SpringSpring 20022004 Taken in the early 70’s during a visit by Maj. Gen. Robert Ginsburg, then director of Information, to Eglin, nine of the 12 people are, or were Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association members and will be attending the annual meeting there 30 years later. Shown ( left to right) are: Steve Fisher, Neil Buttimer, Dick Rapp (a Lifetime Founder who died a couple of years ago), Karen Miller, Ralph Francis (partial), John Gulick, General Ginsburg , Tom Halbert, Iris Galen, Larry McCracken, Walt Werner and Joe Purka. Former SECAF, Gulf War air commander, special ops wing leader address members in Florida A former Secretary of the Air Florida. Reed will discuss an insider’s history Force, the commander of the air campaign Former Secretary of the Air Force of the cold war. during the first Gulf War and the com- Thomas C. Reed, retired Gen. Chuck Horner will offer his insights into mander of an Air Force Reserve special Horner and Brig. Gen. Thomas M. the first and second desert wars. operations wing are among the people Stogsdill, commander of the 919th SOW, Stogsdill will discuss, within secu- scheduled to address members of the Air are scheduled to address the group Satur- rity restraints, his reserve unit’s participa- Force Public Affairs Alumni Association day morning. tion in Afghanistan and Iraq. during their 11th annual meeting Thurs- “With Secretary Reed and Gener- “We have an outstanding commit- day, Apr. 29 through Sunday, May 2. als Horner and Stogsdill, we may have one tee with members ready to step forward The event will be held at The Vil- of the most interesting and enlightening and take up various duties,” Purka said. lage of Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin, and Saturday morning sessions ever,” said Joe “Jim Hart, Walt Werner, Michele Bell, Bill at Eglin and Hurlburt AFBs in northwest Purka, this year’s annual meeting organizer. Continued on Page 4 11th annual AFPAAA meeting at a glance........... • Thursday, Apr. 29 through Sunday, $130 per night (plus tax). Hotel reservations Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Stogsdill, commander May 2, 2004. made directly with Sandestin Group Reserva- of the 919th Special Operations Wing. tions by faxing the Housing Request Form (see • HOW TO GET THERE- Airline • Advance registration fees — $145 Page 7 or download from www.afpaaa.org) to: (850) service via Delta, Northwest and US Air is for members and $125 for spouses/guests. 267-8221. available at the Fort Walton Beach-Okaloosa Completed registration forms (see page six), • Guest speakers Saturday morning in- County Regional Airport (code: VPS). Taxis payment and dinner selection mailed by Apr. clude former Secretary of the Air Force Tho- and all major rental car agencies are avail- 10. mas C. Reed, retired Gen. Chuck Horner and able at the airport. • The Sandestin Resort group rate of 2 Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association The Link: Bomber pilot becomes PA by Chuck Lucas Momyer. Boone Rose flew 51 combat mis- “He wanted to talk to me about sions over Europe in B-26 and B-17 air- my next assignment.” craft during World War II and eagerly Momyer was the TAC commander returned to Kentucky. at Langley AFB, Va., in 1970 and he He earned a bachelor’s degree in wanted Rose to be the PA deputy to Col. Agriculture at the University of Ken- Bill Edgar. A year later Rose was the di- tucky in 1948 before enrolling in the rector. Merrill Lynch Brokerage School in New “I didn’t want to step right in like York. I knew what the hell I was doing. I didn’t The Air Force and Public Affairs even know what I was doing when were furthest from his mind. (Edgar left). “Having experienced 315 combat “I had to get along with people and hours, I felt, there’s no future in getting know how not to take advantage but lis- shot at,.” said Rose. ten to some of these young ideas and Merrill Lynch considered Rose a some of these bright people that I had “fast burner” and quickly placed him in working with me.” Louisville. Rose said when Momyer retired “I was doing absolutely great!” and Gen. Robert Dixon came on board, In 1950 he accepted an offer to the tension was tight. take charge of the company’s Southeast Boone Rose “I had won so many battles for the Division of Spot Commodities in At- – super golfer too.” Public Affairs guys and General Momyer, lanta. In 1967 he was in Vietnam, 23 always, was right there. Absolutely, in his But, before he was able to effect years after his last overseas assignment. eyes, I don’t think I ever did anything the move, his Air Force Reserve com- He split his tour as exec to the Tactical wrong.” mission earned him an offer he couldn’t Air Control Center for 7th Air Force and Rose found General Dixon a dif- refuse. The Korean War necessitated his exec to Gen. William Momyer, 7th AF ferent breed. recall to instruct B-29 aircrews. commander. He describes the latter as- “He required more of an adjust- “It was supposed to be for 12 signment as “the best learning opportu- ment than anyone I’ve ever had to ad- months and I was real bitter.” nity experience of my Air Force career.” just to in my life, but I would have to say The recall was extended to 21 Rose returned from Vietnam as a that except for the way he went about months and Rose was scheduled to check new colonel with an assignment to Bos- things, he was a crackerjack.” out in the A-26 for combat duty. Instead, ton University to get a master’s degree After four years at TAC, Rose he accepted a regular commission and in Public Relations. came up for reassignment. checked out in KC-97s. “They said that I was an experi- “General Dixon mentioned it to It turned out to be a career deci- ment…20 years after my undergraduate me. ‘I understand that General Momyer sion. He notified Merrill Lynch he was degree in Agriculture…Now I’m going promised you a base commander’s job.’ going to give the Air Force another shot. into a field with smart kids, smart young “I said, well, yes sir.” A series of SAC flying assignments guys and gals that have been training in He said, ‘Myrtle Beach?’ “Yes sir. followed and in 1963 he found himself Public Affairs from right out of high And he says, ‘Well, I’ll certainly honor as special projects officer for the com- school or college.” that.’ mander of 2nd Air Force at Barksdale Rose sought an exemption from “He was a very warm person.” AFB, La. General Momyer. Colonel Rose retired from active Protocol was an additional duty. “I could get you off the school duty in 1975. He and his wife, Dorothy, “I didn’t even know how to spell list,” Momyer told him, “but I think reside in Melbourne, Fla. protocol.” It was also his introduction you’d be making a mistake. Anytime you to Public Affairs. can further your education, you really This column is a feature on stories from the Air Col. Nick Barley was PA director should take advantage of it.” Force Public Affairs Alumni Assoc-iation’s Oral for 2nd AF. Rose was already earmarked for History program. The author can be reached at: clucas5@ juno.com “A rated officer, he was a great guy SAFOI when he received a note from Spring 2004 3 PA Snoopings….................................... by The Snoop motion to Colonel! Please join The Clark Air Base Scrap- me in congratulating Audrey book http://zcap.freeyellow.com/ In case you missed it, solid Bahler, chief of Public Affairs in pix3.htm is a unique tribute to the article entitled “The War In the Office of the Air Force Re- former base and those who served Primetime” in the February 2004 serve in the Pentagon, and Stevi there over the years. issue of Military Officer as pub- Shapiro, Director of Public Af- The Scrapbook was created lished by the Military Officers As- fairs at Space and Missile Systems by Air Force Public Affairs Alumni sociation of America, formerly Center, Los Angeles AFB, CA . Association member Thomas Utts, TROA. who was assigned to the 13th Air For you youngsters, that’s the Either he just couldn’t get the Force Public Affairs office from organization Chuck Cooper beltway out of his briefcase or he 1971 to 1973. served for more than 10 years as wanted to be closer to his golfing The website is part of his editor of The Retired Officers buddies, but Art Forster is back Clark Air Base military project Magazine and Director of Pub- in the Washington D.C. area. which also includes a nonfiction lications before retiring in 1996. After seven years in down- book with oral history accounts Staff editor Tiffany Ayers did town Manhattan with Hill and which is still in work. an extremely credible job in dis- Knowlton, Art has been named The website has 37 separate cussing the embedding journalist Director of Congressional and webpages, each with numerous concept. At the outset, she quickly Public Affairs for the Defense photographs sent by people who points out that military officials Contract Management Agency were stationed there. and reporters agree that the em- in Alexandria, Va. DCMA is a joint It is arranged in chronologi- bedding program that stationed service combat support agency cal order covering most of the more than 600 reporters with mili- with approximately 11,000 civilians base’s 90 year history.