March brings Goodbyes.

Transcription

1 Inside this issue: March brings Goodbyes. APRIL 2007 A Lifetime Experience 2 Recruiting News 3 Dodgeball Tournament 4 Leadership Focus 5 Council Reports 6 By Capt Kelly Mellard The beginning of March brought several goodbyes. On 1 March and 3 March the 168th Air Refueling Wing said farewell to two familiar faces, Brigadier General Tim Scott and Colonel Mike Williams. Brigadier General Tim Scott, the Assistant Adjutant General, retired at the Eielson Base Theater to a packed house. Members of the 168th and local community came out to show their support and appreciation as Brig Gen Scott said his final farewells. General Scott earned his commission in March of His first assignment was to the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron, Loring Air Force Base, Maine, where he served as a KC-135A Navigator. In October 1984, he was selected to become a part of the Cobra Ball Reconnaissance Program and a member of the 24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base. In 1989, he left the United States Air Force to become a member of the Alaska Air National Guard. In June 1995, he was appointed Commander of the 168th Aircraft Generation Squadron and in August 1996, was selected as Commander of the 168th Operations Group. He entered the United States Air Force Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in August 1998 and served as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Air Mobility Command Directorate for Plans, Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois following graduation. In March 2000, he headed back to Alaska to serve as the Commander of the 168th Air Refueling Wing. He was appointed as the Assistant Adjutant General on 5 August On 3 March following the Annual Awards Ceremony the wing once again said goodbye, this time to Colonel Mike Williams, 168th Vice Wing Commander. Colonel Williams leaves the 168th to become the United States Property and Fiscal Officer (USPFO) at the Alaska Air National Guard State Headquarters on Ft Richardson. Col Williams was directly commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1981 upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He transferred to Reese AFB, Texas where he served as an Engineering Officer, Design Engineer and Chief of the Construction Management Branch. Col Williams transferred to 343 rd Civil Engineering Squadron at Eielson AFB, Alaska where he established the first environmental program and subsequently was appointed as the Chief of the Environmental and Contract Planning Flight. In 1987, Col Williams joined the newly established Air National Guard unit at Eielson AFB. As the sole Project Engineer, he coordinated the planning, design, and construction of all new facilities for the 168 th Air Refueling Group. During his time with the 168 th Air Refueling Wing, Col Williams has served as the first Base Civil Engineer, Comptroller, Maintenance Squadron Commander, Space Mission Project Officer, Mission Support Flight Commander, Mission Support Group Commander and Vice Wing Commander. Col Williams spent 19 of his 25 years in the military with the 168th. The 168th wishes both men well in their future endeavors!

2 PAGE 2 ARCTIC REFUELER 168 ARW A lifetime experience at AMS By 2Lt Jessica Hill, 168 Mission Support Flight If you believe anything I say about attending the Academy of Military Science (AMS), believe this, The process does work. After day one, which feels like six weeks, you contemplate why in anyone s right mind would he or she have wanted to sign up for this? Then you remember your dreams of being an officer and prepare yourself for day two. Day two only feels like it takes four weeks and all you hear from the staff is Trust the process, trust the process because it works. At this point you have dropped for push ups too many times to remember what your Faculty Advisor s (FA) and Military Training Leaders (MTL) look like, you are still trying to remember if the Director of Support is Major Kallstrom or Major Hasselhoff and if the Secretary of AMS really is Major Daniels. My advice to everyone is to GET FOCUSED. Do what you came there to do; become an Air Force Officer. As a non-prior enlisted, I was not excused from any of the requirements to include AF knowledge or physical fitness. I did however have to give twice the effort than any of the priors there to be able to stay out of the line of fire. The rumor that the priors have the upper hand is not true. The staff levels out the playing field day one. Lean on your squadron members, the answers are within you all. AMS was the greatest experience I have ever had. I say this with great pride, honor and a huge smirk on my face. Every day there was worth the knowledge and experience that I took home. Listen and learn from the staff to develop into the officer you always dreamed of becoming. The AMS mission is to educate, develop, and inspire military leaders to facilitate change, integrate leadership, and foster wartime skills in support of national security. AMS does just that and so much more. However, you must make the program work for you. You will be taught and then expected to apply your lessons in various situations; use this time to make mistakes and to overcome fears. To future students attending AMS these are some helpful pointers: What not to do 1- Let the threat of pushups outweigh going home 2- Waste time (you have a tenpound bag and they give you 50 pounds of work to carry) 3- Lose your military bearing (huge mistake) Some hints on what you should do 1- Academics, academics, academics (study, study, study) 2- Use situational awareness (if someone is getting yelled at for calling the MTL sir, maybe you should call him or her Sergeant) 3- The minute you get on campus read your operational instructions in great detail and know them! All smiles!: Maj Gen Craig Campbell and Col John Griffin get the opportunity to attend 2Lt Jessica Hill s AMS graduation. Congratulations to the Fourth Quarter Award Winners 1 October December 2006 Senior NCO of the Quarter SMSgt Pamela A. Cox, 168 OG NCO of the Quarter SSgt Fredrick G. Adams, 168 MXS

3 Recruiting News ARCTIC REFUELER PAGE 3 The 168 th Air Refueling Wing would like to welcome the following new members into the Wing: A1C Thera Freling Amn Leann Manabat A1C Julia Kobernuss SrA Marcus Bentley AMXS OG MSG AMXS The Recruiting Office started a Student Flight program to ready all Non- Prior Service members for Basic Military Training and Technical School during the March drill. The training focused on Physical Conditioning, Drill and Ceremony, Customs and Courtesies, as well as the enlisted and officer rank structures. Thanks to the continued support throughout the 168 ARW, the program has become a huge success. Due to April being a Warrior Week drill period the student flight training has been postponed until May. Please continue to support our Student Flight members as they ready themselves for BMT and thanks again for all of your support! Awards, Dec s, Promotions & Retirements January Awards/Decorations Meritorious Service Medal CMSgt Robert J. Segla 168 LRS TSgt John C. Boyer 168 AMXS SSgt Kenneth D. Rose 168 MXS Air Force Commendation Medal Capt Brad A. Weekley 168 MSG MSgt Karen M. Malone 168 MSG MSgt Mark W. Homchick 168 MXS MSgt Robert E. Stavang 168 MXS MSgt Sunny D. Violanti 168 ARW TSgt Joseph M. Donoghue 168 ARW TSgt Raymond D. McCraw 168 MXS TSgt Melvin D. Birch 168 MSG TSgt Christopher S. Balsewicz 168 CF TSgt Richard M. Smith 168 ARS TSgt Christy L. Curry 168 ARS SSgt Sherdean S. Brisendine 168 SFS Air Force Achievement Medal MSgt Anthony M. Key 168 MXS MSgt James W. Kimberly Jr. 168 MXS MSgt Eugene E. Hodges 168 MXS MSgt Kenneth A. Cook 168 MXS MSgt Warren A. Daniels 168 MXS MSgt Michael B. Malatek 168 MXS TSgt John M. Smith 168 MXS TSgt Thomas W. Blair 168 MXS TSgt Timothy J. Berg 168 MXS TSgt Phillip V. Kaup 168 MXS TSgt Christy L. Curry 168 ARS SSgt Scott A. Murrah 168 MXS SSgt Ramon Herrera Jr. 168 MXS SSgt Corrie L. Elmes Jr. 168 ARS SSgt Jeffrey A. Ling 168 MXS SSgt Daniel J. Martolano 168 MXS SrA Matthew M. Hubbartt 168 MXS SrA Christopher L. Tidwell 168 MXS SrA Isaac S. Block 168 MXS SrA Dusty L. Spencer 168 MXS SrA Abraham A. Cook 168 MXS SrA Raymond J. Weber 168 MXS SrA John A. Tweed 168 MXS Promotions To MSgt. John A. Laqua 168 OSF Daniel Ruonavarra 168 AMXS Edward A Rouleau 168 MXG To TSgt. Ronald D. Larner 168 MXS Neal J. Waltman 168 MXG Sam Amos 168 AMXS Mary-Lou Petti 168 AMXS Tracy P. Kurzenberger 168 LRS Jeffrey A. Ling 168 MXS Sarah J. Willey 168 CF Robert E. Cave 168 CF To SSgt. Robert J. Ostrander 168 ARS Reginald L. Fleming 168 LRS Raymond J. Weber 168 MXS Ivory L. McDaniel 168 MXS Sunji Spencer 168 AMXS Retirements None this period

4 PAGE 4 ARCTIC REFUELER 168 ARW Dodgeball tournament update By SMSgt Tran Brunsberg After the first rounds of games during February UTA, we had two winner bracket games and two loser bracket games scheduled for March. It started off Saturday with inter-squadron rivals when the MXS1 team coached by SMSgt Mark Renson faced MXS2 coached by SMSgt Phillip Hunt. MXS 1 prevailed winning five to one in matches. win. OG forfeited to MSG/CF the second game on Saturday. MSG/CF coach TSgt Paul Montes enjoyed the easy On Sunday, MDG coached by MSgt Danielle St. Laurent was defeated by the newly developed AMXS team coached by MSgt Timothy Vanderhoff, winning five to zero. After all the smack talking since February UTA, the final game was as exciting as it was talked up to be when LRS, coached by TSgt John Brunsberg, faced MSF/SF team coached by TSgt Brian Hoppough. Matches were going back and forth with wins on both sides. With a tie four to four and either team able to win the game, more MSF/SF players were left on the dodge-ball court than there were LRS players. SSgt Bobbie Paul made a deflected diving catch to send the opponent player out and giving a re-entry of a LRS player back in the game. A move that led to a LRS victory! A brutal loss for the MSF/SF, but their hopes are not down as they will face AMXS in their next game. Game on!! The Logistics Readiness Squadron and the Mission Support Flight/Security Forces team battle it out. Photos: MSgt Diminian Chagnon, 168th Communications Flight A sad farewell: Four members of Security Forces departed 20 February in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photos: Capt Kelly Mellard, 168th Public Affairs From left to right: SrA James Sparks, SrA Charity Orriss, SrA Luke Bowdre and SSgt Robert Hall

5 Leadership Focus By Chief C. Lee Cooper How do you get everyone in a unit on the same page, at the same time, to perform the actions to accomplish the assigned mission? The answer to this question is elusive and confounds leaders at all levels within an organization. While no one can consistently motivate a person, flight, section or an organization everyday, I suggest consideration of the following to help you on your path to leadership success. Imagine yourself in the wilds of Alaska. You are a scout trusted with guiding a rail track laying expedition, filled with tenderfoot Sourdoughs seeking fast riches in uncharted territory. You have a basic map in your hand but little else to get the job done. Your scout school graduation certificate makes you the official leader of the trek, but how will you achieve success? How will the leader and his team achieve success? The leader s vision will bring them through! According to Warren Bennis, in On Becoming A Leader, The compelling goal of the leader and the guiding purpose the leader has for the organization are absolutely critical to successful leadership. Examination of ARCTIC REFUELER personal and organizational vision, as well as the leader s need to consistently evaluate them, explains how charting a vision prepares leaders and their organizations for today s and tomorrow s challenges. A personal vision can create or define leaders. A leader s personal vision is an important element in the construction of successful leadership actions a developed vision creates a solidarity effect, a singular focus, a collective effort. By adding vision, the leader provides welldeveloped and palatable leadership helping to produce leadership focus beyond the immediate and more future directed. Vision is a compass for guidance along personal leadership treks. Bennis states that, The leader has a clear idea of what he wants to do professionally and personally and the strength to persist in the face of setbacks, even failures. Unless you know where you re going, and why, you cannot possibly get there. Constant vision awareness of all organizational participants empowers the leader to act boldly under any circumstance with presence of mind and confidence. PAGE 5 A leader s personal vision is the lynchpin for successful leadership. This focus, the guiding vision, is like concrete in the foundation of a building. Without it, the building is unstable and subject to collapse. Similarly, the leader s vision creates a cementing effect. Explaining vision helps the leader provide welldeveloped and palatable leadership to subordinates. As a consequence, leadership will become more effective for today, and is more future directed. Leaders use vision to guide them along their personal journeys. The leader must have a clear idea of what he wants to do professionally and personally and the strength to persist, even when failures occur. Otherwise, you are not as effective as you should be. Now ask yourself, do you clearly understand what your leadership focus is and do your charges understand it? If the answer is yes, your constancy of vision empowers you, and your charges, to act boldly under any circumstance with presence of mind and confidence, now, and most importantly, for the future. With your focus, we will succeed together! ON BEHALF OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL, MAJOR GENERAL CRAIG E. CAMPBELL: I am pleased to announce that Governor Sarah Palin has appointed Brigadier General Tony Hart, 176th Wing Commander, as the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, effective 1 March Brigadier General Hart succeeds Brigadier General Tim Scott, who retired 1 March 2007 after serving our state and nation in numerous capacities with both the United States Air Force and Alaska Air National Guard. Brig Gen Scott leaves a tremendous legacy of accomplishments, of which the hallmark is the transformation of the Alaska Air National Guard. This is highlighted by the establishment of an associate unit with the active duty C-17 mission; transfer of the 176th Air Control Squadron from active duty to the Alaska ANG; transfer of the space surveillance mission at Clear AFS to the Alaska ANG; and the successful negotiations on relocation of Kulis ANGB to Elmendorf AGFB, as the result of BRAC. Please join me in wishing Brig Gen Scott well in his retirement and great success for Brig Gen Hart as the new Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Alaska. Brig Gen Hart's outstanding leadership capabilities, and vision of the future for the Alaska ANG will serve our organization well as we continue meeting both our state and federal requirements in a dynamic and ever-changing environment. Brig Gen Tony Hart

6 Council Reports EAC Nothing to report this period ARCTIC REFUELER PAGE 6 TOP THREE The Top 3 is still seeking motivated Senior NCOs to participate in the 354 th Fighter Wing NCO Professional Enhancement Seminars. You will be contributing as a subject matter expert (SME) on National Guard information, not as an instructor. Chief Latham has a slide presentation available for use. This is a great opportunity for individuals to become more comfortable speaking in front of people as well as potential recruitment for the Air National Guard. MSgt Wolverton participated as the Air National Guard SME for the NCO PE on 14- OAC The OAC had an excellent meeting over March UTA. We had a great turn out and have laid the groundwork for an excellent year for OAC. We have formed two committees to oversee OAC agenda items. For several years we have discussed providing a professional development process, to meet this goal Maj Smith and Capt Mellard will head up the process to identify topics and schedule speakers. The officer February so if you have specific questions, you can contact him at MSgt Sandgren, the 354 th FW NCO Professional Enhancement seminar coordinator, is also willing to develop one or two-day seminars for use by the 168 th that traditional members can take advantage of on drill weekends. He has numerous subjects that can be taught in a day. The Top 3 is seeking feedback from mid-tier traditional members to see what they think would best benefit them. Please forward your ideas to a senior NCO. Please don t forget that this course they establish will ensure a better officer corp. We already had our first topic delivered by Capt Goodwin covering the state grant process and military one source. Next month we will have Capt Teeter cover budget 101. On the morale side we have Maj Pulsifer and Capt Addison designing a shirt we can wear at public events. These will help us identify Guard involvement in community events. We have also identified our goals: Support the purchase and flying of state is the last drill to ensure your people are ready prior to the start of the AEF. The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday of April UTA at 1500 in the Ops Theater (exercise permitting). flags in honor of retirees, entertain funding requests in support of Wing activities up to $1000 annually, support two charity events a year; Habitat for Humanity and Food bank are current recipients. Provide professional development during each OAC meeting and raise funds to support our goals. I appreciate your support and hope we continue to see such a large turn out and hope for even greater support. At the 17 March Habitat for Humanity volunteer project sponsored by the Officer Advisory Council, Capt Ruth Keater (pictured left) and SMSgt Pam Cox (pictured right) are happy to lend a hand.

7 ARCTIC REFUELER Meet Your First Sergeant MSgt Bryan Hailey PAGE 7 Name: Bryan Hailey Hometown: Anderson, AK Squadron Commander: Lt Col J.D. Davis Duty Phone: Years in Military Service: 24 Years in 168th: 8 Previous Assignments: DEC 83-21st Evacuation Hospital- Ft Hood, Texas APR 85-3/507 th Air Ambulance Company- Ft Hood, Texas FEB 87-6 th Medical Battalion- Ft Wainwright, Alaska MAY 91- Army National Guard- Fairbanks, Alaska NOV th Medical Squadron- Eielson AFB, Alaska OCT th Logistics Readiness Squadron- Eielson AFB NOV th Mission Support Group- Eielson AFB JAN th Security Forces Squadron- Eielson AFB AUG th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron- Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait Education: 1983 Combat Medical Specialist Course- Ft Sam Houston, Texas 1987 Advanced Medical NCO Course- Ft Sam Houston, Texas 1985 Aerospace Medical Technician Course- Brooks AFB, Texas 2004 USAF First Sergeant Academy- McGhee-Tyson ANGB 2005 USAF Senior NCO Course- correspondence 2007 CCAF degree in progress Your Civilian Employer: AGR, Alaska Air National Guard Family: wife Anna, daughters Christina, 19 and Olivia, 4 Downtime: Favorite Movie: Family stuff, martial arts, computers, medieval history Star Wars During Warrior Week in April, the wing will be conducting both an Initial Readiness Response Exercise and a Combat Employment Readiness Exercise. ARCTIC RAVEN is being designed to once again test the wing's wartime skills. During the employment phase (14-15 Apr) the duty day will be extended to twelve hours.

8 ARCTIC REFUELER 168th ARW/PA Capt Kelly Mellard 1Lt Bethany Ordway 2680 Flightline Ave., Ste. 117 Eielson AFB, Alaska Phone: and 8757 Fax: UTA Dates April May June 9-10 Pay Dates for UTA s April 25 May June Recruiters on the ice at the Nanook Military Appreciation Night at the Carlson Center 168 ARW/CC 2680 Flightline Ave., Ste. 117 Eielson AFB, AK