Air Force mandates virtual outprocessing - Laughlin Air Force Base
Air Force mandates virtual outprocessing - Laughlin Air Force Base
Air Force mandates virtual outprocessing - Laughlin Air Force Base
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Laughlin</strong> <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> <strong>Base</strong> ♦ Texas 54th Year ♦ No.17 ♦ May 5, 2006<br />
Inside this issue<br />
5<br />
Brackettville High<br />
School students tour<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong><br />
14<br />
Youth Center offers<br />
KajukenBo lessons<br />
Mission<br />
Capable<br />
Rates<br />
T-1<br />
88.6%<br />
T-6<br />
89.4%<br />
T-38<br />
75.7%<br />
AEF Stats<br />
26<br />
5<br />
42<br />
Deployed<br />
Back in<br />
30 days<br />
Leaving in<br />
30 days<br />
Team XL’s<br />
last<br />
DUI<br />
April 8, 2006<br />
It’s a<br />
crime!<br />
Teamwork<br />
Staff Sgt. Spencer Duclos, 47th Security <strong>Force</strong>s<br />
Squadron K-9 unit, and Dasty, his military working<br />
dog, search a truck at one of the dormitories on<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> <strong>mandates</strong> <strong>virtual</strong> <strong>outprocessing</strong><br />
All <strong>Air</strong>men undergoing<br />
permanent change-of-station<br />
moves, retirements or separations<br />
are now required to<br />
use the Virtual Outprocessing<br />
application available through<br />
the Virtual Military Personnel<br />
Flight.<br />
<strong>Air</strong>men can enter the<br />
vMPF by logging onto the <strong>Air</strong><br />
<strong>Force</strong> Personnel Center’s<br />
secure Web site where they<br />
can view their vOP checklist<br />
from the individual actions<br />
menu.<br />
The vOP checklist will<br />
include requirements based<br />
on the <strong>Air</strong>man’s unit and<br />
other associated base agencies,<br />
such as the transportation<br />
management office, finance,<br />
medical clinic and Tricare.<br />
The checklist also will include<br />
the timeframe required for<br />
clearing actions at each location.<br />
<strong>Base</strong>s currently not using<br />
the vOP system will be<br />
required to transition to it no<br />
later than May 30.<br />
Photo by Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Austin M. May<br />
base for illegal drugs April 28. Sergeant Duclos<br />
and Dasty were part of a team of various local lawenforcement<br />
agencies that teamed up to search<br />
for drugs on <strong>Laughlin</strong>. See how <strong>Laughlin</strong> works<br />
with local agencies to help stop crime on page 4.<br />
The online process also<br />
will eliminate paper checklists<br />
and most in-person<br />
<strong>outprocessing</strong> requirements.<br />
For more information,<br />
<strong>Air</strong>men should contact their<br />
base military personnel flight.<br />
(Courtesy <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
Personnel Center)
2<br />
Border<br />
Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
Viewpoints<br />
Conservation: required today, tomorrow<br />
Commander’s<br />
Corner<br />
By Robert E. Wood<br />
47th Flying Training Wing<br />
Maintenance Directorate<br />
director<br />
This year’s increase in gas<br />
prices strikes me as a sign of<br />
things to come for the cost of living<br />
in general.<br />
Everyone can expect the price<br />
hike at gas pumps to increase<br />
transportation fees, which will be<br />
passed along to us, the consumers,<br />
in costlier retail goods and<br />
services. When it comes to<br />
thinking about ways to cope, we<br />
will need to reassess our<br />
lifestyles.<br />
One thing we can do is use<br />
lessons learned during similar<br />
periods of sudden economic<br />
shifts, such as when gas prices<br />
quickly rose and inflated our cost<br />
of living during the early 1970s.<br />
When the domestic economic<br />
situation changed, I recall how it<br />
affected my family and me. Every<br />
aspect of our personal condition<br />
changed—travel, entertainment,<br />
medical, sports, attitude and<br />
expectations.<br />
At that time, I couldn’t fully<br />
appreciate or comprehend the<br />
range and scope of how increases<br />
in fuel dramatically affected our<br />
standard of living and influenced<br />
the collective concern and anxiety<br />
of friends, family and co-workers.<br />
This timeframe also galvanized<br />
people from all walks of life<br />
to pull together and conserve<br />
resources. More fuel efficient cars<br />
were hot commodities, and we<br />
were encouraged to car pool, turn<br />
off lights, lower thermostats, drive<br />
slower, xeriscape and recycle<br />
everything.<br />
I think this recent cycle of<br />
rising costs in every sector of the<br />
economy is our cue to again apply<br />
past lessons.<br />
Today is not too soon to start<br />
planning so we can continue<br />
holding down expenses and<br />
supporting the wing mission.<br />
Concepts we use, like just-intime<br />
or two-tier maintenance<br />
management, emerged when it<br />
was cheaper to transport goods<br />
from the manufacturer to the user<br />
than locally repair/overhaul, store<br />
and inventory them.<br />
Since transportation is no<br />
longer inexpensive, we may need<br />
to re-compare two-tier costs with<br />
three-tier concepts (organizational,<br />
intermediate and depot) that went<br />
away during the mid-1990s.<br />
We may need to more fully<br />
use streamlining practices like<br />
Lean and productivity incentives to<br />
continue trimming waste.<br />
As individual players in Team<br />
XL, we can all do our part to be<br />
penny-wise consumers. The rules<br />
of engagement are already on the<br />
books; we just need to use them.<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> works to protect natural resources<br />
By Maj. Gen. L. Dean Fox<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> Civil Engineer<br />
The U.S. <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> is a leader<br />
and devoted guardian of the<br />
environment. As trustee to more<br />
than 8 million acres of natural<br />
habitat, the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> takes considerable<br />
measures to defend and<br />
enhance America’s rich landscape<br />
and cultural heritage.<br />
The natural resources we<br />
protect — air, land and water —<br />
are a great source of strength,<br />
providing capability to build, equip,<br />
train and deploy the world’s most<br />
powerful and agile air force.<br />
Today, the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> environmental<br />
program works to ensure<br />
valuable natural resources are<br />
available to meet flying, training and<br />
other operational needs. To meet<br />
current needs in fighting the war on<br />
terrorism and future mission<br />
requirements, we must harmonize<br />
environmental management goals<br />
with military operations.<br />
This new management<br />
philosophy called Natural Infrastructure<br />
Management, or NIM,<br />
allows the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> to sustain,<br />
restore and modernize its environmental<br />
resources, or “natural<br />
infrastructure,” in full compliance<br />
and support of air readiness<br />
challenges. Our new mantra is<br />
“compliance and beyond” as we<br />
transform to a more proactive,<br />
performance-based approach to<br />
“operation-alizing” the environment.<br />
Our recently published 2006<br />
Environmental Strategic Plan<br />
introduces this new concept of<br />
applying asset management to<br />
environmental stewardship. Sustaining<br />
the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> mission<br />
through effective NIM is the overall<br />
goal of this plan.<br />
Additionally, the plan seeks to<br />
prevent encroachment, boost<br />
compliance, restore contaminated<br />
property and improve land use<br />
compatibility, all while increasing<br />
efficiencies and reducing costs. To<br />
achieve these objectives, the<br />
environmental program will expand<br />
its stakeholder partnerships,<br />
employ new innovative technologies,<br />
implement performance and<br />
risk-based approaches to decision-making,<br />
streamline our<br />
activities in sync with <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
Smart Operations 21 to be “lean<br />
and green,” and train our <strong>Air</strong>men to<br />
be even more environmentally<br />
conscious and responsible.<br />
Our environmental troops are<br />
making great strides toward these<br />
goals. To date, the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
Restoration Program has cleaned<br />
up more than 4,500 contaminated<br />
sites, completing two-thirds of its<br />
restoration obligations. Through<br />
innovative methods, such as<br />
EPA’s systematic investigation tool<br />
and process optimization techniques,<br />
the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> saved more<br />
than $100 million in life-cycle<br />
cleanup expenses. For example,<br />
at King Salmon <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> <strong>Base</strong>,<br />
Alaska, six soil vapor extraction<br />
systems and one “pump and treat”<br />
See “Resources” page 3<br />
Editorial Staff<br />
Editorial Staff<br />
Col. Tod Wolters<br />
Col. Commander Mike Minahan<br />
Capt. Commander Ken Hall<br />
Public Capt. affairs Ken Hall chief<br />
Master Public Sgt. Affairs Anthony chief Hill<br />
Senior PA <strong>Air</strong>man NCO in Austin chargeMay<br />
Senior Staff writer/photographer<br />
<strong>Air</strong>man Austin May<br />
Senior Staff <strong>Air</strong>man Writer/Photographer<br />
Olufemi Owolabi<br />
<strong>Air</strong>man 1st Class Editor Olufemi<br />
Owolabi<br />
The Border Eagle is published<br />
Editor<br />
every Friday, except the first week in<br />
January The Border and Eagle the is published last week every in<br />
Friday, December, except by the the first week Del Rio in January Newsand<br />
Herald, the last a week private in December, firm in no by way the<br />
Del connected Rio News- with Herald, the U. a private S. <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>, firm in<br />
no under way exclusive connected written with the contract U. S. with <strong>Air</strong><br />
<strong>Force</strong>, the 47th under Flying exclusive Training written Wing, contract <strong>Laughlin</strong><br />
with <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> the 47th <strong>Base</strong>, Flying Texas. Training Wing,<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> This <strong>Air</strong> civilian <strong>Force</strong> enterprise <strong>Base</strong>, Texas. <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
newspaper This civilian is enterprise an authorized <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
newspaper publication is for an authorized members of publication the U.S.<br />
for military members services. of the U.S. military<br />
services. Contents of the Border Eagle are<br />
not Contents necessarily of the the Border official Eagle views are not of,<br />
necessarily or endorsed the by, the official U.S. views Government, of, or<br />
endorsed the Department by, the U.S. of Government, Defense or the<br />
Department of Defense of the or <strong>Air</strong> the <strong>Force</strong>. Department The<br />
of appearance the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>. of advertising The appearance in this of<br />
advertising publication, in this including publication, inserts including or<br />
inserts supplements, or supplements, does not constitute does not<br />
constitute endorsement endorsement by the Department by the of<br />
Department Defense, the of Defense, Department the Department of the <strong>Air</strong><br />
of <strong>Force</strong> the <strong>Air</strong> or <strong>Force</strong> the Del or Rio the News-Herald Del Rio of<br />
Herald the products of the or products services or advertised. services<br />
advertised. Everything advertised in this<br />
publication Everything shall be advertised made available in this for<br />
publication purchase, shall use, be or patronage made available without for<br />
purchase, regard to use, race, or color, patronage religion, without sex,<br />
regard national to origin, race, color, age, marital religion, status, sex,<br />
national physical origin, handicap, age, political marital affiliation status,<br />
physical or any other handicap, nonmerit political factor affiliation of the or<br />
any purchaser, other nonmerit user or patron. factor of the<br />
purchaser, Editorial user or content patron. is edited,<br />
prepared Editorial and content provided is edited, by the prepared Public<br />
and Affairs provided Office by the of Public the 47th Affairs Flying Office<br />
of Training the 47th Wing. Flying All Training photographs Wing. are All<br />
photographs <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> are photographs <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> photographs unless<br />
unless otherwise otherwise indicated. indicated.<br />
Deadlines<br />
News for the Border Eagle should<br />
be submitted to to the 47th Flying Training<br />
Wing Public Affairs Office, Bldg. 338,<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> AFB, TX, 298-5262.<br />
Copy deadline is close of business<br />
each Thursday the week prior to<br />
publication.<br />
Submissions can be e-mailed to:<br />
olufemi.owolabi@laughlin.af.mil or<br />
sheila.johnston@laughlin.af.mil.<br />
bordereagle@laughlin.af.mil.<br />
Advertising<br />
Advertising should be submitted to to<br />
the Del Rio News-Herald, by 2205 4 p.m. Bedell, each<br />
Del Friday Rio, at 2205 TX, 774-4611. Bedell, Del Rio, Advertising TX, 774-<br />
should 4611. be submitted by 4 p.m. each<br />
Friday.
Viewpoints<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
3<br />
Actionline<br />
Col. Mike Minahan<br />
47th Flying Training<br />
Wing commander<br />
Call 298-5351 or email<br />
actionline@laughlin.af.mil<br />
One way to work through problems<br />
that haven’t been solved through<br />
normal channels is the Commander’s<br />
Actionline.<br />
Before you call in or e-mail an<br />
Actionline, please try to work out the problem<br />
through the normal chain of command<br />
or directly with the base agency involved.<br />
When calling or e-mailing the<br />
Actionline, please keep messages brief<br />
and remember to include your name and<br />
phone number so you are assured of a<br />
timely personal reply. Contact information<br />
is also useful when additional information<br />
is needed to pursue your inquiry.<br />
We will make every attempt to ensure<br />
confidentiality when appropriate.<br />
If your question relates to the general<br />
interest of the people of <strong>Laughlin</strong>, the<br />
question and answer may also be printed<br />
in the Border Eagle.<br />
Thanks for your cooperation, and I<br />
look forward to reading some quality ideas<br />
and suggestions.<br />
Below are some useful telephone<br />
numbers that may be helpful when working<br />
your issue with a base agency.<br />
AAFES 298-3176<br />
Finance 298-5204<br />
Civil Engineer 298-5252<br />
Civilian Personnel 298-5299<br />
Clinic 298-6311<br />
Commissary 298-5815<br />
Dormitory manager 298-5213<br />
EEO 298-5879<br />
FWA hotline 298-4170<br />
Housing 298-5904<br />
Information line 298-5201<br />
Legal 298-5172<br />
MEO 298-5400<br />
Military Personnel 298-5073<br />
Public Affairs 298-5988<br />
Security <strong>Force</strong>s 298-5900<br />
Services 298-5810<br />
Teen activities<br />
Question: I am concerned with<br />
the apparent lack of activities<br />
and facilities for older children, 8 to<br />
16 years old, on <strong>Laughlin</strong> <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
<strong>Base</strong>. While there are several playgrounds<br />
for younger children, activity<br />
areas for the older kids seem quite limited.<br />
For instance, could <strong>Laughlin</strong> consider<br />
providing these youth a place to<br />
“hang out,” perhaps convert an old tennis<br />
court to a skateboard park, or maybe<br />
build a couple of basketball courts An<br />
old, unused building could be converted<br />
to a teen center with pool tables and computer<br />
games—snacks could even be sold<br />
there. Finally, the outdoor pool’s dates<br />
and hours of operation are not particularly<br />
well suited to these youth’s desires.<br />
While not yet serious, this many youth,<br />
with little to do, presents some very real<br />
concerns with safety, vandalism and littering.<br />
Please help in providing our kids<br />
with a safe, inviting, entertaining place to<br />
congregate, play and relax.<br />
Response: Thank you for your<br />
question. Team XL is dedicated to<br />
providing the best opportunities we can<br />
for <strong>Laughlin</strong> families. We’re highlighting<br />
this week many activities offered on<br />
base by the youth center, the fitness center<br />
and the Fiesta Community Center.<br />
See page 11 in this week’s Border<br />
Eagle for the full article. And,<br />
while we have looked into installing a<br />
skate park using the tennis courts next<br />
to Club XL, funding is not yet available<br />
to make this a reality. Rest assured<br />
though, we will continue to provide<br />
a variety of appropriate outlets<br />
in a variety of subject areas to<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> family members.<br />
Resources, from page 2<br />
system were shut down, saving<br />
$25 million in projected life-cycle<br />
operating costs.<br />
The <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> also has had<br />
phenomenal success with performance-based<br />
contracting, avoiding<br />
more than $100 million of<br />
additional outlay. <strong>Air</strong> Combat<br />
Command provides the best<br />
example of applying private-sector<br />
expertise and experience to a<br />
multi-base contract, saving<br />
$36.7 million, and reducing<br />
cleanup time by nine years,<br />
closing 44 of 46 environmental<br />
sites within the performance<br />
period.<br />
Additionally, <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> conservation<br />
has had an impressive<br />
year managing training and<br />
installation lands that provide<br />
habitat to more than 70 threatened<br />
and endangered species.<br />
One of this year’s highlights was<br />
at Arnold <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> <strong>Base</strong>, Tenn.,<br />
where the enforcement strength<br />
of the Integrated Natural Resource<br />
Management Plan actually<br />
resulted in the removal of the<br />
Eggert’s sunflower from the<br />
Federal list of threatened species.<br />
The delisting was a first for the<br />
Department of Defense, demonstrating<br />
our flexibility in land-use<br />
management and speaking<br />
volumes on our good relations<br />
with the regulators and conservation<br />
community.<br />
Lastly, pollution prevention<br />
continues to be a priority. The <strong>Air</strong><br />
<strong>Force</strong> diverts large amounts of<br />
non-hazardous waste from<br />
landfills and has broad acquisition<br />
and supply programs to procure<br />
more environmentally preferable<br />
products.<br />
In 2005, we avoided more<br />
than $60 million in solid waste<br />
disposal costs by effectively<br />
diverting 87 percent of the construction<br />
and demolition debris<br />
and 46 percent of non-hazardous<br />
solid waste from landfills and<br />
incinerators. We have reduced<br />
hazardous waste disposal by<br />
more than 57 percent.<br />
The <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> is also expanding<br />
usage of alternative fuels like<br />
ethanol in its military and government<br />
fleet vehicles, and continues<br />
to seek new opportunities to buy<br />
green power and apply ecofriendly<br />
products and services to<br />
our day-to-day operations.<br />
The <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> will continue to<br />
lead by accomplishing mission<br />
objectives through prudent environmental<br />
management. Our<br />
commitment to restoration,<br />
conservation and pollution prevention<br />
will continue to show<br />
results, ensure military readiness<br />
and protect our natural world for<br />
generations to come.<br />
Master sergeant learns to make tomorrow even better than today<br />
By Master Sgt.<br />
Yancey Mailes<br />
366th Fighter Wing<br />
historian<br />
Bam! The shots<br />
startled me, and I jumped. I<br />
heard the firing party leader<br />
call for the next volley, but<br />
the explosion still came as<br />
a surprise. I told myself I<br />
wouldn’t cry. I didn’t even<br />
know Tech. Sgt. Walter<br />
Moss.<br />
The final volley<br />
sounded. I had prepared<br />
myself. At that instance, a<br />
lone bugler sounded Taps,<br />
and I began to weep. I<br />
could not control the tears.<br />
I looked around as others<br />
in the crowd bowed their<br />
heads and sobbed. It was<br />
unspoken; it was okay.<br />
We had lost a fellow<br />
<strong>Air</strong>man.<br />
I am not really sure<br />
why I immediately came<br />
back to the office and<br />
penned this. Was it my<br />
sadness, or was it the fact<br />
the war had finally come<br />
home to my base<br />
I was assigned to the<br />
33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> <strong>Base</strong>, Fla., when<br />
we lost 12 <strong>Air</strong>men to the<br />
Khobar Towers bombing,<br />
but I did not cry. Those<br />
days were terrible, but this<br />
one was worse.<br />
I felt ashamed I had<br />
never known Walter. I felt<br />
terrible for his wife and his<br />
children, who would now<br />
grow up without their<br />
daddy.<br />
As his fellow NCOs<br />
told us, Walter was an<br />
outstanding example of an<br />
<strong>Air</strong>man’s <strong>Air</strong>man. He was a<br />
man I would have liked to<br />
have known and maybe<br />
even emulate. But, that<br />
would not be possible now.<br />
So as I look over this, I<br />
realize there is no message<br />
to this piece of<br />
writing, just thoughts –<br />
thoughts that maybe today<br />
is okay, but tomorrow will<br />
be even better. Maybe I<br />
should get to know my<br />
neighbor and spend just a<br />
bit more time getting to<br />
know the people I work<br />
with. Today I learned a<br />
lesson… there may not be<br />
a tomorrow, so I better<br />
make good on today.
4<br />
Border<br />
Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
Law enforcement agencies from<br />
the local community joined forces April<br />
28 with the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> Office of Special<br />
Investigations and the 47th Security<br />
<strong>Force</strong>s Squadron in an attempt to<br />
locate illegal drugs on <strong>Laughlin</strong>. The<br />
search yielded no drugs, but was considered<br />
by the agencies involved to be<br />
a successful deterrent to anyone who<br />
may consider breaking the law on<br />
base.<br />
“Some criminals may think that<br />
while on <strong>Laughlin</strong> they are protected<br />
from civilian law enforcement agencies,”<br />
said Special Agent Jessie<br />
Garcia, AFOSI. “It’s not so. Those<br />
agencies serve as a force multiplier,<br />
allowing us to use methods we don’t<br />
normally use. It creates a synergistic<br />
effect.”<br />
It is no secret that <strong>Laughlin</strong> is<br />
home to an expansive civilian<br />
workforce. More than 1,000 civilian<br />
employees work hard alongside the<br />
men and women in uniform here to<br />
make the wing’s day-to-day mission<br />
a reality.<br />
When an infraction of the law occurs<br />
on base involving or potentially<br />
involving a non-military member, civilian<br />
authorities may be called in to<br />
help.<br />
These agencies may include the<br />
local sheriff’s office, U.S. Border Patrol,<br />
Immigration and Customs Enforcement<br />
and the Department of Public<br />
Safety in addition to security forces<br />
and OSI.<br />
“We have had a tremendous<br />
working relationship with the local law<br />
enforcement agencies,” said Maj.<br />
Aeneas Gooding, 47th Security <strong>Force</strong>s<br />
Squadron commander. “We work the<br />
most with the Val Verde County<br />
Sheriff’s Office, but we also depend<br />
on the support of Border Patrol personnel,<br />
and we enjoy a close relationship<br />
with the Del Rio Police Department.”<br />
Maj. Gooding said while each<br />
agency might have slightly different<br />
operating procedures, it doesn’t hinder<br />
their working relationship, because<br />
they all base their operations on the<br />
same basic tenets of law enforcement.<br />
Agent Garcia said OSI agents<br />
must all attend the Federal Law<br />
Enforcement training center in<br />
Glynco, Ga. Excluding the Federal<br />
Bureau of Investigation, this is the<br />
same training facility all federal law<br />
enforcement agents must attend,<br />
which facilitates OSI working with<br />
other law enforcement agencies as a<br />
result of their similar background training.<br />
Occasionally, local law enforcement<br />
agencies will train with military<br />
units.<br />
“Any training we can conduct with<br />
civilian agencies helps our ability to<br />
work with them during crises,” Major<br />
Gooding said. “In the past, we’ve conducted<br />
everything from tactical training<br />
(ground fighting and restraint techniques)<br />
to incident-response training<br />
and emergency operations management.”<br />
Agent Garcia said Border Patrol<br />
agents have requested crime-sceneinvestigation<br />
training in the past as<br />
well.<br />
Who responds to an incident on<br />
base depends on what type of crime<br />
has been committed and by whom.<br />
“We have had numerous incidents<br />
where we relied heavily on the support<br />
of our civilian counterparts.<br />
We’ve had driving while intoxicated<br />
arrests, domestic assaults, etc.,” Major<br />
Gooding said. “The most noteworthy<br />
response was the gate-running incident<br />
last month where Val Verde<br />
County Sheriff’s deputies responded<br />
and arrested the two suspects who ran<br />
the gate.<br />
“Additionally, several months ago,<br />
we conducted an operation with the<br />
Department of Homeland Security’s<br />
Immigration and Customs Enforcement<br />
Division to screen contractor employees<br />
who might be present or<br />
working in the United States illegally.”<br />
Lt. Larry Pope, a criminal investigator<br />
with the Val Verde County<br />
Sheriff’s Office, said the department<br />
that responds to a situation is handled<br />
completely on a case-by-case basis.<br />
For example, the sheriff’s office has<br />
the only breathalyzer in the county, so<br />
DUI cases are typically referred to<br />
them. If there is an incident on base,<br />
usually the sheriff’s office will respond<br />
to the call, and security forces officers<br />
will serve as witnessing officials,<br />
he said.<br />
Val Verde County Sheriff<br />
News<br />
<strong>Base</strong>, local law enforcement agencies team up to fight crime<br />
Story and photo by<br />
Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Austin M. May<br />
Staff writer<br />
Law enforcement officials from the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> Office of Special<br />
Inestigations, 47th Security <strong>Force</strong>s Squadron, Val Verde County<br />
Sheriff’s Office, Department of Public Safety, U.S. Border Patrol<br />
and Immigration and Customs Enforcement gather on <strong>Laughlin</strong> to<br />
search various locations for illegal drugs April 28.<br />
D’Wayne Jernigan said one of the reasons<br />
his office might be asked to help<br />
is because military security forces personnel<br />
are law enforcement authorities,<br />
but they are more specially trained<br />
in base and personnel security matters,<br />
such as finding and removing<br />
threats to the mission, and do not have<br />
as much experience in criminal-investigation<br />
matters.<br />
“The base typically has very low<br />
crime rates,” Sheriff Jernigan said.<br />
“And when there is a crime committed,<br />
it’s typically a white-collar, nonviolent<br />
crime.”<br />
“In the military, there is a screening<br />
process. (The military) can choose<br />
who they want on their installations<br />
at any time, and they tend to have<br />
guidelines that weed out individuals<br />
who might cause trouble,” he said.<br />
The same cannot be said for Del<br />
Rio, or any town for that matter, Sheriff<br />
Jernigan said.<br />
Agent Garcia said one of OSI’s<br />
main goals is to stop illegal drugs from<br />
coming through <strong>Laughlin</strong>’s gates.<br />
“Our intelligence indicates that<br />
there is some illegal drug use on<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong>, and we are doing everything<br />
possible to detect and deter its use,”<br />
he said.<br />
Major Gooding said security of<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> is the 47th SFS’s top<br />
priority, but threats to the base could<br />
come from a number of different<br />
areas.<br />
“Drug use and distribution threatens<br />
our community and the <strong>Laughlin</strong><br />
mission and will remain a target of enforcement.<br />
Additionally, people who<br />
illegally enter the installation pose an<br />
unknown risk to our resources and<br />
personnel, so they too will remain part<br />
of our focus,” he said.<br />
Sheriff Jernigan said he has had<br />
very positive experiences when working<br />
with the 47th SFS and OSI agents<br />
at <strong>Laughlin</strong>.<br />
“I have enjoyed a great professional<br />
relationship working as a team<br />
with security forces and OSI,” he said.<br />
“As a team, we work as well with<br />
them as we do any other law enforcement<br />
agency, and better in some<br />
cases.”<br />
Sheriff Jernigan said when a military<br />
member is involved in a case, the<br />
military law enforcement agencies will<br />
get involved, but sometimes security<br />
forces will help out even without that<br />
tie.<br />
“If they can help, they will,” he<br />
said. “In fact, they’re usually pretty<br />
anxious to come out and assist us.<br />
And it’s not just for the training they<br />
receive. They have a true desire to<br />
help.”
News<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
5<br />
Sending<br />
in the dog...<br />
Photos by Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Olufemi Owolabi<br />
Brackettville High<br />
School students<br />
toured <strong>Laughlin</strong> April<br />
28 and observed as<br />
a 47th Security<br />
<strong>Force</strong>s Squadron<br />
military working dog<br />
went through a variety<br />
of obstacle<br />
courses and apprehended<br />
a “suspect”<br />
here (performed by<br />
Staff Sgt. Eric Morales,<br />
47th SFS).<br />
(Right) Staff Sgt.<br />
Ronnie Garcia, 47th<br />
SFS, readies his<br />
military working dog<br />
to demonstrate a<br />
protective maneuver.<br />
During the tour,<br />
the students visited<br />
the Losano Fitness<br />
Center, dining facility<br />
and the 47th Operations<br />
Support<br />
Squadron among<br />
others.<br />
3X5.25<br />
2X2
6<br />
Border<br />
Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
News<br />
3X10.5<br />
(Far left) Capt. Scott Bocher and (Far right) 1st Lt. Terri<br />
Anderson, of the 47th Medical Operations Squadron,<br />
examine <strong>Air</strong>man 1st Class Yvette Fowlkes, 47th Aeromedical-Dental<br />
Squadron, during a medical examination training<br />
here Monday. The base nursing team will celebrate<br />
the National Nurse Week from Saturday to Friday.<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> nurses celebrate<br />
national awareness week<br />
National Nurse’s Week is<br />
from Saturday to Friday. This<br />
celebration is dedicated to raising<br />
awareness of the role nurses<br />
play and their impact across the<br />
spectrum of health care. Within<br />
the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> community we<br />
celebrate the contributions of<br />
our nurses and the back bone<br />
of the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> Nurse Corps,<br />
our enlisted medical technicians.<br />
Nurses play a large part in<br />
helping the 47th Medical Group<br />
support Team XL’s mission. In<br />
2005, the <strong>Laughlin</strong> clinic managed<br />
over 19,000 acute and<br />
wellness appointments, returning<br />
1,431 pilots to flying status,<br />
performing over 950 flight<br />
physicals and occupational exams,<br />
and maintaining the health<br />
and wellness of our active-duty<br />
personnel, family members and<br />
retired beneficiaries. All this<br />
while increasing beneficiary access<br />
to care despite daily construction,<br />
multiple relocation<br />
moves, upgrade of computerized<br />
systems, and personnel<br />
changes.<br />
Nurses Week is a<br />
Photo by Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Olufemi Owolabi<br />
wonderful opportunity to show<br />
our appreciation for the outstanding<br />
service of our everyday<br />
heroes who continue to<br />
demonstrate integrity, service<br />
before self, and excellence in<br />
all they do. The nurses and<br />
medical technicians of the 47th<br />
MDG are dedicated to uphold<br />
this year’s theme of strength,<br />
commitment and compassion.<br />
(Courtesy 47th<br />
Medical Group staff)<br />
1X3
8<br />
Border<br />
Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
News<br />
New civilian personnel system kicks off<br />
WASHINGTON — The first<br />
phase of the new National Security<br />
Personnel System was launched Sunday.<br />
Spiral 1.1 includes 11,000 Defense<br />
Department civilian employees throughout<br />
the United States.<br />
“The most important message is<br />
that we are ready,” said Mary Lacey,<br />
NSPS program executive officer. “Employees<br />
are trained, supervisors are<br />
trained, leaders are leaning forward and<br />
we’re ready to go.”<br />
Ms. Lacey said that employees in<br />
the first group to enter the program<br />
“have been working on performance<br />
standards that are outcome-based and<br />
measurable, so that as they go into<br />
NSPS they will know what performance<br />
is expected of them right from<br />
the beginning.”<br />
Most preparation for the program’s<br />
implementation has dealt with training<br />
employees and supervisors. Both groups<br />
have had extensive Web-based and<br />
classroom instruction on the ins and outs<br />
of the new program, Ms. Lacey said.<br />
Ms. Lacey has been meeting with<br />
employees in the first spiral at Tinker<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> <strong>Base</strong>, Okla., Wright-Patterson<br />
AFB, Ohio, Fort Riley, Kan., and several<br />
agencies in the Washington, D.C., area.<br />
Another senior official in<br />
Ms. Lacey’s agency traveled to Hawaii<br />
to meet with Army and Navy employees<br />
in the first spiral.<br />
“I am trying to get out to see as<br />
many of the 1.1 organizations as I possibly<br />
can,” Ms. Lacey said. “It’s part of<br />
the communications initiative to give<br />
them an opportunity to speak to the senior<br />
leadership of the department, answer<br />
any questions they may have, explain<br />
to them some of the philosophy<br />
behind the changes and to thank them<br />
for all their efforts to get ready for NSPS.<br />
“I think it’s important for folks to be<br />
able to ask, one on one, why we’re doing<br />
things and for me to answer any<br />
questions,” she added.<br />
Ms. Lacey said that “enthusiasm<br />
and excitement of the workforce is very<br />
high” in places she’s visited, but added<br />
that many employees are concerned<br />
about their supervisors’ ability to fairly<br />
evaluate performance.<br />
“This is not unexpected. Most of<br />
the department has been effectively on<br />
a pass-fail system for quite a while, so<br />
this is new,” she said. “And that’s one<br />
of the reasons we’ve spent so much<br />
time training employees and supervisors<br />
on performance management.”<br />
She said she reassures employees<br />
that supervisors have received extensive<br />
training in performance<br />
management and that multiple leaders<br />
will be involved in the performanceevaluation<br />
process.<br />
Program officials originally planned<br />
to include about 60,000 employees in<br />
Spiral 1.1, but several factors, including<br />
ongoing litigation over collective-bargaining<br />
rules, contributed to the need to<br />
curtail that number.<br />
Ms. Lacey said that officials reconstituted<br />
the group so it included only<br />
nonbargaining-unit employees. The number<br />
also had to be cut because of delays<br />
in implementation brought about by<br />
the legal issues.<br />
“Once we got the judge’s decision,<br />
we only had a limited amount of time<br />
See ‘System’ page 9<br />
5X7
News<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
9<br />
System, from page 8<br />
and it was a throughput issue<br />
on the training,” Ms. Lacey<br />
said. “We didn’t want to shortchange<br />
any of the training.”<br />
A few pay-related aspects<br />
of the program employees may<br />
not be aware of are the initial<br />
within-grade buy-in and the local<br />
market supplement.<br />
Employees being<br />
transitioned into NSPS will receive<br />
the next step increase due<br />
to them in the old GS system<br />
prorated for the amount of time<br />
that is left until they would be<br />
due the pay increase.<br />
What is called locality pay<br />
in the existing personnel pay<br />
system will now be called “local<br />
market supplement” under<br />
NSPS. This is a percentage<br />
over base pay based on geography,<br />
Ms. Lacey said. She said<br />
the system will use the same<br />
scales the rest of government<br />
uses for now, but this may<br />
change to a system based on<br />
specific jobs if officials feel they<br />
need help with recruiting and<br />
retaining hard-to-fill specialties.<br />
NSPS officials want employees<br />
to know that they will<br />
be closely monitoring the<br />
program’s implementation to<br />
immediately deal with any problems<br />
that may arise during the<br />
transition.<br />
“We will be monitoring how<br />
these 1.1 activities do and continue<br />
to keep the lines of communication<br />
open with the senior<br />
leadership and employees so<br />
that we get early indicators if<br />
there’s any difficulties, so we<br />
can look at it and determine if<br />
it’s a training need or of it is a<br />
systemic thing that needs to be<br />
tweaked,” Ms. Lacey said.<br />
She also noted that the<br />
evaluation results will be made<br />
available to employees.<br />
“That openness has been<br />
our philosophy with NSPS right<br />
from the beginning,” she said.<br />
“They deserve to see how it’s<br />
going.”<br />
(Courtesy <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
Print News)
10<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
When the commanders,<br />
shirts and agency chiefs entered<br />
the Medical Group classroom<br />
for mandatory training<br />
April 21, they expected a slide<br />
presentation to greet them, a<br />
stack of training rosters to sign<br />
and the dull-but-deafening hum<br />
of the overhead lights--sure<br />
signs of an early nap.<br />
Instead, they saw the vibrant<br />
tribal colors of six teams,<br />
corresponding multi-colored<br />
“kuffs,” and tiki torches<br />
planted alongside what looked<br />
like an “immunity idol” from<br />
the reality show “Survivor.”<br />
As many years as most of<br />
them have spent in uniform, it’s<br />
likely they winced when they<br />
saw “mandatory training” on<br />
their Friday calendar because<br />
instinctively they knew they’d<br />
need to<br />
down all the<br />
coffee in<br />
sight and<br />
hope the<br />
trainers<br />
provided<br />
enough<br />
sweets to induce the sugarhigh<br />
they’d need to stay awake<br />
all morning.<br />
What they didn’t know was<br />
the Family Advocacy Office<br />
had taken “regular ole” mandatory<br />
training and stood it on<br />
its head in creating “FAP Survivor<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong>.”<br />
Teams were identified using<br />
Spanish animal names.<br />
The Buitre tribe, the only<br />
tribe with a flying mascot, was<br />
crowned sole survivor. Despite<br />
the random drawing for<br />
teams, ironically its members<br />
were all flying squadron commanders.<br />
“The team with the least<br />
points goes to tribal council<br />
where one of their members<br />
will be voted off by the other<br />
tribes,” explained Maj.<br />
Michelle Loper, <strong>Laughlin</strong> Family<br />
Advocacy Officer. “Survivors<br />
ready”<br />
A chorus of “ready” echoed<br />
round.<br />
Major Loper continued,<br />
“First question. Signs of spousal<br />
abuse include A, vague or<br />
inconsistent explanation of injuries...”<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> Instruction<br />
40-301, Family Advocacy, directs<br />
family advocacy staff to<br />
provide annual training to leaders<br />
and supervisors to prevent,<br />
intervene in and treat child and<br />
spouse maltreatment.<br />
To fulfill their mission,<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong>’s FAP team utilized<br />
the unorthodox training method<br />
so their lessons would resonate<br />
and stick.<br />
“I’ve got a wonderful, creative<br />
staff who came up with<br />
the idea…of course, they’re<br />
faithful Survivor fans,” said<br />
Major Loper. “On a serious<br />
note, all <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> personnel<br />
need to be familiar with FAP<br />
because<br />
they are<br />
mandated<br />
to report<br />
suspicion<br />
of child or<br />
spousal<br />
abuse or<br />
neglect.”<br />
The students certainly<br />
seemed to appreciate the extra<br />
effort, too.<br />
“This is probably the best<br />
Family Advocacy Program in<br />
the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> today,” said<br />
Lt. Col. Martin Gearhart, commander<br />
of the 47th Operations<br />
Support Squadron.<br />
“Commanders and shirts<br />
have one asset -people- and<br />
this training has taken difficult<br />
but critical subject matter and<br />
instilled sound decision-making<br />
guidance into <strong>Laughlin</strong>’s commanders<br />
and shirts,” said<br />
Colonel Gearhart.<br />
“The FAP Survivor<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> theme was an excellent<br />
way to enhance learning<br />
the FAP program,” said Master<br />
Sgt. George Koffler, 47th<br />
Operations Support Squadron<br />
first sergeant.<br />
“They created a helpful<br />
Features<br />
Annual training adapts to primetime TV appeal<br />
By Capt. Ken Hall<br />
Public Affairs<br />
“This is probably the best<br />
Family Advocacy<br />
Program in the <strong>Air</strong><strong>Force</strong>...”<br />
-- Lt. Col. Martin Gearhart<br />
Teams were identified using Spanish names such as “Mofeta” or skunk, “Buitre”<br />
or vulture, “Culebra” or snake and “Sapo” or toad.<br />
environment for us to increase<br />
and retain our knowledge of<br />
Family Advocacy Program information,”<br />
said Sergeant<br />
Koffler.<br />
“This training not only keeps<br />
us up to date on the issues, policies<br />
and procedures, but enforces<br />
how the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> is<br />
truly concerned for members<br />
and their families’ well-being,”<br />
said Master Sgt. Joe Morse,<br />
47th Civil Engineer Squadron<br />
first sergeant.<br />
“FAP helps <strong>Air</strong>men balance<br />
work and home.”<br />
During the finale, “jurors”<br />
questioned the final two contestants,<br />
Colonels Gearhart<br />
and Ewing. Sergeant Morse<br />
asked, “With all the budget<br />
and personnel cutbacks in the<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> today, why is it so<br />
important to fund FAP”<br />
Operations Support Squadron<br />
commander Colonel<br />
Gearhart responded, “We<br />
don’t win wars with machines<br />
alone…it takes people, and we<br />
have to take care of them first<br />
if we want them to take care<br />
of the business of war.”<br />
As the training room emptied,<br />
a palpable air of relief<br />
calmed the students.<br />
“This was so much better<br />
than death by Power Point,”<br />
said Medical Operations<br />
Squadron Commander Lt. Col.<br />
John Ewing. “And we all<br />
have to know this information<br />
to take care of our people.”<br />
After the training, all<br />
participants feasted with the<br />
local inhabitants on tribal cuisine<br />
made by Ms. Judy<br />
Rhinesmith, Family Advocacy<br />
Nurse.<br />
Photos by Kellen Hendricks<br />
The Family Advocacy program<br />
has many preventive programs<br />
that can help improve<br />
the quality of life for families<br />
even before they need them.<br />
(Top) Master Sgt. Stephen Kazmirski, 47th Mission Support<br />
Squadron first sergeant, and Lt. Col. Kevin Pilloud,<br />
47th Medical Support Squadron Commander, hoist their<br />
newly won immunity idol.<br />
(Bottom, from left) Master Sgt. Dora Caniglia, 47th Medical<br />
Group acting first sergeant, Maj. Andrew Foltz, 47th Staff<br />
Judge Advocate, and Lt. Col. John Ewing, Medical Operations<br />
Squadron Commander, face becoming cast-offs.
Features<br />
“Miss Brittany” Atkinson and other staff members help students with their homework<br />
and projects during “Power Hour” 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on school days.<br />
What’s Going On<br />
Among many daily and weekly events,<br />
the Youth and Community Centers offer<br />
several major seasonal activities and<br />
events, especially during the summer<br />
season.<br />
The Youth Center organizes trips to all<br />
16 area amusement parks during the<br />
summer months.<br />
For a full listing of events hosted by<br />
the Youth Center, call April Shope<br />
or Rocky Garcia at 298-5343.<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006 11<br />
<strong>Base</strong> youth activities<br />
keep kids busy, staff<br />
busier year-round<br />
Story and Photos by<br />
Tech. Sgt. Shawn David McCowan<br />
Public Affairs<br />
Children of base pesonnel have both their work<br />
and play cut out for them.<br />
“Miss April,” April Shope, Youth Center director,<br />
says that dozens of activities available each year give<br />
base kids of nearly all ages more than enough to do<br />
after school and all summer long.<br />
“We have everything from soccer to study<br />
groups... even field trips to all the amusement parks,”<br />
said Shope.<br />
“Miss Brittany,” Brittany Atkinson, who manages<br />
membership, says more than 60 kids are enrolled during<br />
the school year and twice that many during the summer<br />
season.<br />
“The kids love the many field trips offered during<br />
the summer. There are activities going on here seven<br />
days a week,” said Atkinson.<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> Youth Center<br />
School-year hours:<br />
Mondays - Fridays; 3:30 to 7 p.m.<br />
(6 - 7 p.m. teen hour)<br />
Saturdays; 12 to 8 p.m.<br />
( 7 to 8 p.m. teen hour)<br />
Summer hours:<br />
Mondays - Fridays; 1 to 8 p.m.<br />
( 7 - 8 p.m. teen hour)<br />
Saturdays; 12 to 8 p.m.<br />
( 7 to 8 p.m. teen hour)<br />
“Miss Pearlene” Livingston guides the<br />
younger children through cooking projects like<br />
baking cakes and cookies.<br />
Fiesta Community Center<br />
Mondays - Tuesdays; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.<br />
Wednesdays - Fridays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.<br />
Saturdays - Sundays; 12:30 to 8 p.m.
12<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
Features<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> flight bring smiles to Iraqi children<br />
By Maj. Robert Palmer<br />
U.S. Central Command<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>s<br />
Forward public affairs<br />
BAGHDAD, Iraq — As<br />
they stepped into the large,<br />
gray military cargo plane, their<br />
eyes widened and their expressions<br />
were equal parts<br />
wonder and bewilderment.<br />
This was the first time many<br />
of the Iraqi children and their<br />
parents had ever flown in an<br />
airplane, and none had ever<br />
been in an aircraft as large as<br />
the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>’s C-17<br />
Globemaster III.<br />
On April 29, the aircraft,<br />
based in Southwest Asia,<br />
flew 110 Iraqi children and 97<br />
of their parents, guardians<br />
and escorts from Amman to<br />
Baghdad in support of “Operation<br />
Smile.”<br />
Operation Smile, an international<br />
non-governmental<br />
organization, provides<br />
2X2.5<br />
2X3<br />
corrective surgery for cleft<br />
palates and cleft lips, congenital<br />
birth defects that affect<br />
approximately one out of<br />
every 600 children, according<br />
to the Cleft Palate Foundation.<br />
Operation Smile had<br />
evaluated the Iraqi children<br />
and transported them to<br />
Amman for corrective surgery.<br />
According to Chris<br />
Anderson, an Operation<br />
Smile staff member based in<br />
the Middle East, Operation<br />
Smile leaders had a concern<br />
for the safety and security of<br />
the children on the 22-hour<br />
return bus trip from Amman<br />
to Baghdad through Iraq’s<br />
western provinces.<br />
“We basically determined<br />
that (returning by bus)<br />
at this time wasn’t the safest<br />
option for the kids,” said Mr.<br />
Anderson. “For us, safety of<br />
the patients has always been<br />
the number one priority.”<br />
An Iraqi girl plays aboard an <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> C-17<br />
Globemaster III at Baghdad International <strong>Air</strong>port, Iraq,<br />
April 29. She was one of more than 100 Iraqi children<br />
who received surgery in Amman, Jordan, thanks to<br />
Operation Smile, an organization that provides corrective<br />
surgery for cleft palates and cleft lips. The<br />
children were flown back to Iraq on the C-17.<br />
Dr. William P. Magee Jr.,<br />
Operation Smile co-founder<br />
and chief executive officer,<br />
and chief medical officer Dr.<br />
Robert Rubin wrote to Secretary<br />
of Defense Donald H.<br />
Rumsfeld and requested assistance<br />
from the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> to<br />
provide safe airlift for the Iraqi<br />
children and their parents.<br />
Photos by Master Sgt. Will Ackerman<br />
The <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> received<br />
approval for the mission late<br />
Friday evening and by early<br />
Saturday morning, the C-17<br />
was airborne and enroute to<br />
Amman.<br />
After the young patients<br />
and their parents had settled<br />
into their seats, they listened<br />
intently as Dr. Talib, a plastic<br />
2X2.5<br />
surgery resident traveling<br />
with the group, read the preflight<br />
safety briefing in Arabic.<br />
Members of the crew reassured<br />
nervous passengers<br />
that the oxygen masks were<br />
only necessary in case of<br />
emergency.<br />
The passengers recited<br />
a brief prayer as the plane<br />
began to taxi.<br />
“We’re asking God for<br />
safe passage to Iraq,” said<br />
one of the parents.<br />
The prayer was repeated<br />
several times with increasing<br />
urgency and volume as the<br />
plane accelerated down the<br />
runway and lifted off. One<br />
Iraqi woman quietly fingered<br />
her prayer beads and hugged<br />
her daughter tightly as the<br />
plane began its rapid ascent.<br />
“This is turning out to be<br />
a rewarding mission,” said Lt.<br />
Col. Chris Carlsen, the aircraft<br />
commander. “You see<br />
all the children with the<br />
smiles on their faces. I’m<br />
glad to be a part of this. It’s a<br />
historic and beneficial event<br />
for the Iraqi people.”<br />
<strong>Air</strong>man 1st Class Alexis<br />
Elliott, a loadmaster for the<br />
C-17, agreed.<br />
“It makes me feel like I’m<br />
really helping to do something<br />
important,” said <strong>Air</strong>man<br />
Elliott, who is on her first deployment<br />
with the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>.<br />
As the plane landed, taxied<br />
and came to a halt at<br />
Baghdad International<br />
<strong>Air</strong>port’s passenger terminal,<br />
the faces of the Iraqi children<br />
and their parents explained<br />
very clearly what Operation<br />
Smile is all about. One jubilant<br />
father exited the plane,<br />
dropped to his knees and<br />
kissed the ground, although<br />
it was not clear whether he<br />
was celebrating his return to<br />
Iraq or just happy to be back<br />
on solid ground.<br />
“The bottom line is that<br />
the military is really trying to<br />
do what it can to help,” Mr.<br />
Anderson said. “The support<br />
was a great match for us.”
Features<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
13<br />
GOT<br />
NEWS<br />
Call Public Affairs<br />
at 298-5988<br />
to share.<br />
1X2<br />
Bao Moua<br />
Family Child Care provider<br />
47th Mission Support Squadron<br />
2X2<br />
2X2<br />
XLer<br />
2X5<br />
Photo by Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Olufemi Owolabi<br />
Hometown:<br />
Santa Ana, Calif.<br />
Family: Husband, Tou,<br />
and daughters, Isabel,<br />
Katherina, Juliann and<br />
one more on the way<br />
Time at <strong>Laughlin</strong>:<br />
Two years and 3 months<br />
Bad habit: Waiting till<br />
the last minute to do everything<br />
Greatest accomplishment:<br />
Having my three<br />
wonderful daughters and<br />
receive the ‘Provider of<br />
the Year 2005 Award’<br />
Hobbies: Playing volleyball,<br />
golf and shopping<br />
Favorite movies:<br />
“Top Gun” and girly movies<br />
If you could spend one<br />
hour with any person, who<br />
would it be and why: My<br />
father, because he passed<br />
away when I was small.<br />
I have been told all these<br />
great things about him, and I<br />
just want to know how he really<br />
was and what he would<br />
tell all of his kids now.<br />
“Mrs. Bao devoted<br />
her time and talents to<br />
the children of<br />
<strong>Laughlin</strong> <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong><br />
<strong>Base</strong>. Parents were<br />
able to continue with<br />
the mission--day or<br />
night--knowing that<br />
their children were<br />
safe and happy in<br />
Bao’s home.”<br />
--Barbara<br />
Bukowski, Family<br />
child-care coordinator
14<br />
Border Eagle<br />
May 5, 2006<br />
Sports&Health<br />
Photos by Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Olufemi Owolabi<br />
Show of skills...<br />
(Left) Kelsey Frank, a student of the “KajukenBo” class here instructed by<br />
Cedric Pickett, 47th Comptroller Squadron, practices her skills with Senior<br />
<strong>Air</strong>man Ryan Faircloth, 47th Communications Squadron, at the old gym April<br />
29. <strong>Air</strong>man Faircloth received his Second Degree Brown Belt, and Kelsey<br />
received a junior black belt April 29. For information on KajukenBo classes<br />
at <strong>Laughlin</strong>, call the Youth Center at 298-5343.<br />
84th/85th FTS squeaks past<br />
CE to v-ball championship<br />
By Senior <strong>Air</strong>man<br />
Austin M. May<br />
Staff writer<br />
The combined volleyball<br />
team of the 84th and 85th Flying<br />
Training Squadrons edged<br />
out CE1 Tuesday in two hard<br />
rounds, earning their shot at<br />
the intramural championship.<br />
The 84th/85th FTS scored<br />
the first three points of the<br />
first round, but let their guard<br />
down enough to allow CE1 to<br />
score a few points.<br />
The 84th/85th team<br />
kicked in the afterburners,<br />
however, taking the lead by<br />
double CE1’s score, 14-7.<br />
CE1 fought hard and came<br />
back quick, tying the round at<br />
19-19, and keeping it tied until<br />
both teams had 23 points.<br />
The 84th/85th had to<br />
reach 25 points and be leading<br />
by two to win the round,<br />
and that’s just what they did.<br />
The next two points came<br />
quickly, and they stole the<br />
round 25-23.<br />
The second round was<br />
nearly de ja vu. Again, the<br />
84th/85th team scored the<br />
first point, but CE1 stayed in<br />
the game by scoring a few of<br />
their own.<br />
Near the end, the score for<br />
the second round was tied at<br />
22-22, but once the 84th/85th<br />
had the end in sight, they once<br />
again throttled up, scored the<br />
last few points, and won the<br />
match 25-23, 25-22.<br />
Scott “Boom” Frazier,<br />
84th/85th FTS, said that while<br />
his team could have performed<br />
better, he thought they<br />
played well together.<br />
“There are a few things<br />
we need to work on before<br />
the championship; but once<br />
we do, we should win,” he<br />
said.<br />
(Left) Scott “Boom”<br />
Frazier, 84th/85th Flying<br />
Training Squadron volleyball<br />
team, prepares to<br />
spike the ball while teammate<br />
Robert Seifert gets<br />
out of the way. The 84th/<br />
85th beat CE1 25-23, 25-<br />
22 Tuesday earning their<br />
shot at the championship.<br />
Photo by Senior <strong>Air</strong>man Austin M. May