BRIEFS >> 101615

Town hall meeting

Installation Commander Col. Charles Brown Jr. hosts a Town Hall meeting from 6 - 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Walters Community Center. For those who are not able to attend, there will be an opportunity to participate via social media. See the base’s Facebook Page,  www.facebook.com/LittleRockAirForceBase for more information.

Commissioning town hall meeting

The 19th Force Support Squadron hosts a commissioning town hall meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 in the Walters Center ballroom. The meeting covers all of the different commissioning programs available and features a Q&A session with prior enlisted officers. Call 987-3417 for more information.

Month of the Military Family

November is Month of the Military Family and the Airman and Family Readiness Center marks the month with a Something For Everyone Extravaganza from 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Warfit Track. The event feature games and activities where participants earn points for prizes. Prizes include trophies, bicycles and $500, $300 and $100 gift cards. A free lunch is served from 11a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The day also includes a Littlest Warrior Pageant and We’ve Got Talent competitions that require signing up by Nov. 6. Call the A&FRC at 987-2667 to register. There will also be basketball and weight lifting competitions. Register for those events by sending an e-mail to afrc.events@gmail.com no later than Nov. 2. Registration must include unit name, contact number, team name and names of each member.

Retiree flu shots

Retirees ages 50 and over can now get their flu shots at the 19th Medical Group Immunizations Clinic. The clinic is open 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Call 987-2927 for more information.

Essay contest for military children

The Airman and Family Readiness Center sponsors an children’s essay contest with the topic “What’s the best thing about being a Military Kid?” as part of Military Family Month activities. Age categories are 5-6 years, 7-8 years, 9-10 years and 11-12 years. Submissions must include: child’s and parent’s name, child’s age and contact phone number. Essays will be rated on creativity/originality, clear presentation of topic, structure/organization/grammar and style/emotional/appeal. Essays are due Oct. 26 and should be handwritten and dropped off at the Airman and Family Readiness Center inside the Walters Community Support Center.  Winners will be announced at the Month of the Military Family event Nov. 7 and entrants must be present to win. Call the A&FRC at 501-987-2667 for more information.

Volunteers needed

Motivated volunteers are needed for the third annual Diversity Day slated for January. Planning meetings are set for 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday in Bldg. 430 Passenger Room 1. The event will encompass all 10 federal observances, including Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Black History Month, and there are committees for each observance. For more information, email the event project officer, Capt. Tarah Mitchell, at tarah.mitchell.1@us.af.mil.

TOP STORY >> Red Devil rolls perfect game

By Master Sgt. Jeff Walston

913th Airlift Group Public Affairs

Most bowlers step up to the line for the first roll of the game hoping it will be their first “perfect game.”

That was not the case when U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anthony Szeluga, a loadmaster assigned to the 50th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, shocked the crowd of bowling enthusiasts during a tournament on Oct. 8, 2015, when he bowled a perfect 300. Szeluga was thinking it might be number eight. And, it was.

The final score for the 4-person team was 821, and it was enough for the 50th AS team to take first place in the Session 1 Bowling Tournament.

Asked if he ever considered becoming a professional bowler, Szeluga responded, “I thought about it when I was a kid. However, after I grew up I knew I wasn’t good enough to be a professional.”

The 50th AS team consisted of Szeluga, Senior Airmen Steven Bargmann and Tiffany Raimes, 50th AS crew chief and loadmaster and Cory Wright, 61st AS loadmaster.  

Bowling for 22 years, Szeluga’s father started coaching him at the age five and supported by taking him bowling on weekends.

”I have traveled throughout the United States going to youth tournaments and was lucky enough to receive a bowling scholarship to Martin Methodist College, where I was part of the bowling team and earned my bachelor’s degree in history,” Szeluga said.

Passionate about being a loadmaster, Szeluga has no plans of becoming an Air Force officer, even though he has a college degree. 

While Szeluga loves what he does, work can still be stressful. CareerCast.com lists “Enlisted Military Personnel” as the #2 of “Most Stressful Jobs of 2015.” A “Military General” is #3. For Szeluga, bowling is stress relief, most of the time.

“Bowling can be either relaxing and enjoyable, or frustrating and unbearable,” Szeluga said. “It all depends on the seriousness of the person. I do not take bowling lightly. For me, the hardest part is the science behind the game; knowing all the little things to adjust to put yourself in a better scoring situation.” 

His knowledge and experience of the game are not taken for granted; Szeluga passes the lessons of his father on to others.

“When tournaments approach throughout the year, my key for success is to practice and to have fun,” Szeluga said. “After all, it is just a game. I learned a lot in my youth and today I teach others so they too might have a chance to have some of the opportunities that I did.”

TOP STORY >> Adventure awaits: Outdoor Rec trips suit everyone’s needs

By Tammy Reed

19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Depending on who you ask, some may say there is nothing to do at Little Rock Air Force Base. Ask Nathan Koppersmith though, and you may be surprised at just how much there is available. He’s Outdoor Recreation’s new Outdoor Adventure program coordinator, and  the list of events and activities he’s planning is extensive for both on-base and off-base adventure.

Under his direction, there are two zombie hunts available Friday and Nov. 6, trips to a trampoline park and a Christmas tree farm in the works, as well as day hikes, kayak trips and more.  To celebrate the cooler weather, there will be a Family Fun Night Oct. 30 behind Outdoor Recreation’s building 656 on 6th Street that will be reminiscent of fall festivals.

“We’ll have bouncy houses, hay rides, free hamburgers and hot dogs, apple cider and hot cocoa, and do our best to get candy for the kids as well,” Koppersmith said.  “It’s a free event all around.

“There’s a trampoline park in downtown Little Rock; you can go there and jump on trampolines, play dodgeball, basketball, jump in the foam pit, do flips – all kinds of crazy stuff,” he added. “Adults can bring their kids and have all kinds of fun.”

Planning these trips since he first reported on the job in August, Koppersmith’s goal is to get people out of the dorms and off the base to see the sights and activities of the Natural State. 

“We got some good feedback from the surveys we sent out recently,” he said, “And we are trying to revamp things now.  We are trying to find as many new things as we can and jam pack them into our schedule.  Our goal is to have two trips a month, but in the spring or summer we might have more than that.

“We are doing a day hike to Mount Magazine Nov. 14; then we are doing a trip to a Christmas tree farm Nov. 28,” he added.  “There’s a petting zoo and train rides for the kids, so your whole family can go. We will actually bring your tree back to base on a trailer, then you can take it home from there.”

In January he’s planning a geocaching – treasure hunting with a GPS – trip; in February he is coordinating a “Breakout and Escape” event where participants are locked in a room with a set of clues to help them get out before the time’s up.

Some other highlights of what’s to come include the Warrior Dash, a 5k Mud Run in the summer; a guided fishing trip; and a two-day hog hunt when it’s warmer outside.

Anyone with suggestions for trips or activities can post them on Outdoor Recreation’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/19FSSODR. Koppersmith suggested participants give them likes and comments on Outdoor Recreation activities they’ve done and would like to do again. 

CLASSIFIEDS >> 100215

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE COMBAT AIRLIFTER CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT will take ads by phone from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday 982-9421, or you may mail your ad to 404 Graham Rd., Jacksonville, Ark. 72078. You may also e-mail them to combatairlifterclassifieds@arkansasleader.com Deadline to advertise in Friday’s issue is 5 p.m. Tuesday.

WANTED 10 EXISTING HOMES that need METAL ROOFS, SIDING OR WINDOWS for our Fall brochure. Save Hundreds. Payments $59/mo. No money down EZ financing. Senior/Military Discounts. Call Now!! 866-668-8681.**

Government Loan Program - Up to $25,000 to homeowners for qualified home improvement. Metal roofing, Sun room, Siding, Bath, Windows. Walk-in Jacuzzi Safety Tubs. Low monthly payments. Call for info. 800.364.1510.**

SERVICES

Dish Network – Get MORE for LESS! Starting $19.99/month (for 12 months.) PLUS Bundle & SAVE (Fast Internet for $15 more/month.) CALL Now 1-800-393-5829.**

EMERGENCIES can strike at any time. Wise Food Storage makes it easy to prepare with  tasty, easy-to-cook meals  that have a 25-year shelf life. FREE SAMPLE. Call: 800-714-6433.**

HELP WANTED

Immediate Hire - $725 a week. Are you self-motivated? Local company has 10-15 openings for air quality testers. No experience necessary. No Layoffs. Call for an interview at (501) 605-1303.

PART-TIME POSITION - Ophthalmology/Optometry clinic is searching for just the right person to join our team in North Pulaski county. Must be energetic, detailed oriented and outgoing. Will train. You may email your resume to:  manager@jacksonvilleeyedocs.com or fax to 501-985-0715.

Can You Dig It? Heavy Equipment Operator Career! Offering: Training Certifications Running Bulldozers, Backhoes/ Excavators. VA Benefits Eligible! 1-866-362-6497. ACT, Dothan AL, Licensed SBPCE.**

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS Subteach USA, eoe. Now hiring! Free Training & Support, Weekly Pay, Flexible Schedule. Must be: at least 21 yrs. of age, HSD/Min. 3. Pass FBI background check. Call  1-800-641-0140 for more info, or apply online at: SubTeachUSA.com.**

“Come join our Management Team at Little Caesars!” Asst. Managers, Co-Managers and General Managers Central Arkansas locations: Benton, Bryant, Pine Bluff, Searcy, Conway areas. On-going training & comprehensive benefits pkg. Two yrs. exp. in Restaurant Management preferred. Call 501-833-9444 or fax resume to 501-835-6112, or  email to: info@littlecaesarsofar.com for interview.**

TRUCK DRIVER TRAINEES NEEDED! Learn to drive for Stevens Transport! EARN $800 PER WEEK! No Experience Needed! We will get you trained! ! 1-888-778-0459.**

TRUCK DRIVER TRAINEES NEEDED! Learn to drive for Maverick Transportation! EARN $800 PER WEEK! No Experience Needed! Local CDL Training! Call for details! 1-888-407-7168.**

DRIVERS - No experience? Some or LOTS of experience? Let's Talk! No matter what stage in your career, its time, call Central Refrigerated Home. (855) 610-8784. CentralTruckDrivingJobs.com.**

Butler Transport - Your Partner in Excellence. CDL Class A Drivers Needed. Sign on Bonus! All miles paid. 1-800-528-7825 or www.ButlerTransport.com.**

YARD SALES

YARD SALE, 10/2, 8 am-4 pm, 10/3, 8 am-noon, 12307 Bear Creek Ln., 6 miles west of Des Arc on Hwy. 38 W., look for signs. Lots of items, bicycles, clothes, houseware, golf clubs, dishwasher. All prices negotiable.

BIG YARD sale, 10/2 & 3, 6 am-? 2227 W. Main, Jacksonville. Lots of good items.

6-FAMILY GARAGE sale, 10/2 & 3, 7 am-?, 10/4, 2 pm-4 pm, 301 Ranch Ridge Ct., Jacksonville.

HORSES

HORSES: LUCKY Acres Boarding Stable, TLC for your horse, box stalls and paddocks, clean pastures, indoor and outdoor arenas, riding instruction and training program. Dressage our specialty. (501) 988-2458.

AUTOS/ACCESSORIES

2008 DODGE Durango SXT 2WD, 74,400 mi., tires w/12,000 mi., new brakes & shocks, tinted windows, rear air, 3rd row seat, garage kept, excellent condition, $8,000. (501) 993-0666.

1992 GEO Metro 4-Dr., auto, 73,500 miles, 2 new tires w/front end alignment, runs well, $1,200 obo. (501) 985-0165.

LAWN & FARM

END OF SUMMER GRASS PRICING! Bermuda $1.25 sq yd*, Meyers Z-52 Zoysia, $2.50/sq yd*. Prices are COD on full truck loads in the LR area. Call 800-458-4756. Double Springs Grass Farm.**

MISC.

PANTHER CREEK CARPORTS - FACTORY DIRECT - 10'x20'x7', $598 Delivered and Installed! Rated for 90 mph winds & 20 lb. snow loads. Offer extended to 10-3. Call 501-835-7222, O.D. Funk Manufacturing, Sherwood, AR. Since 1976.**

Shop & Save. Over 1,000 stores. Stores include Walmart® and Macy’s®. Choose any category, shop and check out. Shop online with great discounts. Mall-For-All.com.**

FURNITURE

KING BEDROOM suite, twin towers w/lighted bridge, dbl. dresser w/mirror, sofa table, entertainment center, no mattress or stand. (501) 851-1923 or (501) 960-3707.

BED w/BOOKCASE storage w/pillowtop mattress if desired, new $1,069, sell for $550 obo. (501) 985-1250.

HOUSES FOR RENT

HOUSE IN the country, down private drive, 3 bedroom, 1 bath, ceiling fans, all electric, central heat & air, lots of shade trees. No dogs. $500 month, $300 deposit. 8810 Hutchins Rd., Jacksonville. (501) 837-0264.

RENT/SALE: Gravel Ridge, newly remodeled 3 bedroom, 2 bath in good neighborhood. Living room, kitchen/dining room, bonus room, big closets, fenced, large storage shed, garden spot. $800 month, $750 deposit. 3 miles to back gate of base. Close to schools, on bus route. (501) 615-4933 or (501) 400-4727.

4 BEDROOM, 2 1/2 bath, freeway access, $1,650 mo. Call (562) 235-7022 for appt. to view property. Nice, quiet community, close to shopping.

NEW HOME for rent, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1313 Oak Forest Dr., Jacksonville, $1,100 month. (501) 351-1631.

STONEHENGE, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, dining room, 2-car garage, beautiful home, first time rented, $1,300 month, $1,300 deposit. Pets upon approval. 628-1225.

LOVELY 4 bedroom, 2 bath, new carpet in bedrooms, new wood floors in living room, freshly painted, must see, $1,150 month, $1,150 deposit. (501) 628-1225.

FURNISHED 3 bedroom, 2 bath house w/garage & yard for dog. 5 miles from front gate of base in Jacksonville. Washer & dryer available. Storage shed. Available October 16th. Email at: fyt8807@yahoo.com

Sherwood, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, master w/walk-in closet, 6’ Jacuzzi, office, laundry room, living room, great room w/fireplace and bar, huge deck, fenced yard, storage room, double carport, 2050 sq. ft., $1050 month, $1050 deposit. (501) 960-0079.

MOBILE HOMES

MUST Move - 96 Clayton Singlewide. $12,000 call asap! 501-653-3202.**

TOP STORY >> Changes to TRICARE prescription benefits

By Senior Airman Harry Brexel

19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs 

As of Oct. 1, a new law now requires all TRICARE beneficiaries, except active-duty service members, to get select brand name maintenance drugs through either TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery or from a military pharmacy. 

Maintenance drugs are prescriptions that are taken regularly for a long time, such as drugs to control blood pressure or cholesterol. The new law does not apply to drugs you take for a short time, like antibiotics, or generic drugs. Beneficiaries living overseas, or with other prescription drug coverage, are not affected. 

Beneficiaries who keep using a retail pharmacy for these drugs will have to pay costs in their entirety.

The Little Rock AFB pharmacy expects a 10-percent increase in the amount of prescriptions that they will fill.

“We fill upwards of 1,000 prescriptions per day here,” said Capt. Andrew Tate, 19th Medical Support Squadron pharmacy operations director. “The pharmacy will begin to include and stock more medications. We encourage our customers to be patient. We will also experiment with new operation processes to be efficient as possible.”

The TRICARE pharmacy contractor, Express Scripts, is sending a letter to beneficiaries taking an affected drug, explaining their options. To check if you are affected, call Express Scripts at 1-877-363-1303. 

Beneficiaries still filling an affected drug at a retail pharmacy will receive another letter informing them of the change to the benefit.  After that, beneficiaries have one final “courtesy” fill at a retail pharmacy. If they fill at a retail pharmacy again, they have to pay 100-percent of the cost of their medication.

TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery is a safe, convenient and low cost option to get maintenance drugs. You can get up to a 90-day supply, as opposed to a 30-day supply from a retail pharmacy. You save up to $176 a year for every brand name drug you switch to Home Delivery. Military pharmacies offer up to a 90-day supply of drugs with zero copay, but not all drugs are available. You can check with the Little Rock Air Force Base pharmacy to see if they carry your prescription. 

For more information about this change to TRICARE’s pharmacy benefit, visit www.tricare.mil/RxNewRules. 

TOP STORY >> Civic leaders take to the sky

 By Tammy L. Reed

19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Local community members from businesses and organizations surrounding the base reported at base operations with a 6:30 a.m. show time, Friday, September 25, for a special mission. 

Their goal – to learn first-hand about the Air Force’s mission and how they, as civic leaders, can work with Team Little Rock to mutually support their communities and the base.

Approximately 25 men and women from towns like Cabot, Sherwood, Jacksonville and Little Rock took part in the annual Team Little Rock Civic Leader Tour which gave the local leaders a chance to fly aboard a 19th Airlift Wing C-130J see another base’s mission up close.

Participants in this year’s tour hopped a C-130J flown by Team Little Rock Commander Col. Charles Brown Jr. to Dyess AFB, Texas, to meet with 7th Bomb Wing and 317th Airlift Group leaders and learn about their base’s mission and how they work with the Abilene, Texas community. Dyess’ story is much the same as LRAFB, as Abilene provided land for the base, like Jacksonville did for LRAFB. Both communities continue their close ties with their respective bases through partnerships and sharing resources.

“My favorite part of the experience was spending time in the cockpit of the C-130. It was such a unique thing to do. I enjoyed the views, learning about the equipment and visiting with the pilots,” said Haley Lagassé, Central Arkansas Library System Head of Public Services and Main Library.

Colonel Brown, Chief Master Sgt. Rhonda Buening, 19th Airlift Wing Command Chief; John Steele, 19th Mission Support Group deputy commander and the civic leaders then joined Dyess leaders for a stop at the B-1 bomber simulator; lunch with Dyess Military Affairs Committee members; and a quick weapons demonstration before touring the base and ending with a walk through of a B-1 bomber in the flesh.   

“When I saw the C-130, B-1 simulator and the actual B-1 aircraft and its associated avionics equipment, it reinforced the theory I teach in the classrooms with practical military applications,” said Harding University, Associate Professor Charles Wu who teaches circuits, electronics, digital signal processing and communication theory.

After flying back to Little Rock, Lagassé said she was impressed by the hospitality displayed by all of the Air Force personnel, and it was interesting to hear from Dyess about their frequent deployments.

“It was obvious throughout the day, the sense of comradery that base personnel have with each other, and I learned more about how the Air Force intentionally cultivates that from personnel at Dyess,” she added. “I enjoyed learning about the community partnerships both bases have with other organizations in their respective communities.”

TOP STORY >> Peruvian exchange program builds human capital

By Senior Airman Harry Brexel

19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs 

Little Rock Air Force Base is no stranger to international training, and Airmen here have trained military members from six different continents. However, one training program exists that sets itself apart from the rest.  

Capt. Javier Camacho, a Peruvian Air Force logistics officer, has been working alongside 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron Airmen here for a year and a half. He is the third Peruvian Air Force officer to do so since 2010. 

Unlike most international students who train at Little Rock AFB, Camacho is not a pilot and does not fly aboard C-130s.  

“I volunteered for this logistics exchange program and was lucky enough to be selected,” Camacho said. “I worked in C-130 logistics in Peru, so Little Rock is a good place for me to learn.” 

Camacho’s tour here is a total of 25 months. While he is stationed here, an American Airman is simultaneously learning Peruvian Air Force logistics operations in Lima, Peru’s capital. 

“I’ve already learned a lot here,” Camacho said. “One of our biggest logistical challenges in Peru is our budget. It’s apparent that the U.S. Air Force has a much larger budget than we have.” 

Camacho cited one example where U.S. and Peruvian Airmen learned from each other, despite funding differences.  

“I remember hearing about a U.S. military helicopter that ran out of fuel and landed in the Peruvian jungle,” he said. “There was a portable fuel bladder located fairly nearby, but it had holes. Since it was damaged, the U.S. troops planned to wait five more days for a new fuel bladder to be sent. Instead, Peruvian airmen patched up the holes and got fuel to the helicopter much faster.” 

Camacho will gain experience working in three different sections of the 19th LRS before heading back to Peru. 

He has already observed how materiel management Airmen maintain and provide equipment and supplies for C-130 combat airlift operations.  He is currently working in the fuels section learning how specialists refuel Air Force vehicles and aircraft and how all petroleum products are received, stored and tracked.  

“The last place I will work before heading back is with the aerial port flight,” Camacho said. 

Peru has approximately ten C-130s. Currently, the Peruvian Air Force does not perform airdrops.

“Our C-130s don’t eject cargo for in-flight delivery,” said Camacho. “So our logistics squadrons don’t train to rig parachutes for equipment.  However, I hope that in the future, our C-130s and airmen will have that capability.” 

Only time will tell if the U.S. Air Force will further aid Peru in the development of airpower abilities. In June 2013, Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and U.S. President Barack Obama promised to strengthen ties between both nations, including in the fight against narcotics trafficking and in tightening economic ties.

Though Camacho is learning a lot, he looks forward to returning home. 

“I really miss my friends and family,” Camacho said. “I especially miss Peruvian food.” 

When Camacho is not working or communicating with friends and family back home, he gets involved with a favorite Peruvian pastime, by refereeing at local soccer games near base.

“I hope that by participating in this exchange program, I’ve helped in building a better future for both the U.S. and Peru.” Camacho said.