NASA to Use Lackland As Stopover
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2009 GATEWAY TO THE AIR FORCE • LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS • www.lackland.af.mil • Vol. 67 No. 31 TOTAL CONTROL INSIDE Commentary 4 Straight Talk 5 Recognition 6 News & Features School supply list 14 Humanitarian work 15 MMA Fight Fest 14 22 Photo by Senior Airman Christopher Griffin Air traffic controllers of the 37th Operations Support Squadron prepare to navigate F-16 Falcons down the runway. Outdoor adventures 23 NASA to use Lackland as stopover By Mike Joseph stop in a transport route as the shuttle Staff Writer made its way atop a Boeing 747 from Edwards AFB, Calif., to its Florida home. Team Lackland will once again support Support of the program at what was then the NASA Space Program by allowing the Kelly AFB was dropped in October 2000. space shuttle to stop over at Lackland “Of all the ferry stops in the U.S., this while on its trek home to Cape Canaveral is the one that has been used the most,” View the Talespinner online at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. said Al Zipprich, director of operations Photo by Alan Boedeker at www.lackland.af.mil Before Kelly Air Force Base closed in The space shuttle Atlantis is ferried to Lackland 2001, the airfield was the most frequent See STOPOVER P2 in June. PAGE 2 TALESPINNER AUGUST 14, 2009 STOPOVER from P1 Team Lackland was able to accommodate the stopover with only a few hours notice. Word spread Prevent disease: for the 37th Operations Support Squadron. “During quickly through the city of the landing and impend- Regularly wash hands and use base realignment, Kelly stopped supporting the ing takeoff. Hundreds of curious sightseers jammed missions because of the uncertainty about its clos- medians and shoulders along Highway 90 and hand-washing stations ing.” Military Drive around Kelly Field to catch a glimpse where available According to Mr. Zipprich, Lackland could be of the aircraft not seen in this area for nearly a upgraded to an alternate landing site as early as decade. October. Team Lackland has already received the But the shuttle ferrying system is an expensive necessary training for the upgrade. option for NASA. Costs can run close to $2 million Lt. Col. Tony Lombardi, chief, Human Space per trip. Flight Support, Houston, led the Lackland training “Team Lackland’s ability to recover the ferry last week and also conducted a survey of the air- flight in June saved the shuttle from being on the field, another requirement for the landing upgrade. road for almost an additional week,” said Mr. Steps for proper hand washing: “There are a few things we have to make sure Zipprich. “It would be NASA’s preference if they • Wet hands with warm, running water and apply soap. • Lather well. we have available, so we’re working on that now,” didn’t have to ferry because of the expense.” • Rub hands vigorously together for at least 15 to 20 seconds. Mr. Zipprich said. “We also had previous runway There are seven more shuttle missions funded • Scrub the backs of hands, wrists, between fingers and under fingernails. construction planned, but we should be ready by through fiscal year 2010. Past experience indicates • Rinse well and dry hands with a clean or disposable towel. late October.” one of every four missions involves piggybacking • Use a towel to turn off the faucet. On its most recent ferrying trek in June, severe the shuttle cross-country to its Florida home. If using hand sanitizer: • Only use alcohol-based products containing at least 60 percent alcohol. thunderstorms altered the shuttle’s original route With that being the case, Team Lackland will be • Apply about 1/2 teaspoon to the palm of your hand. to Amarillo, forcing NASA to redirect the flight and standing by. “We’ll be ready if needed,” said Mr. • Rub hands together, covering all surfaces, until they’re dry. land the piggybacked 747 at Kelly for refueling. Zipprich. Always wash your hands: • After using the toilet • After coughing or sneezing into • After changing a diaper your hands • After touching animals or • Before and after treating animal waste wounds or cuts • Before and after preparing food • Before and after touching a • Before and immediately after sick person handling food • After handling garbage • Before eating • Before inserting or removing • After blowing your nose contact lenses AUGUST 14, 2009 TALESPINNER PAGE 3 News GUNFIRE BRIEFS CFC KICKOFF BREAKFAST A kickoff breakfast for the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign is Sept. 2, 7- 8:15 a.m., at the Gateway Club ballroom. For more information, contact Master Sgt. Thomas Allen at 671-0051. BURGER KING CLOSURE Only the drive-thru window is open until Sept. 10 at the Burger King restaurant, 2210 Kenly Avenue, as the interior undergoes major renovations. The entire restaurant will be closed from Sept. 11 to Nov. 1 when a grand re-opening is tentatively scheduled. Army and Air Force Exchange Services man- age the facility. HISPANIC HERITAGE MEETINGS The Hispanic Heritage committee meets Thursdays at 2 p.m. in the Inter-American Air Force Academy conference room, Bldg. Photo by Airman 1st Class Tony Ritter 7350. Airman 1st Class Patrick Doody, 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, fires an M249 squad automatic weapon during a block Persons interested in participating or of heavy weapons training at the firing range on Ali Base, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Airman Doody is deployed from supporting Hispanic Heritage Month activi- Lackland’s 37th Security Forces Squadron. ties, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, are encour- aged to attend. For more information, contact Master Sgt. Jamie Santiago at 671-0215. AETC gears up for 2010 Symposium By AETC News Staff RETIREE OFFICE NEEDS HELP Air Education and Training Command The Retiree Activities Office needs volun- teers with a military background. RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE – Air Education and Training Contact the RAO Tuesdays through Command officials are gearing up for the 2010 AETC Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at 671-2728 Symposium scheduled for Jan. 14-15, 2010, at the Henry B. or fax 671-6062 for more information. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. The two-day symposium will feature more than 70 lecture SOCIAL SECURITY SEMINAR seminars, two keynote speaker luncheons, an exposition of mil- Learn about qualification requirements itary and civilian vendors and a formal ball to include keynote speaker Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. The for retirement and other Social Security pro- theme of the AETC Symposium is “Developing America’s grams by attending the Social Security sem- Airmen Today ... For Tomorrow.” inar today, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Airmen The AETC Symposium continues to grow each year, and and Family Readiness Flight, Bldg. 1249. 2010 will be no exception. Officials expect a crowd of about For reservations, call 671-3722. 3,400 attendees, mostly from AETC units, but also from other Air Force and military units, industry, commercial, education BASE RAMADAN OBSERVANCES and the private sectors. Ramadan observances will be held daily The exposition hall, sponsored by the Alamo Chapter Air at sunset from Aug. 22 through Sept. 20 at Force Association, will include more than 90 military and civil- the Defense Language Institute student cen- ian booths. Displays will highlight leading-edge capabilities, ter, Bldg. 7452. technologies and information that relate to recruiting, training The program includes breaking of fast, and educating our Airmen. For specific questions about reserv- congregational prayers, lectures and nightly ing space in the exposition hall as a military exhibitor, contact Photo by Robbin Cresswell prayer. Capt. Michelle Adams, at 652-7350. An Airman pilots a virtual F-35 Lightning II aircraft at a Registration is scheduled to begin Oct 1. For more informa- display at the 2009 Air Education and Training Command For more information, contact Chaplain tion and to register, visit the symposium’s Web site at Symposium. The 2010 AETC Symposium is scheduled for Jan. (Capt.) Sharior Rahman at 792-5106. http://www.aetcsymposium.com. 14-15, 2010; registration is scheduled to begin Oct. 1. PAGE 4 TALESPINNER AUGUST 14, 2009 COMMENTARY Lorenz on Leadership Editorial staff COL. WILLIAM H. MOTT V, 37TH TRAINING WING COMMANDER Building a winning team KIRK FRADY, DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS By Gen. Stephen Lorenz to come. We will depend on them trucks that would drive to the next race. JOE BELA, Air Education and Training Command to lead our Air Force through the While watching the event, I realized that CHIEF OF INTERNAL next 35 years of challenges. the race teams competing on the speedway COMMUNICATIONS, 671-4111 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE – The recruiters looked for young, share many similarities with our Air Force. SHANNON CARABAJAL, On July Fourth, I was fortunate confident Americans ready for a Our Nation loves auto racing - drawn by the MANAGING EDITOR, 671-1786 enough to represent our Air Force challenge. I found out later that rare mix of competition, danger and team- MIKE JOSEPH, at NASCAR’s Coke Zero 400. I joined they found more than 700 potential work. It is this teamwork that ties the Air STAFF WRITER, 671-4357 more than 100,000 Americans – Airmen that afternoon. I also Force to NASCAR. The drivers, much like PATRICK DESMOND, undeterred by the summer heat – at Gen. Stephen learned that finding potential the operators in our service, stand in front SPORTS EDITOR/STAFF WRITER, 671-5049 the Daytona International Speed- Lorenz Airmen is just half the battle - only as the face of the organization. Their suc- way. The energy at the speedway a handful of the 700 will eventually cess, however, is completely dependent on PAUL NOVAK, was as thick as the humid air and the excite- attend Air Force Basic Military Training for the hundreds who support from the wings.