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The air race is onpage 6

The air race is onpage 6

Vol. 58 No. 1February 2006www.afrc.af.mil

Official Magazine of the Air Force Reserve

OSIexpandspresencepage 23

OSIexpandspresencepage 23

Soaring at the Academypage 20

Soaring at the academypage 20

When Reservists practice their skills,local communities are big winners

2 CITIZEN AIRMAN FEBRUARY 2006 3

Good leaders can adapt principles,techniques to the situation at hand

One of the objectives ofthe Air Force is todevelop teamwork and

devotion to the mission among itspeople. An Air Force operationdemands that its people be compe-tent in their jobs, that they applythemselves and that they cooperateto help the service reach its objec-tives.

The solution to the problem ofhuman relations in the Air Force involves developing andmaintaining these qualities in all personnel. Good human rela-tions mean a good job with satisfaction in doing it. Experienceindicates that these two objectives not only reinforce each other,but also that one cannot be obtained without the other.

We know from experience that there is no standard techniqueor formula for dealing with people. Every person and every sit-uation is different. Effective leadership operates with referenceto these differences. Every successful leadership move is a spe-cially designed strategy. The good leaders can successfullyadapt principles to situations.

The skills required to achieve effective teamwork and tomake cooperative activity as satisfying as possible to the partic-ipants are fundamentally grounded in the understanding andinterest that the leader has in the people of his or her organiza-tion. People just naturally are happier and work better whenthey have a feeling that the boss is interested in them and islooking out for their interests. People appreciate being treatedas individuals, and it is an unwise leader who does not con-sciously treat them as such.

Establishing and maintaining good human relations involvescareful observations on your part, too. You should know yourselfas well as your leaders and subordinates know you. For example,you cannot afford to let your personal conflicts, problems andmoods influence your relationships with people on the job.Neither can you afford the luxury of “blowing your top” too often.

People expect some normalcyand stability of action toward themby their leader. In fact, they expectquite a lot from their leader and thejob situation. They expect theopportunity to get ahead, acquiregreater responsibility, performimportant things and have newexperiences in the job.

They strive for recognition interms of status or being “some-

body,” and they want other people to be aware of their accom-plishments and demonstrate that awareness. People want tobelong to a group, a team or an organization. They want to beidentified as part of an outfit, preferably a “good” outfit. Peoplelike to be accepted and allowed to participate.

I believe people strive for and want security. There are twokinds of security that people seek: economic and emotional.People need to know that their work will furnish the dollars toprovide for their necessities and as many extras as possible.Equally important, they need to be able to plan ahead, both froma financial standpoint and in terms of relationships with theirsuperiors and with their fellow workers. It is difficult for peopleto work well when they are tied in “emotional knots” from notknowing what to expect and not having any peace of mind.

One should always remember that there are no hard-and-fastrules when dealing with people. However, I offer these thoughtsfor your consideration. Do not forget that all people are differ-ent; they expect and deserve to be treated as individuals. Peoplework harder when they are made to feel important rather thanwhen motivated by fear. People like to get credit when theydeserve it. People are generally averse to sudden changes andare more likely to accept changes if they are prepared for them.People work best when they feel they belong.

The bottom line is successful mission accomplishmentrequires that you talk with your people and keep them in theloop! !

As we move into 2006, it is clear that we need toremain adaptable and innovative as we reconcilethe significant budget constraints and considerable

force structure changes that lie ahead. We are being challengedwith tough choices as bases and wings close or reorganize, butI’m confident we will emerge more efficient and capable thanever. A key part of our decision-making strategy is to ensureeveryone has a clear vision for the future of the Air ForceReserve.

Our mission in this rapidly changing environment is to pro-vide the world’s best mutual support to the Air Force and ourjoint partners. To this end, we are introducing the Air ForceReserve Vision with a focus on the wingman concept. You canexpect to hear more about the Vision and our future goals afterthe Senior Leaders Conference this month.

Being a good wingman is not an easy job! We will maintainthe highest levels of combat readiness and be prepared to notonly maintain good formation but also to take the lead as nec-essary. We must anticipate evolving requirements and quicklyadapt to meet those demands.

The best wingmen look for optimal ways to employ our forceand advocate processes and improvements that make everyonemore effective. We are diligent and always alert, ready to warnothers of impending peril. Great wingmen are never expectedto blindly follow or be viewed as the “B-team.” Our role is notto be No. 2 but to be the steadfast wingman, efficiently deliver-ing highly experienced personnel, modern equipment andincomparable combat capability to combatant commanders.

The Vision, along with its documents and associated prod-ucts, is intended to help everyone in the Air Force Reserve makecohesive decisions that focus our resources on our highest pri-orities while maintaining the key attributes that ensure ourcomponent’s continued success. I ask for your complete supportas we work together to build a stronger, more agile Air Force.

As you continue to seek innovative ways to be more effectiveand responsive wingmen, I am confident our heritage willextend its acclaim as a vital contributor to the Air Force and thedefense of this nation.

Thank you for your continued support and for the part youplay in making the Air Force Reserve the unrivaled wingman! !

From the Top Chief’s ViewBy Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley

Commander, Air Force Reserve CommandBy Chief Master Sgt. Jackson A. WinsettCommand Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Reserve Command

SUCCESSFUL MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT

REQUIRES THAT YOU TALK WITH YOUR

PEOPLE AND KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP!

Air Force Reserve Vision placesemphasis on wingman concept

Gen. T. Michael Moseley Chief of Staff, United States Air Force

Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley Commander, Air Force Reserve Command

Col. Tom Deall Director of Public Affairs, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command

Cliff Tyler Managing Editor

Bo Joyner Associate Editor

Tech. Sgt. Jason Tudor Staff Writer

Citizen Airman magazine (ISSN No. 0887-9680) is published bi-monthly by Headquarters Air Force Reserve Com-mand Office of Public Affairs for the commander of Air Force Reserve Command. Copies are mailed, free of charge,to the homes of all Reservists. Content is normally news articles and features developed for release to commercialmedia as part of the Air Force Reserve’s continuing public affairs program. Opinions of contributors are not neces-sarily those of the Air Force Reserve. All photos are U.S. Air Force photos unless otherwise indicated. Readers-per-copy ratio: 4-1. Send inquiries and submissions to HQ AFRC/PAP, 255 Richard Ray Blvd. Suite 137, Robins AFB,

GA 31098-1661. Or, fax them to DSN 497-0878 or commercial 478-327-0878. Our e-mail address [email protected].

Moving? PLEASE DO NOT SEND CHANGES OF ADDRESS TO CITIZEN AIRMAN. To continue receivingthe magazine, unit Reservists, as well as people serving a statutory tour of duty, should send a change of address

to their military personnel flight or unit orderly room. Individual mobilization augmentees should call the AirReserve Personnel Center toll free at 800-616-3775 or DSN 926-6528/6730. Periodical postage paid at Warner

Robins, Ga., and additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Please send all Forms 3579 to Citizen Airman, HQ AFRC/PAP, 255 Richard Ray Blvd. Suite

137, Robins AFB, GA 31098-1661.

Front cover: An Air Force Reservist moves dirt and rocks high in the Bear PawMountains outside of Havre, Mont., as part of an Innovative Readiness Training projectto build a new road on the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation. For more on the Reserve’s

IRT program, see the story on page 16.

Vol. 58 No. 1 February 2006

FEBRUARY 2006 54 CITIZEN AIRMAN

10Round the Reserve

15Reserve reflections: Key dates in AFRC history

16Everybody wins with Innovative Readiness Training

20Reservists help keep academy cadets soaring high

22New regulations put teeth behind USERRA law

23Reserve bolsters OSI presence stateside

Table of Contents

All in the Family

‘Hanoi Taxi’

A KC-135R Stratotanker from the 336th Air Refueling Squadron refuels a C-17A Globemaster IIIfrom the 729th Airlift Squadron over Arizona in December. Both aircraft are assigned to the452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif. The 452nd received its first C-17 inAugust and has since received seven more to replace its fleet of C-141 Starlifters, which wereretired from service. (Tech. Sgt. Rick Sforza, 4th Combat Camera Squadron)

The “Hanoi Taxi” flies over its future home, theNational Museum of the U.S. Air Force atWright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, duringa flight Dec. 13. The C-141 Starlifter, featuringa 1970s-era white and gray paint scheme, gotits name from the fact that it was the first air-craft to airlift American prisoners of war tofreedom from Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi, NorthVietnam, Feb. 12, 1973. Signatures of thefreed prisoners on the flight engineer’s panelare the centerpiece of what is essentially a“flying museum.” Plaques, documents andphotographs of the homecoming are part ofthe on-board exhibit. The aircraft, whichbelongs to the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson, is the last C-141 in the Air ForceReserve Command’s inventory. It is scheduledto be retired and turned over to the Air ForceMuseum in May. The 445th is transitioning toC-5 Galaxy aircraft. (John Rossino, Lockheed-Martin)

The Race is On!Maj. Steve Temple races across the Nevada skies during the 2005 Aviation Nation Air Show atNellis Air Force Base. Major Temple, a Reservist who participated as an International FormulaOne air racer with six others, was named rookie of the year after winning fifth place in theFormula One Gold Class. His aircraft, a highly modified “Aggressor,” weighs 520 pounds andflies at speeds in excess of 200 mph. When he’s not piloting his air racer, Major Temple is aC-5 Galaxy pilot for the Air Force Reserve’s 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.(Photos, by Victor Archer, used with permission)



Whiteman AFB, Mo.:Gains nine A-10 air-craft to reach 24 pri-mary aircraftauthorized.

Carswell ARS, Texas:Gains nine F-16 air-craft to reach 24 pri-mary aircraftauthorized.

Tinker AFB, Okla.:Gains four aircraft toreach 12 primaryaircraft authorized(tankers).

Lackland AFB, Texas: 710thIntelligence Operations Flight isrelocated from Randolph AFB,Texas.

Barksdale AFB, La.:Gains nine A-10 air-craft to reach 24 pri-mary aircraftauthorized.

Moody AFB, Ga.:Squadron inactivated and per-sonnel reassigned to fiveremaining pilot training bases.

Robins AFB, Ga.:The Individual Mobilization AugmenteeReadiness Management Group is established at AFRC headquarters

Pope AFB, N.C.: To become Armyairfield. Gains 16 C-130s, formsassociate unit with active duty.

Pittsburgh ARS, Pa.:A Regional JointReadiness Centeris hosted by

Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.:Gains eight KC-135R air-craft, forms active-dutyassociate unit.

Willow Grove ARS, Pa.:Transfers unit-equipped air-craft; billets are reassignedin accordance with AFRClong-range plans.

Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.:The Air National Guard isbrought into associationwith the 914th Airlift Wing.

Westover ARB, Mass.:Army and Navy units will move onto the base.

Hill AFB, Utah:Transfers unit-equipped aircraftand associateswith active-dutyhost wing.

Buckley AFB Colo.:Gains expeditionarycombat support per-sonnel; gains ARPC,new group location.

Denver, Colo.:Air Reserve PersonnelCenter moves toBuckley AFB.

Schriever AFB,Colo.: Groupbecomes firstAFRC space wing.

Gen. Mitchell ARS, Wisc.:Base closes, aircraft andpersonnel move to Pope AFB, N.C.

Selfridge ANGB, Mich.:Transfers unit-equipped aircraft;wing movesto MacDill AFB, Fla.,and forms associatetanker wing withactive duty.

Peterson AFB, Colo.:Active duty associateswith 302nd AW on 12 primary aircraft authorized.

Luke AFB, Ariz:Transfers unit-equipped aircraft;operations andmaintenance arerealigned.

Nellis AFB, Nev.:Gains a headquar-ters element, asso-ciate flying missionin F-16 aggressorsquadron

Beale AFB, Calif.:Transfers unit-equipped aircraft;converts to GlobalHawk mission.

Vandenberg AFB, Calif.:Establishes new space

operations wing forAFRC.

Portland IAP, Ore.:Transfers unit-equipped aircraftand moves headquarters andexpeditionary combat support to Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Elmendorf AFB,Alaska:Establishes C-17 associatesquadrons.

March ARB,Calif.: Gainsfour aircraft toreach 12 pri-mary aircraftauthorized(tankers).

Homestead ARB, Fla.:Gains nine F-16 aircraft to reach24 primary aircraft authorized.

New Orleans ARS, La.:Transfers unit-equipped aircraft to Barksdale andWhiteman AFBs, headquarterselement realigns to Nellis,expeditionary combat supportmoves to Buckley.

Major changes are on the way at more than 25 Air ForceReserve Command locations as a result of last year’sBase Realignment and Closure Commission and othertransformation actions. Here is a quick look at thechanges that will be taking place in the years to come.


Round the ReserveA brief look at what’s happening throughout Air Force Reserve Command

Reservist TopsRecruiting Effort16 Months AfterEnlisting

AReservist from Westover AirReserve Base, Mass., recruited

eight people into the Air Force Reserveand earned its annual Get One Award forhis efforts.

Staff Sgt. James J. Fitzell Jr. of the 42ndAerial Port Squadron also helpedWestover’s 439th Airlift Wing attain 55Get One accessions, the highest numberin an Air Force Reserve Command wing.Runner-up for the most wing accessionswas the 910th AW, Youngstown AirReserve Station, Ohio.

AFRC’s Get One Program encouragesReservists to refer family members,friends and co-workers, who may beinterested in joining the Air ForceReserve, to local recruiters. Recruiterssay the program introduces people to thebenefits of the Air Force Reserve andallows them to work alongside othersthey know while serving their country.

Sergeant Fitzell credited his enthusi-asm for the Air Force Reserve as the pri-mary reason for his success. He enlistedin the Air Force Reserve May 1, 2004.

Before joining, he served in the ArmyNational Guard and on active duty in theMarine Corps. Sergeant Fitzell said theAir Force Reserve is fully committed tothe mission but at the same time 100 per-cent dedicated to the welfare of its mem-bers and is family oriented.

The Air Force Reserve accessed 9,942new Airmen in the fiscal year that endedSept. 30. Air Force Reserve recruiters saidthe Get One program contributed greatlyto that total. (AFRC News Service)

310th SpaceGroup ActivatesNew Unit

The Air Force Reserve’s only spaceunit added another mission to its

responsibilities with the formation of anew organization in January.

The 310th Space Group at SchrieverAir Force Base, Colo., activated theHeadquarters Reserve National SecuritySpace Institute Jan. 7. The institute is anassociate unit to the active duty’sNational Security Space Institute. TheNSSI is the Department of Defense’sfocal point for conducting courses inspace professional education, warfightertraining (space mission areas), advanced

space training and space familiarizationas part of the Air Force and nationalspace professional strategy.

“The 310th Space Group is uniquelyqualified to perform this mission,” saidCol. Jeff Ansted, group commander.“Our group is made up of units that runthe gamut in space missions. We havespace aggressors, testers, security forcesand communications units in addition topeople performing traditional roles asspace operators executing missile warn-ing, navigation, weather and Joint SpaceOperations Center missions.”

With a staff of 11 full-time and 44 tradi-tional Reservists, the new unit will fur-ther enhance NSSI skill sets by bringingadditional, unique civilian and militaryexperience to course research and devel-opment, Colonel Ansted said.

“Standing up the Reserve associateunit will give us the right expertise tofurther the development of ouradvanced courses,” said Lt. Col. FrankGallagher, NSSI commandant. “Mostactive-duty space operators have onlythree years experience in a particularmission area. With the Reserve associateunit, that number could triple.”

“Our new unit will bring unique capa-

FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE — Tech. Sgt.Mike Melton (right) of the 349th CivilEngineer Squadron, Travis Air ForceBase, Calif., competes in the WorldFirefighter Combat Challenge, whichtook place Dec. 1-3 in Deerfield Beach,Fla. For the second year in a row, fire-fighters from Travis won the annual com-petition. Sergeant Melton served as cap-tain of the team, which was made up ofReservists, active-duty members andcivilians. “The dedication of the Travisteam is an inspiration,” said WorldFirefighter Combat Challenge presidentPaul Davis. “They define champions.”Among the tasks the firefighters had toperform were climbing a five-storytower, hoisting and chopping, dragginghoses, and rescuing a life-sized, 175-pound “victim.” All the while, the com-petitors had to wear their “full bunkergear,” including an air-breathing appa-ratus. “Every firefighter takes their bodyto the limit some time in their career,”Sergeant Melton said. “The firefighterchallenge is a great opportunity to seewhat our limitations are.”

STAFF SGT. MATTHEW MCGOVERN

When serving halfway aroundthe world, many service mem-

bers treasure the little tokens they takewith them to remind them of friendsand family back home.

For Senior Master Sgt. MichaelBrimmer, 332nd Expeditionary SecurityForces Squadron first sergeant, and hisniece, Army Spc. Angela Fekken,1436th Engineer Company, LogisticsSupport Area Anaconda, they havemore than a small piece of home. Theyhave each other.

Specialist Fekken, a truck driver, hasbeen deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq,for about a year. Her presence played abig factor in her uncle’s decision tocome to Balad. Sergeant Brimmer is anAir Force Reservist assigned to the445th Airlift Wing at Wright-PattersonAir Force Base, Ohio.

“I volunteered to deploy and wasgiven a list of places I could go to,” thesergeant said. “I picked Balad becauseAngie was there already.”

When Specialist Fekken came homefor her mid-tour leave in July, SergeantBrimmer met with her to learn aboutwhere he would be deploying.

“She gave me a rundown on what toexpect,” Sergeant Brimmer said. “Sheshowed me photos of LSA Anacondaand really put me at ease about cominghere. I thought it was going to be a bar-ren desert, but the photos she hadshowed different.”

When Sergeant Brimmer arrived, he

began searching for his niece.“It took more than a month to get in

contact with Angie,” Sergeant Brimmersaid. “We tried to get in touch with eachother over (official) e-mail, but for somereason the messages kept getting reject-ed. My wife ended up having to give mypersonal e-mail address to her sister,who was able to pass it on to Angie.”

The sergeant and specialist comefrom a large but close family.Maintaining this sense of closeness wasimportant to the uncle and niece.

“It’s a great comfort to know we havefamily here we can talk to and are able tosee the friendly, smiling face of a familymember,” Specialist Fekken said.

Because of job requirements, the twoare not able to get together as often asthey would like, but they take advan-tage of every opportunity they do get.

“We look forward to getting togetherand having a chance to catch up onwhat we’ve both been doing here aswell as what’s going on back home,”Specialist Fekken said.

Family members in the states werealso glad that, for part of their deploy-ments, the two would be together.

“They were pretty excited that we’dboth be serving at the same time and atthe same base, especially my mom andmy aunt, his wife,” Specialist Fekkensaid. !

(Sergeant Moore is assigned to the 332ndAerospace Expeditionary Wing publicaffairs office at Balad AB.)

Uncle, niece serve together in IraqBy Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore

Senior Master Sgt. Michael Brimmer and his niece, Army Spc. Angela Fekken, takean opportunity to catch up on family business back home. The two are servingtogether in Iraq.

bilities to Air Force Space Command andthe NSSI: a surge capacity to complete alot of course development across a drillweekend, additional space expertisefrom the civilian sector, long-term conti-nuity and a firm knowledge base,” saidCol. Susan Rhodes, the first commandantof the Reserve NSSI.

With the activation of the Reserve insti-tute, the 310th SG now comprises 10units — located at Schriever, PetersonAFB, Colo., Buckley AFB, Colo., andVandenberg AFB, Calif. — with morethan 500 members. (Maj. David Rice, 310thSG liaison to the NSSI)

Portal MakesPersonnel ServicesMore Accessible

Awide array of personnel services isnow only a mouse-click away

thanks to the Air Reserve PersonnelCenter’s Virtual Personnel Center-GuardReserve portal.

The portal provides Reservists accessto virtual personnel services andenhances the traditional virtual militarypersonnel flight tools with which manyAirmen are already familiar, ARPC offi-cials said.

This secure service is available 24hours a day, 365 days a year. AllReservists need to do to gain access iscreate an online account by visitinghttps://arpc.af.mil/support/newaccount.asp. With an account, Reservists canconduct a variety of personnel transac-tions from anywhere in the world withan Internet connection.

In addition to filling out the requiredform, Reservists have to provide a valide-mail address and phone number. The e-mail address is used to deliver servicesand for password management. Thosewho do not have an e-mail address canestablish one at https://www. gimail.af.mil/login.asp.

Among other things, Reservists canuse the portal to make address updates,find assignment information, learn aboutbenefits and entitlements, search careeropportunities, keep track of their points,access promotion and retirement infor-mation, and obtain a re-issue of their 20-year letter or a mortgage letter.

“Ten years ago, I set up my first elec-tronic banking account,” said DaveAldrich, personnel services director at


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The Air Reserve Personnel Center inDenver is moving the medical and

dental records of some Reservists to theactive-duty base where they serve aspart of an effort to streamline operations.

The process, initiated two years ago,will help reduce duplicate copies of therecords. This will decrease work andincrease efficiency, officials said.

“This is a win-win situation,” saidStaff Sgt. Mike Melanson of the center’sHealth Services Directorate. “The mem-bers have medical records at the mili-tary treatment facility to which they areassigned, and (personnel officials) willhave a complete medical history.”

The change will help individualmobilization augmentees, whoserecords have historically been main-tained at the personnel center.

With no medical or dental informationavailable at base health-care facilities, justgetting an annual Reserve ComponentPeriodic Health Assessment was difficult,the sergeant said.

So officials devised a plan to solve theproblem, which they intend to completeby December.

Osan Air Base, South Korea; BuckleyAir Force Base, Colo.; and Peterson AFB,Colo., were the first locations to receive

Reservist records. Remaining bases willstart getting records in March.

“Keeping medical records where theperson is just makes sense,” said Tech.Sgt. Lennie Williams, who also works inthe directorate. “It is another step in thedirection of the total force concept.”

The decentralization supports theassistant secretary of defense for healthaffairs’ requirement that outpatientmedical records be available at the loca-

tion were services are rendered.“The decentralization will free up

valuable manpower, which can then beshifted to concentrate on other day-to-day processes,” said the center’s DavidFisher.

More information about this initiativeis available on the ARPC Web site athttp://arpc.afrc.af.mil. !

(Sergeant Mims is assigned to the ARPCpublic affairs office in Denver.)

Decentralization makes medical-dental records easier to getBy Tech. Sgt. Rob Mims

Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Hancock watches as David Fisher packs up individualmobilization augmentee and some participating individual ready reserve medicaland dental records headed for Osan Air Base, Korea. The two are members of theAir Reserve Personnel Center Health Services Directorate.

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the ARPC in Denver. “I do everythingthat way now — never an error, alwaysan audit trail, well documented. It’s timenow to give that to our Citizen Airmenfor their personnel needs.” (Tech. Sgt. RobMims, ARPC public affairs)

‘Late Bloomer’Travels Abroad toHelp Others

Aflight nurse assigned to the 445thAeromedical Evacuation Squad-

ron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,Ohio, is a classic example of a latebloomer.

Capt. Judy Willets started her nursingcareer after high school but didn’t enterthe military until she was 43, an age whenmany are finishing a 20-year militarycareer. She cannot serve 20 years, so retire-ment pay is not her motivation for serving.

In addition to joining the Air ForceReserve in 2001, she was mobilized inMay 2004 and has served tours of duty inIraq and Afghanistan.

Her most memorable service time sofar was the three months she spent inAfghanistan last year.

“Every time I go overseas I come backso appreciative of what we have here,”Captain Willets said. “Afghanistan is themost incredible place I’ve ever been to.Being in that country really makes youappreciate what you have back home.

“Here, we hope our children will go tocollege. In Afghanistan, the parents hopetheir children will make it to their 18thbirthday in a helpless environment. Eventhough it’s a desolate place, they stillhave hope for a better tomorrow. Theirstrength is amazing.”

Captain Willets started her nursing

career at age 18 when her mom got her ajob as a nurse aid in the nursing homewhere she worked.

“I fell in love with nursing, startednursing school a year later, graduatedand eventually went on to get myadvanced degree,” the captain said.

While working in the emergency roomat University of Michigan MedicalCenter, she spent a day flying with theER flight team.

“I knew when I got off the helicopterthat day I was meant to fly,” she said.“Civilian flight programs are very com-petitive, and I couldn’t get a job, so Istarted looking into military positions.”

In the meantime, she received a para-medic license and left nursing for “a cou-ple of years” to work as a paramedic/firefighter.

She returned to nursing in 2001 and

received a direct commission as a captainthat year in Air Force ReserveCommand’s 910th Medical Squadron atYoungstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio.

“I loved the 910th Medical Squadron butknew I was supposed to fly, so in August2003 I transferred to the 445th AeromedicalEvacuation Squadron,” she said.

Captain Willets became fully qualifiedto fly in February 2004 and three monthslater received mobilization orders toreport to the Middle East.

After deploying to an undisclosed basein June 2004, she moved a team forward toBalad Air Base in Iraq. From the undis-closed base, she flew missions into Iraq,other Middle Eastern countries and Africafor the next five months treating woundedand ill troops aboard a variety of aircraft insupport of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Returning to the states, she worked atScott AFB, Ill., from October 2004 toJanuary 2005. One month later, she leftfor Kandahar, Afghanistan, where herresponsibilities involved more humani-tarian duties and less flying.

“The Afghan people would bring theirsick or injured children to us for treatmentbecause they couldn’t get good treatmenton their own,” Captain Willets said.

Captain Willets returned to Wright-Patterson in April and then went toAndrews AFB, Md., to treat woundedfrom Operation Iraqi Freedom. InSeptember she went back to Wright-Patterson to go on alert because of the hur-ricanes. She traveled back to Andrews inlate December and will stay there untilApril treating wounded troops.

“I should be getting off active duty inJune or July,” she said. “I plan on return-ing to the language program, which hasbeen somewhat neglected since I startedtraveling. My hope is to work for aninternational relief organization.” (Tech.Sgt. Charlie Miller, 445th Airlift Wing pub-lic affairs, Wright-Patterson AFB)

B-52, A-10 Unitsat Barksdale TestNew Earpieces

It’s out with the old and in with thenew as Reservists at Barksdale Air

Force Base, La., are replacing their bulky,noise-canceling headsets with light-weight, custom-molded earpieces.

Recently approved for use in various

fighter aircraft by Air Combat Commandand given the green light by Lt. Gen.John A. Bradley, Air Force ReserveCommand commander, the earpieces arebeing introduced in both the B-52 and A-10 units are Barksdale.

Nearly 30 members of the 917th Wing— B-52 and A-10 aircrew members andmaintainers — were recently fitted forthe new earpieces. For members of the93rd Bomb Squadron, it’s like déjà vu allover again as they were involved in thetest and implementation of the noise-canceling headsets just prior to Sept. 11,2001, according to Lt. Col. Chris Rounds,917th Standardization/Evaluation B-52Branch chief.

“When we deployed the first time(after 9/11), our whole unit showed upfor Operation Enduring Freedom withnoise-canceling headsets,” ColonelRounds said. “The demands of flying 16-hour combat missions prompted ouractive-duty counterparts to follow suit.”

The new earpiece is just another “evo-lution” in technology, he said. “We’re justtrying to use technology to our advan-tage.”

In an effort to continue this develop-ment, researchers at the Air Force

Research Laboratory, Wright-PattersonAFB, Ohio, are working to incorporatenoise-canceling capability in the earpieces.

The cost to manufacture the custom-fitted earpieces and associated wiringharnesses is approximately $300. Thebenefits are enhanced radio fidelity,increased situational awareness andreduced potential hearing loss.

“You may have three or four differentradios going at one time, and you can’tafford to miss a call during combat,”Colonel Rounds said. “With Reserve air-crews spending more time in the cockpitnow than in the past, it is important topreserve our hearing as best we can.”

“The initial fitting was a little uncom-fortable, weird actually, but relativelypainless,” said Lt. Col. Bob Nordberg, 93rdBS B-52 chief pilot. “The main advantageswill be active noise reduction, lower over-all volume settings, and the ability to useone volume setting for helmet and head-set.”

Colonel Rounds said he hopes to haveaircrew and ground personnel (who vol-unteer), to include Reservists as well asactive-duty members, fitted for the newearpieces by June. Those who do not wantto change to the new earpieces can elect to

Pope’s Puns

14 CITIZEN AIRMAN

$aving for retirement is a challenge for nearlyeveryone. As a certified financial planner inmy civilian life, I’ve heard lots of reasons for

lack of action. There’s the “I don’t know anythingabout investing” excuse. Another popular one is “Iheard you can lose all of your money” And then there’s the “Saving smallamounts of money isn’t worth the time” excuse. They go on and on.

Of course, we Reservists don’t have these excuses because we have the“new and improved” Thrift Savings Plan. The TSP, while not perfect, is apretty darn good place for your retirement money.

I’ll admit, the plan in effect prior to this year, with its 10-percent limit oncontributions, wasn’t a tremendous benefit for Reservists. However, the2006 plan changes all that. Your 2006 TSP offers all eligible participants theability to contribute 100 percent of pay, up to the allowable dollar limit of$15,000. This is huge!

Think about it. Whatever percentage of your Reserve pay that you don’tneed — or, more appropriately, excess cash flow that you can afford to savefor retirement — can be contributed to your private TSP account pre-tax.Yes, pre-tax!

Before I go any further, if you have revolving credit balances, creditcards or purchase plans, please clip this article and set it aside until thesebalances are paid off. Mortgages, car loans and home equity lines of cred-it are OK, but everything else is bad stuff. Pay it off ASAP.

Back to the TSP. If you are eligible, I’d recommend you contribute forthe same reasons I have contributed for years:" An active retirement is going to be terribly expensive. Last time I

checked, leisure activities and trips require lots of cash. Most people aren’tgoing to win the lottery or inherit millions, so if you want something, youhave to save for it." Money that you put into the TSP plan is “pre-tax,” and growth is “tax

deferred.” Not paying taxes now allows for bigger balances later." Saving and investing on a regular basis, i.e. every paycheck via pay-

roll deduction into the TSP, also called dollar cost averaging, works." The TSP plan is a lean machine. Management fees and administrative

expenses are minimal, and there are no sales commissions.So, the TSP is a good thing that got better in 2006 because of higher con-

tribution percentages and deferral limits. Note that contribution limitsapply to all employer-sponsored qualified retirement plans. So if you havea 401(k) as a civilian, your contribution to the TSP and your 401(k) cannotexceed the 2006 $15,000 deferral limit.

For more information, I recommend you log onto www.TSP.gov as wellas your “my pay” account. !

(Editor’s note: It’s Your Money is a new Citizen Airman magazine featuredesigned to provide financial advice of a general nature. Individuals should conducttheir own research and consult their own financial adviser before making any finan-cial decisions. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Colonel Lunt is the reserve forces director forthe Great Lakes region of the Air Force Civil Air Patrol advisors program. He is alsoa certified financial planner and vice president of a financial planning and consultingfirm. In addition, he is the creator and commentator for the Pentagon Channel’s“Military Money Matters.”)

New year brings big changes

to the Thrift Savings Plan

By Lt. Col. Ralph Lunt

stay with the old helmet-style headsets, he said.(Tech. Sgt. Sherri Savant, 917th WG public affairs)

Military, CivilianMedals Approved forHurricane Relief Work

Service members who took part inHurricane Katrina and/or Hurricane Rita

relief efforts may be eligible for a medal.The director of the Joint Staff has approved

awarding the Humanitarian Service Medal andthe Armed Forces Service Medal for U.S. mili-tary members. Department of Defense civiliansmay receive the Armed Forces Civilian ServiceMedal.

To qualify for the HSM, service membersmust have provided direct support to immedi-ate relief operations for at least one day in thearea of eligibility — east of and includingHouston (designated as 96 degrees longitude),Alabama, Louisiana or Mississippi — from Aug.29 to Oct. 13, 2005.

Service members eligible to receive the AFSMmust have provided direct support to reliefoperations for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days in the continental UnitedStates, minus the specific time period used toqualify for the HSM — from Aug. 27, 2005, toFeb. 27, 2006.

If a member receives an HSM for Katrinarelief operations, he or she cannot receive a sec-ond HSM for Rita. The same applies for theAFSM. However, people who receive the HSMmay later qualify for the AFSM if their directsupport does not include the dates and actionsused in their qualifications for the HSM.

To qualify for the AFCSM, civilians must haveprovided direct support to relief operations for30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive daysin the same area of eligibility and period as theAFSM.

Eligible Air Force personnel must provideproof of entitlement to their servicing militarypersonnel flight or civilian personnel office.Supporting documentation may consist ofassignment orders, temporary duty orders ortravel vouchers, a decoration citation, an enlistedor officer performance report reflecting participa-tion, or other official documentation that verifiesparticipation.

Any colonel in a command billet or civilianequivalent can approve the awarding of thesemedals if supporting documentation is notavailable.

Once verified, the servicing military or civil-ian personnel flight will update individualrecords. (Air Force Print News courtesy Air ForcePersonnel Center News Service) !


It’s beneficial for everyone: Reservists practicetheir skills while leaving something of valuebehind in communities across the country

By Bo Joyner

One Innovative Readiness Training project in 2005 had Reservists construct-ing a road through the Bear Paw Mountains on the Rocky Boys IndianReservation outside Havre, Mont. The reservation is getting an importantroad while Reservists are getting valuable training on heavy equipment.Above are pictures from various IRT projects in 2005.

ing the summer building Sabbath House,a lodge that is available for use by mem-bers of the clergy of all denominations.

“That was another excellent opportuni-ty for our Reservists to train in all aspectsof construction,” Major Carty said.

2005 was also a busy year for Reservistsinvolved with Project Transam, the IRTprogram that transfers excess medicalequipment and supplies from the

Department of Defense to Indian HealthService health-care facilities.

“When Hurricanes Katrina and Ritahit the Gulf Coast, our Transam folksreally stepped up to the plate and helpedget critical supplies into the area,” MajorCarty said.

In all, the program delivered morethan 27 tons of equipment and suppliesfor hurricane relief efforts.

“Transam provides great training forour people working at our warehouse atGrissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., and italso provides excellent training for theaircrews who fly the supplies throughoutthe United States,” the major said.

Excellent training was also the name ofthe game for the more than 100 medicalspecialists who took part in IRT projectsin 2005. Working at Indian HealthService facilities in Spirit Lake, N.D.,Billings, Mont., and Eagle Butte andRosebud, S.D., Reservists had the oppor-tunity to work at state-of-the-art treat-ment facilities and experience a cultureand customs that most people neverhave the chance to see first-hand.

While they are justifiably proud oftheir 2005 accomplishments, Reserve IRTofficials are gearing up for an equallybusy 2006.

“Funding is becoming harder to comeby due to the global war on terrorism,but we still have a full plate for ‘06, high-lighted by our biggest civil engineer proj-ect to date at the Helemano Plantation inHawaii,” Major Carty said.

At Helemano, Reservists will helpbuild dormitories, a community centerand a training center. The plantation pro-vides a real-world work environment forthe developmentally disabled. !

2005 was a banner year for AirForce Reserve Command’sInnovative Readiness Training

program — a civil-military partnershipthrough which Reservists, primarily civilengineers, medical specialists, logisti-cians and supply technicians, receivevaluable training while leaving some-thing of value behind for communitiesthroughout the United States.

“IRT continues to be a great way forReservists to practice their skills whilehelping out needy communities acrossthe country,” said Maj. Chuck Carty, IRTprogram manager.

In all, more than 400 Reservists partic-ipated in IRT projects in 2005, racking upmore than 60,000 training hours. At theRocky Boys Indian Reservation outsideof Havre, Mont., for example, sevenReservists spent part of their summercutting a major road through the BearPaw Mountains that will greatly facilitatetransportation on the reservation.

“That was the best heavy equipmenttraining these Reservists will ever get,”said Chief Master Sgt. Gil Taylor, IRTsuperintendent. “That project will con-tinue in ‘06, and when it’s completed, wewill have constructed nearly 5,000 feet ofnew road and excavated and movednearly 50,000 cubic yards of material.”

“These equipment operators are get-ting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to

get valuable stick time on bulldozers,excavators, rollers, front-end loaders anddump trucks,” said Senior Master Sgt.Rick Riel, an individual mobilizationaugmentee assigned to the 796th CivilEngineer Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base,Fla., and project manager at the RockyBoys site. “The reservation is getting animportant road project built, and theReservists are getting great training inthe process. That’s what IRT is all about.”

IRT is also about building relation-ships with people in the communitieswhere the Reservists are serving. At theRocky Boys annual pow-wow, triballeaders asked the Reservists to partici-pate in the opening ceremony. They,along with representatives from otherbranches of service, carried in the colors.

“That was a great honor for ourReservists and is something they willnever forget,” Sergeant Riel said.

In Bayfield, Wis., more than 80Reservists worked on a variety of proj-ects for the Red Cliff band of the LakeSuperior Chippewas. They constructedroads; built a baseball field, dugout andconcession stand; renovated a youth cen-ter; constructed a wheelchair ramp andfixed a drainage problem at the child-care center; and designed and built anew cemetery.

“One of the great things about IRT isthat it gives our Reservists a chance to

work alongside people from the otherservices,” Chief Taylor said. “At RedCliff, our Reservists worked hand-in-hand with reserve Soldiers and Sailors. Ittruly was a total-force effort.”

Since 1996, Air Force Reservists havebeen helping to build houses in Gallup,N.M., for needy members of the NavajoNation under a project called OperationFootprint.

“Operation Footprint has always beena staple of IRT, and this past year was nodifferent,” Chief Taylor said. “Buildinghouses is a great way for our Reserviststo expand their knowledge. They get tolearn a little about all phases of basic con-struction.”

In Bryson City, N.C., 89 civil engineersspent a total of 16,000 training hours dur-


Under Project Transam, Reservists delivered more than 27 tonsof equipment and supplies for hurricane relief efforts in 2005.

Reserve equipment operators received valuable training on bulldozers, excavators, front-end loaders and dump trucks whilebuilding the road through the Bear Paw Mountains.

A Reservist paints a new baseball fieldconcession stand in Bayfield, Wisc.

When the project is completed this year, Air Force Reservists will have helpedconstruct nearly 5,000 feet of new road and excavated and moved nearly

50,000 cubic yards of material at the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation.


A new era in the partnership between the Air Force Reserve andactive-duty force soared into the Rocky Mountains Oct. 25 when the70th Flying Training Squadron opened for business at the Air ForceAcademy. The formation of the new squadron, formerly known asDet. 1, 302nd Operations Group, marks the first time CitizenAirmen have had a permanent presence at the academy, located inColorado Springs. Reservists have augmented active-duty instruc-tors there for more than 10 years. The detachment started opera-tions in June 2004. More than 30 Reservists are involved in helpingcadets learn to pilot gliders. (Clockwise, from left) Maj. Bill Gagenwalks around a sailplane before takeoff; sailplanes line up forlaunch; the view from a glider soaring over the U.S. Air ForceAcademy; Major Gagen’s glider lifts off with the help of a “towplane”; after the glider touches down, Major Gagen and otherspush the airplane back into position for another flight. More infor-mation about the glider program and the active-duty/Reserve part-nership in Colorado is available online at http://www.afrc.af.mil/afrcnews/05167.asp.

PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR AND TECH. SGT. JASON TUDOR


New rules issued by the U.S. Labor Department inDecember put some teeth behind the federal lawdesigned to ensure job security for members of the

reserve components returning to civilian life from militaryduty.

Labor Secretary Elaine Chao announced the rules interpret-ing the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employmentRights Act during a speechat the National Press Club.She said this is the firsttime since the law’s pas-sage in 1994 that regula-tions have been developedto enforce it.

The rules are particularlycritical now, Ms. Chao said,when the United States hasthe largest group of mobi-lized guardsmen andreservists since World WarII. Since 9/11, almost530,000 reserve-componentpeople have been mobi-lized, many for more than ayear of duty. As of the firstof January, more than 2,500Air Force Reservists weremobilized.

“Our citizen-soldiers putthemselves in harm’s wayto defend our freedoms,and now it’s our turn to bethere for them,” Ms. Chaosaid. “These regulationswill ensure that the senior-ity, promotion, health care,pensions and other benefitsof our citizen-soldiers areprotected when they returnhome to the jobs they left toserve our country.”

The new rules, drafted inan easy-to-read question-and-answer format and published inthe Federal Register, explain how the USERRA law protectsagainst discrimination and retaliation because of military serv-ice and prevents service members from suffering civilian jobsetbacks because of their military obligations. The law alsoensures that guardsmen and reservists have ample time toreport back to their civilian jobs after completing their militaryduty.

Implementing rules that enforce the USERRA law benefitsguardsmen and reservists as well as their employers, said Maj.

Rob Palmer, a public affairs officer with the NationalCommittee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

“Anything that makes it easier for Guard and Reserve mem-bers to work with their employers and understand their rightsand responsibilities under the law is a benefit to everyone,” hesaid.

With more than 50 percent of the military’s manpower in thereserve components, em-ployer support is critical toU.S. national interests,Major Palmer said. Butmaking the relationshipwork “is not a one-waystreet,” he said. Guards-men and reservists alsohave responsibilities underUSERRA.

Among those responsi-bilities is keeping theiremployers informed abouttheir military commit-ments.

“We encourage Guardand Reserve members tocommunicate early andoften with their employersabout upcoming militaryobligations,” Major Palmersaid.

Work-related complaintsfrom returning guardsmenand reservists are down 30percent since their lastmajor deployment in theearly 1990s. Officials saidthis is largely due to theefforts of the Committeefor Employer Support ofthe Guard and Reserve,and solid support fromemployers.

During Operation DesertStorm, one in 54 mobilized troops filed work-related com-plaints with the Labor Department, officials said. During thewar on terrorism, the rate has dropped to one in 81.

Officials said they hope this trend continues and they see thenew USERRA rules as a big step toward that end.

Information about USERRA is available on the LaborDepartment’s Web site at http://www.dol.gov/vets/regs/fedreg/final/ and on the ESGR Web site at http://www.esgr.org/employers2/thelaw.asp?c=userra.html. !

(From American Forces Press Service)

You’re ProtectedRegulations developed to enforce federal law

Re-employment rights under USERRA

The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employ-ment Rights Act protects the job rights of individualswho voluntarily or involuntarily leave employmentpositions to undertake military service. USERRA alsoprohibits employers from discriminating against pastand present members of the uniformed services andapplicants to the uniformed services. Here are yourre-employment rights under USERRA:

You have the right to be re-employed in your civilianjob if you leave that job to perform service in the uni-formed service and:

" you ensure that your employer receives advancewritten or verbal notice of your service;

" you have five years or less of cumulative service inthe uniformed services while with that particularemployer;

" you return to work or apply for re-employment ina timely manner after conclusion of service; and

" you have not been separated from service with adisqualifying discharge or under other than honor-able conditions.

If you are eligible to be re-employed, you must berestored to the job you had when you left and givenbenefits you would have attained if you had notbeen absent due to military service or, in some cases,given a comparable job.

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