Travis Team wins 2006 Air Mobility Command Maintenance Effectiveness

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CONTACT Magazine for and about Air Force Reserve members assigned to the 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California Vol. 25, No. 03 March 2007 Travis Team wins 2006 Air Mobility Command Maintenance Effectiveness Award (See story on Page 9) 2 MARCH 2007 One Air Force, same fight - Unrivaled wingman.

COMMENTARY By Michael W. Wynne Secretary of the Air Force courtesy photo Every Airman an Ambassador It is an honor: Travis Team Honor Guard had the privilege of attending cAn Evening with the Stars d a fund-raiser sponsored by the Visalia Miracle League, Feb. 10, at the Visalia First Assembly of God Church, Visalia, Calif.

The Visalia Miracle League is an organization dedicated to collecting funds to build baseball fields for children and adults with special needs, giving people with disabilities a crack at playing baseball. The first baseball field opened in September 2003 and the second just recently. Both fields have been financed with the proceeds from community support and annual fund-raisers that feature professional athletes and other prominent figures.

Travis Team Honor Guard members, Master Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez, 349th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Technical Sgt. Wendy Neville, 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Staff Sgt.

Jacob Bergholte, 60th Mission Support Squadron, Master ... more. less.

Sgt. Paul McCullough, 349th Medical Squadron and Master Sgt. Jon Saunders, 349th Memorial Affairs Squadron, are pictured with astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was part of the first manned team to walk on the moon in 1969. D elivering sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America, as well as her global interests, and winning the Global War on Terror are our Air Force 9s most fundamental objectives. We provide the air, space and cyberspace capabilities necessary for Joint and Coalition forces to execute decisively, interdependently, and dominantly in every engagement. Our Air Force is unequaled in its ability to do so for one reason: the passion, talents, and ingenuity of you, our matchless Airmen! Yet one of our most remarkable skills remains largely untapped and unrefined. I am referring to your service as Ambassadors in Blue, both around the world and in our communities here at home. Your actions, behavior, and words, both on and off duty, have a great impact on your host nation 9s or local community 9s perception of America and our Air Force. But these areas are not the only components of the cEvery Airman an Ambassador d mindset we need to enhance. Presently, more than 200,000 of our Airmen carry out missions on a daily basis for Combatant Commanders around the world; of these, more than 60,000 of you are stationed forward and more than 26,000 are deployed, working hand-in-glove with our international partners. We are truly a globally engaged force. More than ever, we depend on our allied Airmen to succeed, and they depend on us. We must fly and fight as one. We teach, we partner, we learn 4and in building friendships, we build trust. America 9s security today and in the future depends on building successful international partnerships, one Airman at a time. Likewise, we must capitalize on your talent as Ambassadors to your communities here at home. As I related in the August 2006 Letter to Airmen, cEvery Airman a Communicator, d sharing the Air Force message is not just for our senior leaders and public affairs representatives. I encourage Airmen to engage your communities and their leaders with your personal stories of service, to share your views on the unique capabilities our Air Force brings to the fight, and to articulate what we need to keep that force strong and vital. One message, many voices; it is essential we communicate our role in fighting the Global War on Terror in addition to the Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power the Air Force provides the Nation across the strategic commons of air, space, and cyberspace. As your Secretary, I am committed to boosting your regional, cultural and language skills to make you a more capable Ambassador so that you can help build lasting long-term relationships with our allies and coalition partners. At the same time, I want you to unleash your talents here at home, so that you can tell the greater Air Force story, share your personal Air Force story, and serve as an example in your local community. With cEvery Airman an Ambassador, d America and its Air Force will shine as the protector of the beacon of freedom that is our nation! MARCH 2007 3 Contact Online -- http://www.349amw.afrc.af.mil 4 Command Chief Commentary Command Chief Master Sgt. Patricia A. Thornton 9s commentary shares some of her favorite motivational words of wisdom. 5 Travis Team moving toward AFSO 21 The Air Force is transitioning to a new program, AFSO 21, which include program design, management of the AFSO 21 central team, training material, knowledge and performance tracking. 6 March celebrates Women 9s History Month This year 9s women 9s history month theme is cGenerations of Women Moving History Forward. d This theme recognizes the wisdom and tenacity of generations of women who have come before and those who will follow. 7 349th Airman named 4th Air Force Airman of the Year A 349th Medical Squadron Airman has been named 4th Air Force 9s Airman of the Year for 2006 as part of the United States Air Force 9s Twelve Outstanding Airmen program. 8 349th AMW earns Outstanding Unit Award for twelfth time For the fifth year in a row, the 349th Air Mobility Wing has earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award recognizes a unit 9s overall excellence in every phase of mission accomplishment. 9 Travis Team Maintenance awarded for effectiveness Air Mobility Command selected the 60th and 349th Equipment Maintenance Squadrons along with the 60th and 349th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons as the winner of the 2006 Air Mobility Command 9s Maintenance Effectiveness Award. 10 News from around the Air Force 11 349th Air Mobility Wing Enlisted promotions 12 Wing 8Spotlight 9 Airman - highlights outstanding 349th members CONTACT Vol. 25, No. 03 March 2007 On the Co On the Co On the Co On the Co On the Co v v v v v er er er er er 349th Air Mobility Wing Office of Public Affairs 520 Waldron Street Travis AFB, CA 94535-2171 Office Hours: Monday - Friday and UTAs 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Phone: (707) 424-3936 FAX: (707) 424-1672 Commander Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Gisler, Jr. Chief, Public Affairs 1st Lt. Robin Jackson Deputy Chief, Public Affairs Ronald C. Lake Editor Patti Schwab-Holloway Public Affairs Staff Capt. Tawny M. Dotson Capt. Kelly D. Gabel Senior Master Sgt. Marvin Meek Master Sgt. Wendy Weidenhamer Technical Sgt. Mary Beth Bemis Technical Sgt. Tony Castro Staff Sgt. Meredith Mingledorff Staff Sgt. Charlene M. Hanley Contact magazine is the monthly, authorized publication of the Air Force Reserve 9s 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California. It is printed under a contract with Folger Graphics, Hayward, California. The contents expressed herein are not necessar- ily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force. All photographs are U.S. Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated. Missing your CONTACT magazine? The magazine is mailed each month to the address on file with Personnel Systems. If you aren 9t receiving your magazine, check with your orderly room or administration section to en- sure your address is correct. Inside this issue Inside this issue Inside this issue Inside this issue Inside this issue Cover photo by Master Sgt. Wendy Weidenhamer, 349th Public Affairs The winner is: Travis Team maintainers were recognized for their superior aircraft maintenance for the year 2006. (Pictured at left) Technical Sgt. Margaret Merin, Aircraft Metals Craftsman, 349th EMS Fabrication Flight, a modern day blacksmith, uses an oxy-acetylene procedure in making a shelf unit for flightline dispatch vehicles. Technical Sgt. Merin was a part of this winning team. (See story and more photographs on Page 9) 4 MARCH 2007 One Air Force, same fight - Unrivaled wingman. By Command Chief Master Sgt. Patricia A. Thornton Spring, time to enjoy, celebrate COMMENTARY M arch is Women 9s History Month and I would like to share a touching story about a woman. A man recently retired from his job. He was a corporate lawyer in Las Vegas and negotiated multimillion dollar deals on a regular basis. The better he communicated with the opposing attorney, the better the settlement for his client. The man recently went to church and was asked for the most influential person in his entire life. The room was filled with men and women in their 60 9s and older. Each talked about a mother, father, coach or spouse except for the corporate lawyer. His answer was instant and with power. He said it was cmy sister. d The teacher of the class was intrigued. cWhy your sister? d The man stated that he grew up in the 30 9s and had a terrible stuttering problem. The kids at school and in his neighborhood made constant fun of his speech impediment. Finally, one night after everyone else in the tiny house had gone to bed, the man 9s older sister got him out of bed, lit a candle and told him to start reading. He struggled with the words and did not want to do it, but his sister would not take no for an answer. Every night he would sit with her and read until he could talk without the stutter. He said to the class that he owed every dollar, every deal and every bit of his confidence to his sister. It does not take a famous woman to make history. It does not take a woman that is a genius to make a difference. It only takes a caring, loving, persevering woman of excellence. To any woman reading this article, it only takes you. God 9s blessing to you and thank you for all you do! by Chaplain (Maj.) Lebane S. Hall 349th Air Mobility Wing All it takes is caring, loving, persevering W hen March arrives, I know spring is around the corner. In fact, this year the vernal equinox starts at 0007 Zulu on March 21st, and, in not so technical terms, is one of the two days each year when the center of the Sun spends an equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on Earth. Here come the flowers! To help us enjoy the daylight even more is the earlier cspring forward d of the clocks for daylight saving time, this year at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11th due to signing of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. I love it when the time changes so we have more daylight in the evening, more time to enjoy nature and the outdoors. March also celebrates Women 9s History. In honor of this, here are a few quotes from memorable women - only a few of the thousands of memorable women in history. The most exhausting thing in life is being insincere. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount. - Claire Boothe Luce You never find yourself until you face the truth. - Pearl Bailey What people say, what people do, and what they say they do are entirely different things. - Margaret Mead If there is a book you really want to read but it hasn 9t been written yet, then you must write it. - Toni Morrison Hollywood is a place where they 9ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul. - Marilyn Monroe You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings. - Pearl S. Buck Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied. - Pearl S. Buck Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members. - Pearl S. Buck The secret of joy in work is contained in one word 4 excellence. To know how to do something is to enjoy it. - Pearl S. Buck Life shrinks or expands according to one 9s courage. - Anais Nin There are many little ways to enlarge your child 9s world. Love of books is the best of all. - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis I 9ve always met more discrimination being a woman than being black. - Shirley Chisholm Tremendous amounts of talent are being lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt. - Shirley Chisholm I have learned over the years that when one 9s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear. - Rosa Parks The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. Whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles. - Ayn Rand Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you 9ll be criticized anyway. You 9ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don 9t. - Eleanor Roosevelt The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. - Eleanor Roosevelt The heyday of woman 9s life is the shady side of fifty. - Elizabeth Cady Stanton Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it. - Ellen Goodman I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman. - Virginia Woolf My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. ( See Spring on Page 11 ) MARCH 2007 5 Contact Online -- http://www.349amw.afrc.af.mil NEWS by Staff Sgt. Candy Knight 60th Public Affairs V ery impressed. d These were the words Dr. Ron Ritter, the Special Assistant for Air Force Smart Operations to the Secretary of the Air Force, and Deputy Director of the Air Force Smart Operations Office, Washington, D.C., used to describe Travis Air Force Base 9s current AFSO 21 initiatives during his recent visit. cI was impressed with the entire Travis Team, from the command section down to the Airmen, d he said. Dr. Ritter is responsible for developing and coordinating the Air Force 9s AFSO 21 transformational efforts, which include program design, management of the AFSO 21 central team, training material, knowledge and performance tracking. During his visit, Dr. Ritter briefed senior leadership about how they can get the AFSO 21 message to the Airmen in a way Airmen would be able to understand it. He also toured portions of the David Grant USAF Medical Center and 60th Aerial Port Squadron, who recently earned the 2006 Air Mobility Command Large Terminal Unit award for developing some of the first innovative practices within AMC. cI was extremely impressed with the APS and how they made AFSO 21 part of the operation, d he said. According to Staff Sgt. Brandon Durbin, 60th APS, by using Lean methodology and AFSO 21 concepts, the Passenger Terminal has been able to reduce the average passenger wait time Travis Team moving toward AFSO 21 from three hours to two, which will soon be the AMC standard. Another aspect of AFSO 21 use is the APS 9 C- 5 Aerial Port Expeditor program, which is one of the seven spirals of the Velocity Initiative. cWhat the APEX program does is take the loadmasters 9 ground operating duties and gives them to the aerial porters, d said Mr. John Buchanan, 60th APS. cBy doing this, we are able to give the aircrew more crew rest, which enables crews to fly longer, reducing the amount of time it takes to load the aircraft. d According to Dr. Ritter, programs such as these should be used to help other Air Force members understand how AFSO 21 helps the Air Force. cIn order for AFSO 21 to work and be a mainstay in the Air Force, every Air Force AFSO 21 visit : 2nd Lt. Carlos Doria, 60th Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, briefs Dr. Ron Ritter, the Special Assistant for Air Force Smart Operations to the Secretary of the Air Force, and Deputy Director of the Air Force Smart Operations Office, Washington, D.C., on planned laboratory remodeling in support of AFSO 21 at the David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., Jan. 12. Dr. Ritter also visited the 60th Aerial Port Squadron and briefed senior leadership about how they can get the AFSO 21 message to their Travis Airmen. photo by Mr. Jim Spellman, 60th Medical Group member from officer to civilian to contractor needs to understand four things about AFSO 21: to know their operations and understand them; find ways to improve their operations on all levels; execute the change and measure the change to see if it has the desired effects, d he said. cThe main objective we are trying to achieve right now is 8Awareness Training 9 for every squadron on base, d said 1st Lt. Lucas Choate, 60th Air Mobility Wing AFSO 21 office. cIt is essential that we get the word out to every Airman so they understand what AFSO 21 is all about. This type of training will take place at commander 9s calls. Any squadron commander seeking us to conduct this training for his or her squadron should contact our office to set up a time and place for it. d According to Lieutenant Choate, anyone who would like to visit areas who have done AFSO 21 events and would hear about their results should contact the AFSO 21 office at 424-3680 to coordinate a visit. c 6 MARCH 2007 One Air Force, same fight - Unrivaled wingman. FEATURE by Master Sgt. Grayland L. Hilt 349th Military Equal Opportunity March celebrates Women 9s History Month T he public celebration of women 9s history in this country began in 1978 as cWomen 9s History Week d in Sonoma County, California. In 1981, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Representative Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) co- sponsored a joint Congressional resolution proclaiming a national Women 9s History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women 9s History Month. This year 9s Women 9s History Month theme is cGenerations of Women Moving History Forward. d This theme recognizes the wisdom and tenacity of the generations of women who have come before and those who will follow. Recognition of theses historic anniversaries in 2007 present special opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate the courage, determination and steadfastness women have exhibited to move history forward. The History of Women 9s Suffrage In the early 19th century, women were considered second-class citizens, whose existence was limited to the interior life of the home and care of the children. Women were considered sub-sets of their husbands, and after marriage women did not have the right to own property, maintain their wages, or sign a contract, much less vote. Women were expected to be obedient wives, never to hold a thought or opinion independent of their husbands. It was considered improper for women to travel alone or to speak in public. With the belief that intense physical or intellectual activity would be injurious to the delicate female biology and reproductive system, women were taught to refrain from pursuing any serious education. Simply stated, women were considered merely objects of beauty, and were looked upon as intellectually and physically inferior to men. This belief in women 9s inferiority to men was further reinforced by organized religion which preached strict and well-defined sex roles. This doctrine was used as a means to further control women and keep them in their place. The Seneca Falls Convention The Women 9s suffrage movement was formally set into motion in 1848 with the first Women 9s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The catalyst for the gathering was the Anti-Slavery Convention held in 1840 in London and attended by an American delegation which included a number of women. In attendance were Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who were forced to sit in the galleries as observers because they were women. This poor treatment did not sit well with these women of progressive thoughts, and it was decided that they would hold their own convention to cdiscuss the social, civil and religious rights of women. d Using the Declaration of Independence as a guideline, Stanton presented her Declaration of Principles in her hometown chapel and brought to light women 9s subordinate status and made recommendations for change. Change would eventually come for women when the United States entered WWII in December 1941. All the factories were literally begging for help, and were in desperate need of workers. To satisfy the demands, women were actively recruited for the workforce. This change in the norms of society met opposition, so the government created the Rosie the Riveter propaganda campaign. Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the six million women who worked in the manufacturing plants which produced munitions and material during WWII while the men (who traditionally performed this work) were off fighting the war. This ccharacter d is now considered a feminist icon in the U.S. and a herald of women 9s economic power to come. Women have made significant progress in today 9s workforce. They are pursuing higher degrees in education, and many more hold executive level positions than ever before. Still, the struggle for true equality continues. History helps us learn who we are, but when we don 9t know our own history, our power and dreams are immediately diminished. Hopefully, this article will inspire some to take time during the month of March to learn more about the struggles and accomplishments of women. More importantly, be inspired enough to get actively involved in the many activities supporting Women 9s History month throughout March. MARCH 2007 7 Contact Online -- http://www.349amw.afrc.af.mil NEWS by Technical Sgt. Tony Castro 349th Public Affairs 349th Air Air Air Air Air man named 4th man named 4th man named 4th man named 4th man named 4th AF AF AF AF AF Air Air Air Air Air man of man of man of man of man of the the the the the Y Y Y Y Y ear ear ear ear ear Senior Noncommissioned Officer: Master Sgt. Diane L. Valdez, 312th Aircraft Squadron Noncommissioned Officer: Technical Sgt. Todd W. Morrow, 349th Security Forces Squadron Airman: Senior Airman Andrew L. Haydon, 349th Medical Squadron 349th Air Mobility Wing 2006 Annual Award Winners (Not pictured : Company Grade Officer, Captain Loren L. Hanks, 349th Operations Support Flight) F rom a battlefield emergency room to serving his local community, Senior Airman Andrew Haydon, has proven he is one of the top performers amongst his peers. Airman Haydon has been named 4th Air Force 9s Airman of the Year for 2006 as part of the United States Air Force 9s Twelve Outstanding Airmen and First Sergeant of the Year recognition program. The Ukiah, Calif., native serves as medical service assistant in the 349th Medical Squadron. However, Airman Haydon 9s impact stretches far beyond Team Travis. In 2006, he volunteered for a six-month deployment to Balad Air Force Base, Iraq. While deployed he served as the only airman in Balad 9s Emergency Room, which is one of the busiest hospitals in the War on Terrorism. During a typical month Balad 9s hospital sees about 1,000 patients, many of whom have traumatic, life threatening injuries. Airman Haydon personally treated more than 1,500 patients during his deployment, a number so staggering that some might question why he volunteered to go to a war zone. cI joined the Air Force Reserve after Sept. 11 and it was for purely patriotic reasons. It 9s my responsibility to serve my country because I enjoy these freedoms and they come at a cost. I wanted to do my part. I felt the need to go to Iraq to help, d he said. Airman Haydon 9s deployment experience lead to his selection as an instructor to teach newly assigned medical technicians at David Grant Medical Center at Travis. This type of success is nothing new for someone who was a basic military training honor graduate and finished top in his training as a medical technician, but he 9s still humbled by it all. cI simply try to do my job to the best of my abilities. I wanted to help people and that 9s why I joined the medical corps. d Airman Haydon added, cThis award says a lot about not just me but about my squadron, the 349th Air Mobility Wing, and Team Travis as a whole. We are a great group of people who do a job very well. d Airman Haydon 9s service to others doesn 9t just stop when he leaves Travis. He is an active volunteer in his local community. He worked with his civilian employer to help those less fortunate by heading a team to provide free medical samples to low income clinics in several local counties. He also raised money to aid disaster victims and uses his bachelor degree in Biology as a volunteer tutor for high school students where he lives in Petaluma. Airman Haydon 9s future is full of promise. He recently earned the rank of staff sergeant and he is applying to medical school. When he 9s done, he 9d like to return to the Air Force Reserve as a doctor to continue healing his fellow Airmen. In the meantime, as the winner of 4th Air Force 9s Airmen of the Year, Airman Haydon now competes to be one of the Air Force 9s Twelve Outstanding Airmen, which will be announced in April. Courtesy photo Airman of the Year for 4th Air Force, 2006, Senior Airman Andrew Haydon, 349th Medical Squadron, checks a patient 9s sutures during his deployment to Balad Air Force Base, Iraq. 8 MARCH 2007 One Air Force, same fight - Unrivaled wingman. NEWS 349th Air Mobility Wing receives Air Force Outstanding Unit Award twelfth time, fifth year in a row F or the fifth year in a row, the 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, has earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award recognizes a unit 9s overall excellence in every phase of mission accomplishment as compared to every unit in the Air Force Reserve. The 349th AMW is the largest associate wing in the United States Air Force Reserve. 349th AMW personnel fly the C- 5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender and the C-17 Globemaster III. The missions of these aircraft include airlifting personnel and material worldwide as well as aerial refueling a wide variety of aircraft. It is also home to the 349th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, responsible for treating patients Family Care Plan essential part of mobilization during medical airlift; the 349th Airlift Control Flight, tasked to enter austere locations and prepare for United States Air Force aircraft arrival; and the 349th Medical Squadron, capable of providing hospital services worldwide, in a contingency environment. The mission of the 349th AMW is to cRecruit, train and retain enthusiastic Reservists to provide Global Reach for America. d This makes the wing responsible for training more than 3,500 Reserve members who, in turn, work side- by-side with their active duty counterparts assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing, also at Travis Air Force Base. Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Gisler, Jr., thanks each wing member for their individual by Patti Schwab-Holloway 349th Public Affairs cI thank each of you for your outstanding effort that resulted in this award. d -- Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Gisler, Jr., Commander contributions to this coveted recognition. cI thank each of you for your outstanding effort that resulted in this award, d said General Gisler. All 349th members assigned between Aug. 18, 2005 3 Aug. 17, 2006 are authorized to add the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon to their uniforms or oak leaf cluster as appropriate. T he Family Care Plan ensures that all Air Force members with families will have arrangements that will cover short and long term situations in case of mobilization or deployment. This working plan will help provide guidance for caregivers during the members 9s mobilization. It will provide the necessary tools to help the family member 9s financial, legal, and medical needs. Reservists who are required to have a written plan are: 4Single parents 4Dual military couples with family members 4Members determined by their commander or first sergeant to have special circumstances The most important part of the plan is choosing a caregiver or designee. This is the individual who must agree in writing to care for the family members during your absence due to a military deployment. Therefore, the Family Care Plan must be ready to be executed immediately as there would not be time to prepare in the midst of deployment departure. Your Family Care Plan will provide for a smooth transition and the best care possible for your loved ones. The following are some of the basic steps that should be taken in preparing your Family Care Plan: 4Contact your First Sergeant about developing a plan. The plan would be maintained in the Command Support Staff to facilitate access to it. 4Complete AF Form 357, Family Care Certification. This form has the names and signatures of the caregivers or designees. It is the written agreement and must be reviewed and certified annually. 4Contact the 349th Air Mobility Wing Legal office at (707) 424-1334 to schedule an appointment in preparing a power of attorney for all caregivers or designees to allow for medical care, enrollment in school, and any other action necessary to ensure proper care for the family. 4Do not wait until the last minute - the key to a successful mobilization is preparedness. For further information or assistance, contact Master Sgt. Luis Caragan, 349th Mission Support Squadron, at (707) 424-2346. MARCH 2007 9 Contact Online -- http://www.349amw.afrc.af.mil FEATURE Travis Team Maintenance awarded for effectiveness Story and photos by Master Sgt. Wendy Weidenhamer 349th Public Affairs H eadquarters Air Mobility Command selected the 60th and 349th Equipment Maintenance Squadrons along with the 60th and 349th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons at Travis Air Force Base as the winner of the 2006 Air Mobility Command 9s Maintenance Effectiveness Award. cI am very proud of earning this award, it recognizes the professionalism and dedication of the men and women out here, who come to work everyday, work really hard and put pride into everything they do, d said Col. William Anholt, commander of the 349th Maintenance Group. The award recognizes superior off- equipment and on-equipment, large, maintenance. The off-equipment winners, the equipment maintenance squadrons, consist of four flights: Fabrication, Maintenance, Munitions, and Aerospace Ground Equipment and they maintain all three of Travis 9 airframes: C-17 Globemaster III, KC-10 Extender, and the C- 5 Galaxy. The two C-5 aircraft maintenance squadrons claimed the on-equipment part of the award. To be considered for this award competing AMC bases submit packages describing their achievements to AMC Headquarters, who then evaluates each based on many factors including cost savings, number of sorties flown and fully mission capable rates of the aircraft. There is no preparing for a competition like this. The package describes all of the unit 9s accomplishments, the work that the members do consistently throughout the year, without the strict eye of an inspection team watching. cIt 9s was just a matter of doing what they do everyday, d said Senior Master Sgt. Steve Kopf, 349th EMS Fabrication Flight Chief. What makes these professionals work so hard on a daily basis? cThey are allowed to grow and develop themselves, they 9re allowed to think out of the box and they come to us with ideas and we explore them, d Chief Master Sgt. Fred Story, 349th EMS Superintendent. cI think we have a great bunch of people who may not always get the recognition they deserve, so this is a great moment for them, d said Master Sgt. Jim Nimmo, 349th EMS Dayshift Expeditor. The high cops tempo d has added an additional challenge for the units in the area of manpower availability. The Reserves have been a big part of keeping the planes in the air. Active duty deployments have been decreasing the number of available maintenance personnel and the reserve wing supplements the workforce by contributing a stable knowledge base and training newly assigned airman. cThe active duty draws heavily on the reserve knowledge and support, d said Chief Master Sgt. Tim Fuller, 349th AMXS Superintendent. cWe support the active duty wing by stabilizing the work force. d In the end bringing the maintenance effectiveness award home, was a Team Travis effort. cWinning this award was a lot of hard work, d said Col. Anholt. cIt recognizes the teamwork that we have between the 60th and 349th here. d Airman First Class Hevert Rodriguez, 60th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Fabrication Flight, structural maintenance apprentice and Technical Sgt. Kenneth Ramsey, structural maintenance journeyman, 349th EMS Fabrication Flight. Sergeant Ramsey instructs Airman Rodriquez on the operation of a bonding unit used to repair honeycomb panels on C-5 Galaxy aircraft. The shop is also qualified to repair the KC-10 Extenders and the newest aircraft to Travis, the C-17 Globemaster. Technical Sgt. Carlos Hernandez, 349th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, aircraft metals technology specialist, prepares a drill for machining a fitting for a C-5 Galaxy main landing gear. 10 MARCH 2007 One Air Force, same fight - Unrivaled wingman. NEWS BRIEFS April deadline for vPC-GR AFA Fund campaign REAP - know the rules I n February, Air Force Reserve Command leadership mandated all officers, senior noncommissioned officers and supervisors to establish a vPC-GR account by logging on to arpc.afrc.af.mil/ vPC-GR no later than April 2. vPC-GR is the web-based personnel services system developed and managed by ARPC and AFRC 9s primary tool for a centralized personnel service for the Total Force. This web-enabled service is available any time from anywhere. It is imperative that all Reservists establish an account to ensure timely flow of personnel transactions from the initiator to supervisor to commander. Not only does vPC-GR give a Reservist the ability to initiate personnel actions online, it sets the stage for the DoD 9s new personnel data system, Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System-DIMHRS, scheduled for Air Force implementation in May 2008. vPC-GR helps Reservists get accustomed to requesting personnel services online and taking responsibility for their own careers. ( ARPC ) T his year 9s Air Force Assistance Fund cCommitment to Caring d campaign, runs now until to May 4. The AFAF provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to any of the four official Air Force charitable organizations. Now in its 34th year, 100-percent of AFAF contributions benefit active-duty, Reserve, Guard, retired Air Force people, surviving spouses and families. The four organizations are: 4Air Force Aid Society, which provides Airmen and their families with emergency financial assistance, education assistance and base assistance programs. 4 Air Force Enlisted Village Indigent Widows 9 Fund, provides rent subsidy to widows or widowers of retired enlisted. 4 Air Force Villages Indigent Widows 9 Fund, a life-care community for retired officers, spouses, widows or widowers and family members. 4 The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, provides rent and financial aid to widows or widowers of officers and enlisted people communities. Contributions to the AFAF are tax deductible. For more information, visit http://afassistancefund.org. ( AFPC ) R eserve Education Assistance Program is a Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency as declared by the President or Congress. Who qualifies for REAP? The Secretaries of each military service, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security will determine eligibility and establish the program to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserves who are called to duty for 90 days or more. Members may be eligible after serving 90 consecutive days on active duty after September 11, 2001. Members on active duty are only entitled to be reimbursed for the actual cost of the tuition and fees of the courses taken. This benefit is retroactive to September 11, 2001. How much entitlement will I get under REAP ? You will receive 36 months of full time entitlement at your given rate. A REAP participant may not use more than 48 months of entitlement under any combination of VA Educational programs. How long do I have to use benefits under REAP ? You may use your benefits under REAP as long as you remain within your component. Benefits must be terminated if you leave your Reserve component . Can I apply for REAP now ? Yes. If you have never applied for benefits before, complete VA Form 1990 and write cREAP d in section one. If you are already eligible for VA Education benefits under another program, submit VA Form 1995 and notate that you now wish to use REAP. Copies of these forms can be mailed to you or found online. Submit copies of all DD 214s and copies of all orders for the period(s) you will use to claim eligibility. For additional information on the REAP program visit the VA information website at: http://www.gibill.va.gov. ( VA ) I f Yellowstone National Park is in your vacation plans this summer, you will want to consider a few different options for accommodations. Do you want to camp out? There are a number of campgrounds within the park. You will need to make reservations several Trailers at Yellowstone months in advance. Would you like a guarantee of a place to stay in a very nice campground within minutes of the park entrance? Consider the Yellowstone Country Trailer Program. The trailers are offered by Mt. Home Air Force Base 9s Outdoor Recreation. They have thirteen trailers that are set up and ready for you to move into. The trailers include utilities such as water, sewer, gas and electricity, already connected for your convenience. The trailers come equipped with dishes, pots and pans and other accessories to make a kitchen functional. Flagg Ranch, located just outside the South entrance to the park, is great for its spacious, timbered sites and it 9s proximity to both Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. The rate for Flagg Ranch is $78.00 per night. Lionshead Resort, with its five trailers, is only eight miles from the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park and the wonderful town of West Yellowstone, Montana. The rate for lodging at Lionshead is $70.00 per night. For information or for reservations contact Mt. Home 9s Outdoor Adventure at (208)-828-6333 or DSN 728-6333. C ommissary customers are bringing home the cash with record- breaking savings. According to current U.S. Department of Agriculture figures for retail grocery food purchases, a family of four shopping at the commissary on a regular basis can save $2,957 annually, couples can save $1,885, and individuals can save $1,029 by shopping regularly at their commissary. DeCA 9s average savings calculations are based on an annual price comparison study, which compares commissary prices on approximately 30,000 items with those of local supermarkets, major grocery store chains and supercenters. The study also takes into account state taxes and the 5- percent commissary surcharge, which goes to renovate and build new commissaries. Figures for fresh meat and produce, as well as data for locations outside the contiguous United States, are obtained through random sampling. Weighting techniques take into account such factors as cost of living in a variety of areas as well as customer buying habits. ( AFPN ) Commissaries shoppers bringing home savings MARCH 2007 11 Contact Online -- http://www.349amw.afrc.af.mil Francisco J. Jimenez, 349th MSS Eberechi Lynch, 349th MSS Isaiah R. Martzen, 349th MDS Cameo M. Rockwell, 349th MDS Senior Airman Lisa M. Aguilar, 55th APS Stephani L. Block, 55th APS Emmanuel C. P. Cerrado, 82nd APS Monique R. Doherty, 349th OSF Dipta Kazi, 349th AMXS Andrew L. McClendon, 82nd APS Ryan A. McGilvray, 82nd APS Kristopher C. Miller, 349th CS Melissa B. Sorah, 349th AMDS Sunshine I. Vinco, 349th MDS Airman First Class Julia C. Betzale, 349th MSS Dalance A. Boschee, 349th CS Joseph R. Mizer, 349th AES Ramon Velez III, 349th OSF Airman Dalton A. Lawson, 604th MDS Skye T. Peterson, 70th ARS Ursula D. Saucedo-Green, 349th AMDS (Promotions effective Feb. 1, 2007) Senior Master Sergeant Shannon K. Donnelly, 45th APS Alexander D. Hellmund, 349th OG Dean E. Morra, 349th AMDS David L. Palmer, 349th OSF Master Sergeant Douglas A. Bender, 55th APS Steven D. Burman, 82nd APS Edgardo B. Cayabyab, 349th MDS Charmaine E. McDonald, 349th CMS Kimberly O. Orilla, 349th AMDS Technical Sergeant Daniel C. Antipuesto, Jr., 349th AMDS Westley O. Carroll, 749th AMXS Galen L. Harrington, 55th APS Shawn K. Harvey, 749th AMXS Theresa M. Jones, 349th AMDS Sarah F. Lineberry, 349th AMDS Kevin M. McCullough, 749th AMXS Kristopher R. Stevens, 312th AS Staff Sergeant Steven D. Chavez, 312th AS Andrew L. Haydon, 349th MDS Bryan P. Irwin, 349th CES PROMOTIONS Senior Noncommissioned Officer Master Sgt. Timothy C. White, Jr. , 349th Component Maintenance Squadron Noncommissioned Officer Technical Sgt. Ranja Shaffer 349th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Airman Senior Airman David A. Mathies , 349th Component Maintenance Squadron 349th Maintenance Group Quarterly Award Winners 2nd Quarter 2007 He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition. - Indira Gandhi Never interrupt someone doing what you said couldn 9t be done. - Amelia Earhart That 9s what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing. - Simone de Beauvoir Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among rocks. - Charlotte Bronte Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. - Erma Bombeck As we pass through the month of March, enjoy earth 9s rebirth as spring unfolds its beauty, and as it does, remember that the beauty of our nation has always been at its greatest when the talents and ideas of all are nurtured through respect for diversity and the upholding of justice. ( Continued from Page 4 ) Spring... 12 MARCH 2007 One Air Force, same fight - Unrivaled wingman. 349th AIR MOBILITY WING 520 WALDRON STREET TRAVIS AFB CA 94535-2100 OFFICIAL BUSINESS PRESORT FIRST CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID HAYWARD, CA PERMIT NO. 3335 WING SPOTLIGHT Name: Wendy M. Neville Rank: Technical Sergeant Squadron: 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron Years in the Reserve: Ten years in the Reserve. What is your job in the Squadron? Mental Health Journeyman. How does your position affect the overall mission: Mental Health technicians provide primary prevention services aimed at general service members and their command staff to include briefings on combat stress reactions and prevention, operational stress reactions and prevention, suicide prevention, dealing with relationships in a deployed environment, relaxation, anger management, stress reduction, sleep hygiene, availability of services, traumatic event management, and dealing with dead bodies and wounded. Mental Health technicians also provide secondary prevention services which include interventions directed at those with high risk for mental health problems or those experiencing low-grade/sub-clinical symptoms. What do you like best about the Reserve? Camaraderie among the people, trying to make a difference, and serving the country. courtesy photo

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