PT still mandatory for those on profile

By Tech. Sgt. James RushAir Force Space Command Public Affairs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Thespace industry’s key players loudly applauded aspeech on maintaining the United States’ lead inspace presented by the commander of Air ForceSpace Command at the National SpaceSymposium’s Corporate Partner Dinner at theBroadmoor Hotel April 5.

General Lance W. Lord addressed an audi-ence of more than 900 people comprised prima-

rily of corporate officers from the command’sindustry partners on day two of the week-longconference. He emphasized teamwork andaccountability as keys to sustaining the nation’sedge in space. The symposium is one of thelargest gatherings of military and corporatespace professionals in the country.

Citing the NCAA men’s basketball nationalchampionship game, General Lord pointed outhow even a large advantage can be threatened.Eventual winner North Carolina saw a 15-point

By Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON — U.S. Office of PersonnelManagement officials are working to make veterans’ pref-erence for federal jobs available to more veterans. Oneinitiative is a new revisedapplication that allows federalagencies to accept veterans’disability letters.

The revised applicationis being posted on OPM’sWeb site so agencies immedi-ately can accept VeteransAffairs letters of disability,officials said. Agencies,OPM examining offices andagency appointing officialsuse the online application toevaluate claims for veterans’preference on applications forgovernment jobs.

The new revisions to theveterans’ preference form bring it in line with VA policy,which generally considers disability letters issued since1991 as proof of a permanent disability.

To further encourage veterans into the federal sys-tem, OPM officials also are continuing the veterans’ invi-tational program, visiting military bases and medical cen-ters to explain veterans’ preference and outline the proce-dures for applying for federal jobs.

Upcoming visits are planned for Cherry Point, N.C.;Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Bolling Air Force Base,Washington.; Fort Sam Houston and Fort Bliss, Texas;and Fort Lee, Va., officials said.

The initiatives reflect OPM’s “strong emphasis onthe rights of veterans, including employment opportuni-ties,” said Dan G. Blair, OPM acting director.

“We must ensure those who are eligible for veter-ans’ preference receive the benefits to which they are

PT still mandatory for those on profile

PR ST STDUS Postage

PAIDCañon City, CO

Permit 56FRONT RANGE AIR AND SPACE DAY AIR SHOW IS 51 DAYS AWAY, PAGE 18

By 2nd Lt. Ashley Conner22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

MCCONNELL AIR FORCEBASE, Kan. -- Many Airmen believebeing on profile is an escape route from

participating in unit physical training,but officials here said it is not.

“Just because a (person) has a pro-file that says ‘no running, jumping,crunches, push-ups, and no cycle ergo’does not mean that the (Airman) cannotgo to the fitness center and participatein unit fitness,” said Lt. Col. KathleenAnkers, 22nd Medical Group’s medicalstaff chief.

There are only a few reasons an

Airmen can be exempt from unit fitness,which include being hospitalized, beingclosely medically supervised duringconvalescence from a very serious ill-ness and being on medically prescribedbed rest, officials said.

Though a person may not be ableto participate fully in all the unit’s spe-cific exercises, he or she will need toparticipate in an individual exerciseprogram.

Health and wellness center offi-cials can tailor individual exercise rou-tines to meet the person’s needs andlimitations.

“We conduct a one-on-one inter-view with (Airmen) to determine (their)limitations unique to them, such as highblood pressure, pregnancy or injuries,”said Bart Patterson, a health technicianat the center here.

OPM helping to extendhiring preferenceto more veterans

INSIDENews 1-9Commentary 8Feature 12-13Happenings 15-17Services 19

Wrestle ManiaAir Force wrestling places third ininterservice tourneyPage 11

Fun and GamesKids are in good hands at PetersonCDC Page 12-13

Thursday, April 14, 2005 Vol. 49 No. 15

U.S. must continually workto maintain lead in space

Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Courtesy photoGeneral Lance W. Lord, Commander of Air Force Space Command, speaks at the SpaceSymposium that took place April 4-7.

See PT, Page 10

Open for BusinessEclipse café opens doors

Page 3

See Space, Page 10 See Veterans, Page 4

Acting DirectorDan G. Blair

There are only a fewreasons an Airmen

can be exempt

April 10, 1975

The B-1 Lancer aircraft attains

supersonic flight speed for the

first time.

April 11, 1911

Lts.T.D. Milling and Henry H.

Arnold ordered to Dayton, Ohio

for flying instructions.

April 12, 1988

The first F-16C/D Fighting Falcon

is delivered to Luke AFB, Ariz.

April 12, 1988

The first F-15E Strike Eagle is

delivered to Luke AFB, Ariz.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, April 14, 20052

Published by Colorado Springs Military Newspapers Group, 31 E. Platte Avenue, Suite 300, Colorado Springs, 80903, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the21st 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 endorsement by DoD, the Department of the Air Force, or CSMNG, of the products or services advertised. Everythingadvertised 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 ofthe 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, (719) 556-4351 or DSN 834-4351, fax (719) 556-7848 orDSN 834-7848. All photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated.

The Space Observer is published every Thursday. For advertising inquiries, call Colorado Springs MilitaryNewspapers, (719) 634-3223 Ext. 207. Employees of Peterson Air Force Base who want to place a free classifiedadvertisement should call 634-3223 Ext. 210.

Articles for the Space Observer should be submitted to the 21st SW/PAI, Attn: Space Observer. For submissiondetails call the editor at (719) 556-4351 or DSN 834-4351 or e-mail [email protected]. Deadline for sub-mission is 4:30 p.m. the Thursday one week before publication. All articles, copy and announcements submitted willbe edited to conform to AFI Series 35 and the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.

21st Space WingCommander

Brig. Gen. Richard E. WebberChief of Public Affairs

Capt. Amy SufakEditorial Staff

Chief of Internal 1st Lt. Tracy Giles

Editor Senior Airman Shawn Clements

Staff WriterTech. Sgt. Matt GilreathTech. Sgt. Kevin AllenLayout and Design

Jeff Adcox

FROM THE TOP

A Moment in Time

By Lt. Col. Alan Webster21st Logistics Readiness Squadron

Why did you join the Air Force? Why do youstay in the Air Force?

There are probably almost as many variedanswers to the first question asthere are people in the Air Force.

However, our reasons usuallyhave something to do with person-al benefit. My reason certainlydid. I had recently quit my civilianjob over an integrity issue; thecompany I was working for didn’thave any integrity. However, I wasrecently married and had justbought a new car so financialissues were my greatest concern.

I needed a job. A few years before I had told

a good friend that I would neverjoin the military. Amazing how cir-cumstances can change our per-spective.

The reasons that we stay in the Air Force aregenerally a little bit different though.

It could be for the garden spot assignments,such as Thule Air Base, Greenland, Malmstrom AirForce Base, Mont., Grand Forks AFB, N.D., andMinot AFB, N.D.

It could be the fancy leather jacket or the high-class “leatherman” you were issued.

It could be because you like working all thoseshort suspenses that just keep on flowing.

It could be that you love preparing for inspec-tions.

It could be the very fashionable DCUs that arecurrently all the rage.

It could be you enjoy the chal-lenge of doing more with less everyyear.

It could be you like recalls at4:30 a.m.

It could be you like guardingProtection Level 1 resources inbelow-zero weather.

Yes, there is a hint of sarcasmin the words above, but don’t get mewrong, the Air Force has a tremen-dous number of benefits that impacteach of us differently. However, as Ilook back on 21 years of service,my reasons for staying in the AirForce are very simple.

First, this job of defendingour country is the most important

job anyone can have. Without each military memberdoing their specific job to the best of their abilitieseach day, no one in the civilian world would have theopportunity to do any of the other jobs that societydeems important. Everyone in the military has apiece of this mission.

Secondly, the people. Military folks are unique… in a good way. You are people who always seem to

find a way to do the impossible and smile whileyou’re doing it. You are part of society but your serv-ice instills values and attributes that end up makingyou “a cut above.”

The last reason goes back to why most of usjoined. It is beneficial to us and our families. Let’sface it; no one would stay in the military if your fam-ily wasn’t provided for.

Certainly there are sacrifices that all familiesmake during the course of a military career.

However, there are also family benefits that comewith the career. Medical benefits, dental benefits,opportunities to travel, retirement pay and being apart of the Air Force family are just a few examples.

Plus, I never had the opportunity to live in somany “gated” communities if I had been a factoryworker the past 21 years.

To steal an old recruiting phrase, the Air Forcetruly is a great way of life. Thank you all for yourservice to your country and thank you for being partof my Air Force family.

Commander reflects on reasons for joining the Air Force

Submitting Action Lines The Action Line is a direct link to the

21st Space Wing commander. It should beused when other avenues have failed.Concerns should be addressed at the lowestpossible level in the chain of command andelevated as necessary.

Though not required, Action Lineusers should leave point-of-contact infor-mation when submitting an Action Line.This will allow those who are addressingthe concern to clarify the information andrespond, if necessary. Not all responses areprinted; however, if information allows, aresponse will be rendered in another for-mat.

If satisfactory results have not been

attained by addressing the chain of com-mand, call the Action Line at 556-7777 orfax 556-7848.

Hot Tub InstallationQuestion: Why are base housing

residents permitted to install hot tubswhile the Air Force pays the electricalbill? We received a dig permit fromCivil Engineers for a base housingresident who wants to install a hottub. How can something that is suchan energy hog be allowed and havethe Air Force pay for it when we arehaving such a severe budget crunch.A hot tub uses a lot of electrical ener-gy. Thank you.

Answer: Thanks for your inquiryconcerning hot tub installation. As aresult, we are reviewing the PetersonAFB procedures/policies for hot tubinstallations. Currently, the MilitaryFamily Housing occupant must requestpermission to install a hot tub.

The occupant is responsible for allcosts associated with the installation,which must meet all life/safety and elec-trical codes. Presently, there is no addi-tional monthly cost to the member forenergy consumption. However, due toour need to meet the Presidential goalsfor energy conservation, we are investi-gating the practicality of charging the

resident for the additional energy usage. Our goal is to provide both rea-

sonable quality-of-life choices for MFHresidents as well as wise stewardship ofour natural resources.

To that end, every Team Petemember has an opportunity to conserveenergy, whether they live on base ornot. Simple actions like turning off thelights in an unoccupied room, keepingthermostats set low, and using energysaver functions on computers can savethe our base tens of thousands of dol-lars annually. Thanks again for yourinquiry. For information, call WillieCarter at 556-7174.

Action Line

Thank you all for yourservice to your country and

thank you for being partof my Air Force family.

”“

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, April 14, 2005 3

www.peterson.af.mil

Top

guns Sergeant Oscar

Ochoa hails fromBakersfield, Calif.He’s in the 721stSecurity ForcesSquadron atCheyenneMountain AirForce Station. He’sthe NCO in chargeof the mobility andsupply section.

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oa Airman JesseStanton hails fromSpillville, Iowa.He’s in the 721stSecurity ForcesSquadron atCheyenneMountain Air ForceStation. He’s atraining andscheduling clerk.A

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Recognizing the members selected for Guardian Challenge 2005

NEWS

Eclipse caféopens doors

By Staff Sgt. Donald Branum50th Space Wing Public Affairs

How many lattes can you buy for$175,000?

Thanks to that amount in dona-tions from Peterson’s 21st Space Wing,Schriever’s 50th SW and the 14th AirForce, Airmen who visit the newEclipse Café at Peterson’s DiscoveryHall can drink all the coffee, Italiansodas and tea they want-and surf the‘Net as long as they want-without pay-ing a dime.

The Peterson and Schrieverchapels will make sure the drinks keepflowing in the future through fundingand oversight, said Dormitory Chaplain(Capt.) Kris Cox.

About 3:15 p.m. Friday, cloudsthat had moved in from Pikes Peakbegan to spit rain on the band and thepavilion. Members of the band Red 40scrambled to protect their equipment asvolunteers moved the official red ribbonand flags inside the café. Within 20minutes, however, the weather hadchanged again: the sun broke through,and everyone moved back outside.

The opening party for the newcafé had kicked off earlier Friday after-noon. The Diamond Council, made upof first sergeants from Peterson andSchriever AFB as well as fromCheyenne Mountain Air Force Station,threw a dorm “block party” atDiscovery Hall.

The Peterson Commissary donat-ed much of the food for the party,including 300 hamburger patties. Asoda vendor provided drinks at no cost.Base councils from Peterson, Schrieverand Cheyenne Mountain contributedmoney for the party, said Master Sgt.Ryan Gates, 721st CommunicationsSquadron here.

“All we had to do was buy thecondiments,” said Sergeant Gates.

Meanwhile, members of Red 40set up their equipment just outside. Theband’s drummer, Senior Master Sgt.Paul Langford, is a military satellitecommunications terminal evaluatorwith Detachment 4 of the Air ForceOperational Test and Evaluation Center.

“(The event organizers) were try-ing to get a different band, but that dealfell through,” said Sergeant Langford,explaining how his band got the gig.“Word of mouth went through the (firstsergeants) that I was in a band, andthey hired us.”

As last-minute preparations for the5 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony contin-ued, Chaplain Cox explained the caféplanning and development process.“We were involved in it from the verybeginning,” he said. “After the chapelstaff turned over two years ago, wecame over to the dorms and asked,‘What can we do for you to make yourlife better?’

“What came out of that first meet-ing was the idea of a coffee house,” saidChaplain Cox. “Then someone said,‘Let’s get Internet access in here,’ andthe cyber café idea was born.”

The Café Council and the chap-lains worked with Brig. Gen. DuaneDeal, then-21st SW Commander, andCol. Suzanne Vautrinot, then-50th SWCommander, to raise more than$100,000 in “seed money,” said SeniorAirman Jeremy Littlefield, CaféCouncil President and a member of the

Members of the Eclipse Café team are Front row (Left to Right) SeniorAirmen Steven Drew and Sean Robbins, Airman Kathryn LaMountain,Airmen 1st Class Vanessa Amarilla and Chris Dozler; Back row (Left toRight) Chaplain (Capt.) Kris Cox, Airmen 1st Class Brandi Purchase,Lauren Young, Dennis Crawley, Senior Airman Jeremy Littlefield, Airmen1st Class Coty Graff and Jennifer Vorhies, Master Sgt. Parker Van Etta,Senior Airman Jennifer Cotto and Airman Garrett Trecfer.

Photos by Rob BussardSenior Airman Jeremy Littlefield, 21st Space Communications Squadron,addresses the crowd during the Eclipse Café opening.

See Eclipse, Page 10

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, April 14, 20054 NEWS

By Terri LukachAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON — Defense Department offi-cials are working to reduce stress on the force andnegate the need for more people in uniform, a top offi-cial said here April 6.

“Transformation of how the U.S.military is structured … is the biggestway in which the department is work-ing to reduce demand on U.S.forces,” said Dr. David S. C. Chu,Undersecretary of Defense forPersonnel and Readiness in testimonyon Capitol Hill. “This will be accom-plished by converting capabilities inboth the active and reserve compo-nents that are in lesser demand to ahigher priority structure.”

Doctor Chu and several othermilitary personnel officials from theservices testified before the personnelsubcommittee of the Senate ArmedServices Committee. He said rebalancing the forcefrom one based on threats, as it was during the ColdWar, to a force based on capabilities will improveresponsiveness and ease stress on units and people bybuilding up high-demand capabilities.

Doctor Chu outlined the department’s four pri-mary methods for restructuring the force:

— Limiting the involuntary mobilization of indi-vidual reservists to achieve a reasonable and sustain-able rate.

— Rebalancing the mix of active and reserve-component forces to make the most ofneeded skill sets.

— Speeding military-to-civilianconversions to free up forces for mili-tary duties.

— Investing in new InformationAge technologies, precision weapons,unmanned air and sea vehicles, andother less manpower-intensive plat-forms and technologies to relievestress on the force.

Department officials also areincreasing the “jointness” of U.S. mil-itary forces and spreading missionrequirements across the force “to easethe burden on some high-demand,low-density units and skills,” Dr. Chu

said. He also said the purpose of reserve componentshas changed, and that a mission-ready National Guardis a critical element of national security strategy.

“This is not a strategic reserve that we use onlyduring and after planned mobilization or in the event

of a major war,” Dr. Chu said, “but a force that con-tributed between 12 and 13 million duty days annuallyfrom (fiscal) 1998 to (fiscal) 2001.”

Portions of the reserve components have beenoperational since they were called up for OperationDesert Storm in the early 1990s, he said.

Because the National Guard is both an integralpart of the military’s “total force mission capability”and a “critical element in a governor’s response to nat-ural disasters,” that component will continue to havedual missions, Dr. Chu said.

He said that America’s military faces many chal-lenges.

“Where it does,” he said, “particularly in the areaof recruiting, retention and stress, we carefully moni-tor the current status and take measures to resolveproblems.”

Department officials continually review com-pensation packages “to ensure they are adequate tomeet the needs of recipients” and work jointly inmany areas “to take full advantage of the strengththat comes from combining resources and knowl-edge,” Dr. Chu said.

“We are guided by the understanding that peopleare more than just numbers, and budgets are more thanjust sums in columns,” he said. “The decisions wemake about funding the next fiscal year matter a greatdeal to real people.”

Official details DOD efforts to transform, retain quality force

Dr. David S. C. Chu

entitled,” he said.Veterans of the armed forces have

received some degree of hiring prefer-ence for federal jobs since the Civil War.

Today’s law, reflected in

Veterans’ Preference Code of 1944, asamended, and in Title 5 of the U.S.Code, ensures that veterans who aredisabled or served on active duty in themilitary during certain specified timeframes or campaigns receive prefer-ence in hiring from competitive lists of

eligible applicants. It also gives theseveterans preference in keeping theirjobs during reductions-in-forceprocesses, officials said.

The purpose of veterans’ prefer-ence, officials said, is to recognize theeconomic loss suffered during military

service, restore veterans to a favorablecompetitive position for governmentjobs, and acknowledge the debt owedto disabled veterans.

For information about veterans’preference, visit www.opm.gov/veter-ans/html.

Veterans, from Page 1

Members of Peterson Air Forcebase would like to congratulate the fol-lowing Air Force Space Commandaward winners.

Quarterly Safety Award ofDistinction Category I, Capt. DarronHaughn and Category II, Staff Sgt.Janet Doyle. The Brent ScrowcroftAward, Capt. Jody Addison, 4th SpaceCommunications Squadron, HollomanAFB, N.M. Outstanding AFSPCCompany Grade Chaplain, Capt.David Depinho, Thule Air Base,Greenland; Category B ReserveChaplain, Capt. Charles Knauer.Manpower and Organization Awardfor Professional Excellence, RobynLinderman. Contracting AwardWinners: Senior NCO, Master Sgt.Terry Bayshore. NCO, Tech. Sgt.Robert Howard. Pricing, Tim Hanley.Contracting Team, Tracie O’Donovan,Staff Sgt. Raja Panchal, Julio Irizarry,Ashley Morris, 1st Lt. DarrylBraxton, Tim Haney and LynnCarlson. Staff Sgt. Ronald L. KingAward for Contingency Contracting,Capt. Shawn Beauchamp. 9th

Reconnaissance Wing Airman of theYear, Senior Airman Kara Colton,Clear Air Force Station, Alaska.Mission Support Award Winners:Personnel Manager of the YearCategory III-C, Staff Sgt. BrianFeldhouse, Beale AFB, Calif. MilitaryEqual Opportunity Office AwardCategory II, LargeUnit, 21st SpaceWing. MEO Individual AwardCategory II, Tech. Sgt. Richard Young.Nathan Altshuler Award for Excellencein Educational Programs Category I,Large Unit, 21st Mission SupportSquadron. Enlisted ProfessionalMilitary Education Achievement AwardCategory IV, Master Sgt. RonaldLuvisi. Air Force Education andTraining Manager Award Category II-D, Paul Love; III-B, Tech. Sgt. FeliciaB. Beyale. Outstanding MSS AwardCategory I, Large Unit, 21st MSS.Outstanding Family SupportCenter/Family Readiness OfficeAward, 21st MSS. Medical GroupAward Winner: Company GradeOptometrist of the Year, Capt. WadeDeMordaunt.


www.peterson.af.mil

Off-duty interests, hobbies: I enjoyall sports especially golf, football,and hockey. I also enjoy taking off-duty classes.Why did you join the Air Force? Iinitially joined the air force for theeducation benefits. I decided to re-enlist because of the pride that Ifeel by serving my country and theability to provide for my family.What inspires you to do what youdo? I’m inspired whenever I’m ableto serve as a mentor for a new air-man. I’m also inspired whenever I’mable to make a customer’s journey

smoother by providing detailedinformation on their flights, destina-tion countries, or any other areasthat will assist them and their fami-ly members. Favorite part of your job? Thefavorite part of my job is arrang-ing travel for our deployers. Itfeels great to know I play a keyrole in ensuring AEF personnelare in place within specific timeframes. What goals have you set? To com-plete my bachelors degree andapply for OTS.

PPeak Peak Performererformer

Staff Sgr. David M. Woodcock

Name: David M. Woodcock, Staff Sgt.Organization: 21st Logistics Readiness Squadron

Duty title: NCOIC, passenger travelTime in service: 6.5 yearsHometown: Lockport, N.Y.

NEWS

FIRST SERGEANTSGROUP SCHEDULESGOLF TOURNEY

The First Sergeant's GolfTournament begins 8 a.m. May 13 at theSilver Spruce Golf Club. The registra-tion fee is $45. It includes the tourna-ment, greens fees, golf cart and lunch.

ELITCH GARDENS GROUPSCHEDULES MILITARYAPPRECIATION DAY

Military appreciation day takesplace from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday atSix Flags Elitch Gardens. Tickets are$18 for those 4 years and older andincludes a meal. Tickets are on sale atthe community activities center here. Forinformation and tickets, call 556-1760.

SKY SOX SCHEDULESAIR FORCEAPPRECIATION NIGHT

The traditional Sky Sox Night forAir Force members becomes Sky SoxDay this year as the Colorado SpringsSky Sox play the Portland Beavers at1:05 p.m. April 30. People fromPeterson, the U.S. Air Force Academy,Schriever Air Force Base and CheyenneMountain Air Force Station are invitedto attend. The game is free to eligibleusers of these AF installations.

Eligible persons can get up to 10free tickets beginning Tuesday at thecommunity activities center. Thoseinterested can register for a chance to

use the Sky Sox hot tub while pickingup the tickets. Drawing for the hot tubuse takes place April 27. For informa-tion, call the CAC at 556-1760.

YMCA OFFERS FREEREGISTRATIONFOR MILITARY

The YMCAs of the Pikes PeakRegion are offering active-duty military,civilian DOD employees and active-duty Reservists a one-time free registra-tion. People can bring their identifica-tion card to any YMCA branch anytime.Military members who are E-5 andbelow also get discounted monthlymembership rates. Financial assistanceis available.

CHAPEL SCHEDULESPASSOVER SEDAR MEAL

A Passover Sedar Meal begins at6:15 p.m. April 23 at the PetersonChapel. All are invited to attend. Forinformation or reservations, call Louis

Steinberg at 556-7657 or 556-4442.

BASE MUSEUMANNOUNCESCONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Construction for the new Medal ofHonor Park is currently underway onthe northwest side of the base museumgrounds. The project is scheduled to becompleted in November. Constructionwill not affect the day to day operationsof the museum. For information, callErnie Branch at 556-1422.


NEWS BRIEFS


www.peterson.af.mil

MPF OFFERS ADVICE FOR RENEWALOF COMMON ACCESS CARDS

There are hundreds of Team Peterson members’common access cards, both military and civilian willexpire in the next three to five months. The militarypersonnel flight here encourages members to checkthe card’s expiration date. If their CAC expires withintwo to three months, get it renewed now rather thanwaiting until just before expiration. For information,call Staff Sgt. Krista Lopez at 556-4680.

MILITARY PERSONNEL FLIGHTANNOUNCES NEW HOURS

The 21st Mission Support Squadron MilitaryPersonnel Flight moved to standardized hoursMonday. The MPF will be open for customer servicewalk-ins and appointments from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Monday through Friday. The MPF can accommodateexceptions on a case by case basis by making appoint-ments with the appropriate MPF representative from 7a.m. to 5 p.m. For questions concerning the new hoursof operation or information, call Maj. Jeff Boleng,21st Mission Support Squadron commander at 556-4023, or Capt. Debbie Horne, MPF commander at556-7135.

AIR FORCE PERSONNEL ANNOUNCESCHANGES TO OFFICER PROMOTIONORDERS DISTRIBUTION

The Air Force Personnel Center will only send acopy of promotion orders to the automated recordsmanagement system for archiving. Officers desiring acopy of their promotion orders must submit a requestto the Air Force Personnel Contact Center via con-

PersonnelCorner

NEWS

Team Petearound the

globeThe 21st Space Wingoperates 15 weaponsystems, compris-es 44 units in 26locations in four

countries, and spansnine time zones

throughout the world.Team Pete has 64

deployed members support-ing various operations across

the globe. The 21st Space Wing makesup 27 of those members.

[email protected]. In order to allow suffi-cient processing time for orders, its recommendedofficers submit requests 45 to 60 days after their effec-tive promotion date.

FAMILY MEMBER GROUP LIFEINSURANCE UPDATESAUTOMATICALLY

The Family Member Group Life Insurance pro-gram automatically enrolls family members until thesponsor specifically declines or reduces the coverage.

This includes a spouse whether or not they’re amilitary member. For this purpose, a military member’sspouse is covered from the date of marriage or themember’s entry date whichever is more recent. Militarysponsors have the responsibility to report any additionsor changes to the customer service section in the MPFto ensure the system is updated appropriately.

AFPC OFFERS IMPROVED AIRMANPROMOTION DVR PROCESS

The military personnel flight is no longer

required to print and distribute data verification recordsfor Airmen. Members may view and print their ownDVRs via the virtual MPF. Members requiring assis-tance should contact their commanders support staff.

MILITARY PERSONNEL FLIGHTOFFERS UNIFORM GUIDANCE:

On full length outer garments and the lightweight blue jacket, officers center regular size metalrank insignia 5/8-inch from the end of epaulet or onthe collar if no epaulet. Enlisted members wear threeand a half- or four-inch (women) and four-inch (men)chevrons on sleeves or metal rank insignia on collar.Wear metal rank insignia centered one-inch up fromcollar, and parallel to outer edge. Sleeve chevron isnot worn on the raincoat so as not to compromise itswater tight integrity. On pullover and cardigansweaters officers and senior NCOs wear shouldermark rank insignia. All other enlisted members wearmetal rank insignia. Center it horizontally on theepaulet with the bottom of the insignia one-inch fromthe shoulder seam.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, April 14, 20058 Commentary

Fight against child abuse continues

Crying babies could lead parents to violence

T. Martina Porter21st Medical Operations Squadron

Since 1983, when April was desig-nated Child Abuse Prevention Month,communities across the country haveused the month-long observance toincrease awareness of child abuse andhow to prevent it. It is a time when indi-viduals, schools, businesses, hospitals,religious organizations and social serv-

ice agencies join forces in the battleagainst child abuse.

This year’s Blue Ribbon for Kidstheme is Children need everyday heroes,they need you. The theme celebrates theeveryday heroes who have a positiveinfluence on children’s lives.

Child abuse is a serious social andpublic health issue. More than one mil-lion children are abused each year in theU.S. As of February 2005, within the

Peterson Complex there were 23 refer-rals regarding maltreatment. In Tellerand El Paso County there were five chil-dren under the age of 5 who died as aresult of child abuse.

Recognizing that everyone canparticipate in efforts to eliminate thisserious threat to children, communitiesacross the country are stepping forwardto promote the message that child abusecan and must be prevented.

The Family Advocacy Programaddresses the issues of child abuse andneglect prevention throughout Petersonand Schriever Air Force Base, U.S. AirForce Academy and the CheyenneMountain Operations Center. The FAPaccomplishes its mission through publicawareness campaigns, parent educationand support programs, and communityprevention programs. For informationabout FAP, call 556-8943.

T. Martina Porter21st Medical Operations Squadron

You knew your baby would cry.But did you know how frustrating thatcrying could be when you had triedeverything to comfort your baby, and heor she keeps crying?

Dealing with a crying baby can bevery hard, and parents often don’t real-ize just how frustrating it is until theyare in a stressful situation. No onethinks they will shake their infant, but

research shows crying as the numberone trigger leading caregivers to vio-lently shake and injure babies.

Shaken Baby Syndrome occurswhen an infant or young child is vio-lently shaken. Children who sustain life-threatening injuries from this syndromeare held by the arms and shaken backand forth in a quick, jerking motion.

A single shaking episode canresult in whiplash-induced bleeding,spinal injury, paralysis and even death.Nearly 25 percent of all babies with

SBS die. In addition to these tragicresults, SBS also leads to delays in nor-mal development and impaired motorand sensory skills.

There are various signs and symp-toms of SBS, which may includechanges in behavior, irritability, lethar-gy, loss of consciousness, pale or bluishskin, vomiting and convulsions.

Although there usually are no out-ward physical signs of trauma, theremay be broken, injured or dislocatedbones and injuries to the neck and spine.

In most severe cases, the child usuallybecomes unconscious and suffers rapid-ly escalating, life-threatening centralnervous system dysfunction. Any ofthese injuries can lead to severe disabil-ity or death.

If you suspect a child has beenshaken, seek medical attention immedi-ately. For information about child abuseprevention programs and activitiesthroughout the year, call T. MartinaPorter, Family Advocacy OutreachManager at 556-8943.

The UU.S. AAir FForce AAcademy hhosts tthe TTuskegeeAirman CCelebration BBanquet, AApril 229 aat AArnold HHallat tthe UUSAFA. TThe gguest sspeaker iis rretired CColonel

Frederick GGregory, NNASAacting aadministra -tor. TThe ddress ffor

the bbanquet iis tthe sservice ddress uuniform ffor mmilitary mmem-bers aand ccivilians sshould ddress tto tthe eequivalent.Reservations aare ddue AApril 118.

For iinformation, ccallGreg WWilliams aat333-11984.

Tuskegee Airman Celebration Banquet

Springs Police Department were noti-fied. Patrolmen transported the suspectsto the SFS control center where theywere turned over to CSPD.

A family member was detained forshoplifting a pack of bubblegum at theBX. She was picked up by SFS andtransported to the control center untilCSPD arrived. An officer from CSPDissued her a summons for shoplifting.

Alarm activationsIn 15 separate incidents, security

forces promptly responded to activatedalarms. Their investigations into thecause revealed human error to be thecause in all incidents. This is a continu-ing problem. Occupants of buildingswith alarm systems must pay strictattention to procedures when enteringtheir building.


www.peterson.af.mil

DUIAn airman was pulled over for

being suspected of driving under theinfluence. The security forces memberhad the airman perform a sobriety test.The airman failed the walk and turn andone legged stand tests. He was thentransported to the control center wherehe submitted to a breathalyzer test. Hisresults came back .190, more than twicethe legal limit. The airman was issued acitation for DUI and released to a seniorNCO. Servicemembers risk theircareers, lives and the lives of otherswhen they get behind the wheel drunk.People should use a designated driver orhave a plan to get home if they havebeen drinking. Members may also usethe Enlisted Against Drunk Driving pro-gram and call 556-6384.

Minor vehicle accidentsSecurity forces responded to the

Base Exchange to investigate a minorvehicle accident. A servicememberreported he returned to his vehicle andnoticed his vehicle and another’s frontbumpers were touching.

The individual of the other vehi-

cle was contacted and reported to thescene. The investigation revealed bothvehicles were in parking gear and therewas no damage to either vehicle.

Forgetting to set a parking brakeresulted in the security forces being dis-patched to the 21st Civil EngineerSquadron compound. Patrols arrived tofind a sports utility vehicle had rolledinto and knocked over a motorcycle.The driver of the SUV said he hadparked it and was walking off when heheard the crash. There was minimaldamage to the SUV. The motorcyclesuffered several dents, scratches and abroken turn indicator.

The commissary parking lot wasthe scene of the next accident. A drivermiscalculated the amount of room shehad while attempting to pull into a park-ing spot. The damage to both vehiclesconsisted of several scratches and a bro-ken hubcap.

ShopliftersSpring is here and a BX detective

apprehended two family members whotried to get away with $108 worth ofmerchandise from the lawn and gardencenter. Security forces and the Colorado

NEWS

With Eagle Eyes, any community member canreport suspicious activities 24 hours a day by

calling the law enforcement desk at 556-4000.

The café is open Wednesdays, 5 to 9 p.m.; Fridays

and Saturdays, 5 p.m. to midnight; and Sundays,

noon to 9 p.m. For information, call the Peterson

Chapel at 556-4442.

In most cases, the person’s limita-tions are what prevent him or her fromparticipating in the unit’s program, offi-cials said.

Once the limitations are assessed,they list their goals, such as to loseweight or increase muscle mass, and

describe what type of workout they want. “They tell us how often they want

to work out and what equipment theywant to use. If their ideal workout isn’teffective, we tailor it. It is a very indi-vidualized process,” Mr. Patterson said.

Airmen may not be able to run orcomplete the push-up portions of the fit-ness test, but if they are able to have

their abdominal circumference meas-ured, they can be fitness tested, since ascore can be calculated on the basis ofjust one measure, officials said.

A primary care provider can rec-ommend exception from abdominal cir-cumference testing only after an abdom-inal surgery or up to 180 days after preg-nancy, according to Air Force

Instruction 10-248, Fitness Program. Airmen who violate a profile can

have administrative action taken by theircommander. This could possibly havenegative repercussions if they meet amedical board and it is documented thatthey did not follow orders.

For information on the PT stan-dards call 556-4292.

21st Space Communications Squadron. With the seed money in hand, the

Café Council set about designing what thenew place would look like. The designmostly followed concepts the Airmenalready had in mind, said Senior MasterSgt. Gordon Wilkins, 21st CivilEngineer Squadron. TheAirmen worked withSergeant Wilkins andKolleen Kostboth,21st CES, to designa café that wouldprovide an off-baseatmosphere onbase. They endedup with a motifreminiscent of a1960s-era coffeehouse.

“The young troopsdid a lot of hard work. Theyput a lot of weekends into doingthis,” said Sergeant Wilkins. “They ownthis place.”

Over time, the chapel got somemoney from end-of-year funds and from

their own collection plate to pay for fur-nishings and equipment.

As the official party arrived for theceremony, Airman Littlefield took a seatalongside Brig. Gen. Richard Webber, 21stSW Commander, Col. John Hyten, 50thSW Commander and Chaplain (Lt. Col.)Michael Tinnon, 21st SW Chaplain.

Once the official party cut theribbon, the crowd poured into

the new Eclipse Café andordered coffee. Some

relaxed and conversedwith friends, whileothers camped outin the computergame room andplayed Half Life 2,Counterstrike 2 andother computer

games. The fun con-tinued well into the

evening.“One critical compo-

nent of waging war is maintain-ing our sanity,” said Chaplain Tinnon of

the new café. “When people’s lives are atstake, you can’t put a dollar figure onmorale.”

edge whittled down to two before itpulled out a 75-70 win.

“That goes to show no lead issafe. No lead really lasts unless youkeep working on your game,”General Lord said.

The general listed examples ofhow the U.S. is honing its skills inthe space arena. Use of global posi-tioning satellites is at an all-timehigh, ICBM force readiness hoversat 99.5 percent and there have been40 consecutive successful launchessince 1999, he said.

“We’ve got 960 to go. I want1,000 and there’s no reason we can’tdo that,” General Lord said and theaudience showed its agreement withextended applause.

Space has become an integralcomponent in U.S. warfightingefforts, he said. Combatants from allU.S. forces rely on protection pro-vided by far-seeing satellites.

Ground troops have becomevery comfortable with early warningprovided by Airmen throughAFSPC’s orbiting observers, thegeneral said.

Space command’s ability tocontinue its combat support dependson the ingenuity of its Airmen andits business partners, he continued.

“We’ve been successfulbecause we work on systems devel-oped for other purposes [like GPS]

and adapt them to our needs throughan innovative and creative spirit,” thegeneral said.

The Air Force’s top space gen-eral responded to acquisition criti-cisms and forcefully defended theoverall process. He assured the audi-ence that individual and organiza-tional problems have been appropri-ately managed.

“The [acquisition] process isnot broken. Get over it,” GeneralLord said. “It’s got some flaws, likewe need faster cycle times, but it’snot broken.”

Key to fixing these flaws andavoiding future legal or ethicalissues is a joint effort between spaceAirmen and the space industry, hesaid.

“We’ve got to move on and let’stake the high ground. Let’s work thistogether,” the general said.

General Lord concluded hisspeech with a story from his visitwith Operation Iraqi Freedom veter-ans at Walter Reed Army MedicalCenter in Washington.

Uncertain what to think as heentered the facility, the general wasmet by enthusiastic and dedicatedsoldiers many of whom were anx-ious to rejoin the fight with prosthet-ic replacements for the limbs theyhad lost.

“We can’t let our lead evapo-rate, because everything we do is forthem,” he said.


Space, from Page 1 Eclipse, from Page 3

PT, from Page 1

NEWS


www.peterson.af.mil SPORTS

By Walt JohnsonSports writer

A very young Air Force wrestling team fin-ished in third place at the interservice wrestlingchampionships April 7 and Friday at the U.S.Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

The outstanding showing by the Air Force teamwas capped only by the individual brilliance of 60kilogram freestyle wrestler Phil Johnston and 60kilogram Greco-roman wrestler Jacob Hay who eachwon gold medals and will represent the armed forcesand the Air Force at the Conseil International duSport Militaire games in August in Lithuania alongwith the other gold medal winners from the interser-vice competition.

The Army wrestling team was in its usual dom-inate position at the meet, winning 40 of a possible44 matches to easily capture its fifth consecutiveteam title. Coming into the contest many expertobservers favored the Army to win the title, so it wasno surprise that they did. The real battle was whowould be the second place team from among theNavy, Marines and Air Force.

The Air Force has a traditionally smaller groupof athletes to pick from than the other two services,but through the years have managed to hold its ownagainst the competitors from the other services.

As action got underway April 7, the Air Forceteam did well, winning enough matches to capturesecond place in the free style competition. Friday theAir Force team again held its own as it battled theNavy and Marines on even footing, giving as well asit took. The scoring was so close after the Fridaycompetition that the judges had to go to a compli-cated scoring system to figure out who would be thesecond place team and they had to go to a third tie

AF wrestling team takes third place at interservice championshipbreak formula to do that. When it was finally calcu-lated the Air Force team found itself one point awayfrom an incredible second place finish.

After the results were announced Rich Estrella,Air Force wrestling coach, was both pleased and dis-appointed by what happened.

“I think we performed very well during thetournament. We had to get after it a little bit today(Friday) and we did. I saw early on that the Navy andMarine Corps were coming on hard and I knew wehad to step up if we were going to be as successfulas we wanted to be,” Estrella said. “I was reallypleased with our efforts against the Marine Corps.This is the first time we have beaten the MarineCorps in a dual meet format, which has been aroundfor 10 years and then we battled the Navy hard in theafternoon.

“In the overall standings it got down to thethird set of criteria. Even though we won the head-to-head competition against the Marines in the freestyle, the judges had to look at what happenedThursday, count up all the team points in all themeets and it ended up giving the Marines a pointadvantage over us,” Estrella said.

Estrella said it was tough to lose out on secondplace by a point but he was very pleased with theoverall performance of the Air Force team. It was thebest performance the Air Force has had in manyyears and he attributed that to the young team thatwanted to grow and learn and compete for them-selves and the rich tradition of Air Force wrestling.

“We have a lot to work to do to keep gettingbetter but I know this group will get better. We aregoing to continue to build on what we have here,”Estrella said. I couldn’t have asked for a better effortoverall than what we had today and in this tourna-ment from my wrestlers.”

Photo by Walt JohnsonAir Force wrestler Phil Johnston battles with hisNavy opponent during action April 7 at the U. S.Olympic Training Center.

By Tech. Sgt. Matt Gilreath 21st Space Wing Public Affairs

Children file in one by one and some-times in small groups. They sometimes wait forthe doors to close so they may push the auto-matic door button before entering the buildingwith a smile and look of accomplishment.

There is a buzz of excitement in the air asthey enter the lobby each day and are anxiousto see what adventures await them.

This is the beginning of the day for manyparents and children who go to the Peterson AirForce Base Youth or Child DevelopmentCenters.

Sara Bragg, 21st Services Squadron mainCDC director, said the main CDC can provide

care for more than 200 chil-dren, infants’ 6-weeks-old upto the age they enter kinder-garten.

The center has a veryimportant role in day-to-dayTeam Pete operations.

“Our goal is to provideworry free child care so ourmilitary members can achievethe mission,” Mrs. Bragg said.

“We have great caregivers in all the rooms towatch over the children.”

Mrs. Bragg said the activities aredesigned by the kids and there are things thatall can do.

“We also work with the 21st SVS for avariety of activities and field trips. Some of thechildren will help plant a tree on Arbor Day,”Bragg said.

The Peterson Youth Center offers activi-ties for school-age children and offers flexibil-ity to Team Pete parents living around theColorado Springs area.

The YC aligns their schedule with SchoolDistrict 11, the school district Team Pete chil-dren fall under. The D-11 schools have a oneweek spring break each year.

The YC recently came to the rescue forthe parents and children of D-49 schools whohave a two week spring break.

“There are so many Peterson families thatlive in the D-49 area, we decided to help outthose families and offer full-time care to themfor the additional week they have for springbreak,” Toni Hansen, 21st SVS Family MemberProgram flight chief. “The response we hadwhen we made the offer was incredible. Wewere thrilled to provide the care and meet the

parent’s needs.”With the summer break quickly approach-

ing for the kids, parents might be looking foractivities for their children and the YC has theanswer.

“We have lots of programs set up for thesummer camp, Mrs. Hansen said. We offer afull day of care for the entire summer.

The kids will get to go swimming, bowl-ing or play sports or sign up for one of the pro-grams like youth aviation. Their meals are alsoincluded, it’s really a great deal for the parentsand the kids.”

Mrs. Hansen said the YC will have a one-stop sign up for this summer 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Friday.

The summer will be here soon and chil-dren will be out of school. The Team Pete par-ents will still watch as their little ones smileafter they push the automatic door button or seethe excitement in their faces as they talk aboutthe day they hope to have at the YC.

The parents can smile and rest at easeknowing their children will have a safe place andfun things to do during their summer vacation.

For information on additional pro-grams, call the CDC at 554-9572 or the YC at556-7220.

K i d s ii n K i d s ii n g o o d hh a n d s g o o d hh a n d s

a t PP e t e r s o na t PP e t e r s o nYoung Lee Bucher, 21st Services Squadron main Child Development Centerprogram assistant, smiles as she holds Tyler and Hallee. CDC assistantsprovide comfort to children of parents serving in the different servicesassigned to Peterson Air Force Base.

Dimitri lines up his shot while shooting a game of pool at the youth center. Thecenter offers a variety of activities for school age children.

Lucas creates a maze of city streets using blocks to outline his creation.

Photos by Larry HulstDiane Connor, CDC program assistant, works with children as they work togetherto build a tower of blocks. Developing social skills is part of the CDC curriculum.

Steve Clapper, 21st SVS R. P. Lee Youth Center school age program assistant, is surround-ed by a whirlwind of excited children full of energy.

“Everyone needs a little free time” Childcare options at Peterson

Before aand AAfter CCare ffor sschool aage cchildrenat tthe YYouth CCenter

Returning Home Care:16 hours of FREE child care per child in a licensed Family Child Care (FCC)Home for deployed members returning home or during two weeks of R&R.

Extended Duty Care:Child care in a licensed FCC Home for families who need care beyond

standard 50 hours per week.

Give Parents a Break Program:FREE child care for active duty AF families one friday night per month

at the Main Child Development Center

Parents Night Out:Child care at either the Main CDC or Youth Center one friday night per month

from 7 to 11 p.m. for $12.

Hourly Care:Part-time child care for children 6 months to 5 years at the Main CDC or anyages in the FCC program for families needing care on an intermittent basis.

Open Recreation at the Youth Center:Youth over nine years of age can join the Youth Center for an annual

membership of $30 and “hang out” with friends.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, April 14, 200514 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Planes of the '40sAnswers on page 17

ACROSS1. Dr.’s org.4. Small amount7. _ ___ of faith12. __ Tin Tin13. African country14. Bee’s goal

16. Movie magic with computers,in short17. Snack cookie18. Best player19. North American P-51D _____22. Sick23. Owns

24. Tennis player Kournikova25. Bandanna27. Write29. Caper31. Sobs32. __ Tai; tropical drink33. Entrances34. Continent37. Old form of you41. Turner org.42. Bridge43. Underway44. Subscriber46. Foreclosures47. British aircraft Gloster _____50. Scar51. Between52. Deceive54. Poet Pound58. Earth59. Fieseler FI 156C-1 _____61. Snakelike fish62. Bread63. U.S. Douglas A-20 _____64. Cell part, in short65. Big ___, Calif.66. Stadiums67. USAF commissioning source

DOWN1. Circle part2. 1940s Russian aircraft maker,in short3. Finding Nemo film catergory4. Tooth concern5. _ ___ mean fighting ...6. Singer Warwick

7. Psychologist’s org.8. Computer laugh?9. Building extension10. South American camel11. Statement ender13. Army equivalent to AFSC15. Actor Nick20. R&B singer21. Fuel23. Native American tribe25. Auto club26. British Supermarine ______27. Australian rock group28. CIA precursor30. Nashville music org.34. Mock35. ___ Diego36. Football stat38. Garden tool39. Long time40. Time until out of mil. service42. Formal greeting43. Pie _ __ mode44. Middle45. Timber47. Angry48. Sultans49. Japanese Kawasaki Ki-45 ____50. Islamic holy place52. Cherish53. ___ out; smooth over55. Japanese Mitsubishi A6M____56. Lease, as in an apartment57. Unfortunately59. ___ Na Na60. Roofing need

Story and photosby Nel LampeMountaineer staff

A muse-um in Pueblopays tribute tothe B-24 air-craft — an aircraftwith a tie to the area.

Pueblo aviators trained in B-24s oversouthern Colorado skies during WorldWar II at Pueblo Army Air Base, east ofPueblo. The Army base construction start-ed in late March of 1942, and trainingwas under way 91 days later, althoughfloors of some buildings were still litteredby scraps of construction materials.

Lights had not yet been installedalong the runways when training started.As a temporary measure, flare pots, hold-ing a quart of kerosene, were set along therunways. The pots were lit by hand at dusk each day forthe few weeks before electric lights wereinstalled.

The Pueblo base was one of severalestablished in southern Colorado after theattack at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.Construction at Camp Carson started inJanuary 1942, and Peterson Army Air

Base construction started in May 1942.Another installation, later named after the2nd Air Force Commander Gen. Uzal G.Ent, was built on Boulder Street inColorado Springs and still another facilitywas near La Junta.

Pueblo Army Air Base trained crewsin B-24s, B-17s, and near the end of thewar, B-29s. The most famous crew mem-ber who trained at the base was movie starClark Gable, who trained in a B-24.

After the war ended, many WorldWar II bases’ missions quickly came to anend.

The Pueblo base closed in 1946 andmany buildings were sold and removed.The base became Pueblo MemorialAirport.

A collection of historic aircraft wasstarted at the airport in 1972 by Fred A.Weisbrod, then Pueblo’s city manager. The

first aircraft acquiredwas a Douglas A-26aircraft, soon followedby the Lockheed F-80Shooting Star.

The collectionwas started as a tributeto American militaryairmanship. In timethe collection grew toabout two dozen air-craft, displayed near

the airport terminal. In 1986 another aircraft museum

came into being. It had its start when thePueblo Historical Aircraft Society createda display about the B-24 aircraft and itsmilitary history for a 50th anniversarycelebration of the aircraft’s first flight.The celebration was in Fort Worth, Texas.

The B-24 was used in all combattheaters during the World War II. Its longrange permitted long, over the water mis-sions, such as the oil field raids at oilrefineries at Ploesti, Romania.

The B-24 displays made by the his-torical society were well received, and thesociety decided to use the display to starta museum. The International B-24Memorial Museum was dedicated in July1989, occupying a small building on theairport grounds.

There is no B-24 at the InternationalB-24 Memorial Museum. Although19,000 of the aircraft were manufacturedduring World War II, only one B-24 air-craft is still flying and it is worth millionsof dollars.

In the meantime, the museum hasbuilt an impressive collection of B-24photographs, units, technical data, flight-log books, memorabilia, assorted partsand models. The museum also displayshistoric information about Pueblo ArmyAir Base. There’s a model of the World

War II base and pictures of peopleinvolved in its history and training,such as Gable. Not only is the muse-um a reminder of military history inPueblo, but of the hundreds of aircrews who trained at the base and atribute to the B-24 aircraft itself.

There’s a wealth of history aboutflying units which had B-24sassigned, flight uniforms, unit patchesand the like.

A museum exhibit contains arti-facts, pictures, letters, articles andbooks about the low-level Ploesti raidAug. 1, 1943, which may have been aturning point for the allies duringWorld War II. The 506th BombSquadron, formed at Pueblo Army AirBase, participated in the raid. Themission started with 179 B-24s. Theplanes came in at treetop level, 100miles deep into enemy territory, tobomb the oil refineries in Romania,

April 14, 2005

Places to see in thePikes Peak area.

The B-24 Memorial Museum and the nearby hangar arelocated on Pueblo Memorial Airport, where Pueblo Army AirBase was built in 1942.

LEFT: A World War II exhibit contains items from Japan and Germany. RIGHT: Uniformsand artifacts from Germany are displayed.

SSeeee WWWW IIII oorr llaatteerr mmiilliittaarryy

aaiirrccrraafftt aatt tthheePPuueebblloo WWeeiissbbrrooddAAiirrccrraafftt MMuusseeuumm

Pueblo aaircraft mmuseum

See Museum, Page 16


HAPPENINGS

the source of fuel used by the Nazi forces. The historic society raised enough money a

few years ago to build a new, large hangar next tothe original museum building. Several of theWeisbrod aircraft were moved inside the hangar;other exhibits were expanded.

Now, the museum is formally known as thePueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum.

The hangar contains a treasure trove of memo-rabilia, artifacts and collectibles for anyone with aninterest in military or aviation history.

Collections in the hangar include Army andAir Force uniforms, from World War II through cur-rent uniforms, for both men and women. Other dis-plays include unit patches; aircraft nose art; WorldWar II aircraft radio and navigation systems; andaircraft engines. Other displays are about Pueblocitizens and their part in the war as well as displaysabout other countries involved in World War II,including flags, uniforms and mementoes. ATuskegee Airmen exhibit is also displayed. Themuseum has a collection of original World War IIrecruiting posters.

The Norden bombsight was an importantbreakthrough during World War II and there’s aNorden exhibit in the hangar. Visitors can see anactual Norden bombsight on a B-29 aircraft in thehangar.

There are also displays and memorabiliafrom the Korean War, Vietnam and DesertStorm.

Start the visit at the B-24 museum build-

ing; pay admission and ask for aguided tour. Visitors can self-guide their tour, but guides makesthe museum more interesting —especially if children are in thegroup. It’s worth waiting a fewminutes until a guide is available.

The B-24 building also has asmall gift shop which has militaryrelated items for sale, such asbooks, videos, caps, model air-planes, key chains, pins and mili-tary patches.

In addition to the museumand aircraft in the hangar, visitorscan see the rest of the aircraft inthe Weisbrod collection on thegrounds behind the hangar.

Aircraft displayed at the Pueblo museuminclude a Douglas-26 Invader, a Lockheed F-80Shooting Star, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, aBoeing B-47 Stratojet, a Chance Vought F-6Crusader, a Convair HC-131A Samaritan, aDouglas C-47 Skytrain, a Douglas AS-4D-2Skyhawk, a Fairchild C-119 Boxcar, A Gruman F-11, a Lockheed T-33 T-Bird, a McDonnell F-101Voodoo, a North American F-100D Super Saber, aNorth American T-28C Trojan and a Republic F-84Thunderjet. Navy and Marine aircraft are also dis-played as well as some experimental mass trans-

portation vehi-cles. The muse-um is operatedby volunteers,who also per-form mainte-nance on all dis-played aircraft.

The B-24MemorialMuseum main-tains a registryof crew memberswho have served

on B-24 aircraft. Registration can be made at theWeb site, www.pwam.org.

The museum hosts “open cockpit day” the lastSaturday of the month. April’s featured aircraft isthe F-6 Skyray, a Navy carrier fighter, which willbe open for visitors to climb in the cockpit. There’sno charge other than museum admission.

The museum is at the Pueblo MemorialAirport, about seven miles east of Pueblo. TakeInterstate 25 south, about 40 miles to Exit 100A,Highway 50 east for about seven miles. Take the exitfor the airport. Drive onto airport grounds, headingtoward the passenger terminal. The museum is onthe left, at 31001 Magnuson Ave., adjacent to thefenced compound which contains historic aircraft.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 2p.m. and Sundays, from 1 to 4 p.m. It is closedmajor holidays. Call (719) 948-9219 for informa-tion.

Admission is $6 for anyone older than 10.Active duty military members are admitted free byshowing a military identification.

There’s parking in front of the B-24 MemorialMuseum building.

(Courtesy of the Fort Carson Mountaineer.)

Just the Facts• Travel time about an hour• For ages all ages• Type aircraft museum• Fun factor ✬✬✬✬✬✬✬✬✬✬

(Out of 5 stars)• Wallet damage $

$ = Less than $20$$ = $21 to $40

$$$ = $41 to $60$$$$ = $61 to $80

(Based on a family of four)

LEFT: Visitors cantry out the cockpitduring “OpenCockpit Day” atthe Pueblo muse-um.

The B-29 aircraft is equipped with a Norden bombsight.

ABOVE: A volun-teer guide at theaircraft museumtells visitorsabout B-29 air-craft, once usedfor training at thePueblo base.

ABOVE: Visitors look at displays inthe aircraft museum hangar inPueblo.

LEFT: A display shows the waySoldiers in World War II lived: acot and a foot locker.

Museum, from Page 15


www.peterson.af.mil HAPPENINGS

Free Army Band ConcertThe 36th Army Band from Fort Huachuca, Ariz.,

and the 62nd Army Band from Fort Bliss, Texas, pres-ent a concert at the Fort Carson McMahon Theater at7 p.m on April 12. The event is free.Academy Theater

“The Passing Zone” is at 7:30 p.m. on April 23in Arnold Hall Theater at the Academy. Call the boxoffice at 333-4497. Theater guests should enter theAcademy at the North Gate Exit.World Arena venue

This year’s Professional Bull Riders U.S. ArmyInvitational is at the Colorado Springs World ArenaApril 15 to 17. Tickets are $25; call 576-2626.

Michael W. Smith is in the World Arena April 19.Tickets are on sale, 576-2626.

“Larry the Cable Guy” is appearing at the WorldArena May 8; call 576-2626.

The arena is at 3185 Venetucci Blvd., nearTinseltown theater. Parking is $5 for each event.Bull riders block party

A block party in downtown Colorado Springs,along Tejon Street, gives fans a chance to meet theprofessional bull riders in town for the ProfessionalBull riders U.S. Army Invitational. The free blockparty starts at 7 p.m., Wednesday with a live countryand western concert at 8 p.m.Pueblo”s art center theater

The Sangre de Cristo theater at 210 N. Santa Fein Pueblo hosts “The Passing Zone” 7:30 p.m. April

22; tickets are $20. The box office phone is (719)295-7222.Pikes Peak Center

Rob Becker’s “Defending the Caveman” is todayand at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

“The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” anImagination Celebration production, is in the PikesPeak Center at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Tickets are $10, call520-SHOW.

Clay Walker is in concert at 7 p.m. on May 19;call 520-SHOW for tickets.

Mary Chapin Carpenter with Mindy Smith pres-ent a concert at 7:30 p.m. on April 29. “42nd Street” isat 7 p.m. on May 8 and 9. Call the box office at 520-SHOW for the Pikes Peak Center. Parking is streetsideor in a garage behind the center ($5 fee).Rembrandt’s etchings

The White Galleries of the Sango de Cristo ArtCenter at 210 N. Santa Fe in Pueblo hasseveral collec-tions of art displayed, including “Rembrandt: TheMoreschim Collection” of etchings through April 23.Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children, andadmits visitors to Buell Children’s Museum as well.Military day at Elitches

The annual “Joining Forces Event” at Six FlagsElitch Gardens in Denver is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,April 16, when the amusement park is open only formilitary. Buy tickets in advance at the Information,Tickets and Registration office in the OutdoorRecreation Center on post and at Peterson AFB.

Information, Tickets and Tours office for $18.All tickets purchased on military installations for thisevent include a meal at the park. Remember to have $9cash for the parking lot fee at Elitch’s. The park opensfor the season April 23, when regular admission is$37.99 for anyone taller than 48 inches high.Children.s tickets will be $21.99.Earth Day

Help clean up Garden of the Gods Park from 9 to11 a.m., on April 16. There’ll be refreshments andactivities, including arts and crafts and dance demon-strations. Activities will also include Rock LedgeRanch, near the park’s entrance.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, April 14, 200518 FEATURE

Sergeant Hazard strikesagain – don’t do this!

Sergeant Hazard is committing five safety violations in this photo. What arethey? The first five people to call the Safety Office at 556-6781, with thecorrect answers will receive a prize for their skill in identify the infractions. Regardless of the activity going on or the location, the 21st Space WingSafety office staff urges all Team Pete members to practice Operational RiskManagement by: Identifying the hazards, assessing the risk, analyzing con-trol measures, making control decisions, implementing supervising andreviewing.

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www.peterson.af.mil AROUND PETE

Saturday Sunday

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Lunch:Mexican Baked

ChickenSwiss Steak with

Tom SauceStuffed Green

PepperBaked Macaroni

and Cheese Steamed RiceFried Cabbage

CarrotsBlack Eye Peas

Dinner:Lasagna

Spaghetti withMeat SauceSweet Italian

SausageMashed PotatoesBroccoli Polonaise

CauliflowerItalian Style Baked

Beans

Friday

ARAGON DINING FACILITY MENU

TodayLunch:

Herbed BakedChicken

Stuffed Cabbage RollsSouthern Fried Catfish

Black-eyed Peaswith Rice

Mashed PotatoesFresh Sweet Potatoes

Mixed VegetablesPeas

Dinner:Roast Loin of Pork*

Jaeger withMushroom Sauce

Glazed Cornish HenPotatoe HalvesRice, Orange

CarrotsSimmered Pinto

BeansCorn Combo

Lunch:Crispy Baked

ChickenCajun Meat Loaf

Grilled SteakBaked Potatoes

Mashed PotatoesBroccoli

Frozen StylePeas

Glazed Carrots

Dinner:Fish AlmondineStir Fry Chicken

with BroccoliPorkChops with

Mushroom GravyRissole Potaotes

Rice PilafCalico Corn

Club SpinachFried Okra

Lunch:Tuna andNoodles

SauerbratenParmesan Chicken

Breast Potatoes Au Gratin

Steamed RiceCauliflower Combo

PeasFried Cabbage

Dinner:Ginger BarbeQue

ChickenBreaded Fried

ShrimpSeafood Cocktail

SauceSpinach Lasagna

Rice, OrangeMashed PotatoesBlack Eye Peas

Lima BeansCorn O' Brien

ARAGON DINING FACILITY MENU

Hours of Operation: Weekdays/Weekends: Breakfast 5:30 – 8 a.m.; Lunch 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Dinner 4 – 6 p.m.;Holidays/Down days: Supper 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; All carry out times 7 – 9 p.m.

Lunch:Swiss Steak with

Tom SauceBaked Chicken

Hot ItalianSausage

Peppers & OnionsSteamed Rice

Mashed PotatoesBroccoli Polonaise

Carrots

Dinner:Roast Turkey

Baked Can HamRaisin SauceFish & Fries

Mashed PotatoesCorn Bread

DressingSuccotashTempura

VegetablesHerbed Green

Beans

Lunch:Onion-Lemon B.

FishPork Schnitzel,

SteakYakisoba, Beef &

SpaghettiBaked Potatoes

Mashed PotatoesSimmered Pinto

BeansSpinach

Stewed Tomatoes

Dinner:Paprika Beef

Barbeque BeefCubes

Chicken FajitasO'brien PotatoesSteamed Rice

CauliflowerCorn on the

CobLima Beans

Lunch:Roast BeefBarbequeSpareribs

Roast TurkeySteamed Rice

Mashed PotatoesBroccoli

Corn on the Cob

Peas and Carrots

Dinner:Pita Pizzas

Country StyleSteak

Fried ChickenOven Brown

PotatoesMashed PotatoesFried Cauliflower

Bean ComboCabbage

Story and Photo by Margie Arnold21st Services Squadron

During the summer kids often ask“What’s there to do this summer?” Summercamps can solve the problem.

A combined effort from the 21stServices Squadron Business Flight, FamilySupport Flight and Community SupportFlight created a wide assortment of youthsummer camps including aviation, football,whitewater rafting and many other camps.

For example, the bowling centeroffers a 14-week bowling league wherekids can receive a special bowling ball.

There’s also a 14-week ColoradoRockies Bowling League for kids and par-ents where you get tickets to three selectRockies home games and Rockies T-shirts

and caps. To get a complete calendar anddescription of youth summer camps, pick

up a brochure at the RP Lee Youth Center.Some camps begin as early as mid-

May; others begin in June, July or August.Early registration for all youth summercamps begins at 9 a.m. Friday at the RP LeeYouth Center and continues until a campreaches capacity and is closed.

Each camp can accommodate a limit-ed number of children. No child wants to beleft out of the summer camp he or shewants most, whether it’s Bronco TrainingCamp, Golf 4 Kids or lifeguard training.

Don’t let your son or daughter sit athome this summer whining about havingnothing to do.

Plan to attend early registration foryouth summer camps at the Youth Center.

For information or questions, call556-7220.

Youth center offers early summer camp registration Friday

People register their children for summeryouth camps at the R.P. Lee Youth Center.

Documents

PT still mandatory for those on profile