VOL. 46 NO.14 APRIL 14, 2006 SFS troop vies for AF elite By Academy Spirit staff Airman 1st Class Faris L. Flournoy is on a professional roll. On March 15, the 10th Security Forces Squadron member was A!C Flournoy named the Academy’s Airman of the Year at the 46th annual Academy Awards Banquet. He and 15 other top performers were cited on everything from job knowledge to community involvement. Airman Flournoy’s momentum carried through to March 6 when it was announced he was nominated for the 2006 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award. Academy NCO named top grad By Academy Spirit staff An Academy trainer topped 132 non-commissioned officers who grad- uated from the Forrest L. Vosler NCO Photo by Eddie Kovsky Academy, April 6, at Peterson Air Force Go ahead, make my day ... Base. Capt. Joel Sloan, civil engineering instructor, holds guard at the base perimeter during combat skills training Tech. Sgt. Randall Kwiatkowski, April 6. The 10th Security Forces Squadron conducted the training for 31 Airmen who are about to deploy from of the 34th Training Group, was named the Academy. The two-day course, which is a pre-deployment requirement, familiarizes Airmen with the skills winner of the John L. Levitow Award, they will need to conduct themselves in a hostile environment. the NCO Academy’s most prestigious honor, during ceremonies held for class 06-3 at the Peterson AFB Officer’s Club. Sergeant Kwiatkowski was the #1 Lost Academy satellite recovered Distinguished Graduate. Sergeant Kwiatkowski, an By John Van Winkle currently unknown origin caused a fire But, FalconSAT-2 did not wind up Academy Military Trainer with Cadet Academy Public Affairs around the top of the main engine that cut on the coral reef or in the Pacific Ocean. Squadron 8, was joined by five fellow into the first state of the helium pneumatic It was blown free from the launch vehicle Academy NCOs who received gradu- An Air Force Academy satellite, orig- system,” said Mr. Elon Musk, Chief on impact and later discovered in a storage ation certificates for successfully inally thought lost, has been recovered. Executive Officer of SpaceX. shed on Omelek. FalconSAT-2 crashed completing the curriculum. The cadet-built FalconSAT-2 was “On high-resolution imagery, the fire through the roof of the shed, coming to They are: launched from the seven-acre Omelek is clearly visible within seconds after rest just a few feet from the shipping Tech. Sgt. Kevin Copeland Island, part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic liftoff. Once the pneumatic pressure container used to deliver it from Colorado 10th Security Forces Squadron Missile Test Site on Kwajalien Atoll, in decayed below a critical value, the spring to the launch site. Tech. Sgt.Andrew McBrearty the Marshall Islands. The small satellite return safety function of the pre-valves The satellite’s solar arrays and batteries 10th Medical Group was part of the payload for the maiden forced them closed, shutting down the were destroyed. Its antennas are gone Tech. Sgt. Micki Ortiz flight of the SpaceX Falcon I rocket. main engine at T-plus-29 seconds,” said and the scientific instruments were also 34th Training Squadron The commercially-built rocket lifted Mr. Musk, citing his company’s prelimi- shattered. Tech. Sgt. David Trantham off on March 24 with the Academy satel- nary analysis. “The structure survived terminal 306th Flying Training Group lite on board, but the rocket developed With the main engine shut down, the velocity, which says a lot about the cadets’ Tech. Sgt. Shawn Wright problems shortly after liftoff. rocket impacted a shallow reef on the design, analysis and construction skills,” 34th Training Group, Cadet Squadron 17 “At T-plus-25 seconds, a fuel leak of ocean side of Omelek Island. See SATELLITE, Page 4 I News Feature Sports N Cadets sharpen 52FW TACPs: Three Academy boxers S I drill team skills in supporting troops claim national titles D Germany anytime, anywhere E Page 7 Page 12-13 Page 16 Academy Spirit 2 COMMENTARY April 14, 2006 Death of Army coach sheds light on life By Wayne Amann ness and honesty in glowing terms. She was char- Academy Spirit Editor acterized by them as not only a coach, but a big sister and best friend. No one hates war more than the warriors who Her one season of returning Army’s mediocre have to fight. Even in the profession of arms, women’s basketball program back to prominence where lives are on the line daily, death is never will be her legacy. easy to accept. For me, Dixon’s passing was a reality check. That’s what makes the sudden passing of She made me re-focus on what’s really important – Maggie Dixon, April 6, so difficult to comprehend. life itself. Nothing else matters if you’re not Dixon wasn’t a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or around to enjoy it. Marine. She didn’t take an oath to defend our Dixon did not have a military background, country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. however, she appreciated what the military offered She didn’t wear a uniform -- but she was a leader those in uniform. of those who do. “She would tell us ‘use what you’ve learned Dixon was the women’s basketball head coach here at the academy and apply it to basketball,’” at the United States Military Academy. She arrived guard Cara Enright said. at Army just 11 days before this season began. Regardless of service affiliation, the short- Within six months, the 28-year-old former DePaul lived Dixon era at Army can be an inspiration to us assistant guided the Black Knights to a Patriot all. Think about it. Less than two weeks from her League title and their first ever appearance in the team tipping off its Division I collegiate season NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. opener, she’s introduced as the new head coach. Despite their 102-54 first round loss to peren- She embraced the challenge and led the Black nial Southeastern Conference powerhouse Knights to nine wins in their last 11 games to Tennessee, Army’s stock was on the rise when capture a league title. Talk about excellence in all tragedy struck. you do! That’s the kind of feel-good service An autopsy found Dixon had an enlarged heart academy story military members of all branches and a heart valve problem, which likely caused an can salute. irregular heart beat. Her heart eventually stopped. Dixon taught her team how to play winning U.S. .Army Photo by Eric Bartelt I read about Dixon’s passing two days later and basketball, how to function as a unit, placing the Army basketball coach Maggie Dixon cuts down felt a strange sense of loss. I thought about the good of the team above individual accomplish- the net after her Black Knights beat Holy Cross, 69-68, March 8, to win the Patriot League title and Army fans reveling in their team’s success, just as ments. an automatic bid to the Division I NCAA Women’s the Air Force bandwagon got bigger following its Dixon once told her team, “Adversity, ladies. Basketball Tournament. men’s NCAA tournament appearance with first- How are you going to react?” year head coach Jeff Bzdelik at the helm. Time will tell how the team responds. tant, but what you do with the time you have. Unlike the euphoria surrounding the Falcons West Point rallied around the success of Dixon made the most of her 28 years, especially magical run, talk of how Dixon’s team would build Dixon’s team. It put Army back on the college the last few months. The women she led to college on its success was replaced by eulogies and memo- basketball map. It was a prime example of how the basketball’s post-season promised land became ries. human spirit is alive and well on the banks of the better players, and I suspect better soldiers, as a All I know about Dixon is what I heard and Hudson River in upstate New York. result of their association with her. read. It was enough to make me believe she They (whoever they are) say the good die I applaud Maggie Dixon for giving Army what embodied the core values we in the bluesuiter young. They must have had Dixon in mind. Jeff Bzdelik gave Air Force. I’m just sorry she community live by. Her players spoke of her open- I guess it’s not how long you live that’s impor- didn’t live longer to enjoy it. Lightning Warnings • All personnel cease outdoor activities and seek shelter immediately • Terrazzo cleared and alternate routes used • “Ho Chi Min Trail” is designated alternate route • Mitchell Hall’s northeast doors across the southern bridge into Fairchild Hall, and the northwest doors to the annex stairwell, or Stairwell One of Sijan Hall only two authorized routes on Terrazzo The Cadet Sight Picture (Cadet Wing Manual 36-3501) provides an insight into the day-to-day requirements for cadets. Directorate of Public Affairs mission: The Academy Spirit is published by of the products or services advertised. 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