Vol. 46, No. 49 Thursday,December 6, 2018 News/Features: page 2 MacDillAirmantop in AMC News/Features: page 3 Hurricane Hunterswrap up Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week News/Features: page 7 Next generationmasks Readiness showcased - page 10 Photo by Airman 1st Class Ryan C. Grossklag U.S. Air Force Col. Stephen Snelson, 6th Air Mobility Wing Commander,spends time with military working dog handlers Community:page 16 at MacDill Air Force Base Nov.26. Snelson donned abite-suit and attempted to outrun amilitary working dog during a Events, Chapel, more... demonstration by the 6th Security Forces Squadron, showcasing that this SFS team and their canines areready to re- spond at amoment’snotice. NEWS/FEATURES ‘She’sincredible, must be medical’ by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Senior Airman Amber Durrence,a6th Medi- cal Operations Squadron mental health techni- cian at MacDill Air Force Base,was named Air Mobility Command’s2018 Mental Health Air- man of the Year. MacDill’s6th MDOS leadership nominated Durrence because she reflected Air Force core values and demonstrated not only expertise in her career field, but leadership above her grade and overall commitment to the Mental Health clinic mission. “Airman Durrence alwayshas agreat atti- tude,” said Staff Sgt. PatrickAllen, Durrence’s Photo by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner supervisor and the 6th MDOS NCO in charge of the behavior health optimization program. “She U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Amber Durrence, right, a6th Medical Operations Squadron men- continually exceeds expectations,leads by ex- tal health technician, shows another Airman how to complete the mental health examination of ample and is consistently hungry to help.” their pre-deployment process at MacDill Air Force Base Nov.29. Durrence won Air Mobility Com- Afew of Durrence’saccomplishments include mands’ 2018 Mental Health Airman of the Year for excelling in her field, including her work in the managing aDepartment of Defense neurologi- neurological testing program. cal testing program, in whichshe prepared and examined approximately 1,100 members.By and treatment program, and developed aflight “She takes initiative and stays late to help doing so,Durrence saved MacDill providers ap- tracking system to clear up months of backlog. out the office while making her demanding work proximately 550 hours and $28,000. She managed all of these duties while volunteer- load look effortless,” said Allen. “She is willing She also wasaleader in the Air Force’sopioid- ing as a6th Security Forces Squadron augmentee to take on any role,whichisreally abig under- free pain management program, played avital member and led a“BacktoSchool” event, which statement.” role in the alcohol drug and abuse prevention helped approximately 1,900 attendees. See AWARD, Page 18 For information about base operations during emergencies or natural disasters, call the Straight Talk Line at 828-4163 COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE MacDill on the web Website: www.macdill.af.mil The Action Line provides two-way communication between the Facebook: www.facebook.com/ 6th Air Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community.Per- sonnel may submit questions,concernsorcomments viaemailto MacDillAirForceBase [email protected] or Facebook @6thAirMobilityWing- Instagram: macdill_afb CommandTeam Twitter: @macdill_afb MacDill Thunderbolt U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the Department factor of the purchaser,user,orpatron. of the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted Publisher: Joe DeLuca The appearance of advertising in this publication, including to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621.Call the Thunderbolt Editor: Nick Stubbs the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, at 828-2215. Email: [email protected]. 6th Air Mobility Wing or the TImes Publishing Company of the Deadline forarticle submissions is noon,Wednesdays to The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by the Times Publish- products or serviceadvertised. DSSHDU LQ WKH QH[W ZHHN·VSXEOLFDWLRQ $UWLFOHV UHFHLYHG DIWHU ing Company,aprivate firm in no way connected with the U.S. For retail advertising, call (813) 226-3318. deadline maybeconsideredfor future use. Allsubmissions are Air Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an autho- Everything advertised in this publication shall be made considered for publication based on news value and timeliness. rized publication for distribution to members of the U.S. mili- available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy,clar- tary services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt race, color,religion, sex, national origin,age, marital status, ity,brevity,conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the physical handicap,political affiliationorany othernon-merit and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101. 2 ◆ WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM ◆ Thursday,December 6, 2018 ◆ MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES Hurricane Hunters close out active 2018 hurricane season by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo 403rd Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS)—The 2018 hurricane season, whichended Nov.30, wasanactive one for the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters,who flew more than 655 hours and 83 missions into 12 named storms over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, assigned to the Air Force Reserve’s403rd Wing at Keesler Air Force,Mississippi, is the only De- partment of Defense unit that conducts aircraft reconnaissance missions into severe tropical weather during the hurricane season June 1through Nov.30. These missions are flown to gather data for the National Hurricane Center to improve their forecasts and storm warnings. “It wasavery challenging season due to the Atlantic and Pacific ba- sins being so active,stretching 53rd WRS capabilities across their area of responsibility,” said Maj. JonBrady,53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer.“In September alone,weevacuated aircraft from Keesler to Ellington Field, Texas,asTropical Storm Gordon made its waytoward the Gulf Coast. The squadron wasoperating out of Ellington for the final missions into Gordon. At the same time,the squadron wasalso preparing Photo by Master Sgt. Jessica Kendziorek to deploy to Hawaii for both Hurricanes Norman and Olivia. While the Maj. Jeremy DeHart, a53rdWeather Reconnaissance Squadron aerial squadron never flew Norman, due to its course veering to the north of reconnaissance weather officer,reviews data prior to sending the data to Hawaii, they did perform reconnaissance operations for Hurricane Olivia the National Hurricane Center for Hurricane Michael, aCategory 4storm, See HUNTERS, Page 19 which made landfall at Mexico Beach, Fla. Veteran, 94, recalls Pearl Harbor,Pacific service by Nick Stubbs Manlove,anEvarts-class destroyer escort. His Thunderbolt editor station wasinthe engine room, deep in the bow- els of the ship.Hewould soon arrive in Pearl “When Iwas 14, Iremember going to the li- Harbor,where he found the destruction still brary and looking at books about WWI,”George fresh and the tragedy of the attackpalpable. Jamison said, recalling the horrific photos on “It (the harbor) wasthat deep in oil,”hesaid, the pages.“Ithought, I’m never going to go to holding his palm four feet off the floor of the war.” Hudson, Florida, home he built himself.Engi- neers had opened an additional pass to allow Then, on the oil to flow out to sea, but it wasaslow pro- Dec.7,1941, cess,the 94-year-old former Sailor added. Japan’ssur- Jamison and his crew ran several training prise attack missions from Pearl Harbor before voyaging to on Pearl Har- Majuro,inthe Marshall Islands.Itwas his first bor changed extended time at sea. He recalled “hitting the his mind. sack” as they neared the Marshals,waking in Problem was, Photo courtesy George Jamison the morning to astunning site. he wason- The U.S.S. Manlove, adestroyer “I got up and there must have been 2,000 ly 16—two escort that served in the Pa- (U.S.) ships there,” Jamison said. “I couldn’t be- years too cific during WWII. Area resident lieve it.” young to join It wasthe first of many firsts for the teenage George Jamison was adiesel Photo by Nick Stubbs the service— mechanic aboardthe ship. Sailor.After returning to Pearl Harbor for about but two years amonth, it wasbacktothe Marshalls by the George Jamison, now 94, displays some of later the warwas still raging and he joined the end of Feb. 1944. This time,the Manlove ran an- his memorabilia from his time in the U.S. Navy U.S. Navy. ti-submarine patrols and hunter-killer missions during WWII. Jamison lives in Hudson, where Jamison wastrained as adiesel mechanic around the islands.Thanks to cracking Japa- until the 1980s he regularly hosted reunions afterenlisting,and wasassignedtothe U.S.S. See PACIFIC, Page 17 for the crew of the U.S.S. Manlove. MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT ◆ Thursday,December 6, 2018 ◆ WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM ◆ 3 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Senior Airman Gracie I. Lee Frecce Tricolori, an aerial demonstration aircraft, flies over Sakhir Air Base, Bahrain, during the Bahrain International Airshow 2018, Nov.14. BIAS is a biennial, three-day aviation and aerospace industry event that provides the U.S. military an opportunity to highlight Department of Defense aviation’s flexibility,speed and agility. Photo by Senior Airman Heather Fejerang Photo by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 6th Air Mobility Wing compete in Sports Day U.S. Air Force 6th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters train on the lad- Nov.16atMacDill Air Force Base. Sports Day is held annually with multiple der at MacDill Air Force Base Nov.20. The firefighters practiced safety activities for squadrons to compete in. procedures for ascending and descending the ladder while conducting firerescue operations.