Vol. 48, No. 41 Thursday, October 8, 2020 News/Features: page 2 Major award News/Features: page 3 Heritage Room remake Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week Hispanic Heritage Month - page 8 News/Features: page 5 Hot refueling Graphic by Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute The poster depicts Staff Sgt. Ladislao “L.C.” Castro, the assistant engineer and waist door .50 caliber gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber named “T-Bar” of the “Flying Eightballs” in the 506th Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Community: page 14 Air Force. We celebrate him in correlation with National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15. Formerly known as His- Events, Chapel, more... panic Heritage Week, in 1988, during the President Ronald Reagan administration, the observance period was extended to a month and received its new name. NEWS/FEATURES Selfless leadership leads to award for 45th AES major by Staff Sgt. Xavier Lockley 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Maj. Christopher Dorion, a flight nurse with the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, earned the Air Force Reserve Command Aero- medical Evacuation Field Grade Officer of the Year award for his role during a five-month de- ployment to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, where he forward-deployed and led air evacua- tions and the Critical Care Air Transport Team in support of special operations missions. Addition- ally, at MacDill Air Force Base, Dorion revamped flight operations creating 30 training scenarios for new members of the squadron. “I found out that I won at an aeromedical evac- uation senior leadership conference,” Dorion said. “They put a slide up with the annual award win- ners and I saw my name. Immediately I felt hum- bled because there is no way I could’ve achieved this without my team at Bagram, the members of the 45th AES and mentorship along the way.” Flight nurses have a number of responsibili- ties not found in most nursing settings. Aero- medical evacuations use cargo aircraft. Environ- Photo by Staff Sgt. Xavier Lockley ments in which crews are sent can be noisy, hot U.S. Air Force Major Chris Dorion, 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, teaches Se- on the ground, cold in the air. They operate at nior Airman Harelimana Mhayamaguru, 45th AES air evacuation technician about the Propaq moni- high altitudes, which can significantly reduce tor and defibrillator on Oct. 3 at MacDill Air Force Base. The Propaq MD monitor/defibrillator is an available oxygen. Privacy is difficult to provide ultra-lightweight, airworthy deice that provides advanced monitoring capabilities. and resources that are normally taken for grant- ed like medical supplies, oxygen, electricity, and security, manage the patients’ luggage, and as- Ohio, to learn about the unique requirements medications, are in a limited supply until the sist passengers. and challenges of aeromedical evacuation. Dorian crew can reach the ground and get to the hospi- Air Force flight nurses complete specialized tal. Additionally, they have to consider mission training at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, See AWARD, Page 12 Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Refueling Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil 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 Refueling Wing commander and the MacDill community. Per- sonnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via email to MacDillAirForceBase [email protected] or Facebook @6thARWCommandTeam Instagram: macdill_afb Twitter: @macdill_afb MacDill Thunderbolt U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the Department factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. of the Air Force or the 6th Air Refueling 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 Refueling 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 Refueling Wing or the TImes Publishing Company of the Deadline for article submissions is noon, Wednesdays to The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by the Times Publish- products or service advertised. appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after ing Company, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. For retail advertising, call (813) 226-3318. deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions are Air Force. 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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 affiliation or any other non-merit and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101. 2 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, October 8, 2020 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES 91st Air Refueling Squadron revitalizes heritage room by Senior Airman Scott Warner 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs While some units are pleased with having a break room to have lunch, the 91st Air Refuel- ing Squadron takes pride in going above and be- yond for their “heritage room.” The 91st ARS heritage room will have newly refurbished tables, reupholstered chairs, frost- tinted front doors, a custom wood-finished coun- tertop, a built-in wall chalkboard with repainted walls and flooring in a massive renovation. “This means a lot for any flying squadron since heritage rooms hold a rich tradition in the Air Force flying realm,” said Maj. Doug Karl, the 91st Air Refueling Squadron assistant director of operations. “Some Airmen have learned more from the stories they heard in their heritage rooms than they have on a routine flight. It’s a place for us to learn, allowing all of us to become better professional aviators while con- tinuing to be the best Air Force in the world.” Photo by Senior Airman Scott Warner Before the renovations, the 91st ARS shared U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Charles Wasz, a 91st Air Refueling Squadron casual status pilot awaiting a heritage room with the 50th Air Refueling training, paints a wall in the 91st ARS heritage room at MacDill Air Force Base Sept. 29. Heritage Squadron on base, but now, the 50th ARS has rooms can range from being meeting areas to break rooms where flying squadron Airmen gather to See HERITAGE ROOM, Page 6 socialize between flights. moved to Hangar 5 on base freeing up the 91st ARS heritage room to be completely redesigned Air Force releases new military tuition assistance approach for FY21 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs ny of our service members as possible each year,” These adjustments apply to both undergradu- said Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, deputy chief of staff ate-level and graduate-level classes. Recognizing WASHINGTON (AFNS)—Department of the for manpower, personnel and services. “In 2013, there may be potential reasons for exceeding the Air Force officials announced a $3,750 military under sequestration, tuition assistance was sus- annual cap, waivers to the policy are available tuition assistance cap per fiscal year that will go pended for some time and our service members for unique circumstances. For example, members into effect for college courses beginning Oct. 1. were negatively impacted. As we go forward and whose degree program requires a lab class exceed- budgets get tight, we want to prevent that from ing the $3,750 limit by one semester hour or two happening again and we made hard decisions in quarter hours, or those working on a unique de- “Tuition assistance is a key and order to keep this program viable and accessible gree deadline may apply for a waiver. to our force.” Consult Air Force Instruction 36-2670 Total central in-service education benefit, Credit hour limits remain the same at $250 per Force Development and Air Force guidance memo- but it’s only one of several avenues semester hour and $166.66 per quarter hour. randum 2020-02 for details. members can use to get their de- Applications will be routed using normal proce- “Tuition assistance is a key and central in-ser- dures on the Air Force Virtual Education Center vice education benefit, but it’s only one of several grees and minimize out-of-pocket online platform. Airmen and Space Professionals avenues members can use to get their degrees and expenses,” - Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly may apply for tuition assistance up to 45 days pri- minimize out-of-pocket expenses,” Kelly said. Air or to the start of their class date. The adjustments Force officials noted comparing school costs, re- should help equitably stretch funding, but should searching other resources such as Post-9/11 GI Bill Previously, military tuition assistance limits fiscal year funds become exhausted at year end, benefits, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Edu- were $4,500 per fiscal year, but adjustments were service members who did not get their applica- cation Support’s, or DANTES, subject standardized required to ensure the program remains fully tions approved will have to wait until the new fis- tests, or DSST, college-level examination programs, available and fiscally sustainable while meeting cal year’s funds are available to apply for tuition or CLEP, pursuing Community College of the Air an increase in participation rates, the number of assistance.