Thursday, May 15, 2008

COMMENTARY >> 'You complete me' – A tribute to our unsung heroes

By Maj. Deborah Dusek
314th Communications Squadron commander


At one point in the movie, "Jerry McGuire," Tom Cruise looks at RenĂ©e Zellweger and says to her, “You complete me.”
I know that for some people, this line in the movie is extremely tawdry, however, for others it rings true to how they feel about their spouses and children.

Even though I do not have a spouse or children, I believe the support of spouses and children does complete our Airmen in today’s Air Force.

The Air Force family is a wonderful body and we would not be nearly as happy, productive or driven if not for the wonderful people who stand beside us each day.

Just look around you at all the love and support during the last six months (give or take a few months) as Little Rock Air Force Base prepared for the Operational Readiness Inspection.

Even as our Airmen put in overtime, their spouses and children were too. They were relegated to do more errands, cook more meals and tend to their children’s needs even more so than when the pace on base is a bit slower.

Now some spouses may feel their efforts are in vain, or they are not recognized for what they are doing beside their spouses or that their efforts do not help the morale and welfare of others around the different organizations on the base. I beg to differ; being a commander, I hear from many different Airmen just how wonderful his or her spouse is every day. They rave about the fact their wife made the entire shop muffins one morning, or that “without her in my life, I would not be able to function.”

It is so fulfilling for me, as commander, to hear such pride and love rolling off the tongues of my Airmen.

I just love walking around the Communications Squadron and gazing at all the photos of loved ones at home.

Because we work such long hours and spend more time here at work, it is important for the Airmen to glance down at their photos every so often to remember why they raised their right hand and why they decided to reenlist for another four years.
It is because they want to provide a nice home for their families and to ensure that our nation is kept free from tyranny and terrorism for future decades.

I definitely believe in Tom Cruise’s line ... our military spouses and children do “complete” the men and women of our Air Force.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our military members’ spouses and children of for all they do behind the scenes, for the squadron and especially for standing proud beside their spouses and parents everyday.

VIEW FROM THE TOP >> Risk management in all we do

By Chief Master Sgt. Brooke McLean
314th Airlift Wing command chief


In the past two weeks, Air Education and Training Command has experienced two aircraft accidents with the tragic loss of four lives. Four Airmen lost and the lives of at least four families altered forever. These events remind us that our chosen profession is dangerous and comes with certain inherent risks.

I’ve heard it said that safety is paramount but that isn’t necessarily true. If we made safety paramount and did the safest possible thing, we wouldn’t fly, we wouldn’t put convoys on the roads of Iraq and we wouldn’t live anywhere close to tornado alley.

What is paramount in everything we do is risk management. Our Air Force has done a good job of educating the force in Operational Risk Management and we routinely measure the risks of an event, whether flying a sortie or driving on snow covered roads, and make leadership decisions based on established criteria. What I believe we don’t do well is transport that valuable training, experience, and judgment into our personal lives.

The summer season and the 101 critical days of summer are nearly on us and statistically this is the most dangerous time of year for off-duty Airmen. Playing in the sunshine is one of my favorite things to do but I can honestly say I haven’t always been smart about it and used common sense. Before I joined the Air Force, I owned a motorcycle and it wasn’t uncommon for my friends and me to ride to the lake wearing shorts and flip-flops. That’s it. No helmet, no jacket, gloves, and clearly no brain. I shiver at the thought of the DUMB risk I took each time I did that and how the life of my mother might have been shattered by my stupidity.

Please enjoy the summer and get away from work for some much deserved time off but make sure you take your brain with you. We work in a dangerous business and losing one Airman is too many but please use common sense and take your ORM skills with you this summer.

VIEW FROM THE TOP >> Moms – Our biggest fans

By Col. Mark Vlahos
314th Airlift Wing vice commander


Whenever someone introduces me as a guest speaker by reading my bio, typically, the first thing I say is "I wish my mother was here ... she would believe half of that!" This is because our moms ARE our biggest fans.

In 1907, a schoolteacher from Philadelphia named Anna Jarvis decided to find a way to pay tribute to her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis. After soliciting the help of hundreds of legislators and well-known business leaders, Mrs. Jarvis was able to honor her mother in a quiet church service with white carnations – her mother's favorite flower. Her continued effort to garner more national recognition for mothers was rewarded when in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May a national holiday to appreciate mothers.

There are approximately 64,000 women in the Air Force, many of whom are mothers. There are also many mothers supporting a spouse in uniform.

We owe a lot to these women because of their dedication to the mission at work and for their dedication to the mission of raising the future generation at home. Many endure long separations from their children in defense of freedom. Others who are supporting a spouse in uniform often endure long separations and take on responsibilities normally shared by two.

While we've come a very long way in the area of family support, it is the stay-behind mom who bears the brunt of the separation caused by deployments. Many mothers are too proud to ask for help even if they need it – they power through problems on their own. The job of a mother, in or out of uniform, is the toughest job but one that is much respected and appreciated in our society. My hat's off to all mothers out there!

Mothers are increasingly organizing to leverage their support and influence in the country. Several organizations such as Blue Star Mothers of America began their support of the nation's military men and women during WW II and it has continued through to today's Global War on Terrorism. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is dedicated to keeping drunks from getting behind the wheel of a car and putting themselves and the lives of others, especially children, at risk. The "soccer mom" remains a significant voting bloc in national elections and according to consultant Mary Bailey, mothers control 85 percent of household spending which amounts to $2.1 trillion in annually. When mothers speaks on matters of safety, convenience and appropriateness, corporate America listens.

Mothers are leaders. They lead in the home, in the boardroom and classroom, on the frontline and home front. They raise the nation's future leaders with a special mixture of nurture and discipline. We are better individuals and a stronger nation because of the love and leadership they provide.

Have a great, safe weekend and remember to take time on Sunday to thank all those who fulfill the role of mother in our lives. Combat Airlift!

Friday, May 2, 2008

TOP STORY >> 96th APS celebrates 33rd year

By Airman First Class Nathan Allen
314th Airlift Wing public affairs


Tracing its origins back to 1975, the 96th Aerial Port Squadron has been operating on Little Rock Air Force Base for nearly 28 years, but you may have never known it.

“A lot of people get out of their units all over the air base and don’t know where they’re going to go, but this is a great place to go, and not a lot of people know we’re here,” said Capt. Joseph Terry, 96th Aerial Port Squadron officer in charge cargo section and passenger terminal.

In addition to supplementing the 314th Logistics Readiness squadron with deployments and backfilling with man days when needed, the primary function of the 96th APS is to train combat ready world class aerial transporters.

“We get the war fighters where they need to be,” said Captain Terry. “The 96th Aerial Port Squadron functions within the Air Force Reserve. We do a lot of AEF rotations. We rotate out just like our active duty counterparts here on base. We function just like any other Aerial Port Squadron. We don’t deviate in any way. We train the same ways they do.”

“Basically the two things that we do are move people and cargo,” Captain Terry said. “We don’t fly with the airplanes but we work around them. Cargo, pallets, rolling stock, it could be anything as far as equipment, supply or passengers. We put them on the airplane. We have the same requirements as far as loading airplanes as the 314th LRS does, we’re just reservists.”

“We have approximately 126 people here. They come from all walks of life. We have schoolteachers, government workers, and farmers who all come here and do the mission that is required of us.”

According to Senior Master Sgt. Cynthia Underwood, 96th Aerial Port Squadron superintendent, members of the squadron have to undergo the same training and be ready to do the same jobs as their active duty counterparts, but in a fraction of the time.
“We have to get the training done and be ready to go 24 days out of the year and be ready to go do the same job.”

Sergeant Underwood says that there is a certain pride that comes with wearing the uniform part time.

“When a reservist gets off of their civilian job Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., and pack their bag on Saturday morning, get up and put on their uniform and come in to do this mission, I think it makes it a little bit more special,” she said. “That is a big difference from putting on the uniform every day.”

COMMENTARY >> How does contracting work?

By Lt. Col. Mitchell Appley
314th Contracting Squadron commander


It’s the end of June, and the boss comes to you with a hot requirement to purchase a new audio visual system for your unit’s conference room.

You do some market research of your own and find out that a system, with the features and specifications you need, will probably cost about $50,000. You realize the purchase will need to be made through the contracting squadron but you’re not sure how to get started and panic begins to set in.

We understand that the acquisition process can sometimes seem complicated and confusing especially if it’s the first time you’ve prepared a requirement’s package.

The 314th Contracting Squadron is committed to providing you with the best possible acquisition support that we can, and we’ve developed some resources we hope can help.

A good place to get started is on the 314th Contracting Squadron community of practice where you’ll be able to find and access squadron points of contact, our customer guide, a cheat sheet for preparing your AF Form 9, resource management training and other useful information.

Here are a few important tips to remember to help the acquisition process go smoother:

• DO contact us as soon as you know of a requirement!

• If you’re the resource advisor, remind your commander or management team to keep you involved and if you’re a
commander or project officer, keep your resource advisor involved!

• DO ensure someone who knows about the requirement will be available to answer the contracting officer’s questions, especially in September!

• DO provide an “approved” civil engineer work request, Air Force Form 332, with your Air Force Form 9 for the purchase or modification of real property. Examples: Installation of equipment requiring wiring (audio visual or PA equipment); equipment to be attached to the walls or floors (space saver filing systems, chapel pews)

• Before you go to the trouble of preparing an AF Form 9 for anything computer-related – hardware, software, or information technology services – contact the base equipment control officer 987-8265 or the wing information assurance office at 987-8628 for guidance

• DON’T hold your requirement package because you are waiting for quotes or because you don’t know exactly what you want. Contracting can assist with market research and save you time and money!

• DON’T ask a contractor to come out and look at your conference room, office setup, furniture or anything else. Why? 1. You can be charged for the visit. 2. There’s no guarantee that contracting will award to the vendor you “selected.” 3. You could easily compromise the entire process.

So remember there’s no need to panic about how to get that hot requirement on contract for your boss.

Call the contracting squadron first and we will aggressively work with you to define requirements, identify optimum acquisition solutions and deliver the right products and services to meet your mission requirements.

VIEW FROM THE TOP >> An honorable guard

By Chief Master Sgt. Brooke McLean
314th Airlift Wing command chief


I watched another group of individuals make a significant step in their military progression two weeks ago as we graduated eight more Honor Guard members to serve Team Little Rock. As I watched the individuals perform the precision movements that characterize our Honor Guard, I reflected on what each of them mean to our community and to me, individually.

For our community, the Honor Guard provides invaluable services ranging from presenting our Nation's Colors to training and interaction with JROTC detachments to military funerals. Many of us are blessed to see these professional Airmen perform their details on a regular basis-we appreciate them for their dignity, appearance, and precision. Some in the community, especially the smaller outlying towns, see the Honor Guard infrequently. In fact, since our Honor Guard's area of responsibility covers the entire state of Arkansas, for some small community residents, the Honor Guard may be the only person in uniform they ever see. Those Honor Guard members become the Air Force in the eyes of those people ... and we cannot fail to represent our service well to the citizens we serve.

Individually, I thought about the significance of the military funeral and the role our Honor Guard plays in providing the ultimate tribute to a fallen comrade. Whether active duty, veteran, or retiree, I can think of no higher honor than having the cloth of our nation draped over the casket of someone who served their country. For the surviving family, having an Honor Guard detail perform must represent the ultimate farewell by comrades in arms. It would bring me great comfort to know my family member served with individuals the caliber we see in our Honor Guard.

To all Honor Guard members, past, present, and future, I offer my sincere thanks to you for your service and for how well you represent everyone who wears the uniform.

VIEW FROM THE TOP >> Wingman Day – Remember to care

By Col. Mark Vlahos
314th Airlift Wing vice commander


Today, our Air Force faces tough challenges. We just came through a demanding Operational Readiness Inspection, and amidst everything we continue to fight a long war against terrorism.

However, in the midst of dominating the realms of air, space and cyberspace worldwide, we can never lose sight of what is most important--our Airmen. I am an Airmen and very proud of it. I would not be here today as a Vice Wing Commander if it were not for some great Airmen who took care of me in my career. Let’s make sure we do the same for each other.

Our last DUI happened 24 days ago, and we stand at 11 DUI’s so far for the fiscal year. The foundation of the Wingman philosophy is Airmen helping Airmen. From the first day a new Airman - enlisted, officer, or civilian – joins the Air Force they are introduced to the “Wingman culture.”

This is because we need to make this concept as central to our thinking as our individual devotion to the three core values. Establishing the Wingman culture requires commitment from each of us. It’s an ideology that must permeate everything we do and be implemented everywhere we go; on and off-base, on and off-duty, day in and day out. I believe lives our saved at the tactical level of leadership; this is where the Wingman concept kicks in and works!

There are a few fundamental elements of being a good Wingman. The first is building relationships. Caring about our fellow Airmen and knowing them well enough to recognize when they need our help and support, or in some cases, intervention.
Each Airman must have a strong moral compass that helps us make responsible choices.

When we see our Wingman struggling in a compromising situation, we can provide the moral support to overcome the challenge. We must always encourage each other to do the right thing – a direct tie back to our core values. The last essential is teamwork. Wingmen never work alone.

Deployments, family expectations, financial concerns and sometimes adverse job requirements are all stressors. Nobody can do our mission like we do, and we can’t do it without each other. So, do you have a Wingman? If you don't, I strongly urge you go find one. There is no higher calling than to be a Wingman for a fellow Airmen.

Take advantage of next week’s Wingman Day by participating in the activities your units have set up to grow your relationships with fellow Airmen.

Take time to build your team and provide the mutual support that ensures we can get the mission done and take care of each other, regardless of the challenge. Thank you for everything you do; be proud to call yourself and Airmen in the world’s greatest Air Force, and let’s enjoy our Wingman Day!

Combat Airlift!