MacDill honors vets - page 14. Vol. 41, No. 46 Thursday, November 14, 2013

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1 Vol. 41, No. 46 Thursday, November 14, 2013 News/Features: page 3 Critical inspections Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week News/Features: page 10 Off to the races News/Features: page 16 Bronze Star awarded Community: page 25 Events, Chapel, more... MacDill honors vets - page 14 Photo by Senior Airman Shandresha Mitchell Members of Team MacDill render a salute during the Veterans Day ceremony Friday at MacDill Air Force Base. MacDill hosted a ceremony in honor of all past and current veterans at the base flag pole.

2 COMMANDER S CORNER A new recipe for Compliance by Col. Brian Smith 6th Operations Group commander As many of you already know, the Air Force is in the process of implementing a new inspection program which differs from any other previous programs. It relies on commanders to determine their organization s deficient areas with assistance from the Management Internal Control Toolset (MICT) and lead them back into compliance. This non-traditional recipe contains many ingredients which when combined, will culminate in success as we transition to this new inspection process. Each one of the ingredients proper planning, honest assessments and documentation contribute to the overall quality and outcome of the product. Leave any of them out or get them out of balance, and you ll have a recipe for disaster. The first important ingredient for success is proper planning. You must fully understand your task by defining your objectives and understanding its scope. In our case, we must always start compliance with Air Force Instructions (AFIs). We have to ask ourselves are we following the rules? In order to accomplish this, it is imperative we do a fresh and thorough review of our functional AFIs and their supplements. Many have changed recently, and we must make sure our programs and their associated checklists comply with the new versions as well as understand those changes. The second important ingredient is an honest assessment. Take the time to thoroughly cover every area of your AFIs and programs. Now is the time to identify where you need to incorporate new changes or highlight concerns to get necessary attention. It is always a good idea to take someone who is not familiar or trained in your functional area to review your checklists and programs. If something doesn t make sense to them, or you have to take a long time to educate them on your answers to questions, you probably haven t fully addressed the concern or may need to rephrase your responses to those new MICT checklist items. The third and final ingredient for compliance success is to document, document, document! You must be able to show how you comply with the AFIs and showcase your processes. Many organizations in the wing truly Col. Brian Smith have MAJCOM best practices already take the time to capture them thoroughly in MICT and you ll have the right recipe for success. Have news? Send it to the MacDill Thunderbolt at thunder.bolt@us.af.mil COMMANDER S ACTION LINE The Action Line provides 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 comments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil. MacDill on the web Website: Facebook: MacDillAirForceBase MacDill Thunderbolt Publisher: Bill Barker Editor: Nick Stubbs The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspapers, 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 Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, 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-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. Display advertising or classified advertising information may be obtained by calling (813) News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at thunder.bolt@us.af.mil. Deadline for article submissions is noon, Wednesdays to appear in the next week s publication. Articles received after deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions are considered for publication based on news value and timeliness. Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity, brevity, conformance with the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual and Air Force Instruction

3 NEWS/FEATURES Commentary From Airman to leader by Staff Sgt. Brittany Dowdle 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs As I walked in the doors of the Aubert E. Dozier Airman Leadership School building, my heart was racing. I was excited. I was nervous. I had no idea what I was about to get myself in to, but I was quickly put at ease to learn that the other 24 people in room were just as nervous as I was. After individually saying the Airman s Creed and giving short introductions about ourselves, I started to feel a little more comfortable with the people around me. As someone who had only been at the base a few weeks before I began ALS, I was able to network with my peers from around the base and even with a Coast Guardsman, a Reservist, and a Guards member. During my time in ALS, I learned about what it takes to be a better Airman, leader, supervisor and wingman. Not only did my class have 192 hours of classroom lessons, but we also relearned and practiced drill, prepared and delivered three speeches, wrote and discussed four essays in class, had physical training sessions twice a week, had study sessions twice a week and once on the weekend and a volunteer project in downtown Tampa. We also had reading assignments almost every night and several written assignments; an initial and mid-term feedback, a letter of counseling, a medal citation, an Enlisted Performance Report, and an Air Force form 1206, nomination for an award. ALS seemed like it would never end and that the assignments just kept piling up, but I learned quickly that if you stay ahead of the work and use your peer s strengths to help you, it s really not that bad and it goes by quicker than you think. I was able to use my skills from my job as a photojournalist to help my peers with their grammar. It was fulfilling to contribute to the success of my class. See COMMENTARY, Page 24 Cracking down on mishaps by Airman 1st Class Ned T. Johnston 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs When it comes to aircraft, the smallest crack on any part could jeopardize a mission, ground the fleet, or lead to something as catastrophic as a crash landing. Tasked with finding these blemishes are the nondestructive inspection Airmen of the 6th Maintenance Squadron, whose mission it is to make sure none of these tragedies occur. We look for defects on the surface and subsurface of parts often invisible, said Staff Sgt. Dustin Harris, 6th MXS NDI technician. NDI Airmen perform seven different preventative maintenance inspections on aircraft parts and equipment used on aircraft. The most common inspection that NDI Airmen use is the wet horizontal magnetic particle inspection unit. The MPI unit magnetizes ferromagnetic materials through direct and indirect magnetization. For direct magnetization, a part is clamped Photo by Airman 1st Class Ned T. Johnston Staff Sgt. Dustin Harris, 6th Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection technician, inspects a Ketos Ring for defects at MacDill Air Force Base, Nov. 7. NDI Airmen are trained to notice the smallest of cracks in aircraft parts. between two electrical contact pads. Once in place, an NDI Airmen applies a wet magnetic particle solution to the part. The bath is then interrupted and a magnetizing current is applied. For indirect magnetization, a coil is used to establish a longitudinal magnetic field within the part. As with the direct magnetization, the NDI Airmen applies the solution to the part, and then interrupts it with a magnetizing current. This process of bathing the part in a magnetic particle solution and then applying a magnetizing current attracts particles from the solution to the defects in the parts to create indicators. To an untrained eye, you wouldn t really know what you re looking at, said Harris, but to us, we see the smallest of cracks in parts and know the threat they cause. No matter which of the seven types of inspections that the 6th MXS NDI technicians are performing, we can all rest assured that there will be no cracks within their attention to detail.

4 WEEK IN PHOTOS Photo by Airman 1st Class Sarah Hall-Kirchner Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Gonterman, 6th Public Affairs photojournalist, pours water into a large bin during the H2O challenge hosted by the 6th Force Support Squadron Friday, at MacDill Air Force Base. Photo by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Gonterman Staff Sgt. Russell Fenimore, 6th Maintenance Squadron munitions storage NCO in charge, operates a forklift to transports two Mark 84 general purpose bombs to be re-band for storage at MacDill Air Force Base, Nov. 1. Two teams paddle to stay afloat during the Regatta Challenge Friday, at MacDill Air Force Base. Teams of five spent three hours designing and constructing boats out of duct tape and cardboard, then raced their boats 50 meters in the bay surrounding MacDill. Photo by Senior Airman Melissa V. Paradise

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8 NEWS/FEATURES Navajo code talkers historic examples of Native American accomplishments by Senior Airman Mason Phipps 6th In the past 100 years, Native Americans have uniquely contributed to the United States through their military service. Their warrior spirit of honor and bravery, reflected in their past accomplishments, continue into their service in today s conflicts. Their contributions are especially impressive in light of the great challenges and hardships placed in their paths. The movie Windtalkers, released in 2002, highlighted the role that the Navajo played in WWII and how they were a crucial part of the war effort. The Navajo code talkers worked with marine units sending secret messages directing crucial artillery support for the Marines on Iwo Jima. Their language was unique, and not even the expertise of the Japanese code breaks could filter through and decipher the codes. However, what isn t as well known is that Native American code talkers were also used in World War I. In World War I, the Choctaw used their language this time to confound the Germans. Their language was used in covert communications, and the Germans were unable to decipher the messages. A captured German officer confessed that his intelligence personnel were completely confused by the Indian language and gained no benefit whatsoever from their wiretaps (Phillip Allen. Code Talkers ). The Choctaw served the American people despite the treatment that they received during the 1800s. While the Choctaw had been living in Oklahoma during World War I, they originally came from the southeastern United States. They were forcibly removed from that part of the United States in what is now known as The Trail of Tears. During Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Native Americans again answered the call to serve. According to Konnie Lemay, a journalist at Indian Country Today, statistics provided from the U.S. Department of Defense in 2010 show that 22,569 enlisted service members and 1,297 officers on active duty were of American Indian heritage. So while the U.S. population recorded nearly 1.4 percent American Indian, the military population was 1.7 percent Native American, making it the highest per-capita commitment of any ethnic population to defend the United States. Native Americans have helped shape the United States and dearly paid the price for freedom and liberty while often receiving injustice and hardship in return. These stories of selfless sacrifice come to show that Native Americans have been and remain committed to their homeland as they serve the world s most powerful military with an equally powerful heritage that should never be forgotten or overlooked.

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10 Team MacDill battles out in annual cardboard boat regatta by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs MacDill Air Force Base hosted its 10th Annual Boat Regatta at the beach Friday, with 25 teams of five creating what they hoped to be unsinkable vessels out of cardboard and duct tape. This year s turnout included two unexpected teams: a British group, from the Coalition Village, and a team of honorary commanders knows as the CC Flyers. Building and racing the boat was a great team-building event for the new Honorary Commanders, said Allen Milliron, director of credit union sponsorship for Grow Financial and honorary chief for the 6th Air Mobility Wing. The theme for the honorary commander s boat paid homage to the base s mission, a KC-135 stratotanker. The KC-135 even came equip with a boom and a smaller plane refueling, all made out of cardboard. The honorary commanders wanted to build a boat that they felt truly represented MacDill, said Terry Montrose, 6th Air Mobility Wing deputy chief public affairs and honorary commander program coordinator. For this group of novice boat builders, success came as a surprise. Not only did we build a replica of a refueling tanker, the boat actually floated, much to the delight of the paddling team, said Milliron. The honorary commanders did not come in first though, ending up finishing second to last place with a time of 1 minute, 13 seconds. The first-place team was the 6th Communications Squadron and their boat, Ham Sandwich, with a time of seconds. Photo by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise Members of the CC Flyers, a team made up of MacDill honorary commanders, paddle hard in their boat, which paid tribute to the mighty KC-135 Stratotanker Friday. The boat even included a refueling boom and a trailing, refueling aircraft. The team had the distinction of both floating and not finishing last, coming in next to last in the field of 25.

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12 BRIEFS CAFF graduation set This year s fall 2013 Community College of the Air Force graduation will be held Dec. 6 at the Davis Conference Center. The ceremony will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. One of the major goals of the Air Force is to assist Airmen in their professional and personal development. The prime vehicle for achieving this goal is education. The CCAF is the largest community college in the world, exclusively for Air Force enlisted members. It was activated in 1972 in order to gain academic recognition for the technical training conducted by Air Force schools. The CCAF holds Regional Accreditation through the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges, and Schools and grants the Associate of Applied Science degree. Dress for the CCAF graduation ceremony will be service dress for graduates and participants in the ceremony. Uniform of the day should be worn by military members attending, and business casual for civilians. MacDill Area Resilience Center The MARC is a One Stop Shop with resources and classes that entail physical, social, mental and spiritual needs. The MARC offers information that can connect you to many helping agencies on MacDill Air Force Base, as well as many helping resources within our community. Classes/sessions are available to all military members, retirees, dependents, civilians and contractors with access to MacDill AFB. There are also two relaxation rooms with massage chairs available on a walk-in basis. For a list of monthly events, please visit and Like our MARC Facebook page at com/macdillarc?ref=hl#!/macdillarc. All classes are listed in the events section of the page. MARC hours of operation: 7:30 a.m.- 8 p.m. Building name: Gator Cove (Junior Enlisted Dormitory) Building number: 378, 3rd floor Street address: 8206 Hillsborough Loop Dr., MacDill AFB, Fla, Commercial phone: (813) 827/8-MARC (6272) DSN: 968-MARC (6272) MacDillMARC@us.af.mil See BRIEFS, Page 24

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14 Team MacDill honors vets story and photos by Senior Airman Shandresha Mitchell 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs photojournalist On the 11th day of the 11th month in the 11th hour of 1918, World War I, the war to end all wars, was formally declared over. The world changed. Across the globe, nations celebrated holidays like Armistice Day and Remembrance Day to recognize the end of WWI and the people who served. Today, in the United States, Nov.11 is celebrated as Veterans Day. As a country we pay tribute to those who have served and those currently serving. In the U.S., it all began when former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson declared Nov.11 as Armistice Day in In declaring Armistice Day, and in 1926 congress formally asked President Calvin Coolidge to observe the holiday with appropriate ceremonies and on Nov. 11, 1938 the first observance of the holiday took place. With close to 400,000 veterans located within 100 miles of MacDill, there was a lot to celebrate. As a country we pay tribute to those who have served and those currently serving. Each year across the nation, events such as ceremonies and parades take place to celebrate veterans of the U.S. military. As a veteran serving in Tampa Bay, I cannot thank this great community enough for the tremendous support they provide us each day, commented Col. Scott DeThomas, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander. MacDill honored Veterans Day with a ceremony consisting of U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Tim McGuire, U.S. Central Command deputy-director force protection operations directorate, as a guest speaker, a flag fold and retreat. This day recognizes all U.S. veterans past and present. For our veterans who still get chills when the national anthem plays or smile knowingly when you see a current service man or woman in uniform thank you, exclaimed DeThomas. Your service and sacrifices are what give us the right to serve today; and it is an honor to follow in your footsteps. (Inset left to right) Col. Andre Briere, 6th Air Mobility Wing vice commander, delivers opening remarks during the Veterans Day ceremony Friday at MacDill Air Force Base. Members of the 6th Air Mobility Wing render salute during the Veterans Day ceremony. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Timothy McGuire, U.S. Central Command deputy director of operations, was one, while the background image shows Senior Airman Thomas Morris catches the flag.

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16 Exemplary by example; Bronze Star awarded by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr. 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs photojournalist The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to those who, during times of combat or war after Dec. 6, 1941 and not involving aerial flight, distinguish themselves with heroic or meritorious achievements or service. Service members at MacDill Air Force Base gathered together Nov. 8 to witness the recognition of one of the newest recipients of the medal, retired Army Maj. Charles Chuck Winn. From July 1 to Nov. 26, 1950, Winn displayed outstanding combat leadership as a first lieutenant and platoon leader with Company C, 1st Battalion 24th Infantry Regiment. He placed himself at risk searching for missing elements that had been separated from his company while deployed in Korea, where he later became a prisoner of war after being captured by Chinese Communist forces. He exemplifies everything that is great in this country, said Brig. Gen. Timothy P. McGuire, U.S. Central Command deputy director of operations, during his remarks prior to pinning the medal onto Winn. All service members in attendance stood at the position of attention to show the proper respect as Winn received his medal. This is the greatest achievement of my life, said Winn during a post on-camera interview. It s just a happy day. The spirit of leadership did not stop at Winn, whose son, retired Army Col. Chuck Winn, was in Photo by Senior Airman Shandresha Mitchell U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Timothy McGuire, U.S. Central Command deputy director of operations, presents retired U.S. Army Major Charles Winn with the Bronze Star Medal during a Veterans Day ceremony Friday at MacDill Air Force Base. Winn displayed outstanding combat leadership as a first lieutenant and platoon leader with Company C, 1st Battalion 24th Infantry Regiment. attendance to witness his father s achievement. Before departing, an emotional Winn spoke of how he wished he could share the moment with his late wife, Lorraine, during the second of two post on-camera interviews. His son, standing just a few feet away, smiled and replied Mom would be proud of you.

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20 Oral hygiene for military working dogs mission critical Photo by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Gonterman Spc. Briana Lamb, U.S. Army Public Health Command animal care specialist, cleans the teeth of Dolar, 6th Security Forces Squadron military working dog, during an annual dental examination at MacDill Air Force Base, Nov. 6. by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Gonterman 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs As is the case with humans, dogs too develop problems such as tartar and plaque buildup and gingivitis. Unbeknownst to most, is the fact that if not properly accessed and treated, these problems can lead to life-threatening infections and issues including heart, liver, and kidney disease. In the importance of military working dogs and their detection capabilities, it is significantly vital that they receive an annual dental examination and cleaning, as the lives of others depend on it. For the dogs at MacDill, this type of special preventative maintenance is conducted by the U.S. Army Public Health Command Veterinary Clinic. What many don t know is just how important this annual cleaning really is. Every dog comes with a set of specialized sensory organs enabling them to extract vital information from their environment making them ideal for police and military work. These specialized organs are found inside the nasal cavity and an opening within the upper part of a dog s mouth, which is an essential piece of a dog s scent-identifier, known as the vomeronasal organ. Within this organ is an auxiliary smell receptor that contains sensory neurons which detects routinely undetectable chemical stimuli. Making sure that the vomeronasal is clean is critical for all aspects of what our military working dogs do, commented, Caleb Jefferson, U.S. Army Public Health Command animal care specialist. Even a small blockage can decrease the effectiveness of the dogs significantly. If the VNO becomes inflamed due to bacteria or an excessive buildup of tartar it will hinder MWD s ability to properly perform duties necessary for military explosive/narcotic operations, hence the importance of an annual dental exam. Being able to do this small yet vital job is an honor, said Jefferson. The lives that these dogs could potentially save here, as well as down range are why we do our best to keep dogs as healthy as possible.

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22 DIAMOND SHARP Senior Airman 1st Class Michael C. Lewis 6th Maintenance Squadron Job Title: Crew chief Hometown: Nashville, Ga. Short-term goals: Finish my emergency medical technician course at Hernando Community College. Long-term goals: Become a pararescue man Advice to others: Always strive to do the best job at whatever you re doing; don t settle for just getting by; don t let people discourage you. Role model(s) and why: My father, who is a firefighter and a rescue swimmer Why did you join the Air Force?: To make a difference and help people in need

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24 commentary From Page 3 We each had our individual challenges throughout the course, but because we came together as a team, everyone was successful and graduated. I came out of ALS with more information, friends and connections then I ever thought possible. As I reflect on the information and techniques that I learned in ALS, I know they are things that I will use for the rest of my life. My advice to our future non-commissioned officers for ALS is to pay attention, stay ahead of the assignments, and take full advantage of networking with classmates. Also, remember, just like everything else in life, it is what you make of it. briefs From Page 12 Flu vaccine available The 6th Medical Group is ready to protect you. All dependents, retirees and beneficiaries, we have the flu vaccine for you. The Influenza vaccine is available at the MacDill Immunizations Clinic during normal duty hours, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We close at 11 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month for training day. The Brandon Community Clinic will have walk-in Influenza vaccinations available Tuesday-Friday from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

25 MACDILL COMMUNITY EVENTS Friday Skeet Range Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. $4 per shot. Call Outdoor Recreation at Youth Center Kids Night Out, 6-11 p.m. Ages $25 per child. Price includes arts and crafts, obstacle course, dinner, and snack. Call Surf s Edge Club Career Fair, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. More than 42 participating employers. Hosted by the Airman & Family Readiness Center. Call Saturday MacDill Lanes & Family Fun Center, Famarama Bowling. Fun starts at 5 p.m. Kids bowl for $1.50 a game from 5-8 p.m. Call early to reserve a lane at Sunday Bay Palms Golf Complex Club Member Appreciation, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Free golf and cart to AF Club card members. Call to make your tee time today. Must show valid club card when checking in at the Pro Shop. Monday Base Library Welcome back, FamCampers! From 7-8:30 p.m. enjoy a library tour, refreshments, best sellers, DVDs, and books on tape/cd. Get to know your library. Call for more information. NFL salutes vets! CHAPEL SCHEDULE Protestant service Sunday - 11 a.m. - Contemporary Service Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - FAMCAMP Service Catholic services Saturday - 5:30 p.m. - Mass Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - Mass Photo by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins pay tribute to the men and women of the United States armed forces during Monday Night Football at Raymond James Stadium Monday. The Buccaneers hosted a special salute to the troops in honor of Veterans Day. Islamic service Monday-Wednesday - 12:10 p.m. Mass Friday - 1:30 p.m. - Muslim Prayer Service Call the chapel at for more information or visit the chapel web site at Wednesday Surf s Edge Club Grand Re-opening, 3-6 p.m. Free food, live music. Everyone welcome.

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