18. Individual game tickets go on sale Monday. Both Falcon teams open their regular seasons on Nov. 10 with a Cadets lauded for aiding injured comrade doubleheader in Clune Arena. The women play the Wisconsin Badgers By Butch Wehry tioned their critically injured comrade so he Cadet Blessinger and the injured cadet at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men Academy Spirit staff could breathe easier. attended the same church and attended reli- facing Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7:30 “We did our best to help him by control- gious retreats together, but had not yet p.m. The cadets had hiked Eagle’s Peak for ling the bleeding from his numerous wounds become close friends. the workout and breathtaking view prior to and treated him for shock,” said Cadet When Cadet 3rd Class Joseph Spitz Mid-Day Madness April 22 when one plunged down a 200 foot Blessinger, a systems engineering manage- heard the calls for help he figured someone schedule: drop. ment major from Niceville, Fla., who hopes had a few deep cuts and a limp. Then three other second year cadets to become a pilot. “By this time we were “That’s not what I saw when I got to 1 p.m. Men’s team practice heard colleagues above them shouting for in phone contact with the rescuers and they Tom,” said Cadet Spitz. “I was the last to 1:30 p.m. Welcome and intro- help and Cadet 3rd Class David Blessinger requested that one of us go back down the get to Tom because I dialed 911. It was duction started running up the mountain. mountain in order to guide the rescue team hard to climb the 30 or so feet to get to Tom 1:35 p.m. Women’s season “I had no idea what to expect,” said up to the site. You could say I was on auto with one hand. When I got there, I couldn’t preview Cadet Blessinger. control because I really didn’t stop to think have imagined what I actually saw.” 1:50 p.m. Men’s season preview He found stricken Cadet 3rd Class until I reached Avolio. It wasn’t until I It grew cold and gusty. 2:05 p.m. Youth clinic Thomas Avolio battered and breathing hard. climbed the 20-foot rock face and found The three of them took their shirts and 2:30 p.m. Autograph session With the help of Cadets 3rd Class Brett Avolio that I actually stopped and analyzed extra cloths off to keep Cadet Avolio McAuliff and Joseph Spitz, they reposi- the situation.” See MEDAL, Page 5 I N News Feature Sports S Academy or Spirited AF KOs I bust mission Navy D Page 4 Page 19 E Page 16 Academy Spirit 2 COMMENTARY October 13, 2006 How Airmen view service impacts their careers By Lt. Col. Kevin Murray It could have been any one of these, or several I also mentor them. I encourage them to pursue 2nd Fighter Squadron commander other reasons, that led you to join the Air Force. educational opportunities, both professional and I joined the Air Force in 1987. My prime reason academic. I counsel them when they have problems, TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) — for joining was because I wanted to fly. Although I and I praise them when they do well. I help instill the Each of us, at one time or another, has had someone believed strongly in the principles our country was values of integrity, service and excellence. I encourage ask us why we joined the Air Force, or why we founded upon, I didn’t think about joining the Air them to get involved in their community, to volunteer continue to serve. There are a lot of different answers Force from a patriotic perspective. While I felt it was and to be a good ambassador for the Air Force and the to this question, and probably no wrong answers. Each important to serve my country, flying was still the U.S. of us has our own reasons. main reason I joined. I have been very fortunate that If I can motivate Airmen to become leaders, to I think it’s important that each of us spend some my 19-year Air Force career provided the training and better themselves through education and to demon- time thinking about those reasons so we can easily the opportunity to do something I enjoy very much. strate our service’s core values, then I have done some- articulate them the next time we are asked the ques- But if you asked me today why I continue to serve thing to serve my country. If I can help Airmen who tion, “Why do you serve?” in the Air Force, the answer is not because I get to fly. are going down the wrong path turn themselves A well thought-out explanation of the reasons why My reasons have evolved over the years, as I suspect around, become productive in their jobs, and be you joined the Air Force, and more importantly, why most people’s have. Having the opportunity to fly was responsible people with good character in the Air you continue to serve, may provide motivation to that the trigger that got me into the Air Force, but along the Force and in their community, then I have served my person to also find his or her own reasons to serve. way, I discovered several other things I can do to serve country. And when those Airmen mentor and motivate More importantly, if you truly understand the reasons my country. others to reach their potential, then I have served my why you serve, it will help you to serve better. First, I continue to serve because I do want to country. How do you view serving your country — defend my country and the ideas upon which it was I owe the Air Force a lot. It has given me great fighting in combat or combat support? Are you founded. The freedom we enjoy cannot be taken for technical training with many leadership and manage- training others to fight? granted and it must be earned every day. ment skills as a bonus. The great thing about those There are many reasons why people join the mili- My squadron is a training unit, not a combat unit, skills is that I get to take them with me when I leave tary. Some may have joined out of a sense of patri- so I won’t get to serve by flying in combat. My the Air Force. I can continue to influence people even otism, a feeling that it is their duty to serve their mission here is to produce near-combat-ready F-15 after I retire, and I can continue to influence not only country by joining the military and being prepared to Eagle pilots for the combat air forces, so I serve my the next generation of Airmen, but the next generation defend the country and its principles. This patriotic country by providing highly trained individuals who of Americans. feeling and desire to help one’s country was very will deploy to combat. Also, this allows me to fulfill the final reason I evident after the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a large I also continue to serve because I enjoy the chal- serve, which is to help provide a safe and free world wave of people joining the military. That spirit lenging environment of the Air Force. I enjoy tackling for my children to grow up in and realize their own continues today with the ongoing war on terrorism. a problem or obstacle, identifying a solution to the potential. I will continue to serve my family, my Maybe others joined the Air Force to take advan- problem and then executing the course of action to community and my country long after I retire.