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Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003 Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Vol. 47 No. 38

“Best in Air Force Space Command – 2002”

Inside This Issue: Blotter ... 11 Straight Talk Line 556-9154At Your Service ... 14

Photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Sharp

Courtesy photo

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 20032 From the top

Published by Gowdy Printcraft, 22 N. Sierra Madre, Colorado Springs, 80903, a private firm in no way con-

nected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the 21st Space Wing. This commercial enterprise

Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services.

Contents of the Space Observer are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government,

the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force.

The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorse-

ment by DOD, the Department of the Air Force, or Gowdy Printcraft, of the products or services advertised. Everything

advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, reli-

gion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of

the purchaser, user or patron.

Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the 21st Space Wing Public Affairs Office, 775 Loring

Ave., Suite 218, Peterson AFB, Colo., 80914-1294. All photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indi-

cated.

The Space Observer is published every Thursday. For advertising inquiries, call Gowdy Printcraft, (719) 634-

1593. Employees of Peterson Air Force Base who want to place a free classified advertisement should call 556-5241.

Articles for the Space Observer should be submitted to the 21st SW/PAI, Attn: Space Observer, 775 Loring

Ave., Ste. 218, Peterson AFB, Colo., 80914-1294 or e-mail [email protected]. Deadline for submission

is 4:30 p.m. the Tuesday one week before publication. All articles, copy and announcements submitted will be edited

to conform to AFI Series 35 and the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. For details, call the editor at (719)

556-7846 or DSN 834-7846.

21st Space Wing Commander

Brig. Gen. Duane Deal

Chief of Public Affairs

Capt. Don Kerr

Editorial StaffChief Internal Information

2nd Lt. Jennifer Whitaker

NCOIC Internal InformationTech. Sgt. Michael Phillips

EditorStaff Sgt. Shane Sharp

Staff WriterStaff Sgt. Melanie Epperson

Layout and DesignKara Magana

A Momentin Time

� Sept. 25, 1947 – Gen. CarlSpaatz is appointed the first U.S. AirForce Chief of Staff.� Sept. 28, 1912 – Cpl. Frank S.Scott becomes the first enlisted fatali-ty in Signal Corps Aviation.� Sept. 29, 1938 – Brig. Gen.Henry “Hap” Arnold is named chiefof the Army Air Corps, succeedingMaj. Gen. Oscar Westover.� Sept. 30, 1949 – The Berlin air-lift, gradually reduced since May 12,officially ends. Allied aircraft carried2,343,301.5 tons of supplies on277,264 flights. � Oct. 1, 1989 – Gen. Hansford T.Johnson becomes the first Air ForceAcademy graduate to become a four-star general.

Submitting Action LinesThe Action Line is your direct link to the 21st Space

Wing Commander. We suggest you first try to resolveproblems at the lowest level possible – with the person oractivity, and then follow the chain of command.

Though it’s not required, we ask that you leaveyour name and phone number so we can get back toyou for clarifications, or if your response isn’t printed.If you can’t get satisfactory results, call 556-7777. Oryou can fax your question to 556-7848.

Youth Center Programs?Question: When is the Youth Center going to

start the programs they promised? When wesigned up our children last December to use theYouth Center, we were told there would be danceclasses, gymnastics, Taekwondo, and other pro-grams. They have this large youth center and thereis nothing for the children to do other than the afterschool program and maybe soccer. There is nothingelse for them to do. They had since last Septemberto plan these programs. Thank you.

Answer: Thank you for giving us the opportuni-ty to inform you about the programs and activitiesavailable to you and your children at the Youth Center.Since moving into the newly renovated facility, wehave expanded our programming to include after-school, evening and weekend activities for the youth.These include: “Tournament Tuesdays,” “Fun Fridays,”and youth cooking classes to name a few. We also offera large variety of recreational youth sports leagues –including baseball, basketball, flag football, and soc-cer for children as young as three years – in addition tosummer sports camps. The Youth Center is also plan-ning youth hockey leagues at the Fitness Center’s newroller hockey rink, which has its grand opening onTuesday. The Youth Center is still searching forinstructors to teach ballet and music classes, and a new

karate instructor will begin teaching classes inOctober. The Youth Center publishes planned activitieseach month in the Services Good Stuff newsletter, theSpace Observer, and on flyers and posters placed invarious locations on base. For information on specificprograms, call Jane-Marie Kopycinski, Youth CenterDirector, at 556-7220.

Wait WorriesQuestion: Can something be done about the

service at the Military Personnel Flight? I’m AirForce Active Duty assigned to Andrews Air ForceBase; but stationed at Fort Carson. When I visitedyour MPF to get a new ID Card, I wondered whereI was in line, because I saw people come in after me,yet they received assistance before me. When a cus-tomer logs in, why can’t they be told where theystand, e.g. you’re No. 3 of 25, or you have an approx-imate 15-minute wait. The way it is now once a per-son logs in you have no idea of how long you willwait. Either the system is broken everyday, or Ilucked out and went on one of their worst days.

Answer: Thank you for your feedback. The 21stMission Support Squadron prides itself on deliveringworld-class customer service, and we apologize for thefrustration you experienced during your visit. TheDepartment of Defense has provided us four machinesto process 100-200 identification cards each day. Ouraverage waiting time is 10.3 minutes, but this is anaverage which can change depending on the time ofday or even the day of the week. When we get a surgeof customers, we dedicate one or two machines to non-Common Access Card requests. Our MPF CustomerService routinely assists more than 300 customers aday; however, some days it doubles – last year, weprocessed more than 24,000 ID card applications. Thenew CAC takes an average of 20 minutes to producefrom start to finish, which doesn’t include unforeseensystem downtime or system problems. We continu-

ously search for better ways to serve our customersand are currently evaluating possible tracking mecha-nisms that can predict waiting times and inform cus-tomers where they are in the queue. We hope to havesomething online in the near future. Our team isalways prepared to go above and beyond to assist any-one. For example, we’ve opened up at 6 a.m. andstayed until 6 p.m. to process ID cards for individualswho could not get here during normal duty hours.Finally, if you are ever upset or feel you didn’t receiveworld-class service, see Maj. Richard Wagner orSenior Master Sgt. Beverly Price at 556-7135.

Cooling questionQuestion: Why isn't there central air in base

housing? At Malmstrom AFB they put in centralair, and it is cooler there.

Answer: As you know, we've had an abnormallyhot summer - air conditioning would have been a wel-come addition to many homes in the Pikes PeakRegion. Military Family Housing on Peterson AFBdoes meet the criteria for air conditioning; however theexisting exterior electrical distribution system in themilitary family housing area will not support the addi-tional electrical load air conditioning would place onit. We are upgrading the distribution system in severalphases. The first phase is currently under construction.Subsequent phases are planned for future years. Actualconstruction will depend on the availability of funding.Eighty-seven housing units are currently under reno-vation. Whole-house fans and larger attic vents arebeing installed in these units. In the summertime, thefan will draw air through the entire house and exhaustit through the attic. This will make it easier to bringcooler outside air into the house and make it morecomfortable. This will satisfy the need for air condi-tioning for more than 95 percent of our normal sum-mer conditions. For more information, call BillSchlepuetz at 556-7515.

By Brig. Gen. Duane Deal21st Space Wing Commander

Reactivating after a five-yearabsence, next Wednesday we “welcomehome” 350 men and women back to ourwing – the pros of the 21st MedicalGroup. While this fantastic team hasbeen fully engaged members of TeamPete and located here as tenants,they’ve not been assigned as part of ourwing or command since 1998.

Bringing them home will be ofimmense benefit to Air Force SpaceCommand, USNORTHCOM, Peterson,Schriever, Cheyenne Mountain, ourtenants, and our many geographicallyseparated units. They’ll once again be agroup dedicated to our worldwide mis-sions and people, offering everythingfrom first class medical and dental care,to focused readiness exercise participa-tion, to pharmaceutical service, to GSUmedical and dental support.

Additionally, we’ll still have referrals asapplicable to the Air Force AcademyHospital and local clinics.

With the medical team’s threesquadrons, their return boosts our greatwing up to 6 groups with 48 units, fur-ther underscoring not only our diversitybut also our capability.

When you see our medical folkswalking around with their “21stMedical Group” hats, give ‘em a smileand say, “Welcome home!”

Editor’s Note: The official 21stMedical Group reactivation ceremonywill be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Hangar119.

Welcome home!

Action Lines

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 2003 3Newswww.peterson.af.mil

By Petty Officer 1st ClassBeverly AllenU.S. Northern Command Public Affairs

Rear Adm. J. Stanton Thompsonrecently received the Defense SuperiorService Medal for his service at U.S.Pacific Command during a ceremonyhere recently.

Thompson was recognized for hisdynamic leadership and continuousaggressive pursuit of efficient, effec-tive, and doctrinally correct training inthe Pacific Command’s 21 joint andcombined exercises, which producedlethal, combat ready forces.

From 1999-2002, Thompsonserved as the Mobilization Assistant tothe Director of Operations at UnitedStates Pacific Command, Camp Smith,Hawaii, and was responsible for coordi-nating joint and combined exerciseswithin the Pacific theater of operations.

General Ed Eberhart, theCommander in Chief, North AmericanAerospace Defense Command andCommander, United States NorthernCommand, presided at the ceremonyand presented the award.

“Stanton was on his way to theNaval Academy when he stopped by the

University of Missouri to see his oldersister, Sally Thompson Borgerson,”Eberhart said. “She eagerly told himthe advantages of attending MU. Whilethere, he also went to the campuslibrary and re-read the Naval Academybooklet. After looking over the bookletand realizing a military school hadmany restrictions, he decided to tell hisdad that he changed his mind and want-ed to attend the University ofMissouri.”

General Eberhart said Thompsonwas a member of the Navy ReserveOfficer Training Corps during his col-lege years at the University of Missouriso he remained “true to his commit-ment to serve in the U.S. Navy.”

The Defense Superior ServiceMedal was established by ExecutiveOrder 11904, Feb. 6, 1976. It is award-ed by the Secretary of Defense to mem-bers of the Armed Forces of the UnitedStates who, after Feb. 6, 1976, renderedsuperior meritorious service in a posi-tion of significant responsibility.

Rear Adm. Thompson is currentlythe Special Assistant for ReserveMatters to the Commander, UnitedStates Northern Command, PetersonAir Force Base, Colorado Springs,

Colo., and is responsible for the inte-gration of reserves in homeland

defense and military support to civilianauthorities.

Combined Federal Campaign underway, runs through Nov. 4By 2nd Lt. Robert Crawford21st Space Wing Public Affairs

The annual Pikes Peak Region CombinedFederal Campaign kicked off at10 a.m. Tuesday at theU.S Air Force Academy’s Arnold Hall, and will rununtil Nov. 4.

The event officially welcomed donors to the2003 region-wide Air Force and Postal Service CFCkickoff rally and agency fair.

Here keynote speakers acknowledged the signif-icance of the campaign and the importance of the rolesof project officers and key workers.

Master of ceremonies was Jon Karroll, KRDOTelevision News Anchor.

Speaking first was Lt. Gen. John Rosa,

Superinten-dent U. S. Air Force Academy and host forthis year’s campaign.

“I don’t think I have seen a program grow moreand mean more in my 30 years,” said Rosa.

Other speakers included Maj. John Modinger,Project Officer for USAFA; Brig. Gen. Duane Deal,

21st Space Wing Commander; Maj. Brent Talbot,USAFA Instructor; and Col. Suzanne Vautrinot, 50thSpace Wing Commander.

The speakers highlighted different facets of theCampaign.

“Though we may not be aware, I guarantee we allknow someone who has benefited from the institutionsCFC supports; the campaign allows us to continue thatsupport to benefit many more,” said Deal.

The Pikes Peak Region federal employees con-tributed more than $1.6 million last year.

They plan to increase that number by 5 percentthis year.

If you have questions about the CFC, or tofind out how you can be a hero, contact your keyworker.

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Lawrence HolmesGeneral Ed Eberhart, Commander in Chief, North American AerospaceDefense Command, and Commander, United States Northern Command, pinsthe Defense Superior Service Medal on Rear Adm. J. Stanton Thompson here.Thompson earned the award while working for the U.S. Pacific Fleet from1999-2002 for his dynamic leadership and continuous aggressive pursuit ofefficient, effective, and doctrinally correct training in the Pacific Command’s21 joint and combined exercises.

USNORTHCOM Special Assistant for ReserveMatters receives Defense Superior Service Medal

The new Air Force Uniform... Know the facts

visithttp://www.af.mil/uniform/#

Your link to frequently asked questions, letters,

and photos.

PIKES PEAK TOP 3 COUNCIL

The Pikes Peak Top 3 meets at 3 p.m. onthe fourth Thursday of each month in theEnlisted Club Buffalo Grill. Membershipis open to all Team Peterson master ser-geant selects through chief master ser-geants. Pikes Peak Top 3 supports enlist-ed causes and professional developmentthrough a variety of activities.

Have a story idea?Let us know by

calling us at 556-4351 orby e-mail at

[email protected]

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 20034 Hispanic Heritage Month

By Jeffrey A. Nash21st Space Wing Operations Center

Those who frequent the PetersonAir Force Base Aragon Dining Facilitymay notice a framed photograph and aplaque on the wall as they enter theserving lines. Those who stop to lookfurther will learn the photo is of StaffSgt. Jose R. Aragon, a ColoradoSprings-area resident who received theBronze Star for heroism during theVietnam War.

What the photo and plaque don’ttell is the story of an honorableHispanic-American, Air Force member,and family man who made the supremesacrifice for his country.

Jose Ruben Aragon – Ruben to hisfamily and friends – was born inMilliken, Colo., near Greeley, the fourthof eight children. The family latermoved to Fountain, where his fatherbecame the town marshal and worked atFort Carson as a railroad foreman.Ruben was 12 when his father died ofcomplications during surgery.

Young Ruben worked hard to helpsupport his family, taking a summer jobon a farm and making plans to join theAir Force. He persuaded his mother tosign his enlistment papers and joinedthe Air Force at 17.

Aragon adapted quickly to mili-tary life. He became an aircraftmechanic, and was assigned to AvianoAir Base, Italy, in 1958, where he met

and married his wife, an Italian native. In 1963, Aragon’s younger brother

contracted a debilitating disease, and hereceived a hardship transfer to ColoradoSprings to assist his family. He wasassigned to the 4614th ConsolidatedAircraft Maintenance Squadron here atPeterson Air Force Base, which main-tained T-33A single-engine training jets.Senior officers used these planes to flyto other bases on official visits orinspections, so the planes were requiredto be ready on a moment’s notice.

Supervisors remembered Aragonas a “go-to guy” in the 4614th, with alove of family and a dedication to theAir Force. As a noncommissioned offi-cer, Aragon instilled a strong work ethicin both his peers and those he super-vised.

During Aragon’s time at PetersonAFB, U.S. involvement in SoutheastAsia escalated, and members of the4614th were sent to South Vietnam for90-day rotations. Aragon volunteered totake the place of a fellow airman, whosewife was expecting a baby and hadasked for a tour delay. Not wanting toworry his wife and mother, he never toldthem of his assignment to Vietnam,instead telling them he was going to thePhilippines.

April 1965 found Aragon at BienHoa Air Base in South Vietnam, wherehis crew maintained a squadron ofUSAF B-57B medium bombers. The B-57s, heavily armed with guns and

bombs, provided ground attack supportto South Vietnamese army forces fight-ing the insurgent Viet Cong. On themorning of May 16th, four B-57s werelined up with engines running in prepa-ration for another bombing mission.Without warning, a 500-pound bombexploded on one of the aircraft, touch-

ing off a chain reaction of explosionsand fires among the other aircraft. Asfires spread throughout the parkingramp, aircrews and maintenance per-sonnel were caught in and around thecarnage of burning aircraft and second-ary explosions.

Aragon was off-duty when theexplosions occurred, but he immediate-ly rushed to the flight line to assist theinjured and rescue those trapped.Witnesses said he made several dashesinto the fiery wreckage to pull peopleout of harm’s way. One of the finalexplosions claimed the 25-year-old’slife. All told, 27 American servicemem-bers lost their lives, more than 60 wereinjured, and more than 40 U.S. andSouth Vietnamese aircraft weredestroyed.

Aragon was one of six individualsawarded the Bronze Star posthumouslyfor heroics that day, for contributing tothe saving of many lives. Ruben wasburied in Fountain’s Fairview Cemetery.The Peterson dining facility was namedfor Staff Sgt. Aragon in 1967. Today, hisname graces not only the dining facility,but also an elementary school inFountain, a fitting tribute to a localHispanic American who made thesupreme sacrifice for his country andfor his Air Force.

(John Diedrich of the ColoradoSprings Gazette, in a May 1999 articleon Staff Sgt. Aragon, contributed signif-icantly to this article.)

Dining facility namesake was Hispanic-American hero

Aragon

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 2003 5

www.peterson.af.mil News

By Rick BrinkDefense Commissary Agency

FORT LEE, Va. – Commissariesare no longer accepting “home-printed”coupons as the grocery industry comesto terms with the fraudulent use ofInternet coupons.

“We still gladly accept manufac-turers coupons – the kind you clip out ofnewspapers or magazines or that youreceive in the mail. What we’re notaccepting are coupons that have beendownloaded from the Internet and print-ed with a home computer because it’stoo difficult for our cashiers to tell ifthey are valid,” said Bob Vitikacs, theDefense Commissary Agency’s directorof operations and product support.

The use of fraudulent Internetcoupons is growing in the grocery busi-

ness and many commercial grocers arealso declining to accept home-printedcoupons. Most coupons are legitimate,but home computers and Internet accesshave made it easy to alter legitimatecoupons for fraudulent use, Vitikacssaid.

Some analysts estimate the loss bycoupon fraud to the grocery industry tobe millions of dollars. Fraud ultimatelycosts consumers as manufacturers raisetheir prices to recoup losses.

To protect against loss, DeCAofficials decided to immediately sus-pend acceptance of home-printed, pho-tocopied or facsimile-generatedcoupons – color and black-and-white.

“This is an interim measure we’veadopted immediately to protect our cus-tomers and industry partners,” Vitikacssaid.

Commissaries nixhome-printed coupons

Name: Tennyson AvecillaRank: Airman First ClassOrganization: 21st ServicesSquadronDuty Title: Storeroom ClerkTime in Service: 17 monthsHometown: Manila, PhilippinesOff-duty interests, hobbies:Swimming, bowling, watchingmovies, playing basketball, tabletennis, Playstation 2, and workingoutWhy did you join the Air Force?I joined the Air Force to have anhonorable job and to work in anenvironment that instills discipline.In addition, I wanted to see theworld and finish my degree.What inspires you to do what you do?It inspires me knowing that I’m helping to make a difference byimproving the quality and way of life of Air Force people and doingsomething I can be proud of.Favorite part of your job?My favorite part of my job is working independently; not only workingin a certain field, but a variety; and also having a job that is related tomy career field.What goals have you set?To improve my knowledge and understanding of my job, to get adegree in business management, and also to be able to look back atmy life and proudly say that I have served in the United States AirForce.

Peak Performer

Enlisted Against Drunk DrivingProtecting you and your family members

by providing a safe alternative

to drinking and driving.Please call us! Fri. - Sat. 10 p.m. - 3 a.m.

Phone: 719-556-6384 or 55 NO DUI

Avecilla

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 20036 News

By Tech. Sgt. Michael Phillips21st Space Wing Public Affairs

One member of Peterson’s FireDepartment has come up with a betterway of doing things. In fact, it’s beingrecognized as a “best” way of doingthings.

Staff Sgt. Fred Itule, Air Force FireProtection Crew Chief, is making theFire Department’s technical orders“high-tech” by downloading them intoan electronic format.

By purchasing tablet personalcomputers for the department’s emer-

gency response vehicles, firefighterswill have quick access to informationrequired for emergency responses.

“Our Aircraft Emergency RescueInformation technical order contains2,764 color pages. Those pages must becolor-coded in order for firefighters tobe able to distinguish various aircraftcomponents and hazards,” Itule said.

To print one color copy of almostany document costs approximately adollar per page.

“Each T.O. must be replaced everytwo years, unless there is an update or amid-year change,” Itule said. “The cost

of printing and maintenance of onecopy, including the cost of documentprotectors, three-ring binders, updates,and spoilage is approximately $3,000per vehicle every two years.”Multiplying that cost by five fire vehi-cles brings the cost to about $15,000, headded.

At a cost of approximately $1,400for each tablet PC, the department couldexpect to save $1,600 per vehicle everytwo years, for that T.O. alone.

“That T.O. is only one of a multi-tude of emergency reference publica-tions required for firefighters, he said.

Itule said firefighters currentlyhave to print out copies of technicalorders, facility and aircraft pre-fireplans, emergency response checklistsand guidebooks, and assorted Air Forcepublications, looking through thousandsof pages in books that weigh 12 poundsor more each, he said.

“A tablet PC weighs about fourpounds, one Aircraft Emergency RescueInformation technical order weighs 13.5pounds.

“Another benefit is that we canzoom in and out on maps, and everypiece of information takes only aboutfive seconds to access,” he said.

“Firefighters won’t have a heavyloose item in a fire truck cab during anemergency response,” Itule said. “Thetablet PC is protected and secured in acase bolted to the inside of fire vehicles,allowing instant emergency access, and

portability outside of the vehicle whenit’s needed.

“Each of the tablet PCs is hand-held, has a big enough screen for goodviewing, and is compatible with anyprogram using a Windows operatingsystem,” Itule said. That makes thetablet PCs compatible with laptop com-puters, Smart Boards, projectors, andother electronic media for classroomtraining.

“Updates are done using floppydisks or reusable CDs instead of replac-ing numerous pages, on numeroustrucks.

“Anyone who needs portability –not just firefighters – can use a systemlike this,” Itule said.

“Staff Sgt. Itule developed theentire program, downloaded it onto atablet PC, and tested it during actualemergencies,” said Chief Master Sgt.Brian Bridgeford, Chief of FireProtection Inspections at Air ForceSpace Command. “Other Peterson fire-fighters tested it and liked it better thanusing the paper T.O. The cost savingsalone resulted in the tablet PCs imme-diately paying for themselves.”

Fire chiefs across AFSPC learnedabout the program at the Department ofDefense Fire and Emergency Servicesconference in August. As a result, Ituleis scheduled to provide a trainingdemonstration at the upcoming AFSPCEmergency Services Symposium inNovember.

Firefighter’s keen idea cited as ‘best practice’

Staff Sgt. Fred Itule (right), Air Force Fire Protection Crew Chief, showsAirman 1st Class Cody Marion how to access technical orders using thePeterson Fire Department's new tablet PCs.




More than 200 members of Team Peterson gath-ered to honor fallen comrades and those still missingduring a POW/MIA Remembrance Ceremony Sept.19 at the base flagpole in front of the 21st Space WingHeadquarters.

Master Sgt. Kristin Clark,from the 21st Space WingManpower office, was mistress ofceremonies. Gil Turley, an ArmyAir Corps Bombardier/Navigatorin World War II, and Prisoner ofWar in Barth, Germany, for threeyears, was the guest speaker forthe ceremony.

Turley currently serves as thenational director of the American Ex-Prisoner of WarOrganization.

He recalled his days at Peterson Field in theearly days of World War II. “On the flight line was abunch of old war-weary B-24s,” he said. “That’s whatwe flew in and trained as a crew.”

Turley spoke of the will of warfighters through-out the history of America to persevere and to survive.

Turley said the first question people ask whenthey find out someone was a prisoner of war is, “Howand what did you do to survive?”

“I’m of the opinion that each POW would have adifferent answer,” Turley said. “However, I believe itis in our genes, and in our heritage, to survive.”

“I know that every military person has beenschooled to survive,” he said. “It’s a very importantlesson, although we never think we will need to useit.”

Turley related throughout his remarks how being“schooled to survive” had helped prisoners persist,persevere, and keep faith in each war in American his-

tory.“We were going to show the

enemy that we could take any-thing they could dish out,” he said.“We knew our family, friends, andour nation were praying for oursafe return. The companionship ofour fellow POWs gave us hope fora return to home safely.”

“Freedom. It isn’t free. Butyet, so often we’ll take it for

granted,” he said. “Oh yes, it’s true.”Col. Diann Latham, 21st Space Wing Vice

Commander, presented Mr. Turley with a 21st SpaceWing coin as a token of appreciation for his partici-pation in the ceremony.

A reading of the “Loneliest Prayer” by 1st Lt.Cameron Jackson, from the 21st Space WingManpower office, and the “Answer to the LoneliestPrayer” by Tech. Sgt. Angela Evans, from Peterson’sForrest L. Vosler NCO Academy, provided a sombermoment.

The ceremony closed with a retreat ceremony, asmembers of the High Frontier Honor Guard loweredand folded the flag.

Team Pete promises those who didn’t return,

‘You are not forgotten’

Photo by Staff Sgt. Shane SharpGil Turley, a World War II Prisoner of War, was theguest speaker for Peterson’s POW/MIA ceremonySept. 19.

“Freedom. It isn’t free.But yet, so often we’lltake it for granted.”

– Gil TurleyWorld War II Prisoner of War

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 20038 News Briefs

LANE CLOSURE ON SUFFOLK STDue to construction in the parking area west of the

Officers’ Club, Suffolk Street between Stewart Avenueand Glasgow Street will be reduced to one lane of traf-fic. Traffic will be one-way on Suffolk Street in thesouthbound direction until south of Glasgow Street.Detour and directional signs will be posted to directtraffic. Motorists are urged to use caution when travel-ing in the area. For more information, call Ernie Branchat 556-1422.

VOTING ASSISTANCEAnyone interested in registering to vote or request-

ing an absentee ballot should contact their unit votingassistance counselor to fill out the Federal Post CardApplication. The application form is also availableonline at www.fvap.gov/othertools/onlinefpca. html forall states and territories except Louisiana, Ohio,American Samoa, and Guam. For more information,call the installation voting officer, Maj. James Szczur at556-4074, or Capt. Kevin Carlson at 556-3780.

CLOTHING DRIVETech. Sgt. Timothy Mikulski is collecting cloth-

ing, coats, shoes, bedding, etc., to benefit the Airman’sAttic and local Colorado Springs shelters. Items will be

accepted through December. To donate, call 556-2603.

VETERANS DAY PARADE VOLUNTEERS

America’s servicemen and women will take centerstage Nov. 8, at the annual Veterans Day Parade. Theparade begins at 9:30 a.m. at St. Vrain and runs alongTejon Street to Vermijo. Volunteers are needed to par-

ticipate in and set up for the parade. This is a great timeto show the community our pride in our base, our AirForce, and our country. Volunteers can call Master Sgt.Donald Finley at 556-4956, or [email protected].

CMOC ORIENTATION COURSEWhat goes on inside “The Mountain?” Find out at

the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center OrientationCourse. The course, sponsored by Detachment 1, 533dTraining Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, is forany personnel performing duties related to CMOCOperations. Next courses are Oct. 6-10 and Nov. 3-7.For general information, call Cathi Rios at DSN 560-9408. To enroll, call Don Summerfield at DSN 276-1542, ext. 3310.

NURSES CONTINUING EDUCATIONThe Non-Practicing and Part-Time Nurses’

Association/Nurse Link will present a program titled“Healing Rituals” from 7-9:15 p.m. Wednesday atPenrose-St. Francis Learning Center. The speaker willbe Dr. Carole Schoffstall. Two continuing-educationcontact hours will be given. For information, call BettyLou Avinger at 599-7588, or Jean Sanger at 592-9311.

DANTES ENGLISH COMPOSITION WITHESSAY

The final administration of the EnglishComposition with Essay at Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support test centers is scheduledfor noon Oct. 8 at the Peterson Testing Office. Stop bythe Education Services Center in Building 1141, Room106, or call 556-4064 to register. There are only 15 slotsfor this exam. Once the slots are filled, individuals

wishing to test will be put on a space available list incase of cancellations.

AFCEA LUNCHEONThe Armed Forces Communications and

Electronics Association invites people interested inmembership to their next luncheon meeting at 11:30a.m. Oct. 23, at the Peterson Air Force Base Officers’Club. All ranks and services are invited. The guestspeaker is Navy Capt. Michael A. Noll, speaking onU.S. Northern Command perspectives. For informationon membership, call Mike Varner at 572-8565. Forreservations, call Judy Arnold at 622-2528.

ENERGY BILL ASSISTANCEThe Colorado Energy Assistance Foundation, The

Governor’s Office of Energy Management andConservation, and The Home Front Cares, are sponsor-ing a one-time utility bill gift grant for military person-nel grades E1-E5 and their families who are currentlydeployed or who have been recently deployed.Deployment orders and an original copy of the energybill must be provided, preferably five working daysbefore the bill’s due date. For more information, call TheHome Front Cares hotline at 447-3838. For weekendassistance, call 686-9831.

IN-STATE TUITION FEESActive duty members of U.S. and Canadian forces

and their family members who are not official residentsof Colorado, but who are permanently assigned here,qualify for resident tuition rates at state-supported insti-tutions. The benefit is not automatic. Members mustapply for the benefit each term. Applications can beobtained at the Education Center.

Protestant Worship Services:

Liturgical Service, 8:15 a.m.Traditional General

Protestant Service, 11 a.m.Gospel Service, 12:30 p.m.

CatholicWeekday Mass, 11:35 a.m. (except Monday)

Saturdays, 5 p.m.Sundays, 9:30 a.m.

Reconciliation Saturdays, 4 p.m.

**For more information - Call the chapel at 556-4442 for

available chapel programs.

Chapel Schedule



By Staff Sgt.C. Todd LopezAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON – Air-men whose parents speak lan-guages other than English cannow order Air Force ParentPins with accompanying cardstranslated into one of 100 lan-guages.

The new Your Guardiansof Freedom initiative is anextension of the Parent-Pinprogram called “E PluribusUnum.” The Latin term comesfrom the great seal of theUnited States and means, “outof many, one,” said the pro-gram’s director, Brig. Gen.Edward Tonini.

“We try to take a lot ofwhat we do in this programfrom history,” Tonini said. “Epluribus unum comes from ourfounding fathers. It evokes boththe strength that Americaderives from the diversity of itscitizens and the strength thatour Air Force derives from thediversity of its airmen.”

In the first four months ofthe Parent-Pin program, morethan 200,000 parents orparental figures received thelapel pins and personalizedcards from Air Force Chief ofStaff Gen. John P. Jumper and

Secretary of the Air Force Dr.James G. Roche.

Tonini said the idea for EPluribus Unum came shortlyafter the program kicked off inearly May.

“It started very early on inthe program with an e-mailfrom a lieutenant colonel inArizona,” Tonini said. “Hethought the program was mag-nificent but said his fatherspoke only Spanish, and itwould be so much more mean-ingful to his father to receivethe card in Spanish. Over thenext few weeks, we got a hun-dred of those kinds of letters.”

Even before launching EPluribus Unum, members ofthe Your Guardians of Freedomoffice received more than1,000 requests for cards in 40different languages, accordingto Tonini. About 70 percent ofthose requests were forSpanish.

Office officials teamedwith people from the DefenseLanguage Institute inMonterey, Calif., and othercommercial agencies to trans-late the original card into 100different languages, Toninisaid.

The purpose for offeringthe letter in so many languagesis community outreach, accord-

ing to Tonini.“The Air Force Parent-Pin

program is designed toacknowledge the parents andparental figures whose supportcontinues to be critical toAmerica’s airmen,” Tonini said.“When your parents wear thesepins, their friends will askabout it. Your parents will tellthem about you and your serv-ice, and how proud they are ofyou. This is a real ‘supportmutliplier,’ and that support isjust as important if your parentsor parental figures don’t speakEnglish.

“There is a lot to begained for the Air Force interms of communicating withthe huge number of people inthe United States whose pri-mary language is other thanEnglish,” Tonini said. “If wecan make an impression in anon-English speaking familyby translating the letter, thenwe believe that is a positivething. This is a true diversityoutreach program.”

Some of the languagesrequired as many as a dozendifferent versions to accountfor the different types of familysituations that can be encoun-tered and the ways the differentlanguages handle things likegender, according to Tonini.

The linguistic challenges oftranslating so many letters didnot change the meaning of themessage, however.

“There are some slightchanges, where languages treatthings differently,” Tonini said.“You have to do that in many ofthe languages, but it is thesame letter.”

“As part of E PluribusUnum, we’ve designed aninteractive section of our Website where you can see thephrase ‘Thank Your Parents’morph from English into morethan 100 languages,” said Capt.David L. Englin, the office’sdeputy director. “The site alsoprovides a summary of eachlanguage – how many peoplespeak it, where it’s spoken,some of the history of the lan-guage, that sort of thing. Wehope it becomes an entertain-ing resource for airmen, stu-dents, teachers and anyoneinterested in foreign languagesand cultures.”

E Pluribus Unum is thethird major effort for the office.Besides the Parent-Pin pro-gram, the ongoing Employer-Pin program kicked off Nov. 8.More than 87,000 pins and per-sonalized letters from Rocheand Jumper have been sent tocivilian employers of Guard

and Reserve airmen. The lapel pins are con-

temporary adaptations of theWorld War II “E” flags thatwere used to recognize compa-nies for efficient-war produc-tion.

The modern-day pro-grams are designed to recog-nize and strengthen the mili-tary, community and familypartnerships that are critical tothe Air Force’s ability to wagethe global war on terrorism.The pins are about three-fourths inch square and featurea silver letter “E” or “P” cra-dled within the Air Force sym-bol.

Airmen can sign up for thepin and letter by accessing theWeb site at www.yourguardian-soffreedom.com.

AF offers multilingual thanks

The Air Force parent pin rec-ognizes the vital partnershipbetween America’s Air Forceand the parents of our air-men.


By Richard SalomonAir Force Manpower and Innovation Agency Public Affairs

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Air Forceleaders at all levels want to know, “How is my organizationdoing?” The 2003 Air Force Climate Survey begins Oct. 1 toanswer this question with the help of Air Force people.

Their participation in the survey is critical, said seniorleaders.

“Leadership must be made aware of what’s really goingon out there,” said Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G.Roche. “By taking a few brief moments to fill out this survey,you can help your leaders understand your concerns and ulti-mately better serve you and our nation’s interests.”

Previous surveys included active-duty airmen and appro-priated-fund civilians. This year, the survey also will includethe Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, non-appropriatedfund civilians and students in a temporary-duty status.

“We want to make sure all members of the Air Forceteam have an opportunity to participate,” said Lori Marcum,the survey’s team leader. “Leaders at all levels use the AirForce Climate Survey to target areas for improvement. Inorder to create positive changes within an organization, (lead-ers) must know where to begin. This survey provides every-one an opportunity to speak out about strengths and areas forimprovement in their organization.”

The survey runs through Nov. 23 and can be completedonline at http://afclimatesurvey.af.mil anytime during the sur-vey period from either a government computer (dot-mil) orpersonal computer (dot-com).

Because Air Force leaders expect candid feedback, thesurvey team has taken extraordinary measures to ensure priva-cy by using advanced information-masking software.Anonymity continues to be a key factor of the survey, officialssaid.

Results will be released early in 2004, said Gen. John P.

Jumper, Air Force chief of staff. “The U.S. Air Force is the finest in the world, a great

place to serve and raise our families. We share a commitmentto make it better,” he said.

Survey participation has climbed from 39 percent in1997 and 36 percent in 1999 to more than 65 percent of active-duty airmen and civilians in the 2002 survey.

The 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.,used the data from the 2002 survey as a powerful tool forchange. Patrick’s leaders created a performance plan calledSTART for “Synchronize actions,” “Trust people,” “Allaccountable,” “Recognize achievement” and “Tenacious exe-cution.”

The plan emphasized mentoring and individual develop-ment. It provided mission focus with clear and measurablegoals, according to base officials.

Even though the base scored high in most factors, baseleaders wanted to make life at Patrick even better, said JudyNicholson, START director.

“We knew from the Air Force survey that we couldimprove in some areas. The work the commanders did review-ing the survey feedback resulted in START,” she said.

The base introduced monthly civilian commanders’ callsand created a civilian-oversight recognition team. Leadersrewrote the rules on the quarterly awards process to focusmore on performance than additional duties.

To encourage attendance at commander’s calls, leadersuse tickets for rocket launches at nearby Cape Canaveral AirForce Station as door prizes.

Brig. Gen. J. Gregory Pavlovich, 45th Space Wing com-mander, said he continually reviews the survey results to makesure the wing is on the right track.

“START is a direct result of the Air Force survey, so weplace a great deal of value on the survey data,” he said.“Because of the survey, we’ve been able to make improve-ments at all levels, from top to bottom.”

AF Climate Survey launches Oct. 1 The 2003 Air ForceClimateSurvey willcover 13 factors thatmeasurework experience:

� Job � Resources� Core values� Leadership� Supervision� Training and development� Teamwork� Participation and

involvement� Recognition� Unit flexibility� General satisfaction� Unit performance

outcomes� Job enhancement

The following real-life events with real individu-als from around Peterson are to inform you of crimes,accidents, and events occurring on base. These entriesare from hundreds recorded in the Peterson PoliceBlotter:

**Editor’s note: Although the Space Observerstaff may make light of some blotter entries, the intentis to call attention to our security and law enforcementconcerns. However, rest assured, our professionalSecurity Forces treat each incident seriously.THE CONSPICUOUS CORD CAPER – Sept. 11

Security Forces responded to base housingwhere a military member reported someone hadstolen an extension cord. Apparently the heavy-gauge cord, which was connected and lying in hisdriveway, was too powerful a temptation for somepower-hungry pirate. The cord crook unhookedthe spoils and split.FLEETWOOD SMACK – Sept. 12

Security Forces responded to the West Gatewhere a retired military member stated a womanstruck his white 1997 Fleetwood motor home. Hestated that around 1:30 p.m. while he wasapproaching the gate, a silver vehicle camearound him and struck the entry step on the pas-senger side of the coach. Maybe she didn’t seethe enormous recreational vehicle. The retireegot out to look at the damage, and the womantold him she had to get her identification cardfrom her husband, who was a few cars ahead ofthem. It’s always fun to try to enter the base with-out your ID card. With her cover story in place,the woman drove up a few car lengths, made a u-turn, and left the scene.TRASHED EQUIPMENT – Sept. 12

A Waste Management employee calledSecurity Forces to report an improperly disposedof piece of equipment. The man said that whileemptying a dumpster, he found two Geiger coun-ters and a battery charger. He further stated thatWaste Management was not authorized to dis-pose of such items. Note: Before throwing away

ANY equipment item or hazardous material,check regulations and local policies for properdisposal methods. Usually, the proper methodwill NOT be “toss it in the trash.” The propertyfound its way into Security Forces evidence lock-er until proper disposal methods can be identi-fied.INSPECTION IS CUSTOMARY – Sept. 12

Security Forces responded to the flight lineto conduct a customs inspection on a C-130 arriv-ing from Canada. Patrolmen processed sevencrewmembers.TWO WRONGS MAKE A MISDEMEANOR –Sept. 12

When Security Forces initiated a traffic stopat 3:30 a.m., one airman got more than he bar-gained for. The civilian driving the car wasstopped in the dorm parking lot – almost made it.While patrolmen were interviewing the driver,who had not been drinking, they noticed a strongsmell of alcohol coming from the passenger.Well, at least the airheaded airman did one thingright – he didn’t drive. The problem is, of course,he was underage. Patrolmen cuffed him and tookhim to the station – he could probably see hisdorm room from the back of the police car as theydrove away.CSPD … WE’LL PICK YOU UP – Sept. 13

Security Forces at the West Gate stopped aretired military member in a rental car, becausehis license had expired five days earlier. TheColorado Springs Police Department responded,issued a summons, and escorted the man back tothe rental office. All of this begs the question“How was he able to rent a car with an expiredlicense?” Inquiring minds want to know.ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER – Sept. 13

Security Forces responded to the BaseExchange for a minor vehicle accident. It seemsone considerate military member backed out ofhis parking space and kindly waited for anothervehicle to back out before driving away. Well, thebig, backing minivan misjudged the distance andclobbered the compact. How’s that for gratitude?The bonker backer was issued a citation.NOISY NEIGHBORS – Sept. 13

Security Forces responded to base housingwhere a military member reported loud noisecoming from outside the residence. Patrols

arrived and spoke with the revelers, “suggesting”they take the festivities inside.WAS THAT A SIGN? – Sept. 15

Security Forces responded to StewartAvenue for a minor vehicle accident. Due tounknown reasons, one driver decided he didn’thave to stop at a stop sign. He cruised onthrough the intersection and, what do you know,he struck an innocent SUV – ripped his ownbumper right off. Luckily, no one was injured inthe accident. The errant automobilist received acitation for failure to stop and disobeying a stopsign – they aren’t there for decoration, folks.PARKED TRUCK FIGHTS BACK – Sept. 16

Security Forces at the West Gate witnesseda minor vehicle accident when a civilian employ-ee hit a delivery truck. After having her IDchecked, the civilian proceeded to maneuverbetween the concrete barriers and a parked deliv-ery truck that was waiting to be searched. Youguessed it, she inaccurately assessed the dis-tance and ended up with one less side mirror.The hulking truck, as you may also haveguessed, wasn’t phased in the slightest.BACK AND BONK – Sept. 16

Security Forces responded to the Shoppettewhere a retired military member struck an air-man’s parked car. The retiree was backing fromhis parking space when he hit the car. It’s kind ofscary since the airman was putting air in the tiresat the time of the collision. The bonking backerwas issued a citation for failure to yield and inat-tentive backing.MEDICAL RESPONSE – Sept. 17

Security Forces, the Fire Department, andAmerican Medical Response services respondedto the Pikes Peak Lodge, where a military mem-ber was complaining of labor pains. AMR per-sonnel arrived on scene and transported the indi-vidual to Evans Hospital for further treatment.ALARMING TRENDS CONTINUE:

In addition to these entries, there continuesto be too many illegitimate alarm activations onbase. Among those noted by Security Forces thisweek were three from individuals enteringimproper PIN numbers when entering or exitingfacilities. Two others were due to improper proce-dures when activating or deactivating alarms.

** If you have any information on a crime, reportit to Security Forces at 556-4000.



By Staff Sgt. Shane Sharp21st Space Wing Public Affairs

FORT CARSON, Colo. – The 13th AirSupport Operations Squadron teamed up with twoF-16 Falcons from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., toconduct live bombing missions here Sept. 19. The live bombing missions provide mutual trainingto both the pilots and the tactical air controllers onthe ground.

“Opportunities like these are great because weget a chance to practice the bread and butter of ourtrade,” said Tech. Sgt. Charles Brazier, 13th ASOSenlisted terminal attack controller. “The pilots alsobenefit because they get a chance to train with liveordnance.”

The training scenario consisted of armoredcolumns on two different roads on the Fort CarsonArtillery Impact Area. The 13th ASOS members setup shop at Observation Point 10, located on a ridgeabout 3 kilometers away from the targets.

“In a close air support mission, we wouldcommunicate with the Army commander to deter-mine how best to orchestrate close air supportassets into his scheme of maneuver,” said Brazier.“We would then identify targets and deconflict

friendly personnel and assets.From there we provide directcontrol of the incoming air-craft – providing them withsituational awareness so theyknow where targets andfriendlies are.”

Once the pilots had situ-ational awareness on theArtillery Impact Area, theywere “cleared hot” for theirbombing runs and proceededto deliver their ordnance –four Mark-82 500-poundbombs.

A flash of fiery explo-sion followed by the crack ofordnance thunder and smallmushroom clouds signaledthe end of the armored col-umn and success for the mis-sion.

“The F-16s hit the targets we wanted them tohit and they did it safely,” said Brazier. “Safety isalways a factor in our mind during CAS missions,especially when we’re doing live bomb drops.”

Training missions such as these are a necessi-ty for the members of the 13th ASOS who have aunique position and a vital mission in the Air Force.

“Our position is unique because we’re locatedon an Army base, we’re attached to Army units, andwe wear army patches on our Air Force uniforms,”said Brazier.

The 13th ASOS mission is vital, because theyare responsible for coordinating close air support inhostile environments.

“Pilots can’t deliver their ordnance withoutour okay,” said Tech. Sgt. William Burgum, 13thASOS. “Our guys are key to close air support mis-sions because we have eyes on the target, friendlies,and aircraft. Our job is to make sure the targets aretaken out and pilots and friendlies are kept safe.”

Teamwork between controllers on the groundand pilots is essential to the success of the mission,according to Capt. Robert Moschella, 13th ASOSAir Liaison Officer and a former B-1B pilot.

“We both have a common goal in mind –destroying the enemy,” said Moschella. “To makethat happen, pilots and controllers on the groundhave to be on the same page to eliminate targetsand safeguard our troops and assets on theground.”

The 13th ASOS members are good at whatthey do, and have proven it over the last two yearsin Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of the enlisted ter-minal attack controllers have had multiple deploy-ments during the War on Terror. Some of the 13thASOS members attached to the 10th Special ForcesGroup have received Bronze Stars for their service.

“Our unit stays busy. It seems like these daysour guys get more real-world experience than train-ing because of the current world situation,” said Lt.Col. Brandon Wagoner, 13th ASOS Commander.“But we’re both capable and willing to keep up thetempo in the War on Terror.”

Cleared Hot

Photos by Staff Sgt. Shane Sharp

13th ASOS calls in F-16s armed with 500-pounders

Tech. Sgt. William Brugman, 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, zeroes in on a line of old tanks used for targetsat Fort Carson prior to the arrival of two F-16 Falcons from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

Left: The fiery explosion of four Mark-82 500-pound bombs.Above: An enlisted terminal attack controller’s work station, complete with targeting equipment,radio, and maps.Right: Tech. Sgt. Charles Brazier, 13th ASOS enlisted terminal attack controller, signals F-16 pilotswith a signal mirror so the pilots will know where the “friendlies” are located prior to droppingbombs.

Senior Airman Curtis Krenzke, enlisted terminal attack controller,checks the frequency on a PRC-113 radio used to communicatewith pilots.

Right: An enlistedterminal attack con-troller peers througha compass, backingup modern targetingmethods the oldfashioned way.

Staff Sgt. Robert Rangell, enlisted terminalattack controller, ties a VS-17 fluorescentpanel to a Humvee. The panels are used tohelp pilots identify friendly forces.

* Editor’s note: This isStaff Sgt. Shane Sharp’slast article on our staff.We bid him thanks, andGodspeed as he heads tothe Nellis Air Force BasePublic Affairs office.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, Sept. 25, 200314

A T Y O U R

S E R V I C EThis Week

ARAGON DINING FACILITY MENUSaturday

Brunch:Creole Shrimp

Savory Baked ChickenSwedish Meatballs

AsparagusCreamed Corn

SquashBaked Potatoes

Noodles Jefferson

SundayBrunch:

Cantonese SpareribsMustard ChickenOven-Fried FishBroccoli Combo

County Style TomatoesPeas

Macaroni and CheeseBoiled Egg Noodles

Sweet Potatoes

Lunch:Baked Stuff Fish

Pot RoastRoast Loin of Pork

CauliflowerCombo

Green Beans w/Mushrooms

Oven-BrownedPotatoes

Steamed Rice

Dinner:Chili Mac

Southern FriedChicken

Beef CannelloniFrench-Style Peas

Glazed CarrotsMashed Potatoes

Squash

MondayLunch:

Salmon CakesTeriyaki ChickenVeal ParmesanFried Cabbage

SuccotashParsley Buttered

PotatoesFilipino Rice

Dinner:Country Captain

ChickenTurkey A La King

MeatloafMustard GreensOkra and Tomato

GumboSteamed Rice

Mashed Potatoes

TuesdayLunch:

SauerbratenGrilled BratwurstJaegerschnitzel

(Veal)Cauliflower

Harvard BeetsSpinach SaladPotatoes Au

GratinSauerkraut

Dinner:BarbecuedSpareribs

Lemon HerbedChicken

Stuffed PorkChops

CauliflowerCombo

Mexican CornSteamed Rice

ScallopedPotatoes

Wednesday

TodayLunch:

Liver with OnionsOrange Spiced Pork

ChopTempura Fried Fish

BroccoliPeas and Carrots

Steamed RiceRissole Potatoes

Dinner:Pepper SteakMr. Z's Baked

ChickenGinger Pot RoastMixed Vegetables

Green BeansSteamed Rice

Mashed Potatoes

Lunch:Beef Corn Pie

Seafood NewburgVeal Paprika Steaks

Mustard GreensHarvard Beets

PotatoesPea and Pepper Rice

Dinner:Yankee Pot RoastSimmered Corned

BeefPineapple Chicken

Fried CabbageCarrots

Mashed PotatoesBlack-Eyed Peas

Friday

By Staff Sgt. Melanie Epperson21st Space Wing Public Affairs

With the dogs of winter nipping atour heels, a young man’s fancy shouldturn to winter driving strategies, espe-cially here in Colorado Springs.

“About two years ago, ColoradoSprings was rated the worst drivingenvironment in the country for a city ofits size,” said Grant Dewey,MasterDrive Driving Coach. “Ourdriving environment here is almosthostile, very intense at the least.”

For this reason, the Auto SkillsCenter is offering two free one-hourseminars, open to all Department ofDefense identification card holders andtheir dependents. The DefensiveDriving Seminar is scheduled for 6p.m. Oct. 8 at the base auditorium, andthe Winter Driving Strategies Seminaris scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at thebase auditorium.

“There are so many people outthere who don’t drive like they should,”said Calvin Gammon, Auto SkillsCenter Manager. “The DefensiveDriving Seminar will teach people howto drive properly, and also how to dealwith local driving styles. The WinterDriving Strategies Seminar will teachpeople how to drive in local condi-tions.”

According to Gammon, militarymembers can be at higher risk for acci-dents in the winter because they don’tknow the local conditions. For exam-ple, he said, if a young man fromFlorida is assigned to Colorado withoutever having driven in harsh winter con-

ditions, the first time driving onicy, snow-packed roads can bevery scary. This seminar giveshim the basics, so he knows howto deal with situations like that.

“On beautiful, blue skydays in Colorado Springs, wehave an average of 40 crashes aday,” Dewey added. “Just thinkhow many there are during win-ter. Many people becomestressed duringwinter drivingsituations andtherefore oftenarrive emo-t i o n a l l ydrained andc o n c e r n e dabout theirreturn trip.”

Dewey went on to say that theseminars can help people no matterwhere they are from. During theWinter Driving Strategies Seminar, headdresses things like car control con-cepts, snow tire ideas and options, skidprevention and recovery, performancestrategies, and survival kit informa-tion. The Defensive Driving Seminarfocuses more on survival strategies,defensive maneuvers, crisis braking,environment awareness, and attitudeadjustments behind the wheel.

“Most people would agree thatour driving environment is at leastchallenging and many times frighten-ing, because it is aggressive and dan-gerous,” Dewey said. “These seminarscan help people avoid accidents, andbuild confidence behind the wheel.”

The driving seminars are offeredon a first-come, first-served basis. Noreservations are required. Doors to theauditorium open at 5:30 p.m. the nightsof the seminars.

For more information, call the AutoSkills Center at 556-4481.

This Week

Today� Play Group, 10:30 a.m.-noon atthe Youth Center� Job Orientation, 1-2 p.m. inBuilding 350, Room 1016

Friday� Pre-Separation Briefing, 8-9a.m. in Building 350, Room 1016� Joining Forces at ElitchGardens from 5-10 p.m. Ticketsare $17, a meal ticket $6. For tick-ets, call 556-1760.� Seafood buffet, 6-8:30 p.m. atthe Enlisted Club. Reservationsare required. Call 556-4194

Saturday� Thunder Alley, 8:30 p.m. at theBowling Center

Sunday� Sunday Brunch, 10 a.m.-1:30p.m. at the Officers' Club

Monday� Five dollar per hour discount onCessna 172s at the Aero Club

Tuesday� Steak Night, 6-8 p.m. at theOfficers' Club

Wednesday� Advanced framing class, 5-9p.m. at the Community ActivitiesCenter. Cost is $30.� Land and sea family buffet, 5-7p.m. at the Enlisted Club

Thursday� Sponsorship Training, 7:30-8:30 a.m. in Building 350, Room1016� Resume Review, 9-11 a.m. inBuilding 350, Room 1016� Transition Planning, 1-4 p.m.in Building 350, Room 1016

Helpful Numbers� Family Advocacy 556-8943� Education Center 556-4064� Library 556-7462� Community Center 556-7671� Aquatics Center 556-4608� Fitness Center 556-4462� Officers’ Club 556-4181� Enlisted Club 556-4194� Youth Center 556-7220� Family Support 556-6141� Red Cross 556-9201� Outdoor Recreation 556-4487� Golf Course 556-7810

Auto Skills helps keep dogs of winter at bayDefensive Driving, Winter Driving Strategies seminars offered in October

As this year’s winter driving seasonapproaches, the Auto Skills Centerwill offer winter driving strategiesand defensive driving seminars inOctober, at the base auditorium.During Fiscal Year 02, the 21st SpaceWing experienced five non-reportable mishaps due to winterweather. In FY03, there was onereportable mishap.

The Peterson Air and Space MuseumFoundation was the recent recipient of a generousfinancial donation from a retired Air Force mem-ber.

Retired Air Force Col. Bill Smith, a lifemember of the museum, presented a $3,500check to retired Air Force Maj. Gen. GeorgeDouglas, Chairman of the Peterson Air and SpaceMuseum Foundation, on behalf of the 64thFighter Interceptor Squadron Association.

The ceremony took place at the F-102 stat-ic display, near Peterson’s Officers’ Club. The64th FIS flew the F-102 from 1957 until 1969.

A committee, led by retired Chief MasterSgt. Jack McKinney, is working to design a dis-play depicting the history of air defense for NorthAmerica, dating from early World War II.

The donated funds will be used in the con-struction of the air defense display in the historic“City Hangar” located on the grounds of theMuseum’s Airpark.

In addition to the financial contribution, the64th FIS has also donated a chromed 2.75-inchfolding-fin aircraft rocket, nicknamed “MightyMouse,” which is currently on display in theMuseum. This rocket was part of the armamentfor the F-102s.

Part of the focus for the display are activi-ties such as ground observers and early radarsthrough the evolution of other sensing devices,and interceptors from propeller-driven fighters to

today’s supersonic, electronic fighters. With pho-tographs, murals, and dioramas, the committeehopes to show visitors how air defense was puttogether from many sources to function effective-ly.

The 64th FIS had its origin in the 64thPursuit Squadron in November 1940, at MitchellField, N.Y. Throughout WWII, the 64th FISserved in Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Malta,Sicily, Italy, Corsica, and Florida, earning threedistinguished unit citations, the French Croix deGuerre with Palm, and nine campaign streamers.

The unit was part of the Alaskan AirCommand’s air defense forces until 1957, when itwas transferred to the Air Defense Command. InJune 1966, the unit’s F-102s were transferred toClark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, tosupport Southeast Asia combat operations. It wasthe only Air Defense Command fighter squadronto be deployed to participate in the Vietnam con-flict. The 64th FIS was deactivated in 1969, andlater reactivated as the 64th Aggressor Squadron,flying the F-16 at Nellis AFB, Nev., until it, too,was deactivated.

During its assignment in Vietnam, the unitwas awarded the prestigious Hughes Trophy, sig-nifying the Air Force’s top-rated air defensesquadron. The Hughes Trophy is on display in themuseum.

(Information courtesy of Peterson Air andSpace Museum)



64th FIS Association donation brings display closer to life

Courtesy photoThe F-102 “Delta Dagger,” flown by the 64th FighterInterceptor Squadron from 1957-1969, was the world’s firstsupersonic all-weather jet interceptor and the U.S. AirForce’s first operational delta-wing aircraft.


RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –Tremendous growth in Air Force Reserve OfficerTraining Corps has reduced the number of officers theAir Force needs to commission through OfficerTraining School, the commander of Air Education andTraining Command announced recently.

Gen. Don Cook said the number of officers com-missioned through ROTC has grown by about 300annually, and ROTC continues to be a steady source forofficer accessions entering active duty.

As a result, the general said reducing the numberof students at OTS will help return the school to theflexible commissioning program it was designed to be.

“OTS has acted as an accordion in balancing offi-cer accessions,” Cook said. “When we needed more peo-ple commissioned, we could expand OTS production.Conversely, when other commissioning sources, such asROTC, were providing enough officer accessions tomeet Air Force needs, we could contract OTS output.”

During the past few years, OTS has been per-forming at peak capacity, which meant the school couldnot provide any flexibility for officer accession endstrength, Cook said. In fiscal 2002, 1,946 second lieu-tenants received their commissions from the basic offi-cer course at OTS. The program course load was pro-jected at 1,780.

Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schoolsat Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., conduct the ROTCand OTS programs for the Air Force. Officials theresaid the growth in ROTC during the past three yearsuniquely positions ROTC to become the primary pro-ducer of technically oriented officers for the Air Force.ROTC is already the largest producer of officers for theAir Force – more than 2,500 officers received theircommissions through ROTC in fiscal 2002.

“We need flexibility restored to the OTS programto ensure the Air Force has short-term capability to

respond to future needs,” said Brig. Gen. Paul Hankins,AFOATS commander. “Thirty percent growth over thelast three years in the number of young men andwomen pursuing Air Force careers through ROTCallows us to decrease the output from OTS and restoreflexibility to officer production.”

Air Force Recruiting Service officials said themore than 200 applicants who have already met an AirForce selection board to attend OTS will not lose theirslots, but may have class dates delayed up to 12 months.Officials, however, expect most candidates will beoffered class dates by August or September 2003.

Hankins said the Air Force Recruiting Serviceand ROTC are still in the market for qualified officercandidates with scientific and technical talents to fillopenings in much-needed specialty fields such as med-ical, health science, scientific, engineering and physics.

Air Force recruiters are still accepting applica-tions for OTS from qualified candidates to fill flying-related positions such as pilot, navigator, weapons sys-tem officer and air battle manager, regardless of degreearea, said Col. Dwayne Hafer, director of officer acces-sions for Air Force Recruiting Service.

“For our enlisted Air Force members who havebeen working toward completing degree requirementswith the goal of an Air Force commission, we encour-age them to continue,” Hafer said.

Commissioning programs available for AirForce enlisted members include the AirmanEducation and Commissioning Program, AirmanScholarships and Commissioning Program,Scholarship for Outstanding Airman to ROTC and theProfessional Officer Course-Early Release Program.Details for these commissioning programs can befound at www.afoats.af.mil/AFROTC/EnlistedCommissioning/Default.htm.

(Courtesy of AETC News Service)

Air Force reducing OTS students

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USAFA commissioningopportunities forenlisted members


www.peterson.af.mil


The Peterson Fitness Center’snewest addition gets “in-line” Tuesdayas a $255K roller hockey rink will bededicated at 1 p.m. Brig. Gen. DuaneDeal, 21st Space Wing Commander,and Col. Cynthia Snyder, 21st MissionSupport Group Commander, will beco-hosts for the ribbon cutting and ded-ication.

The concrete rink offers peopleyet another place to play, featuring aregulation-size roller hockey rink.

“We’re trying to get the rulestogether as to how we want to play it,”said Sharon Duell, Peterson ComplexFitness Manager. Initial researchrevealed several different sets of rollerhockey rules from different sanctioningbodies. “USA Hockey has rules,NCAA has rules, and we have localrules, which are the Rocky MountainRoller Hockey League rules,” she said.

“We want to compile some thatare good for Peterson Air Force Base,

and then we’ll form our leagues.Duell said leagues would proba-

bly start up this year. “We hope to startthem by November at the latest. Itwould be a mixed league and woulddepend upon how many teams we get.

“It’s a whole new sport for us,”Duell said.

“I thought it would be a great wayto entertain our military members andkeep them in shape,” she said. “It’sespecially appealing to the youngertroops – the airmen in the dorms.”

The facility is complete, saidDuell, and “actually, it’s being used.

She said there will be safetyrequirements in addition to the stan-dard equipment. “They’re going tohave to wear a mouth guard, a helmet,knee and elbow pads and, of course, theproper skates. That’s considered per-sonal gear, and they’ll have to makesure they’re wearing it if they’re goingto play.”

Duell said the Youth Center willuse the rink for youth leagues.

Duell invites all Team Pete mem-

bers out for thegrand openingand ribbon cut-ting, and to watchthe inauguralgame. “There willbe remarks byBrig. Gen. Dealand Col. Snyder,and then we’llhave the inauguralgame.

“We’re look-ing for people thathave a little expe-rience to play inour inauguralgame,” Duell said.“And then, ofcourse, we’ll be setting up ourleagues.”

Players interested in signing upfor the inaugural game, or finding outmore about roller hockey leagues, cancontact Chris Hicks, IntramuralDirector, at 556-4475.

“People who want to come in and

check out sticks and pucks – as long asthey have the proper gear – can go outand play.”

People are welcome to play pick-up games or just go out and practicetheir skating.

Duell said in-line skates arerequired. “Also, there are no skateboardsallowed – only skates.”

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael PhillipsThe Peterson Fitness Center’s newest addition, a regula-tion-size roller hockey rink, opens with a ribbon-cuttingceremony, 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Newest Fitness Center addition rolls out Sports

Documents

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