inside brig. gen. carter's message, p2 fss pullout, p7...

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH66th Year • No. 35 • AUGUST 31, 2012

INSIDE ... BRIG. GEN. CARTER'S MESSAGE, P2 ... FSS PULLOUT, P7-10 ... RO-HAWK FOOTBALL, P13

A publication of the 502nd Air Base Wing – Joint Base San Antonio

PAGE 5

AUGUST 31, 2012PAGE 2 WINGSPREAD

COMMENTARY

By Brig. Gen. Theresa C. CarterJoint Base San Antonio and 502nd Air Base Wing commander

Three years ago my nephew and I were playing the video football game Madden 2009. Despite my inexperience with the game and serious lack of gaming skills, I actually beat him. As I celebrated my victory, Brian immediately hit the reset button and loudly proclaimed, “That was just a warm-up; now it’s time for the real thing!”

As we approach the Labor Day weekend, it’s natural for us to think about family and friends. This time marks the traditional end of sum-mer and the beginning of the football season. Many of us will be hitting the road to spend time with our families and friends at the beach, a backyard barbecue or at a stadium tailgating and cheering for our favorite team.

Did you know that AAA estimates nearly 33 million people will be on the road from Thursday, Aug. 30, to Mon-day, Sept. 3? Unfortunately, the National Safety Council also estimates 405 traffi c fatalities and another 40,500 injuries will occur over this same period of time.

Taking these facts into consider-ation is an important matter. We all

know in the game of life, we cannot just hit the reset button like my nephew did.

If you drive too fast for the road conditions, you’re likely to have an accident. If you’ve been drinking or are not wearing your seatbelt when that accident happens, you’re likely to be seriously injured or killed or cause harm to others. The precious seconds you spend reading or re-sponding to a text message while you drive could most likely be your last. You can’t simply say “do over.”

Decisions have consequences and one poor decision can cause a life-time of heartache and sorrow for you or your loved ones. Financial pres-sures, relationship issues and pending disciplinary action are often cited as

contributing factors in suicides among military members. There is no doubt, these issues can seem overwhelm-ing and lead many to believe there is no hope and no choice but suicide.

If you fi nd yourself in this situa-tion, hit the pause button. Stop and think about those you’ll leave behind if you choose to end your life. I know how it feels to be left behind after my younger sister took her life 27 years ago this weekend. It hurts and you will be missed every day. Your fam-ily and friends would rather be there to help you through a diffi cult time than live a lifetime without you.

As you enjoy the well-deserved time off this weekend, please do so safely and remember to look out for each other. We want to see you back at work on Tuesday so you can hit “play” and share stories of the good times you had with your family and friends.

THINK SAFETY

In game of life, you can’t hit reset button"As you enjoy the well-deserved time off this weekend, please do so

safely and remember to look out for each other."

Maj. Gen. Timothy Zadalis (left), Air Education and Training Command di-rector of Intelligence, Operations and Nuclear Integration, presents the Dis-tinguished Flying Cross to former 2nd Lt. Samuel Smith, 360th Bombard-ment Squadron B-17 aircraft com-mander, during a ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Aug. 24. For the complete story, see page 5.Photo by Rich McFadden

ON THE COVER

This newspaper is published by Prime Time Military News-papers, a private fi rm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of the Wingspread are not necessarily the offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.

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Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Offi ce of JBSA-Randolph. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air Force photos.

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Joint Base San Antonio-RandolphEditorial Staff

Brig. Gen. Theresa CarterCommander

Marilyn HollidayChief of Public Affairs

Senior Airman Precious YettEditor

Airman 1st Class Lincoln KorverRobert GoetzAlex SalinasStaff Writers

Maggie ArmstrongGraphic Designer

Scan with Smartphone app to access the Joint Base San Antonio website at www.jbsa.af.mil.

Scan with Smartphone app to access the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph

Facebook page at Facebook.com./RandolphAirForceBase

Graphic by Rich McFadden

WINGSPREADAUGUST 31, 2012 PAGE 3

By Steve ElliottJoint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston Public Affairs

In bringing an “Army face” to the Air Force’s 502nd Air Base Wing, Col. Robert Bridgford said he enjoyed being able to explain the importance of Army history and culture to the men and women of the wing.

“This is the largest and most complex installation in the Department of De-fense, with six geographically separated locations and a very diverse set of mis-sion partners that we support,” Bridg-ford, who since 2010 has been the 502nd ABW vice commander and deputy joint base commander, said.

“The combination of being located in a very large city and having different prop-erties that are spread out across this city make it a very different and challenging joint base,” he said of JBSA, which is made up of three primary locations.

“I think the joint basing concept has worked out well,” Bridgford, whose last official day is today, said. He is headed next to the G-3 (operations) section of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command on JBSA-Fort Sam Houston.

“We started out with a tough job, which was to consolidate the support activities of two Air Force bases and one Army post and form a wing head-quarters to run it,” the 1983 gradu-ate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., said.

“We’ve learned a lot along the way and have achieved savings in both dollars and personnel,” Bridgford added. “We’re less than two years in the development of this joint base, but we know more about ourselves and where we need to go. The awkwardness that was there at first has smoothed out.”

The colonel said it was challeng-ing standing up an organization from scratch.

“Being a wing vice commander of a primarily Air Force organization with mostly Airmen and Air Force civilians has definitely been a learning pro-cess,” he said.

“I have had to immerse myself in all the Air Force instructions and rules on

how they operate and manage person-nel. I’ve worked in joint assignments and multi-national assignments, but I have never worked almost entirely in another service’s environment.”

Bridgford said the arrangement has been beneficial and a learning experi-ence for both the Army and the Air Force.

“We approach installations from different perspectives, which yields different solutions and that provides opportunities for the services to learn from each other,” he said. “It is one of the best benefits of joint basing.”

While Bridgford said he has “had a great time working for the Air Force, it will be nice to go home to the Army.”

To his successor, Col. James Chevallier, Bridgford offered a few words.

“Get out and meet all your mission partners; we exist to support them,” he said. “Get to know the wing structure and the structure of the Air Education and Training Command.”

“You’ve got two jobs,” he said. “You’re the 502nd ABW vice commander and the JBSA deputy commander. As the wing vice commander, you will have to learn how the Air Force works so you can work effectively within its corporate structure.

“As the joint base deputy commander, you will have to work hard to incorporate all of your mission partners and their interests into joint base decisions,” the colonel said. “You will find many times

the two roles conflict. It is your job to find the right balance between the responsi-bilities of the two positions.”

As the wing and its mission partners grow and work with each other, there is more cross-fertilization between mis-sion commands and more ideas being exchanged, Bridgford said.

In bidding farewell to the 502nd ABW, the colonel said that “the people in the wing continue to get it done day in and day out. They do a great job and I am very proud of them, and I have been very proud to be part of the wing and Air Education and Training Command.”

He also said the teamwork and cama-raderie between the wing and its mission partners during the past two years have made the transition much smoother.

“It was a rough start, but I think now we are a very strong team” Bridgford said. “We don’t always agree, but that’s OK, because we are all working toward improving the installation for our Sol-diers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, their families and the retir-ees. It is through those disagreements and the solutions that result that we understand each other better and move forward together.

“To the San Antonio community, thank you,” he said. “This is truly Military City, USA. My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed this incred-ibly friendly city – the big city with a welcoming small-town feel.”

Bridgford brought ‘Army face’ to 502nd ABW, JBSA

U.S. Army Col. Robert Bridgford

By Rebekah Clark12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

The 479th Flying Training Group evacuated 34 aircraft and about 60 accompanying aircrew members from Naval Air Station Pensa-cola, Fla., to Joint Base San Antonio-Ran-dolph Monday in anticipation of Tropical Storm Isaac.

The group is currently in a “stop train-ing” status and only mission essential per-sonnel should report for duty.

The 479th FTG is a geographically sepa-rated unit of the 12th Flying Training Wing and hosts the Air Force’s only Combat Sys-tems Officer training program.

479th FTG evacuates aircraft to JBSA-Randolph away from storm

Photo by Bekah ClarkT-1 Jayhawks from the 479th Flying Training Group line the south ramp at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Monday.


NEWS

By Joint Base San Antonio Public Affairs

West Nile virus-positive mos-quitoes have now been identified at all Joint Base San Antonio lo-cations. JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Randolph were added on Aug. 24.

Three sample pools at Lackland and one sample pool at Randolph tested positive.

JBSA officials also reported on Aug. 23 that three mosquito sample pools from a creek bed on Camp Bullis tested positive.

“Officials continue to treat and monitor af-fected areas on all JBSA installations.

A second round of targeted mosquito fog-ging with handheld devices was conducted early Friday morning at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston where numerous mosquito pool samples have tested positive for West Nile virus since July 18.

According to experts, 80 percent of pa-tients bitten by West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes will have no symptoms; 20 percent may develop flu-like symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting and occasional rash on the chest and back; and one percent may develop more severe symptoms of meningitis, encephalitis or paralysis. People typically develop symp-

toms between three and 14 days after they are bitten by an infected mosquito.

Measures to take to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds:• Not allowing puddles to form on lawns as a result of excessive watering• Placing tiny holes in the bottom of recycling bins without lids• Replacing water in birdbaths• Getting rid of old tires• Preventing bottles, tin cans, buckets or drums from collecting water• Wearing a long-sleeve shirt or pants if going outdoors at dawn, dusk or the early evening• Spraying insect repellent on clothing and rubbing it gently on face, ears, neck and hands, especially if outdoors after dusk or before dawn.

All precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of mosquitoes in the interest of protecting the JBSA populations and sur-rounding communities.

Call the 559th Medical Group Public Health Office at 671-9623 for Lackland-specific ques-tions or concerns. At Randolph, contact the 359th MDG Public Health section at 652-2456. For more information on the virus, visit www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/.

Mosquito surveillance activities have shown that West Nile virus is present on Joint Base San Antonio to include Randolph and a decision to fog with a pesticide to kill infected mosquitoes has been made by local officials. The 902nd Installation Pest Management section began fogging operations Wednesday evening. They plan to fog on Tuesdays and Thursdays at dusk between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. throughout Randolph housing and surrounding areas. The fogging truck will have a yellow light on top and four-way flashers to help warn base residents it is coming down the street.

Although your chances of experiencing any health effects from fogging are quite low, the following steps will help you reduce possible exposures to insecticides during fogging: • If possible, remain inside whenever fogging takes place. • Keep children and pets inside during fogging and for about one hour after fogging.• Close windows and doors before fogging begins. • If you must remain outside, avoid eye contact with the fog. If you get insecticide in your eyes, immediately rinse them with water or eye drops. • Wash exposed skin surfaces with soap and water if you come in contact with the insecticide. • Rinse homegrown fruits and vegetables thoroughly with water before cooking or eating. • Cover outdoor tables and play equipment, or wash them with soap and water after they have been fogged. • Bring laundry and toys inside before fogging begins. (Wash with soap and water if exposed to insecticide during fogging.) • Bring pets inside, cover ornamental fishponds and pools to avoid direct exposure.

Consult your physician if you think you are experiencing health effects from the spraying, such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, headache or nausea.

NOTE: Fogging will not occur if winds exceed 10 miles per hour or if there is rain. This type of weather impedes the ability of the chemical pesticide to reach and kill the mosquitoes.

Notice of fogging on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph

Officials detect West Nile virus at all JBSA locations

Solemnfarewell

The remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Louis Torres were transported through Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Aug. 29. Randolph's Harmon Drive was lined with Randolph employees and family members, and the Honor Guard was posted at the flightline, paying final tribute to Torres as his remains were transported back to Ohio. Torres was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infan-try Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He deployed to Afghanistan with his brigade in December 2011 for his second deployment in sup-port of Operation Enduring Freedom. He died Aug. 22 from wounds suffered after he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device Aug. 6 in Kandahar.Photo by Benjamin Faske


World War II vet receives Distinguished Flying CrossBy Staff Sgt. Clinton AtkinsAir Education and Training Command Public Affairs

Family, friends, senior leaders and pilots gathered Aug. 24 to honor a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress pilot during an award ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph’s Taj Mahal where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross medal.

Second Lt. Samuel Smith was assigned to the 360th Bombardment Squadron at Royal Air Force Molesworth, England, during the Second World War. He flew 24 bombing missions over Nazi Germany during the war, one of which earned him the DFC nearly 70 years later.

“It’s not often in one’s career, and for most careers it never happens, where you have the opportunity to learn so much about a group of men and women who literally changed the world,” Maj. Gen. Timo-thy Zadalis, Air Education and Training Command director of Intelligence, Operations and Nuclear In-tegration, said during the ceremony. “Today we’re here to honor one of those tremendous giants, Smith, for his Airman-ship.”

Smith was awarded for his piloting prowess while landing a crippled B-17 upon returning from a bombing mission to Hopston, Germany, March 1, 1945. The B-17’s undercarriage and landing gear were damaged by flack from anti-aircraft gunfire. Somehow, Smith was able to

make a hard right turn upon landing in order to clear the runway for approaching aircraft, saving the lives of his crew mem-bers and fellow bombers in the process.

“If you could imagine the airfield, it’s just a concrete runway; aircraft maybe 30 sec-onds in trail, all of them low on fuel because there was no extra weight on those aircraft to travel,” Zadalis said. “So any problem on the runway probably meant aircraft ditching or trying to divert or significant problems for the aircraft behind.”

Zadalis praised Smith’s and his fellow war fighters’ efforts for helping to make the U.S. Air Force the world’s great airpower.

“I would share with you, in the 70 years since then, our Air Force has changed tre-mendously,” Zadalis said. “We dominate the air, we dominate space and we’re into all kinds of domain including cyber-space. But there is one thing not a single one of these young men and women up here or I or anybody in uniform will forget, and that is that we stand on the shoulders of giants, we stand on the shoulders of men and women who gave us our freedom and to this day are an example of service and selflessness.”

After his speech, Zadalis presented the award, which

Smith accepted. Smith went on to thank his ground support crew for the maintenance of his airplane.

“I owe them a tremendous amount,” the Texas native said.

“It’s amazing to me that you could have a bunch of guys in their late teens and early 20s from all parts of this country and you could put them together and form an air force and a group of people that could be trained and they could ac-tually go to Europe and we could whip

the Luftwaffe. I’m fortunate to be one of that group,” Smith said.

To Smith, who will be 88 years old on Sept. 11, the award was bittersweet. His crew wasn’t

able to see him get the award.“In lots of respects I’m sad too, because

none of my crew members can be here and most of them have already passed away and they were with me when all of

this action took place,” he said. “We flew 24 combat missions together and I was

fortunate in that I was able to bring the same crew back home after the war ended in Europe.

I honor them also because us pilots, without the sup-port of your crew and ground personnel, can’t do all the things that you do.”

Security officials announce active shooter exercise hereBy Alex SalinasJoint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

Security forces officials confirmed that Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph will un-dergo an active shooter exercise on Sept. 17 and 18. JBSA-Fort Sam Houston and JBSA-Lackland will not be participating on those dates.

The exercise will help gauge the Randolph’s first re-sponder's reaction time and practice of protocol in the event of a real active shooter scenario, where an armed person or group uses deadly physical force on other people with access to other potential victims.

By nature of active shooter incidents, continuous implementation of the exercise is vital for discovering aspects that need to be improved upon for future ex-ercises.

“We’ve made improvements over the years that we’ve exercised and our process has improved, but there’s op-portunity for improvement no matter how many times we exercise,” Henry King, 502nd Air Base Wing exer-cises and inspections chief, said.

The trifold is a guide on how to respond to a shoot-ing incident, whether an individual is alerted through a base notification or if they directly witness an incident. The trifold also displays particular information like loca-tion of the shooter(s) and the type of weapons involved to help callers focus on what information they should

gather for security forces. According to the trifold, if base members are notified

of an active shooter incident, they should:• Stay put and cooperate with response forces for

further action. All personnel should be accounted for as well.

• Those at risk of danger by hearing a shooting should secure themselves and their location.

• Once secured, position yourself in a place clear of direct fire.

• You should be able to observe the ‘way in’ and ‘way out’ routes.

• While in lockdown, all lights should be turned off to make a location appear unoccupied.

• If a phone is within your secure location, dial your local emergency number and provide as much information as possible.

• Until the authorities instruct you to move or you have been released, do not move.

In case members find themselves in immediate, vis-ible danger, they are urged to escape from the scene, hide or, as a last resort, take action.

• During escape, plan your route, leave your stuff behind and exit with your hands visible.

• If you hide, contact security forces as soon as possi-ble. If you find yourself in imminent danger, take action. Attempt to incapacitate or act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter.

“As news continues to break of gun-related violence around the country, people are still panicked by active shooter incidents,” Bob Vickers, 902nd Security Forces Squadron chief of plans and programs, said. “It is impor-tant that they take any precautions necessary to prepare for the unexpected.”

“The steps listed on the trifold were adopted from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” he said. “The steps are proven methods to decrease the potential of becoming a victim of an active shooter event.

“Security forces are not capable of being everywhere all of the time, and individuals gain the greatest chance of surviving such a horrific event if they understand what protective measures are available to them before such an event takes place.”

For emergencies, dial 911. To contact JBSA security forces, call 652-5700 for Randolph; 221-2222 for Fort Sam Houston/Camp Bullis; and 671-2018 for Lackland.

To help all joint base military members, civilians and contractors prepare for an active shooter incident, the 502nd ABW Force Protection Office compiled a trifold of information that can be accessed digitally via http://www.jbsa.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120821-024.pdf>.


By Dianne MoffettAir Education and Training Command

Compassion and focus for the pa-tient are some of the many takeaways for the 12 graduates of the fi rst class of nurses to complete the Air Force’s new Nurse Residency Program at San Antonio Military Medical Center.

First Lt. Jennifer Beasock and 2nd Lts. Alejandro Ayala, James Bickel, Rachel Castillo, Gary Du-part, Tammy Evans, Jenny Howell, Lisa Kabore, Stephanie Lord, Alexis Mitchell, Omayra Nunez and Timo-thy Vojak graduated from the pro-gram Aug. 20.

The program launched Jan. 19 as an Air Education and Training Command formal offi cer course in response to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing recommendation to build a transitional year of training for newly licensed nurses.

“The transition to practice for the new nurses will positively impact prac-tice, retention and ultimately patient safety,” Maj. Gen. Kimberly A. Sinis-

calchi, assistant Air Force surgeon general, Medical Force Development, Nursing Services, said.

Siniscalchi, keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony, emphasized the importance of mentoring and collaborating, continued engage-ment in learning, staying abreast of evidenced based practice, technol-ogy changes and professional devel-opment to ensure positive growth in the nursing career.

“Compassion is the lifeline to your patient’s needs and it’s what they will remember most,” Siniscalchi said. “Don’t let technology take you away from your patient. Observe them, as-sess them and take the time to really see them.”

A total of 29 nurses graduated from eight Air Force program sites, which include Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Nellis AFB, Nev.; San An-tonio Military Medical Center, Texas; Langley AFB, Va.; Travis AFB, Calif.; Keesler AFB, Miss.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; and Joint Base Elmendorf, Alaska.

As one of the SAMMC graduates,

Lord said what she gained most from her residency training is how she is more prepared for the challenges,

“and what I enjoyed most about the program was coming back home to train with my Air Force family.”

Nurses from new program focus on patient-centered care

Photo by Lori NewmanMaj. Gen. Kimberly A. Siniscalchi, Air Force surgeon general assistant, Medical Force De-velopment, Nursing Services, shakes hands with 2nd Lt. Stephanie Lord, one of the 12 Air Force Nursing Residency Program graduates following their graduation ceremony Aug. 20 at San Antonio Military Medical Center.

• CATHOLICMonday-Friday

11:30 a.m. - Bldg. 102Saturday

5:30 p.m. - Bldg. 102Sunday

8:30 a.m. - Bldg. 10211:30 a.m. - Bldg. 102

ConfessionSaturday

4:30 p.m. - Bldg. 102

• PROTESTANTTraditional

Sunday Service8:15 a.m. - Base theater

ContemporarySunday Service

11 a.m. - Base theater

Randolph Chapel

Schedule

NOW SHOWINGat the

Randolph Theater"Dark Knight Rises" (PG-13)

Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom HardyGary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Today at 7 p.m.Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

$5 for adults, $2.50 for children 11 and under

Consolidated telephone operator support for all AETC bases ends

Starting at noon today, when customers on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph dial the operator at 652-w1110, they will be serviced through a call tree, directing them to the most frequently called numbers.

A list of commonly used numbers can be found at this link under “Base Es-sentials” <https://www.my.af.mil/gcss-af/USAF/ep/globalTab.do?channelPageId=s6925EC1361D0FB5E044080020E329A9&command=base>.

“Meet Me” teleconferences will also be self-scheduled at <https://eis.aetc.af.mil/conferencecallreservations/default.aspx>

Questions or comments should be directed to Randolph Communications Focal Point at [email protected].

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph kicks off CFC Saturday

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph has set a goal of about $1.1 million for this year's Combined Federal Campaign, which begins Saturday and ends Oct. 31.

The CFC, an annual effort by federal civilian, postal and military donors, raises funds for local, national and international nonprofi t organizations that provide health and human services. This year's San Anto-nio area CFC theme is "iGive."

Donations will be solicited by key work-ers throughout the base.

Randolph Field ISD Seeks Board of Trustee Member

The Randolph Field Independent School District is soliciting for nominees to be considered for an opening on the board of trustees.

The position will be fi lled by a civilian or military member either living or employed at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. Volunteers must be a qualifi ed voter, 18 years or older, a U.S. citizen and have not been convicted of a felony (there are some provisions if there has been a conviction). Trustees must take an offi cial oath of offi ce and serve without compensation. For ad-ditional information, contact Wanda Cooper at 652-5321.

Active shooter briefi ngs will be held in the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph theater 10-11 a.m. Tuesday and from 1-2 p.m. Sept. 12. For more information, contact Tech. Sgt. Keith Hartman or Joseph del Farte at 652-2744.

Base plans active shooter briefi ngs

AUGUST 31, 2012PAGE 8 WINGSPREAD WINGSPREADAUGUST 31, 2012 PAGE 9


By 12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

Members of the 559th Flying Training Squadron spent their Sat-urday helping a local charity give some wounded warriors a well-de-served day on the lake.

This is the third consecutive year the 559th FTS’ Fightin’ Billy Goats have partnered with Operation Float a Soldier, a nonprofit organization that offers men and women recover-ing from combat-sustained injuries and their families an opportunity to spend a day at Canyon Lake.

The squadron got involved with the event in the summer of 2010 when a retired chief approached the then-squadron commander to ask if the program was something

the "Goats" would like to support, accord-ing to Lt. Col. Brad Wensel, the squad-ron’s coordinator for the event.

“Our squadron commander at the time took the chief up on his offer and asked me to coordinate it for the squadron.” Wensel said. “We’ve been supporting it ever since.”

The program gives the squadron members a chance to help younger

troops, according to Wensel.“Supporting Operation Float a Soldier

has provided a great opportunity to in-teract with recovering troops and show them we appreciate their contributions to the fight,” he said. “It’s also provided somewhat of a reality check for us, help-ing us to appreciate what we have.”

“It’s important to do something from a community outreach perspective,” Wen-sel said, “who better to support than some of our own?”

OFAS began in 2005 when its founders sought a way to give back to those who sacrificed so much on the battlefield.

The program started out as “two guys and a boat,” according to Seth Warnick, one of the founders. How-

ever, over the last several years, through donations, the program has grown to include four jet skis and multiple large water rafts. Private boat owners frequently bring their boats for the program’s use.

Emergency medical technicians and lifeguards are also present for each event.

The program is a privately run orga-nization and operates solely on volunteer efforts and donations to host biweekly summer events at Canyon Lake. Orga-nizations or individuals wishing to get involved with the event may contact the program organizers at [email protected] and learn more at http://floata-soldier.org.

559th FTS gives back to wounded warriors

Wounded service members and their families enjoy a fun day at Canyon Lake during Opera-tion Float a Soldier Aug. 25.

Photos by 2nd Lt. Keenan KunstInstructor pilots from the 559th Flying Training Squadron volunteer at Operation Float a Soldier, an afternoon of water activities for Wounded Warriors, Aug. 25 at Canyon Lake.


By Robert GoetzJoint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

Six months after placing fi rst in their cat-egories in Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Youth Programs’ You Got Talent (UGT) Family and Teen Talent Contest, three young performers are tops in the Air Force and await an opportunity to perform with the Tops in Blue entertainment troupe.

Fifteen-year-old Jazmine White, a Steele High School sophomore, earned fi rst place in the teen vocal category, and brother-sister duo Logan and Katryna Marttala fi nished fi rst in the pre-teen group category in this year’s Air Force Nell Buckley Per-forming Arts Series UGT contest.

The students learned of their accomplishment Aug. 24 when Karen Rudolph, 902nd Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Services Flight chief,

surprised them with an announcement at youth pro-grams’ End of Summer Bash.

“We are incredibly proud of our youth UGT win-ners,” Andrea Black, youth programs coordinator, said. “I thought our contest in February was by far the best we’ve had.”

She said a panel of professional entertainers selected by the Tops in Blue staff reviewed and judged videos submitted by base-level winners throughout the Air Force and chose fi rst-, second- and third-place fi nish-ers in eight categories.

Jazmine, the daughter of retired Master Sgt. James and Cheryl White, sang the Demi Lovato hit, “Fix a Heart.” A competitor in gymnastics and a member of Randolph High School’s choir her freshman year, she earned a place in the region choir.

The children of retired Col. Dave and Lisa Marttala, Katryna and Logan teamed up to perform Adele’s “Set

Fire to the Rain.” Katryna sang the tune while Logan accompanied her on guitar.

“We found out about the contest from our dad in January and practiced every day for about an hour and a half,” Katryna said.

Katryna, a student at Corbett Junior High School, said she has been singing since she was 3 years old. Logan, who attends Schlather Intermediate School, has been playing guitar since he was 6 years old.

Jazmine, Katryna and Logan were awarded certifi -cates and gift cards and are scheduled to perform with Tops in Blue during their next local performance.

The Air Force Services Agency conducts the UGT competition annually to “provide additional opportu-nities for families and youth to participate jointly in a recreational/educational activity, contribute to develop-ing creative expression, provide the opportunity for the development of meaningful relationships with peers and adults and develop an appreciation of the arts.”

Randolph’s UGT winners reach pinnacle at Air Force level

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Youth Program’s

You Got Talent fi nalists Logan Marttala (from

left), Katryna Marttala and Jazmine White were selected to perform with

the Tops in Blue entertain-ment troupe during their

next show near Randolph.Photo by Airman 1st Class

Lincoln Korver

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Professional OrganizationsAirmans Council Rising 5/6 Top 3

General membership meetings take place at 3 p.m. the last Friday of each month at the Kendrick Club.

General membership meetings take place at 3 p.m. every third Friday of each month at the Parr Club Auger Inn.

General membership meetings take place at 3 p.m. every third Friday of each month at the Kendrick Club.


By Robert GoetzJoint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

The Randolph Ro-Hawks open their 2012 football season today where they’ll spend a lot of time this year: on the road.

The Ro-Hawks, who will travel to Luling for a non-district skir-mish with the Eagles at 7:30 p.m., are now in the football-only Dis-trict 14-2A-Division II, a far-fl ung district that features Central Tex-as schools Jarrell, Lexington and Rogers, as well as Blanco, John-son City and Schulenburg. Ran-dolph’s fi rst long road trip is Sept. 28, when they journey to Rogers, about 150 miles away.

“In the past, we would have only seen some of these teams in the playoffs,” Randolph head coach Pete Wesp said. “It’s go-ing to be a very tough district. All of these schools have a win-ning tradition.”

Wesp, who has been just the third Randolph head coach in the last 50 years, knows all about winning traditions. His Ro-Hawk teams have compiled a 102-84 record in his 18 seasons as head coach, and he was a captain of the 1977 Randolph team headed

by the late Robert Mickler, one of the most successful coaches in state history.

The Randolph pro-gram’s expectations and

goals are the same every year, Wesp said.

“Our expectations are that our kids will play hard and we’ll win games,” he said. “Our goals are winning the district cham-pionship and advancing in the playoffs. We don’t ever look at it any differently.”

Last year’s Ro-Hawks, com-peting in District 15-2A, placed fourth with a 3-2 mark, but were only one win away from the dis-trict title in the fi nal weekend of the season before losing to George West.

Wesp said this year’s strengths are the team’s offensive line and backfi eld, as well as quickness on defense.

“But these are the same strengths all the way across the district,” he said. “The ones who come out of it with the least amount of injuries will come out on top.”

The Ro-Hawks, who last made the playoffs in 2008, will be led by a quartet of seniors: center and defensive end Micah Jones, guard

and defensive end Sam Jones, tail-back and defensive back Damani Phillips, and tackle Nick Ringler. Competing for the quarterback job are Vince Faust, who brings experience to the position, and Bo Brust, whose strength is his pass-ing ability, Wesp said.

The Ro-Hawks will face four non-district opponents – Luling, Cole, Karnes City and Shiner – be-fore traveling to Rogers for their fi rst district game. Randolph will host Lexington Oct. 18.

Last year, Lexington and Rog-ers fi nished with 5-1 marks in District 12-2A-Division II, but Lex-ington defeated Rogers in the last game of the season and advanced all the way to the state semifi nals, where they lost to Refugio.

Wesp believes fi ve teams will be in the title hunt.

“It will be an interesting dis-trict,” Wesp said. “Three teams will make the playoffs, so there are two good ones that won’t make it.”

Bowling center offers Labor Day special

Join the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Bowling Center for a special Thun-der Alley 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday in celebration of the Labor Day holiday. DJ Stevie Mac will provide music and there will be several games with lots of prizes and Spare Time Grille specials. For more information, call 652-6271.

Fitness center plans two-person biathlon

The Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Rambler Fitness Center is holding a two-person team biathlon 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Eberle Park. The fi rst team member must complete the 10-mile bike route in order for the second team member to start running the 5K. For more informa-tion, call 652-7263.

Fitness center seeks varsity basketball coaches

The Rambler Fitness Center is accepting ap-plications for men’s and women’s varsity basket-ball coaches. The season runs September through March and coaches must be available for all games and practices. For more information and to apply, contact Rikk Prado at [email protected] or 652-2955.

Golf course tees up tournament

Randolph Oaks Golf Course plans a Red, White and Blue Labor Day Tournament Monday. Tee times are 7-9 a.m. For details, call 652-4570.

SPORTS - HEALTH - FITNESS

Ro-Hawks ready for football seasonSportsSportsSportsBRIEFSBRIEFSBRIEFS

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Ro-Hawks 2012 Football ScheduleVARSITYDate Opponent Location

8/31 Luling Away9/07 Cole Home9/14 Karnes City Away9/21 Shiner Home9/28 Rodgers* Away10/5 Schulenburg* Home10/12 Jarrell* Away10/19 Lexington* Home10/26 Johnson City Away11/2 OPEN11/9 Blanco* Home

JUNIOR VARSITYDate Opponent Location

8/30 Luling Home9/06 Cole Away9/13 Karnes City Home9/20 Shiner Away9/27 Rodgers* Home10/4 Schulenburg* Away10/11 Jarrell* Home10/18 Lexington* Away10/25 Johnson City Home11/1 OPEN11/8 Blanco* Away

*denotes District 14AA game; The Oct. 5 game against Schulenburg (in bold) is Randolph High School's homecoming game.

Photo by Rich McFaddenMembers of the Randolph High School Ro-Hawks football team run gauntlet drills during early morning practice Aug. 13 at the school's practice fi eld.

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