Thursday, April 20 2017
COMMENTARY We can t overstate the need to be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious activity. The world has experienced numerous terror attacks in recent months, including recent bombings at churches in Egypt and vehicle-ramming attacks in Sweden, London, Berlin, and France. Hitting closer to home, recent domestic attacks include the fatal shooting of a Denver transit authority guard, an active shooter attack at Fort Lauderdale Airport, a vehicle-ramming attack on students at Ohio State University, and the Orlando nightclub shooting. The list goes on. As these incidents continue to occur, it becomes even more important to be observant of your surroundings. Some behaviors to look out for that key in on possible criminal or terrorist activities include: Unusual interest in or attempts to gain sensitive information about security procedures, personnel, entry control points (MacDill gates). Discreet use of cameras, video recorders, or note-taking. Observation of/or questions about security surveillance assets. The presence of unattended backpacks, briefcases, suitcases and bags. A stranger loitering in your neighborhood or a vehicle driving the same streets repeatedly. Open or broken doors and windows at a closed business or an unoccupied residence. These activities can happen anywhere and anytime. However, specific venues to pay attention to are commercial retail establishments, transportation venues (Dale Mabry), or other public gathering places. With your awareness and reporting, we are more able to stop criminal or terrorist activity as a community. A few examples of recent reports that helped thwart terrorist activities include: A man faces charges for a synagogue bomb plot in South Florida. An Orange Park, Florida, suspect arrested for distributing information related to explosives. If you have information regarding criminal or suspicious activity, please contact your local law enforcement agency, installation security forces, or Office of Special Investigations immediately. Emergency: 911 MacDill Security Forces: 828-3323 MacDill OSI Eagle Eyes: 828-4921 COMMANDER S ACTION LINE The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. Personnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via email to macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil. Website: www.macdill.af.mil Facebook: www.facebook.com/ MacDillAirForceBase Instagram: macdill_afb Twitter: @macdill_afb 2 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, April 20, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
NEWS/FEATURES In the early hours of darkness, the sound of reveille routinely rings throughout Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Trainees spring out of their beds to begin days filled with training, instruction and loud orders from their military training instructors. The military training instructors lead their flights through it all: the long hours of in-processing, the days filled with classroom instruction, and the meticulous practices that build resiliency and focus. For Staff Sgt. Jessica Fairchild, a former MTI at Lackland, those long hours were worth it. Six years into her career, Fairchild chose to apply to be an MTI. She had dreams to be a teacher and chose to focus that drive into shaping the next generation of Airmen. Fairchild says she wanted to make a difference through mentoring and pushing Airmen to do great things. Despite dealing with the physical and mental demands of being an MTI, Fairchild loved it. I loved my job every day, explained Fairchild. It is the best job in the entire military to me, but it was also stressful. Long hours and strict schedules pack both the MTI, Page 13 I served time in the Belarussian Air Force when I was living in Minsk, Belarus, said Staff Sgt. Aliaksei Krasouski, a medical technician assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron. Being in the Belarussian Air Force, on top of how much I love the U.S., are the reasons I decided to join the Unites States Air Force. Krasouski moved to the Unites States 10 years ago to gain better opportunities, challenge himself by enhancing his educational experience, and give back to the people around him. He was amazed at the diversity of people and food from all over the world. Everything was just so different, said Krasouski. There were so many different types of people and food that I had never experienced before. Coming from a different country presented Krasouski with various obstacles and struggles each day. When I arrived, I struggled with verbal English and southern ac- AMERICAN, Page 16 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 20, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 3
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NEWS/FEATURES Over the past three months, fuel systems technicians from the 6th Maintenance Squadron completed a full top-coat inspection on all 16 KC-135 Stratotankers at MacDill Air Force Base. A top-coat inspection is an inspection of the protective coating on all integral fuel tanks. Airmen look for cracking, peeling and flaking of the coating. It is then scrubbed and wiped clean with solvent. While labor-intensive, these Airmen have worked non-stop 12-hour shifts since January to get all aircraft inspected and ready to fuel the fight. The estimated time of completion was about a week per aircraft, said Senior Airman Allen Kilpatrick, fuel systems technician assigned to the 6th MXS. We started to get a rhythm down, which cut the estimated time of completion by nearly 50 percent. Maintenance is essential to keeping these jets fit to fight and so are the Airmen who spend the time on each aircraft. The process was difficult, said Master Sgt. Louis Lusco, fuel system section chief assigned to the 6th MXS. The leadership let us come together on the ground to dictate what we could accomplish on what timeline. With such an uncommon task ahead of them, the Airmen had to collaborate and think outside the box to decide the best approach. We went through a lot of different scenarios, said Lusco. At first we had people working 24/7 but eventually with the help of leadership we came to INSPECTION, Page 14 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 20, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 7
NEWS/FEATURES Gregory Davis, a 16-year-old sophomore at Jesuit High School, was selected as the Florida State Military Youth of the Year April 7 in Orlando, Florida. Davis, who is the first-ever Military Youth of the Year from MacDill Air Force Base to win the Florida title, travelled to Orlando to compete against other Military Youth of the Year contestants from nine military installations in the state. Davis explained that during the judging, each contestant gave a 3-minute speech, followed by a 12 to 15 minute interview with a board of four people. The questions asked during the interview were mostly about my application, said Davis. They asked me about my volunteer work, my performance in school, as well as personal questions such as how I use social media. All the questions were their opportunity to get to know me. Later, the judges announced the two finalists for the title of Florida State Military Youth of the Year. To his surprise, Davis was one of the two selected. I was talking with another contestant when they announced the first finalist, and I thought, There s no way I ll get picked, said Davis. But moments later they announced the second finalist and I heard my name called and I couldn t help but smile. Gregory s mother, Barbara Davis, supported him the entire way, and cheered him on throughout the competition. As one of two finalists, Gregory was later announced as Florida s winner. When his name was called, I was so proud of him, said Barbara Davis. I was ecstatic when he won the title for MacDill, but the entire state of Florida is a whole different story. Davis attributes his success to the numerous volunteer opportunities he has participated in. From volunteering at the MacDill Youth Center, to clubs at school and church, he doesn t shy away from a chance to help other people. I try my best to give back to the different organizations and people who have supported me, either at church or at MacDill, said Davis. As a military child and my father constantly deploying, I personally understand the struggles other military youth can face through their school years. Every chance I get, I help mentor them, to show them that you can always make the best of anything, no matter the situation. His entrance into the competition was no easy task, either. Davis had to complete an extensive packet of information to even be considered as a contestant. The requirements included three letters of recommendation, performance reports in school as well as four 2,000-word essays about various subjects surrounding military youth. It was a lot of writing, laughed Davis. Writing 8,000 words took quite a long time, but apparently I did a decent job. Now, the local teen has a $5,000 scholarship, and is scheduled to make a trip to Atlanta in June, where he will compete with Military Youth of the Year finalists from eight other states in the Southwest region. The winner will receive an additional $10,000 scholarship which can be renewed for up to four years, totaling $40,000. It s been unreal the amount of support we ve received, especially from the Youth Center at MacDill, said Barbara. Despite having a full workload, the staff at the Youth Center drove to Orlando when they heard Gregory was a finalist, just to show its support. Everything they have done through our journey is incredible and I am extremely thankful. 8 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, April 20, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
NEWS/FEATURES Question - Can transportation be provided for students from Tinker Elementary to the Youth Center? The 6th Force Support Squadron routinely assesses the types of service provided. In the case of providing transportation to the Youth Center from Tinker K-8, we are unable to establish a process that is both reliable and cost effective. This is compounded by current manning levels and the hiring freeze. In order to cover operating costs, we would have to charge $2/ride or $10/week. Given these factors as well as the safety and weather here at MacDill AFB, establishing a bus between Tinker and the Youth Center is not planned for the future. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 20, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 9
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trainees and instructors days. Trying to get 60 people to the same place at the same time was challenging at times; trainees are on a tight schedule, said Fairchild. Within less than two months, trainees must be physically fit and knowledgeable on military concepts in preparation of entering the operational Air Force. I wanted every single person to succeed, said Fairchild. If some weren t getting the concepts, I would think what am I doing wrong? I would then look to others to get different perspectives. Getting them to where they needed to be was always my goal. The impact of Fairchild had on her trainees has endured as the trainee s became Airmen. Our MTI s helped us grow into the Airmen we are today, explained Airman 1st Class Zenawi Tecle, a former trainee of Fairchild and now an entry controller with the 6th Security Forces Squadron. They taught us discipline, military customs and courtesies, and the importance of respecting rank to build the foundation we all use as Airmen in the operational Air Force. After four years, more than 50 flights and thousands of trainees, Fairchild has now returned to her career field as an individual protective equipment supervisor assigned to the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base. For Fairchild, the four years spent training Airmen impacted her greatly. People reach out to me through email and tell me how they are doing and how I impacted them, said Fairchild. Looking back and hearing from those I trained is rewarding. Aside from following her passion for instructing, Fairchild s experience has prepared her for later in her career. Being an MTI has prepared me for the next ranks, said Fairchild. As an MTI, we handle many people and their individual needs within the flight; we learn to manage both time and people, as well as high-pressure situations with a fast learning curve. Additionally, she has taken her instructor skills and applied them as a supervisor. Her experience as an MTI, has given her a zero tolerance policy as a supervisor, said Senior Airman Kristin Weiland, an individual protective equipment technician with the 6th LRS. She maintains professionalism and will tell you when you are doing something wrong, but also helps you fix it and get better. She, as my supervisor, makes me a better Airman. Throughout her time in the military, Fairchild applied professionalism and dedication to train thousands of people and groomed them into Airmen. Someday she hopes to return to train more future Airmen who will then serve this great nation. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 20, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 13
the conclusion that the Airmen needed two days off to rest so they could come in refreshed and ready to get the job done. Once they had the process in place, the Airmen began making strides toward the daunting task. The way jet engines work, they use fuel injectors to mist gas into the engines, said Senior Airman Allen Kilpatrick. If those become clogged with top-coat the engines won t work, so we had to go in and inspect every fuel tank and scrub off any top-coat. It takes a lot of time and attention to detail to keep these 60-year-old aircraft flying, but no task is too big for MacDill s maintainers. It was a very labor-intensive job because we were crawling into portions of the tank we usually never go to, said Lusco. The areas were a lot smaller than what we normally go into and we had to be in there for extensive periods of time with respirators and gear on. With a little bit of practice the team came together and hit their stride, finishing the aircraft well under the estimated time of completion. Sometimes they completed these aircraft with 50, 60 or 70 percent cutoff the estimated time of completion, said Lusco. But, not only did they knock that time down, they did it safely and by the book. At the end of the three-month-long journey, the team came together and overcame all odds to fuel the fight. The team did awesome, said Lusco. We would not be here today with 16 safe, fully capable aircraft for the pilots to fly without the hard work of these Airmen out here. 14 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, April 20, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
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cents, said Krasouski. But I focused on trying to improve my English, and eventually graduated tech school with academic excellence. Despite coming from a foreign country and struggling with both the English and military language, Krasouski strived to be the best medical technician he could be. I always wanted to work hard and give everything I had, said Krasouski. So when I had a chance to use my prior knowledge, I took it. As a benefit to the Air Force, Krasouski used his fluency in other languages to train more than 45 members of foreign military and civilian agency members from five different West African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau on medical practices. Being fluent in different languages gave me the opportunity to help the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, said Krasouski. I used my language skills and medical knowledge to help train people overseas. Krasouski maintains an international health specialist special experience indicator and acted as one of a few instructors who taught the Basic First Responder Course in Accra, Ghana, in 2015. Staff Sgt. Alikaksei Krasouski is a great man, father, and NCO;. his cultural background demonstrates what is great about the United States Air Force, said Technical Sgt. John Shonk, flight chief assigned to the 6th Aerospace Medical Squadron. It is an honor and a privilege to serve with Krasouski! Krasouski wishes to give back by furthering his knowledge through the Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program. I recently decided I want to further my education, said Krasouski. So, I applied to the Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program, and was accepted at Florida State University. Krasouski hopes to return as a commissioned officer, and use his prior enlisted knowledge and medical expertise. I hope the Air Force will continue to use my language and medical skills in the future, said Krasouski. I have a lot I want to give back to the Air Force and this great country. 16 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, April 20, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
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COMMUNITY Month of the Military Child Parade In the Youth Center parking lot, 9 a.m., with Fox News Charley Belcher broadcasting live. Please come out and cheer the children along the parade route from the Youth Center to the Fitness Center. Carnival Free rides from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Free midway games 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and carnival food vendors, beer, live band and fun. Base Picnic From 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. with free lunch provide by 6th FSS. Carnival Free rides from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Bring the whole family out for a day of carnival fun. Midway games, carnival food vendors, beer, live band and fun! Base Theater Free movie. The Great Outdoors (PG) Doors open at 1:15 p.m. Movie starts at 2 p.m. Overflow parking available in the SO- COM parking garage. Administrative Professionals Day Bring your admin to lunch in honor of Administrative Professionals Day. Club members: bring one admin personnel from your team and dine at any of our NAF FSS Food Facilities (Rickenbacker s, SeaScapes, Fairways or Ten Pins) to receive a free meal for your admin. One admin guest per club member. Must show valid Club Card. Not to exceed $10. Valid April 26 only. For all other faith groups or for any questions, please contact the Chapel by visiting http://www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel or calling 828-3621 Career Fair At the Surf s Edge Club from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 20, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 19
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