Santa Visits JBSA-Lackland
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A PUBLICATION OF THE 502nd AIR BASE WING JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, TEXAS • Vol. 72 No. 48 • DECEMBER 4, 2015 Santa visits JBSA-Lackland Photo by Johnny Saldivar Blake (right) and Brooke (left) Burkhead, children of Brian Burkhead, visit with Santa during the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony Dec. 1 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Santa posed for photos with children inside JBSA-Lackland's Gateway Club. INSIDE | Commentary 2 News 3 Community Briefs 14 Sports 17 ONLINE | http://www.JBSA.mil PAGE 2 commentary TALESPINNER DECEMBER 4, 2015 Airman’s Creed in the middle knew they were valued. I just Joint Base San Antonio- of the auditorium simply for didn’t feel my impact was Lackland sitting in the aisle seat. I was large enough at my duty sec- Editorial Staff scared to death to be made tion. I Love My Job the fool. Once I left that day I had just returned from a BRIG. GEN. BOB LABRUTTA from class, I made it my goal temporary duty assignment to 502ND AIR BASE WING/JBSA COMMANDER By Master Sgt. Nicole Walton could I look myself in the in life to memorize the the Air Force Mortuary Robert D. Gaylor NCO Academy mirror in the morning or sleep Airman’s Creed and the Air Affairs Operations as a man- TODD G. WHITE Superintendent, evaluations and analysis soundly at night if every day Force Song. power analyst for the Air 502ND ABW/JBSA I was a phony? Some might I did not like the feeling I Force Manpower Agency. I PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR love to learn and desire be reading this thinking that had that day. It wasn’t be- was honored to stand on the to grow. I go to school is exactly what we are. I have cause I thought he wanted to C-130 when they brought OSCAR BAllADARES every day and get paid to had students that just could make me look foolish. I did it three service members back JBSA-LacKLAND I PUBLIC AFFAIRS CHIEF do it. I am not a student, but not wrap their minds and because I didn’t want to let from the Middle East and car- an educator. Yet I get to learn hearts around being a true him down. ried them ceremoniously onto SENIOR AIRMAN LYNSIE NICHOLS every day. leader and therefore prob- Crazy right? I didn’t even American soil. I heard the SENIOR AIRMAN KRYSTAL JEFFERS I am an enlisted profes- ably believed I was a phony. I know him. However, some- shrill cries of family members PHOTOJOURNALIST JOURNEYMAN sional military education have been guilty of this type of thing he said that day made as they watched their loved instructor at the Robert D. skepticism. me believe that he believed ones’ casket draped in Old JOSE T. GARZA, III Gaylor NCO Academy at Joint When I came through this in what he was doing. It was Glory carried from the plane SPORTS/STAFF WRITER Base San Antonio-Lackland. school back in 2010, I was at palpable. I had to cut him to to the truck so they could be I was a dedicated flight room a crossroads in my career. I see if he bled blue. I needed to prepared for burial. DOROTHY LONAS instructor for a year and was was in the Air Force for just know that he was not a phony I remember thinking there PAGE DESIGN/ILLUSTRATOR a superintendent for about six a little longer than 10 years because if he was a phony, in was no greater honor than to months following sewing on and I had been going through my mind there was no hope. be one of those amazing indi- Office master sergeant. one of the most agonizing two I requested through my viduals at AFMAO. I wanted 2230 Hughes Ave. As a flight instructor, I years of my life. instructor to interview Lewis to make an impact like that. JBSA-Lackland, Texas would spend six weeks impart- I had serious family issues for my Air Force Heritage re- So, with the help of my boss, 78236-5415 ing leadership knowledge from I was dealing with and did search paper. He agreed. This I put together my application (phone) 671-2908 (fax) 671-2022 our curriculum to technical not feel like I had the support was my opportunity to catch package for the academy. I Email: [email protected] sergeant students through of my “Air Force family.” I him. This was my opportunity needed to reach more people. Straight Talk: 671-6397 (NEWS) facilitation. I would counsel thought the “Year of the to prove that even the most I wanted to make an impact them when they were unsuc- Family” initiative was a joke convincing motivator, was not like Lewis. Thankfully, I was For advertising information: EN Communities cessful on tests or assignments and just a catch phrase. I did really buying this stuff. selected and this is where I P.O. Box 2171 and mentor them when I could not believe I had family in the I was wrong. I was glorious- work today. San Antonio, TX 78297 see they needed encourage- Air Force and I did not believe ly and wonderfully wrong. He I work with some of the 250-2052 ment or when they needed the Air Force had my back. I believed every word he said most intelligent, diverse, car- some discipline. believed I was nothing but a and I found him to be sincere. ing and professional people. I was serious about my job work horse, a number – not a Is he perfect? No. Will I Period. Not just in the Air This newspaper is published by EN Communities, a private firm in no and it was exhausting. As an human, not someone of value ever be? No. Force. Not just in the military. way connected with the U.S. Air Force, introvert, after spending all and certainly not family. That is why I asked him to Not just in Texas. Period. under exclusive written contract with JBSA-Lackland, Texas. This commercial day interacting with students I poked holes in the curricu- be my mentor and he agreed. We sharpen each other daily enterprise Air Force newspaper is an at a high level of intensity, I lum daily. I looked for faults in For the next few weeks while with our thoughtful ques- authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents would not be left with many the instructors and the institu- I attended the academy, he tions, our edification of one of the Talespinner are not necessarily words at the end of my days. tion. I thought for sure it was helped me see there are another, in our accountability the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department Often I would want to go all a sham and I wanted to people that really do care to each other in our unending of Defense, or the Department of the home and crash, but I had a prove it somehow. I was not and value others. He helped quest to be a better version Air Force. The appearance of advertising in master’s degree program, two disrespectful in class because me see there was more to be of ourselves to help others be this publication, including inserts or young boys, a husband and that is not my nature, but I found if I just opened my eyes better versions of themselves. supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of responsibilities in my church was searching. Maybe not so and ears. When we come together at Defense, the Department of the Air waiting on me. much for confirmation that it I will not blame it all on lunch and on breaks to discuss Force or EN Communities, of the products or services advertised. Looking back, it was diffi- was a joke, but I needed to my leaders for not caring world topics it is like a United Everything advertised in this cult, but as my students were find something or someone to because that will do no one Nation meeting in someone’s publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without learning about leadership, so believe in. I had no true men- good. I will not point fingers office. I never walk away regard to race, color, religion, sex, was I. tor. I had no one that believed at others when I have made worse off than I came. national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, How could I not learn? Day in me at work or at least that mistakes myself. I made a Do I like everything I do? or any other non-merit factor of the in and day out we teach the is what it seemed like. decision at that point in my Honestly, no. Is everything I do purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared same concepts and I want to Then Chief Master Sgt. Juan life that I would be better. I building me up to become a and provided by the Public Affairs Office be good at what I do … no, Lewis came to brief us. He would be a better Airman, a better me? Yes. of the 502nd Air Base Wing. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air excellent at what I do! was intimidating and challeng- better follower and a better Many people will tell you Force photos. How could I not internal- ing. I thought for sure he was leader when I had the chance.