AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

The Longhorn Airman 28 February 2011 Volume III Issue 3

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

Ground Won’t “Break”…But Construction Starts on Our New

Home Anyway With a temperature in the mid-20s and a wind-chill in the teens, the University of Texas and contractor team began construction on the Longhorn Airmen future home, the College of Liberal Arts Building, on Thursday, February 3, 2011. As is tradition for a new construction site, the College of Liberal Arts hosted a ceremonial ground-breaking on UT’s East Mall. Many distinguished guests attended, to include UT president Bill Powers, COLA Dean Randy Diehl, and LTG (Ret, USA) Lawson Magruder. Earning special recognition at the event was Mr James J. Mulva and family. Mr Mulva’s generous donation was instrumental in garnering ROTC an honored spot in the new building. Air Force, Army, and Naval ROTC detachments will share the top-floor of the facility beginning in January 2013. We will call our collective home The James J. Mulva ROTC Center. The event also included some “free chicken.” As might be expected, the call of “FREE FOOD” brought out the likes of Cadets Bogard, Cunningham, Hitzfeld, Thorpe, and Vanover (because eating is always for cadets). The Longhorn Airmen are grateful for the University’s strong and enduring support. Even in cold weather, that support is always “On Time & On Target.”

~Colonel Christopher “Mort” Bowman

The James J. Mulva Family , Col Bowman and Det 825 Cadets break ground for the new Liberal Arts

flagship building

POW Honor Wall Back Home The POW-MIA honor wall is back in its rightful place—our Annie Weatherall classroom. Through the craftsmanship and dedication of UT Project Management & Construction Services and SpawGlass, we preserved the “signed portion” of the POW-MIA wall from Russell A. Steindam Hall. On the wall, you’ll find the names of former POWs and heroes like Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force #1 Paul Airey. Col Jim Lamar’s name is on the wall, too. He signed the wall in 2000 and still lives locally. In fact, he gets his hair cut every two weeks at Junior’s Hyde Park Barber Shop. The Longhorn Airmen hope to hear from him again soon…and show him his “new place” in our heritage. Our promise to all former POWs and those still missing in action—Longhorn Airmen will never forget.

~Col Christopher “Mort” Bowman

“Woodward’s Warriors,” Chris Mesnard and Adam Zillweger, commissioned on 17 December 2010.

After attending Air and Space Basic Course (ASBC) at Maxwell AFB, Lt Mesnard will enter training as a Combat Systems Officer (CSO) and Lt Zillweger will

enter pilot training

That really makes my day to know that not only has the wall been preserved, but that it's considered Det 825 "heritage." I already forwarded your email on to several others around the AF that were there that Friday night to paint the wall and then witness the first six signatures later in the semester. It was definitely very important to all of us. My favorite will always be Ron Bliss... he became a very good friend of mine until his death in 2005. ~Capt Robin (Prosser) Steenman, class of 2002, former Cadet Wing Commander

Brig Gen (S) Roger Watkins, Holm Center Commander, and his wife, Mrs. Leslie Watkins,

visited the detachment on 24 January. Cadets from all AS classes took the opportunity to meet with the

Watkinses at Scholz’s Garten.

AS 300s and the POW-MIA wall saved from Steindam Hall

The Boss’ Boss’ Boss’ Boss Visits Det 825

Fall 2010 Commissionees

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

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

The Longhorn Airman is published quarterly; it is not an official publication of the USAF, AFROTC or The Univeristy of Texas at Austin; the opinions expressed in this publication do not represent any of these entities. No state or federal funds were

used to print this newsletter. The Longhorn Airman was created with Adobe InDesign & PhotoShop software. Masthead photo U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt Brian Ferguson; all other photos by

Longhorn Airmen, unless otherwise noted. ~Nan Bradford-Reid, Editor

Permission to Recover? Field Training Preparation is a rigorous semester that challenges cadets both physically and mentally. The physical aspect of the program consists of endless sprints, pushups, sit-ups, and the beloved 8-count body builder. While muscle failure is normally the goal of our physical training sessions, mental preparation and readiness are what get us through these strenuous workouts. For us Field Training candidates, it is important to remember that pain is only temporary and that our goal of becoming future officers of the United States Air Force is completely attainable when we keep a positive attitude and have a willingness to work harder than ever before. When starting the Field Training Preparation semester, there are three things you learn quickly. First, mistakes will be made but what separates you from the rest is how you recover from your blunders. Second, acronyms are to be erased from your vocabulary! Lastly, it is important for your flight to grow cohesively while consistently improving. For my flight, we learned how to recover from our blunders with gusto. During one of our first physical training sessions we were told we had no motivation. Being the caring flight we are, we interpreted this rule as though we were lacking the motivation our wingmen needed. Cadet Four-Star Hale then took it upon himself to rejuvenate our flight’s lost spirit by pumping us up with a loud “Let’s go!” To our surprise, we had entirely misinterpreted the meaning of “no motivation.” But, thanks to our two Directors of Training, the miscommunication was quickly corrected. If there is one lesson I have learned so far in Field Training Preparation, it is to remain confident in yourself and your peers. This not only applies to this semester, but to your Air Force career. Curve balls will be thrown and there will be many times where you feel overwhelmed. At moments like this, it is important to take a step back and realize the bigger picture. We are a part of the Air Force and would never leave a wingman behind! ~Sina Heller

On January 19 2011, Cadets Temple, Hitzfeld, Machuca, Nandula, Jones, Salazar, and I traveled to San Antonio Texas to attend the Air Education and Training Command Symposium. At the briefing held shortly before the symposium, we were able to ask questions of Brig Gen (S) Roger Watkins, the Holm Center Commander. There was also a briefing with Col John McCain, the AFROTC commander. During the symposium, we, along with cadets from different detachments around

Texas, worked as support staff. We interacted with many active duty Air Force members and individuals of private companies

working directly with the military. In addition to required events, we attended a total of eight seminars each day and visited the convention center floor. On the convention floor, Boeing and Lockheed Martin had flight simulators to experiment with, and the Air Force had booths dedicated to their various squadrons. There were also Air Force stealth cars in addition to the usual Air Force recruiting vehicles on site. Even with all this activity, we had plenty of time to enjoy the finest foods the San Antonio Riverwalk had to offer. Overall, the Symposium was very beneficial. We learned a lot about different fields within the Air Force as well as recent problems the Air Force has encountered. This experience has given each of us an enhanced perspective of what the Air Force will be like when we become a part of it. ~ Tyler Maness

Always Excellent To CadetsThe AETC Symposium

First day in ABUs for the GMC. The Corps gathered at the LBJ drill pad to show off their new uniforms.

FTP cadets work on the skills and knowledge needed for Field Training

AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

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AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

the LONGHORN AIRMAN On Thursday, 24 February 2011, the Longhorn Airmen were privileged to host our annual Career Day. Forty-five active duty officers were in attendance from across the state to impart knowledge about their jobs to cadets and share personal words of wisdom. Cadets were exposed to a broad range of careers – ranging from pilot to less well-known fields such as research analysts. For the underclassmen, it was an eye-opening experience, they were exposed to opportunities they had not realized were available. Upperclassmen were able to network on a professional level and learn more about their own proposed jobs in the Air Force. Detachment 825 was pleased to welcome back several alumni for this event, including recent graduates, Lieutenants Matt Stalford and Scott Davis, 2006 grad Captain Hannah McDaniels (née Harris), and Lieutenant Colonel Steve Smith from the class of 1983. It was wonderful to catch up with old friends and learn what their early experiences were like in the USAF. After short briefings from every career field and the opportunity to speak with each officer on an individual level, we retired to the detachment for an enjoyable lunch with the officers. Rarely does one have the chance to interact with so many officers in a casual setting. Overall, the multitude of careers available and quality of the presentations combined to make this one of the most successful Career Days in years. The Longhorn Airmen will not soon forget all of the lessons we learned and opportunities available to us. We are immensely grateful to all of the volunteers and officers in attendance who made this incredible experience possible. ~Severin Witte

Det 825 Alumni Lt Scott Davis and Capt Hannah (Harris) Mc Daniels

Career Day (Or: We Like Our Matt LeBlanc Better!)

On 16 December 2010, four cadets had the opportunity to experience the thrill of the T-38 during Incentive Flights. Selected out of the Longhorn Lucky Box, Cadets Zarsky, Lindner, Espinoza, and Burchett traveled to Randolph Air Force Base where they were greeted by members of the 12 FTW. The cadets received emergency training and were fitted for G-suits while anxiously preparing for their 1400 flight time. Shortly after lunch, preflight briefings were conducted, and then it was finally time to step onto the flight line and strap on the T-38s. The flights were awesome! The kick of the afterburners was like being shot out of a cannon, and they felt every “G” that pasted them to the seats through the hairpin turns. Each cadet had a great time, and Cadet Zarsky even proclaimed that it might have been the most amazing thing he had ever done. The cadets were thrilled to have gotten “air under their butts” during this once in a life time opportunity. So get your scores up, get in the Longhorn Lucky Box, and get on the next flight out of Randolph Air Force Base!

~Thomas J. Burchett

We’re Glad You’re Here!The Longhorn Airmen welcomed Capt Michael Arguello and his spouse, Vanessa, at the end of November last year. Capt Arguello is the AS 400 instructor and Education Officer.

Getting Shot Out of A Cannon...The Air Force Way

Cadets Espinoza, Burchett, Zarsky, and Lindner before being shot out of the cannon (T-38).

Y+1 (Cadet Yi) “breaks in” our newest instructor.

March Events1—”Wet Down” Categorization Release

8-10—Warrior Week14-18—Spring Break

22-24—President’s Cup25-26—FTX @ Ft Hood

April Events2—AFOQT

3—Taj to Tower Run8—Dining Out

16—Field Day @ Baylor23—Paintball (tentative)

30—Parade/Open House/Change of Cmd

May Events5—Awards Day

7—Salt Lick/Couch Stories13—Senior Send-Off20—Commissioning

Keep up with the Longhorn Airmen at www.det825.org/ Opening day at Disch-Falk Field. Cadets Thomas, B.

Stout, Heller, Weathington, Hitzfeld, and Thorpe.

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AFROTC DETACHMENT 825—THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

the LONGHORN AIRMAN

It was an honor to be selected as Cadet Wing Commander and take the reins from Cadet Forkner. With Cadet Temple as Vice Commander and a great Wing Staff and POC around us, I could not be more “pumped” about the semester ahead. Temple and I concocted our wing goals: 93-90-3 and Fit-to-Fight. 93-90-3 means a minimum 93 PFA, minimum 90% attendance at all ROTC events, and a 3.0 term GPA, but remember: when you say it, it “sounds like 2 numbers, but it’s 3.” Fit-to-Fight is a voluntary program designed for exercising outside of PT with the goal of raising our PFA scores. We hope to raise the training standards of Det 825 that will ultimately make us all better Air Force officers. Our list of events this semester grows long as we gear up for the Field Training Exercise at Fort Hood, Dining Out, Tri-Service Games, Field Day, and Parade/Open House, to name a few. On top of all of this, we celebrate the achievements of our seniors, commissioning our largest class of 2d lieutenants since 2006. As we enter this busy semester packed with school and organizational obligations, it is important that we remember to support and look out for each other. As always, mental and physical fitness are prerequisites to any effective military career. Keep up the good work!

~Kevin Stout

This semester, Cadet Thorpe and I are the Directors of Training for Arnold Air Society. We supervise the six- to ten-week training process Arnold Air candidates go through to become active members of the society. The purpose of the training process is to make the candidates more competitive cadets in Air Force ROTC, complement training provided in ROTC, build camaraderie both within the candidate class and with active members, and of course, to have fun. The training process consists of four structured hours of training per week: one hour of physical training, one hour of academic studying, one hour of drill and ceremonies and one hour of "Hangar time." During the training process we provide additional leadership opportunities to cadets, enabling them to perform under any circumstance they will encounter as cadets and at Field Training. We ensure the candidates are always improving and never stagnating. We participate in many traditions during training unique to our specific squadron within Arnold Air and which bring our members closer together. Events like Skit Night are special and memorable to every member of the organization. The candidate semester takes a lot of work but the training, friendships, and memories will stay with the participants for the rest of their lives. Although the candidate semester may be one of the busiest of a college career, we will remember it as our favorite. ~Ralph Castillo

The new Arnies’ class (kneeling) pledges at Skit Night

The “Blue and Gold “ Experiences

Join us for commissioning 0900 20 May 2011

In the Texas Union Ballroom

How Cold Was It?Cold enough for plaid jammy pants,

apparently. Cadet Thorpe reveals the real secret to staying warm while wearing a

flight suit during cold weather.

Words from the Wing King

This past Friday, I had the honor of attending the Purple Heart association banquet with an Army cadet and Navy Midshipman. I spent hours talking to veterans who have earned the Purple Heart while fighting for our Nation and each other. They could talk your ear off about their experiences; however there is one thing that stuck out most of all of these men and women: their humility. Their stories made me ever more motivated and proud about joining the greatest military on the planet. We wanted to hear all of their stories; however all they wanted to hear was more about us. We were even coined for our future service. If you ever feel like you are not sure why you are in our corps or not feeling too motivated about ROTC, go talk to these brave men and women. I assure you, you will have never felt more proud.

~Amela Kamencic

“I never wanted a purple heart”

AFROTC Cadet Kamencic, AROTC Cadet Fox, NROTC Midshipman Tucker, and MAJ Ernest

Banasau, USA (ret) (photo courtesy E. Banasau)