By Capt. Al Bosco

The men and women of the 163dReconnaissance Wing have been allsmiles since learning they were tobecome the Nation's first AirNational Guard MQ-1 PredatorUnmanned Aerial System unit.Already setting milestones with thenew platform, the Wing continues toadd accomp-lishments to its resume.Recently, the Grizzlies got anothersurprise when the Wing received theNational Guard Association of theUnited States Distinguished FlyingUnit Award.

Adding to its already impressive13-year flight safety record in whichthe Wing generated 9,600-plus sortiesin the legendary KC-135 Stratotankerfor a total of more than 34,500 flyinghours, the Wing continues to stay onthe leading edge of airpowerdominance having transitioned fromthe KC-135 to conducting combatoperations with the MQ-1 Predatorunmanned aerial system.

"2006 was a banner year for us aswe faced challenges on severalfronts," said Col. Albert Aimar, 163dRW Commander. "It was quiteimpressive to watch as wetransitioned from our comfortmission in the KC-135 to a mission

Story continued on page 3

Photo by Master Sgt. Stan ThompsonTop, Col. Albert Aimar places the Distinguished Flying Unit Award in theheadquarters briefing room. Bottom left, a 163d ARW KC-135 Stratotanker refuels anF-15 Eagle. Bottom right, a 163d Reconnaissance Wing MQ-1 Predator sits in theWing’s hanger.

Wing 'Distinguishes' Itself as Premiere Flying Unit

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Julie AveyU.S. Air Force Photo by 163d RW

Oct. / Nov. 2007

Following the EA, the ArmyCorps of Engineers wil l helpwork the lease/contract issueswith the SCLA management sowe may begin construct ion atSCLA. A l so fo l lowing theEA, we need to secu re aCer t i f i ca t e o f Au thor i za t ion(COA) from the FAA to al lowus to f ly P reda to r s i n theSCLA local area. Our currentp l an i s t o have a l l o f t hep ieces comple t e and beg int r a in ing ou r f i r s t c l a s s o fs tudents during the summer of2008.

Dur ing a l l o f t he abovementioned act ivi t ies , we s t i l lhave many Miss ion Suppor tGroup , Med ica l Group , andHeadquar t e r s membersdeployed/deploying as par t ofour cont inuous Air Expedi t -iona ry Force commi tmen t .Some of these individuals wil lbe deployed for the complete120 days. We wish them asa fe dep loymen t and lookforward to their re turn backhome!

There is a lot going on andwe rema in busy, bu tremember, our success is t rulya r e su l t o f ou r ou t s t and ingmembers who con t inue towork hard, work smart , andwork together. We t ruly havea Guard family!

From t ime-to- t ime, I l ike toupdate you on events takingp lace th roughou t ou r Wing .Yes , we a re s t i l l i n t hePreda to r mis s ion and i t i sgoing extremely wel l .

During the past 12-months,we f lew more than 6,000 hoursdirect ly support ing Operat ionsIraqi Freedom and Endur ingFreedom. We are f lying 24/7,and a s a r e su l t , we a reexpe r i enc ing some g rowingpains we did not experiencewi th ou r p rev ious f ly ingmiss ions . However, we areresolving these issues . We arein the process of remodel ingthe Operat ions Group bui ldingbu t have expe r i enced somecont rac t ing i ssues tha t havede layed the s t a r t o fconstruct ion.

The de lay shou ld no tdrast ical ly affect our overal lt imel ine to receive our f ixedGround Control Stat ion (GCS)and beg in f ly ing the 24 /7Combat Air Patrol (CAP) fromthe remodeled OPS bui lding.

The en t i r e Main tenanceGroup and Col . Chuck Manleyhave a l so been ac t ive lywork ing to s t and-up aMain tenance F ie ld Tra in ingDetachment (FTD) here a t the163 RW. They haveremodeled the area that use tohouse our KC-135 s imulatorand have c lassrooms, mock-ups, a Predator a i rcraf t , andnearly al l associated t ra iningaids ready to begin teachingthe P reda to r Main tenancet r a in ing cour se . Cur ren t ly,the vas t ma jo r i ty o f a l l

qua l i f i ed P reda to r FTDinstructors belong to the 163dRW and they have been on aTempora ry Dep loymen t toNe l l i s AFB, Nev. t each ingclasses for more than a year.In the next few months weshould receive our f inal piecesof t ra ining equipment , and wewil l br ing our uni t membershome and they wi l l beg inteaching the FTD classes here .

Colonel Randy Bal l and theOpera t ions Group have no tonly been support ing the 24/7f ly ing ope ra t ion , bu t havebeen working to s tand up aF ly ing Tra in ing Uni t (FTU)here. This would rel ieve someof the "pressure" on CreechAFB Airmen to t ra in Predatora i r c rew members . We wi l lconduc t t he c l a s s roominstruct ion here , but wil l dothe f ly ing t r a in ing a t t hefo rmer George AFB, Ca l i f . ,now known as Sou the rnCa l i fo rn ia Log i s t i c s A i rpo r t(SCLA). Before we can turna wheel a t SCLA, we need tocomple t e an env i ronmen ta la s ses smen t (EA) , wh ich wehave been work ing-on fo rmore than a year. We are toldi t is get t ing "close" (hopeful lycomple t e by Janua ry 8 .

ALBERT K. AIMAR, COL, CAANGCommander

“During the past 12-months,we flew more than 6,000 hoursdirectly supporting OperationsIraqi Freedom and EnduringFreedom.”

- Col. Albert Aimar

News 3

we really knew little about, thePredator, all the while continuing oursupport to the warfighter and theNation."

In fact, according to the citationaccompanying the award, from Jan. 1to Dec. 31, 2006 the Wing is creditedfor providing more than 400Guardsmen to 25 locations at homeand abroad supporting OperationsEnduring and Iraqi Freedom, JointForge and Jumpstart. Additionally,deployed personnel racked up morethan 13,000 deployed workdays.

More impressive, though, is thefact that the Wing was able to providean unparalleled level of support tocombat units worldwide while

Story continued from page 1

transitioning from its KC-135 aerialrefueling mission to becoming the AirForce's first Air National Guard MQ-1 Predator unit. During the transitionto the Predator, the Wing amassed194 air refueling sorties of which 65supported Operation Iraqi Freedom,as well as trained 14 Predatoraircrews and generated more than 75combat missions totaling 1,450 flyinghours with the Predator.

But even while the Wing

continues to make a name for itself,setting airpower benchmarks,Colonel Aimar is quick to point outit's the people of the 163d RW whomake the mission and all of theWing's accomplishments possible.

"This award is really about themen and women who make up the163d RW," said Colonel Aimar. "Thestrides we made in 2006 would nothave been possible without thededication and professionalism of ourAirmen in what many would considerturbulent times. My hat is truly off tothem. I'm proud of the hard work theydo for our Air Force and our Nationeveryday, and I look forward to newchallenges and opportunities as theWing continues to grow."

Another opportunity presenteditself to Chief Koslow in 2003 whenhe applied and was selected to be theWing HRA. He would continue inthis position till now.

Chief Koslow has been aninstrumental part of the Wing sincehe joined. During his tenure, he hasaugmented other squadrons, hasbeen key personnel in creatingbeneficial programs both shop andWing wide. Some of the mostbeneficial programs he was involvedwith are the First Sergeant's Counciland the Wing Human ResourcesCommittee.

"Chief Koslow has been aprofessional Airman in every senseof the word," said Col. Aimar. "I amconfident he will continue his recordof outstanding performance as heassumes his new HRA position. Wethank Chief Koslow for hiscontributions to the 163d and wishhim the best as he tackles his newassignment."

1997 I applied for the headquartersfirst sergeant's position. Actually, Iwas hired by then Vice WingCommander Col. Albert Aimar."

By Senior Airman Paul Duquette

September's Unit TrainingAssembly marks the end and thebeginning of a chapter for ChiefMaster Sgt. Michael Koslow, who ismoving on to the position of HumanResources Advisor for the CaliforniaState National Guard, working underMaj. Gen. Dennis Lucas.

Chief Koslow came to the Wingin March 1989 as a staff sergeant inthe avionics shop. Shortly after hecame to the Wing, he decided he wasin the right place.

"I realized that I was making adifference when I came to the 163d.Not just on a shop or Wing level, butfor the whole Air Force," said ChiefKoslow.

"The 163d has traditionally setthe benchmark for the rest of the AirNational Guard to follow. It's not justa team, but a family," said ChiefKoslow. "As time went on, I wantedmore involvement in the Wing, so in

Wing Bids Farewell to Chief Master Sergeant Michael Koslow

Photo by Senior Airman Paul DuquetteChief Master Sergeant MichaelKoslow shakes hands with WingCommander Colonel Albert Aimarbefore being presented with aMeritiorous Service Medal.

"This award is really about themen and women who make up the163d RW,"

- Col. Albert Aimar163d RW Commander

News4

Master Sgt. Thomas Hill and Tech. Sgt. Robert Amador pause for a photo whiledeployed to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq.

By Capt. Al Bosco

As members of the world's mostrespected air and space force, 163dReconnaissance Wing men and womencontinue to prove their value as a total forceasset both in the air and on the ground.Recently an eight-person team of Grizzliesfrom the 163d Security Forces Squadronreturned from a nearly-six-monthdeployment to Iraq, where they took thefight to the enemy's doorstep.

Deployed to Kirkuk Regional AirBase, the Grizzlies were part of a securityforces team, along with membersrepresenting active duty, Guard andReserve units across the Air Force, taskedto provide base security and protection toU.S. and Coalition forces, civiliancontractors and equipment at Kirkuk.

According to Master Sgt. Thomas Hill,163d SFS Bravo Squad leader, who alsoserved as a flight chief during thedeployment, being assigned to forceprotection duties on the front linesprovided new insight for some of the teammembers.

"The deployment was definitely aneye-opening experience for me," SergeantHill said. "Our first day on the ground wewere faced with rocket attacks against thebase by enemy forces, and throughout ourtime there we saw about two attacks aweek."

Although the experience wassometimes unnerving, Sergeant Hillpointed out the training they received priorto deployment made a huge difference indealing with and responding to forceprotection issues at the base.

"Before we even left for Iraq, weattended a two-week training exercise atCreech Air Force Base, Nev., where welearned many valuable skills to prepare us,such as basic base defense in a deployedenvironment, land navigation, tactics,convoy protection, defensive fighting

positions and patrolling techniques,"Sergeant Hill said.

In addition to the training receivedstateside by the team, they also attended theCombat Lifesaver Course, taught at thedeployed location by the U.S. Army - acourse that made the difference betweenlife and death for two Army Soldiersduring a rocket attack.

"During one attack, an Army officerwas wounded by shrapnel and anotherSoldier began having what appeared to bea seizure," Sergeant Hill said. "During an'Alarm Red' condition, base emergencypersonnel cannot respond due to theimminent threat or execution of an attack,so we were actually the first responders.Fortunately, we were able to save the twoSoldiers, and that's something I credit to thetraining we received here."

Despite the threat of attack that kept theteam on its toes, the deployment did haveits positive aspects. In fact, one of thehighlights, according to Sergeant Hill, wasthe overwhelming support from Grizzliesback home who sent the team carepackages.

"The base took care of our needs for themost part, but the care packages wereceived from our unit back home reallyboosted morale," Sergeant Hill said. "Oneof the best things we got was movies,which was huge, because you don't get tosee too many movies while deployed."

Sergeant Hill did admit, though, that hispersonal highlight was eating at the diningfacility.

"It's not the same as being able to go outand eat at home, but I at least got to eatanything I wanted to, which was nice," hesaid.

While Sergeant Hill and the other teammembers enjoyed their deploymentexperience, they also offered some advicefor other units preparing to deploy.

"Get in shape before you go, because itgets stressful," Sergeant Hill said. "Thebetter prepared you are physically; theeasier it will be to deal with the long hoursand stressful situations."

"It made me feel great to serve mycountry and support the mission," SergeantHill added. "I really felt like I was a big partof combating terrorism."

U.S. Air Force Photo

Grizzly Security Forces Take on Terrorists in Their Own Backyard

News 5

By Senior Airman Paul Duquette

Most people wouldn't believe it wastrue if they were told bodybuilding is 70percent dieting, 20 percent lifting and 10percent sleep, but based on experience,sponsored body builder, gym owner,personal trainer and Wing member Tech.Sgt. David Suarez knows it's true.

Throughout high school, SergeantSuarez worked out regularly so he couldstay fit for sports.

"Going to the gym also kept me offthe streets," he said. "But thebodybuilding aspect I didn't get into till Ijoined the Air Force in 1995."

Sergeant Suarez is a traditionalguardsman who works in the TrafficManagement Office as a traffic manager.In a typical drill weekend he tracks bills,loads or unloads planes containingservicemembers' valuables or makesinvoices and reservations for peoplegoing on Temporary Duty assignments.

In 1996, after realizing weighttraining alone was not enough to obtainthe body he wanted, Sergeant Suarezlearned to couple it with dieting.

"Most people think body building isspending your life in a gym, but it's not.It's about living your life behind a fork,"Sgt. Suarez said. "Body building is 70percent eating, 20 percent lifting and 10percent sleeping."

In 2004, Sergeant Suarez opened hisown gym and became a personal trainer.Shortly after that, he decided to try anamateur body building competition. "Itrained for that competition from Januaryto April 2005, and I placed 5th in myweight class," he said.

Since then Sergeant Suarez hascompeted in several competitions, andrecently he competed in the All ForcesNational Bodybuilding and FigureChampionship, which is a Department ofDefense bodybuilding competition. Inorder to qualify, competitors must beaffiliated with the DOD in some way.

"With that competition I wanted toshow my co-workers exactly what ittook to be a body builder," SergeantSuarez said. "I knew the only way Icould motivate myself to train was tocompete so I prepared for thatcompetition for 15 weeks. I even trained

and dieted for nine days while I was onvacation in Hawaii."

During the All Forces Championship,the competitors have a chance to qualifyfor the USA Bodybuilding and FigureChampionships and the NationalBodybuilding and FitnessChampionships by placing first orsecond place in their weight class.

Sergeant Suarez set a goal ofattempting to become a professionalbodybuilder by winning a pro card,which are only given out once a year atthe USA Bodybuilding and NationalBodybuilding Championships to the 1stand 2nd place winners.

"In the All Forces competition Iplaced 2nd in my weight class, so Iaccomplished one goal of qualifying forthe championships," he said. "The nextstep is training for the national events andwinning a pro card."

Whether it's accomplishing TMOduties on a drill weekend or training fora body building competition, SergeantSuarez knows how to set goals and hasthe determination to see them through tothe end.

Wing Member And Bodybuilder Discovers “Life Behind The Fork”

Wing membersand motorcyclistspay tribute to themen and womenwho lost their livesduring the tragedyof 9/11. The ridestarts at March,ARB, wheremotorcyclists willfollow a fire truckto a restranuantwhere they eat andthen return to theirjobs.

Motorcyclist Unite to Pay Tribute to 9/11 Tragedy

Photo by Senior Airman Diane Ducat

News6

By Maj. Douglas Smith

Only a small percentage of Americans have theprivilege and honor of serving in our armed forces.With this privilege, comes an obligation for each ofus to wear the military uniform properly and tomaintain good military bearing at all times.

Military uniforms date back to the beginning ofcivilization when our ancient warriors haddecorative shields and head gear to display a senseof solidarity and commitment, not to mention beingable to easily distinguish one another in battle.

Military Appearance

1. Individuals when on duty and in uniform, may stand with his or hands in pockets only when he is inserting or removing items from the pockets.

2. A member may walk in uniform while using his or her personal cell phone for personal use.

3. A member may stand or walk in uniform while using a cell phone, radio, or hands-free headset provided he is performing official duties and using a government issued device.

4. A member may use smokeless tobacco, smoke, drink, or eat while walking in uniform.

5. A uniform may be altered to improve fit provided it does not change the intended appearance of the garment as designed.

6. Sunglasses/Eyeglasses may be worn around the neck or on top/back of head or exposed hanging on the uniform.

7. Umbrellas must be plain black in color, and carried in the left hand.

8. A PT shirt may be tucked in or out.

9. Navy blue or black Spandex shorts and leggings may be worn under PT shorts.

10. Any tattoo that (1) exceeds ¼ of an exposed body part and (2) those above the collarbone and readily visible when wearing an open collar uniform are considered "excessive" and cannot be exposed or visible while in uniform.

11. A commander may seek Air Force medical support for voluntary tattoo removal.

12. Members failing to remove, cover, or alter excessive tattoos or who choose not to comply with acceptable military standards may be subject to disciplinary action or involuntary separation.

Take an AFI Dress Reg TestAre you following the regs? Should you be changing a habit? Are you a reg buff?

Take the following true or false quiz and find out how you score!

The tradition has continued for thousands ofyears. All of us should therefore take pride in thewearing of our military uniforms.

AFI 36-2903 (Dress and Appearance) doessubject each of us to disciplinary action for being"out of uniform," so it is incumbent on each of usto point any infractions out as we carry out ourmilitary duties.

For those of you who are intimately familiar withour uniform regulations, way to go. For the rest ofus, lets see how smart we are. Take the followingtest. If you get less than a perfect score, then aquick review of AFI is in order.

See answers on page 11

News 7

By Master Sgt. Michael Shacklett

Recently, I returned from the 13thannual World Wide First SergeantsConference, hosted by the Air ForceSergeants Association. First sergeantshad the opportunity to meet theircounterparts from the Guard, Reserveand even the active duty element.

Some of the speakers includednine previous Chief Master Sergeantsof the Air Force and our currentCMSAF, Rodney McKinley.

Some of the topics that stuck withme after leaving the conference wereas follows:

Heritage; what do you really knowabout the Airmen from the past? Bypast, I mean not only the JohnLevitow heroes that we all studiedduring our NCO and senior NCOacademies, but it includes the Airmenwe work beside each and every day.

It is these Airmen that will ultimatelybe the history of our wing.

Fitness is also an important topic.Airmen need to know where they're atand know what they're doing toimprove themselves.

Professional Military Education;Are you doing everything you can topromote your own career?

Professional organizations, likeTop Three, Chiefs Council and theJunior Enlisted Council; Everyairman will benefit from theseorganizations.

When the conference attendeesmet with MAJCOM, a lot ofinformation was generated and putinto motion, so a lot of beneficialchanges will be coming soon.

The biggest topic at theconference was the new Airman'sCreed. Do you know it? See center ofthis article.

Issues Concerning All Airman Air Force Wide

By Lt. Col. Scott Tilley

Are you, or do you knowsomeone interested in joining theCalifornia National Guard'sBiathlon team?

Anyone with a good cardio base,shooting skills and a willingness toparticipate in an exciting sport cansign up and try out. To qualifycompetitors must be National Guardmembers or are being recruited intothe NG.

Competitions are heldthroughout the winter months for allqualifying team members withnationals usually occurring in either

February or March in eitherVermont or Minnesota.

Several regional competitionsoccur in the months leading up tonationals at venues in the west,midwest and east.

All official competitions andtraining camps are guard fundedand held year round. All equipmentis supplied by the guard.

The sport of biathlon involvescross country skiing with a riflestrapped to your back and shootingsaid rifle at five targets (one roundper target) at the end of every loop,except the last loop, within a race.

The skier with the best time

wins. Missed targets are eitherpenalized with time penalties orpenalty laps, the results of whichadd to the competitor's overall time.

Competitions are both individualand team based. There are relayraces and a patrol race.

During the patrol race, memberswork as a team and employ sometype of strategy in order to win.

For more information about theNational Guard Sports Programheadquartered in Vermont and formore information about theNational Guard Biathlon Programcontact Lt. Col. Scott Tilley atscott.tilley@camarc.ang.af.mil.

California National Guard Needs Biathlon Competitors

I am an I am an AmericanAmericanAirman. I am a WAirman. I am a Warriorarrior..

I have answered myI have answered myNation's call.Nation's call.

I am and I am and AmericanAmericanAirman. My mission isAirman. My mission is

to Flyto Fly, Flight, and W, Flight, and Win. Iin. Iam faithful to a Proudam faithful to a Proud

Heritage, Heritage, AA TTradition ofradition ofHonorHonor, , And a legacy ofAnd a legacy of

VValoralor..I am an I am an AmericanAmerican

Airman. Guardian ofAirman. Guardian ofFreedom and Justice, MyFreedom and Justice, My

Nation's Sword andNation's Sword andShield, Its Sentry andShield, Its Sentry andAvengerAvenger. I defend my. I defend myCountry with my Life. Country with my Life.

I am an I am an AmericanAmericanAirman. WAirman. Wingman,ingman,

LeaderLeader, W, Warriorarrior. I will. I willnever leave an never leave an AirmanAirman

behind, I will never falterbehind, I will never falter,,And I will not fail.And I will not fail.

News8

Senior Master Sergeant MelanieZimmers

With the recent changes that resultedfrom the release of AFI 91-207 (U.S. AirForce Traffic Safety Program), motorvehicle safety continues to be a focusissue. Driving Safety, Local Conditionsand Motorcycle Safety is a high-interestitem that affects everyone on base.

In June, the day after the SafetyDown-Day that took place, two AirNational Guard members were involvedin motorcycle accidents in which onerider was killed and the other lost his leg.Additionally, a recent article in anOmaha, Neb., newspaper described analarming trend taking place. Manyveterans returning from duty overseashave turned to high-performancemotorcycles as a way to satisfy theirthrill-seeking desires. As a result, oftenthey take unnecessary risks that put

themselves and other motorists' lives indanger.

With the continuous influx ofpersonnel to the 163d ReconnaissanceWing, there are undoubtedly manymembers who ride motorcycles.Members who ride motorcycles,whether on or off base, must inform theircommander so he or she can conduct apersonal mandatory safety briefing.Additionally, riders need to inform WingSafety to ensure they are in compliancewith Air Force guidelines regardingmotorcycle use. Members can emailSenior Master Sgt. Melanie Zimmers atMelanie.Zimmers@camarc.ang.af.mil.Be sure to provide the make, model andengine size, as well as the date a safetybriefing was conducted.

Motor vehicle safety extends beyondmotorcycle use, though. Every memberneeds to review the Local ConditionsPower Point briefing that is available onthe 163d RW portal page via the Air

Driving Safety Force Portal Web site athttps://www.my.af.mil. The briefing canbe viewed individually or as a group andis a one-time requirement. Once thebriefing is complete, email SergeantZimmers at the above email addresswith the names of those briefed and thedate it was completed. For moreinformation, please email SergeantZimmers.

While completing the variousrequirements this does not eliminate thepossibility of getting into a hazardoussituation, it does mitigate much of therisk associated with various activities.By getting the required training, alongwith utilizing the appropriate protectivegear your commander won't be caughtoff-guard and we will know that wehave done our best to prepare you. Keepsafety in mind in everything you do. Youare too valuable to this Wing, and yourfamily, to take chances when it comes toyour safety.

By Capt. Connery Lee

Some people aren't aware thatviruses cause colds, flu, most sorethroats, runny noses and bronchitis.Furthermore, some people don't knowthat antibiotics don't help fight viruses.It may actually do more harm thangood.

Sore throat is the second-mostcommon symptomatic reason forseeking medical care. Approximately 76percent of adults who visit a primarycare physician because of a sore throatare given an antibiotic.

Antibiotic resistance has been one ofthe most public health concerns. It can

cause significant danger for people whohave common infections. Whenantibiotics fail to work, theconsequences are longer-lastingillnesses; extended hospital stays. Someresistant infections can cause death.

These antibiotic- resistant bacteriacan quickly spread to family members,school mates and co-workers;threatening the community with a newstrain of infectious disease that is moredifficult to cure and more expensive totreat.

What To Do: Talk with yourhealthcare provider about antibioticresistance. When you are prescribed anantibiotic. Complete the prescribed

Abuse Antibioticcourse even if you are feeling better. Iftreatment stops too soon, some bacteriamay survive and re-infect you. Makesure your children take all medication asprescribed, even if they feel better.

What Not To Do: Do not take anantibiotic for a viral infection like a cold,a cough, or the flu. They will not helptreat your infection. When you areprescribed an antibiotic, do not skipdoses. Do not save any antibiotics forthe next time you get sick.

Following the guidelines listedabove can assist you in determiningwhether you need to take antibiotics.For more information please contact theWing Medical Group.

Briefs 9

Oct/Nov UTA Meal ScheduleWhen enlisted members are

authorized lodging Friday beforeUTA, they are entitled to breakfastSaturday morning as well as lunchand dinner. All meals will beprovided by the Hap Arnold Cluband no letters are required.

Billeting Hotline If you have any issues,

complaints or concerns regardingyour billeting or contracted room, orif you need to make a last minutecancellation of a reservation, pleasenotify the first sergeant’s on-callhotline number at (951) 453-5433.A Wing first sergeant will have thisphone starting on the Friday eveningand continuing through the Sundaymorning of each drill weekend. Ifyou need to cancel a reservationduring the month, please contactyour lodging POC.

March Field Military BallThe March Field Military Ball

will be held on Nov. 17 at theRaincross Square, RiversideConvention Center. Tickets are $45and the 163d RW point of contact isTech. Sgt. Jean Thompson. Roomsare available at the Marriott or theMission Inn, deadline to reserve aroom is Oct. 16. Doors open at 5:30p.m. and seating will begin at 6:30p.m.

March Field Golf TournamentThe Fitness Center is currently

taking registrations for the 12thAnnual March Field Inter-ServiceGolf Tournament. It will be held atMenifee Lakes Country Club on Oct.26, and will be a four personscramble. The tournament will be ashotgun start at noon. The entry feeis $65.00 per person and includesgolf range balls, cart, dinner,

tournament souvenirs, puttingcontest, and lots of prizes. Therewill be trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rdplace. There will also be a longestdrive and straightest drive contest.The deadline to register is Oct. 8, butbe sure to register early to guaranteeyour spot. For more information,call Fitness and Sports Center at655-2284.

Fitness Test UpdateThe recent announcement by the

Air Force whereby the "marginal"category of the physical fitness testhas been eliminated and is now just apass or fail, does not apply to theANG at this time. ANGI 10-248 isstill the governing regulation.

Suicide HotlineTo ensure veterans with

emotional crises have round-the-clock access to trained professionals,the Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) has begun operation of anational suicide prevention hot linefor veterans. The toll-free hot linenumber is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).The hotline will be staffed by mentalhealth professionals in Canandaigua,N.Y. They will take toll-free callsfrom across the country and workclosely with local VA mental healthproviders to help callers.

Tricare UpdateA simplified Tricare Reserve

Select (TRS) program open to allGuardsmen and Reservists willdebut Oct. 1. New TRS provides anacross-the-board health care plansimilar to the active-duty coveragebut open to all Guardsmen andReservists. The only group excludedis Guardsmen and Reservistseligible/enrolled for FederalEmployee Health Benefits(technicians).

The new TRS is a premium-basedhealth plan available to SelectedReserve members (unit assigned andIMA members) at 28 percent of thepremium cost. Now, all enrolleeswill pay $81 a month for personalcoverage or $253 a month for familyTRS offers coverage similar toTRICARE Standard (and TRICAREExtra) with the active duty familymember deductibles and cost sharesapplied to both the Selected Reservemember and family members underthe TRS plan.

For questions regarding TRSplease contact HQ ARPC/DPS (HQARPC Contact Center) at 1-800-525-0102. More details on thisbenefit can be found atw w w . a r p c . a f r c . a f . m i l /library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=8316 .

Family DayPreparation

Civil Engineering SquadronCommander Col. Mark Moritzwaters the grass in the black forestin preparation for the Wing FamilyDay celebration.

Photo by Capt. Al Bosco

Briefs10

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Julie AveyMaster Sgt. Roland Buchheit is presented his retirement certificate by Maj. JohnRamos. During the ceremony Sergeant Buchheit was also presented with aMeritorious Service Medal. Sergeant Buchheit has been with the Wing for over 22years and with the military for over 40 years.

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Julie AveyMaster Sgt. Laura Bosco presents Master Sgt. Jon Bailey with a token a appreciation fromthe Logistics Readiness Squadron. During the ceremony, Sergeant Bailey was alsopresented with a Meritorious Service award. The MSM was awarded for his contributionsduring Operation Jump Start. Sergeant Bailey has over 42 years of military service.

Congratulations to MasterSgt. Jon Bailey, who retiredSeptember’s Unit TrainingAssembly after 42 years ofmilitary service. SergeantBailey began his career as acommissioned officer andearned the rank of captain,then earned the rank of seniormaster sergeant before comingto 163 RW. During his career,he has earned threeMeritorious Service Medals.With the Wing, SergeantBailey was a logistics plannerfor the Logistics ReadinessSquadron. Sergeant Bailey’sretirement plans are tocontinue with his investmentsin stocks and real estate.

Congratulations to FuelSystems Mananger Master Sgt.Roland Buchheit, who retiredSeptember's UTAafter 40 years ofmilitary service, 22 of which waswith the Wing. During SergeantBuchheit’s career, he has workedon over six airframes and earned aseven level in three AFSCs.

“It was so wonderful to be partof the 163d family, I will miss allof you,” said Sergeant Buchheit.

He has been on deploymentsto include Korea, Viet Nam, HongKong, Japan, Singapore, Australiaand the Philipines. During hisretirement, Sergeant Buchheitplans to spend more time with hiswife and seven kids and wants totravel. He is also planning toadopt another child.

163 RW Bids Congratulations to Retirees

Salutes 11Welcome Newcomers

Maj. Christopher Linton

OPS

Capt. Christina Szasz

OPS

Tech. Sgt.Julie Avey

CF

Tech. Sgt. Wes Miller

OSF

Staff Sgt. Isidro Lopez

CES

Staff Sgt. RichardGheen SFS

Staff Sgt.Terry Haley

MDG

Staff Sgt.Tim Holt

CES

Senior AirmanJohn Dianni

MXG

Senior AirmanCory Camp

OSF

Senior AirmanLeung Lau

SFS

Senior AirmanLuis Tovar

SVS

Estevan VigilRaymond Nix

Saly LamJoel LorangerKent ChoateRobert Knox

Michael Gerardi

Ray Phillips

PromotionsCongratulations to Senior Airmen Gregory Walters, Estevan Vigil and

Kenneth Jamison, who completed Airman Leadership School viacorrespondence.

Hats off to two Tech. Sgts. who completed the NCO Academy, SharonGriffith via in-residence and Michael Porter via correspondence.

A job well done to Master Sgts. Michael Zimmers, Gilbert Sanchez andBruce Ladd who all completed the Senior NCO Academy via correspondence.

Senior AirmanVeronica Lemus

CES

Airman 1st ClassRichard Glover

OSF

Airman 1st ClassMario Lopez

MXG

Airman 1st ClassAdriano

DelgadoGarciaAMXS

Airman 1st ClassAaron Fernandez

MXG

Answers to the Dress Reg Test5. T6. F

7. T8. T

9. T10. T

1. T2. F

3. F4. F

11. T12. T

163 RW/PAMARCH ARB CA 92518-1627

UNITED STATES AIR FORCEOFFICIAL BUSINESS

TO THE FAMILY OF:

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDRIVERSIDE, CA

PERMIT NO2353

THIRD CLASS MAILPERMIT

The ON GUARD is proudlypublished for members of the 163dReconnaissance Wing, and theirfamilies.

CommanderCol. Al Aimar

Public Affairs OfficeMaj. Brenda HendricksenCapt. Al BoscoSenior Airman Paul DuquetteSenior Airman Reuben Deal

Visual Information DepartmentMaster Sgt. Stan ThompsonTech. Sgt. Joe ProuseStaff Sgt. Eduardo CervantesSenior Airman Diane Ducat

The ON GUARD is the officialnewsletter published by and for themembers of the 163d ReconnaissanceWing, March Air Reserve Base, CA.The contents of the ON GUARD arenot necessarily the official views of,or endorsed by, the US government,DoD, Department of the Air Force, orthe 163d RW.

Dec

1-2

Jan

5-6

Oct

13-14

Nov

3-4

163d RW Family DayThe 163d Reconnaissance Wing is hosting an Airman of the Year celebration and Picnic (Family Day) Oct. 13.

There will be free food, bouncers, dunk tank, a clown, kids games, water wars, face painting and much muchmore. The Airman of the Year ceremony starts at 10:24 a.m. and the picnic follows immediately after theconclusion of the AOY. Also during the event the Moreno Valley Police Dept will provide free infant car seat andbooster seat safety checks. Individuals will have the opportunity to drive their vehicles in front of building 2270to get this accomplished.