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Vol. 47, No. 9 Thursday, February 28, 2019 - page 8 News/Features: page 2 6th AMW key player in Red Flag exercise 6th FSS best in AMC News/Features: page 3 MacDill Youth of Year Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week News/Features: page 5 AMC chief recounts journey Photo by Senior Airman Ashley Perdue U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Maurice Johnson, a 157th Maintenance Group crew chief, Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H., Community: page 15 conducts pre-flight operations on a 6th Air Mobility Wing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during exercise Red Flag 19-1 at Events, Chapel, more... Nellis AFB, Nev., Feb. 6. More than 2,900 personnel from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force participated in the realistic training exercise designed to enhance combat readiness and survivability. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, February 28, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 1 NEWS/FEATURES 6th FSS named best in AMC by Marvin Krause 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs The 6th Force Support Squadron was recognized as Air Mobility Com- mand’s nominee for the Gen. Curtis E. LeMay award for best large installa- tion-level force support squadron of the year for 2018. The award recognizes leadership, customer service, support and quality- of-life programs provided to joint military members and their families. The accolade highlights the squadron’s mission to provide world-class education, physical fitness, hospitality, manpower, personnel and family support to Team MacDill and the Tampa Community according to the 6th FSS commander, Lt. Col. Kimberly Lichte. “We’re honored to have been selected by AMC as the best force support squadron in the command,” said Lichte. “I am so proud to lead such an amazing team! Every day the members of this squadron come to work fo- cused on taking care of families, operating with trust, and supporting the Photo by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner warfighters in the wing and our joint mission partners.” U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kobe Cole, a food service journeyman as- The 6th FSS is a diverse squadron comprised of more than 600 dedicated signed to the 6th Force Support Squadron, transports cold food items at military and civilian professionals who manage and maintain a multifac- MacDill Air Force Base May 30. Cole is part of a dining facility team that eted mission that includes providing lodging, child care, recreation, food serves approximately 262,000 meals annually. services and much more to Team MacDill’s personnel and their families. In 2018, the 6th FSS modernized the Airman Leadership School’s pro- mately benefit military-connected children through the MacDill Council for gram by securing $45,000 of innovation funds for electronic tablets to ef- Educational Excellence. fectively deliver their curriculum. The 6th FSS will represent Air Mobility Command at the Air Force-level Additionally, the Military Personnel Flight implemented a new online for the best FSS in the Air Force. identification card renewal system to ease walk-in wait time for customers The LeMay Award was named in honor of Air Force Gen. Curtis E. Le- visiting the Air Force’s largest identification card section. May who, in addition to his aviation accomplishments, had a life-long inter- Furthermore, the squadron supported Hurricane Michael evacuees by est in support and quality-of-life programs provided to Air Force members hosting a town hall with local supporting agencies and executing $177,000 and their families.The Curtis E. LeMay Award was first awarded in 1965. of Air Force Assistance Fund grants. It started as an award for the best morale, welfare and recreation program The squadron also received the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence in the AirForce and has evolved through the years to services andnow Award, recognizing their successful partnerships and projects that ulti- force support. See LEMAY, Page 6 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, February 28, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES MacDill’s 2018 Military Youth of the Year a repeat winner by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Gregory Davis, a 17-year-old high school senior at Jesuit High School in Tampa and member of the MacDill Youth Center, was presented the 2018 Military Youth of the Year award during a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 11. Each year, MacDill selects one student as a Youth of the Year represen- tative, and this year Davis was awarded the prestigious honor for the sec- ond time by 6th Air Mobility Wing’s Vice Commander, Col. Troy Pananon. “Mr. Davis was our Military and State Youth of the Year back in 2016 and is a very bright and well-spoken student,” said Loretta Gaines, the 6th Force Support Squadron assistant youth director. “His willingness to give back has always impressed me over the five years I have known him.” During his acceptance speech, a humbled Davis made it clear that al- though receiving this award is satisfying, it is what he will do after re- ceiving it that really matters to him. “What I am most proud of at this point is being able to continue work- ing on ‘Virtual Respect, an anti-cyber bullying campaign,” said Davis, who founded the campaign in 2017. To be eligible for the Military Youth of the Year award, a candidate must be between 14 and 18 years old, a member of the MacDill Youth Center, and excel in their commitment to community service, academic Photo by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner success, good character and citizenship and establishing long-term goals. Davis, who is also a child of a military veteran, has demonstrated why Gregory Davis, a 17-year-old senior at Jesuit High School in Tampa and he was selected for the award as he deflected attention from himself and member of the MacDill Youth Center, receives the 2018 Military Youth used his platform to highlight good causes he has been a part of. of the Year award from Col. Troy Pananon, the 6th Air Mobility Wing “Mr. Davis has accumulated 465 volunteer hours within our commu- vice commander, at MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 11. Davis received the nity since his freshman year and he constantly looks for new ways to help award for his outstanding commitment to community service, academ- out others,” said Gaines. ic success, good character and citizenship, and establishing long-term See YOUTH, Page 10 goals. He will now go on to compete at the state level. Wilson, Goldfein order ‘100% review’ of all base housing by Charlie Pope The results will give senior civilian and mili- across the Air Force’s sprawling operation and to Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs tary leaders a more thorough understanding of provide a blueprint for addressing the problems. the extent and severity of the problems and help “Our Airmen and their families should have ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS)—Responding to inform responsive solutions. military housing that will not adversely impact reports of poorly maintained and unsafe housing In addition to walk-throughs with residents their health and safety,” Wilson and Goldfein across several installations, Air Force Secretary that “will document any health or safety risks,” wrote. “More importantly, they should have con- Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff Gen. David L. the directive requires command teams to “solicit fidence that they can identify problems without Goldfein on Feb.