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Vol. 47, No. 13 Thursday, March 28, 2019 News/Features: page 2 MacDill safe haven News/Features: page 3 Virtual jump training News/Features: page 3 The most important meal Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week Heroism above and beyond - page 8 Photo by Airman 1st Class Frank Rohrig U.S. Air Force Col. Stephen Snelson, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander, presents the Airman’s Medal to Master Sgt. Na- Community: page 15 thaniel Violette, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron red production superintendent, at MacDill Air Force Base Mar. 22. Vio- Events, Chapel, more... lette was awarded the Airman’s Medal for saving a motorist after a fiery vehicle collision. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, March 28, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 1 NEWS/FEATURES MacDill AFB accepts aircraft in response to Offutt AFB flooding 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Five RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft as- signed to the 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Ne- braska, relocated to Mac- Dill AFB over the weekend due to rising floodwaters at Offutt AFB,Nebraska. The relocation to Mac- Dill AFB ensures the air- craft remain out of harm’s way until they can safely return to their home sta- tion. The RC-135s support theater and national level consumers with near real time on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and dis- semination capabilities. Offutt is the training base for the 55th Wing’s 29 reconnaissance jets and four E-4B Nightwatch air- Photo by Senior Airman Caleb Nunez borne command-and-con- Five RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft assigned to the 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., rest on the trol aircraft, and also hosts flightline at MacDill Air Force Base. The aircraft evacuated to MacDill due to rising floodwaters at Offutt, providing a U.S. Strategic Command. safe location to bed down out of harm’s way. The RC-135s support a worldwide mission for theater and national level consumers with near real time on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities. 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 Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. Per- sonnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via email to MacDillAirForceBase [email protected] or Facebook @6thAirMobilityWing- Instagram: macdill_afb CommandTeam 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 Mobility 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 Mobility 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 Mobility 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 28, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES Virtual jump simulator improves paratrooper readiness by Staff Sgt. Steven Colvin Special Operations Forces Command Central Public Affairs The new Parachute Simulator 7 is one more reason why Special Operations Forces Command Central remains at the “Tip of the Spear.” The Systems Technology, Inc. team came to MacDill Air Force Base to install the new PARA- SIM 7 system at the Joint Parachute Rigger fa- cility, Feb. 19, and incorporated military person- nel training on the system. The PARASIM 7 recreates the experience of a real parachute jump from the head-mounted 3D virtual reality display to the suspension harness that detects jumper inputs.The physics-based parachute simulation technology recreates the conditions of a live jump using real-world scenes, malfunctions,wind profiles, various weather con- ditions and a full library of terrain types. “The simulator will allow us to train the Mac- Dill paratroopers in a realistic virtual environ- ment that accurately reflects the areas and ter- rain they will jump in,” said Sgt. 1st Class Shane Walthers, a SOCCENT parachute rigger noncom- Photo by Staff Sgt. Steven Colvin missioned officer in charge.“When used in con- A paratrooper prepares for virtual reality jump training on the new Parachute Simulator (PARA- junction with the mandatory refresher training, SIM) 7 at the Joint Riggers Facility, MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 21. The PARASIM 7 recreates the simulator is extremely useful in giving jump- the experience of a real parachute jump from the head-mounted 3D virtual reality display to ers a realistic view of where they will be jumping the suspension harness that detects jumper inputs. The physics-based parachute simulation and what they will see while under canopy.” technology recreates the conditions of a live jump using real-world scenes, malfunctions, wind See JUMP, Page 10 profiles, various weather conditions and a full library of terrain types. National Nutrition Month: Why athletes shouldn’t skip breakfast by Agnese Walker M.S., R.D.N. 6th Medical Group registered dietician March is National Nutrition Month, an awareness program focusing on the importance of informed food choices and developing good eating and physical activity habits. Not being fueled before a workout will leave you feeling sluggish, re- duce energy supply to your muscles, and slow down your metabolism. Your heart rate will be higher than usual, and your rate of perceived effort will increase.These effects won’t just be limited to those morning workouts, however. In a study performed at the University of Loughborough in 2016, re- searchers took a group of men and had them fast overnight. Half con- tinued the fast until lunch time, while the otherate aregular break- fast. Both groups ate lunch, and then 90-minutes later did 30-minutes on the bike at half their maximal oxygen uptake or VO2 max, followed by 30-minutes of fast biking.The group that ate breakfast performed 4.5 percent better than the fasted group, which is significant given that the U.S. Air Force graphic testing was done 5.5 hours after their missed meal. Your brain runs on glucose. So you need it. In fact, the brain burns March is National Nutrition Month, an awareness program focusing on the importance of informed food choices and developing good eating and See BREAKFAST, Page 14 physical activity habits. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, March 28, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 3 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Castelan A 908th Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron pilot maneuvers a KC-10 Extender into position in preparation to receive fuel over the United Arab Emirates in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, March 14. The 908th EARS empowers the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria by pro- viding mission extending aerial refueling services to U.S. and coalition forces conducting operations in OIR’s area of responsibility. Photo by Master Sgt. Joseph Swafford Photo by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Satran A CV-22 Osprey aircraft from the 20th Special Operations Squadron, Can- The United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV rocket launches with a Wideband non Air Force Base, N.M., is refueled by a KC-10 Extender from the 6th Air Global SATCOM WGS-10 satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Sta- Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif., during an aerial refueling training tion, Fla., Complex 37 on March 15. The satellite brings enhanced com- mission over New Mexico, March 11. Travis AFB Airmen fly training mis- munication capability for command and control of U.S. military forces sions regularly to stay current and be prepared for future mobility opera- on the battlefield. tions. 4 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, March 28, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES World War II laborer champions ‘Rosie the Riveter’ legacy by Master Sgt. Amaani Lyle Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs ARLINGTON, Va.(AFNS)—When it comes to symbolizing the influx of women in the workforce and the wave of patriotism and feminism that surge sparked during World War II, few American icons are more recog- nizable than “Rosie the Riveter.” Artist J. Howard Miller’s 1942 poster, featuring a bandanna-donning, blue-collared woman with the famed flex beneath the rally cry,“We Can Do It!” grew over time to represent millions of women who stepped up to fill various stateside labor-intensive jobs once held by men, now tapped to fight German and Japanese forces.