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=VS5V Thursday, September 21, 2017 Z[*9>Z\WWVY[PUN0YTHYLSPLM WHNL 1HZV)HDWXUHVSDJH ¶)DPLO\)LUVW· 1HZV)HDWXUHVSDJH *HQ:HOVKSRUWUDLWXQYHLOHG :HHNLQSKRWRVSDJH ,PDJHVIURPWKHZHHN 1HZV)HDWXUHVSDJH +LVWRULFKXUULFDQHVXSSRUW 7OV[VI`;LJO:N[.\Z[H]V.VUaHSLa <:(PY-VYJL:[HMM:N[5LZ[VY-YHNHZ[*VU[PUNLUJ`9LZWVUZL:X\HKYVUHPYJYHM[THPU[HPULYTHYZOHSZH*:\WLY &RPPXQLW\SDJH .HSH_`H[4HJ+PSS(PY-VYJL)HZL:LW[;OLZ[*VU[PUNLUJ`9LZWVUZL>PUNZ\WWVY[LK/\YYPJHUL0YTHYLSPLMLMMVY[Z (YHQWV&KDSHOPRUH I`YLJLP]PUNHPYJYHM[HUKYHWPKS`KV^USVHKPUNZ\WWSPLZHUKJHYNV COMMENTARY º-HTPS`-PYZ[»HWWYVHJORL`[VHKKYLZZPUNWPSV[ZOVY[HNL I`.LU*HYS[VU,]LYOHY[00 $PNNBOEFS "JS.PCJMJUZ$PNNBOE The Air Force faces an ongoing pilot shortage. This is not the first time the Air Force has been in this position, and as long as there is a market for highly-trained, professional, disciplined Airmen it will not be the last. Air Mobility Command pilots are particularly attractive candidates for employment. Our Airmen fly the same types of aircraft as the major na- tional and regional airlines, making for an easy transition if they elect to leave the service. With 1,600 mobility pilots eligible to separate from the service over the next four years, we need to address this issue and main- tain the right number of Airmen in our Air Force cockpits.As we pursue so- lutions and seek improvements, AMC is planning to quickly put into place initiatives that demonstrate short-term progress. I’m also committed to improving our Airmen’s quality of life in ways not entirely within the Air Force’s or Air Mobility Command’s span of control.I believe we’ve done a good job of getting feedback from within on this matter. More than 700 Air Mobility Command Airmen offered suggestions for improvement. An area that we have not fully accounted for is the family perspective. One thing is increasingly clear: if Airmen stay or elect to depart the service, it is usually a family decision.Regularly moving to different duty stations cre- ates family disruption.When our children change schools like they change 7OV[VI`9HZOLLU+V\NSHZ clothes, it can add stress. Moving from a school district that is meeting (NPYSZTPSLZHZZOLO\NZOLYMH[OLYK\YPUN[OLYL[\YUVM[OL[O(PYSPM[ a family’s needs to one that does not creates discontent and sometimes :X\HKYVUVU:LW[H[1VPU[)HZL*OHYSLZ[VU(PY)HZL:* drives military families to either home school, pay for private school, or settle for what is available. In any case, this impacts the quality of home our wing and installation commanders to continue these efforts locally to life and becomes a burden of service. advocate for their Airmen and families. Service before self is one of the Air Force’s Core Values -- a concept all Additionally, we need to ensure quality employment options for spouses, Airmen hold dear and live by. However, that should not mean sacrificing working to ensure professional licenses transfer between states. Starting quality of education for our children. In some instances, Airmen elect to over is difficult enough, but being asked to put your career on hold by mar- live 50 or more minutes from an installation to ensure education and sta- rying into the Air Force is not acceptable. If we don’t fix this, more talented bility are not compromised. Airmen and families will vote with their feet. Part of enhancing quality of life for our Airmen is ensuring our military This is what we are also doing immediately within Air Mobility Com- children have access to quality education. I think we can do better. I’ve mand. While not all changes will be immediate, we’re moving out on the already communicated with elected officials and local communities about following: the need for further partnering to enhance education in areas surrounding XWe are looking to identify unnecessary deployments and then eliminate military installations. There is genuine concern and interest in making improvement. I expect 6HH COMMENTARY, Page 19 COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE 4HJ+PSSVU[OL^LI 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]. Instagram: macdill_afb Twitter: @macdill_afb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·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´$VVRFLDWHG3UHVV6W\OHERRN DUHQRWQHFHVVDULO\WKHRIILFLDOYLHZVRIRUHQGRUVHGE\WKH SK\VLFDOKDQGLFDSSROLWLFDODIILOLDWLRQRUDQ\RWKHUQRQPHULW DQG/LEHO0DQXDOµDQG$LU)RUFH,QVWUXFWLRQ 2 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, September 21, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES [O*:(-WVY[YHP[\U]LPSLK I`;LJO:N[5H[HSPL:[HUSL` 4FDSFUBSZPGUIF"JS'PSDF1VCMJD"GGBJST0GGJDF WASHINGTON (AFNS) — A painting of retired Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the 20th Air Force chief of staff, was unveiled during a ceremony at the Pentagon Sept. 14. Artist Michele Rushworth was commissioned to paint the portrait and was able to capture the love and devotion of one of Welsh’s greatest ac- complishments, his family. “My entire career was spent with them, for them, because of them,” said Welsh, as he thanked Rushworth for her work. “Capturing them so I share the space with them makes me feel like things are right now.” His portrait encapsulated his devotion to not only his family, but his Air Force family. “Every day I miss you,” said Welsh. “I don’t have much to say about my time in the Air Force, except that I miss you.” The artist has painted portraits of everyone from governors to military +V+WOV[VI`;LJO:N[)YPNP[[L5)YHU[SL` leaders for 25 years. ;OLVMMPJPHSWVY[YHP[VMYL[PYLK.LU4HYR(>LSZO000MVYTLY(PY-VYJLJOPLM “There is no higher art form than the difficult challenge of capturing VMZ[HMMPZ\U]LPSLKK\YPUNHJLYLTVU`H[[OL7LU[HNVU>HZOPUN[VU+* the human spirit, of conveying something of the inner life and depth of :LW[;OLWVY[YHP[^PSSILVUKPZWSH`PU[OL7LU[HNVU»Z(YUVSK*VYYPKVY a person’s character on canvas,” said Rushworth. “I wanted to convey the HSVUNZPKL[OLWVY[YHP[ZVM[OLV[OLYMVYTLY(PY-VYJLJOPLMZVMZ[HMM dignity, strength, warmth and honor of Mark Welsh in this portrait.” During the unveiling Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein reflected on the contributions of Welsh. “Every Airman has a story, that was his motto and it still echoes across “As a captivating public speaker, he traveled the world, engaging with our Air Force today.” hundreds of thousands of Airmen and families, listening to their stories Welsh served as the 20th Air Force chief of staff from 2012 until his and then retelling them across every audience imaginable,” said Goldfein. retirement on June 24, 2016, after 40 years of service. (-[VPTWSLTLU[:LJVUK(ZZPNUTLU[0U7SHJL7PSV[7YVNYHT I`:LUPVY4HZ[LY:N[(SSPZVU+H` billets may be eligible for SAIP if they are lieutenant colonels or lieutenant colonel selects with 17 or more years of Total Active Federal Military Ser- WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The Air Force will allow limited fighter air- vice, or majors not selected for promotion with 14 or more years TAFMS. crew to extend their time at certain assignments in an effort to improve “We asked our aircrews for feedback and learned that late in their ca- quality of life, quality of service and help retain experienced aviators for reers, people want stability for their families. This program gives our Air- longer than 20 years. men an opportunity to create stability in their personal lives while ensur- On Sept. 7 the Air Force implement the Second Assignment In-Place ing we don’t lose the expertise they’ve gained through years of applying Pilot Program for active duty, late-career fighter pilots and weapon system airpower against our nation’s enemies,” said Nowland. officers. Sixteen bases at three major commands; Air Education Training Com- The SAIP pilot program is one of a wide range of initiatives the Air Force mand, Air Combat Command and Air Force Materiel Command, are se- is pursuing to increase retention, particularly among late career aviators lected to participate in SAIP. Each base will be assigned SAIP quotas by whose expertise is needed to train future generations and allow the Air the Air Force Personnel Center. Force to recover from its pilot manning crisis in the face of a surge of airline The following bases are eligible for the SAIP program: hiring. The Air Force also recently expanded its aviation bonus