By Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Brinkley
19th Airlift Wing command chief
How many times in the last week have you had to stop what you were doing to re-address something that you thought you had clearly communicated. Whether it’s on the job, or with our friends or even in our homes, miscommunication can lead to wasted time and other frustrations. On the other hand, good communication pays huge dividends to our professional and personal lives.
When I joined the Air Force 25 years ago, the preferred form of communication was actually talking to people. What a concept. Of course back then most of my work was done on a typewriter; I’m sure I just lost the younger generation with that reference. Fast forward to 2009 and people use e-mail or text messaging versus looking a person in the eyes. These are great forms of reaching out, but I believe nothing can replace the human touch. You ever notice that people will say things over e-mail that they would have trouble saying face to face?
Yet, I submit to you that with advances in technology and a robust mission, effective dialogue is the difference between good and great results. We cannot solely rely on Web based training, e-mail, text messaging or manuals to develop our Airmen. Lt. Col. Ken Walters, 19th Airlift Wing director of staff, put it in perspective for me today. His point was interpersonal communication establishes and solidifies healthy working relationships.
Wherever our Airmen are, supervision should be visible and actively communicating. No better sight is there than a supervisor doing over-the-shoulder training with a new Airman ensuring safety and checklist discipline. Good leadership understands communication is a bridge builder and uses it to develop the best team possible. My question to you is, are you an automated wizard or a hands-on leader? Automation is a tool, yet hands-on leadership brings vision to life. Talk to you soon.
Combat Airlift!
Friday, February 6, 2009
View From The Top>>Servant leadership
By Col. Gregory S. Otey
19th Airlift Wing commander
January was a time of change for Team Little Rock. On Jan. 20th our nation's military welcomed a new Commander in Chief in President Barack Obama. Eight days later, I took command of the 19th Airlift Wing and Little Rock Air Force Base.
I haven't always been a commander and not that long ago, I stood where you are today. Anytime there is a change in leadership, it's common for every echelon of command to place a temporary hold on making certain changes or decisions.
This is many times justified by saying "Let's wait to see what the new guy wants." A change of command often times brings about a change in direction, but no one should be left wondering what "the new guy" wants.
What I want from you is simple. I want each of you to place the mission first; take care of people always; and demand 19th Airlift Wing excellence always! It's just that simple. I believe strongly in servant leadership. This approach emphasizes each leader's role as a steward of the resources -- human, financial, and otherwise -- provided to them by their organization. Servant leadership allows each of us to serve others while we stay focused on achieving great results based on the Air Force's Core Values.
Being a servant leader calls for selflessness. Selflessness may mean that a leader must make an unpopular decision because the leader feels it's in the best interests of those they serve. An example that comes to mind is that of a politician who champions an unpopular policy when they believe it's in the best interests of the country.
Servant leaders are devoted to serving the needs of the organization's members. This means they focus on meeting the needs of those they lead; developing employees to bring out the best in them; coaching others to encourage self-expression; facilitating personal growth in everyone who works for them; and listening and helping build a sense of community.
To be an effective servant leader you must apply all of these facets, but the one I'm most honed in on now is maintaining and expanding a sense of community and teamwork. This sense of community extends beyond the base gates. It's vital that we continue to strengthen the great ties with our central Arkansas neighbors.
I have been careful not to set any goals for the wing yet because I believe it is important to take time to observe how the mission is accomplished, see what is working and why, and then see what can be improved upon. Then I will work with the great team of leaders here to create goals based on what is necessary to take us to that next level.
We have a great history of providing unrivaled Combat Airlift for America always. If each of us acts as a responsible steward for our resources, remains loyal to those we serve and continues to place the mission first, there will be no need to wait for a new set of goals. The 19th Airlift Wing Black Knights and Team Little Rock have worked hard to earn their distinction as the home of C-130 Combat Airlift. That shouldn't - and I believe won't - change based on whose name is at the top of our organizational chart. Combat Airlift!
19th Airlift Wing commander
January was a time of change for Team Little Rock. On Jan. 20th our nation's military welcomed a new Commander in Chief in President Barack Obama. Eight days later, I took command of the 19th Airlift Wing and Little Rock Air Force Base.
I haven't always been a commander and not that long ago, I stood where you are today. Anytime there is a change in leadership, it's common for every echelon of command to place a temporary hold on making certain changes or decisions.
This is many times justified by saying "Let's wait to see what the new guy wants." A change of command often times brings about a change in direction, but no one should be left wondering what "the new guy" wants.
What I want from you is simple. I want each of you to place the mission first; take care of people always; and demand 19th Airlift Wing excellence always! It's just that simple. I believe strongly in servant leadership. This approach emphasizes each leader's role as a steward of the resources -- human, financial, and otherwise -- provided to them by their organization. Servant leadership allows each of us to serve others while we stay focused on achieving great results based on the Air Force's Core Values.
Being a servant leader calls for selflessness. Selflessness may mean that a leader must make an unpopular decision because the leader feels it's in the best interests of those they serve. An example that comes to mind is that of a politician who champions an unpopular policy when they believe it's in the best interests of the country.
Servant leaders are devoted to serving the needs of the organization's members. This means they focus on meeting the needs of those they lead; developing employees to bring out the best in them; coaching others to encourage self-expression; facilitating personal growth in everyone who works for them; and listening and helping build a sense of community.
To be an effective servant leader you must apply all of these facets, but the one I'm most honed in on now is maintaining and expanding a sense of community and teamwork. This sense of community extends beyond the base gates. It's vital that we continue to strengthen the great ties with our central Arkansas neighbors.
I have been careful not to set any goals for the wing yet because I believe it is important to take time to observe how the mission is accomplished, see what is working and why, and then see what can be improved upon. Then I will work with the great team of leaders here to create goals based on what is necessary to take us to that next level.
We have a great history of providing unrivaled Combat Airlift for America always. If each of us acts as a responsible steward for our resources, remains loyal to those we serve and continues to place the mission first, there will be no need to wait for a new set of goals. The 19th Airlift Wing Black Knights and Team Little Rock have worked hard to earn their distinction as the home of C-130 Combat Airlift. That shouldn't - and I believe won't - change based on whose name is at the top of our organizational chart. Combat Airlift!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Top Story>>Team Little Rock Airman trains Iraqi firefighters
By Senior Master Sgt. Trish Freeland
U.S. Air Forces Central - Baghdad Media Outreach Team
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi firefighters are more than half-way through the firefighter apprentice course being taught for the first time in Baghdad’s International Zone. The class was previously conducted at Taji Military Base just north of Baghdad but the location lacked advanced live fire trainers and had a very limited capacity for students.
“The maximum class size at Taji was 10. In the IZ, we have five extra instructors from Civil Defense who enable us to teach an additional 24 students for just one class,” said Tech. Sgt. Brian Partido, a fire rescue advisor deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
The new location allows firefighters from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense, which includes the Iraqi air force and army, to come together at one location for training. This particular training session marked the first time the two ministries worked together at this level.
“It was easy to show how beneficial the training would be. The Iraqi air force firefighters weren’t getting the training they needed at Taji,” said Maj Trenton Roney, a training advisor deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va.
“Combining the course not only helped the MoD, but also the MoI. They were granted access to the Iraqi air force fire truck and firefighter suits that are being used for the training,” said Major Roney, a self-labeled military brat whose parents reside in Davidsonville, Md.
The sixty-day course was designed and conducted by the Coalition Air Force Training Team, a division of Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq and augmented by U.S. Air Force firefighters from the Department of Public Works and nearby Sather Air Base.
“We took the fire apprentice course from the U.S. Air Force and adapted it to the way Iraqi firefighters operate here and then had it translated into Arabic,” said Partido, an El Paso, Texas native.
The course consists of six training blocks that cover various areas including medical issues, basic fire principles, fire control, hazardous materials, structural training and aircraft firefighting.
“We took them through a structural trainer that is a brand new state of the art propane driven trainer,” said Partido. “We gave them the baseline knowledge of being able to enter a facility safely, extinguish a fire and operate on a fire and emergency scene.”
“Since the MoI and MoD will often have to work together to fight fires, it’s best for them to receive the same level of training so they'll be able to accomplish this more easily,” said Major Roney.
The class brought together an eclectic mix of firefighters with different levels of firefighting experience. The experience levels ranged from those with no firefighting experience at all to veterans with 20 years experience.
Colonel Juher Jumhor Al Azawi, director general of the Training Academy, has been a firefighter for the last four years. He said the class was a good refresher.
“I’ve had rescue and firefighting training before but this class offered a lot of new information,” he said. “I never worked with airbags before this.”
1st Lt Ra’ed Hussein Alwan, is a 16-year Iraqi air force veteran. He previously served as a mechanic but transferred to firefighting after the war started in 2003.
“I chose to be a firefighter because it’s a humanitarian thing, just like doctors helping sick kids,” he said. “Even if I’m on vacation, I can use my skills to help with car accidents, volunteer at hospitals, or put out neighbors fires.”
Upon graduating in early January the firefighters will return to stations throughout Iraq to put their newly sharpened skills to use.
“We started with the basics and worked our way to the more advanced techniques,” said Sergeant Partido. “It’s amazing to see how far they’ve come in such a short amount of time. I think they’re going to do excellent.”
U.S. Air Forces Central - Baghdad Media Outreach Team
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi firefighters are more than half-way through the firefighter apprentice course being taught for the first time in Baghdad’s International Zone. The class was previously conducted at Taji Military Base just north of Baghdad but the location lacked advanced live fire trainers and had a very limited capacity for students.
“The maximum class size at Taji was 10. In the IZ, we have five extra instructors from Civil Defense who enable us to teach an additional 24 students for just one class,” said Tech. Sgt. Brian Partido, a fire rescue advisor deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
The new location allows firefighters from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense, which includes the Iraqi air force and army, to come together at one location for training. This particular training session marked the first time the two ministries worked together at this level.
“It was easy to show how beneficial the training would be. The Iraqi air force firefighters weren’t getting the training they needed at Taji,” said Maj Trenton Roney, a training advisor deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va.
“Combining the course not only helped the MoD, but also the MoI. They were granted access to the Iraqi air force fire truck and firefighter suits that are being used for the training,” said Major Roney, a self-labeled military brat whose parents reside in Davidsonville, Md.
The sixty-day course was designed and conducted by the Coalition Air Force Training Team, a division of Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq and augmented by U.S. Air Force firefighters from the Department of Public Works and nearby Sather Air Base.
“We took the fire apprentice course from the U.S. Air Force and adapted it to the way Iraqi firefighters operate here and then had it translated into Arabic,” said Partido, an El Paso, Texas native.
The course consists of six training blocks that cover various areas including medical issues, basic fire principles, fire control, hazardous materials, structural training and aircraft firefighting.
“We took them through a structural trainer that is a brand new state of the art propane driven trainer,” said Partido. “We gave them the baseline knowledge of being able to enter a facility safely, extinguish a fire and operate on a fire and emergency scene.”
“Since the MoI and MoD will often have to work together to fight fires, it’s best for them to receive the same level of training so they'll be able to accomplish this more easily,” said Major Roney.
The class brought together an eclectic mix of firefighters with different levels of firefighting experience. The experience levels ranged from those with no firefighting experience at all to veterans with 20 years experience.
Colonel Juher Jumhor Al Azawi, director general of the Training Academy, has been a firefighter for the last four years. He said the class was a good refresher.
“I’ve had rescue and firefighting training before but this class offered a lot of new information,” he said. “I never worked with airbags before this.”
1st Lt Ra’ed Hussein Alwan, is a 16-year Iraqi air force veteran. He previously served as a mechanic but transferred to firefighting after the war started in 2003.
“I chose to be a firefighter because it’s a humanitarian thing, just like doctors helping sick kids,” he said. “Even if I’m on vacation, I can use my skills to help with car accidents, volunteer at hospitals, or put out neighbors fires.”
Upon graduating in early January the firefighters will return to stations throughout Iraq to put their newly sharpened skills to use.
“We started with the basics and worked our way to the more advanced techniques,” said Sergeant Partido. “It’s amazing to see how far they’ve come in such a short amount of time. I think they’re going to do excellent.”
Commentary>>Our airlift heritage
By Christopher Rumley
314th Airlift Wing historian
William H. Tunner is not a name many people outside the airlift world would know. This American hero remained largely obscure even during the pinnacle of his career. As a young officer in the Air Corps, Tunner realized early on he was more adept at doing the Air Force’s paperwork than flying its airplanes. As a lieutenant in 1935, while stationed in Panama, he learned that he loved the attention to detail required to manage the men and planes of an airlift. The knowledge gained would serve him well in the years to come.
When World War II broke out he had climbed to the rank of major. By the spring of 1942 he was promoted to colonel. His reputation for order and detail helped land him a position in Air Transport Command’s Ferrying Division. Leading the division, he was responsible for finding, organizing and training pilots to deliver the aircraft coming out of America’s assembly lines. Finding himself short on pilots, he established the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron and the Women Airforce Service Pilots – giving American women pilots their first chance to participate in the war effort. He encouraged his staff to take initiative and act, “If you get a job to do, do it”, he would tell them. He asked to have decisions made at the lowest possible level and to only be kept informed. Under his command the division grew to 45,000 people all working together to deliver more than 120,000 aircraft in 1944 alone.
In 1942, the Japanese advanced on mainland China, and cut off the re-supply routes for US and Chinese troops over the Burma Road. The only means to provide for the Army was through an airlift from India over the 16,000 foot high Himalayan Mountains. This airlift, nicknamed “The Hump” because of its flight path over the mountains, had horrendous safety records and low morale when Tunner took command. In the last half of 1943 alone, there were 153 major accidents and 168 fatalities. Tunner turned the operation around in a hurry and earned the nickname “Willy the Whip,” for his insistence on order, discipline, and mission. Initially, he was resented and despised by the pilots and crews, but a sense of pride and teamwork quickly dispelled any doubts that he was the right man for the job. Before Tunner arrived, the record for supplies delivered in one day was 2 million pounds.
By the time the airlift was over, crews were delivering 10 million pounds a day and the accident rate diminished exponentially. “I wanted to know what every airplane was doing on every base every day,” he said, “Our operating procedure policy was that each plane must be flying, undergoing maintenance, or be in the process of loading or unloading every second of every day…this is how you build up tonnage, by the constant utilization of equipment.” After the war, Tunner went back to Washington DC and spent the next three years caring for his wife, who died of cancer in 1947, and caring for the two young sons he had seen so very little of since their birth.
In 1948, while reading the newspaper at his breakfast table, now Major General Bill Tunner learned there was an airlift in Berlin. The Russians had blockaded the city and its 2.25 million citizens were cut off from the rest of the world. Their only means for food and coal to get through the long winter was the American airlift. The United States, unwilling to give Stalin a free hand in Germany and Western Europe stood on the precipice of yet another world war. If the airlift could not provide for the people of Berlin, war seemed the only alternative. With the peace of the world hanging in the balance of a successful airlift, Tunner asked to take command. Thirty days into the airlift, he got his wish. When he showed up at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport, Tunner noticed a lot of confusion on the ground. Pilots were inside waiting for flight paperwork or eating by the snack bar while their planes sat waiting on the air field. Tunner restricted pilots and crews to the airfield and brought everything needed out to them, including the prettiest women of Berlin working in the snack trucks. In three days of command, Tunner reduced the turnaround time at Tempelhof from 1.5 hours to 30 minutes. “The actual operation of a successful airlift,” he would say, “is about as glamorous as drops of water on stone…the real excitement from running a successful airlift comes from seeing a dozen lines climb steadily on a dozen charts.” Tunner may have been the only man in the world who actually believed this airlift could succeed.
Ever the innovator, Tunner would try just about anything to improve the airlift. One day he invited a group of pilots over to his office and simply listened as they ate and finished off a keg of beer. That day he began implementing changes based on what he had heard. At other times he would wear a jacket and hat without rank or insignia and wander around an airbase to see how things were running. He would pick the most obscure hours of the night and walk into the control tower and observe for awhile. He wanted to remind people that the airlift was a 24 hour operation every day. When he took command, the airlift was delivering just under 500,000 pounds a day. Ten months later, the daily average had climbed to more than 16 million pounds a day. By spring of 1949, the city was being completely supplied by the airlift and the Russian blockade was an embarrassment to Stalin. On May 12, 1949, after it was proven pointless by the airlift, the Russians lifted the blockade.
General Lucious D. Clay, the U.S. European Commander in Berlin, returned home to a ticker tape parade in New York City. General Curtis LeMay, commander of the US Air Forces in Europe, went on to become one of the most beloved generals of the twentieth century. Credit for the airlift was routinely credited to LeMay, and he claimed responsibility for many of Tunner’s innovations. There were no bands playing when Tunner left Berlin and there was no hero’s welcome back home. “Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this airlift,” one reporter would write, “was how unremarkable the whole thing seemed to be” – and that is just the way Bill Tunner wanted it. He had quietly architected an airlift others deemed impossible, and in so doing, helped save the city of Berlin and stopped the spread of communism across Europe.
314th Airlift Wing historian
William H. Tunner is not a name many people outside the airlift world would know. This American hero remained largely obscure even during the pinnacle of his career. As a young officer in the Air Corps, Tunner realized early on he was more adept at doing the Air Force’s paperwork than flying its airplanes. As a lieutenant in 1935, while stationed in Panama, he learned that he loved the attention to detail required to manage the men and planes of an airlift. The knowledge gained would serve him well in the years to come.
When World War II broke out he had climbed to the rank of major. By the spring of 1942 he was promoted to colonel. His reputation for order and detail helped land him a position in Air Transport Command’s Ferrying Division. Leading the division, he was responsible for finding, organizing and training pilots to deliver the aircraft coming out of America’s assembly lines. Finding himself short on pilots, he established the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron and the Women Airforce Service Pilots – giving American women pilots their first chance to participate in the war effort. He encouraged his staff to take initiative and act, “If you get a job to do, do it”, he would tell them. He asked to have decisions made at the lowest possible level and to only be kept informed. Under his command the division grew to 45,000 people all working together to deliver more than 120,000 aircraft in 1944 alone.
In 1942, the Japanese advanced on mainland China, and cut off the re-supply routes for US and Chinese troops over the Burma Road. The only means to provide for the Army was through an airlift from India over the 16,000 foot high Himalayan Mountains. This airlift, nicknamed “The Hump” because of its flight path over the mountains, had horrendous safety records and low morale when Tunner took command. In the last half of 1943 alone, there were 153 major accidents and 168 fatalities. Tunner turned the operation around in a hurry and earned the nickname “Willy the Whip,” for his insistence on order, discipline, and mission. Initially, he was resented and despised by the pilots and crews, but a sense of pride and teamwork quickly dispelled any doubts that he was the right man for the job. Before Tunner arrived, the record for supplies delivered in one day was 2 million pounds.
By the time the airlift was over, crews were delivering 10 million pounds a day and the accident rate diminished exponentially. “I wanted to know what every airplane was doing on every base every day,” he said, “Our operating procedure policy was that each plane must be flying, undergoing maintenance, or be in the process of loading or unloading every second of every day…this is how you build up tonnage, by the constant utilization of equipment.” After the war, Tunner went back to Washington DC and spent the next three years caring for his wife, who died of cancer in 1947, and caring for the two young sons he had seen so very little of since their birth.
In 1948, while reading the newspaper at his breakfast table, now Major General Bill Tunner learned there was an airlift in Berlin. The Russians had blockaded the city and its 2.25 million citizens were cut off from the rest of the world. Their only means for food and coal to get through the long winter was the American airlift. The United States, unwilling to give Stalin a free hand in Germany and Western Europe stood on the precipice of yet another world war. If the airlift could not provide for the people of Berlin, war seemed the only alternative. With the peace of the world hanging in the balance of a successful airlift, Tunner asked to take command. Thirty days into the airlift, he got his wish. When he showed up at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport, Tunner noticed a lot of confusion on the ground. Pilots were inside waiting for flight paperwork or eating by the snack bar while their planes sat waiting on the air field. Tunner restricted pilots and crews to the airfield and brought everything needed out to them, including the prettiest women of Berlin working in the snack trucks. In three days of command, Tunner reduced the turnaround time at Tempelhof from 1.5 hours to 30 minutes. “The actual operation of a successful airlift,” he would say, “is about as glamorous as drops of water on stone…the real excitement from running a successful airlift comes from seeing a dozen lines climb steadily on a dozen charts.” Tunner may have been the only man in the world who actually believed this airlift could succeed.
Ever the innovator, Tunner would try just about anything to improve the airlift. One day he invited a group of pilots over to his office and simply listened as they ate and finished off a keg of beer. That day he began implementing changes based on what he had heard. At other times he would wear a jacket and hat without rank or insignia and wander around an airbase to see how things were running. He would pick the most obscure hours of the night and walk into the control tower and observe for awhile. He wanted to remind people that the airlift was a 24 hour operation every day. When he took command, the airlift was delivering just under 500,000 pounds a day. Ten months later, the daily average had climbed to more than 16 million pounds a day. By spring of 1949, the city was being completely supplied by the airlift and the Russian blockade was an embarrassment to Stalin. On May 12, 1949, after it was proven pointless by the airlift, the Russians lifted the blockade.
General Lucious D. Clay, the U.S. European Commander in Berlin, returned home to a ticker tape parade in New York City. General Curtis LeMay, commander of the US Air Forces in Europe, went on to become one of the most beloved generals of the twentieth century. Credit for the airlift was routinely credited to LeMay, and he claimed responsibility for many of Tunner’s innovations. There were no bands playing when Tunner left Berlin and there was no hero’s welcome back home. “Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this airlift,” one reporter would write, “was how unremarkable the whole thing seemed to be” – and that is just the way Bill Tunner wanted it. He had quietly architected an airlift others deemed impossible, and in so doing, helped save the city of Berlin and stopped the spread of communism across Europe.
Commentary>>Making a difference by getting involved
By Lt. Col. Lisa Redinger
19th Mission Support Squadron commander
As families move from one base to another, the decision on where to live is influenced by the quality of local schools. The desire of every parent is to provide the best educational opportunities for their children. Our base and our feeder schools are committed to making this goal a reality. Together we’re working to build a partnership with parents, school administrators, and private organizations to champion world-class facilities, a safe learning environment, and quality school performance for our dependent children.
Our district may not have the best facilities, but looking a little deeper reveals that our feeder elementary schools – Arnold Drive and Tolleson – are performing very well in comparison to others in our district. Volunteers from the base have played a vital role in this success.
Recently, Arnold Drive Elementary was designated as a National Distinguished Title I school, only one of two schools in Arkansas to earn this distinction. Arnold Drive earned this award based on exceptional student performance, strong professional development; and partnerships among schools, parents, and communities. Another testament to their educational commitment, the principal, Ms. Jackie Smith, was recently evaluated as a “Master Principal.” Only one of three from Arkansas to make it to the final stages, she had to demonstrate school progress, and student and community involvement. We can clearly see the difference community involvement has made for this school.
At Tolleson Elementary, the school earned academic honors when one of their third grade teachers, Ms. Allison Brown, garnered the 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year Award.
Ms. Brown stated the best thing about her school was that the staff “…creates an atmosphere of the utmost respect, professionalism, and the highest expectation of students, faculty, and parents.” Living up to these expectations, the base community is also involved at Tolleson. Last year, base volunteers assisted with the school’s cereal drive by helping gather 250 boxes of cereal. This was the most in the district, earning Tolleson extra money for school improvements. Our commitment to our schools, really can make a difference.
Awards and recognition like these at the elementary school level show that community involvement in schools is vital and yields measurable results. It is easy to say you won’t live somewhere based on a school’s reputation. It’s much harder to commit to helping a school improve.
Our base leadership recognizes this need for involvement, and commits to making a difference in the education of our children. Each of our feeder schools is now partnered with a group from the 19th Airlift Wing: the 19th Mission Support Group with Arnold Drive Elementary; the 19th Operations Group with Tolleson Elementary; the 19th Maintenance Group with Northwood Middle; and the 19th Medical Group with North Pulaski High School. Each of these groups is actively seeking volunteers to assist with various projects throughout the school year, at each of the schools.
We’ve proven that community involvement makes a huge difference in our schools. We can’t expect our schools to succeed on their own. It takes an entire community invested in the education of our children to build a great school. Whether you have no children or five children, you too can make a difference. Volunteer your time, today – it all starts with you.
19th Mission Support Squadron commander
As families move from one base to another, the decision on where to live is influenced by the quality of local schools. The desire of every parent is to provide the best educational opportunities for their children. Our base and our feeder schools are committed to making this goal a reality. Together we’re working to build a partnership with parents, school administrators, and private organizations to champion world-class facilities, a safe learning environment, and quality school performance for our dependent children.
Our district may not have the best facilities, but looking a little deeper reveals that our feeder elementary schools – Arnold Drive and Tolleson – are performing very well in comparison to others in our district. Volunteers from the base have played a vital role in this success.
Recently, Arnold Drive Elementary was designated as a National Distinguished Title I school, only one of two schools in Arkansas to earn this distinction. Arnold Drive earned this award based on exceptional student performance, strong professional development; and partnerships among schools, parents, and communities. Another testament to their educational commitment, the principal, Ms. Jackie Smith, was recently evaluated as a “Master Principal.” Only one of three from Arkansas to make it to the final stages, she had to demonstrate school progress, and student and community involvement. We can clearly see the difference community involvement has made for this school.
At Tolleson Elementary, the school earned academic honors when one of their third grade teachers, Ms. Allison Brown, garnered the 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year Award.
Ms. Brown stated the best thing about her school was that the staff “…creates an atmosphere of the utmost respect, professionalism, and the highest expectation of students, faculty, and parents.” Living up to these expectations, the base community is also involved at Tolleson. Last year, base volunteers assisted with the school’s cereal drive by helping gather 250 boxes of cereal. This was the most in the district, earning Tolleson extra money for school improvements. Our commitment to our schools, really can make a difference.
Awards and recognition like these at the elementary school level show that community involvement in schools is vital and yields measurable results. It is easy to say you won’t live somewhere based on a school’s reputation. It’s much harder to commit to helping a school improve.
Our base leadership recognizes this need for involvement, and commits to making a difference in the education of our children. Each of our feeder schools is now partnered with a group from the 19th Airlift Wing: the 19th Mission Support Group with Arnold Drive Elementary; the 19th Operations Group with Tolleson Elementary; the 19th Maintenance Group with Northwood Middle; and the 19th Medical Group with North Pulaski High School. Each of these groups is actively seeking volunteers to assist with various projects throughout the school year, at each of the schools.
We’ve proven that community involvement makes a huge difference in our schools. We can’t expect our schools to succeed on their own. It takes an entire community invested in the education of our children to build a great school. Whether you have no children or five children, you too can make a difference. Volunteer your time, today – it all starts with you.
View from the Top>>Vector check
By Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Brinkley
19th Airlift Wing command chief
Monday, I found myself going through my weekly ritual of trying to determine what this week’s article would be about, and as usual I conferred with Mrs. Pat Sheppard. She gives me many inspirational thoughts and concepts to ponder and I’d like to share another with you. As the first month of 2009 passes, where are you in regard to your plans or resolutions? When she made this statement to me, I immediately thought about the things I determined to do and began to assess my progress.
As she continued to give me her perspective on why plans are made but often not fulfilled, it began to resonate with me. Pat suggested that many of our goals fail because they are outside goals, meaning they are dictated by others and not fully embraced by the person making the statement. It’s good to have people provide perspective, but true growth takes place when the inward self decides this is needed. So to paraphrase Pat, growth and change are internal. So my question is, is your heart involved in your decisions to improve or are you just talking?
I don’t say this to criticize but to challenge, just as Pat challenged me. What are the things you have decided to enhance; is it your spiritual, physical, mental, educational or family that is a higher priority this year? Before we look up, we’ll be saying “where has the year gone” and I believe life is too short and precious to have regrets. I am thankful to be surrounded by people who try to hold others around them accountable. Mrs. Sheppard is a classic example of those who make Team Little Rock a place of continual growth and improvement. We are the best because we strive to get better everyday. Now don’t let another day slip away; stay focused.
Combat Airlift!
19th Airlift Wing command chief
Monday, I found myself going through my weekly ritual of trying to determine what this week’s article would be about, and as usual I conferred with Mrs. Pat Sheppard. She gives me many inspirational thoughts and concepts to ponder and I’d like to share another with you. As the first month of 2009 passes, where are you in regard to your plans or resolutions? When she made this statement to me, I immediately thought about the things I determined to do and began to assess my progress.
As she continued to give me her perspective on why plans are made but often not fulfilled, it began to resonate with me. Pat suggested that many of our goals fail because they are outside goals, meaning they are dictated by others and not fully embraced by the person making the statement. It’s good to have people provide perspective, but true growth takes place when the inward self decides this is needed. So to paraphrase Pat, growth and change are internal. So my question is, is your heart involved in your decisions to improve or are you just talking?
I don’t say this to criticize but to challenge, just as Pat challenged me. What are the things you have decided to enhance; is it your spiritual, physical, mental, educational or family that is a higher priority this year? Before we look up, we’ll be saying “where has the year gone” and I believe life is too short and precious to have regrets. I am thankful to be surrounded by people who try to hold others around them accountable. Mrs. Sheppard is a classic example of those who make Team Little Rock a place of continual growth and improvement. We are the best because we strive to get better everyday. Now don’t let another day slip away; stay focused.
Combat Airlift!
View from the Top>>A Homecoming
By Col. Gregory S. Otey
19th Airlift Wing commander
Lisa and I are thrilled to be back at The Rock! This assignment is very much a homecoming and one my entire family welcomes. I was stationed here as a weapons officer in 1995 at the C-130 Weapons School as part of the initial cadre. Little Rock Air Force Base and the surrounding communities have a long and storied history in Combat Airlift and I could not be more proud to return as the commander of such a fine team.
Team Little Rock is known around the world as the Home of Combat Airlift. It's not the distinct gray airplanes that give this base its well-deserved reputation - it's the people. The Airmen here have shown time and again, both at home and abroad, that they are the best at what they do. The base has grown and the mission has evolved in the decade since I was last here but the one thing that has remained the same is the steadfast dedication of an entire team – active-duty, civilian, Guard, family members, retirees, community – to accomplish a mission like no other.
I have been handed a great legacy and it is my goal to improve upon it. We will all work together to provide America with a peerless Combat Airlift capability and the world's best Combat Airlifters. We will continue to ensure Combat Airlift is delivered on time, at the right time, to the expeditionary commanders who depend on us. And we will strive to make even more quality of life improvements that will enhance your lives, careers, and our mission effectiveness.
A keen focus on the Combat Airlift and training missions here are vital to our nation's defense, but we must also focus on community engagement. This base has a solid partnership with our surrounding communities and I encourage you to continue these efforts. The strides you've made in teaming with local community leaders and schools are paying great dividends for both. The $5 million donation by the citizens of Jacksonville to build a joint education center is an unprecedented example.
We are dedicated to providing our Airmen the best education possible and we have made that same commitment to our local schools. Our continued commitment and involvement with our local schools will pay dividends for our children and our neighbors' children.
I look forward to meeting all of you as Lisa, I and our children settle into our new home here at the Rock. We thank each and every one of you for a warm welcome home.
Combat Airlift!
19th Airlift Wing commander
Lisa and I are thrilled to be back at The Rock! This assignment is very much a homecoming and one my entire family welcomes. I was stationed here as a weapons officer in 1995 at the C-130 Weapons School as part of the initial cadre. Little Rock Air Force Base and the surrounding communities have a long and storied history in Combat Airlift and I could not be more proud to return as the commander of such a fine team.
Team Little Rock is known around the world as the Home of Combat Airlift. It's not the distinct gray airplanes that give this base its well-deserved reputation - it's the people. The Airmen here have shown time and again, both at home and abroad, that they are the best at what they do. The base has grown and the mission has evolved in the decade since I was last here but the one thing that has remained the same is the steadfast dedication of an entire team – active-duty, civilian, Guard, family members, retirees, community – to accomplish a mission like no other.
I have been handed a great legacy and it is my goal to improve upon it. We will all work together to provide America with a peerless Combat Airlift capability and the world's best Combat Airlifters. We will continue to ensure Combat Airlift is delivered on time, at the right time, to the expeditionary commanders who depend on us. And we will strive to make even more quality of life improvements that will enhance your lives, careers, and our mission effectiveness.
A keen focus on the Combat Airlift and training missions here are vital to our nation's defense, but we must also focus on community engagement. This base has a solid partnership with our surrounding communities and I encourage you to continue these efforts. The strides you've made in teaming with local community leaders and schools are paying great dividends for both. The $5 million donation by the citizens of Jacksonville to build a joint education center is an unprecedented example.
We are dedicated to providing our Airmen the best education possible and we have made that same commitment to our local schools. Our continued commitment and involvement with our local schools will pay dividends for our children and our neighbors' children.
I look forward to meeting all of you as Lisa, I and our children settle into our new home here at the Rock. We thank each and every one of you for a warm welcome home.
Combat Airlift!
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