Test of the Best!

Home , 6th Operations Group, MacDill Air Force Base

Vol. 40, No. 31 Friday, August 5, 2011

Test of the best! Photo by Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis MacDill Air Force Base’s security forces team races through the combat endurance obstacle course at the 2011 Air Mobility Command Rodeo on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 28. The Rodeo is the premiere event held by AMC to test the capabilities of wings under the command. More Rodeo pictures, page 10. COMMANDER’s CORNER Great job at AMC Rodeo; some Team MacDill standouts by Col. Lenny Richoux people who think differently than you do. 6th Air Mobility Wing commander By challenging your own assumptions, you stand a better chance of tackling challenges Last week our Air Mobility Command Ro- in unique, mutually supportive and beneficial deo participants did a great job representing ways. Our military is diverse and that diver- the 6th Air Mobility Wing at McChord AFB, sity is one of our strengths. Wash. Each of us has a role in our small and large I’m proud of their accomplishments. Lt. groups. Your small group could be your family Col. Michael “Cosmo” Babyak was respon- or your squadron. Do your part to make your sible for managing MacDill’s 36-member team, group successful. Participate in discussions and we were honored to have two special and team building events; encourage others guests and close friends of MacDill attend. around you to participate. They were Mr. Jackson Speake, a local I receive feedback from many of you who business leader and one of our honorary com- are participating in events like the Boss and manders Mr. Hayward Chapman. I want to Buddy Nights, Wing Sports Days or the Din- extend a hearty thanks to the South Tampa ing Ins and other occasions like those that are Photo by Senior Airman Michael Ellis Chamber of Commerce for its support of- giving you the chance to bond and grow as a Col. Lenny Richoux, 6th Air Mobility Wing com- fered to our MacDill AFB team for Rodeo. team. If there are other things that encourage mander, with members of the MacDill Air Mobility During Rodeo we sharpened our skills with team spirit that we aren’t doing on the base, Command Rodeo team as they recover after a run seven international teams representing air pitch the idea around and make it happen. through the competition’s obstacle course. forces from Europe, the Middle East and Asia There were a lot of great events that hap- works in the Joint Communications Support in competition and camaraderie. pened last week. Thanks to all of the contes- Element. Sullivan will represent MacDill at I am also proud of the experiences joint tants and members of the cheering crowd who Scott AFB, IL, Oct. 20. exercises teach all of us as we coordinate and attended the Air Mobility Command Idol tal- Another member of the MacDill team I’d harness our strengths. I’m inspired by the ent contest that 6th Force Support Squadron like to congratulate is the recently promoted friendships we made and singular focus from put on last week. I want to congratulate the Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David Buttrick, the a diverse collection of airmen. first place winner, U.S. Central Command’s base chaplain. The work the base chaplains The Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Petty Officer 2nd Class Yarrick Conner and chaplain staff are doing definitely doesn’t Schwartz recently spoke about the enhanced and to the winner who will represent Mac- go unnoticed. He and his staff are focused on effectiveness diversity builds. Dill at the Air Mobility Command-level of the I challenge you to surround yourself with contest, Tech. Sgt. Chastity Sullivan who See COMMANDER’S, Page 18

COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE The Action Line provides a two-way communication between the 6th Air Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or com- ments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or e-mail macdillwingcom- [email protected]

fense, the Department of the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobil- may be obtained by calling 259-7455. MacDill Thunderbolt ity Wing. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submit- Publisher: Denise Palmer The appearance of advertising in this publication, in- ted to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, Bldg. Editor: Nick Stubbs cluding inserts or supplements, does not constitute en- 25, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill Thunderbolt dorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department staff at 828-4586. Email: [email protected]. of the Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspa- Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt News- pers, Inc., of the products or service advertised. appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received af- papers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the Everything advertised in this publication shall be made ter deadline may be considered for future use. All submis- U.S. Air Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to sions are considered for publication based on news value authorized publication for distribution to members of the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, and timeliness. U.S. military services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-mer- Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clar- Thunderbolt are not necessarily the official views of, or it factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. ity, brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Style- endorsed by the U.S. government, the Department of De- Display advertising or classified advertising information book and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101. NEWS/FEATURES Your T-bolt Today Meet the new 6th News/Features: page 4 SFS commander

A Rodeo win for the 6th Thunderbolt staff

News/Features: page 4 Lt. Col. James Zirkel assumed command of the 6th Security Forces Squadron last week. 927th flies reverse for Rodeo He took time out to introduce himself to the MacDill community and answered a few questions from the Thunderbolt. News/Features: page 10 Thunderbolt: What do you expect of the Dining In a hit Airmen under your command?

News/Features: page 14 Zirkel: Adherence to the core values and a positive attitude.

Airfield Operations Thunderbolt: Who are your favorite lead- ers and role models and why? MacDill Community: page 17 Zirkel: I admire people who are able to cut Events, movies, more... through the emotions and politics of a decision and make the tough call to do the right thing.

Thunderbolt: What does it mean to you to Lt. Col. James Zirkel be a commander? pier with the house and the location. Mac- Zirkel: Command is a privilege and an Dill is my dream assignment, it was my first ATV safety honor; it is a special trust and confidence choice and I am ecstatic to be here. placed in me by the Wing Commander. It car- Case study: A 24-year-old senior airman ries with it an enormous responsibility. That Thunderbolt: Is there anything else you was operating an all terrain vehicle with a said, I am very excited to command the 6th would like to add? 25 year old staff sergeant passenger on a Security Forces Squadron. gravel road at a high rate of speed. The se- Zirkel: There has been a lot of attention in nior airman encountered a sharp right turn Thunderbolt: When you hold your first the media about the national debt. Each of us and lost control, rolled the ATV and struck commander’s call what is the first thing you may not be able to affect change at the nation- a fence. are going to tell your Airmen? al level, but we certainly can in our homes. The senior airman received minor cuts I made a commitment to live debt free four and bruises, and the staff sergeant pas- Zirkel: After I introduce myself I am going years ago – no more credit cards or car loans. senger received a concussion and fractured to thank them for their service, let them know It wasn’t easy, I had to follow a budget and shoulder. how much I appreciate what they do for Mac- make some hard decisions on wants versus The state highway patrolmen who inves- Dill AFB, the Air Force and the country. Oth- needs. I felt like a weight was lifted off of tigated the mishap determined the senior er key topics will include the family culture of me once everything was paid off. I’ve shown airman operator was under the influence of the squadron and expectations. hundreds of people how I did it since then and alcohol at the time of the mishap. would be happy to assist anyone who is affili- Bottom line: Always wear DOT-compli- Thunderbolt: What are your thoughts ated with the military and is serious about ant helmet, goggles, long sleeves, long pants, about MacDill and living in Tampa? getting out of debt. over-the-ankle boots and gloves. Never ride Feel free to give me a call at 828-2047 if you under the influence of alcohol. Zirkel: I live on base and could not be hap- are interested. NEWS/FEATURES Team MacDill returns from When left becomes right: 927th Rodeo; gets warm welcome ARW fly in reverse at Rodeo

Photo by Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis Photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo MacDill Air Force Base’s maintenance team holds their well-deserved Maj. Zach Davidson, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot with the 63rd Air Re- trophy after being named the 2011 Air Mobility Command “Best KC-135 fueling Squadron, conducts refueling checks during Air Mobility Com- Maintenance Team,” at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 29. mand’s Rodeo 2011, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 26. by Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis by Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs 927th Air Refueling Wing

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Cheers rang and a colossal MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. — It was just another flying applause was heard as members from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., re- competition until Maj. Nathan Diaz and Maj. Zach Davidson were asked turned from a week-long trip to the 2011 Air Mobility Command Rodeo to fly their airplane in reverse. July 30. The two pilots are part of the 927th Air Refueling Wing, a reserve The team was greeted by Col. David Almand, 6th Air Mobility Wing unit stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Their skills were put to vice commander, Col. David Pavey, 927th Air Refueling Wing command- the test recently at the 2011 Rodeo, a competition based out of McChord er, various group commanders, other servicemembers and their families AFB that develops and improves techniques and procedures to enhance from MacDill Air Force Base. air mobility operations. Although the competition involves all aspects Coming down the air stairs was Col. Lenny Richoux, 6th AMW com- of air mobility operations, Diaz and Davidson were concerned with how mander, who piloted the team with Lt. Col. Michael Babyak, 91st Aerial they were going to fly their plane in reverse to complete an aerial refuel- Refueling Squadron deputy director of staff and Rodeo team chief, were ing mission. in the cockpit. “A lot of the tasks at the Rodeo are difficult,” Diaz said. Diaz, a mem- Many were in attendance at the event, which was composed of more ber of the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron, was the flight commander. than 150 teams and 3,000 people to include: Air Force, Air Force Reserve “They’re especially difficult when you only get to practice them once or and foreign nations. twice. Tonight, we get to fly in reverse.” “The competition focuses on improving our worldwide air mobility While flying an airplane in reverse would require bending the laws forces’ professional core abilities,” according to the AMC website. of physics, the pilots’ task that evening was to reverse the way they Team MacDill competed in numerous events including: financial man- normally turn the airplane. Because the lead pilot usually sits in the agement, Security Forces combat weapons and tactics, an SF combat left seat, it is more natural to turn the airplane left. Their instructions endurance course, Flight Attendant egress simulation and culinary com- called for them to only make right turns that night. petition, KC-135 maintenance operations and aerial refueling. “It’s like a Nascar driver being dropped onto a racetrack in England,” MacDill’s maintenance team was recognized as AMC Rodeo 2011 Davidson said. Also with the 63rd ARS, Davidson was optimistic about “Best KC-135 Maintenance Team.” the mission. “We love a challenge.” “I’m excited our team won the award, we worked hard all week. It Points drive the Rodeo competition, with each team competing for the See 6th RODEO, Page 16 See 927th RODEO, Page 16

NEWS/FEATURES New tech school grads arrive; MacDill welcomes them to team The following first term Airmen have arrived to MacDill direct- ly out of technical school, becoming the newest additions to Team MacDill. We are excited to have them at “America’s Best Wing” and wish them the best of success on MacDill!

6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron A1C Ian Coderre: Detroit, Mich. A1C Michael Jenkins: Ga. A1C Daniel Kelly: Maine Amn Daryn Petrie: Athins, Wis. A1C Damian Cruz: El Paso, Texas Amn Kevin Brown: Santa Barbara, Calf. A1C Bret Hester: Columbus, Ga. A1C Mark Plott: Maple Grove, Minn.

6th Communications Squadron A1C Malik Davis: Atlanta, Ga. A1C Taylor Hill: Salem, Ind.

6th Comptroller Squadron A1C Kyle Keckler: Canton, Ohio

6th Force Support Squadron AB Akeem Sims: Detroit, Mich. A1C Charisse Starr: San Diego, Calf. A1C Lady Ciara Eime: Brementon, Wash. A1C Kisha Lee: Greenville, S.C. A1C Markeiz Ryan: Rockville, Md.

6th Maintenance Squadron A1C Michael Adkins: S.C. A1C Daynier Rodriguez Cortes: Miami, Fla.

6th Operations Group A1C Brain Karl: N.Y. A1C Nelson Cruz: Cleveland, Ohio

6th Security Forces Squadron A1C Cameron Gunnels: Fairfield, Texas A1C Daniel Tanner: Debary, Fla

6th Logistics Readiness Squadron A1C Justin Morris: Redmond, Ore.

6th Medical Support Squadron A1C Anna Washington: Fayetteville, N.C.

AIR FORCE NEWS Air Force chief of staff speaks on diversity at NAACP dinner by Alicia Garges ness, Schwartz said. rary organizations,” he said. Space and Missile Systems Center Public Affairs “Our next challenge will be to identify more The Air Force’s diversity efforts focus on in- clearly how this is done and how we can mea- stitutionalizing diversity throughout the ser- LOS ANGELES (AFNS) — Air Force Chief sure our progress,” the general said. Recent- vice and allowing for the recruitment, develop- of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz spoke about the ly, the service formed the Air Force Diversity ment and retention of a highly-qualified and importance of diversity at the NAACP’s Annual Committee, a senior-level working group char- talented total force, Schwartz said. Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Awards tered to find ways to leverage and better man- “As we approach this challenge, we will con- Dinner here July 26. age diversity, Schwartz said. sider ways in which we can engage every Air- The banquet was one of several events held According to the general, diversity should man - officer, enlisted, and civilian - across the in conjunction with the group’s annual conven- not be an end unto itself, but rather a means total force as participants in this process, and tion and coincided with the 63rd anniversary of toward a broader desired state of enhanced encourage them to share in the responsibility the executive order desegregating the military. effectiveness for the Air Force and its overall for ensuring that the talents and capabilities “As a nation, we are benefitting from having mission. Schwartz pointed out that in academ- of each individual are mutually respected, val- recognized the value of meaningful diversity,” ic literature, diversity management has been ued and applied toward enhancing mission ac- Schwartz said during an address to the attend- defined as the systematic and planned com- complishment,” Schwartz said. ees. mitment on the part of organizations to recruit Commanders and supervisors at all levels While earlier equal opportunity programs and retain employees from diverse demograph- will be taking the lead in advancing diversity focused on race and gender, the current diver- ic backgrounds. priorities, deepening the lines of communica- sity movement looks beyond demographic con- “Note the open-ended sense of the phrase tion and taking a personal interest in orches- siderations, the general said. ‘diverse demographic backgrounds,’ trating individual success of others whose “We know that our strength is drawn from which suggests that it is possible for any potential to serve the Air Force so values, he diverse perspectives that develop from differ- number of people, even of the same gender and said. ent backgrounds - to name a few: socioeconom- race, to still have widely differing demographic “Your Air Force embraces the fundamen- ic, educational, geographic, philosophical and backgrounds,” Schwartz said. tal value of a diverse workforce, whose indi- spiritual,” he said. “Therefore managing diversity, I would ar- vidual members, while possessing different Ensuring Air Force working environments gue, also implies - as well as important consid- backgrounds and perspectives, are singularly are conducive to equal opportunity and foster- erations of race, gender and ethnicity - a more bound in common cause, lending their creativ- ing diversity of perspectives in the service will active recognition and appreciation of the in- ity, energy and dedication to the betterment of lead to enhanced performance and effective- creasingly multicultural nature of contempo- our mission and our nation’s security,” he said.

A wet and wild Combat Dining In Photos by Airman Basic David Tracy

Tech. Sgt. Damien Needom, 6th Security Forces Squadron and Tech. Sgt. John Dye, 6th Force Support Squadron, stand with au- All the members of the mess gather for a photo at the conclusion of the Enlisted Combat Dining In, July 29 at MacDill Air Force Base. Enlisted members from thority while keeping order as sergeants at all branches of service attended the Combat Dining In, held to boost morale throughout the base. arms at the Enlisted Combat Dining In, July 29, at MacDill Air Force Base. The job of the sergeants at arms was to keep participants calm and enforce the Rules of the Mess.

Chief Master Sgt. Derek Crowley, 6th Air Mobility Wing command chief, and Chief Master Military members from U.S. Special Operations Command Central raise their arms in celebration during Sgt. Raymond Brewster, U.S. Special Operations Command, salute the Flag during the the opening remarks of the Dining In. posting of the colors at the Enlisted Combat Dining In. A wet and wild Combat Dining In

All the members of the mess gather for a photo at the conclusion of the Enlisted Combat Dining In, July 29 at MacDill Air Force Base. Enlisted members from Chief Master Sgt. Derek Crowley, 6th Air Mobility Wing command chief, gets blasted all branches of service attended the Combat Dining In, held to boost morale throughout the base. by water as he races through an obstacle course at the Enlisted Combat Dining In.

Military members from U.S. Special Operations Command Central raise their arms in celebration during the opening remarks of the Dining In. A team of Airmen pull a small truck while running through an obstacle course during the Enlisted Combat Dining In. Teams from each of the groups at the event competed against each other on the obstacle course. NEWS/FEATURES becomes obsolete and not supported by the original manufacturer. Of Quality problem solving means course these costs can be avoided with a warranty, but if you want that to be ironclad, be prepared to pay. not buying the solution A couple of years ago, the 6th Maintenance Squadron here at Mac- Dill made just that mistake. Maintenance Flight was looking to solve by 1st Lt. Josh Levine a tool accountability problem and sought the high-tech solution. After 6th Maintenance Squadron maintenance flight commander purchasing the product for just under $100,000, the problems began. The necessary infrastructure, i.e. power cord drops, was never prop- Most people have heard the story of NASA, the Soviet Union and erly researched, and starting from scratch set implementation back their quest for a writing utensil which could be used in space. Any ver- quite a bit. After that came the various software and hardware prob- sion of the story has the basic premise that NASA spent a great deal lems, setting back use of the new devices even further. After about of time and millions of dollars trying to develop a pen that would work a year of waiting, the boxes were thought to be ready to go. By now, in zero gravity, while the Soviets simply used a pencil. Although the however, even minor problems became catastrophic as the original ser- story is purely myth, the lesson is still valid. We often set our sights vice plan had expired. on a particular solution to our problems because it’s new and high- During all these delays, the Maintenance Flight needed interim pro- tech, while a simple and cheap solution is sitting right in front of us. cedures to fix the tool accountability problem. It was decided that in- Today, the Air Force is undergoing some incredible Air Force Smart stead of entire teams having access to area tool boxes, individual team Operations 21 efforts, but as we search for the next process, tool, or leads would be responsible for their area boxes, and all tools removed facility that can be improved, we need to be careful and not ignore the or replaced would be controlled by them. Interestingly enough, while proverbial pencils. If we start to solve a problem, but already have the everyone was worried about the new electronic boxes, tool accountabil- pen in mind, it becomes a crutch and the process is tainted. ity problems became almost nonexistent. The newest devices also often come with unforeseen downfalls. The process was altered as a temporary fix, but when the fix Software glitches, system updates, and intricate hardware problems worked, it became permanent. It didn’t require a single dollar, but it can all require expensive repairs and upgrades that weren’t in the remains in place while the boxes themselves have been deactivated, original cost analysis. That price only goes up with time as the device used as standard roll-around boxes. All this is not to say that high-tech solutions should be ignored, but our use of them must be due to a need, not a want, and more often than not the problem can be solved by means much simpler and cheaper. Simpler and cheaper is the key. It should be noted that just because the solution you’ve arrived at isn’t high-tech, it still may not be the simplest or cheapest. Another example from the same maintenance flight revealed that a low-tech solution, which seemed great, didn’t turn out to be the right one. A few years ago the flight purchased large tail stands for the dock. They could be pushed in for inspection, allowing access to the entire tail of the jet without any moving equipment. As the flight learned quickly, however, pushing them in wasn’t very easy. The stands are large, heavy, and cumbersome, and stopping them is just as difficult as starting them, no matter the number of people. There were a few instances the stands hitting elevators, which comes with an extremely high price tag in terms of repairs, manpower, and aircraft availability. The flight quickly got to work trying to solve the problem and elimi- nate all errors during stand movement. The first proposal was pretty popular at first. A very simple con- cept, it involved a set of tracks placed on the hangar floor to guide the stands in. This would rely on the jet being parked perfectly, which wouldn’t be too difficult, and would require tracks to be installed on the hangar floor, which wasn’t all that expensive. But, although the flume ride always ends up at the right location by following its track, this wasn’t the simplest or cheapest solution. The track solution vastly underestimated our Airmen. We didn’t

See SOLVE, Page 15

between a successful takeoff and an aircraft Airfield Operations: disaster, you can’t afford to let your guard down, Jackson said. The heart of an air base There are many elements to the job of managing the airfield, including maintaining by Nick Stubbs painted demarcation and traffic lines, super- Thunderbolt editor vising construction projects, and maintaining lights. But whether it’s managing operations The heart of any Air Force base is its air- during disasters such as hurricanes, or mow- field - the hub around which the coming and ing the grass around the airfield, pride and going of aircraft is made possible. That, says professionalism rule. That was recognized in Randy Jackson, Airfield Operations manager, 2008 and 2009, when the unit was named the is why his 16-member team operates at such a top Airfield Operations unit in Air Mobility high level every day. Command. When a small scrap of tin on the runway, One of the biggest tasks is keeping pilots a chunk of loose concrete on the flightline or and crews informed of airfield conditions. even a stray raccoon can mean the difference Knowing whether the surface is wet, if there are closed sections and construction areas, or if flocks of birds are in the area, is essential information for pilots taking off and landing

at MacDill. Photo by Nick Stubbs While anything from a stray tortoise to fast Senior Airman Matthew Baum, shift lead on the food carton poses a threat to a jet on the air- Airfield Operations team, inspects a patch of field, perhaps nothing worries the members of concrete for repair on the flighline. the Airfield Operations team as much as loose bits of concrete that can work lose from the son. surface of the airfield and runway. Should the “It’s one of our biggest fears, and one of the powerful engines of a KC-135 Stratotanker or things we stay vigilant about,” he said. “Our other aircraft suck up a chunk of the material, the result would be catastrophic, said Jack- See AIRFIELD OPS, Page 18 DIAMOND SHARP Airman 1st Class Yuridia H. Soto 6th Comptroller Squadron Job Title: Financial analyst

Home Town: El Paso, Texas

Short-term goals: Complete my bachelor’s de- gree, as well as my CCAF.

Long-term goals: Join the Space Program and become an astronaut in order to travel to outer space.

Advice to others: Never give up on your dreams. Anything is possible when you pursue it.

Role model and why: My mother truly is my role model. She is a modern-day Mother Teresa. With no education, she managed to raise five children all on her own and do an amazing job. SOLVE From Page 12 need to make it hand, end up with short term work will did end up going with gen environment, and no cost to NASA by nearly impossible another solution. It show in the long the high-tech solu- broken lead tips float- a private company, for them to deviate may be changes to term, when you aren’t tion. They started ing around weren’t and sold in bulk for from the safe path, policy, processes, or spending money out using pencils, but very compatible with $2.39 each. The two we just had to illumi- both. These can be maintaining a system the costs outweighed the sensitive equip- customers purchasing nate it. The agreed more cumbersome that your entire pro- the benefits. Pencils ment on board. The in bulk were of course upon solution ended to put in place , but cess now relies on. are extremely flam- pens eventually used NASA, and ironically, up coming at the the benefits of that NASA, by the way, mable in a pure oxy- were developed at the Soviet Union. cost of a few rolls of tape. Starting points for each wheel of the stands were marked with squares on the floor. Lines of tape were stretched to another square, which marked the final location of that wheel. As long as the jet was parked properly, they pushed the stand along these lines, and they blew their whis- tle when the stand deviated, the stands wouldn’t strike. Local procedures were written outlin- ing the team process for stand installation, and since they were implemented over a year ago, not a single tail stand struck a flight control surface. The solution was some quality problem solving and a little bit of 6S. The lesson is stick to your problem solving process, go through the process independent of any technologies or “quick fixes” that may help your solution, and trust your results. If the idea you had in mind is the right solution, you’ll end up with it anyway. You might, on the other Thunderbolt: What services does your of- Faucett: Mondays-Fridays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. In-Service recruiter finds fice provide? Thunderbolt: What is your contact infor- home on MacDill Faucett: Help active duty transition from mation? Thunderbolt staff active duty to a Air National Guard base any- where in the United States. Administers the Faucett: I can be reached by phone at 813- Tech. Sgt. Susan Faucett, Air National Guard Palace Chase and Palace Front programs. 828-3981, email at [email protected], in-service recruiter, was recently assigned to or located in the 6th Force Support Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base and is here to help ac- Thunderbolt: What are some of the benefits second floor. tive duty Airmen transition.Faucett answered of going Guard? a few questions so Airmen can get to know her Thunderbolt: Is there anything else you when it is time for them to transition. Faucett: The Air Guard offers continued would like to add? military service, retirement, full base access Thunderbolt: What is an in-service recruiter? 24/7, Hometown device, SGLI, Space-A travel, Faucett: Members can use their Post 9-11 and Tri-Core Reserve Select. GI Bill. Most states also offer state education- Faucett: The primary POC that administers al benefits for Air Guard members, Part time the Palace Chase and Palace Front Thunderbolt: What are your hours? Blue, Full-time YOU! 927th Rodeo From Page 4 top spot in their cat- tition - many Airmen der,” said Senior Mas- C-17 Globemaster teach others what tenance Group. “The egory. The Rodeo has have used their skill ter Sgt. Dicky Hunt. needs gas. It’s these they gained. Rodeo is taken very been a tradition since over the skies of Iraq Hunt is the superin- guys’ job to unload it Although there are seriously by the people 1956, and carries the and Afghanistan and tendent of the 96th to them and get them many Rodeo veterans competing. They take same purpose today as understand their jobs Air Refueling Squad- downrange.” who come back for a lot of pride in this.” it did during the Cold can be life and death, ron, based in Hickam The ultimate goal, each competition as The reservists’ re- War. With more than just like their predeces- AFB, Hawaii. Hunt is explained Dickey, is either participants or fueling mission that a decade of sustained sors’ in previous wars. a veteran of five Rode- to have the crews that umpires, each Rodeo night was a success, combat operations “Your job in the Ro- os and was an ‘umpire’ participate in the Ro- also seasons a fresh and devoid of any me- around the world, deo is to take the air- at the 2011 Rodeo, deo bring the lessons crop of troops. chanical failures on there is a serious un- plane and do things judging the reservists they learned back to “It’s my first Ro- the fifty year-old KC- dertone to the compe- in a very specific or- that evening. “That their home units and deo, and I can tell this 135. And they discov- thing takes years of ered that they could planning,” said Staff turn right after all. Sgt. Jennifer Vorhies, “We did everything the training manager we could do in our air- for the 446th Main- plane,” Diaz said. 6th Rodeo From Page 4 wasn’t easy, but we worked as a team and it paid off in the end,” said Senior Airman Antho- ny McDowell, 6th Maintenance Squadron avi- onics systems journeyman. The maintainers were critiqued in every as- pect dealing with maintenance and safety. The small team of only 13 prepared the jet for five sorties in a week’s time frame and received a near perfect scorecard which symbolizes their dedication. “You all did great and I’m proud to be your commander,” said Richoux. “We even took home some medal, which is great. Even if we didn’t, I’m still proud of the hard work of each team member.” MACDILL COMMUNITY EVENTS Friday Boomers Bar & Grill Friday Bash! 3-7 p.m. Bar snacks & food specials! $100 club card drawing, Bar Bingo, DJ/Triv- ia entertainment! Reserve a table by calling April at 828-1453.

Boss & Buddy Bay Palms Golf Course Club House starting at 4 p.m. Come out and enjoy food, fun, prizes and a game of Texas Hold’em , immedi- ately following the staff sergeant release party.

Saturday Back to School Fair 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Base Cha- pel. For military families. A vari- ety of agencies from the community will be available to speak on several programs.

Sunday MacDill Lanes TOC Qualifier Bowling Tourna- ment at 12 p.m. $30 per person. New Icon! Courtesy photo Monday-Friday (Left) Gordie, a radio personality from Orlando & the Freak Show on WiLD 94.1, and Charley Belcher, Tampa Bay TV personality from Fox 13, present Tech. Sgt. Chastity Sullivan with the MacDill Idol Missoula Children’s Theatre award July 27. She will represent MacDill at the Air Mobility Command Icon competition. Production of Cinderella for ages 6-16. Auditions start Mon- day at 8 a.m. at the Base Theater. Free show performance at 3 p.m. on Friday CHAPEL SCHEDULE Protestant services Catholic services Wednesday Sunday - 9 a.m. – Praise Worship Service Saturday - 4:30 p.m. - Confession Outdoor Recreation Noon – Gospel Service 5:30 p.m. - Mass Last day to sign up for trip - Islamic services Sunday - 10:30 a.m. - Mass Tubing Rainbow River State Park Friday - 1:30 p.m. - Prayer Service Monday to Thursday: 12:10 p.m. - Mass on Aug. 13 from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. For all other faith inquiries or to view upcoming event information, call the Chapel at Call 840-6919. 828-3621 or visit the website at www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel

Thursday $4 for adults / $2 for children 828-2780 Outdoor Recreation AT THE MOVIES Kids Shoreline Fishing 9 a.m.- Friday - 7 p.m. Saturday - 4 p.m. Saturday - 7 p.m. 12 p.m. Meet at the Marina. Cost

$5 per person. Cars 2 (PG) X Men: First Class (PG-13) Bad Teacher (R) airfield ops From Page 14 people are always looking for it.” under the massive weight of planes. most intense periods of activity in the unit, When discovered, loose material is removed Another important job of Airfield Operations which works virtually around the clock during and the spot patched. It’s an ongoing job, as is to remove residual rubber from the runway. the show to ensure a successful event. there is a lot of concrete in the three million Planes touching down lay down strips of rub- Additional duties include coordinating with square feet of airfield at MacDill. Another con- ber when landing and braking, the buildup the other units that share the Airfield at Mac- cern is voids under the concrete surface that eventually reaching a point where the surface Dill. NOAA, the 310th Airlift Squadron, the could cause a collapse under weight. Over the can become slick, especially when wet. The job 91st Air Refueling Squadron and working with past 12 years, Jackson and his crew have been is undertaken every six months. the Transient Alert crew that services visiting working to discover such voids and sinkholes Another important job is preparation and planes. using ground-penetrating radar. The work al- managing the airfield for MacDill AirFest. It’s a lot to keep up with, but Jackson said so revealed old drain pipes that were deterio- Work begins two months ahead of the event to his team works hard. rating, and could collapse under weight. They prepare the field, layout display areas, define “We’ve got a really good team here,” he said. were replaced with new pipe, ensuring the boundaries and receive and marshal the many “Everyone understands the importance of the ground beneath the airfield doesn’t give way aircraft arriving for the show. It’s one of the job.” COMMANDER’S From Page 2 several projects that are hitting one of my top three priorities which has provided equipment support for three aircraft and five crews al- includes building this base’s sense of community, head on and I ap- lowing for 66 successful mission sorties. He has also executed 70 post- preciate his motivation and the chaplain’s team’s efforts to make more flight inspections on positioned equipment that ensured the aircraft activities available to our families. were 100% mission ready. 6th Operations Support Squadron’s Senior Airman Donald Jimenez I am proud to serve with you in the finest Air Mobility Wing on the is currently deployed and participating in Red Flag Alaska where he face of the planet!