A publication of the 502nd Air Base Wing – Joint Base San Antonio JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH No. 11 • MARCH 21, 2014 IN MEMORIAM A celebration of Maj. Gen. A.J. Stewart's life will be held Monday at 9:45 a.m. with a Page 9 military flyover, at the Community Bible Church, 2477 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio. See page 2. INSIDE: NEW APPS FOR AIRMEN, P5 ... RECORDING IN 'REELTIME,' P9 ... DIABETES CLASS, P12 PAGE 2 WINGSPREAD MARCH 21, 2014 IN MEMORIAM ON THE COVER Master Sgt. Patricia Manzur-Ballard, 359th Aerospace and Operations Physi- ology craftsman, demonstrates the ef- Former AFPC commander fect of the Barany chair with Panamanian Capt. Juan Alvarado, helicopter pilot, March 11 at the 359th AOP Training Unit loses battle with brain cancer on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. For an additional photo, see page 9. By Paige Hughes Photo by Airman 1st Class Alexandria Slade Air Force Personnel Center public affairs chief Maj. Gen. A.J. Stewart, who had “We have the world's most an illustrious 32-year military career, most recently as the commander of respected and feared Air Air Force Personnel Center, died Force. The secret to our March 9. He was 55. Stewart lost his battle with brain can- success is not in our Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph cer, which he fought for more than two Editorial Staff years. He wrote openly about his battle in hardware or software, Brig. Gen. Bob LaBrutta a highly publicized commentary “Never but it is our Airmen." 502nd Air Base Wing/JBSA Commander saw this coming: Lessons learned in try- Todd G. White ing times,” published March 12, 2012. Maj. Gen. A.J. Stewart 502nd ABW/JBSAPublic Affairs Director During his career, the general was Former Air Force Personnel Center commander Marilyn C. Holliday driven to create a better Air Force for JBSA-Randolph Public Affairs Chief all Airmen. His passion for military Airman 1st Class Kenna Jackson service, integrity and excellence was Editor refl ected in his daily actions. He often emphasis on quality of character and books in the house and attended parent- Airman 1st Class Alexandria Slade remarked that his steadfast commit- quality of effort. teacher meetings, he said in an Air Force Robert Goetz, Alex Salinas ment to serve was ignited every time “If you want to be a part of something video in December 2011. Staff Writers he looked at the American fl ag. special, if you want to go as far as you Growing up with a working mother Maggie Armstrong A beloved military leader and sought- can possibly go in an unconstrained en- and three sisters, he found male role Graphic Designer after speaker, Stewart captured the hearts vironment, there’s nothing else like it. It’s models through the Big Brothers Big and minds of his audiences with his vivid a phenomenal service,” he said. Sisters program. Later in life, he be- Wingspread Offi ce stories and candid references about the In August 2010, Stewart took over as came an advocate for that program, 1150 5th Street East frequently remarking on the positive military, his career and life lessons. commander of AFPC, where he oversaw JBSA-Randolph, Texas 78150 Stewart began his military career as 10 subordinate units and more than 3,600 impact BBBS had on his early life. Phone: (210) 652-4410 an Air Force Academy cadet, graduat- personnel responsible for operations of According to Stewart, his life changed Wingspread email ing in 1981 and going on to become Airmen and their family members. at age 16 when an Air Force Academy [email protected] a mobility pilot, fl ying the KC-135 Stewart commanded AFPC at a time recruiting team visited his high school. He Wingspread Advertisement Offi ce Stratotanker and the C-17 Globemas- when signifi cant personnel initiatives knew from that day forward he wanted to EN Communities ter, among others. He logged more were under way. Those included trans- serve his country as an Airman. P.O. Box 2171 than 3,000 fl ying hours, according to forming personnel services delivery for “We have the world's most respected San Antonio, Texas 78297 his Air Force biography. the total force, merging three commands and feared Air Force. The secret to our (210) 250-2440 Throughout his career, Stewart com- into a single integrated organization and success is not in our hardware or soft- manded an air refueling squadron, an op- managing the force to meet congressio- ware, but it is our Airmen," said the gen- This newspaper is published by EN Communities, a erations group and a fl ying training wing. nally mandated end strength. eral in 2010. private fi rm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Joint Base San Anto- He fl ew air refueling missions in support The general believed in being fi t, healthy Stewart is survived by his wife, Areetha nio-Randolph, Texas. This commercial enterprise Air Force of the U.S.-led invasion of Grenada in and strong. He was an active member of Carter-Stewart; two sons; Brian Vincent newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the 1983 and deployed to Southwest Asia in the Air Force Cycling Team and rode with Stewart and John Calvin Stewart, II; his U.S. military services. Contents of the Wingspread are not necessarily the offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. support of Saudi Arabia during the Iran the team in 2011 and 2012 at Register’s mother, Sandra Stewart; his stepmother, government, the Department of Defense, or the Department and Iraq war in 1985. He also deployed as Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Lillian Stewart; and four sisters: Gwen of the Air Force. However, his true passion was golfi ng. Williamson, Dawn Stewart, Tracy Stew- The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ- Combined Air Operations Center director ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorse- of Mobility Forces in support of the wars He golfed every weekend and often found art and Lisa Campbell. He is preceded in ment by the Department of Defense, the Department of the in Iraq and Afghanistan. solace from a diffi cult day on the links in death by his father, John C. Stewart. Air Force or EN Communities, of the products or services advertised. In June 2008, he came to JBSA-Ran- the early evenings. A celebration of his life will be held Everything advertised in this publication shall be made dolph and took command of Air Force Re- His military honors and decorations March 24, beginning at 9:45 a.m. with available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to cruiting Service, Air Education and Train- include the Distinguished Service Medal, a military fl yover, at the Community Bi- race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affi liation, or any other nonmerit ing Command, where he was responsible Legion of Merit and Defense Meritorious ble Church, 2477 North Loop 1604 East, factor of the purchaser, user or patron. for more than 2,600 Airmen and civilians Service medal. San Antonio. In lieu of cards and fl owers, Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the in more than 1,200 recruiting offi ces Stewart was born March 6, 1959, in ru- donations in General Stewart’s memory Public Affairs Offi ce of JBSA-Randolph. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air Force photos. across the United States and abroad. ral Dinwiddie County, Va. and was raised may be made to the American Brain The deadline for submissions is noon Wednesday the Stewart epitomized the recruiting spirit in Baltimore by a single mother who Tumor Association (http://hope.abta.org/ week prior to publication. All submissions can be emailed as he frequently lauded the Air Force’s checked his homework each night, kept goto/AJStewart). to [email protected]. MARCH 21, 2014 WINGSPREAD PAGE 3 37th TRW command chief retires By Mike Joseph 1984, and then spent the next five years Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Public Affairs in BMT as a personnelist. Over the next 22 years, he served in a variety of NCO When the 37th Training Wing command leadership assignments before returning to chief master sergeant arrived at Joint Base Lackland two and a half years ago as com- San Antonio-Lackland in the fall of 2011, mand chief of the largest training wing in his message to the enlisted corps was “en- the Air Force. joy what you’re doing.” Upon his return, he used “awestruck” to Chief Master Sgt. Craig Recker has spent describe the state of BMT. 30 years in the Air Force living by that mes- “When I left here in ’89, I thought we had sage he’s delivered to numerous young Air- it right then,” Recker said at the time. “To- men. He’ll express it to graduating Airmen day, we could pluck an Airman straight out one last time as the wing’s senior enlisted of BMT and send them off to expeditionary leader at Friday’s Air Force Basic Military operations and they would succeed. Basic Training parade before his retirement cer- training today is more relevant to what we emony later in the day. need than when I graduated in 1984.” “I will never, ever be this lucky Asked to describe today’s BMT, Reck- again,” Recker said. “I’ve had a fan- er said “inspirational” would be his tastic Air Force career. one-word choice. “I get to go out on top in an orga- “I’m inspired by how dedicated the nization that makes a difference every NCO corps is, how quickly they realized day in the lives of our Airmen,” he said.