Meet the U.S. Air Force for Almost 70 Years, the Men and Women of the U.S

© 2014 Universal Uclick Memorial Day Is May 26 from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick Meet the U.S. Air Force For almost 70 years, the men and women of the U.S. Air Force have been protecting our country in the skies and in space. But even before Air Force seal the Air Force became separate from the U.S. Army in 1947, flying was an important part of our nation’s security. In fact, during the Civil War, Union

troops flew in hot air balloons to find photo courtesy wright-brothers.org out where Confederate armies were The 1909 Wright Military Flyer was the first airplane purchased by the U.S. Army and what they were doing. for military use. The Army paid $30,000 for it — a huge sum at the time. It had a This week, The Mini Page maximum speed of 42 mph and could fly for one hour. Today the Wright Military celebrates Memorial Day with a closer Flyer is on display at the Smithsonian Institution Air and Space Museum in look at the U.S. Air Force. Washington, D.C. Air Force beginnings Memorial Day In 1907, the War Department Just a few years later, during World In the United States, created an Aeronautical Division.This War I, planes were used to spy on the Memorial Day honors the military division worked with brothers enemy and drop bombs. Pilots fired at memory of the men and Orville and Wilbur Wright to make each other with handguns and rifles women who have lost their the first military airplane. and threw grenades at other planes. lives while serving our country. In 1910, the first test “bomb” After the war, in 1926, Congress The holiday started after (a sandbag) was dropped from an created the U.S. Army Air Corps as a the Civil War. It was first known as airplane, and soon Army officers were separate command within the Army. Decoration Day because families went taking reconnaissance* (re-CAHN- Later those units became the Army Air to graveyards and placed flags, flowers uh-sense) photos from the sky. Forces, and in 1947 the U.S. Air Force was created as a separate branch of and wreaths on the graves of troops * Reconnaissance is the act of observing who had lost their lives. or inspecting to collect information. the military. ®

A rocket carrying a GPS satellite Senior Airman Trey launches on Feb. Barnes monitors the 20, 2014, from performance of the GPS Cape Canaveral satellite constellation at Air Force Station Schriever Air Force Base in Florida. in Colorado.

photo by Ben Cooper, United Launch Alliance MP: What made you interested in

U.S. Air Force photo/Christopher DeWitt being in the Air Force? In the Air Force, whether a person MP: Did you grow up in a military Barnes: Before I graduated high is a pilot or not, he or she is known family? school, I made the decision I would join as an airman. Barnes: Yes. My father is a the Air Force. I always saw the pride The Mini Page spoke with Senior 20-year Navy veteran. He worked as and commitment my father showed Airman Trey Barnes about his job a fuels technician and security forces during his time in the Navy, and I with the U.S. Air Force. member during his time in the Navy. wanted that for myself. I wanted to Senior Airman Barnes is a satellite MP: What sort of training did you be a part of something greater than operator for the Global Positioning do to prepare for your job? myself. I can honestly say that it System (GPS). Currently, a “constellation” Barnes: I went through nearly was the best decision I’ve ever made. of 31 orbiting satellites provide a year of training. I knew I wanted Not only am I working in the world’s information to people on the ground. The to be a system expert that others greatest Air Force, but I am supporting military uses GPS for navigation and could rely on, so I made sure to billions of GPS users worldwide. I timing; your family might use GPS to work closely with those who I saw never thought I would be in control of find the library in a new city or to choose exhibiting the attributes and skills I commanding the multibillion-dollar the right trail in a national park. wanted for myself. GPS constellation, but here I am!

from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick TM U.S. Air Force Ready Resources S R J T W K M O P E R A T O R The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, A E D N H D R E C R U I T A O Basset T B N A I G N Y M R A L V I T books or other resources that will help you learn Brown’s more about this week’s topics. E M F L Y O I A F O R C E R O On the Web: Try L O Z G M B J R M R R K V M R L B A L L O O N W M I I T A T • www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/education/kids ’n’ I T R O P S N A R T O A A N L • 1.usa.gov/1omZP0e Find T Z A E R O N A U T I C A L I • 1.usa.gov/ObYPeM E C N A S S I A N N O C E R T Words that remind us of the U.S. Air Force are hidden in the block above. At the library: Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used • “The U.S. Air Force” by Matt Doeden twice. See if you can find: AERONAUTICAL, AIR, AIRMAN, ARMY, BALLOON, BOMBER, COMMAND, DAY, FLY, FORCE, JOIN, MEMORIAL, OPERATOR, • “Careers in the U.S. Air Force” by Edward F. Dolan RECONNAISSANCE, RECRUIT, SATELLITE, TILTROTOR, TRANSPORT, WRIGHT. ®

TM Mini Spy TM Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Mini Spy and her friends are at the National Mini Blueberry Pancakes Museum of the Air Force. See if you can find: q sailboat You’ll need: • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1/4 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk q ladder q safety pin q lima bean q saw • 3 teaspoons baking powder • 1 large egg q letter D q bird q letter A q bell • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 cup unsweetened frozen blueberries q pencil q doughnut q question mark q key What to do: 1. Coat a large griddle or skillet with cooking spray; preheat over medium-high. q fish q needle q man in the moon 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Make a well, or open spot, in the center. 3. Whisk together the milk and egg and add to the well in the flour mixture. 4. Mix gently to combine, leaving small lumps. Fold in frozen blueberries. 5. Ladle batter onto hot pan (about 2 tablespoons per pancake). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until tiny bubbles appear around the edges of the pancake. Flip and cook for 15 to 30 more seconds. Serves 8. You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. Adapted from “The Robin Takes 5 Cookbook for Busy Families” with permission from Andrews McMeel Publishing (andrewsmcmeel.com). from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick Meet Zee Avi Zee Avi is a singer, guitarist, ukulele player and songwriter. Her latest CD is “Zee Avi’s Nightlight.” Zee, 28, grew up in Sarawak on the island of Borneo. She moved with her family to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when she was 12. Today she divides her time among Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles and New York City.

photo by Hilary Walsh She learned music from her grandfather, who sang and played several instruments in bands. Zee taught herself to play guitar when she was 17. She then dropped music for a few years while she studied fashion design. When she realized fashion was not her true calling, she returned to music. She also paints and travels throughout the world giving inspirational speeches to young people.

from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick TM TM Mighty Shabazz Napier Funny’s Mini Jokes Gus Shabazz Napier must like wearing rings. The senior All the following jokes have something in common. Can you Goodsport’s point guard for the University of Connecticut Huskies Supersport now has a national championship ring for each hand guess the common theme or category? following his team’s surprising run in the 2014 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Harvey: What do you call a group of Napier, a sociology major, began his college career at flying rabbits? UConn under legendary coach Jim Calhoun and saw Hilda: The Hare Force! a lot of playing time as a freshman, when the Huskies marched to an NCAA basketball title in 2011. Calhoun retired in 2012, and the Huskies were banned Horatio: What do you get if you cross a from postseason play in 2013. But Napier stuck with hippopotamus with a bunny? Height: 6-1 the Huskies and new coach Kevin Ollie — and Shabazz Hillary: A hop-opotamus! Birthdate: excelled, becoming a first-team All-American and his 7-14-1991 conference’s Player of the Year. Averaging 21.2 points Hometown: and 5.5 rebounds per game in his final six games, he led Henry: How do rabbits fix their hair? Roxbury, Mass. the Huskies to their fourth national title since 1999. Honor: With hare brushes! ®

from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick Today’s Air Force Today, there Training to be an airman are about Young people who want to join 329,000 active- the Air Force can enlist, or join, or duty members they can graduate from the U.S. Air of the Air Force Academy. Every airman must Force. More be a U.S. citizen (or meet non-citizen than 14,000 requirements) and must be between of those are 17 and 34 years old. He or she must pilots, and about 61,000 are women. also have a high school diploma. The U.S. Air Force is organized U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago Recruits, or new members, spend into 10 major commands. Each does The Air Force’s new F-35A Lightning II about six weeks in basic military a different type of job, and each is fighter jet flies over Destin, Fla. With its advanced communications equipment, training. They adjust to military life headquartered at a different base this “flying computer” can share and learn teamwork and discipline. around the country (with one in important information with U.S. officials Germany). and our partners around the world. Within each command are Up in the air subgroups, including: More than 4,000 active aircraft are • numbered air forces used by the Air Force to protect and • wings secure the United States. There are • groups eight types of aircraft used: • squadrons • and flights. • bomber • helicopter For example, Senior Airman Trey • fighter/ • tanker Barnes is a member of the 2nd Space attack • reconnaissance U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Griffin Operations Squadron, which is a part • special • transport Basic trainees low-crawl through a tactical operations • trainer course at the Basic Expeditionary Airman of the Air Force Space Command in Skills Training course, or BEAST, at Lackland Colorado. Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The CV-22B Jobs in the Air Force Osprey is Learning a job You might think that every job a tiltrotor After basic training, airmen receive in the Air Force is related to flying. aircraft that instruction in their chosen career can fly as a field. They go to school and practice But in fact, jobs range from search- helicopter or and-rescue officers to computer U.S. Air Force photo/Don Popp as an airplane. their new jobs. This might last specialists. several months. Afterward, they are Senior Airman Barnes said: “I assigned to a duty station, where they would like kids to think about all of continue to improve their skills. the different things they can achieve U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn in the Air Force. With the skills and A C-130H Hercules transport aircraft. The Mini Page thanks Lt. Col. Karen knowledge the Air Force will provide, These huge planes are used to move Roganov, media officer, and Capt. Connie so many doors will be opened.” large equipment, such as tanks, and big Dillon, public affairs officer, for their help numbers of people. with this issue. The Mini Page Staff Betty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist