INSIDE T-38 MILESTONE, P5 TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS, P7 …extras.mysanantonio.com/randolph/121412...

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH No. 50 • DECEMBER 14, 2012

A publication of the 502nd Air Base Wing – Joint Base San Antonio

INSIDE ... T-38 MILESTONE, P5 ... TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS, P7 ... KEEPING THE HOLIDAYS IN BALANCE, P9

Page 3

DECEMBER 14, 2012PAGE 2 WINGSPREAD

Joint Base San Antonio-RandolphEditorial Staff

Brig. Gen. Theresa C. CarterJBSA/502nd Air Base Wing Commander

Todd G. WhiteJBSA/502nd ABW Public Affairs Director

Marilyn C. HollidayJBSA-Randolph Public Affairs ChiefAirman 1st Class Lincoln Korver

EditorRobert GoetzAlex SalinasStaff Writers

Maggie ArmstrongGraphic Designer

COMMENTARYFuneral services for retired Col. Ralph Parr, the only American pilot to be awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross, takes place at JBSA-Randolph and Fort Sam Houston National CemeteryMonday. See articles on pages 3 and 4.Photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.

ON THE COVER

This newspaper is published by Prime Time Military News-papers, a private fi rm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of the Wingspread are not necessarily the offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.

The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ-ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Prime Time Military Newspapers, of the products or services advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affi liation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.

Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Offi ce of JBSA-Randolph. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air Force photos.

The deadline for submissions is noon Wednesday the week prior to publication. All submissions can be emailed to [email protected].

Wingspread Offi ce1150 5th Street East

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By Tech. Sgt. Crystal LeeArmed Forces Network - Incirlik

Some things occur in life that you never forget, things that leave a scar and others that never even heal. There are lessons to be learned from those experiences, and I learned a big lesson on drinking responsibly at the tender age of 11.

I volunteered to share a part of my life normally reserved for those close to me – to share a time that will never leave me, in hopes others don't have to experience the pain it brought. People who know me, know I keep family matters private. This account, however, may help sway someone's decision and prevent an alcohol-related incident.

It was Friday, date night for my parents.

I was 11 and my little sister, Jen, was 9. We were at the age many par-ents start letting their kids stay home alone. Mom and dad were invited to a party which was about an hour away.

It was awesome! Jen and I had the whole house to ourselves. We proceeded to, you know, do typical kid activities. At around 2 a.m., we heard knocking at the door. I didn't grow up in the best neighborhood, so there was no way I was opening that door. The knocking persisted and we were terrifi ed. Jen and I actually hid under the bed because we thought someone was trying to break into the house.

The next morning we woke up un-der the bed. We got up and knocked on mom and dad's room door. No an-swer. I opened the door; they hadn't come home.

I picked up the phone to call my grandpa and found it had been off the hook since last night. That's when he told me mom and dad were hit by a drunk driver. He said it happened around 1 a.m. and he had tried to call us. Grandpa was the one knock-ing on the windows and doors.

Once we got to our grandparents house, we were told the details of the accident. My father was driving home when a drunk driver swerved into their lane and sideswiped them. Dad hit a telephone pole head on. Mom wasn't wearing her safety belt and her face went through the windshield. Dad had this crazy adrenaline rush and pulled my mom out of the car. We found out later that his back was broken. He was out of commission for about six to seven months.

After my grandpa gave us the news, Jen started to freak out and I started crying. I'm not sure if I was crying due to sadness or because I was angry as hell, probably both.

Sunday evening at around 5 p.m. our parents came home. They were lucky to survive. They recounted the events from that night. I asked dad if the drunk driver got hurt. Dad said, "No. The guy thought the

whole situation was funny."Our lives drastically changed. No

more family outings to the park, no more fun or normal things for kids our ages. Instead, the next several months consisted of Jen and me tak-ing care of our parents.

What upsets me the most is that this didn't need to happen; respon-sible decisions could have prevented the entire event.

When someone abuses alcohol it affects more than just that individual. It has a ripple effect to everyone who cares about that person, those they hurt, and the people who are left behind to pick up the pieces.

Take ownership and responsibility for your actions and what you put in your body. There are other things you can do besides drink excessively. Find that niche that makes you happy – go to school, play video games, travel, etc. If you do drink, know your limit. Know when to stop. Ask yourself, "How are my actions going to impact other people?"

My life was affected by an irre-sponsibly selfi sh guy who couldn't make the right decision concerning alcohol and almost killed my parents. Don't be that person.

NO JOKE

NCO tells of hurt caused by drunk driver When someone abuses alcohol it affects more than just that individual. It has a rip-ple effect to everyone who cares about that person, those they hurt, and the people who

are left behind to pick up the pieces.

When someone abuses alcohol it affects When someone abuses alcohol it affects When someone abuses alcohol it affects When someone abuses alcohol it affects

The Wingspread, commander's action line, public affairs and marquee request inboxes have been consolidated to a single email address at [email protected].

WINGSPREADDECEMBER 14, 2012 PAGE 3

By Randy RoughtonAirman Magazine

(Editor’s note: the following article was featured in Airman Magazine on Sept. 2, 2012.)

A glint of light in the sky above North Korea attracted the F-86 Sabre pilot’s attention, so he descended from 41,000 feet and saw four MiG-15s. But as then-Capt. Ralph S. Parr surveyed the rest of the sky, he realized he and his fellow pilots in Shark Flight actually were facing 16 enemy fi ghters.

The two MiGs Parr shot down on June 7, 1953, were the fi rst of 10 kills in a seven-week period during the Korean War. Parr made double ace with his 10th kill on July 27, when he shot down a Soviet Ilyushin-12 cargo airplane on the last day of the war. He’s the only American pilot who has received both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross.

“You wind up either wanting to fi ght or not want-ing to fi ght,” said 88-year-old Parr, now a retired colonel living in New Braunfels, Texas. “I made the decision I was going to fi ght to begin with. I didn’t think I could see anything up there that I thought would be able to take me.”

Parr joined the Army Air Forces and began pilot train-ing in 1942 and fl ew the P-38 Lightning in the Philip-pines during World War II. When the war in Korea be-

gan, Parr was fl ying the F-86, but was reassigned to the 49th Fight-er Group and the F-80 Shooting Star. After 165 combat missions, his experiences were benefi cial as he helped to develop new combat tactics for fi ghting MiGs. Parr re-turned to action and the F-86 in May 1953 and became an ace with fi ve kills in 11 days.

Retired Col. John Lowery, who fl ew under his command in Korea, described Parr’s plane when he returned to Kimpo Air Base after his fi rst two kills in his book, “Life in the Wild Blue,” scheduled to be pub-lished in early fall.

“At the time, all fi ghter-interceptor pilots instinc-tively checked the gun ports of returning fl ights for the dark gray soot, indicating their guns had been fi red,” Lowery said. “This would imply contact with MiGs. And sure enough, the .50-caliber blast shields of one aircraft showed the unmistakable signs. The ship’s entire fuse-lage was very badly scorched from nose to tail, as if its paint had been singed with a giant blowtorch.”

On June 7, Shark Flight was on a fi ghter sweep

to intercept and destroy any enemy planes over North Ko-rea. After his F-86 left Kimpo AB, he fl ew north toward the Yalu River boundary with Chi-na, nicknamed “MiG Alley.” He was looking north toward China when he saw four MiGs with a 15-degree dive angle fi r-

ing at them. After the initial confrontation, Parr looked down and saw a fl icker across light-colored sand

bars along the Yalu River shoreline. He rolled his plane

down and leveled it at 300 hun-dred feet when he saw there were

many more MiGs than he’d thought.“As I closed rapidly to about 4,000 feet, I noticed

there weren’t two, there were four, no, there were eight,” Parr said. “Then, off to my left, I saw eight more. Immediately, I decided to put a big notch in the MiG leader directly ahead.”

He downed another MiG and damaged another and added another kill three days later. On June 18,

By Robert GoetzJoint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

Joint Base San Antonio will honor the legacy of one of the Air Force’s most celebrated pilots and a former 12th Tactical Fighter Wing com-mander at a funeral service planned for 11:30 a.m. Monday in the JBSA-Randolph theater.

The event will pay tribute to retired Col. Ralph Parr, Korean War double ace and 12th TFW commander from 1970-71, who died Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Re-membrance Day, at the age of 88 in a New Braunfels assisted-living facility.

Interment will follow the funeral ser-vice at 2 p.m. at Fort Sam Houston Na-tional Cemetery.

Col. Gerald Goodfellow, 12th Flying Training Wing commander, said Parr left “a special imprint” on the wing, which was called the 12th TFW from 1962-71.

“He was more than a war hero and an ace pilot; he was a leader,” he said. “Also, he strived to be an educator of Airmen.

He was always well-re-garded for his willingness to share his wisdom and experience with younger pilots.”

Goodfellow said Parr “will always be remem-bered, honored and have a special place in the hearts of all 12th Flying Training Wing Airmen.”

Retired Col. Gary Bab-er, president of the Red River Valley Fighter Pi-lots Association chapter that bears Parr’s name, described his fellow “Riv-er Rat” as a “larger than life” fi gure in the fi ghter pilot community “whose feats of heroism in Korea and Vietnam earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and Air Force Cross, making him a living legend.”

“Ralph had blue Air Force blood fl ow-ing in his veins and he loved nothing bet-ter than to share a beer with a young Air

Force captain in a fl ight suit at the Auger Inn on a Friday evening,” he said. “He was a modest man, but when he spoke, it was worth listening to him.”

Baber, a Selma resi-dent, said Parr was an active member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, which includes members of Air Force, Navy and Ma-rine aircrews who fl ew combat missions over the Red River Valley of North Vietnam. He said the Parr chapter recently installed a bronze bust of

the legendary fi ghter pilot in the lobby of the Randolph Offi cers Club, which was named for Parr in 2008.

“The Ralph Parr River Rats mourn his loss and we will continue to celebrate his life,” Baber said.

Retired Chief Master Sgt. Bob Laymon

of Universal City said he met Parr about 10 years ago at a meeting of the Order of Daedalians Stinson’s Flight No. 2 when he was developing “a serious interest in Vietnam air war history.”

Laymon said Parr’s aerial warfare prowess is well-documented, but he contributed to the Air Force in other ways as well.

“Less well known is his continu-ing contribution to military leadership through his frequent Friday evening vis-its to the Randolph Offi cers Club Auger Inn, Order of Daedalians functions and other speaking opportunities,” he said. “Nothing brought more joy to Colonel Parr than to sit down next to a young captain in a fl ight suit and discuss en-ergy maneuverability during a dogfi ght. Who knows how much he inspired and motivated combat aviators and future Air Force leaders?”

Parr was a Portsmouth, Va., native. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and three stepchildren.

NEWS

JBSA plans memorial service for double ace

Col. Ralph Parr

Parr: Only American pilot to receive Distinguished Service Cross, AF Cross

See PARR P4

DistinguishedServiceCross

Air ForceCross


he notched two more victories while protecting the fight-er-bombers that were striking targets in North Korea, giving him five kills that made him an ace. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for a June 30 mission when he shot down two more MiGs and drove off two others that were attacking his wing commander.

Hours before the armistice on July 27, Parr was leading one of three flights of F-86Fs escorting a Marine photo-reconnaissance aircraft that was sent to photograph a dirt airfield in the Yalu River bed and saw an airplane flying close to the river on the Manchurian side. After he was cleared to investigate the plane, he saw it had the same red star as the MiGs and was flying over North Korean territory. Parr shot the plane down, which turned into a major international incident when the Soviets claimed it was a civilian airliner with a truce team on board 200 miles north in Manchuria.

“I knew where it was and what it was,” Parr said. “The only thing I didn’t know was why it was there. I called our formation leader, and he said to take it, so I did. It almost hit the front page when it happened. Word got loose really fast that I’d shot down a truce team. Their side was serious, but so was ours.”

The Soviet Union filed a lawsuit against Parr in the International Court of Justice, although they later withdrew the suit, and shot down an RB-50 Superfor-tress over international waters two days later. None of the bomber’s crew ever returned, although most were presumed captured.

In Vietnam, Parr served two tours in Southeast Asia. He flew 226 combat missions as the 12th Tactical Fight-er Wing’s deputy commander of operations, including a mission that earned him the Air Force Cross at Khe Sanh on March 19, 1968. Khe Sanh was located 7 miles from the Laotian border in the Bru Montagnard villages in northwest Quang Tri Province and was the govern-ment seat for the Huong Hoa district, Lowery said. It was the People’s Army of Vietnam’s major infiltration route to the south. Parr’s mission was to escort a large C-130 Hercules resupply effort to support the Marines and elements of the South Vietnamese Army. He faced severe weather and intense fire to support Marines. Despite being told several times by the Marine ground commander to abandon the mission because of the fire he was taking, Parr refused because of the damage the gun emplacements would cause to the C-130s, and he attacked in eight passes and destroyed eight North Viet-namese mortar and gun positions that were within 200 meters of the Marines. His F-4 Phantom II sustained 27 hits in the attack.

He returned to the 12th Fighter Wing twice, as deputy commander and commander, and flew 201 more combat missions during his second tour during the war. A back injury sustained while inspecting a roof for hurricane damage at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., forced him to retire in 1976. During his career, he flew 641 combat missions with more than 6,000 hours and received more than 60 decorations, in-cluding a Silver Star, 10 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 41 Air Medals, all of which he attributes to his willingness to fight.

PARR from P3

The Air Force Cross is presented to Ralph S. Parr, Colo-nel, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military

operations against an opposing force as an F-4C aircraft commander near Khe Sanh, Republic of Vietnam, on March 16, 1968. On that date, Colonel Parr participated in a flight

providing cover for cargo aircraft. Upon arrival over the target, the forward air controller advised the flight that the

airfield was under heavy attack by hostile mortar posi-tions, which were located a few feet below a ridge line. Although the target area was covered with dense smoke and haze, Colonel Parr successfully destroyed one mortar position on his first pass, as six well-camouflaged heavy

automatic weapons opened fire on him. Although sustaining severe damage to his aircraft, he pressed his second attack

and destroyed another mortar position. Again, completely disregarding his personal safety and the withering hostile gun fire, Colonel Parr succeeded in destroying six heavy

caliber automatic weapons positions. In between passes, his accurate and timely directions to his wingman effectively

ensured the accuracy of ordnance delivery in close proxim-ity to the friendly forces. Only after delivering all of his

ordnance at point-blank range in eight consecutive passes did Colonel Parr terminate his attack. By destroying these

strategically located weapons, he not only impaired the hos-tile force’s capability to impede the resupply of Khe Sanh, but also reduced further losses to friendly cargo aircraft

and crews. Through his superb airmanship, aggressiveness, and extraordinary heroism, Colonel Parr reflected the highest

credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Col. Ralph Parr’s citation for the Air Force Cross

Senior Master Sgt. Mary Lewis, Air Education and Training Command,

hands off cookies to Terri Boedigheimer, volunteer, Dec. 12 at the Joint Base

San Antonio-Randolph Taj Mahal. The donated cookies collected for the Single Airman Cookie Drive will be distributed to Airmen during the holiday season.

Photo by Joshua Rodriguez

SweetDonations



Nov. 29 wasn’t just another day at the hangar for the mechanics and technicians at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph who keep the Air Force’s aging T-38 fleet up and flying.

For the second time in 10 months, the 130 civil-ians of the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Op-erating Location A reached a production milestone by completing on-time modifications to the 200th aircraft that has come out of the depot since it be-came a government facility.

“One hundred doesn’t just happen; 200 doesn’t just happen in our business,” Jay Gregson, 571st AMXS OL-A depot maintenance director, told his crew after they posed for photos to celebrate the feat. “Kicking out 200 planes straight has never been done by any other weapon system.”

The 571st AMXS OL-A team, which is assigned to the Ogden Air Logistics Complex’ 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group at Hill AFB, Utah, installed video data transfer and speed brake systems as part of the 200th on-time aircraft’s modification. The T-38 from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, was delivered to Randolph Nov. 5.

The team reached its first milestone Feb. 6 when it completed its 100th consecutive on-time produc-

tion work order since the Air Force assumed op-eration of the depot from contractor Lear Sigler Inc. in October 2010.

Addressing his crew at the celebration, Gregson said everyone on the team, even those who have recently arrived, makes a difference.

“Each one of you guys has a piece of the 200, wheth-er you realize it or not,” he said. “Even if you’ve been here one day, you’re a part of it. It’s the teamwork we have with all the different agencies involved here that allows this to happen.”5An extensive modification proj-

T-38 mechanics reach second milestone with 200th on-time aircraft

Photo by Joshua Rodriguez Members of the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Operating Location A team celebrate a production milestone Nov. 29, completing on-time, on-budget modifications to the 200th aircraft that has come out of their depot at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph since it became a government facility.

See MILESTONE P6

By Alex SalinasJoint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

By the time enlisted Airmen, reservists and Air National Guard members complete basic military training and arrive at their first duty sta-tion, they’ve already earned credits toward an associate of applied science degree from the Air Force.

The Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Education Center encourages more people to earn a degree from the Community College of the Air Force to accomplish something special in their military careers.

“The degree is unique in that our sister service branches don’t offer anything like it,” Gay Close, 902nd Force Support Squadron education services specialist, said. “The CCAF takes your military train-ing and converts it into regionally accredited trans-ferrable college credit.”

Physical education and technical training – both CCAF degree requisites – are met in basic training and then in technical school, respectively, so Airmen then must add academic courses to complete the degree.

There are no physical CCAF campuses, so service members have the option to attend classes at any ac-credited brick-and-mortar college or university located where they are stationed.

They can also enroll in online courses and must com-plete 64 semester hours to earn the degree.

While it may be difficult to make time for classes while serving, it’s possible to find schools that work with busy military schedules.

“I’m taking classes through Ash-ford University (in Iowa) and they’ve worked well with my schedule,” Air-man 1st Class Corey Lindner, 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron firefight-er, said. “I recommend commu-nicating with counselors and working out a plan before taking courses.”

For another Airman, earn-ing a CCAF degree is all about pacing.

“It was a little difficult being that I had to work around a full-time job, but I met the requirements one step at a time,” Staff Sgt. Yvonne Love, Air Force Personnel Center supervisor of assign-ments, said.

She earned her CCAF degree in human resource management by taking two classes per semester, includ-ing online courses while she was deployed.

“It’s a great accomplishment that shows military leadership skills, and I will use it to help my Air-men,” she said.

Holding a CCAF degree entails two major benefits, Close said.

“The first is that it enhances military careers; it showcases

military leadership and can help those who apply for commission-

ing (as an officer),” she said. “The other benefit is when people leave

the military and want to work in a career similar to what they

did while serving, the degree shows employers they have actual job experience.”

Those who come into the Air Force with college cred-

its may transfer hours toward CCAF requirements, reducing the

time it takes to receive the degree. Usually, new Airmen are not able to

take college classes until they complete their career development courses, which acclimate them

to their military duty; this decision is up to the discretion of supervisors, Close said.

Airmen are enrolled in a CCAF degree according to their Air Force specialty code. If an Airman holds more than one AFSC, it’s possible to obtain more than one CCAF degree.

For more information, call 652-5964.

Airmen on path to CCAF degree during initial training


Ribbon cutting and open houseThe Randolph Religious Activities Center will host a ribbon cutting and open house 10 a.m. Dec. 21 at the RAC, Bldg. 975.

Street closureI Street Center, from 1st Street West to 1st Street East, will be closed for construction through Feb. 8, but parking lots will be open. Please obey traffi c control measures. For more info, contact Peggy Knox at 652-1249 or [email protected].

Youth invited to winter ballRandolph Youth Programs hosts a Winter Ball 6-9 p.m. today. This event is for youth, ages 9-12 years old and costs $2 for members and $3 for nonmembers. Light snacks will be provided. For details, call 652-3298.

History month committee seeks volunteersThe 2013 Women’s History Month Committee is seeking highly motivated individuals to help plan events happening in March. The next two meetings will be 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20 at the Randolph Education Center, room 35. For more information, contact Senior Master Sgt. Deitra Mathis at 652-5029 or Master Sgt. Cyndi Vice at 652-2232.

Offi ce closureThe 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron Housing Asset Management Offi ce is closed Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1.

Military Child of the YearMilitary Child of the Year nominations, from all branches of service, are being accepted online through Dec. 15 at www.militarychildoftheyear.org. Winners will receive $5,000, a laptop and will be fl own with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for a recognition ceremony April 11.

Sexual assault, harassment hot lineAirmen, separated and still serving, who graduated from basic military training and technical training during the past 10 years, and have any information about military training instructor sexual misconduct incidents, are urged to call the Air Education and Training Commands anonymous 24/7 sexual assault hotline at 487-0008 or via commercial phone line at (210) 652-0008.

Submitting briefsTo submit a brief for publication in the Wingspread, email all information to [email protected]. The deadline is Wednesday, the week prior to publication.

ect, scheduled to begin in fi scal 2014, means more milestones are on the horizon for the 571st AMXS OL-A team, which will more than double in size by the end of 2013.

“Right now we’re at 130 personnel and we stand to grow to more than 320 by the end of this next year,” Gregson said. “Our biggest workload will be starting in October 2013 with the Pacer Classic III modifi cation, which essentially replaces major structures of 125 jets in order to continue safely fl ying the T-38 until the T-X trainer comes on line. It is a form of life extension.”

Gregson said the $250 million Pacer Classic III program includes funding for the modifi cation of 125 T-38Cs – 51 identifi ed as high-risk aircraft and 74 to avoid grounding by 2020.

“We’ll modify 22 T-38Cs per year, and each air-craft will take six months to complete,” he said.

Another major project, scheduled to begin this fi scal year, is the removal and replacement of fl ight control system critical safety items in more than 500 T-38s stemming from a 2009 mishap that was attributed to faulty fl ight control rods, Greg-son said.

Gregson, who said the 571st AMXS OL-A is on track to become a squadron, noted the team’s workload will increase from more than 120,000 hours in fi scal 2013 to more than 340,000 hours in fi scal 2014, when PCIII production will be in full swing.

MILESTONE from P5

• CATHOLIC

Monday-Friday

11:30 a.m. - Chapel 1

Saturday

5:30 p.m. - Chapel 1

Sunday

8:30 a.m. - Bldg. 975

11:30 a.m. - Chapel 1

Confession

Saturday

4:30-5 p.m. - Chapel 1

• PROTESTANT

Traditional

Sunday Service

8:15 a.m. - Chapel 1

Contemporary

Sunday Service

11 a.m. - Bldg. 975

Randolph Chapel

The Joint Base San Antonio mobile app provides basic information about the primary JBSA lo-cations. The mobile app, called “JBSA,” is now available for download through the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Can it berecycled?

Numerous materials including used oil, plastic or glass bottles, used electronics, cardboard, paper, aluminum cans and various other scrap metals can be dropped off at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Recycle Center. Items are accepted from both the home and workplace. For more information, visit the JBSA-Randolph Recycle Center, located in Bldg. 1152, or call the JBSA-Randolph Recycle Team at 652-5606 or 652-1160.

WINGSPREADNOVEMBER 30, 2012 PAGE 7


Leaders from Air Education and Train-ing Command issued a memorandum Dec. 3 stating active duty, reservists and Guard members on active orders must get approval from proper channels before traveling to 11 restricted states in Mexico and anywhere along the entire U.S.-Mexico border.

The directive results from increased criminal activity from drug cartels that have killed more than 50,000 people since 2006 – with the death toll rising monthly – according to Mexican government offi cials.

Emergency and nonoffi cial travel to prohibited areas in Mexico may be approved, which usually involves fam-ily matters, but personal travel for leisure or vacation will not be approved.

Getting the green light for departure is a pro-cess that includes filling out an Exception to Policy form, receiving Advanced Distributed Learning Service training, getting a travel briefing from an-titerrorism staff, formulating an individual travel

plan and gaining approval from an O-6 or govern-ment service-equivalent in the chain of command, Mance Clark, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph antiterrorism officer from the 902nd Security Forces Squadron, said.

“The process ensures the safety of all Depart-ment of Defense members, including civilians and contractors who travel to Mexico in an offi cial ca-pacity,” Clark said.

“Three years ago, the travel restrictions were placed just on border towns; then it escalated to the entire border region and now entire states,” he said. “There’s a lot of civil unrest in Mexico. It’s become an internal turf war that has drug warlords fi ghting for territorial boundaries and our state department increased the scope (of restrictions).”

Randolph antiterrorism staff members give brief-ings to DoD service members and civilians who travel to nonprohibited areas in Mexico, especially on cruises, to map out individual plans for addi-tional safety.

Approval for nonrestricted travel to Mexico can

take three to four days. “We’re constantly looking at intelligence to check for

the latest threats, changes to criminal modus operandi and the like,” he said. “We ask people how their trip went so we can stay up to date.”

Lately, there haven’t been issues reported from people at Randolph who traveled to Mexico, Gerard Kinane, Air Force Recruiting Service antiterrorism offi cer, said.

“I’ve received good feedback from travelers about their experience, but I still recommend everyone to fi nd as much information about their destination as possible, such as travel advisories,” he said.

By visiting http://travel.state.gov, provided by the Department of State, information collected from most countries about threats to safety, medical facilities and road conditions can be accessed.

Communication with supervisors when taking leave or vacation, especially in the process of traveling to a restricted area, is always the fi rst step, Clark said.

Contact security managers or unit antiterrorism rep-resentatives for more information. To reach the Ran-dolph Antiterrorism Offi ce, call 652-1357/1904.

AETC leaders issue Mexico travel restrictions

Three years ago, the travel restrictions were placed just on border towns;

then it escalated to the entire border region and now entire states.

Three years ago, the travel restrictions Three years ago, the travel restrictions Three years ago, the travel restrictions Three years ago, the travel restrictions

Mance ClarkJoint Base San Antonio-Randolph

antiterrorism offi cer

Clear areas

Off limits

Sonora

Chihuahua

Durango

Coahuila de

Zaragoza

Zacatecas

San Luis Potosi

Jalisco

Michoacán

Tamaulipas

NuevoLeón

Sinaloa

Map of Mexico


The Air Force Band of the West thrills audience with its winter concertAirmen in the United States Air Force Band of the West

took the stage 7 p.m. Dec. 7 and 3 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9 at the Edgewood Independent School District Theater of Performing Arts in San Antonio.

Band of the West members are highly trained profes-sional musicians who travel more than 125,000 miles throughout the Southwest annually to entertain military and civilian audiences.

The band has been awarded six Col. George S. Howard Citations of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands and eight Air Force Out-standing Unit Awards.

Photos by Joel Martinez

Below: U.S. Air Force Capt. Michael Hoerber, Band of the

West commander, conducts the band at the Holiday in Blue concert Dec. 7 at the Edge-wood Independent School District Theater of Perform-

ing Arts in San Antonio.

Santa Claus pays a visit during the Band of the

West concert.

Left: Master Sgt. Nancy Pof-fenbarger, vocalist for the Band of the West, performs during the Holiday in Blue concert.

Below: Children from the audience play musical instruments during the concert.



Keeping off unwanted pounds dur-ing the holiday season may seem like an impossible task, but it’s entirely achievable – and it doesn’t necessarily require abstaining from those bounti-ful buffets, either.

A nutrition specialist at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph’s Health and Wellness Center said balancing holi-day feasts and all those treats with a more wholesome diet the rest of the time is one of the keys to main-taining a healthy weight during the Christmas season.

“If you know you’re going to overin-dulge, plan for that,” Barbara Swan-son, HAWC registered dietitian, said. “Enjoy the meal, but get back on your healthy plan. You have to eat poorly for seven days to gain one pound, so one day of overindulgence won’t throw you under the bus.”

Swanson said it takes 500 extra cal-ories per day for one week – or 3,500 extra calories – to gain one pound.

“Weight gain is about chronically overindulging,” she said.

Swanson said it’s im-portant that people don’t

overindulge throughout the holiday season.

“When some people overeat on one occasion, they say, ‘I’ve already blown it, so I’ll wait until January to get back on track,’” she said. “We have to get away from that thinking.”

Swanson said the healthy approach is exemplifi ed by the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture’s MyPlate, which replaced the food guide pyramid in 2011 as a recommended total diet approach. MyPlate shows the food groups as portions on a plate, with fruits and vegetables taking up half the plate and grains and lean pro-teins the other half, complemented by a small portion of dairy. Proteins should include chicken breast, tur-key breast, lean beef, fi sh and meat alternatives.

She recommends eating this way “a majority of the time.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend bal-ance and moderation during the holi-days, such as choosing fresh fruit as a substitute for candy and selecting just one or two favorites from a bounty of tempting foods.

Swanson said there are also ways to make holiday favorites healthier. Examples include adding grated vegetables to stuffi ng, using fat-free evaporated milk in the pumpkin pie and trying fat-free cream soup in the

green bean casserole.Staying active is another way to

keep weight gain at bay during the holidays, Swanson said.

“Just move every day,” she said. “Bicycling, walking, playing sports and dancing are all fun ways to stay active.”

The CDC echoes that recommenda-tion, suggesting that adults be active at least 2½ hours per week and that parents ensure their children are ac-tive at least one hour per day.

Dietitian recommends balance of nutrition, feasting during holidays

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Professional OrganizationsAirman's Council

General membership meetings take place at 3 p.m. the last Friday of each month at the Kendrick Club.

Rising 5/6General membership meetings take place at 3 p.m. the third Friday of each month at the Parr Club Auger Inn.

Top 3General membership meetings take place at 3 p.m. the third Friday of each month at the Kendrick Club.

For more information, visit our SharePoint site at https://randolph.eis.aetc.af.mil/SAG/AC/default.aspx or email [email protected].

For more information, visit our SharePoint site at https://randolph.eis.aetc.af.mil/SAG/R56/default.aspx or email [email protected].


SportsSportsSportsBRIEFSBRIEFSBRIEFSSportsSportsSports

Tune up your gameRandolph Bowling Center hosts a Military BowlingChampionship Tune-Up Tournament at 7 p.m. Dec. 27. The tournament is a four-game singles format with handicap and scratch divisions. Cost is $25 and prizes will be given for fi rst, second and third place winners. For more information, call 652-6271.

Holiday gift saleThe Randolph Bowling Center Pro Shop is of-fering 10-25 percent off selected balls, bags and shoes until Dec. 23.

Pro Shop specialsRandolph Oaks Pro Shop has gift certifi cates avail-able during December Cus-tomers will receive a raffl e ticket with the purchase of $10 in merchandise for a chance to win a set of irons, driver, putter or bag.

Football FrenzyThe Randolph Kendrick Club offers Football Frenzy every Sunday and Monday during the NFL season, with food specials and prizes. The event is open to all Department of Defense ID card holders, but participants must be a Randolph club member to win.

Camp Bullis deer seasonArchery hunting season for deer is open 5:30 a.m. to dark Friday-Sunday at Camp Bullis. Hunters must have a prese lected permit to hunt deer. For more information, call 295-7577.

SPORTS - HEALTH - FITNESS


Airmen from the Air Force Personnel Center formed the only all-women’s team for the 2012-13 Joint Base San Anto-nio-Randolph intramural bas-ketball league.

The women picked up a preseason loss from a 902nd Security Forces Squadron team Dec. 4 as well as from another AFPC team Dec. 6, made up mostly of men, but their coach is determined to keep up with the boys.

“We thought about adding a guy to our squad, but that would take away the spe-cial part of being a women’s team,” Erwin Mason, head coach of the team from AFPC, said. “We want to win and we have the ability to win, but because the team wants to play together, that’s more important.”

With a 12-person roster of skill levels ranging from rec-reational to competitive, and the tallest player being close to 5 feet 10 inches, the women plan to make the most of lim-ited face time in the 15- to 20-game season during practice.

“They practice fundamen-tals like dribbling and passing the ball in the first 15 min-utes, and they scrimmage to learn each other’s styles the last 45 minutes,” Mason said. “Usually, only five of my play-ers can show up to practice, so we end up scrimmaging with other guys in the gym.”

The scores from the two preseason games were 47-21 against security forces and 52-29 against AFPC, but with some adjustments and a little confidence, the players are willing to stick together on the hardwood.

“We held our own pretty

well; we kept both games close until halftime, so we know we can compete,” Debo-

rah Landry, AFPC airmen as-signments divisions chief and player, said. “Our determina-

tion is our biggest strength because we never gave up. We just need more time putting together an offense.”

Alicia Scott, AFPC pipe-line and trainer assignments specialist and teammate, agreed.

“Once we improve our ball movement, our offense will get better and we will give other teams good competi-tion,” she said.

Part of improving offensive-ly means finishing layups and taking advantage of scoring opportunities near the rim, Mason said.

The team will also contin-ue to feed the basketball to Jasmon Houston and Brittany Batton, who have taken on the scoring load.

Effort during each posses-sion will also carry the team where size and speed may not.

“We do hustle,” Scott added. “We really get after the ball, especially on defense.”

Mason said playing zone defense, where the team will force opponents to shoot the ball rather than score inside the paint, will complement the team’s lack of height.

“We’ve made teams miss a lot of shots,” Mason said. “That creates rebound opportunities. We really need to work on po-sitioning, boxing out and grab-bing rebounds.”

That, along with fi nishing un-contested shots, will be keys to winning games.

As far as the players are concerned, winning or losing games won’t take away from what they’ve done.

“I would like to see an all-women’s intramural league one day, but we have the opportunity to play with mixed or guys teams now,” Scott said.

Lone female team competes in intramural league

Photo by Don LindseyJasmon Houston, AFPC all women’s basketball team captain and point guard, drives the ball past an opposing team player during the team's fi rst game Dec. 6 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Rambler Fitness Center.

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