Vol. 40, No. 19 Friday, May 13, 2011

Vol. 40, No. 19 Friday, May 13, 2011

Photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes

Senior Airman Robert Dougherty, a reservist with the 927th Air Refueling Wing, sits with his wife Jessie and two boys, Logan, 4, and Zack, 3, be-fore deploying to the East Asia Theater of Operations recently. Airman Dougherty and other reservists tasked with the deployment left their fami-lies and jobs in the Tampa community to serve their country overseas.

927th Air Refueling Wing in the fight - pages 3, 4, 13, 16, 17

by Col. Lenny Richoux6th Air Mobility Wing commander

I want to extend sincere condolence to the families and friends of the two fallen heroes we honored last week, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ronald Freeman and Air Force Maj. Raymond Estelle II.

Thanks to all of the servicemembers who rendered honor to them and to the personnel who did the footwork to support the dignified transfers.

This month we will hold a commemorative ceremony for Memorial Day. As we prepare for this time of reflection, we collectively honor the military members who made the ultimate sacrifice. We will remember these two service members and so many others who’ve paid that price.

May is also Military Spouse Appreciation Month—thank you all who were involved in making last Friday’s Airmen and Family Readiness Center’s Open House a success.

Last Sunday, I hope you had a chance to recognize or were fittingly recognized for the importance mothers all over have in family life and as pillars of stability. I did, and I con-tinue to show gratitude for my mother and to the mother of my children, my wife, Michele.

Although the month of May was proclaimed the month we show appreciation for military

spouses, anytime you reflect on the support you’ve received is a good time to say, “Thank you.” We should be in the habit of appreciating those around us we consider family.

For this week’s “shout outs” I want to thank the members of the 6th Security Forces Squadron for organizing base participation in last week’s 2011 National Police Week Fall-en Police Officer Memorial 5K Run in honor of all fallen military and civilian officers.

The 91st Air Refueling Squadron pilots and the boom operator who assisted by supporting the “Leadership Hillsborough” tour deserve recognition for their effort in sustaining Mac-Dill AFB community relations ties. Recently Capt. Justin Capper, Capt. Michael Ava-los and Airman 1st Class Shaun Conners showcased the KC-135 Stratotanker by ex-plaining the flying mission. The Airmen and civic leaders enjoyed the day and enhanced close bonds between MacDill AFB and the Hillsborough community.

I also want to thank, 2nd Lt. Alessandra Horban, 2nd Lt. Jamie Brunette, 2nd Lt. Megan Meenan, 2nd Lt. Scott Heinlein, 1st Lt. Jessica Wruck, 1st Lt. James Scott, 1st Lt. Rachael Mooney, Chaplain (Capt.) Meoshia Sanders, Capt. Troy Novak, and Capt. Paula Clark, members of the base’s Company Grade Officers Council who did a phenomenal job hosting the CGO Profes-

sional Development Conference in Tampa this month.

6th Medical Group’s Senior Airman Taw-ny Uemura-Oquendo public health member and PIMR administrator created a security clearance tracking system and database up-date scheme that increased IMR rate for the base substantially.

I am proud to serve with you in the finest Air Mobility Wing on the face of the planet!

COMMANDER’s CORNER

MacDill ThunderboltPublisher: Denise Palmer

Editor: Nick Stubbs

The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt News-papers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. government, the Department of De-

fense, the Department of the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobil-ity Wing.

The appearance of advertising in this publication, in-cluding inserts or supplements, does not constitute en-dorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspa-pers, Inc., of the products or service 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 affiliation or any other non-mer-it factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.

Display advertising or classified advertising information

may be obtained by calling 259-7455. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submit-

ted to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, Bldg. 25, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at 828-4586. Email: [email protected].

Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received af-ter deadline may be considered for future use. All submis-sions are considered for publication based on news value and timeliness.

Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clar-ity, brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Style-book and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.

COMMANDER’S ACTION LINEThe Action Line provides a two-way communication between the 6th Air

Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or com-ments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or e-mail [email protected]

Photo by Staff Sgt. Angela Ruiz

Col. Lenny Richoux, 6th Air Mobility Wing com-mander, presents Ms. Herta Pila with a plaque honoring her as the guest speaker for the Ho-locaust days of remembrance at MacDill Air Force Base chapel. Ms. Herta Pila is a Holo-caust survivor who now lives with her family in Florida.

Condolence and thanks; Team MacDill standouts for the week

Your T-bolt Today

News/Features: page 16

British cadets drop in on 927th


Fallen hero comes home

MacDill Community: page 28

Events, movies, more...

NEWS/FEATURES


Road construction details

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Grab-it Device.Area of Work

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Special to the Thunderbolt

On April 20, Secretary Janet Napolitano vis-ited New York City to announce the implemen-tation of the Department of Homeland Securi-ty’s new National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) to replace the color-coded threat ad-visory system and underscore the critical role of all Americans in keeping our country safe. The Secretary announced the NTAS on Jan. 27, during her “State of America’s Homeland Security” address beginning the 90-day transi-tion period with state and local governments, law enforcement, private and non-profit sector partners, airports, and other transportation hubs.

The following NTAS web pages, http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/ntas.shtm, http://www.dhs.gov/alerts, and http://www.dhs.gov/alerts provide information about the new system, in-cluding:

u A Public Guide for Citizensu A template for NTAS alertu A link to the press release announcing the launch of NTASu A link to a blog posting on NTASu Examples of the new NTAS posters that will appear in airports and other public venues to replace the color-coded images

As Secretary Napolitano says in her video message to all employees, “Everyone has a role

to play in our shared security, and the new NTAS system will provide Americans with the information they need to play their role. At DHS, we are proud of the work we do to secure America, and we are proud to work with the American people to secure our communities.”

National Terrorism Advisory Stystem up and running

The Davis Conference Center has two open-ings for a staff sergeant – technical sergeant. Any AFSC (5- or 7-skill level) may apply for the positions with a report date of June 1. Duties include tasks required for the daily operations of the DCC:

• Support to event planning activities, in-cluding meeting set up, rearranging conference rooms, and posting informational signs

• Responsible for identifying and reporting maintenance issues

• Responsible for working with Conference Coordinator to execute daily schedule

• Communicate directly with management staff on conference center projects

Because of its technical nature and the in-vestment in training required, applicants are expected to remain in this position for one year.Qualifications:

• Possess excellent customer service skills• Able to communicate with staff and guests

in a professional manner• Ability to make sound decisions and multi-

task • Detail oriented• Professional demeanor and appearance

How to apply:Contact Mr. Kevin Thompson, DCC Direc-

tor, at 828-6601 or e-mail: [email protected]. Individuals must obtain their organizational commander’s approved release.

National Terrorism Advisory SystemNTAS

www.DHS.gov/alerts

One of several new airport poster designs used in conjunction with the NTAS.

by Col. David Pavey927th Air Refueling Wing commander

As we roll through another spectacular Tampa Bay area spring, there’s barely time to acknowledge the passing season. It would be coy to say there were some “unsettling things” going on in the world. Anyone who pays any attention to recent world events should note current events are replete with example of wars, natural disasters, and governments toppling. Change seems constant, and much of it’s not good. Still, regardless of all this, the things that make our lives relevant don’t change.

Regardless of what exactly triggered your decision to serve this nation, I can’t help but believe that fundamentally you wished to make your nation better; stronger. What we call ‘our nation’ is ultimately our extended and immediate families, families within fami-lies. We strive for them; ensuring our nation does not “perish from this earth,” as Abraham Lincoln stated nearly 150 years ago.

You are members of that extended family, making up the best Air Force on the earth. You have faced many challenges recently, and it doesn’t look as if they are going to stop

Commentary

There’s a lot going on in the world, isn’t there?

See COMMENTARY, Page 12

Job Opening at DCC

NEWS/FEATURES

by Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes 927th Air Refueling Wing

This is the second of a three-part series on Louisville, Ky. native Col. Eugene Kinnaird, former commander of the 63rd Troop Carrier Squadron. Today the unit is the 63rd Air Refu-eling Squadron, stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

For Colonel Kinnaird, flying didn’t just pro-vide him with a livelihood; it also linked him to love. Were it not for his enjoyment of acrobatic flying, he may never have caught the attention of a young university student. More than 70 years later, she sits by his side on the couch in their home and tells her part of the story.

“I was in a Spanish class at the University of Kentucky when a plane came flying in be-tween the buildings,” Jean Kinnaird said. The professor, Dr. Hernandez, shouted ‘There’s my friend Kinnaird!’”

When Colonel Kinnaird returned to the

airfield at Fort Knox, he was met by his com-mander.

“He was none too pleased with me,” Colonel Kinnaird said.

Colonel Kinnaird asked how the commander knew it was him and not one of the other pilots flying that day. The commander said that the plane’s number, written on the wing, was re-ported.

“I asked if they got it from the bottom of my wing,” Colonel Kinnaird said. He chuckled as he answered himself.

“They said no, they got the number from the top of my wing!”

While’ barnstorming’ was more common in that era, the military did not turn a blind eye. For his aerial acrobatics, he was ordered to live in a pup tent on the runway beside his airplane for a week. Fortunately, Colonel Kinnaird’s mission at the University of Kentucky was a success - he and Jean have been married for 70 years. Although there were fewer divorces

in the 1940s than there are today, they were not unheard of. When some friends of the Kin-nairds’ were going through a divorce, the young couple made a pact with each other:

“Dad importuned Mom that they agree to never let anything come between them that would threaten their union. They will celebrate 71 years this August!” said Thomas Kinnaird, one of Kinnaird’s sons.

According to another of Colonel Kinnaird’s sons, the young pilot made her his first priority then and every year throughout their marriage - his faithfulness to her stands as a testament to their union’s success today.

With no immediate use for military pilots like Colonel Kinnaird prior to World War II, he exited the military and worked as an airline pilot for American Airlines, flying DC-2s. The job was going well, and he had high seniority in the new company. One day, he received a tele-gram from the president.

The roots go deep: An interview with one of the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron’s first commanders

See ROOTS, Page 16

Solemn returnAirman and family members pay proper respects to U.S. Air Force Major Raymond G. Estelle II as his remains arrive on the flightline at MacDill Air Force Base May 6. Major Estelle, 40, died April 27, at the Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from gunfire. He was assigned to Langley Air Force Base, Va.

Photo by Airman Basic David Tracy

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) is now open for enrollment with coverage beginning May 1, 2011.

Uniformed services dependents under 26, unmarried, and not eligible for their own employer-sponsored health care coverage may be qualified to purchase TYA, which offers TRICARE Standard coverage for monthly premiums of $186.

A premium-based TRICARE Prime benefit will be available later this year.

Dependent eligibility for TRICARE previously ended at age 21, or age 23 for full-time college students. Similar to provisions in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, TYA extends the opportunity for young adults to continue TRICARE health care coverage, as long as their sponsor is still eligible for TRICARE.

Complete information and application forms are available at www.tri-care.mil/tya. TRICARE officials encourage beneficiaries to explore all pos-sible health care plan options and costs when choosing a plan that best meets their needs.

Those considering TYA should determine if they are eligible before com-pleting and sending in an application. The application and payment of three months of premiums can be dropped off at a TRICARE Service Cen-ter or sent by mail or faxed directly to the appropriate regional health care contractor.

Beneficiaries can find out where to send their form and payment by fill-ing out the simple profile at www.tricare.mil to get information tailored to their specific location. Once the initial payment is made, monthly premi-ums must be paid in advance through automated electronic payment.

When the application is processed, TRICARE coverage will begin the first day of the following month. However, since TYA was “fast-tracked” to begin enrollment as soon as systems changes, forms, premiums and other rules governing the program were approved and in place, TRICARE Man-

New TRICARE program covers young adults under 26

HEALTH

See TRICARE, Page 12

Maintenance of the Outbound Vehi-cle Grab System at Dale Mabry Gate is scheduled for May 15 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. North bound traffic on North Boundary Road will be diverted to one southbound lane during the maintenance. There will be one lane of travel in either direction. Please exercise caution through this area during this time.

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Dale Mabry Gate maintenance, closure

anytime soon. This nation, this Air Force, works because you and your families make it work. Thank each other. Appreciate each other.

It just so happens that Mother’s Day was last week. While you were thanking your family, I hope you took the time to make this a special occasion to thank mom. Moms are pretty much the reason human civi-lization has survived all these years. If you, (like myself) don’t have your own mom to thank, thank someone else’s mom - they’re special. By the way, I THANK YOU for your excellent service and sacrifice.

COMMENTARYFrom Page 3

agement Activity will allow eligible applicants to be covered for the full month of May as long as enrollment forms and payment are received (not postmarked) by the regional contractor prior to May 31, 2011.

Those eligible for TYA who have been saving receipts since Jan. 1, 2011,

in anticipation of the new program, can also pay all premiums back to January to purchase coverage retroactively.

After getting a welcome letter and enrollment card, dependents and their sponsor are encouraged to visit uniformed services identification (ID) card issuing facility to obtain a dependent ID card. The card will as-sist in identifying the dependent as eligible for health care, prescriptions and access to military installations. Nearby ID card facilities can be found through a link at www.tricare.mil/tya.

The signing of the National Defense Authorization Act in January 2011, brought TRICARE in line with the provisions of the 2010 Patient Protec-tion and Affordable Care Act, and enabled the extension of excellent TRI-CARE coverage to this new group. The TRICARE Management Activity appreciates all government partners who helped make this benefit avail-able so quickly.

To get e-alerts on TYA and other TRICARE news, sign up at www.tri-care.mil/subscriptions.

TRICAREFrom Page 6

by Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake 321st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

ALI AIR BASE, Iraq — A Reservist deployed from Florida took command of the 407th Air Ex-peditionary Group from a Guardsman deployed from Minnesota during a change of command ceremony April 16.

Col. Theodore Mathews Jr., a veteran KC-135 Stratotanker pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours, took command of the group from Col. Jim Johnson who served as the commander since October 2010.

“I am truly honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead our Airmen in executing the final phase of operations in Iraq,” Colonel Mathews said shortly after taking command. “My goal [during this transition] is to success-fully and safely accomplish the Operation New Dawn mission while mentoring the Iraqi Air Force.”

As the Air Force’s senior commander at Ali Air Base, Colonel Mathews is in charge of more than 250 Total Force Airmen in two squadrons

and six flights. Previously, Colonel Mathews served as the 927th Air Refueling Wing vice commander at MacDill Air Force Base.

“It’s important that Airmen here remain vigi-lant and confident as we meet all challenges both big and small throughout the final phases of transition,” Colonel Mathews said. “I have the utmost confidence and pride in all of you and know your performance will be nothing less than excellent.”

During his six months as 407th AEG com-mander, Colonel Johnson led the effort to reduce the unit’s footprint at Iraq’s most significant

southern airfield by nearly 40 percent. He also provided leadership and guidance to hundreds of Airmen who supported more than 19,000 combat missions, transported more than 40,000 passengers and delivered more than 4,000 tons of cargo.

After handing over the group’s guidon to Col. Michael Jordan, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander who presided over the ceremo-ny, Colonel Johnson will return to his Minnesota Air National Guard unit, the 133rd Airlift Wing, in St. Paul, Minn., where he serves as the vice wing commander.

927th reservist takes charge of Ali Base unit

Photo by Staff Sgt. Ben Harper

More than 75 servicemembers and civilians attended the 407th Air Expeditionary Group’s change of command ceremony April 16.

“I got a message saying, ‘You are ordered to report to Patterson Field at your earliest conve-nience, no later than 24 hours from now,’” Colo-nel Kinnaird said with a laugh. He did as he was ordered, and joined the ranks of the more than 16 million servicemembers in the United States who fought in World War II.

Colonel Kinnaird and Jean learned quickly that they would rarely call one place home for long while he was serving his country.

It was at this point in 1942 that Colonel Kin-naird was assigned to the newly formed 63rd Troop Carrier Squadron, a unit he would soon come to command. Started as a unit comprised solely of a private, it was quickly assigned pi-lots and support personnel. Decades later, the unit would be renamed the 63rd Air Refuel-ing Squadron (ARS). Although the 63rd ARS now calls MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. home, it originated in Kentucky. Like many units dur-ing this time, it was quickly moved to where it could be of the best use in training its people for upcoming battles.

For Colonel Kinnaird and his men, this was Fort Bragg. Fort Bragg stands as a testament to the pre-war buildup of troops. In the early 1940s, the base went from hosting about 5,000 personnel to more than 60,000. The 63rd Troop Carrier Squadron was among those shuttled there to practice reconnaissance and para-trooper deployment missions.

“I flew gliders at Fort Bragg, and there was a thunderstorm that killed everyone on board an aircraft (carrying paratroopers),” Colonel Kinnaird said, sadness filling his voice. In one of the hardest duties of his life, he served as the notification official for the servicemembers’ newly-widowed wives in the area.

Colonel Kinnaird slows his speech and looks around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone there. He recalls going house to house on the base, and how the women all knew him from the unit and were happy to see him until he gave them the news.

“If you think you’ve had a hard deal, I’ll match that against any deal you’ve ever had - to tell a young married woman that her hus-band has been killed.”

After a few more moves, Colonel Kinnaird was informed he would see duty in the Pacif-ic. He kissed his wife and 2 year-old daughter goodbye, and put on a pendant that he would wear throughout his time in the war. Getting there, however, would require a 16-hour flight to Hawaii - not an easy task in the early 1940s, and especially not in a C-47.

“A C-47 held 800 gallons of fuel, only half of what it would take to get to Honolulu!” Colonel Kinnaird exclaimed. “They had to put an 800 gallon tank of fuel in the fuselage.”

The gross operating weight for a C-47 was 25,000 pounds. This was the maximum weight the plane could hold and remain operable and maneuverable, not taking into account the very real possibility of encountering Japanese forces along the way.

“Before we left ‘Frisco,’ my plane was weighed in at 31,000 pounds!” Colonel Kinnaird said. On the takeoff, he said that to this day, “I don’t know whether I ran out of runway, or whether the plane just kept going.”

In addition to being overweight by 6,000 pounds, the six men onboard had to share a five-man life raft. Colonel Kinnaird hoped he had enough fuel for the remaining 16 hours of flight to Hawaii.

After refitting in Hawaii, Colonel Kinnaird and his squadron flew to New Caledonia. Al-though they maintained strict radio silence and censors monitored their outgoing mail, they were still met with a surprise when they landed on an island that took up just over 6,000 square miles.

“We thought we were super-secret with our codes until we listened to Tokyo Rose on the ra-dio,” Colonel Kinnaird said. “When we landed, she said ‘Welcome to the Islands, all you guys from the 63rd’!”

The 63rd’s tour of duty in the Pacific would be full of surprises - like many of the Allied forces during World War II, it would be how much they could accomplish with so little. “We were part of a transport with the Marines, Air Corps and Navy. We all came together to com-plete the mission,” Colonel Kinnaird said.

Although he was very young for a squadron commander by today’s standards - Colonel Kin-naird was 25 years old and a captain when he landed on New Caledonia - there were other squadron commanders who were lieutenants, some younger than him. When not flying mis-sions, the young men did what young men are known for doing - finding ways to make trou-ble.

Although not the high-quality spirits they were used to, for being on an island somewhere in the South Pacific, they made do. When asked how such a concoction tasted, Colonel Kin-naird’s memory served him well:

“It tasted wonderful.”According to Colonel Kinnaird, when his unit

ROOTSFrom Page 4

See ROOTS, Page 22

by Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes 927th Air Refueling Wing

MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. - In early 2003, tens of thousands of American military forces were fighting fierce battles up the high-ways and backroads of southern Iraq.

It was the more than forty-thousand British forces that remained largely in the South, holding hard-earned positions and protect-ing Iraq’s valuable oilfields. This was not the first time Britain and America’s military worked together, nor would it be the last. Most recently, 15 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve cadets and seven staff members visited the 927th Air Refueling Wing to learn about the unit’s mission and the tasks both air forces share.

The day began for the group with a brief on the role the 927th ARW plays at MacDill with its partner, the active-duty 6th Air Mo-bility Wing. Wing Commander Michelle Tinworth, a Royal Air Force officer at Central Command, explained to the British cadets the im-portant role Central Command plays in international military op-erations.

“America and the U.K. are known to work well together and the visit enforces this,” said Flight Lieutenant John Wohlgemuth of the RAF Volunteer Reserve. “The representatives from Central Com-mand informed the cadets of the importance of working with other countries and having face-to-face relations with them, to keep rela-tions sweet as possible and conflicts to a minimum. These cadets have seen first-hand the U.S. and U.K. working together to keep us safe.”

In addition to meeting the RAF Wing Commander, the cadets also received a brief from Lt. Col. Michel Escudie, the community rela-tions officer at Central Command. It is Colonel Escudie’s job to work with the dozens of nations represented at the command’s interna-tional coalition, making him a subject-matter-expert in coalition military relations.

“These cadets are gaining a more strategic perspective on the military’s role in world affairs,” Colonel Escudie said. “I think these cadets, like many people at MacDill and in Tampa, don’t realize the size and value of coalition forces here. They are professionals and are a crucial part of our team.”

The cadets were then on their way for a tour of the maintenance facility the 927th ARW uses to keep its fleet of KC-135 Tankers op-erational. At the facility, the cadets received a demonstration in how the machinists can take a part no longer in production and reverse-engineer it using a computer program. From there, the students were able to see a water jet demonstration, where the same com-puter blueprints generated are used to guide a computerized metal drill to fabricate the part.

“It was good to see the workshop fabrication facility and seeing how spare parts were duplicated and made. It is something for the mechanically-minded to think about as a possible career,” said Flight Lt. Wohlgemuth.

Taking care of ‘the next generation’: British Royal AF Cadets visit MacDill

See CADETS, Page 26

Photos by Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes

(Top) Staff Sgt. Michael Johnston, an aircraft met-als technology machinist, briefs 15 visiting cadets and seven staff members from the British Royal Air Force Cadets program. Johnston, a native of Or-lando, Fla., demonstrated the Air Force’s ability to use computers to reverse engineer aircraft parts no longer in production. The cadets and staff spent the day on MacDill learning about the United States Air Force Reserve. (Right) Sergeant Johnston, scans the hand of British Air Cadet Aaron Thompkins, of Enfield, Britain. Johnston demonstrated the Air Force’s ability to scan a piece of equipment, or a human hand, into a computer system so it could be engineered and re-created.

Off we go!


(Above) Senior Airman Robert Dougherty, a reservist with the 927th Air Refueling Wing here, sits with his two boys; Lo-gan, 4, and Zack, 3, before deploying to the East Asia Theater of Operations. (Right) Sergeant Quinn and his wife Erin are not ignoring each other moments before he deploys, rather, they use their phones to set up the Skype connection that will keep them connected during the months Robert is away.


Staff Sgt. Robert Quinn and his wife Erin said their goodbyes April 28 before Robert, an avionics technician with the 927th Air Refueling Wing, deployed to the East Asia Theater of Operations. Robert is a reservist with the unit and had to put his two businesses on hold while he serves his country.

Courtesy of MacDill Environmental

Inspired by Earth Day, folks across MacDill Air Force Base set out to improve our commu-nity by engaging in a number of earth-friendly projects during the waning days of April. Events ranged from planting trees for Arbor Day, to educating our youth on the benefits of native plants, to a thorough cleanup of our magnificent coastline. Summarized below, these events un-derscore the strong commitment of base mem-bers to protect and preserve the base’s natural resources which, in return, provide invaluable ecosystem services to benefit mankind.

To kick off a week-long celebration of the planet Earth, MacDill celebrated Arbor Day in grand style April 20. In honor of the special day, 15 students from Ms. Shelly Wresinski’s fourth-grade class participated in tree education and awareness activities and planted five native trees around the playground area at Tinker El-ementary School. Col. Lenny Richoux, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander, and Robert Hughes, 6th Civil Engineer Squadron Director, were on hand to read the official Arbor Day Proclama-tion and talk to the students about trees on base. MacDill’s commitment to maintaining a healthy urban forest has consistently earned a Tree City USA certification from the Arbor Day Foundation and the Florida Division of Forestry

for the past 14 years. On Earth Day, April 22, more than 100 mili-

tary and civilian volunteers participated in the 2011 Coastal Cleanup. Volunteers ranged in age from 6 to 66, and represented a wide range of organizations including all of the Groups from the 6th Air Mobility Wing, U.S. Central Com-mand, U.S. Special Operations Command, Cub Scouts, and U.S. Water Services. Everyone was enthusiastic about doing their part to clean-up our coastline. The large group was divided into four teams, each tackling a separate section of shoreline. Some sections were traversed easily, while others involved climbing through man-groves, crossing tidal creeks and braving thou-sands of hungry mosquitoes. The shortest but most treacherous route was dubbed the dread-ed “Commando Section” and only the most ad-venturous participants dared to tackle this in-timidating tangle of mangrove roots, vines, and muddy marsh grass beds. In all, more than 2.5 miles of shoreline were scrubbed clean as volun-teers collected more than 1,500 pounds of trash and floating debris. The most common items found were plastic and glass bottles, Styrofoam cups, and lost articles of clothing. A whopping 500 pounds of pressure treated lumber was also collected and taken to the base transfer station for recycling. The most unique item found was

2011 Earth Day inspires green events at MacDill

Courtesy photo

Volunteers squirmed their way through the dense mangroves along the southern shoreline of MacDill, going the extra mile to gather trash collected among the trees.

See EARTH DAY, Page 24

was flying supplies onto the Pacific Islands and flying wounded troops off of them, there was nothing they wouldn’t carry.

“If we could get the door shut (on the aircraft) we’d try to takeoff,” Colonel Kinnaird said. He added that when he thought of all the battles the troops were fighting on the islands his heart went out to them. The same look crosses his face that must’ve been used to convince his crews to fly on such dangerous missions in a dangerously overweight aircraft as he says “You can’t turn those people down.”

While Colonel Kinnaird never participated in an aerial dogfight, he did see his share of combat airfields. Military intelligence did its best to let Colonel Kinnaird know which islands to avoid flying over, but some-times that wasn’t enough.

“There’s 10,000 islands, and we never knew which ones the Japs were on,” Colonel Kinnaird said. “When we flew into Munda, an island north of Guadalcanal, we never shut the engines down. The Japanese had ar-tillery that could come into the airport.”

Although he avoided being wounded during his time in the Pacific, not all of his planes were so lucky. On a few occasions, he would land a plane safely on a runway only to find bullet holes punched in the bottom of his aircraft.

Combat supplies and wounded troops weren’t all Colonel Kinnaird and his squadron delivered, however. Kinnaird remembers flying Bob Hope to a USO show. Colonel Kinnaird remembers the female singer that accompanied the star more than Bob Hope himself, however.

From the way Colonel Kinnaird speaks of Gen. Douglas MacArthur,

it would be easy for a person to think that they knew each other per-sonally. That wouldn’t be the truth, but it is pretty close. While Colonel Kinnaird and his men stayed in foxholes and huts, they were usually in eyesight of the cottage that General MacArthur and his family lived in. Colonel Kinnaird speaks about General Macarthur with the same tone he would use when describing an old friend - always referring to him as ‘Dugout Doug.’

“There are a thousand pictures of Dugout Doug walking ashore in the water,” Colonel Kinnaird said. He is quick to add “But you can bet your house and lot there were ten thousand soldiers ahead of him waiting on the beach!”

Although many troops who served on the islands never saw rest and relaxation passes to nearby Australia and New Zealand, Colonel Kin-naird’s unique position as a pilot and a squadron commander allowed him to see both.

“Six days of every 60 we went on R and R,” he recalls. “They just couldn’t spare us any more than that.”

When in Australia, Auckland was a favorite stopover for Kinnaird and his fellow officers. When asked what they did while on R&R from living in huts and flying seven days a week, his answer is simply:

“We ate!”On the way back to the war zone, Colonel Kinnaird would often carry

back things the troops couldn’t get on the island - fresh fruit and meat.By the end of combat operations, the 63rd was part of a group that

earned six purple hearts and one Silver Star for their work in the war.

ROOTSFrom Page 14

40 feet of 2-inch diameter marine rope which the Boy Scouts kept to reuse for future tug-o-war con-tests.

The participants worked hard all morning to improve the health and appearance of the base. Trash can be a serious problem for boat-ers, fish, birds, and other wild-life in addition to diminishing the aesthetic value of the base. The MacDill Coastal Cleanup ef-fort was just one of more than 35 cleanup sites around Hillsborough County that were part of the 2011 Great American Cleanup event. Thousands of tons of trash were removed across our country as groups participated in the Great American Cleanup event, spon-sored locally by Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful and Tampa Bay Beautification. Thanks to all those who came out for this worthwhile event.

Rounding out a week of earth-friendly activities, on April 27, students at MacDill’s Youth Cen-ter participated in several envi-ronmentally themed activities

conducted by 6th CES support contract staff. First, the children designed logos and created slo-gans that they felt represented important environmental themes on base. Some of the slogans cre-ated by the youth included, “Green Isn’t Mean, It’s Clean” and “Let the Flowers Grow.” Mr. Eric Vi-chich also introduced the children to several species of plants native to Florida and led an interactive discussion on their uses and ben-efits. The students were interested to learn that planting native spe-cies saves water, reduces mainte-nance and the need for fertilizer and pesticides, provides food and shelter for wildlife and helps sup-port the many pollinators that we depend on for agriculture and food production.

After an engaging slideshow, the students were good and ready for some hands-on experience with native plants. The following day, the students planted native plant material in a student-maintained landscape bed at the Center. In-dividuals visiting the Youth Cen-

ter can now get up close and per-sonal with red-tipped cocoplum, coonties, muhly grass, bluestem palmettos, dotted horsemint, blan-ketflower, and beautyberry. The students also planted scarlet milk-weed which, while not native, is an important food source and larval plant for the monarch butterfly. The students also learned about landscape design, transplanting and plant care. Students and em-ployees at the Youth Center enjoy the new plants so much they plan to insert some of these species into their home landscapes. MacDill’s Environmental Flight engages the base’s youth population to develop a conservation ethic in the next generation of Airmen and ensure sustainability for our community, our Air Force and our nation.

All of these events highlight the importance of individual par-ticipation in caring for our natural environment. Sometimes environ-mental problems are perceived to be global issues that are beyond the control of the individual. The volunteers that participated in the

2011 Earth Week events proved that one person can make a dif-ference, and a motivated, socially conscientious group can make an even bigger difference!

EARTH DAYFrom Page 20

Courtesy photo

A volunteer hauls off debris found among the mangroves along the MacDill shoreline.

by Col. Billy Graham (USAF Ret.)

Friends,We have lost two longtime members re-

cently. Ms. Letha Edwards passed away April 1 and Senior Master Sgt. Lloyd “Lindy” Lindemuth (USAF Ret.) passed away April 22. Ms. Edwards, widow of a retiree, was a senior counselor from 2003 until her re-cent passing. Lindy served as a volunteer senior counselor and deputy for administra-tion at the MacDill RAO since 2004. Many of you might have been in frequent contact with Letha and Lindy since they had spent numerous hours manning the RAO kiosk at the Exchange Food Court. We are grateful to these volunteer counselors for their service and dedication and will surely miss them. We wish to extend our sincere condolences to their families.

The 2011 Air Force Retiree Council meet-ing (I am a member) has been canceled due to lack of funding. Field issues will be han-

dled by e-mail. We hope to meet next year.Retiree Appreciation Day is scheduled for

Sept. 24. This event will be held in conjunc-tion with the Army and Air Force Exchange “Still Serving” sales event. The RAD event will feature many free services to retirees in addition to special discounts and promotions offered by AAFES. More details will be pro-vided as we approach this date.

As a continuing, year-round service, the Retiree Activities Office (located next to the commissary) will prepare and electronically file your taxes – at no cost to you! This ser-vice is available to military retirees, widows/widowers, and active duty members in all branches of service. Contact the RAO tax of-fice at 813-828-0248 to set up your appoint-ments.

The MacDill RAO is currently in need of counselors. Come join our volunteer staff. We are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., except on holidays. The telephone number is 813-828-4555.

Retiree Activities Office - A message from the director

Another RAF staff member, Flight Sgt. Daz Wilkinson said “I myself found it very interest-ing how engineering (Airmen) manufactured parts for their aircraft, as coming from The Roy-al Air Force, we had to manufacture components to keep equipment working as well.”

One of the youngest cadets was 16 years old, and was also impressed with the machinist shop.

“You have quite a few nice toys to play with,” said Cadet Aaron Tompkins.

No 927th ARW tour would be complete with-out an up-close view of the workhorse of the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker Jet. Pilots, crew members and maintenance mechanics were on hand to greet the cadets and answer any ques-tions they had about the aircraft, built before any of the cadets were born.

The crew of the KC-135 was extremely good at explaining their jobs and roles, said Flight Lt. Wohlgemuth.

When the cadets finished their tour of the aircraft, they departed the ramp for the con-trol tower to see the air traffic simulator and walk around the actual air traffic control room. One of the cadet’s flight sergeants said the con-trol tower was the most educational part of the tour.

“I’d say the best bit was the visit to the tow-er. Just looking at the technology they had was amazing,” said Cadet Flight Sgt. Daniel Stride. “The tower simulator was also very good. Be-ing able to simulate any eventuality must be so beneficial to the members of the Air Force.”

The tour concluded with a stop at the base’s Marina and beach so the British cadets and staff could enjoy something they don’t see much in Britain - warm water and hot, sandy shores. As the visit drew to a close, the staff commented on the value of bringing young cadets on tours of foreign military installations.

“The cadets gained a valuable insight into the day to day running of an airbase, not just that aircraft fly there, but also what goes on behind the scenes to keep those aircraft flying,” said Flight Sgt. Wilkinson. He added, “It is im-portant for cadets and staff to mix with foreign militaries, because if they do join one of our ser-vices they may have to work with military per-sonnel from different countries, with different backgrounds and customs.”

The group’s leader, Flight Lt. Wohlgemuth, thought the tour had an impact that will stick with cadets throughout their military careers.

“These cadets are our future: ‘The Next Gen-eration’ is our slogan,” he said. “Some cadets had never been abroad, most had seen the RAF at work whilst visiting bases in the U.K., but to be invited to a U.S. Air Force base and to be shown around, how exciting is that for them? All the cadets were very impressed.”

CADETSFrom Page 16

MACDILL COMMUNITYEVENTS

Friday - 7 p.m. Limitless (PG-13)

AT THE MOVIESSaturday - 7 p.m.

Diary of a Whimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (PG-13)

Saturday - 3 p.m. Hop (PG)

$4 for adults / $2 for children 828-2780

FridayArts & Crafts Center – Crafters Corner

FREE Open Scrapbooking from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Teens welcome!

Bayshore ClubMembership Breakfast from

6:30-9 a.m.

Seascapes“Margaritaville” Membership

Dinner from 5:30-9 p.m. Members Free! Reservations required call 840-2120.

SaturdayChild & Youth 6th Annual Con-ference

At the Youth Center starting at 8a.m. Reservations required call 828-2244.

SundayMacDill Lanes

King/Queen of the Hill at 2 p.m. $25 entry fee.

Monday-Sunday Bay Palms Golf Complex

Bingo Bonanza available every-day from 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. $1 a card. Instant payout!

Tuesday Airman & Family Readiness Center

Spouse-2-Spouse from 9:30-11 a.m. Open conversation about is-sues relating to deployments and an opportunity to meet new friends.

Tuesday & Thursday Bay Palms Golf Complex

FREE Active Duty Clinic from 12-1 p.m.

WednesdayShort Fitness & Sports Center

Cardio Challenge from 11 a.m.-noon. Sign up by the May 17.

Protestant servicesSunday - 9 a.m. – Praise Worship Service Noon – Gospel ServiceIslamic servicesFriday - 1:30 p.m. - Prayer Service

Catholic servicesSaturday - 4:30 p.m. - Confession 5:30 p.m. - MassSunday - 10:30 a.m. - MassMonday to Thursday: 12:10 p.m. - Mass

CHAPEL SCHEDULE

For all other faith inquiries or to view upcoming event information, call the Chapel at 828-3621 or visit the Web site at www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel

Virtual jump!U.S. Army Sgt. Jonathan Copley, the Joint Communications Support Element parachute pack non- commissioned officer in charge, assists Capt. Raymond Funke, the 56th Medical Information Sys-tems flight commander, with parachute simulation training during the Air Force Company Grade Officer Professional Development Conference tour of the joint parachute facility at MacDill Air Force Base May 3. The conference theme was, “Culture-Competence-Leadership.”

Photo by Senior Airman Linzi Joseph

by Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr.Air Mobility Command Commander

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Air Mobility Command recently called up hundreds of Guard, Reserve and active duty Airmen to support Op-erations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector.

We gave these Airmen between 4 and 36 hours notice to get on an aircraft and forward deploy. These amazing Airmen answered the call to pro-tect freedom and innocent lives. But, the conse-quence of our expeditionary force is that we of-ten leave families and loved ones behind and ask them to pick up the pieces.

Right now a spouse of a deployed Airman is at home alone and having a very rough day. Maybe the children are sick, or the car broke down, or a water pipe broke and flooded the basement. While our bases have established a robust sup-port network, it’s often hard for Airmen and fami-lies to know when to ask for help. At those times, help needs to be delivered...sometimes right to the front door.

One base with particularly harsh winters re-cently found a unique way to deliver help -- the

Airmen and spouse support network shovels driveways for those Airmen who are deployed. While shoveling the driveway, they also take the opportunity to knock on the door and check up on the Airmen’s families.

On one day a spouse was out shoveling a drive-way and knocked on the door just to check in. He found a mom with three sick children almost at her wit’s end. He made a simple offer to pick up groceries for her because he dared to care. That offer of help, delivered when it was needed, made a world of difference in one family’s life.

Although this great initiative can’t be imple-mented at every base, this example highlights that we as Airmen and spouses should not wait by the phone for those in need to call. We must get a little bit nosy, find out what our Airmen and families need and be there to deliver it.

Now, it takes a lot of courage for these Airmen and spouses to reach out because our society has changed over the years. When I grew up and new families moved in, neighbors used to greet them with plates of cookies. Today, many of us never even meet our neighbors much less welcome in-terference from a nosy neighbor. The way we com-municate with one another has changed too.

Thanks to technology, we can text and email constantly, but we’ve also become more isolated

making it harder to actually physically reach out to one another. Yet, as leaders we cannot follow this societal trend. We must encourage and devel-op strong, connected Air Force communities, and we must “dare to care.” I would offer Comprehen-sive Airman Fitness is just that simple - it’s about reaching out to deliver a helping hand.

There’s a second story I want to share with you. Just a few months ago, one of our Airmen was going through significant personal difficul-ties. He began talking to the chaplain, and that helped, but everyone in his office realized he was still troubled. Then, one day he suddenly left work and didn’t come back.

The Airmen who worked with him knew this was out of character and something wasn’t right. When he didn’t answer his phone, Airmen drove to his house to look for him. When they arrived, they quickly realized that although the garage door was closed, a vehicle was running inside.

The group forced the garage door open and found him passed out in his running car. Later, medical professionals would tell them, he was on-ly minutes away from being non-revivable. Recog-nizing when someone needs help and delivering it -- even when you need to break down a garage door to reach them - that is Comprehensive Air-men Fitness!

Dare to careCommentary

Vol. 40, No. 19 Friday, May 13, 2011

Documents

Transcript of Vol. 40, No. 19 Friday, May 13, 2011