New enlisted tool

“My EDP” or “My EnlistedProfessional Development” is a newforce development tool for enlistedmembers. The application is accessiblethrough the Air Force Portal, whichoffers access to various web sites of in-terest to airmen. Enlisted members arestrongly encouraged to create their “MyEDP” account as soon as possible.Enlistees should check their virtualMPF account weekly for new informa-tion. For information, call Master Sgt.Kristin Clark, Team Pete career assis-tance adviser, at 556-9226.

Promotion ceremony

The monthly Team Pete PromotionRecognition Ceremony is at 3 p.m. Jan.5 at the Enlisted Club. Come out andcongratulate those who have recentlybeen promoted. For information, callMaster Sgt. Kathy Cotto at 556-5222.

AFRC classes

The Airman and Family ReadinessCenter offers classes including readinessbriefings, sponsorship training, spousejob orientation, pre-separation briefings,financial readiness, resume review andmore. For a listing, call 556-6141.

Lane closure

Part of the North Gate will be closedfrom 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jan. 7 to installnew gates. The outbound lanes will beclosed from 7 to 11 a.m. while the in-bound lanes will be closed from noonto 4 p.m. During closures, the oppositelanes will accommodate both inboundand outbound traffic. For informationcall 1st Lt. Bryon Gohl at 556-1634.

Deep freeze airdropFirst C-17 Globemaster III

airdrop mission to the South Pole

Page 10

NEWS 1-5

NEW PAY SYSTEM 7

TWO-MINUTE DRILL 14

SPORTS 15

Inside the Guardian

Base Briefs

Colorado Springs Military Newspaper Group

Thursday, January 4, 2007Vol. 1 No. 9 www.csmng.com

More Briefs page 8

A technician works on the full-size mock-up of the International Space Station inside the Neutral Buoyancy Lab Dec. 15 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Thelab is the world's largest indoor pool, containing 6.2 million gallons of water, which is re-filtered every 18 hours.

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry Simm

ons

Airmen train to walk among the starsBy Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine

Air Force Print News

HOUSTON (AFPN) — There aresome airmen who train to push a 4,000pound hunk of steel and electronics out oftheir way with a flick of their pinky finger. Some airmen train to fly at more than17,000 mph, or roughly 5 miles per second.And some airmen even train to “fly”without the use of any aircraft at all.

All of these airmen are training to be as-tronauts at the Johnson Space Center. The training astronauts receive at theJohnson Space Center is intense and ex-tensive. Astronauts train in multi-milliondollar mock-ups and can train for up totwo years for a single mission.

“Here we train to do things the right wayevery time,” said Lawrence Thomas, assis-tant dive operations manager at the NeutralBuoyancy Lab. “That is the way they trainin the military. We have a very ridged semi-

military environment. We train the astro-nauts to do space walks (at the buoyancylab.) Their lives are in our hands and wetake this responsibility very seriously. And,I think military members acclimate fasterto the NASA way of training and thinkingthan do their civilian counterparts.”

The NBL is the world’s largest indoorpool and calls the Sonny Carter TrainingFacility its home. The pool is more than200 feet long, 100 feet wide and 40 feetdeep. It holds 6.2 million gallons of water,which are re-filtered every 18 hours. It tookthe SCTF more than a month to fill thepool with water — any faster and the Cityof Houston would lose water pressure.

Astronauts train in the pool to simulatezero gravity through neutral buoyancy.Neutral buoyancy is achieved in the poolwhen their space is “weighted” so that itdoes not rise or sink. The pool holds a com-plete mock-up of the International Space

Station or any space modules astronautsneed for space walks or maintenancetraining. They will spend about 10 hours inthe NBL for every hour they will spendwalking in space.

Astronauts also receive in-depth trainingon the modules themselves. This is partic-ularly important to maintain mission safety.

“I think that just like the military, it be-comes your culture to live in a culture ofsafety,” said Tim Reynolds, Space VehicleMockup Facility control center manager.“In this business you have to if you’re on thedeck of a carrier or you’re out on the flight-line. You also have to be the same out on thelaunch pad or on a spacecraft on orbit. Oneof the main things we teach in this facilityis safety classes. Safety is our No. 1 concernhere — it has to be.”

The SVMF holds full-sized mockups ofthe space shuttle’s flight deck and mid-deck.

See Walk page 12

Ceremony cancelled; sergeants still graduateBy Debbie Evert

Space Guardian

No pomp, no circumstance, but 122technical sergeants graduated from theForrest L. Vosler Non-CommissionedOfficer Academy at Peterson Air ForceBase Dec. 20. A snowstorm cancelled thetraditional graduation ceremony, and thesergeants received their diplomas and weredismissed at noon.

The graduation marked the end of sevenweeks of training that included sergeantsfrom all parts of the country.

Three of those students were Tech. Sgt.Patricia McCrary, Airman LeadershipSchool flight instructor, Hill Air Force Base,Utah; Master Sgt.-select Paul Allen, unitdeployment manager, also stationed at Hill;and Tech. Sgt. Stephen Borello, SelfridgeAir National Guard Base, Mich. His civilianjob is a state trooper.

To attend the academy, technical ser-geants must meet criteria outlined in 43pages of Air Force Instruction 36-2301. Inshort, he or she must be in good standingwith the Air Force, be medically qualified

and meet the fitness standards.After being chosen by their unit com-

mander, technical sergeants are sent to oneof nine NCO academies in the U.S.

“A reservist can do the training by cor-respondence,” Borello said. “Or he canchoose to attend a base with other ser-geants.”

Borello chose to be on site.Preparing to be away from home is dif-

ferent for everyone.

See Sergeants page 9

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 2007 3www.csmng.com

PUBLISHERLon P. MatejczykLon.Matejczyk@csbj.com

EDITORIALEditorMike BoydMike.Boyd@csbj.comManaging EditorRob LarimerRob.Larimer@csbj.comStaff ReporterDebbie EvertDebbie.Evert@csmng.comSports ReporterWalt JohnsonWalt.Johnson@csmng.com

ADVERTISINGAdvertising Director/GMTex StuartTex.Stuart@csmng.comKathleen GannonKathleen.Gannon@csmng.comMike KeplingerMike.Keplinger@csmng.comTabitha KiddTabitha.Kidd@csmng.comLinda StuartLinda.Stuart@csmng.comClassified Ad ManagerEmily FrazeeEmily.Frazee@csbj.com

ART DEPARTMENTArt DirectorRowdy TompkinsRowdy.Tompkins@csbj.comGraphic DesignerJeff AdcoxJeff.Adcox@csmng.com

Colorado Publishing Company(719) 634-5905, Fax: (719) 634-5157

31 E. Platte Avenue, Suite 300,Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903-1246.

The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by ColoradoPublishing Company. Reproduction or use of content in any manner

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Dolan Media Company.James P. Dolan, Chairman, President,

Chief Executive Officer.Samuel B. Spencer, Executive Vice President.Scott J. Pollei, Executive Vice President and

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Puerto Rico airmen give support to warsBy Louis A. Arana-Barradas

Air Force Print News

SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) — When Tech.Sgt. Jose Melendez volunteered to deploy withhis unit on his first combat tour in Afghanistan,he didn’t quite know what to expect.

He’d never been to war. But when he got toBagram Air Base, it didn’t take the guardsmanlong to learn what airmen are doing in supportof the war on terrorism.

Melendez went to Bagram in Septemberwhen the Puerto Rico Air National Guard’s

156th Airlift Wing deployed two C-130Hercules and airmen there. From themoment he landed, the C-130 electrical andenvironmental systems specialist said the

Senior Airman Ronald Rios loosens the screws holding a fuel filter on a C-130 Hercules engine Dec. 15 at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Puerto Rico. The guidance and controlsystems specialist with the 156th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, from Trujillo Alto, helps maintain the Air Force's oldest C-130s.

Photo by Louis A. Arana-BarradasSee Airman page 11

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 20074 www.csmng.com

866-706-2802coloradotech.edu

Bagram Air Base finishes $68 million runway projectBy Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan(AFPN) — Despite inclement weather andthe possibility of snowfall, a $68 millionrunway was opened and celebrated by AirForce and Army service members, civiliancontractors and Afghan officials Dec. 20 atBagram Air Base.

The project was executed by ContrakInternational workers from Cairo, Egypt,with an Afghan work force supervised bythe Army Corps of Engineers and Air Forcemembers.

“Bagram Airfield has been here in thisvalley for decades,” said Brig. Gen.

Christopher D. Miller, the 455th AirExpeditionary Wing commander. “Afghanairmen have flown from this field in yearspast and I look forward to the day when itagain can be a purely Afghan airfield,serving whatever roles the people ofAfghanistan choose. This is a vital runwayand an essential part of Afghanistan’sfuture.”

The runway project began in 2004, whenit became evident that the older Russian-built runway was not able to support thecontinuous operations at the airfield. Therunway was being subjected to use beyondits capability. On average, the airfield saw alanding or takeoff every four minutes.

“The old runway could serve for years tocome, but it needs daily repair by ourairmen to keep it in active service,” Millersaid.

Using a work force of about 400 Afghannationals who worked daily, ContrackInternational members and the militarybuilt a runway and aircraft ramp capable ofhandling most aircraft in the military in-ventory. The runway is 2,000 feet longerthan the old runway and is 11 inches thicker,which gives it the ability to handle largeraircraft if necessary, such as the C-5 Galaxyor the Boeing 747.

“This runway is designed to accept themajority of aircraft in the military inven-

tory and mainly in place to accept ‘mediumload’ aircraft; however, it can accept thelarger aircraft, but it will wear out faster ifheavy airplanes use it on a regular basis,”said Lt. Col. Eric Mulkey, U.S. CentralCommand Air Forces construction man-agement officer.

Miller said that the airfield is importantduring the continuing effort to secure amodern infrastructure for the country.

“This is a milestone in Bagram Airfield’sability to support the battle for a strong andstable Afghanistan,” he said. “This is a con-crete and lasting expression of America’scommitment to the future of the Afghanpeople.”

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos

An A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing lifts off the new runway opened Dec. 20at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. The new runway is 2,000 feet longer than the previous runway and can sup-port all of the aircraft in the U.S. inventory.

Brig. Gen. Christopher Miller, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander (L) along with Abdul Taqwa, governorof Parwan Province and Maj. Gen. Benjamin Freakley cut the ribbon officially opening the new runway atBagram Airfield.

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 2007 5www.csmng.com

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Instant messaging keepscommanders connected

By Debbie EvertSpace Guardian

Instant messaging — it’s not just for theyoung anymore.

The 21st Space Wing Public Affairs officelearned the fine art and science of instantmessaging during a recent operationalreadiness inspection.

“The main purpose of the AFIM is to passalong accurate, timely information asquickly as possible,” said Senior AirmanAmanda Weightman, a public affairs of-ficer. “It cuts out the possible errors thatcould come from more traditional commu-nication (hand-written memos, telephones),when we are exercising for or handling acrisis. I am able to receive accurate informa-tion via the IM from the crisis action teampublic affairs representative, put that infor-mation into a release and send a ready-to-go release via the IM back down to the CATfor approval from the wing commander.”

The 23-year-old Weightman is computersavvy, having used the technology for thepast 12 years. And she is training hercoworkers.

“I kept it simple,” Weightman said. “Wedon’t have to get fancy with the IM for it toserve its purpose. We are using the programsimply to communicate information —nothing else.”

Jackie Richardson, 21st Space Wing CrisisAction Team manager, was instrumental ingetting the hardware to those who needed

it. He also helped the team to set up ac-counts and passwords.

“Instant messaging was being used at othermilitary installations during (Hurricane)Katrina, and we found out that it workedwell for the 21SW mission,” he said. “Ourwing commander had directed that we finda collaborative tool for communication tohis commanders. We found this one, and ithappened to be free.”

Richardson went to the owners of the AirForce Portal at Wright-Patterson Air ForceBase and discovered the Air Force had man-dated that the technology be used.

Although the public affairs office prac-ticed instant messaging during an ORI, thetechnology can be implemented at any time.

“We use it during any contingency or dis-aster involving 21 SW forces,” saidRichardson, who handles all disaster oper-ational training. “We also use it for quickreal-time communications between ourcommanders worldwide.”

Those units could be as far away as Thule,Greenland. Group commanders were ableto tap into the IM process and hear emer-gency information as needed.

Weightman reassures those who mightbe skeptical about the ease of instant mes-saging.

“The Air Force made the AFIM a veryuser-friendly program, so it didn’t take toomuch time before everyone was fairly com-fortable with using it,” she said.

Cornbread really not a vegetableBy Debbie Evert

Space Guardian

If your New Year’s resolution list includesteaching your children how to eat healthier,the youth center can help.

The “Healthy Eating for Children” work-shop, which is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m.Jan. 10, and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 11, will pro-vide information about alternatives to a fastfood diet.

“Our workshop will help families under-stand how they can incorporate healthy foodchoices into their snack and meal plans athome,” said Dr. Karen Kirshenbaum, youthcenter curriculum and training specialist.“It also will teach how (parents) can involvetheir children in selecting healthy foods.”

Annie Chichocki, a dietician at the Healthand Wellness Center, will lead the work-shop. She reviews and approves snacks andmeals served to any child who eats at thecenter, which follows the U.S. Adult/ChildFood Guidelines for portion size and dailyfood components.

“It’s very important to give parents infor-mation to help their children develop goodfood choices,” Chichocki said. “Basic nutri-tion concepts can be introduced when chil-dren are school aged.”

Chichocki said that she once asked a childwhat his favorite vegetable was, and whenhe answered, “cornbread,” she gasped.

“It’s enjoyable to eat healthy,” Chichockisaid. “If the emphasis is placed on the tasteof fruits and vegetables, it will be more in-teresting for children.”

The workshop will include informationabout the food pyramid for children, whichis different than the guidelines for adults.

Participants also will be reading labels. “Either they don’t know what they’re

looking for,” Chichocki said, “or they don’tknow why they’re looking at cholesterol orother items on the label.”

This is the first time this workshop will beoffered on base.

“Parents play an integral role in their chil-dren’s healthy eating habits,” Kirshenbaumsaid. “This workshop will provide them withtips to be the best role models for their chil-dren who are learning how to incorporatehealthy eating habits into their daily routines.”

Chichocki agreed.“Kids mimic what they see,” she said.

“Parents should take responsibility. If kids seehealthy foods at home, they will eat them.”

In addition to teaching healthy choices,the workshop will present information abouteating disorders so families will “know whatto look for and how to help children developa positive self-image,” Kirshenbaum said.

Healthy eating is only one program of-fered by the youth center.

“Our curriculum focuses on helping chil-dren learn life skills such as money man-agement, sewing, as well as encouragingchildren and families to participate in com-munity service projects,” Kirshenbaum said.“In addition, children have opportunitiesto participate in the creative arts, physicalfitness, science and math activities, leader-ship clubs and much more.”

Reservations are required and can bemade by calling 556-5235.

“Our workshop willhelp familiesunderstand how theycan incorporatehealthy food choicesinto their snack andmeal plans at home.”

Dr. Karen Kirshenbaum, youth center

curriculum and training specialist

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 2007 7www.csmng.com

Short-term cash problemsruining your long-term prospects?

If you’re serious about making a change in how you manage your

money, then the Asset Recovery Kit (ARK) Program can help.

ARK will provide military and DoD personnel and your families with a

short-term loan to help meet your immediate cash needs. As long as you

agree to undertake financial counseling (located at 5262 N. Academy

Blvd., Suite 1000, Colorado Springs), you may borrow up to 80% of your

net pay to a maximum of $500. The loan is offered at a $6 flat fee with

no credit report—BUT you must agree to financial couseling.

Take control of your finances. Contact one of our representatives

at Pentagon Federal Credit Union and ask how ARK may be able to

change your life.

Come talk with us today.Colorado Springs Branch:

6045 Barnes Road

Tuesday–Friday, 8:30AM–5PM; Saturday 9AM–3PM

WASHINGTON (AFPN) — Thefiscal 2007 Aviator Continuation Pay pro-gram will offer eligible pilots and airbattle managers a monetary incentive tocontinue their service.

A five-year, fixed-length agreement isavailable to initial-eligible pilots and airbattle managers who apply. The agree-ment values in annual pretax amountsare $25,000 for pilots and $15,000 for airbattle managers.

Initial-eligible pilots are those whoseactive-duty service commitment for un-dergraduate pilot training expires duringor before fiscal 2007 and/or who reachnine years of aviation service as pilotsduring or before fiscal 2007, whichever islater. All other eligibility requirementsmust also be met.

Eligible air battle managers must havecompleted their initial ABM aeronauticalrating active duty service commitment

and have a minimum of six years ratedABM aviation service during fiscal 2007.The six years are calculated from the datethey received their wings.

The pay program targets specific rated-officer demographic groups to stabilize theinventory, provide accurate forecasts and,ultimately, maintain the Air Force’swarfighting capability.

ACP application procedures are avail-able at http://ask.afpc.randolph. af.mil.The ACP link is under “military” in the“quick links” section.

Before contacting the personnel centerwith questions about aviation continua-tion pay, aviators should discuss the pro-gram with their commanders. AirNational Guard or Air Force Reserve avi-ators are not eligible to apply for theactive duty ACP. Details about ANG/AFRprograms will be forwarded via separatechannels.

Pilots, air battle managersto receive incentive pay

Pilots, air battle managersto receive incentive pay

1st Lt. Aaron Johnsonconducts a preflight in-spection Nov. 29 in hisF-16 Fighting Falcon.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael H

olzworth

New pay, personnel systemfor airmen set for 2008 debut

By Gordon LuboldStaff writer, Air Force Times

A new integrated pay and personnelsystem for soldiers and airmen is on trackfor launching by mid-2008, according todefense officials.

The Defense Integrated Military HumanResources System is a Web-based systemdesigned to integrate pay and personnel sys-tems for the Air Force and Army, with agoal of helping prevent the kind of payproblems that have cropped up in the 1991Persian Gulf War and in the current conflicts,both for active-duty personnel and re-servists.

Among other things, the system, in devel-opment for about a decade, will be accessibleto anyone with a computer that is compat-ible with the Defense Department’s newCommon Access Card, which will elimi-nate the need for a service member to bephysically located near a personnel office,defense officials said.

“It’s conceivable today that if you’re anairman in an Army task force, you mighthave to get in a Humvee and travel 30 of 40

kilometers to find a personnel service unitto support you,” said Army Maj. Gen. Carlos“Butch” Pair, defense business systems ac-quisition executive for the Pentagon’sBusiness Transformation Agency. “UnderDIMHRS, that won’t happen.”

Soldiers and airmen will be able to viewtheir personnel records and make changesas necessary, officials said. DIMHRS willbe available to the Army in March 2008 andfor airmen in the summer of 2008.

According to an article by the Pentagon’sinternal American Forces InformationService, Army and Air Force commandsalso will be able to use DIMHRS to resolveissues that troops can’t deal with them-selves.

The system is part of a “revolution” inhow the military is approaching pay andpersonnel issues, Pair said. “It’s really morethan an acronym; it’s a solution for thefuture,” he said.

The Navy and Marine Corps have notsigned onto the program but are reportedlydeveloping a unique system that will workwith the new DIMHRS system.

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 20078 www.csmng.com

TriCare Prime offers off-base routine eye examination benefit!

No out-of-pocket cost for an eye exam for glasses!• Active-duty dependents are eligible once per year.• Retirees and their dependents are eligible once every two years.

No Primary Care referral is

necessary. Simply call for

an appointment.

Southside Between NorthsideCitadel Mall Vickers & Academy Chapel Hills Mall598-1392 548-8717 598-5068

TriCare Standard, TriCare Reserve and TriCare for Life also accepted. Prescriptions may be filled anywhere. Contact lens evaluation available for additional cost. Call for program details.

The doctors next to LensCrafters are contracted Tricare Prime Providers. They offer three convenient Colorado Springs

Locations for eye examinations with appointments Monday through Saturday. No more waiting for an appointment on base.

Change lives, touch

the future…..TEACH!

For More Information

Please Contact:

Bob Leonard

Colorado Troops To Teachers

719-262-4107 or

colottt@uccs.edu

www.mwttt.com

www.proudtoserveagain.com

Have you thought about becoming a teacher?

Do you serve or have you served in the military?

(Active Duty, Guard, Reserves, Retired, Transitioning)

Are you a spouse of a military member?

Communication awards

The 21st Space Wing Communicationand Information Outstanding Professionalof the Year awards luncheon is at 11 a.m.Jan. 23 at the Team Pete Club (formerly theOfficers Club). Tickets cost $13 for members,$15 for non-members. Menu choices in-clude chicken fried steak, three-cheeselasagna or blackened chicken salad. RSVPby Jan. 17 to Master Sgt. Edgar Melton at556- 8935 (PAFB), Senior Master Sgt. IdaliaPeele at 474-3246 (CMAFS), or 1st Lt.Charles Holmes at 269-2711 (Thule).

Heart Link workshop

Heart Link is an orientation workshopfor spouses and fiancées of Active Duty AirForce and Reserve members who would liketo learn more about the Air Force mission,customs, traditions and protocol. Come dis-cover Heart Link and allow your active dutymember a day off. Representatives from sev-eral base agencies participate in the work-shop to help spouses and fiancées learnabout the community resources that sup-port them and their families.

Heart Link is a great way to obtain impor-

tant information and meet other spouses. Thenext workshop is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb.22, at the Airman & Family Readiness Center.A free continental breakfast and lunch is in-cluded. Please call Nona Daugherty at 556-7832 for questions and registration.

Readiness seminars

All seminars are open to Active Duty,DoD-Civilian Personnel, Reserve/Guard,their families and to retired members andtheir families. For some programs, thespouses of Active Duty Air Force membershave priority. Classes are held in theAirman & Family Readiness Center class-room, 135 Dover Street, Room 1016 unlessotherwise specified. Please call 556-6141for more information or to register forclasses.

An e-mail can also be sent to21mssdpf@peterson.af.mil. Please includethe name and date(s) of the program youare interested in, your name, rank, dutyphone number, home phone number andorganization. We will inform you if spaceis available. The IDS Calendar, www.pe-terson.af.mil under People HelpingPeople/Airman & Family Readiness Center,

will have any changes/updates on the classeslisted below.

Basic Investing, 9 to 10:30 a.m., Jan. 10Choose the savings and investing plan

that best suits your lifestyle and learn aboutthe options available to the beginning andsmall investor.

Going Overseas, 8 to 9 a.m., Jan. 11 andFeb. 8

Preparing for your overseas destinationcan enable you and your family to makeliving overseas a positive experience.Gaining important must-know informationthat will help you adjust to your new envi-ronment is the key to this process. Topicsinclude: travel, currency, telephones,schools, culture and customs, voltage re-quirements, housing and utilities and med-ical care. PCS orders not required.

Smooth Move, 9 to 11:30 a.m., Jan. 11and Feb. 8

This briefing is for anyone PCSing fromthe Peterson Complex in the near future.Moving can be a stressful times for you andyour family. Learn to make it better foreveryone. Receive tips from the experts:JPPSO, Legal Office, Accounting andFinance, TRICARE, and the Airman and

Family Readiness Center. Spouses are en-couraged to attend. PCS orders not required.

Car Buying, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Jan. 11and Feb. 8

Learn how to calculate monthly paymentsand determine how much car you canafford. Learn tips about buying used cars,financing options, fair purchase, resale costsand the differences between dealer anddirect financing.

Sponsorship Training, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.,Jan. 16 and Feb. 20

This training prepares sponsors to meetthe needs of the inbound personnel andfamily members being sponsored. This is re-quired for anyone who has not sponsoredsomeone in the last 6 months and is a recer-tification class for all.

Applying for Federal Service, 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m., Jan. 17

This class answers everything you’vealways wanted to know about applying forwork with the federal government.

Credit reports/ID theft, 9 to 10:30 a.m.,Feb. 7

Develop a credit spending plan, under-stand your credit report and score and learnhow to protect against identity theft.

B a s e B r i e f s

“I had to teach my husband how to takecare of our 2-year-old and 6-month-olddaughters,” McCrary said. “He’s doing agreat job.”

This temporary duty assignment was“more of the same” for Allen.

“I’ve been in the Air Force 15 years,” saidthe father of three boys, “and for at least 10of them, I’ve been deployed.”

Once on site, the students were dividedinto nine flights by a computer system,trying to find a blend of gender, race, dutytitles and personalities for each group.

Allen said that the diversity helped thestudents learn from each other as well asthe instructors.

Allen said he was hoping to sit back andkeep his mouth shut during the training,but he was chosen as class commander be-cause he was the only one who admitted hehad a line number.

Line numbers are scores computed frompromotion tests, time in service, time ingrade, evaluation reports and awards. Theperson with the highest score is the firstpromoted.

The Air Force determines how many will

be promoted each month by estimating howmany Air Force-wide vacancies there arefor that particular grade.

The temporary job title means added re-sponsibility.

“I had to make sure all 122 people werehappy,” Allen said. “I handled all the com-plaints and oversaw nine flight com-manders.”

Each day, students were in the classroomfrom 7:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The three areasof instruction included communication,leadership and profession of arms.

The teaching time was not like a briefing.An instructor would ask students to partic-ipate in discussions, and role playing is usu-ally part of the curriculum.

“It was almost like playing charades,”Allen said.

McCrary agreed.“Two random characters were given a

scenario,” she said. “It was based on real-world experiences.”

The experiences often dealt with topicssuch as conflict, dependent care and finan-cial responsibility, issues that the students willencounter when providing leadership tomembers of their squadrons.

“The curriculum gives us what we’re sup-posed to do,” McCrary said. “But it’s diffi-

cult. It’s not always cut and dried.”Although most weekday evenings were

filled with studying for the next day’s in-struction, the academy wasn’t all classes andhomework. Some of the students were ableto see the sights of Colorado, their tempo-rary home.

“I went snowboarding and had the chanceto see an Avalanche game,” Borello said.Others went out to eat or to see a movie.

McCrary, Allen and Borello said the cur-riculum provided standard, expected pro-cedures, but that they also learned tosupport their fellow airmen. If someone intheir flight was struggling, the instructorwould encourage someone with the highestscore in that area to help.

“Some people probably hated coming,”Allen said, “but these will be the ones whowill have a hard time leaving.”

While the technical sergeants were dis-cussing, marching and studying, severalmembers of the commander’s support staffwere working to meet their everyday needs.They were also working to ensure this classhad a smooth graduation event.

Trying to seat 442 people can take sometime, said Staff Sgt. Angelica Ramirez,NCOIC, commander’s support staff.

“It takes a lot of teamwork, not only fromthe commander’s support staff but from thestudents and their guests,” she said. “We workon getting this together from day one of class.”

The biggest challenge is ensuring that allgraduates and their guests sit together.

Ramirez said that the planning is worth it.“The best part of the job is seeing the stu-

dents graduate and have a great time at theirgraduation,” she said.

Since 1985, more than 5,000 NCOs havegraduated from the Forrest L. Vosler PMECenter. It also has marked many firsts: thefirst Air Force ALS graduation, the first femalecommandant of an NCO Academy and theonly NCO Academy to have been com-manded solely by enlisted commandants.

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 2007 9www.csmng.com

Sergeants: GraduationFrom page 1

About the Academy

The NCO Academy at Peterson wasnamed for Technical Sgt. Forrest L.Vosler.

On a mission to Bremen, Germany,radio operator Vosler was hit twice by 20-mm shrapnel after taking the place ofone of the gunners. Despite his injuries,he managed to tend to the wounded tailgunner, repair the damaged radio equip-ment and send distress signals beforethe aircraft ditched into the sea. Voslerwas awarded the Medal of Honor for hisheroism during the mission.

The professional military educationcenter was dedicated in memory ofVosler on Sept. 9, 1992.

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 200710 www.csmng.com

C-17 Globemaster III makes first airdrop to AntarcticaHICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii

(AFPN) — Another airpower milestonewas reached Dec. 20 with the completionof the first C-17 Globemaster III airdropmission that delivered about 70,000 poundsof supplies to the South Pole.

The airdrop’s success was the result of thecombined effort of people from Joint TaskForce-Support Forces Antarctica OperationDeep Freeze; the 62nd Airlift Wing and theAir Force Reserve Command’s 446th AirliftWing from McChord Air Force Base, Wash.;the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division;the Royal New Zealand Defense Force; theNational Science Foundation and RaytheonPolar Services Corp.

By validating the C-17 capability of con-ducting an airdrop at the South Pole, JTF-SFA’s Operation Deep Freeze demonstratedits ability to provide mid-winter emergencyre-supply and flexible support to theNational Science Foundation and U.S.Antarctica Program. Operation Deep Freezeis a unique joint and total force mission thatfirst anchored U.S. national policy inAntarctica in1955.

The ability to airdrop supplies using theC-17 versus the ski-equipped LC-130Hercules, the traditional aircraft used toland supplies on the ice, allows aircrews todeliver up to four times as many suppliesduring a single airdrop mission in condi-tions that do not allow land missions.

During the winter season at the SouthPole, temperatures often dip as low asminus 100 degrees Fahrenheit and can par-alyze an aircraft’s hydraulic systems, crys-tallize the fuel and solidify lubricants.Around-the-clock darkness and cross-winds up to 60 mph create blizzard condi-tions and zero visibility, making it

impossible for an aircraft to land. A medical emergency in 1999 highlighted

the need to maintain a mid-winter airdropresupply capability to sites in Antarctica.During that year, Dr. Jeri Nielsen, the onlyphysician at Amundsen-Scott South PoleStation, needed medical supplies to treather tele-medically diagnosed cancer. AnLC-130 land mission was not possible

before October, so NSF requested andfunded an Air Mobility Command out-of-cycle airdrop of medical supplies to theSouth Pole station.

An economy-of-force driven decision pro-vided a C-141 and handpicked aircrew fromthe 62nd AW and 446th AW from McChordAFB to execute the aerial delivery. Thenearly 50-flying-hour mission was described

by then-AMC commander Gen. Charles T.Robertson Jr., as “a truly heroic effort.”

The 2006-07 Operation Deep Freezekicked off in August with C-17 flights fromChristchurch, New Zealand to McMurdoStation to stage essential personnel andequipment to prepare the ice runway for the

A member of the National Science Foundation wintering in the Antarctic checks a cargo pallet airdropped by a C-17 Globemaster III Dec. 20. Airmen from the 62nd and446th Airlift Wings at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., delivered 70 tons of supplies to the team. The mission was a "proof of concept" flight for the C-17 and was partof Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica's Operation Deep Freeze.

Photo by Lt. Col. Jam

es McG

ann

See Airdrop page 12

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 2007 11www.csmng.com

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work pace was unreal. “Over there, you fly 30 missions a day,”

said the sergeant from Guarabo, PuertoRico. “Our mission was to support theground troops around the clock.”

It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to hard work.At his home base, Muñiz Air NationalGuard Base, Puerto Rico, the C-130 wingsupports U.S. Southern Command in its waron drugs. That mission takes wing aircrafton support missions throughout LatinAmerica.

But Bagram was a stark contrast to theway of life the sergeant has at his tropicalisle home. At Bagram, there was a new workplan every day. The weather could fluctuate50 degrees from dawn to dusk and took get-ting used to. And quite often the squadronhad to pack up and send a mission readinessteam to some forward-operating base to fixa broken aircraft.

“About every other day we had to fix anaircraft down the road,” said Melendez, amember of the 156th Aircraft MaintenanceSquadron. “There aren’t many runwaysthere, they use dirt strips.”

He and his fellow airmen got used to thework with no problems. But they had a hardtime dealing with the deaths of fellowservice members.

“It’s really tough when you see the fallencomrade ceremonies — we don’t have thatback home,” Melendez said.

The Bagram deployment was the firsttime wing airmen took their C-130s to helpfight the war on terrorism.

The wing’s Air Expeditionary Forces ro-tation ends in mid-January and Col. JorgeCantres, the 156th AW commander, saidhis airmen have done their jobs inAfghanistan and at home.

Because it has so many volunteers for de-

ployments, the Air Force has never had tomobilize the wing, said Cantres, who is fromSanturce, Puerto Rico. And with the volun-teers, the wing can support two wars. Theother front being the war on drugs. For thatmission, the wing has two C-130s, three air-crews and maintainers “deployed” acrossthe base for Coronet Oak duty.

Coronet Oak is U.S. SouthernCommand’s airlift arm. Since the late 1970s,it has given the command a quick responseforce of airlift planes. The Puerto Rico baseinherited the mission in 1999, whenHoward Air Force Base, Panama, closed.Since then, four Guard C-130s rotate in topull two-week to one-month tours of duty.This mission continued as the Muñiz wingtransitioned from the F-16 Fighting Falconsit was flying to the Hercules.

The wing now has two permanent slots inthe Guard rotation, so Coronet Oak sup-port is the wing’s bread and butter mission.Wing transports support American em-bassies and re-supply U.S. forces in LatinAmerica. They rotate troops in and out ofthe regions. And aircraft are on alert to air-lift special forces into any country in CentralAmerica, South America and theCaribbean.

One of the four C-130s on Muñiz’s smallparking ramp is always on alert while the restof the wing stands ready to fly when needed,Cantres said.

For example, just before Thanksgiving,the wing had to mobilize aircraft for a last-minute mission. The Air Force divertedsome C-17 Globemaster III transports froma mission to fly U.S. troops home from anexercise in South America.

“All four C-17s were pulled for a higherpriority mission,” Cantres said. The AirForce asked the guardsmen to take the mis-sion. “We had to fly 18 C-130 missions to flythose people home before Thanksgiving.”

But, typically, wing aircraft fly up to 10

missions per week, Chief Master Sgt. FredPalmer said. The maintenance squadron su-perintendent, and New York transplant, hasbeen with the wing 21 years. He now callsCarolina, Puerto Rico, home.

“We have a big participation in sup-porting (Soto Cano Air Base) Honduras,”Palmer said. “And we do a lot of support ofGuantanamo Bay, Cuba.”

But to do its mission, the wing must over-come several challenges.

One is mentally preparing for the cargothe aircraft will transport, said Staff Sgt.Victor Vega, a C-130 loadmaster. But the198th Airlift Squadron sergeant fromGuaynabo, Puerto Rico, said that is notalways possible.

“Sometimes there is so much cargo thatis backlogged, that we have to leave behindmaterial and sort out what is most impor-tant, what needs to get there first,” he said.

That can make for some unhappy cus-tomers. But Vega said the wing gets the rightcargo to the right place. That includes essen-tials like food, mail, spare parts and passen-gers.

“We pretty much maintain the supply linein Latin America,” Vega said.

Another challenge is keeping the wing’s1963 and 1964 vintage aircraft flying,Cantres said. But wing maintainers havebeen doing a good job keeping the oldtransports flying, he said. Hercules number

“515,” nicknamed the “Bagram Express,”has flown to Afghanistan and back threetimes. At Bagram, wing airmen maintainedtheir two aircraft at a 91 percent missioncapable rate.

“We’ve had no problems at all,” Cantressaid. “Our maintenance guys have beendoing an outstanding job keeping thoseplanes up to speed.”

Palmer said his maintainers are doingwhatever it takes to keep the old aircraft“flying at full tilt right now.” But he wouldlove for the wing to get new aircraft. An air-craft that “will give us longevity for the next20 to 25 years.”

“We’re the only completely dual-languageunit in the Air Force,” Cantres said.“Without notice, they can call us — and inthree hours we’ll be airborne going any-where they need us to go in the (area of re-sponsibility), prepared to do whatever needsto be done.”

Melendez knows he might return toAfghanistan or Iraq, and he’s ready to go.In the meantime, he helps keep his wing’saging fleet flying, because he knows the C-130s drive the Coronet Oak mission.Without them, there would be no airlift.And he knows a lot of people depend onthe wing.

“Every time we land down there (in LatinAmerica), you see those people, and they’relike ‘thank God you’re here,’” he said.

Airman: Two-front battle From page 3

“Without notice, they

can call us — and in

three hours we’ll be

airborne going

anywhere they need us

to go.”Tech. Sgt. Jose Melendez, Puerto Rico Air

National Guard’s 156th Airlift Wing

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 200712 www.csmng.com

It houses a full-sized mock-up of the spaceshuttle itself without its wings. It also holdsdifferent habitation modules, such as theDestiny Space Lab, so astronauts can famil-iarize themselves with these environmentsfor each mission. Before astronauts fly theirfirst missions, they can train for more than300 hours in these mockups.

The facility also houses other missionmock-ups such as international space mod-ules and even the future Orion moon basemodule.

But, for airmen going through trainingat the Johnson Space Center, it is their AirForce training that sets the foundation fortheir success.

“It was through the Air Force that Ibecame a fighter pilot and a test pilot, whichenabled me to meet the requirements just tobecome an astronaut,” said shuttle com-mander Mark Polansky. “The kinds ofthings we did in the test world are very ap-plicable in space.”

During his 14 years in the Air Force,Polansky logged more than 5,000 flyinghours in more than 30 different aircraftbefore leaving active duty in 1992 to pursuea NASA career.

Pilot astronauts also train to maintaintheir flight status. This training is impor-tant because they fly specially modified jetsthat help simulate space shuttle landings.The space shuttle requires a runway ap-proach that is seven times steeper than com-mercial aircraft. These pilots will fly morethan 1,000 approaches before landing thespace shuttle.

They also receive constant flight simu-

lator training on the shuttle — training thatbasically never ends.

“The training here is kind of open ended,”said Jerry Swain Jr., the JSC flight trainingdirector facility manager. “If a mission getspushed back, the astronauts can come backin here and run the simulator several moretimes before that actually launch.”

During this training, the instructorsthrow almost every possible scenario theycan at the astronauts.

“Our training is probably overkill,” saidSwain, a retired Air Force pilot who flewtwo tours in Vietnam. “But, we never throwanything at the astronauts that they couldn’tovercome with the proper training andknow-how. Sure sometimes they do some-thing wrong, but that is why we train.”

While the Air Force’s role has expandedand grown through the years, it will con-tinue to support the space mission.

“The Air Force has a number of supportroles with NASA,” said Michael Sarafin,mission control specialist. “Originally, thespace shuttle was supposed to be a jointasset that was going to provide launch serv-ices for both the Department of Defenseand NASA and that role has evolved overtime.”

Today the Air Force provides support formany aspects of each launch from pre-flightto post-flight operations and everything inbetween.

The most recent NASA mission is STS-116, brought the newest solar panel array tothe International Space Station, as well as achange of crew for the ISS. The additionalsolar panel array will provide enough powerto add the newest modules onto the spacestation.

Walk: Astronaut trainingFrom page 1

Airdrop: Deep freeze

main C-17 and LC-130 operations. Mainbody resupply consists of C-17 interconti-nental flights between Christchurch andMcMurdo Station and LC-130 flights fromMcMurdo to the South Pole and othercamps throughout Antarctica.

Up to two C-17s based at Christchurchfly missions as required each week whileup to nine LC-130s, depending on mis-sion requirements, fly multiple daily mis-sions daily from their hub at McMurdoStation.

Vessel re-supply operations consist oftwo Military Sealift Command vessels de-livering fuel and supplies to McMurdoStation. In early January, prior to the MSCvessels’ arrival, the U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaker Polar Sea will cut a channelthrough miles of ice allowing the shipsaccess to the McMurdo Ice Pier.

Operation Deep Freeze is unlike anyother U.S. military operation and is oneof the most demanding peacetime mis-sions because of the extreme adversity ofthe environment and the remoteness ofAntarctica. Antarctica is the coldest,windiest, driest, highest and most inhos-pitable continent on the globe, andOperation Deep Freeze provides a chal-lenging opportunity to demonstrate thereach and flexibility of airpower, the capa-bilities of the joint force and the integratedsupport of active duty, Guard and Reservemilitary personnel.

Through the Office of the Secretary ofDefense, the commander of U.S. PacificCommand has been designated to sup-port the 2006-07 Joint Task Force-SupportForces Antarctica operation.

The PACOM commander has delegatedthis joint operation to the commanderwho further delegated primary responsi-bility for execution of the JTF SFA oper-ation to the 13th Air Force commander.

The U.S. military is uniquely equippedto assist the National Science Foundationin the accomplishment of its mission toexplore Antarctica, and the 613th Air andSpace Operations Center at Hickam has thecapability to provide joint operational andlogistics support to the NSF around theclock.

Through the 613th AOC’s strategic air-lift, LC-130 field support airlift and otherairlift as required; aeromedical evacuationsupport; emergency response; sealift; sea-port access; bulk fuel supply; port cargohandling; communication and transporta-tion requirements are coordinated.

Operation Deep Freeze involves activeduty and Reserve C-17 support fromMcChord AFB, LC-130 support from theNew York Air National Guard and otheraircraft as necessary; U.S. Coast Guardicebreakers, and the U.S. Navy CargoHandling Battalion One to provide crit-ical port services at McMurdo Station.

The U.S. Navy ran the first OperationDeep Freeze mission in 1955 for ex-ploration and scientific research andbegan supporting the National ScienceFoundation’s research in Antarctica in1959. The operation has evolved into ahuge logistical effort, moving passengersand cargo for the NSF’s research facilitiesin Antarctica.

Christchurch International Airport isthe staging point for deployment toMcMurdo Station, a key research facilityfor the USAP.

From page 10

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www.csmng.com

SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 200714 www.csmng.com

Air Force board members announced Dec.19 their selection of 2,518 captains for pro-motion to major. Forty-six of them were fromTeam Pete. The promotees include:

21st Space Wing:

Brian Bone Scott Hamilton Kyle Pumroy

William Schmidt Alesandro Smith

Philip Stevens Michelle Tetzlaff

Jerade Tipton Mia Walsh Todd Neu

Francis Tarner

Air Force Space Command: Anthony Kimbrough

Nicholas Lynch Michele Geraci Joseph Peloquin Stephen Serniak Leeann Roberts Gabriel Harris

Matthew Bertsch Justin McMillian

John Patrick Cory Wilson Mary Hague

John Sill Johnny Rea

Ross Gleason James Franks Jr.

Kathy Lynne Jordan James Hamilton

NORAD/NORTHCOM:

Kneilan Novak David Eikenburg

Mark Jones Brian Liebenow

Tyler Morton Jason Engler Leo Gage Jr.

Other Team Pete members

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Todd Smith Keith Broecker

Paul Kaan Leslie Forrester

George Noel Kelly Polsgrove

Stephanie Masoni Jung Ha

Elizabeth Nieboer Andrew Rogers

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T w o - m i n u t e

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There are a number of exciting programs planned for themonth of January that will help people on base get involvedwith recreation activities at the base Sports and FitnessCenter.

Friday, the base will host its New Year’s Resolution 5 and10 K run at 11:30 a.m. at the Sports and Fitness Center.Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the center will host a dou-bles racquetball tournament from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.

In the first event of the year that will be held to gainpoints toward the Peterson Cup, the center will host a 3-on-3 basketball tournament Jan. 18-21 beginning at 5:30 p.m.each day.

The schedule for the upcoming Over 30 basketball leaguewith games each afternoon at the base Sports and FitnessCenter is as follows:

Today, 11 a.m. 21st Civil Engineers, vs. HeadquartersAir Force Space Command/IG, Noon, U.S. NORTHCOMNavy, vs. Team Colorado, 1 p.m., 21st contracting vs. Det4, Air Force Operations Test and Evaluation Center

Monday, 11 a.m. AFSPC/A1 vs. HQ AFSPC, Noon,21st Services Squadron-vs. 76 Space Control Squadron, 1p.m., AFSPC/A2 vs. J1OC North.

Tuesday, 11 a.m. U.S. NORTHCOM Navy vs. 21 CONS,Noon, Team Colorado vs 21 CES, 1 p.m., Det 4 AFOTECvs. HQAFSPC/IG

Wednesday, 11 a.m. AFSPC/A1 vs. DAFSPC/A2, noon,21SVS vs. J1OC North, 1 p.m., HQ AFSPC vs. 76 SPCS.

SnoFest

SnoFest, the 17th annual military snow sports weekend,is Jan. 26-28 at Keystone Resort. There will be free compet-itive ski and snowboard racing, discounts on lodging, lifttickets and equipment, a cardboard derby, ice skating,tubing, sleigh rides and more. For reservations call (800) 354-4386 and mention participant code GV7SNOW. For infor-mation call 556-1760.

Workout time Members of the Peterson AFB community take part in an aerobics program recently at the Sports and Fitness Center. The center offers a variety ofclasses. For more information on class times and dates, call 556-4462.

Photo by Walt Johnson

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SPACE GUARDIAN

Thursday, January 4, 2007 15www.csmng.com

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Intramural seasonstays competitive

By Walt JohnsonCSMNG

The Peterson intramural basketball league took some timeoff for the Christmas holiday, and hopefully the level of playand enthusiasm will be just as good when the season resumesthis week.

Action in both the competitive and Over 30 league is turningout to be one of the most balanced and competitive in years,according to Mike Coats, Peterson Sports and Fitness center in-tramural director.

Coats said this year has stood out because of the level of playand the teams that are contending for top league honors.

“The intramural basketball league is very competitive at thistime, and I believe it’s going to be very interesting to see whocomes out on top this year,” Coats said. “The thing I’ve seen thisyear is that a lot of teams are capable of beating anyone on anygiven day. I think the majority of the teams this year are goingto be competitive when the playoffs begin. I think anyone couldbe in a position to win the championship.”

Coats said the fact that this year’s level of play is the productof two years of consistent growth in talent.

He said normally there’s a clear distinction between the recre-ation league and competitive league, but that this year is a littledifferent because three quarters of the teams in both divisionsare very competitive and have been playing at a high level.

“It’s possible that one team could get hot and run off a six- orseven-game winning streak and separate themselves from the restof the league,” he said.

However, he also said that may be unlikely because is no oneis getting blown out and most of the games have been very close.

“We’ve had several over-time games. We’ve had games whereteams have won at the buzzer and other games where the dif-ference has been two or three points. I can’t predict that it can’thappen, but I do know that every team can beat the others andevery team is beatable,” Coats said.

Coats said he loves the fact that the league is so bal-anced.

He said the emergence of teams like the 21st ServicesSquadron and the 721st Mission Support Group, whichhave been perennial doormats for the league, shows whythe excitement is back in Peterson intramural basketball.

“In the second half of the season I hope to have thesame type of competitive play that we have had in thefirst half of the season. I’m curious to see if any team canseparate itself from the rest of the league and then seewhat happens from there. I think the better teams willemerge as they play out the schedule,” Coats said.

Members of the base intramural program go toe to toe during first half action in December.Photo by W

alt Johnson

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