COMMANDER’S CORNER: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AIR FORCE - PAGE 3 Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Thursday, September 24, 2009 Vol. 53 No. 38 Ceremony honors sacrifice of POWs, missing in action by Tech. Sgt. Ray Bowden said. 21st Space Wing Public Affairs A variety of Peterson Airmen turned out to support the POW/MIA event. The men and women of the 21st Space “My grandfather was a POW, my fa- Wing concluded their week long tribute ther was a Marine in Vietnam, and I have to servicemembers who have been de- two brothers in the Army,” said Airman clared prisoners of war or missing in ac- 1st Class Delilah Alvarado, 21st Dental tion with a POW/MIA Recognition Day Squadron. “I’m here to honor the past and Ceremony Sept. 18 at the base chapel. the sacrifice of our POWs. There’s never Peterson’s observance marked the last going to be enough ways to say ‘thank of six days during the National POW/MIA you.’” week, a period during which Congress has Colonel Whiting presented Colonel Scott mandated the flying of the National League with a painting of a P-51, the same aircraft of Families’ POW/MIA flag. Colonel Scott flew while stationed on the The ceremony began with the posting Island of Okinawa. of this flag and featured Col. (ret) Gordon “Their efforts transformed Japan,” he said, Scott, an Army Air Corps aviator who spent praising the service of Colonel Scott and 50 days as a POW in Japan, and closed with other World War II-era Airmen serving in remarks from Col. Stephen Whiting, 21st Japan. “Japan is now among our strongest SW commander. of allies and one of the world’s leading de- “It is especially fitting that on the Air mocracies,” he said. Force’s 62nd birthday, we remember and The event also featured an invocation from honor the sacrifice of prisoners of war and Chaplain (Capt.) Ron Feeser, and a reading of those missing in action,” Colonel Whiting the “Loneliest Prayer” and ‘America’s “Answer said. “Our service’s historic commitment to the loneliest Prayer,” and a demonstra- to space capabilities like global positioning tion to honor former POWs and MIAs by a will decrease the probability of our Airmen fire team of American and Royal Canadian being taken prisoner,” he said. Airmen and U.S. Army personnel. Colonel Scott spent his internment in “Our POWs and MIAs gave so much to a small bamboo cage with his seven-man their country and stayed true to what it crew. He and his men were routinely beaten means to be an American,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Mark Ingles, 21st SW Chapel. “It A flight of Airmen, Soldiers and civilians jog the last leg of the 24-hour POW/MIA run Sept. 18 before posting but stayed true to the Code of Conduct. encourages me to know that we are paying the POW/MIA flag in front of the base chapel. The end of the run signified the beginning of Peterson’s POW/ “We were interrogated two-to-three tribute to their service.” MIA Recognition Day ceremony and marked the conclusion of National POW/MIA week. The 21st Space Wing times a week,” he said. “We got beat on Colonel Scott continues to serve the Air hosted several events during this week including a Reveille ceremony, the run and a candlelight vigil. Col. (ret) the back of the head if we didn’t answer Force as a docent at the Peterson Air and Gordon Scott, a former POW, was the guest speaker Friday at the chapel. (Air Force photo by Larry Hulst) properly, but we just gave them our name, rank and the type of aircraft we flew,” he Space Museum here. Wing library among seven in Air Force to reach pemier status Thea Skinner 21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer The Peterson library received the Department of Defense Morale Welfare and Recreation Premier Status Award at an annual DoD library workshop in Chicago, Ill., in July. Peterson’s library is one of seven in the Air Force to win the award for exceed- ing core MWR standards to earn premier status. The premier standards involve heightened levels in three of five core standard areas: customer programs and services, technology infrastructure and facilities. The premier standard of- ferings at the library include multimedia stations, 18 computer stations with commercial Internet access and Wi-Fi throughout the library, a PlayStation 3 in the young adult area, and a youth computer work station with children’s educational software. The other core standard areas are: separate areas for different types of materi- als and areas for study, library staff meets qualification standards and receives required training, and library services provides a long range budget plan. “It is nice to know that the library is getting some recognition,” said Kathy Kucharski, 21st Force Support Squadron base librarian. “This is recognition that other people are noticing besides our customers. Recognition that the hard work we have been putting into improving the library has been acknowledged.” Ms. Kucharski has served at Peterson as a librarian since 1999. At the end of each fiscal year, Ms. Kucharski compiles the library annual report that tabulates such operations as the number of books circulated. The data is sent to the DoD and compared against several sets of standards shared amongst all installations until the data reaches the five star level standard of Air Force libraries. Each set of standards contains its own core and premier standards. Library patrons use the computers at the Peterson library Sept. 16. The library received the Department of Defense Morale, Welfare and Recreation Premier Status Award at an annual DoD library workshop in July. The library is one of seven throughout the Air Force to win the award for exceeding core MWR standards. The library offers 18 computer stations with commercial See library page 12 Internet access and Wi-Fi amongst its many resources. (Air Force photo by Thea Skinner) INSIDE News 4 Commentary 3 Air Walk for Briefs 9 Force’s breast 62nd Leisure Events 11 cancer birthday Events First Knight 13 Page 7 Page 8 Page 11 Space ObServer 2 Thursday, September 24, www.peterson.af.mil Space ObServer www.peterson.af.mil Thursday, September 24, 2009 3 21ST SPACE WING 21st Space Wing Commander Col. Stephen Whiting COMMANDER ’S CORNER Chief of Public Affairs Mr. Jeff Bohn Editorial Staff Chief of Internal Information Leaders say happy birthday, Air Force Mr. Steve Brady SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) — The Air Force’s the world. Deputy Chief of Internal top leaders send a message to the total force to Michael B. The heart and soul of our Air Force is not 1st Lt. Jonathan Simmons celebrate the Air Force’s 62nd birthday and to Donley found in the platforms we operate or the tech- NCOIC of Internal remind them to remember the commitment nologies we employ; it is in our Airmen and Tech. Sgt. Ray Bowden and sacrifice of the more than 40,000 Airmen their families. The future of our Air Force deployed around the globe. Secretary of the rests in their hands, and for us to succeed Staff Writer Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley we must ensure the well-being of our Total Ms. Thea Skinner and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Air Force Schwartz issued the following message: Force Airmen, civilians and their families. Published by Colorado Springs Military Newspapers As we celebrate our birthday this year, let Group, 31 E. Platte Avenue, Suite 300, Colorado Springs, “To the Airmen of the United States Air 80903, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Force and their families: us remember the commitment and sacrifice Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the of the more than 40,000 Airmen deployed 21st Space Wing. This commercial enterprise Air Force Sixty-two years ago, on Sept. 18, 1947, your newspaper is an authorized publication for members of Air Force was established as an independent Gen. Norton around the globe and their families who sup- the U.S. military services. service. Over the last six decades our legacy A. Schwartz port them. Contents of the Space Observer are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, has been one of adaption, innovation and We are proud of all the Air Force has accom- the Department of Defense or the Department of the technological change on a constant quest to plished, and prouder still of today’s Airmen Air Force. Chief of staff of The appearance of advertising in this publication, reach beyond our limits. On this day, it is ap- who have answered their nation’s call. You including inserts or supplements, does not constitute propriate to not only reflect upon this heritage, the Air Force embody integrity, service, and excellence, and endorsement by DoD, the Department of the Air Force, but to also look ahead. or CSMNG, of the products or services advertised. we are proud to serve alongside you. You are While the employment of airpower has Everything advertised in this publication shall be made a living tribute to our Airmen of battles past, available for purchase, use or patronage without regard changed throughout history, our charge re- to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital mains to Fly, Fight and Win in air, space and ered flight and break the sound barrier can and an inspiration for Airmen yet to come. status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other Happy 62nd Birthday!” non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.