Vol. 47, No. 6 Thursday, February 7, 2019 News/Features: page 2 Fallen Airman honored News/Features: page 3 Interoperability tested News/Features: page 3 Support for Airmen, families Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week 6th CS keeping fallen Airman’s legacy alive - page 8 Photo by Senior Airman Ashley Perdue Raymond Estelle III, takes the 6th Communications Squadron’s guidon at the end of the sixth annual Estelle 5K run at Community: page 14 MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 25, 2019. Raymond ran the last portion of the 5K to honor his father, Maj. Raymond Es- Events, Chapel, more... telle II, who was killed in action on April 27, 2011. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, February 7, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 1 NEWS/FEATURES Chapman Circle honors fallen hero’s legacy by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs MacDill Air Force Base honored the legacy of Master Sgt. John Chapman, a Medal of Honor recipient, by renaming Staff Circle to John Chap- man Circle during a ceremony Jan. 30. Chapman was the first Airman to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War and the first Special Tactics Airman to ever receive the Medal of Honor. Upon receiving the medal, Chap- man was posthumously promoted to the rank of master sergeant. “In celebration of the life, service and sacrifice of Master Sgt. Chapman, Team MacDill wanted to fully honor him with a presentation that is ev- erlasting,” said Col. Stephen Snelson, the 6th Air Mobility Wing commander. Chapman, who enlisted prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was specially trained for infiltra- tion in combat and austere environments as an experienced military free fall jumper, expert in reconnaissance operations, air traffic control and terminal attack control operations to decisively integrate airpower onto the battlefield. Chapman’s last military battle was that of Takur Ghar on March 4, 2002. He was a combat controller with Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Team 6 when he sacrificed himself to protect his Photo by Airman 1st Class Scott Warner team during a voluntary rescue mission. The family of U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Chapman, a Medal of Honor recipient, attends his President Donald J. Trump posthumously ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base Jan. 30. Chapman was the first Airman to receive the Medal awarded Chapman the Medal of Honor, the na- of Honor since the Vietnam War and the first Special Tactics Airman to ever receive the military’s See LEGACY, Page 12 highest award for valor in the line of duty. 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, concerns or comments via email to 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, or patron. 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 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. 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 affiliation or any other non-merit and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101. 2 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, February 7, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT NEWS/FEATURES EX Cobb Ring enhancing joint, bilateral interoperability by Airman 1st Class Caleb Nunez 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs As emerging global threats continue to rise, the ability of military organizations to conduct joint operations, or interoperate, becomes of sig- nificant importance to overall mission success. Whether different armed services or different na- tions, the goal is still the same–to win the fight. Members of the Joint Communications Sup- port Element from MacDill Air Force Base par- ticipated in the annual Cobb Ring exercise Jan. 21 to Feb. 1, alongside the British Army’s 30th Signal Regiment, to demonstrate capabilities with coalition partners and strengthen relation- ships between the two nations. “We worked with our British allies to establish a common base of knowledge for future endeav- ors,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Shells, a JCSE systems team chief. “If we ever go on exer- cises together or potential missions where we are Photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb Nunez fighting a war together, we need to have a basis Service members from the Joint Communications Support Element and the British Army’s 30th to work with.” Signal Regiment gather around U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Shells (center), a JCSE systems team Cobb Ring ensures each team can employ chief, at Beer Can Island in Tampa Bay Jan. 30, as he demonstrates how to set up and utilize com- their respective communications equipment on munications equipment in a deployed environment with no power source. As part of the Cobb Ring the host nation’s infrastructure, while building exercise, the two nations trained together to demonstrate capabilities with coalition partners and See EXERCISE, Page 10 strengthen relationships. Airmen support initiative increasing support of Airmen, families by Staff Sgt. Dana J. Cable 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark.— Beginning in January 2019, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas opened three embedded Airmen support centers across the base. The base chapel, Airman and Family Readiness Center, and 19th Medical Group teamed up to establish satellite work spaces within individual units to care for Airmen better across the installation. The 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 19th Maintenance Squadron, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron all have their own embed- ded support team to make helping agencies more readily available to Airmen. “We approached Col. Donohue (19th Airlift Wing commander) about this idea, and he was very interested,” said Chaplain (Capt.) Jonathan Black, 19th AW chaplain. “We decided we would try to embed chaplains in some of the high-risk Photo by Airman 1st Class Kristine M. Gruwell areas.” Air Force Gen. Maryanne Miller, Air Mobility Command commander, talks with Air Force Lt. Col. Da- Eventually the idea evolved to embed A&FRC vid Knight, 19th Airlift Wing head chaplain, at Little Rock Air Force Base Chapel, Nov. 1. Miller met members and medical personnel alongside the with representatives from organizations such as the mental health office, casualty assistance team chaplains. and sexual assault prevention and response office put in place to help develop and care for Airmen See FAMILIES, Page 13 and their families. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, February 7, 2019 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 3 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Senior Airman Adam R. Shanks Members of the 6th Medical Group pause for a photo during Biomedical Sciences Corps (BSC) Appreciation Week, Jan. 28, at MacDill Air Force Base. BSC is a unique corps of more than 15 Air Force specialty codes, united in mission, to provide a broad spectrum of clinical and scientific expertise to the Air Force Medical Service. Photo by Senior Airman Hope Geiger Aircraft maintenance technicians, assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing, Photo by Senior Airman Jonathan McElderry Ohio Air National Guard, walk the flightline looking for debris that could U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jaylin Tripp, 5th Maintenance Squadron damage an aircraft engine at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., before the non-destructive inspection apprentice, inspects a piece of equipment with day’s training sorties Jan. 29. The Patrick AFB deployment allows the a black light at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Jan. 25. The black light allows 180 FW Airmen to conduct daily training in realistic environments, under NDI Airmen to locate cracks and imperfections on B-52H Stratofortress realistic circumstances, to ensure our force maintains the highest levels parts and aircraft support equipment. of proficiency and readiness for worldwide deployment. 4 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, February 7, 2019 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT FEATURES Selfridge Airman hailed a hero for saving life at MacDill Air Force Base Courtesy photo Senior Airman Tamara Davie, a member of the Michigan Air National Guard, was on hand to save a woman who injured herself in a fall at the MacDill Inn.