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SPACE VOL. 63 NO. 12 THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019 OBSERVERPETERSON AIR FORCE BASE IceBy Maj. Brian Moore |takes 20 SPCS DET 3 hold in Maui MAUI, Hawaii — The 20th Space Control Squadron Haleakala is no stranger to cold weather and generally Surveillance system. Luckily, damage was limited to a few Detachment 3 is located on the Hawaiian island of Maui. receives a light dusting of snow a few times a year. Maui, broken lightning rods, but the three telescope towers were When most people think of Hawaii, they picture warm, however, has not seen an ice storm this extreme in de- coated in several inches of ice. The domes were covered sandy beaches and tropical landscapes. While that is true cades. Freezing rain, snow, and 50 mph winds covered with so much ice that the access doors were frozen shut. for most of Hawaii, there are areas that can be very dif- the entire site in 3-6 inches of ice and brought operations After gaining access to one of the telescope towers, it became clear the ice was not going to let us resume op- ferent. Take the location of the 20th SPCS Det 3 on top to a grinding halt. erations that evening. We would have to wait for Mother of the 10,000 foot dormant volcano of Haleakala. On Once the storm relented on Monday, the Det 3 team Nature to reverse her actions and let the ice melt. Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, we experienced a severe ice storm. worked to evaluate the damage and restore operations Yes, you read that right, an ice storm on Maui. to the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space See Maui page 11 (Courtesy photo) MAUI, Hawaii – A Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance system tower is covered in ice after a severe ice storm hit the island of Maui, Feb. 10. The freezing rain, snow, and 50 mph winds covered the entire site in 3-6 inches of ice and brought 20th Space Control Squadron Detachment 3 operations to a grinding halt. INSIDE NEWS 1-12 | BRIEFS 4 | CLASSIFIED 13 | CROSSWORD 14 AIRMAN OF THE YEAR TALKS SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF WGS- AF WEEK IN PHOTOS IN-FLIGHT TRANSPORTATION BEING A WOMAN IN THE USAF 10 SATELLITE FOR AIR FORCE ISOLATION SYSTEM TRAINING PAGE 3 PAGE 7 PAGE 8 PAGE 12 21ST SPACE WING COMMANDER’S CORNER My Greatest Decision Master Sgt. Melissa Ochab | 821ST SECURITY FORCES SQUADRON A decision I made at 18 years old in a quick moment of Team initiative and entrusted me to lead it. We, a group of poning wedding dates year after year and vacations and rebellion has turned out to be the best decision of my life. females, would exit the security of the installation to patrol holidays. Nothing was as hard for me as being pulled away As I neared the end of my junior year of high school, without through the villages in hopes to build and establish rap- from my daughter when she was only six months old. any plans for college, my mom would begin what I would port with the females around I missed hearing my describe as “nagging” me with questions of my plans after Bagram. children speak their first graduation. I jokingly mentioned the military to see her The way I see it, women words, take their first steps reaction. Since her father and brother both fought in past around the world share a and celebrate their first wars, it upset her to think that one day that could be her common bond and that’s I am thankful and beyond birthdays. Those were the daughter too. Of course from that point on, every time some- family, specifically our chil- grateful the policies have toughest times for me. I one would inquire about my future, my response would be, dren. Think about it, if the will never get that time “I’m joining the military.” men are being paid for al- since changed so that mothers back. I am thankful and On Nov. 18, 2003, I stepped off the bus at Lackland Air lowing roadside bombs to may have more opportunities beyond grateful the pol- Force Base, Texas as many have before, not truly knowing be buried in their village, icies have since changed what was in store for me. more than likely they are to watch their children reach so that mothers may have Fast forward 15 years, and I’m stationed at Thule Air Base, not going to alert us. On more opportunities to Greenland where I have plenty of time on my hands to reflect the other hand, if the moth- developmental milestones. watch their children reach on all the experiences the Air Force has afforded me. Some er has to keep her children developmental milestones. of my experiences include meeting my husband, having from attending school she is All things considered, children, and creating lifelong friendships. However, one of more likely to disclose that the experiences and sac- my most memorable experiences comes from a deployment information because she wants them to have an education. rifices over the past 15 years, if I had to go back to when I in 2011 to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The objective was to be able to gather possible intelligence was 18 and decide what I was going to do after graduating It was my first time working for a female Chief Master Sgt. that our male counterparts were not able to get. high school, it would still be to join not just the military, She had a vision to start an Air Force Female Engagement Along with great experiences came sacrifice, such as post- but the U.S. Air Force. 2019 Homecoming beka adair mackenzie maltby Tamayo aisha ahmad-post Event aubrey mccoy alex belding allison moix terrell brown March 28 francisco montes $35/person micki cockrille adam morley Get your ticket now 5:30-7:30 PM liz denson deborah mynatt before we sell out! chad eckles Stargazers mark perrault jason feld Theatre lana rodriguez chelsea gaylord bree shellito clay guillory meghan stidd CSBJ.com/ mattie gullixson alexis thompson Events melissa howard sophie thunberg natasha main The Transcript can publish your NOTICES OF GUARDIANSHIP For more info call 634-5905 2 | SPACE OBSERVER THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019 | WWW.CSMNG.COM Airman of the Year talks being a woman in the Air Force By Erinn Callahan | 21ST SPACE WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, As an aerospace physiology tech- Colo. — Independence and hard work nician, Czarnecki trains flyers, para- have come in handy for Senior Airman chutists, cadets, almost anybody who Mary Czarnecki during her time in the touches an aircraft about the dangers Air Force, resulting in her earning the of altitude and how to counteract those 21st Space Wing Airman of the Year dangers, she said. While her age and award in February 2019. background have provided some ad- The 21st Medical Group aerospace vantages in her line of work, she feels physiology technician thanks her she has learned just as much from the mother – who pursued a bachelor’s younger Airmen as they have from her. degree in nursing when Czarnecki was “That life experience set me up for 13 – for those traits. success, but I still needed to learn “She showed me the value of, ‘Never how to follow and how to be part of stop learning and never stop improv- a flight,” Czarnecki said. “I definitely ing yourself,’ Czarnecki said. “With have mentors here who have guided basic things like, ‘Oh, you have a me through the hard times.” school project coming up? You need Aside from the Airman of the Year to start it sooner than the night before,’ honor, Czarnecki’s greatest accom- or, ‘You’re 16 now, let’s learn how to plishment is being able to submit an fill out job applications.’ She guided application for aerospace physiol- me while making me do it.” ogy officer, which she completed in Czarnecki, 28, decided to enlist in September 2018. 2016 after researching career options “Just being prepared and able to for her kinesiology degree from Grand submit that package is a huge feat, Valley State University in Allendale, especially for someone who has only Michigan. been in for two years,” Czarnecki said. “The Air Force popped up and the Czarnecki’s advice for younger more I researched it, the more I real- women looking to join the Air Force ized this is what I wanted to do,” she is simple, “Just go for it.” said. “I’ve gotten a lot of, ‘No,’ in my “You’re going to face a lot of obsta- civilian life, or, ‘You can’t do this,’ or, cles – whether that be the fact that ‘That’s too expensive,’ or, ‘You don’t you’re lower ranking or the fact that qualify.’ you are a woman – but the more per- “But here in the Air Force, I feel like severance you have, the further you’re (U.S. Air Force photo by Erinn Callahan) there’s been a lot of doors that have going to get,” she said. “Don’t let those PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — Senior Airman Mary Czarnecki, 21st Medical Group aerospace physiology technician, demonstrates how the opened up for me and a lot of different hard times stop you from doing what flight simulator works March 5, on Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Czarnecki was named 21st Space Wing Airman of the Year in February 2019. paths I can take.” you want to do.” WWW.CSMNG.COM | THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019 SPACE OBSERVER | 3 BASE BRIEFS CSMNCOLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPERG GROUP CSMNCOLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPERG GROUP HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS grant from the Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) allowing us to offer our 5 (719) 634-5905 In recognition of their service and sacrifice, Vietnam Veterans can receive spouses the opportunity to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).