VIA Adds Lackland Bus Stops by Mike Joseph Last Two Years from 500 Riders a Month to of the Inexpensive VIA Alternative
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A PUBLICATION OF THE 502nd AIR BASE WING – JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS • www.lackland.af.mil • V ol. 68 No. 24 • JUNE 17, 2011 GETTING LOW AND DIRTY INSIDE Commentary 2 Recognition 6 What’s Happening 22 News & Features Water restrictions 10 Best youth program 14 Photo by Staff Sgt. Desiree Palacios Airman Basic Paul Nance low-crawls during an exercise at the Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training course during his sixth week of Air Force Basic Military Training. The BEAST introduces Airmen to the joint expeditionary concept and immerses them in deployment scenarios. Rejoining BMT 15 VIA adds Lackland bus stops By Mike Joseph last two years from 500 riders a month to of the inexpensive VIA alternative. Staff Writer 150. “We have this service available and it “We’ll get VIA’s numbers in July and hope runs every 20 minutes,” Mr. Deane said. Lackland transportation offi cials and the the number (of riders) is up,” said Todd “If we increase ridership, we hope to add San Antonio VIA Metropolitan Transit have Deane, vehicle operations element chief for more services.” partnered to add three base bus stops on an the 802nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. The fi rst Lackland bus leaves at 9:20 a.m Warhawk FC revamp 23 express route which loops from base to the “The VIA service is not just for BMT,” Saturday, and the last bus to base departs United Service Organization downtown. he said. “If you live in base housing, you the USO downtown at 6:42 p.m., arriving Recent stops added to the Saturday-only can park securely (near one of the stops) at 7:10 p.m. Mr. Deane said increased bus route are both southbound and northbound and take a bus downtown for a reasonable usage from the base may lead to length- Carswell Avenue at Truemper Street, and cost.” ened schedules and additional days to meet southbound on Craw Avenue, across from The Lackland-USO express route is $2.50 demand. Chaparral Fitness Center near the Defense one way. Transfers from the USO to oth- A VIA bus stop for Route 64 is also avail- Language Institute. The new route also er VIA destinations are an additional 15 able outside the Lackland Training Annex incorporates its only previous stop at the cents. gate. That stop is not part of the Lackland- BMT reception center on Carswell, north Originally geared toward BMT graduates USO express service but does connect to of Selfridge. and their families, transportation offi cials other VIA exchange hubs. View the Talespinner online Lackland transportation offi cials are at www.lackland.af.mil are encouraging technical training, Inter- For more information on the Lackland- hopeful the additional stops will increase American Air Forces Academy, DLI students USO schedule, VIA Route 65, visit the VIA VIA usage, which has dropped over the and anyone else on base to take advantage website at www.viainfo.net. PAGE 2 TALESPINNER JUNE 17, 2011 Airman rises to honor a fallen Soldier By Maj. Rosaire Bushey AETC Public Affairs Editorial staff I had the privilege to be a BRIG. GEN. LEONARD PATRICK, very small part of several hun- 502ND AIR BASE WING COMMANDER dred people who gathered to honor a fallen warrior. Army OSCAR BALLADARES, Sgt. Thomas Bohall returned DIRECTOR, 502ND ABW OL-A to Texas from Afghanistan, PUBLIC AFFAIRS and he was met by a line of respect that stretched for JOE BELA, CHIEF OF INTERNAL more than half a mile. COMMUNICATIONS, 671-4111 Words, however, are a poor substitute to the sights and, SHANNON CARABAJAL, more specifi cally, to a single MANAGING EDITOR, 671-1786 face in which a whole world of non-verbal emotion collided. MIKE JOSEPH, STAFF WRITER, 671-4357 Lining the road there were uniforms, mostly ABUs, the PATRICK DESMOND, odd BDU, fl ight suits, civilian SPORTS EDITOR/STAFF WRITER, slacks, skirts, suits. They were 671-5049 representative of the team that makes the military work. They DESIGN/LAYOUT, 671-0478 were worn by every skin tone you could consider, and they came equipped with boots, Offi ce: shoes, pumps, and heels; with 1701 Kenly Ave. Suite 102 Lackland AFB, Texas berets, fl ight caps, garrison Photo by Melissa Peterson 78236-5103 caps and cowboy hats. They A motorcade processional transporting the remains of Army Sgt. Thomas A. Bohall of Bel Aire, Kan., travels down (210) 671-1786; stood under a double line of Harmon Drive at Randolph Air Force Base June 7. Sergeant Bohall was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation (fax) 671-2022 E-mail: [email protected] 50 state fl ags. Everywhere you Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. He was killed by Commander’s Action Line: looked you could see all of an improvised explosive device during an insurgent attack May 26 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. actionline@lackland. af.mil. America represented. Straight Talk: 671-6397 (NEWS) For advertising information: At the end of the line, only assume was his wife, pride -- the pride she had for of 74 motorcycles from the Prime Time Military Newspapers through the base gates, two girlfriend or sister. I’ll never Sgt. Bohall - Thomas -- re- Patriot Guard, providing top 2203 S. Hackberry ladder trucks from local fi re know. She was no more than gardless of the relationship cover for Sgt. Bohall and his San Antonio, Texas 78210 two feet away. She was sitting they shared. family. (210) 534-8848 departments formed an arch (fax) 534-7134 across the road, with an sideways in her car, facing di- Mostly, however, I saw in Salutes were lowered, cars American fl ag hanging. As the rectly into the row of us lining her face thankfulness. She moved, groundskeepers went procession approached, what the road. Her face, wracked was staring at people who back to work, but it was all This newspaper is published by little noise there was ceased. with grief and desperately had never met Thomas, never quieter now. Did it matter Prime Time Military Newspapers, a Cars stopped, contractors straining to hold back tears met her or her family, and that we were there; that we private fi rm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive writ- doing grounds maintenance that would end her connec- yet here they were. On some took an insignifi cant portion of ten contract with Lackland AFB, Texas. stood at attention and doffed tion with us, was a storm of level I think she probably our lives and saluted a fallen This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication their hats, uniformed service emotion. understood at that moment comrade? for members of the U.S. military ser- members saluted. Barely visible beneath the that Thomas had always been Had you seen this woman’s vices. Contents of the Talespinner are not necessarily the offi cial views of, or As Sgt. Bohall passed, I grief there was also a hint of around family, even when he face, her eyes, her gratitude, endorsed by, the U.S. government, the dipped my eyes and in a a smile on her tear-stained was far from home. you wouldn’t even ask. Department of Defense, or the Depart- ment of the Air Force. fraction of a second, locked lips. That near-smile and her In a second, she was gone, It made a difference. It mat- The appearance of advertising in this eyes with a woman who I can wide eyes spoke clearly of replaced by the low rumble tered ... a lot. publication, including inserts or supple- ments, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the De- partment of the Air Force or Prime Time COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE Military Newspapers, of the products or services advertised. To submit an Action Line, e- your request to 37TRW. telephone number or e-mail ad- Everything advertised in this pub- mail the Lackland Public Affairs [email protected]. dress, you will receive a reply. lication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without Offi ce at actionline@lackland. The Action Line is your direct Your contact information al- regard to race, color, religion, sex, na- af.mil. For concerns regarding path for addressing issues if lows us to obtain more informa- tional origin, age, marital status, physi- cal handicap, political affi liation, or any the Wilford Hall Medical Center, you have been unable to resolve tion, if needed, to help resolve other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, contact the Wilford Hall Action them through your chain of com- your problem. user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared Line at 292-4567, or e-mail your mand or the appropriate respon- Items of general interest and provided by the Public Affairs Offi ce request to 59mdw.pa@lackland. sible agency. It also allows you to may be printed in the Lackland of the 502nd Air Base Wing. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air af.mil. provide feedback and recognize Talespinner. Force photos. For questions or issues about outstanding people and units. Anonymous inquiries will not Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday the week prior Air Force basic training, e-mail If you leave your name and be published. to publication. JUNE 17, 2011 TALESPINNER PAGE 3 News BRIEFS MPS OPERATING HOURS CHANGE Military Personnel Section functions in three areas will begin closing every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. for in-house train- ing starting June 29. The closures will affect customer service, the Force management offi ce, and career development.