AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

The Longhorn Airman 30 APRIL 2009 Volume I Issue 4

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

On Sunday, April 5, almost 60 cadets from three universities participated in an event to honor our Prisoners of War and our Missing in Action. The cadets, all members of Arnold Air Society, ran a POW-MIA flag from Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio to The University of Texas campus in Austin. Cadets from UTSA began the run at the landmark water tower, known as the Taj, on Randolph AFB at 8:45am. The flag was handed off in New Braunfels to the AAS cadets of Texas State, who ran over 30 miles to hand the flag off to the UT cadets in Kyle, Texas. The 19 cadets from the John H. Payne Squadron of Arnold Air Society along with the Detachment 825 Commander completed the last 28 miles of the run, ending at the UT Tower at 6:30pm. In its 10-hour journey, covering about 70 miles, the POW-MIA flag never stopped moving. The Taj to Tower Run has taken place every spring for the last 20 years, in remembrance of former POWs and those who have yet to return from the field of battle. ~Chandler Thorpe

Taj to Tower POW-MIA Run

Shadows grow long as the intrepid runners of Detachment 825 bring the POW-MIA flag home to the Tower. They still have a smile to spare

for a job well done.

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Longhorn Airman �

AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

At 0800 on 6 April, seven cadets, along with Captain Heidi Potter (who would later call us her “ducklings”), departed for a base visit to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX. I was among these cadets and very excited to be taking a field trip (since I haven’t been on one since junior high.) We arrived at Lackland early, so we took the opportunity to explore the various aircraft in front of headquarters…very cool. When our time came, Lt. Hutchinson, who would be our guide for the rest of the visit, welcomed us and we were given a briefing on the history and mission of Lackland AFB. Following the welcome, we took a tour of the enlisted and officer’s clubs, and learned about the many aspects of the Services unit. While moving from place to place, Cadet Hitzfeld proved invaluable. He knew his way around base and we were able to reach our destinations on time and without getting lost; this was especially important when it came time to eat. And the food was awesome! After lunch, we headed to the correctional facility. During our tour, Cadet Betros volunteered to be placed in handcuffs and leg restraints. He definitely got the better end of the deal; I was volunteered to be put in the restraint chair and locked in a cell for a moment. I do not want to do that again. That night we had a great time bowling, and the women’s team beat the men’s by a large margin. But after a long day, we were all ready to head back to our rooms for a good night sleep. On Tuesday we visited the Logistics Readiness unit where we learned what goes into the A-bag, B-bag, and C-bags used during deployment. We also heard briefings from Personnel and Contracting. The highlight of

Capt Potter, Eric Hitzfeld, Chris Mesnard, Amela Kamencic, Kristen Hines, Jenna Macha, Lianne Blackburn, Sam Betros, & TSgt Potts

Lackland Base Visit

Tuesday’s activities, however, had to be the C-5 simulator and F-16 fighter. We all had the opportunity to fly a C-5 simulator over Honolulu, HI, and thanks to wonderful guidance from our instructor, none of us crashed on the landing. We were given a tour of the F-16s and Cadet Kamencic modeled the G-suit, which is worn by F-16 pilots to prevent blood pooling in the lower part of the body when under high levels of acceleration forces (G-forces). Overall, the base visit was a great learning experience and I know all of the cadets had a good time. The best way to learn is to have fun at the same time; that is exactly what we did. And after they were done learning, the “ducklings” slept all the way home.

~Jenna Macha

Kristen Hines discovers the thrill of flying.a

Trees flew by and the end was in sight. Pain and the anticipation of crossing the finish line battled each other during the last mile. The Prickly Pear in San Antonio, Texas was one of the most fun and rewarding tasks I have ever accomplished. This 10-mile trail run caught my interest because I knew it would test my limits mentally and physically (which it did). Doing runs like this including marathons, half-marathons, and 10K runs, not only show you that you can run forever, but they show you that it can be done. Why do something of this sort? Why put your body through pain purposely? For the simple reason that it can be done. President Kennedy in the 1960s made a goal to have a man land on the moon. He said he chose to do this “not because it was easy but because it was hard.” People don’t conquer the goal once it’s done, we conquer ourselves. People set goals such as climbing Mount Everest and some even die trying. So why do it? A climber who passed away attempting to climb Mount Everest answered this question simply by stating, “Because it’s there.” Some people won’t understand that answer but if you have had the aspiration to push yourself to a breaking point, you understand and live this statement. The Prickly Pear made me understand this. Some people will never challenge themselves. Will you? ~Banuelos, Matthew

Prickly Pear

Matthew Banuelos - one half of the Banuelli - was among several cadets who ran in the

Prickly Pear 10-mile race.

AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

� Longhorn Airman

AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

For the past two years I have had the privilege of being a part of Detachment 825’s Honor Guard. Honor Guard is an extracurricular activity that an Air Force ROTC cadet can participate in, in addition to their AS classes and leadership labs. It is an awesome opportunity to receive extra practice in drill and ceremonies. As a member of the Honor Guard, one can contribute in a variety of details. These details can take the form of saber lines, POW-MIA tables, as well as the more traditional color guards. The venues that these details take place in can be equally as diverse. Since my first days on the Honor Guard, I have participated in details for university athletic events, retirement ceremonies, dinings-in and-out, weddings, and even a boxing pay-per-view event. Perhaps one of the most memorable events that I have been a part of was the first Longhorn baseball game of the 2009 season. This detail occurred in February and included cadets James Bull, Christopher Mesnard, and Mathew Banuelos. While the actual presenting of the colors was like any other detail we had participated in, what we learned at the end would put a whole new light on the importance of our job. After presenting the colors we met Bryan Cooper Simmons who has continued to buy a new flag at the start of each Longhorn baseball season. He told us that he and his wife, Eleanor Ewing Long Simmons, used to attend every Longhorn baseball game together. After she passed away, he took it upon himself to replace the flag for each longhorn baseball season as a way to remember their time spent together at these events. There is a plaque at the base of the flagpole honoring her. Stories like this make one realize the importance of the American flag. And, it truly demonstrated to us that day just how privileged we are to be able to present our nation’s colors in events like this. ~Shawn Cameron

The Honor Guard Privilege

Throughout the semester most of the Air Force ROTC cadets practice drill, study warrior knowledge, and execute the missions presented to them to better themselves as leaders and airmen. The main focus of which is usually on developing leadership skills and hardening the bond that each cadet has with their fellow flight members. Very few opportunities arise that allow for flight versus flight competition. However one week breaks away from all the rest, unleashing man’s innermost primal instinct to prove they are the very best: Warrior Week. Warrior Week is a week-long event that pits each flight against the others in different activities. During PT and LLAB, flights focus on different aspects of teamwork and leadership. Some of the activities that were included this semester were a warrior run, warrior ball, a “bows and toes” contest, and a GPS scavenger hunt. The warrior run tests the flight’s ability to motivate each other over an extended period of time and distance; warrior ball tests the flight’s ability to work together as a team in order to come out on top; the GPS scavenger hunt tests the flight’s navigation skills, and the “bows and toes” contest tests the individual flight member’s personal strength. Cadets need these skills to be an airman. Special recognition must go out to Cadet Hanson who held the “bows and toes” position for an astonishing 16 minutes to bring home the victory for the POC flight. With a successful week behind us it was time to announce the winner. Due to each flight’s outstanding performance both were honored. FTP flight won Warrior Flight and IMT Flight won Honor Flight. In the end, win or lose, each flight developed a greater sense of teamwork, and, most importantly, each Air Force Cadet developed a stronger bond with his or her fellow airmen. ~Sean Zarsky

Elinore Ray, above, and the THUDS, right, compete in the annual Marine Mud Run - Det

825 won the military division.

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AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

Last semester I flew to Colorado to watch my sister run in the Denver Marathon, something I have never been to in my life. While my mom and I walked some of the route, I saw Air Force personnel handing out water to runners. I thought that was wonderful of them and I know my sister appreciated them taking the time out of their Sunday to be there for support. So, when the coordinators for the Austin marathon contacted our Detachment looking for cadets to help with crowd control, I immediately knew I wanted to help out. Knowing that this would be a great opportunity to be involved with the community, we agreed to have a group of cadets at the marathon. The day of the marathon we arrived on site early and received a briefing on what we were going to be doing. Basically, we were to direct the flow of runners in the finish line chute. Towards the beginning of the race, Governor Rick Perry came running through the finish line. He hung out at the finish line for a little bit and shook hands with a couple of us, which was exciting. Once more runners started to finish the run, it started to get a little crazy. There were people everywhere, runners looking for other runners or family members, and family members looking for runners. When one side would get backed up with runners trying to exit the chute, we would direct them to the other side until the first side wasn’t as crowded. All of the cadets did a great job; the energy was very positive and the runners appreciated us being there. It was nice being able to be there at the end to congratulate the runners on their amazing accomplishment. Our COC, Capt Heidi Potter, and a fellow cadet, Grant Gerogia, ran in the marathon, and it was awesome being able tell them job well done when they crossed that finish line. ~Villa, Victoria

Each semester, Longhorn ROTC units from the Air Force, Army and Navy gather to compete in athletic events to determine who will bring home the President’s Cup. This semester, events in the Tri-Service Games included Basketball, Volleyball and Warball. The games took place on April 8th, and Air Force was able to show the Army and Navy what we’re made of! Air Force came in 1st place, Navy got 2nd and Army came in 3rd. The Tri-Service Games are followed each semester by a Tri-Service Run, which took place Wednesday, April 29th. Detachment 825 Longhorn Airmen are always actively involved with Intramural Sports here at UT. This semester, we have had teams participate in Basketball, Soccer, and Softball. The men’s basketball team made it to the first round of playoffs before facing elimination. Currently, our co-ed softball team is 1-1, with playoff hopes still very much alive. IM Sports are a great way to build espirit de corps and camaraderie, and to remain physically active while having fun. ~Dustin Hanson

Tri-Service Games

This semester, UT gave the detachment two big opportunities to inform the public about Air Force ROTC and do some recruiting. The first event was Explore UT on March 7th and the second was Forty Acres Fest on April 4th. Both events were a lot of fun and got the Air Force name out in the public. Explore UT is an annual event for the whole university that allows UT groups to show off to prospective students. It has many fun activities for children. This year’s event was incredibly busy and many people came by the Air Force booth. Even though the Prickly Pear run kept some cadets from helping out at the table, there were still many who helped out. We educated many people about ROTC and helped many incoming freshman begin their path to the Air Force. There were few problems throughout the day except for the protesters who set up across from our booth. It was lucky for us not many people listened to them giving us attention and respect. And, we learned how to be mature Airmen, if we ever face the protesters again. Overall, the day was successful and we look forward to being at the next Explore UT. Forty Acres Fest is another annual University event that allows organizations to set up booths to get their names out. Many booths set up fun fundraisers that made the day really interesting. There were barbecues, smoothies, and our Silver Wings even set up a cup-cake walk. While the Air Force booth sold nothing, many people came to our booth to learn about the military. We were fortunate enough to be joined by a few recruiters from the surrounding area. The day was similar to Explore UT, except that the event was protester-free, which was nice. Cadets, cadre and recruiters all helped to inform people about the Air Force and help them join if interested. The day was a big success, Cadet Cousins even won a pie-eating contest (and an iPod to go along with it.) We also look forward to participating in this event in the future. Both events were very helpful in getting the Air Force name out into the public. I would like to extend thanks to all the people who helped out with the events. Many cadets dedicated a large part of their Saturdays to help out with the functions. Thank you all, and good job. ~Castillo, Ralph

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

The Longhorn Airman is published quar-terly; it is not an official publication of the

USAF, AFROTC or The Univeristy of Texas at Austin; the opinions expressed in this publica-tion do not represent any of these entities. No state or federal funds were used to print this newsletter. The Longhorn Airman was ceated with Adobe InDesign & PhotoShop software.

Nan Bradford-Reid, Editor

Spreading the Word!

26.2 miles of Green Austin

Out-going Wing Commander Scott Davis gives the thumbs-up...30 feet up.

Upcoming Events May

7—Senior Send-off8—Salt Lick

9—CoC/Parade/Open House15–Senior Get-Together

22–AF & Joint Commissioning

For details, click on www.det825.org/

Remove before flight! Col Bowman announces the rated slots for cadets Pope, Hanson,

Sullivan, DiPaola, and Bull

Joel Banuelos - the other half of the Banuelli - takes a break during paintball