Vol. 48, No. 10 Thursday, March 5, 2020 News/Features: page 2 6th MDG lab accredited News/Features: page 3 Retirees celebrated at clinic Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week News/Features: page 7 Refueling crew honor history 6th ARW tanker fuels student pilots - page 8 Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Michal An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 182nd Fighter Squadron, at Kelly Field, Texas, conducts aerial refueling training Community: page 15 with a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, over Texas Jan. 27-31. Work- Events, Chapel, more... ing closely with the instructor pilots of the 182nd FS, the KC-135 crew supported the completion of aerial refueling training for 18 F-16 students and the re-qualification of 15 F-16 instructor pilots. NEWS/FEATURES 6th MDG laboratory receives civilian accreditation by Airman 1st Class David D. McLoney 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs The 6th Medical Group laboratory recently achieved their civilian accreditation by passing a no-notice inspection by the College of American Pathologists. Master Sgt. Kelly Adler, the 6th MDG labo- ratory flight chief explained, by passing this in- spection and receiving the civilian accreditation, the group demonstrated the ability to turn out accurate, reliable results comparable to its civil- ian peers and even surpassed the standards of the CAP. The CAP inspection includes a checklist of 4,000 items and a no-notice, on-site review of the medical processes to verify how the medical clin- ic is performing. The inspection varies from base to base, and includes individual requirements for testing, training requirements before reporting patient results, laboratory safety, control tests and criti- cal value procedures. Failing the inspection can result in the labora- tory being shut down due to not being licensed, which would affect the entire community in a negative way. “This is not an inspection that we can prepare for,” said Staff Sgt. Edward Thompson Jr., the 6th Photo by Airman 1st Class David D. McLoney MDG NCO in charge of hematology and urinaly- Senior Airman Sydney Daugherty, a laboratory technician at the 6th Medical Group, streaks an agar sis. “Passing such strict accreditation standards plate at MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 18,. These samples are allowed time to grow and then tested reaffirms our overall teamwork and attention to for different bacteria. If bacteria are found, tests are run to determine what antibiotics work on dif- detail.” ferent types of bacteria. See LAB, Page 12 For information about base operations during emergencies or natural disasters, call the Straight Talk Line at 828-4163 COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE MacDill on the web Website: www.macdill.af.mil The Action Line provides two-way communication between the Facebook: www.facebook.com/ 6th Air Refueling Wing commander and the MacDill community. Per- sonnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via email to MacDillAirForceBase [email protected] or Facebook @6thARWCommandTeam Instagram: macdill_afb Twitter: @macdill_afb MacDill Thunderbolt U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the Department factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. of the Air Force or the 6th Air Refueling Wing. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted Publisher: Joe DeLuca The appearance of advertising in this publication, including to the 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621. Call the Thunderbolt Editor: Nick Stubbs the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, at 828-2215. Email: [email protected]. 6th Air Refueling Wing or the TImes Publishing Company of the Deadline for article submissions is noon, Wednesdays to The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by the Times Publish- products or service advertised. appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after ing Company, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. For retail advertising, call (813) 226-3318. deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions are Air Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an autho- Everything advertised in this publication shall be made considered for publication based on news value and timeliness. rized publication for distribution to members of the U.S. mili- available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clar- tary services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, ity, brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101. 2 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, March 5, 2020 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES MacDill Clinic celebrates Retiree Appreciation Day by Airman 1st Class David D. McLoney 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs The 6th Medical Group provides support to more than 500,000 retirees within 100 miles of MacDill Air Force Base, but those benefits aren’t always known. MacDill hosted Retiree Appreciation Day, Feb. 22, at the 6th MDG, as a way to show support for retirees and their fami- lies in the area. “Holding these events are important,” said Christopher D. Pecenka, the Tricare contract liaison at the 6th Medical Support Squadron. “This event is a great way for the retirees in the community to come in and get up to date on some of the things that are going on with their health care.” Retirees who attended the event were pro- vided with information, free gifts and clinic up- dates from multiple sections – including dental, dermatology, referral management and many more. The 6th MDG supports patrons from all over the South Florida region, and an event such as this helps bridge the gap between retir- ees and the medical services provided for them. The event opens up the opportunity for retir- Photo by Airman 1st Class David D. McLoney ees to learn where the clinic is, and helps inform U.S. Air Force Col. Christine Berberick, the 6th Medical Group commander, cuts a ceremonial the public of what resources are available and cake with retired Col. William Graham, the MacDill Retiree Activities Office director, at the Re- See RETIREE, Page 11 tiree Appreciation Day event at MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 22. Two teams tie to win Spark Tank 2020 Air Force News Service ORLANDO, Fla. (AFNS)—For the first time, two teams tied as win- ners of the Spark Tank 2020 competition at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Feb. 28. The winning ideas were the Low Cost Threat Emitter Replication sub- mitted by 1st Lt. Daniel A. Treece, assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Arizo- na, and the Weapons Loading Smart Checklist submitted by Chief Master Sgt. Gabriel L. Flagg, Master Sgt. Gabrial A. Valenzuela and Tech. Sgt. Benjamin E. Angley, assigned to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Spark Tank, which began in 2017, is an annual competition in which Airmen are encouraged to submit their innovative ideas to improve Air Force processes and products. The program is part of the Air Force’s effort to build and further its culture of innovation and intrepreneurship. Air- men submit their ideas through the Ideascale website, and finalists are chosen to present their ideas to Air Force senior leaders at the Air War- Photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson fare Symposium. The finalists compete for the funding, personnel or other necessary resources to implement their ideas. Airmen share the Spark Tank trophy after Air Force and industry leaders Each team had three minutes to present their ideas to the judging declared a two-way tie at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Sym- panel, which included Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett, Air posium, in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 28. The three-day event is a professional development forum that offers the opportunity for Department of Defense Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, Chief Master Sergeant of the personnel to participate in forums, speeches, seminars and workshops See SPARK TANK, Page 14 with defense industry professionals. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, March 5, 2020 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 3 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Senior Airman Mary Begy Photo by Wayne Clark A KC-135R Stratotanker assigned to the 507th Air Refueling Wing refuels Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett delivers remarks during the an E-3 Sentry from the 552nd Air Control Wing during an orientation flight Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 27. at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., Feb. 25. The flight gave the Air Force Life The three-day event is a professional development forum that offers the Cycle Management Center logistics community and interns from the Pre- opportunity for Department of Defense personnel to participate in forums, mier College Intern Program and PALACE Acquire Logistics Trainee Pro- speeches, seminars and workshops with defense industry professionals. gram an opportunity to learn about the 507th Air Refueling Wing’s mission. 4 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, March 5, 2020 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, March 5, 2020 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 5 NEWS/FEATURES Air Force to consider military family support measures in future basing decisions Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs bers and their families.” rules and the ability for an area to accommodate Military members report that local public ed- licenses earned from other locations. The Air Force approved criteria Feb. 24 to as- ucation aspects and support for their children While mission requirements remain the top pri- sess states’ policies for accepting professional, and the ability of their spouses to sustain ca- ority for where a mission is based, the Air Force career licenses and a community’s public educa- reers move after move influence their decisions has developed a process to include the support tion system support of military children as part to remain on active duty.