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Vol. 47, No. 26 Thursday, June 27, 2019 News/Features: page 3 First AFAC since the storm News/Features: page 3 VCSAF visits Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week News/Features: page 6 Key Spouses meet Warrior Games on - page 8 Photo by Airman 1st Class Ryan C. Grossklag U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Russell Ruth, a wounded warrior athlete, practices a discus throw at MacDill Air Force Base June 20. Community: page 15 In preparation for the Department of Defense Warrior Games, Ruth trained at MacDill the week of June 17 for shotput, Events, Chapel, more... discus and the 100 meter run. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, June 27, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 1 NEWS/FEATURES Changes to Post-9/11 GI Bill transfers effective July 2019 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval and agrees to serve four ad- ditional years in the armed forces from the date of election. WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS)—The u Has at least 10 years of service in the armed forces (active duty and/ transferability option under the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows service members or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval, is precluded by either stan- to transfer all or some unused benefits to their spouse or dependent chil- dard policy (by service branch or DoD) or statute from committing to four dren. additional years and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time al- The request to transfer unused GI Bill benefits to eligible dependents lowed by such policy or statute. must be completed while serving as an active member of the Armed Forc- u Transfer requests are submitted and approved while the member is es. The Department of Defense determines whether or not you can trans- in the armed forces. fer benefits to your family. Once the DoD approves benefits for transfer, u Effective 7/12/2019, eligibility to transfer benefits will be limited to the new beneficiaries apply for them at Veterans Affairs. service members with at least 6 years but not more than 16 years of ac- The option to transfer is open to any member of the armed forces ac- tive duty or selected reserve service. So service members with more than tive duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted who is eligible for the 16 years of service should transfer benefits before 7/12/2019. Post-9/11 GI Bill and meets the following criteria: For more information, go to https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_ u Has at least six years of service in the armed forces (active duty and/ transfer.asp. For information about base operations during emergencies or natural disasters, call the Straight Talk Line at 828-4163 Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Mobility Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil 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, June 27, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES Tyndall holds first FTAC class since Hurricane Michael by Airman 1st Class Bailee Darbasie 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs The 325th Force Support Squadron rotated new Airmen through the First Term Airmen Course for the first time since Hurricane Mi- chael at Tyndall Air Force Base, from June 17- 21. FTAC was postponed after the hurricane due to a halt on incoming permanent party orders. “We’re grateful for FTAC to be up and run- ning again,” said Master Sgt. James Rollins, 325th FSS career assistance advisor. “It means we’re getting more Airmen which is what Tyn- dall really needs now.” First-term Airmen face unprecedented chal- lenges stemming from the damage sustained by the installation. To prepare them, FTAC put a stronger emphasis on resiliency during the week-long course. “We’ve tailored our resiliency program to touch on the unique challenges this set of Air- men will need to face,” Rollins said. “We try to focus on how to manage and overcome quality of life and financial issues due to living on a destroyed base.” Rollins said this new rotation of Airmen is important because their strength and deter- mination will set the stage for future Airmen coming to Tyndall. “These Airmen will be the professionals Tyn- dall needs to help grow into a better and stron- ger base,” Rollins said. “We’re happy to provide Photo by Airman 1st Class Bailee Darbasie them with the training and resources needed First term Airmen are taught the importance of proper social media use during a First Term Airmen to transition into the best Airmen they could be briefing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Friday. This rotation of Airmen was the first since Hurricane for Tyndall.” Michael devastated the base. U.S. Air Force Gen. Stephen W. Wil- son, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, interacts with spectators at the Department of Defense War- rior Games, Tampa, Sunday. Wilson toured the event site at the Univer- sity of South Florida, meeting with Warrior Games athletes and their families. The games will run through Sunday, when closing ceremonies will be held. For a complete sched- ule of competition times and loca- tions, visit www.dodwarriorgames. com. Photo by Airman 1st Class Ryan C. Grossklag MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, June 27, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 3 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Staff Sergeant James R. Crow U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Kristina Coble, Team Air Force Warrior Games athlete, receives a cold-towel compress after a race during the Depart- ment of Defense Warrior Games track competition in Tampa June 22. Warrior Games athletes have overcome significant physical and psychological challenges not always visible to others and have demonstrated that life continues after becoming wounded, ill or injured. Photo by Senior Airman Caleb Nunez Courtesy photo U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Brian Williams, a wounded warrior A family poses for a photo during the annual Family Jam at the MacDill athlete, returns a serve during a wheelchair tennis match against the Chapel, June 8. More than 250 members of Team MacDill gathered at the U.S. Army at the Department of Defense Warrior Games in Tampa Sun- 90s themed dance party for dinner, a costume contest and camaraderie. day. This year’s DOD Warrior Games hosted 13 sporting events in a Paralympic-style competition. 4 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, June 27, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES The 2019 DoD Warrior Games are Underway in Tampa by Airman 1st Class Alexis Saurez 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs More than 300 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans from all four U.S. military branches, U.S. Special Operations Command and five partner nations are in the Tampa Bay Area until Jun. 30 competing in adaptive sports for the 2019 Department of Defense Warrior Games, hosted by U.S. Special Operation Command. This is only the second time the Warrior Games are being held in public venues and not on a military installation. The games are free to watch, open to the public and offer a rare opportunity to watch and be inspired by wounded warriors who have shown incredible resilience as they overcome significant physical and psychological challenges to compete in adaptive sports all around Tampa. Crowd support is a huge benefit for the athletes as well. “Warrior Games provide opportunities for athletes to heal and to regain confidence,” said Scott Danberg, this year’s Sports Director. “When the ser- vice members walk into the ceremony and hear the crowd cheer, the value Photo by Senior Airman Caleb Nunez and support really sink in.” The opening ceremony was held June 22 at AMALIE Arena.