Vol. 41, No. 4 Thursday, January 24, 2013 Team Rays meet Team MacDill - Page 12 Photo by Airman 1st class David Tracy A group of Tampa Bay Rays minor league baseball players watch as Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro, 6th Air Mobility Wing photojournalist, prepares a Meal Ready to Eat at MacDill Air Force Base, Jan 16. The MRE was used to demonstrate what Airmen eat while forward deployed. COMMANDER’S CORNER Change is upon us! by Col. Scott DeThomas tions that were instrumental in the continued 6th Air Mobility Wing commander success of this great team. Chief Gamble you will be missed and best of luck to you and Dan This month we said “Farewell” to Col. at Scott Air Force Base! Dave Pavey of the 927th and welcomed the Heading into February, the wing is geared wing’s newest commander, Col. Doug and Ann up and ready to host Corona, the Air Force’s Schwartz to the Team MacDill family. premier 4-star summit. This event happens We are excited to welcome the Schwartzs three times a year and provides the outlet for back to Tampa and wish them all the best in major Air Force decision-makers to come to- the coming years. gether and discuss the latest issues. Although The wing also bids “Farewell” to our Senior the Air Force’s senior leaders will be tied up in Enlisted Advisor, Chief Vicky Gamble and her meetings during the two-day event, just know husband Chief Dan Gamble. The wing loses two they are working hard plotting the future of our of its finest Chiefs but our Headquarters gains great Air Force. two of the best to their team as Chief Vicky Speaking of our Air Force, there has been Gamble takes over as the Command Chief at a great deal of information in the news lately. 18th Air Force while Chief Dan Gamble joins From KC-46A basing options to budget discus- the Air Mobility Command Inspector General’s sions, I ask that each of you take time to read staff. There is no doubt we’ll see them around up on the latest news and ensure you under- the base again real soon. stand how these decisions affect you. For the While the Gambles were here for a short 15 latest tanker news, it is key to remember the months, we were very fortunate to have them KC-135 is expected to fly until 2040 and the lat- Col. Scott DeThomas on our team. As our Senior Enlisted Advisor, est basing decisions are just the first round of 2013. Additionally, the sequestration discus- Chief Gamble was instrumental in improving what should be another four-to-five rounds of sions continue to influence our overall spending Quality of Life for our Airmen and their fami- discussions between now and 2028, the end of strategy as the Department of Defense prepares lies across the base and in the local area. Her the purchase of 179 KC-46s. Our mission here for proposed decreases in our spending author- intellect and ability to find solutions to tough at MacDill is not expected to change at this ity. Expect limits on spending to include TDYs, problems will be invaluable additions to 18AF time based on current KC-46 decisions. flying hours, and civilian hiring to take effect and our Airmen across the command. As a As far as the budget, we continue to operate immediately, until further notice. I ask that trusted advisor to the commander, she routinely under a continuing resolution which means we each of you work solutions to resourcing issues provided us sage guidance and recommenda- don’t have an approved budget for Fiscal Year as we move forward in FY13. COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE Commander’s vision To view Col. Scott DeThomas’ re- The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air marks on his vision for MacDill AFB, Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording go to www.macdill.af.mil and then click service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or com- on “Col. DeThomas’ priorities, mission, ments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or email macdillwingcom- and expectations video” in the upper [email protected]. left corner. government, the Department of Defense, the Department of may be obtained by calling 259-7455. MacDill Thunderbolt the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted Publisher: Bill Barker The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ- to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar Editor: Nick Stubbs ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Thunderbolt staff at 828-2215. Email: [email protected]. Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to the products or service advertised. appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspa- Everything advertised in this publication shall be made deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions pers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to are considered for publication based on news value and time- Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, liness. publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity, services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Display advertising or classified advertising information and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101. NEWS/FEATURES Your T-bolt Today Fallen MacDill Airman honored News/Features: page 4 Week in photos News/Features: page 8 Free parenting university News/Features: page 10 Tinker plans for safety News/Features: page 12 Rays minors visit MacDill Photo by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise The Estelle family, along with a member of the 6th Communication Squadron, removes the cov- News/Features: page 14 er over a plaque honoring Maj. Raymond Estelle II at MacDill Air Force Base, Jan. 16. Estelle was one of nine people killed in action April 27, 2011. He served at MacDill from 1999-2001. History of the 6th Ops Group by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise his two children, Shayla Estelle, 10, and Ray- 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs mond Estelle III , 22 months. “He loved being an Airmen, his blood was Air Community: page 21 The men and women of MacDill Air Force Force blue” said N’Keiba Estelle. “He lived by Base paid tribute to Major Raymond G. Es- the belief that everyone should strive to be the Events, Chapel, more... telle II, who served as the 6th Communication best that they can be.” Squadron chief of maintenance support. He On June 1, 2012, at the request of the 6th served at MacDill from Feb. 1999 to Jan. 2001, Air Mobility Wing Lt. Gen. Robert Allardice, Air and was honored with the Jan. 16 dedication of Mobility Command vice commander, approved a new Consolidated Communication Facility. the new building to be named after Raymond Settlement of estate Raymond Estelle was one of nine people Estelle. killed in action April 27, 2011 by an Afghan Air “Maj. Estelle was an exemplary communi- Lt. Col. Jay A. Vietas, 6th Medical Corps pilot during a deployment with the 838th cations -cyber officer and set the standard for Support Squadron Commander, regrets Air Expeditionary Advisory Group where he others to follow. Dedicating the new communi- to announce the death of 1st Lt. Eliza- served as the communications advisor for the cations facility would be a great tribute to his beth Allen, formerly assigned to the 6th Afghan Air Force. service to the United States Air Force” Lt. Col. MDSS, MacDill Air Force Base. Capt. Raymond Estelle enlisted in the Air Force in Samantha Ray, the former 6th Communication Karen Chisholm, 6th MDSS, has been Oct. 1989 as an aerospace ground equipment Squadron commander, wrote in the dedication appointed as the summary court officer technician. He spent the first six years of his package request. (SCO) to handle the disposition of per- career at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. A year and eight months after Raymond Es- sonal property of Lt. Elizabeth Allen. While there he attained his bachelor’s degree telle’s dignified transfer was conducted at Mac- Anyone indebted to or having a claim from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Dill, and on what would have been his 42nd against the estate of Lt. Elizabeth Allen later receiving his commission as a 2nd Lt., in birthday, the CCF was officially dedicated to should contact Capt. Karen Chisholm Dec. 1998. him. at 813-827-9460 (work) or 813-505-2060 Estelle is survived by his wife, Maj. N’Keiba “They, [the Estelle family] have always been (cell). Estelle, United States Central Command dep- so proud of Ray and I think that having ‘Estelle uty chief acquisition management branch, and See DEDICATION, Page 22 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Airman 1st Class Shandresha Mitchell Staff Sgt. Christopher Rogers, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion craftsman, removes electrical control cables from the aircraft pylon of a KC-135 Strato- Photo by Airman 1st Class Shandresha Mitchell tanker at MacDill Air Force Base, Jan.