:WVY[Z KH` H[ [OL ILHJO WHNL · After securing a bountiful harvest, the set-tlers and Wampanoag joined in fellowship for a shared dinner to celebrate powerful traditions that are

Thursday, November 24, 2016

2 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Wednesday, November 23, 2016 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

Rooted in a story of generosity and partner-ship, Thanksgiving offers an opportunity for us to express our gratitude for the gifts we have and to show our appreciation for all we hold dear.

This week, as we give of ourselves in service to others and spend cherished time with family and friends, we give thanks for the many bless-ings bestowed upon us. We also honor the men and women in uniform who fight to safeguard our country and our freedoms so we can share occasions like this with loved ones, and we thank our selfless military families who stand beside and support them each and every day.

Our modern celebration of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the early 17th century. Upon arriving in Plymouth, at the culmina-tion of months of testing travel that resulted in death and disease, the Pilgrims continued to face great challenges. An indigenous people, the Wampanoag, helped them adjust to their new home, teaching them critical survival tech-niques and important crop cultivation methods. After securing a bountiful harvest, the set-tlers and Wampanoag joined in fellowship for a shared dinner to celebrate powerful traditions that are still observed at Thanksgiving today: lifting one another up, enjoying time with those around us, and appreciating all that we have.

Carrying us through trial and triumph, this sense of decency and compassion has defined

our Nation. President George Washington pro-claimed the first Thanksgiving in our country’s nascence, calling on the citizens of our fledgling democracy to place their faith in “the provi-dence of Almighty God,” and to be thankful for what is bequeathed to us. In the midst of bit-ter division at a critical juncture for America, President Abraham Lincoln acknowledged the plight of the most vulnerable, declaring a “day of thanksgiving,” on which all citizens would “commend to (God’s) tender care” those most affected by the violence of the time — widows, orphans, mourners, and sufferers of the Civil War. A tradition of giving continues to inspire this holiday, and at shelters and food centers, on battlefields and city streets, and through generous donations and silent prayers, the in-herent selflessness and common goodness of the American people endures.

In the same spirit of togetherness and thanksgiving that inspired the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, we pay tribute to people of every background and belief who contribute in their own unique ways to our country’s story. Each of us brings our own traditions, cultures, and recipes to this quintessential American holiday — whether around dinner tables, in soup kitch-ens, or at home cheering on our favorite sports teams — but we are all united in appreciation of the bounty of our Nation. Let us express our gratitude by welcoming others to our celebra-tions and recognize those who volunteer today to ensure a dinner is possible for those who

might have gone without. Together, we can se-cure our founding ideals as the birthright of all future generations of Americans.

I encourage the people of the United States to join together — whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors — and give thanks for all we have received in the past year, express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and share our bounty with others.

COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE

The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. Per-sonnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via email to [email protected].

Website: www.macdill.af.mil

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MacDillAirForceBase

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COMMENTARY

MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Wednesday, November 23, 2016 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 3

NEWS/FEATURES

His heart feels like it’s going to pound out of his chest as he makes his way to the starting line. Hundreds of people stand eagerly awaiting the big race to begin, and his excitement leaves a pit in his stomach. He mentally prepares; shutting out the crowd, silencing his own res-ervations for the challenges he’s about to face. He’s ready.

He hears the cannon boom, and he sprints off into the water. It takes a few minutes to get into his rhythm, because of the splashing and kick-ing of the other swimmers around him, but soon he is into a routine. He focuses on his form; one breath at a time, one stroke at a time.

For Maj. Reynaldo Champion, commander of the 6th Communications Squadron (CS), Iron-mans are not just a race, they are a way to build and test his resiliency.

For years, Champion has been running mara-thons as well as sprints and Olympic-distance triathlons, but in the summer of 2012, that all changed. His friend challenged him to a half-

CHAMPION, Page 10

QAYYARAH WEST AIRFIELD, Iraq — The wheels of the first Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercu-les touched down at Qayyarah West Airfield, Iraq, Nov. 11. The tactical airlift workhorse was loaded with supplies and equipment to resupply the Mo-sul offensive.

The landing was much more than routine; it was symbolic. It represented the first time a fixed wing Iraqi aircraft loaded with cargo landed at the strategic airfield since it fell to Da’esh fighters in 2014.

A U.S. Air Force Airman vectored the aircraft into the airspace while others marshaled in and offloaded the Iraqi C-130. These Airmen serve as some of the only ground-based Air Force per-sonnel at Qayyarah West. Assigned to the 821st Contingency Response Group, based out of Travis Air Force Base, California, these few Airmen are responsible for enabling and sustaining all air op-erations at the Coalition airfield.

MISSION, Page 12


WEEK IN PHOTOS



NEWS/FEATURES

The U.S. Special Operations Command (SO-COM) is a very unique organization. The service members who make up the organization and its mission are just as unique.

With that in mind, it should be no surprise that the premier parachute demonstration team of SOCOM, the Para-Commandos, and their mis-sion are just as unparalleled as its command headquarters.

The Para-Commandos had a small start in 1991 with only four people, but in 25 years they have jumped their way up to a team of around 30 individuals—three of tose being full-time team members.

“The Para-Commandos are the only joint “Department of Defense” team in the military,” said Maj. Ken Ates, the safety and training ad-visor and performer with the Para-Commandos. “We have members from the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marine Corps that come from within SOCOM.”

The Para-Commandos are a direct reflection of their command, showing how the military servic-es work together using special skills completely in sync. Not only are all of the services involved, but Department of Defense employees as well.

“People don’t realize that all of those differ-ent services that work in SOCOM are under one command and they all work together,” continued Ates. “That is one thing that we try and demon-strate—all four services working together.”

According to SOCOM, the team normally jumps from an altitude of 12,500 feet, freefalling approxi-mately 2 miles and reaching speeds in excess of 120 mph, wearing smoke canisters on their feet to make them visible to the public below.

During their freefall, the members of the team maneuver their bodies like an aircraft to form formations in the sky. When the jumpers ap-proach an altitude of 4,000 feet, they break their formation and glide in different directions, open-ing their parachutes approximately 2,500 feet above the ground. Once open, the members steer their parachutes and land one behind the other with precision accuracy in the landing area.

This precision accuracy is the trademark of their special forces training.

Recently, Charles “Peanut” Tillman, a retired NFL player and current Fox Sports analyst, was invited to jump with the Para-Commandos and witness the interoperability of all of the services and how they work together during jumps.

“It reminds me of being in the locker room, like being around some of my teammates,” said Till-man. “Being recently retired, I don’t have that

locker room; I don’t have my guys with me, my team mates.

“I think these guys are a close-knit team; they’ve got great chemistry, and you’ve got to have that. I can tell their chemistry is very pro-fessional, but at the same time, I can see that they just like to let loose and have fun.

“You can tell they have great relationships amongst each other, Tillman continued. “The only time I am jumping out of a plane is with military personnel; I don’t want to do it with just anybody; I know these guys train hard (and) it’s their job, and they are professionals; I had a blast.”

Working together and performing intricate operations and emulating everyday special op-erations is the Para-Commandos ultimate mis-sion, but another unique mission the team has is bringing what they do to the general public.

“The mission of the Para-Commandos is to provide awareness to the general public about special operations command,” said Ates. “People hear about SEAL’s and green berets, but they don’t really know what they do, so what we do is try to demonstrate one of our infiltration tech-niques to the general public, which happens to be parachuting.”

Showing off their skills may seem like enter-taining the public, but it has a real-world appli-cation when in combat and demonstrating these

skills is a great way to share special forces mem-bers’ training and what they are capable of doing.

“You might have teenagers out there who are contemplating whether to join the military,” said Ates. “If we can show them just one of the skills that we have from special operations, it might be just enough to get them to say, ‘wow, I want to be able to do that as part of my job.’

“That may help with the recruiting of special operations or just the military in general.”

The Para-Commandos are busy all year, repre-senting the special forces community. Every time they perform, every time they prepare, practice, and execute their skills, they are volunteering their own time to do it. Most of the team mem-bers are not assigned solely to the team, they have other full-time jobs and end up giving up weekends and nights, practicing and participat-ing in each event.

The Para-Commandos perform on average 40-50 times a year. They travel as far northwest as Oregon, as far northeast as Rhode Island, and as far south as Key West. The team has even per-formed during a Super Bowl.

“It is important that we represent the over 67,000 special operations Soldiers, Sailors, Air-men, and Marines, of which on any given day seven to 10 thousand are deployed to over 70 countries around the world,” said Ates. “We get out there and we tell their story.”


Although a delicious tradition, deep-frying a turkey on Thanksgiving can be risky. While some people rave about this tasty creation, the use of turkey fryers can be unsafe when used irresponsibly. Dangers of turkey frying

Many units easily tip over, spilling hot oil within the cooking pot.If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the

unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burn-er/flame causing a fire to engulf the entire unit.

Partially frozen turkeys placed into a fryer can cause a spillover ef-fect, which may result in an extensive fire.

With no thermostat controls, the units also have a potential to over-heat the oil to the point of combustion.

The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.Turkey fryer tips

Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.

Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have a thermo-

stat controls.Never let children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the

cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.Avoid spillover, do not overfill the fryer

Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with

NEWS/FEATURES

TURKEY, Page 15




Team MacDill recognized the Great Ameri-can Smokeout, a day which encourages tobacco users to kick the habit, Nov. 17, at MacDill Air Force Base.

The Great American Smokeout, an event started by the American Cancer Society, occurs on the third Thursday of November each year.

The MacDill Health and Wellness Center (HAWC) geared efforts toward squadrons with the most tobacco users.

“Security Forces Air Force-wide are frequent

users of tobacco products,” said Joan Craft, the HAWC director. “We’re not trying to point fin-gers and force others to quit, but rather educate and showcase the resources for when they do decide to quit.”

Throughout the day, the HAWC talked to SFS members before the start of each shift.

“I didn’t even know about the Great American Smokeout until the HAWC came and briefed us,” said Staff Sgt. Jesse Drennon, an installa-tion patrolman assigned to the 6th SFS. “How-ever, today, I plan on cutting down how much I dip (smokeless tobacco.)”

“The HAWC has nicotine patches, gum and lozenges to help wean users off of tobacco prod-ucts,” said Craft. “We offer prescription medica-tions as well.”

Information about cessation resources was provided to the Short Fitness Center and the 6th Medical Group to further increase aware-ness at MacDill.

For more information about quitting, contact the HAWC at 828-4739.

NEWS/FEATURES

Ironman, and he became immediately hooked.Since then, he has traveled all over the country and trained for months

at a time to compete in the races he’s passionate about. He has competed in both half-Ironmans, a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run and full Ironmans, a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run.

“An Ironman, or any endurance race for that matter, challenges me,” explained Champion. “It’s an opportunity for me to step out of my com-fort zone and reach deeper into myself, to push myself harder and fur-ther than I have ever before.”

The challenge he faces in his competition is also his reward. Through difficultly he gains inner strength.

Although finishing is an accomplishment, for Champion it’s about more than that.

“The biggest reward for me is finishing not because it’s an Ironman, but because I had the strength and willpower to face the challenge that day,” said Champion. “For me, it’s about being able to face every chal-lenge and obstacle in my way and to confront my fears, step up to the starting line and take on the task at hand.”

The races push him to be a better person in uniform and out.“I think it makes him an inspirational leader both in the physical and

mental areas of resiliency,” said Richard Armading, the deputy director of the 6th CS. “Ironman isn’t only physical, it is extremely mental to be able to get through it, because you have to work through a lot of pain

and difficulties throughout the race.”Whether it’s obstacles in his life or as an Airman, the challenges he

faces in his races help him manage the everyday stressors he encounters.“In training, you will experience different emotions and stressors,

and through experience you learn how to deal with them or avoid these stressors, depending on where you are at in the day,” said Champion. “Dealing with the stressors of training for an Ironman helps me be a bet-ter Airman every day.”

The competitions have also taught Champion to find balance. At times he must take breaks and at other times he must push forward.

For him, it’s about finding a healthy balance, which he applies to his own life.

“For me, it’s important that I know when to step up and take on some of these challenges and also to recognize when I need to step back and take a break and recover,” explained Champion. “When I look at this and apply it to being an Airman, I think about balance and how at times the balance will shift, because you can’t just keep driving forward; some-times you need to adjust your schedule or priorities, so you don’t burn out.”

Ironmans are both a passion and challenge for Champion. He pushes himself, but still works to find balance in what he does. He encourages people to find their own obstacles and work toward their goal.

“Go out there, find your biggest challenge and go for it. Find out what you are made of and work towards accomplishing your ’Ironman.’ ”


Tax season is fast approaching! We will begin schedul-ing appointments for tax preparation Jan. 16 at 8:30 a.m. Please call 828-0248 to make an appointment. You also can schedule an appointment by coming by our office next to the commissary.

Our first day of actual tax preparation will be Jan. 30. We are also looking for volunteers to help us with this

program during this tax season. If you are interested, call 828-0248.

We have retiree handbooks available in the military sales section at the exchange.

Remember, the ID card building is now Building 411, which is across from the old building and will provide walk-in services if you cannot get an appointment.

Retiree Appreciation Day will be held in the clinic Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shots and screenings will be available that day. ID card section will be open that day, as well.

The clinic and pharmacies will be closed every fourth Fri-day of the month, so keep that in mind when picking up prescriptions.

May all of you have a great Thanksgiving with your friends and family!

Wednesday, 30 Nov9-11 am

Youth Center, Bldg 382

Military families of children in grades K-12 who are enrolled in

Hillsborough County Public Schools are invited.

Several magnet schools will be showcasing their

programs on site!

Call Ms Richards at 828-0146 or the School Choice Info Line

at 272-4692 for more info

Connecting

Families, Communitie

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AIR FORCE

NEWS


The airfield at Qayyarah West was recaptured from Da’esh by Iraqi forces in July 2016, and has been re-furbished by Coalition engineers to allow the re-commencement of air operations. Qayyarah Airfield is now a vital logistical hub, opening an air corridor in support of the battle to liberate Mosul as well as operations throughout northern Iraq.

The 821st CRG is highly-special-ized in training and rapidly deploy-ing personnel to quickly open air-fields and establish, expand, sustain and coordinate air operations in aus-tere, bare-base conditions.

Encompassing 29 separate Air Force specialties, the 821st CRG pro-vides the core cadre of expeditionary command and control, airfield op-erations, security, communications, aerial port and aircraft maintenance personnel for deployment worldwide to assess airfields and extend the reach of airpower.

“We are designed to go where air infrastructure doesn’t exist in order to bring to bear airpower where it needs to be,” said Col. Rhett Cham-pagne, 821st CRG commander. “No other country can bring the forces and the airlift all the way around the world to start operations with the speed with which the United States does.”

Upon arrival to Qayyarah West in mid-October, the 821st CRG es-tablished “airpower from the ground up,” constructing command and con-trol centers, configuring the runway to support fixed-wing mobility air-craft, and de-conflicting a congested and compressed airspace.

Although the contingency re-sponse group traditionally enables the flow of fixed-wing mobility air-craft, it has continued to sustain a large contingent of rotary-wing air-craft in support of combat operations.

“The CRG is here as an enabling capability,” said Lt. Col. Blaine Bak-er, 821st CRG element commander. “Without us here, you’re heavily re-liant on ground lines of transporta-tion. While they are heavily robust, they are a little less agile and not as rapid with their resupply capabili-ties as airlift is.”

Baker added Coalition partners are heavily dependent on the airfield as a staging base to take the fight to Da’esh and support the Iraqi offen-

sive to recapture Mosul.“The pre-positioning of cargo,

equipment and personnel here in or-der to facilitate that fight is vitally important,” he said. “We are very humbled and appreciative of the ef-fort to enable the capability to get aircraft in here to bolster the sup-ply lines to get up to Mosul in fight against Da’esh.”

As the Air Force’s contingency re-sponse experts, 821st CRG Airmen will continue to provide the crucial

role of sustaining Coalition and Iraqi forces conducting counter Da’esh op-erations in Mosul.

“We are bringing airpower and airlift to the fight each and every day,” Champagne said.

All air operations conducted out of Qayyarah West are in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to degrade and defeat Da’esh and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria and the wider interna-tional community.


Lt. Col. Sander of the 3rd Joint Communications Squadron regrets to announce the death of SPC Vincent S. Olmstead, formerly assigned to the 3rd Joint Communications Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base. Capt. Jonathan Eames has been appointed as the Summary Court Officer to handle the disposition of personal property of SPC Vincent Olmstead. Anyone indebted to or having a claim against the estate of SPC Vincent Olmstead should contact Capt. Eames at 828-0711 or 453-4330.

Lt. Col. Vanagas of the 6th Maintenance Squadron regrets to announce the death of Airman Austin Wright, formerly assigned to the 6th Maintenance Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base. 2nd Lt. Jordan Jensen has been appointed as the Summary Court Officer to handle the disposition of personal property of Austin Wright. Anyone indebted to or having a claim against the estate of Austin Wright should contact Lt. Jensen at 828-5840 or (308) 991-6362.


COMMUNITY

MacDill Lanes & Bowling CenterFall Break Kids Bowling Special

from 3-10 p.m. $1 per game and $1 shoe rental (children under 18). Call 828-4005 for lane availability.

MacDill Lanes & Family Fun Center

Football Frenzy; doors open at noon. NFL Sunday Ticket every game, for every fan, every single Sunday. Club members get free buf-fet. Bowl for $1 per game at each event. Wear your team’s jersey to register to win a $25 FSS gift card every week. Register to win two tickets to an NFL 2017 regular sea-son game of your choice. For more information call 828-4005

Base TheaterFree movie “The Amazing Spider-

man” (PG-13). Doors open at 1:15 p.m. Movie at 2 p.m.

Base LibraryTrim a Tree in the Library’s

Children’s Room at 11 a.m. Help us decorate our Christmas tree af-ter a reading of “The Night Before Christmas”. Call 828-3607.

Base TheaterFree movie “Suicide Squad” (PG-

13). Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Movie starts at 7 p.m.

Mark your calendar• Dec. 2 – Membership Breakfast• Dec. 7 – Holiday Tree Lighting• Dec. 8 – Trees for Troops• Dec. 10 – Surfin’ Santa Holiday Party• Dec. 15 – Christmas Feast Mem-bership Luncheon• Dec. 30 – New Years’ Eve Party

www.macdillfss.com

For all other faith groups or for any questions, please contact the Chapel by visiting http://www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel or calling 828-3621


marinades. Oil and water don’t mix, and water causes oil to spill over, causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.

Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Remember to use your best judgment when attempting to fight a fire. In the event of a fire, immediately call 9-1-1 for help.

Simply following these tips and practicing risk manage-ment can decrease accidents and improve the likelihood that you’ll be safe to enjoy a delectable treat. Thanksgiving is a great time for family and friends to come together and create lasting memories, but those memories will be less painful when these safety tips are followed.


Documents

:WVY[Z KH` H[ [OL ILHJO WHNL · After securing a bountiful harvest, the set-tlers and Wampanoag joined in fellowship for a shared dinner to celebrate powerful traditions that are