C M Y K

INSIDE TODAY

Pinching gas penniesPage 4

Ahead of cleanup schedule Page 4

Water aerobicsPage 13

Rules for political activityPage 8

Vol. 35, No. 30 Friday, July 25, 2008

Photo by Staff Sergeant Joseph Swafford

The 91st Air Refueling Squadron team prepares to take off from the Red Bull flight deck during the 2008 Red Bull Flugtag in Tampa July 19. The 91st represented not just MacDill, but all of the Air Force by participating in the worldwide Red Bull event.

(SEE STORY AND MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 3)

ACTION LINE

If you have a comment or concern about a service or other matter per-taining to MacDill Air Force Base, call the Action Line at 828-7469. All ef-forts will be made to respond to the inquiry in pring, in this space.

by Master Sgt. Robert Madrigal586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron first sergeant

Most of us know how to drive a car, and many of us have been driving automobiles for years. I’ve had a driver’s license for 23 years, but I’ve never been to New York City. As much as I know about driving, I would never drive in New York City without a map. If I did I would probably get lost, make a lot of wrong turns, be late everywhere I went and get everything so twisted it would prob-ably lead to an accident.

Your career, your performance and your impact on the mission are the same way.

How can a subordinate come to work, per-form the right tasks correctly, know what a boss expects, and understand the goals for the workcenter if the subordinate was never given a copy of the “road map?”

My road map to you comes in the form of feedback.

Let’s say, hypothetically, you’re a staff sergeant and you have been in the Air Force in your current career field for at least four years. You previously attended Airman Leadership School, which provides some basic skills on how to be a staff sergeant. I shouldn’t have to teach you the basics of how to do your job, how to prepare your uniform,

how to read your leave and earnings state-ment or how to use the virtual Military Per-sonnel Flight.

However, when it comes to the mission of your workcenter, the boss has the responsi-bility to let you know what to expect. Specifi-cally, that encompasses how the boss will measure your success in regard to mission performance, what is required, problems re-lated to the work center’s current situation, issues dealing with your subordinates and overall improvement of the unit, so the boss can accurately report your progress on your next enlisted performance report.

I have seen the following situation more often than I would like. An Airman or their supervisor are deployed, and neither of them have enough spare time to ensure feedback is accomplished in a timely manner. Sometimes they work different schedules and that gets in the way. But there are too many excuses as to why timely feedback is never accom-plished. Many Airmen work throughout the year with undocumented feedback from their rater, or receive feedback through the grape-vine on how they are performing.

This type of feedback is generally unreli-able and incorrect, which results in misled Airmen with no idea of the rater’s expecta-tions. This leads me to my final point.

The Airman gets an EPR with unexpected

ratings and is left with a future they don’t want or understand. EPRs are used for con-sideration for special duty assignments and even cross-training options.

If an Airman gets an unexpected EPR, it could have lasting negative impacts for years to come. My purpose is not to put rules on what constitutes a five rating, because not every Airman will receive one. Every Airman does; however, have the potential to earn a five EPR. They just need a map of how to get there. They need to know the goals and measurements the supervisor will use when preparing the EPR.

The new EPR form makes this job easy. An initial feedback is prepared to lay the groundwork for showing your Airman the map. Then, you perform a midterm feedback to show them where they are on the map; without the feedback, they may accomplish very little. Your workcenter, unit and Air Force will ultimately suffer due to that lack of feedback if it is never accomplished.

Everyone that is not receiving feedback should ask for it. Better yet, fight for it! Ask your supervisor for feedback to ensure you are moving in the right direction. It’s your career, your unit and your Air Force. Find out the standards and the expectations and exceed them, because our future as an Air Force and country depend on you.

Plotting your career road map; a guide to the future

MacDill ThunderboltPublisher: Carla Floyd

Editor: Nick Stubbs

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

the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing.The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ-

ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of the products or service advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.

Advertising information may be obtained by calling 259-8104. For classified advertising call 657-4500.

News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, Bldg. 299, at 8208 Hangar Loop Drive, Suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at 828-4586. Email: thunder-bolt@MacDill.af.mil.

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

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

COMMENTARY

CorrectionAn article in the July 18 edition of the Thunder-

bolt incorrectly quoted Capt. Timothy O’Sullivan, 6th Mission Support Group. It also misidentified his deployed job title.

Captain O’Sullivan should have been quoted as saying he came under rocket attack 270 times dur-ing his seven months of deployment, and that the attack on his convoy vehicle, which earned him a Purple Heart, came from an 80-pound explosively formed projectile.

Capt. O’Sullivan’s deployed job title was advisor to the Iraqi Army, 14th Division.

The Thunderbolt regrets any confusion the inac-curate information in the story may have caused.

NEWS/FEATURES

No Bull!

Crew of 91st Air Refueling Squadron gets lesson in gravity

Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford

The 91st Air Refueling Squadron from MacDill prepares to take off from the Red Bull flight deck (Left) during the 2008 Red Bull Flugtag in Tampa Saturday, followed by discovering their aircraft was not very air-worthy (Right). The 91st represented the Air Force by participating in the worldwide Red Bull event.

by Lauren Rachal 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs intern

Five weeks, four hours a day and 1,200 miles. That is how long it will take Senior Airman Eric Luttrell, 6th Communications Squadron, to cycle up the east coast.

Airman Luttrell will be cycling from Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

“I recently had the honor to serve my coun-try in Afghanistan, where a few of my breth-ren gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Airman Luttrell in a letter sent out to friends and fam-ily.” “In their honor (this August) I will be rais-ing money for the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund.”

The Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund

is a non-profit organization based out of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and founded in 2003. It focuses on providing sup-port to the surviving family members of the servicemembers who have fought and died while protecting the country’s freedom. The CFSRF has helped U.S. military children and spouses with college grants, and has given fi-nancial assistance to those families in need of help with housing, utilities, food and clothing.

“I kind of formulated the idea when I was in Afghanistan,” said Airman Luttrell.

Airman Luttrell, who has just recently started cycling, began his training by riding his bicycle to work each day,

“It’s 25 miles there, and 25 miles back,” he said. While on the ride to Virginia, he will cycle up to four hours each day, “two in the morning,

and two at night,” he said, “I will get about 16 to 18 miles per hour.”

The chosen destination is significant.“I have chosen to end my journey at Arling-

ton National Cemetery to pay tribute to the men and women of our country who gave their lives so we can remain a free nation,” said Air-man Luttrell. “The money goes directly to the family members who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan or Iraq.”

Airman Luttrell has actively participated in the Adopt-a-Child fund, where he has spon-sored a child in another country. He also has coached youth football in the Tampa Bay area.

Those who are interested in sponsoring Air-man Luttrell on his Ride for our Hero’s this August can contribute by visiting http://www.yourcause.com/rideforourheros.

MacDill Airman to pedal for the kids on journey to Arlington

by Staff Sgt. Robert Maki6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

Human powered flying machines are a thing of the past, right? Not to the record crowd of more than 100,000 people who gath-ered at City Park at Tampa Convention Cen-ter Saturday.

The spirit of man achieving flight was rekindled at the annual Red Bull Flugtag. Red Bull Flugtag, or “flying day,” challenges teams to build homemade, human-powered flying machines and pilot them off a 30-foot-high deck in hopes of achieving flight.

Thirty-five teams, including a five-man team from MacDill’s 91st Air Refueling Squadron, did just that and was the official Air Force entry. The competition included jumping off the flight deck into the Hillsbor-ough River, and teams were judged on flight distance, creativity and showmanship.

“Our strategy was speed, because we knew it wasn’t going to fly,” said Senior Airman Andrew Reichard, 91st ARS boom operator and team captain. “You never really saw how big the crowd was until you got up there. The overall experience was amazing.”

The team created their flying machine

mainly out of PVC pipe and cardboard. Their craft looked like a gas tank with wings, fit-ting considering their job is to fly aerial gas stations at thousands of feet at hundreds of miles per hour.

“As aircrew our job is to keep the plane in the air, and keep everyone safe,” said 1st Lt. Andrea Erdekian, 91st ARS pilot and team member. “This was our one opportunity to let loose, not be focused on a mission and have some fun.”

Local team Tampa Baywatch took home top honors at this year’s Flugtag, with a See FLUTAG, Page 18

Color Available

by Nick StubbsThunderbolt editor

There is only so much pain a human being can endure, and when gas prices started closing in on $4 a gallon, Desi Curtis crossed his pain threshold.

So he fought back. He went right out and bought a pair of Segway human transporters – one for himself and one for his wife.

Some on base may have eyed him tooling around on the two-wheeled electric device, that seem to balance miraculously. A curious device, to be sure, but they are about as miserly on energy as anything he could think of, said Mr. Curtis, a manager of information systems with the 6th Civil Engineer Squadron.

Providing it isn’t raining, Mr. Curtis makes the two-mile trip to work on his high-tech, two-wheeled platform, passing gas stations along the way.

Electric personal transportation may not be for everyone, but Mr. Curtis believes anyone looking for a way to deal with oppressive gas prices can find a way to make getting around a little more economical.

At $5,000 a copy, the Segway will take about two to two and a half years to pay for itself, so

there is no immediate payoff, he said, but “it will pay off in time.”

If a person is close enough to the base to bike, the return comes sooner, but he warns that quality bicycles also will set you back a good penny.

Mr. Curtis might have opted for a bike him-self, he said, only he travels to the University of Tampa for classes after fishing his day at MacDill. That means he’s running 20 miles a day, and biking in the heat would likely mean a change of clothes would be in order after arriv-ing at his destination.

“It’s a personal decision you have to make,” he said. “In Florida in the summer, biking is hard on you.”

Other ways to beat the cost of fuel include public transportation, car pooling and even walking, but each has its disadvantages, said Mr. Curtis, who likes the freedom on having his own transportation and being able to travel at a top speed of 12 mph.

“I’m faster than a jogger and faster than a lot of bikes,” he said. “It is a little bit of a workout standing and working the handlebars, but it is pretty easy on you.”

Mr. Curtis said he’s saving a bundle. The de-

MacDill tech takes to technology to beat gas prices, protect environment

See SMART, Page 6

Photo by Nick Stubbs

Desi Curtis glides through a MacDill parking lot on his electric transporter. It costs him .25 cents a day in electricity to power it.

NEWS/FEATURES

by A1C Katherine B. Holt6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

MacDill’s Environmental Res-toration Program remedied sites of contamination a year before its goal, and five years before the Air Force’s goal.

“MacDill is the perfect example of diverse groups coming together to complete the mission,” said Maj. General Del Eulberg, Air Force Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. “MacDill has success-fully saved $1.2 million, an accom-plishment worth celebrating.”

Many factors played into the restoration of all these sites. One major factor was the fence-to -fence contracting, or partnering with other agencies, used to get the mission accomplished. Mac-Dill’s ERP partnered with many agencies, including: Florida De-partment of Environmental Pro-

tection, the United States Envi-ronmental Protection Agency and Earth Tech.

“What impressed me most about MacDill’s ERP was the use of in-novative acquisition strategy as performance based fence-to-fence contracting, but also the ability to reach agreement with the regu-lators and communicate the pro-gram with the public was signifi-cant,” said General Eulberg.

General Eulberg went on to say that not only is this a signifi-cant achievement for MacDill, but also from the entire Air Force prospective. He said the Air Force has set a very aggressive goal of having “remedy in place” by fiscal year 2012 for all installation res-toration program sites, two years ahead of Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2014 goal. Remedy in place is an important milestone as it signifies the investigation, rem-

edy selection and construction are complete.

Members of MacDill’s ERP com-pleted this entire process for 21 sites in less than a year.

“This is an unprecedented feat,” said Tish Matty, 6th Civil Engineer Squadron remedial project manag-er. “No other military installation has made remedies for 21 contam-inated sites in one year.”

General Eulberg also comment-ed on the unprecedented feat.

“I commend the installation for the achievement of this important milestone of remedy in place, and I want them to continue to press with the ongoing cleanup and get to the next milestone of closing the sites.”

Running along the water down the Bayshore rubber path, feeling the breeze from the bay, no one would ever think that MacDill had 21 sites of contamination.

MacDill out front on cleanup; beats AF goal by five years

Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford Jr.

The Air Force civil engineer Major Gen. Del Eulberg speaks at Mac-Dill July 8. Major General Eulberg was on base to recognize the in-dividuals who made MacDill’s En-vironmental Restoration Program a success.

vice gets him around on .25 cents per day in electricity. He’d have to get 450 mpg in a gas-powered vehicle to match the economy.

Mr. Curtis also has the advantage of knowing he isn’t spitting out pollutants and that he is doing some-thing positive for the envi-ronment.

“Anything you can do to reduce the impact is a good thing these days,” he said.

But what about when it rains?

Mr. Curtis still has his “legacy” vehicles, including a gas-guzzling van, but it will soon be swapped out for a Smart Car, a tiny 45-mpg, three-cylinder car he ordered nearly a year ago. Despite their small size, he said a test drive proved it is surprisingly roomy. He figures he can get his and his wife’s Segway in the back once the handlebars are detached. Most impor-tant, it puts a roof over his head. At $13,500 for a basic model, he figures it won’t take long to start paying for itself, particularly if gas prices stay the same or go up.

“I think we’re going to see more and more people going this route,” Mr. Cur-tis said. “I see a few people on Segways around the ar-ea, and at least one Smart Car on base; hybrids are selling as quickly as the dealers get them and there are a lot of those showing up on base.”

It’s a change of lifestyle and an adjustment that takes a little getting used to, but Mr. Curtis believes he’s just on the front end of a trend that will be far more common in the near future. Funny little electric scooters, tiny cars with tiny gas motors or electric pow-er may not be the America dream yet, but they certain-ly go a long way in dealing with the American night-mare of high gas prices.

SMARTFrom Page 4

by Debra Faulkner

As the election season approaches you may ask yourself how you can become involved in the political process. Perhaps Senator Obama, Senator McCain or Libertarian presi-dential nomine Bob Barr are already solicit-ing your vote.

Maybe a local candidate is requesting your involvement in their campaign. You may be contemplating involvement in a campaign for passage of a constitutional amendment, or some other political issue you deem worthy of your time. As military members and civilian employees, we are governed by distinct sets of rules that limit some forms of political par-ticipation. So before becoming involved in the

political process, Air Force members should become familiar with the rules set forth in Air Force Instruction 51-902, and civilian employ-ees should familiarize themselves with the Federal statutes that govern civilian employ-ee involvement in political activities.

Understanding the difference between “par-tisan” and “nonpartisan” activities is required to understand and participate in political ac-tivities-related discussions. “Partisan activ-ity” refers to any activity associated with a political party; this includes any activity on behalf of a candidate which is affiliated with a particular political party. “Nonpartisan ac-tivity” is any activity not associated with a political party. Most issues pertaining to con-stitutional amendments, referendums, and

approval of city ordinances are considered “nonpartisan.”

There are some general rules of thumb for political activity for both civilian employ-ees and military members, some “Do’s and Don’t’s.” Here are some “Do’s”: First, and foremost, the Department of Defense encour-ages everyone to carry out their obligations of citizenship by voting in the coming elections. Service members and civilian employees may also encourage others to vote, and express per-sonal opinions on candidates and issues, but these actions must not constitute attempts “to influence or interfere with the outcome” of the election. Keep in mind that a service member

Political activity: know the rules to avoid partisanship conflicts

See POLITICAL ACTIVITY, Page 16

by Airman 1st Class Katherine B. Holt 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

MacDill’s first sergeants held an off-site July 7 at the Embassy Suites Hotel, inviting several base agencies to brief on changes and procedures that directly af-fect the first sergeants. The agencies in attendance were 6th Air Mobility Wing le-gal office, 6th Security Forces Squadron, squadron commanders panel, John Navar-ro, and the Military Personnel Flight.

“We held the offsite at the Embassy Suites Hotel to able ourselves to focus solely on the briefs,” said Master Sgt. Craig Neri, 6th Mission Support Group First Sergeant. “We wouldn’t have been able to get away from ringing telephones and other distractions on base.”

Sergeant Neri went on to say that this was mainly to reinforce information and learn new policies and procedures that were happening on base that directly af-fected them.

For example, he said with all the chang-es and consolidations going on with per-sonnel in the MPF, there was confusion about who to contact for certain situations and offices. Sergeant Neri added that the

briefing helped alleviate any questions or confusion.

The MPF nine-man team was made up of the commander, superintendant and noncommissioned officers in charge from the necessary sections.

Capt. Tammy Foster, MPF commander, began the presentation. Each NCO briefed the shirts on changes that would ultimate-ly impact the shirts, from ID cards to be-low the zone procedures.

The MPF brief was full of information and the 6th Security Forces brief was just as informative.

“With the construction of the new Secu-rity Forces building not having any form of confinement, it was imperative that we were informed on the process for confining Airmen who were apprehended,” Sergeant Neri said.

All the briefers contributed a great deal to the offsite and Senior Master Sgt. Sha-ron O’Connor, 6th Medical Group First Sergeant, felt that it was a great success.

“I feel the off-site was productive in that we heard from key base agencies,” said Sergeant O’Connor. “This will enable us to better support our Airmen, command-ers and Air Force mission.”

MPF briefs new procedures with the shirts

Job Title: Contract Specialist

Home town: Tacoma, WA

Short-term goals: Complete my upgrade training.

Long-term goals: Complete my bachelor’s degree in Business Ad-ministration.

Advice to others: Life is full of challenges. Don’t be afraid to dive in and get your hands dirty.

Role model (s): My mother, for her perpetual strength and deter-mination..

Why did you join?: Educational benefits, travel, and new experi-ences.

Staff Sergeant Sovanna Tanner 6th Contracting Squadon

Diamond SharpMACDILL COMMUNITY

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) — Military mothers of newborns, and certain Army parents adopting a child, will be able to stay home longer before deploying or serving overseas, starting Aug. 1.

The new policy will lengthen deferments from four to six months for new mothers be-fore being deployed, assigned to a dependent-restricted overseas tour, an accompanied over-seas tour where concurrent travel is denied or temporary duty away from their home station.

The expanded program also applies to mili-tary couples who adopt a child - either the mother or the father - following the date the child is placed in their home as part of the formal adoption process. It is up to the couple which of them takes advantage of the new poli-cy change, officials said. They said single moth-ers or single fathers adopting a child are also eligible for the program.

“The office of the surgeon general did a re-view and brought it to our attention, and so the decision was made that this would be good for the Army because we recognize that that the period of time after birth is important for the bonding of the mother and child,” said Lt. Col. Gerald Conway, chief of distribution and readi-ness in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1). “More time was preferred than the current Army policy, which was four months, and so the decision was made to ex-tend it to six months.”

Soldiers with deferments ending prior to Aug. 1 will complete their four-month defer-ment but, commanders are encouraged to give Soldiers six months if operationally feasible, said Conway.

Soldiers who are under deferments as of Aug. 1 will be eligible for the extended six-month policy, unless waived by the individual Soldier concerned.

The policy change coincides with the Army’s return to a twelve-month deployment policy, ac-cording to Conway, and is part of the Army’s effort to reset and rebalance the force.

The extension of this deferment period brings the Army in line with the Marine Corps at six months. The Air Force is four months and the Navy is 12 months.

“This is all part of emphasizing the impor-tance of family, rebalancing the force, getting back to some predictability, stability for Sol-diers and Families,” said Conway.

“This is the Army’s recognition that Family is the foundation of our fighting force,” he con-tinued. “We recruit Soldiers, we retain Fami-lies. There’s been some discussion about this for awhile and I think Soldiers will view this positively just because it gives them more time. I just look at my own experiences when we had our children, I think it will be viewed very posi-tively, just to give them more time to recover and recognizing the importance of Family.”

(Courtesy Army News Service)

Photo by Martin Greeson

U.S. Army Spc. Adam Darrah holds his daugh-ter Sept. 6, 2007, after returning to Darmstadt, Germany, from a yearlong deployment in Iraq. Starting Aug. 1, new mothers and certain par-ents of adopted children will be able to defer deployments for up to six months.

New Army parents to get more time at home

by Lance Cpl. Joshua MurrayRegimental Combat Team 5

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq — 1st Lt. Darrell

Brown, 31, the supply officer with Task Force 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, Regimental Com-bat Team 5, from Charlotte, N.C., knows what it is like to be in debt.

“I started out like everyone else and I blew my pay,” said Brown, who is from Charlotte, N.C. “If I couldn’t go pull my money out of an ATM when I wanted to, then it wasn’t for me.”

These days, Brown uses the financial prob-lems he had and overcame as his motivation to help Marines avoid financial instability and invest their money wisely with his own finan-cial management classes here.

“I don’t see why Marines have to make the

same mistakes that I did if they can learn from mine,” Brown said. “It changes your life when you get out of debt, and if they fritter away their income they won’t get anywhere.”

Brown joined the Marine Corps in 1995 and began a 10-year term of enlisted service. In 2006, he was commissioned and became a sup-ply officer. He spent many of his early years in the Marine Corps accruing financial debts. Brown attended debt management classes, but the impacts of his spending habits didn’t hit home until tax season came around one year.

“I went to debt management classes, but the information went in one ear and out the oth-er,” he said. “One realization I had was when I saw what I got paid for the year on my W-2. I held it in my hand, looked around and said to myself, ‘what did I spend my money on?’ I had

nothing to show for it.”As a sergeant, Brown transferred to West

Palm Beach, Fla., for Inspector/Instructor Duty. After he arrived, an unfortunate inci-dent proved to be beneficial by causing him to stumble upon something he had kept packed away for a rainy day.

“We had a hurricane and everything I owned was ruined from a leak in the roof,” Brown said. “I found a pamphlet on the floor that I let dry out with some other things. When I opened that pamphlet, it was like an epiphany.

It was called ‘Power Paying Your Way Out of Debt’. It was something I ignored in the past, but it was right there when I needed it.”

Brown began slowly making his way out of debt and became more determined to invest

Supply officer talks money; making every dollar work for you

See MONEY, Page 14

by Airman 1st Class Katherine B. Holt6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

With the cool weather behind us, the sum-mertime brings the desire for people to par-ticipate in various outdoor activities. MacDill’s Outdoor Recreation and the Fitness and Sports Center has just the thing for Team MacDill members to participate in this summer.

“I think it is important for our troops to know that outdoor recreation is giving great value to servicemembers and their families,” said Marie Smith, 6th Services Squadron Out-door and Recreation activities coordinator. “One of the great things about Outdoor Recre-ation is the swimming classes for children and teens during the summer.”

Currently, swimming lessons and water aer-obics are being offered right now at the Base Pool.

The lessons are divided into three sessions. They last two weeks long and run from Tues-day through Friday for 30 minutes. Saturdays are make-up days for bad weather. Because each child comes to the course with different levels of experience it is divided into four skill levels.

The class instructors are trained to teach at every skill level. They are also certified Red Cross instructors and life guards.

The swim lessons are $35 per session. When considering the cost of off base swimming les-sons, MacDill has a reduced rate. Compared to the YMCA, servicemembers can save more than a $100.

“To enroll your child in swim lessons at the YMCA, you must first become a member,” ex-plained Mrs. Smith. “A membership for one year is $60, the cost of swim lessons are an ad-ditional $75 totaling $135.”

Swimming lessons aren’t the only thing making a splash at the base pool this summer; the Outdoor Recreation and MacDill Fitness and Sports Center also offer water aerobics.

Water aerobics are going on now through August 28. Classes are Tuesday and Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m. There are only 20 spots avail-able on a first come first serve basis.

“Water aerobics, also known as aqua fitness, is a great way to keep in shape,” said Staff Sgt. Breann Green, 6th Services Squadron fitness and sports supervisor. “It offers both cardiovas-cular training while it strengthens the body.”

Sergeant Green added that the program has a mixture of all different exercises. Whatever is done out of the water can also be done in the water. She explained that cardiovascular exercises get the heart rate up and keeps it up so one can lose weight and feel great. At the

Splish-Splash!

Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph L. Swafford

6th Services Squadron fitness instructor Staff Sergeant Breann Green leads participants in the first water aerobics class of the summer at MacDill July 17. One of the great advantages of water aerobics is that almost anyone can perform them, because the water causes your body to be buoyant, thus causing less stress on your joints.

Photo by Senior Airman David L Minor

In addition to aerobics, swimming lessons for kids are a featured at the pool. Here in-structor Allison George teaches Christian Thomas how to kick his legs. (SEE PAGE 15 for class information)

Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph L. Swafford

When fitness instructor Sergeant Breann Green says jump, water aerobics students comply.

Fun, fitness and learning at the Base Pool

Staying fit while staying afloat

See WATER AEROBICS, Page 15

SPORTS/FITNESS

his money in something that would generate a profit. His first experience with a financial advisor wasn’t the most success-ful.

“When I first started trying to invest, I went to a financial advisor and he declined me, said Brown. “He said ‘I only deal with

serious investors and you don’t even have enough money to pay my fees.’ It was tough times.”

Brown, during his les-sons with Marines, ex-plains the way he per-sonally got himself out of debt.

“Make a spending plan,” Brown said. “This spend-ing plan would consist of every monthly expense, in-cluding how much is spent

on activities during liberty or leave. After you make a spending plan, rank your debts from smallest to largest. Focus extra money outside of your spending plan on the smallest debt while still paying the least amount possible on larger ones. You get the smallest debt out of the way, contin-ue with the next and you will see tangible progress.”

He teaches that invest-ing money appropriately varies based on the life-style of the investor.

“After you get yourself out of debt, build an emer-gency fund,” he said.

“This will take the pres-sure off of using any credit cards. Then take a look at your situation, age, wheth-er you’re married or single and decide what way of in-vesting would be best for you. There is no set way of doing it.”

As the final chapter of his period of instruction, Brown explained the risks and probability of mak-ing money with different stocks, bonds and mutual funds.

MONEYFrom Page 12

same time the water increases resistance and muscles are worked by simply doing bicep curls and tricep exten-sions under the water.

With the hot summers at MacDill, water aerobics is helpful to one’s body.

“Water aerobics is a great way to exercise if you have back and joint problems, if you are recovering from sur-gery or if you are pregnant,” said Sergeant Green. “The water helps support the weight relieving the joints of stress.”

MacDill’s 6th Services Squadron Outdoor Recreation provides safe and healthy activities for all of Team Mac-Dill this summer. So don’t miss out; dive right in.

Preschool (3-5 years old) This class gives the student a head

start on learning to swim and will teach the pre-schooler water adjustment, breath control, flutter kick and front and back float support.Level 1 : Water Exploration (6 years and older)

For students who don’t know how to swim and are afraid of water. They are taught water adjustment, breath con-trol, flutter kick, front and back floats, bobbing and supported kicks.

Level 2: Primary SkillsFor students who feel comfortable in

the water. They are taught to hold their breath for three seconds, submerge and retrieve objects from the bottom of the pool, float/glide, flutter kick, crawl stroke and turning over in the water.Level 3: Stroke Readiness

The pre-requisite is level two or the equivalent. Students are taught to bob, jump in deep water, perfect front and back crawl (10 yards each), elementary backstroke and safety skills.

WATER AEROBICSFrom Page 13

Base Pool offering range of lessons for kids

can vote even after deploying or moving to a new duty location if the member has a voter registration card, and has applied for an absentee ballot from the state in which the member is registered. In ad-dition to voting, military members are permitted to join political organizations, attend meetings when not in uniform, donate money to candidates and organi-zations, wear political buttons off-duty, display standard sized bumper stickers (nothing larger) on personal vehicles, and sign petitions for legislative actions and to get candidates’ names on the of-ficial election ballot. Military members may also write letters to the newspaper expressing views on public issues, but this issue is tricky. The article must not constitute an attempt to promote a parti-san political cause, or create the appear-ance of partiality of the Armed Services. Therefore, a service member should avoid stating their names followed by rank and branch of service since this may be con-strued as an official statement by the member’s branch of service.

Here are some “don’ts”: Service mem-

bers must not participate in any partisan political activities in an official capacity, as representatives of the Armed Forces, or in uniform. Military members can-not use “contemptuous words” against many officeholders including, but not limited to, the president, vice president, and members of Congress. Participation in partisan political management, cam-paigns or conventions, or making public speeches in support of these activities is also strictly prohibited. Neither civilian employees nor military members may sponsor candidate fund-raisers, or solicit or receive campaign contributions. Final-ly, service members may not participate in partisan political parades, radio, tele-vision, or other programs (i.e. podcasts) as advocates of partisan political parties or candidates.

This article has highlighted some of the “Dos” and “Don’ts” you should con-sider before engaging in political activi-ties. However, if you have specific ques-tions about a political activity, feel free to contact the legal office at 828-4422 for additional information.

POLITICAL ACTIvITYFrom Page 8

final distance of 109 feet. Second-place winner was Tampa-based Air Gilligan, with 32 feet. Third place was awarded to the Panama City Beach team, The Little Engine That Could, with 21 feet.

People’s Choice Award, which is de-termined by SMS text voting during the

event, was awarded to the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins, which received more than 10,000 SMS votes.

Although the 91st ARS did not place, it managed to prove its daring and Mac-Dill’s commitment to participating in Tampa Bay area community events.

FLUTAGFrom Page 3

At the Movies

Chapel ScheduleProtestant servicesSunday - 9 a.m., Traditional Service10:30 a.m., Religious Education, Noon, Gospel ServiceTuesday -Noon, Promise Keepers6 p.m.Thursday - 11:30 a.m., Officers’ Christian Fel-lowshipFriday - 10:30 a.m., Women of the Chapel

Catholic servicesSaturday - Mass, 5:30 p.m.Sunday - Mass, 10:30 a.m.Monday to Thursday: Mass, 12:10 p.m.Saturday - Sacrament of Reconciliation, 4:30 p.m., (or by appointment)

Jewish and Islamic servicesCall 828-3621 for information.

Coming Soon

Kung Fu PandaPo is the biggest fan of Kung

Fu around...which doesn’t ex-actly come in handy while working every day in his fam-ily’s noodle shop. Unexpect-edly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po’s dreams become reality when he joins the world of Kung Fu and studies along-side his idols. PG

Get Smart Maxwell Smart is on a mis-

sion to thwart the latest plot for world domination by the evil crime syndicate known as KAOS. PG-13

Zohan

Friday 7 p.m.

You don’t mess with the Zohan

Zohan, an Israeli comman-do, fakes his own death in or-der to pursue his dream: be-coming a hairstylist in New York. PG-13

Saturday 7 p.m.The Happening

A family on the run from an inexplicable and unstop-pable event that threatens not only humankind…but the most basic human instinct of them all: survival. R

The Happening

Shows and times are subject to change. Call the MacDill Theater at 828-2780 for complete listings. Doors normally open 20 minutes prior to showtime, but call the theater for verification because they may open earlier. Tickets are $3.25. Children under 4 are free, unless it’s a G-rated movie.

Kung Fu Panda

Get Smart

MACDILL COMMUNITY

Promotion and Recognition CeremonyThe monthly Wing promotion and recognition ceremo-

ny is scheduled for today at 3 p.m. at the Enlisted Club.

DCMA change of commandThe Defense Contract Management Agency of St. Pe-

tersburg will have a change-of-command ceremony to-day at 10 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. For more information, contact Chief John Matuza at 727-539-2922.

Company Grade Officer CouncilMacDill Company Grade Officer Council invites

CGO’s (O1—O3) of all branches of service to join us for monthly events varying from social events, to communi-ty service, guest speakers and professional development. It is a great opportunity to meet other officers in your peer group, which can be especially helpful when you are new to the MacDill area. To be added to the email list and receive information just send an email to Lt Daniel Corneliussen at or call 813-828-4030.

Tinker registrationRegistration for Tinker Elementary will begin Mon-

day and run through Aug. 14, Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to noon. To register your student you will need the fol-lowing documentation: Original birth certificate, current school physical, Florida Certificate of Immunization, and social security card. For 1st – 5th grade students you will also need a copy of their last report card and contact information for their previous school. If you have any questions, you can contact the school office at 840-2043.

HAPPENINGS

Photo by Senior Airman Rachel Cunningham

Kathy Maker, a librarian on base, reads to a class of 6-year-olds from the School Age Program Tuesday at the MacDill library. While school is out, the summer program includes three story times: Tuesdays and Thurs-days at 10:15 a.m. and Wednesday night bedtime stories at 6:45 p.m. as part of the annual summer program.