C M Y K

INSIDE TODAY

Picking the right schoolPage 4

AAFES goes green Page 4

Hurricane season is herePage 13

Army shows new weaponryPage 12

Vol. 35, No. 23 Friday, May 30, 2008

by Airman 1st Class Tania Reid 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

The MacDill firefighter’s association and the Men’s Varsity softball team donated $1,700 to retired civilian firefighter Andy Bernt, after a softball tournament on May 24.

More than 400 servicemembers and their families came out to show their support for the former MacDill firefighter. Additionally, on and off base agencies competed in friendly softball games to raise donations to help pay for Mr. Bernt’s cancer treatments. The 6th Air Mobility Wing provided the food and services at the softball game.

Mr. Bernt is a retired civilian firefighter who worked at MacDill teaching, volunteering and mentoring those around him. He was an active duty member from 1980-1985, a reserv-ist from 1985-1988, civil service time 1988-2006, a Fire instructor at Hillsborough Com-munity College, as well as a Reserve Deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office. He was also an avid sportsman playing on the Men’s Varsity Team for 10 years. Then he was diagnosed with a form of cancer called non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which confined him to a wheelchair.

“I’ve been at MacDill for 18 years and I’ve done everything from teaching CPR classes to EMT,” he said. “I taught the base populace CPR and 300 security force members on haz-ardous material awareness.”

He was diagnosed December 2005 with stage four of the Hodgkin’s lymphoma, this was the last stage. They gave him six months to year to live. Along with the cancer he de-veloped transverse myelitis which left him partially paralyzed. At present he is remission

from the disease.One night he went to bed and woke up the

next day and was unable to move his legs. The cancer brought on the myelitis which left him paralyzed, he said. “The doctors said if it wasn’t for my size I probably wouldn’t be here but my size saved me.”

Tech. Sgt. Michael Kellebrew, 6th Civil En-gineer Service firefighter association president remembers working with Mr. Bernt.

“We’ve all worked with Andy,” he said. “We knew about the cancer and wanted to help him and his family for their contributions. The association came together and decided we’d

have a softball fundraiser to help him with his treatment.”

Many squadrons participated to help and were very supportive of the benefit.

The softball game was planned to be a week before but we had to schedule it when he was available to attend, said Staff Sgt. Khalil Da-vis.

He plays professional softball with the wheel chaired Devil Rays, who travel around the country.

I used to play on the softball team here all the time, added Mr. Bernt. He said it’s his

MacDill firefighters host charity tourney for cancer victim

Photo by Senior Airman Bradley Lail

Andy Bernt, 6th Civil Engineer Squadron (retired) firefighter, sits next to a MacDill firetruck dur-ing the charity softball tournament May 24 to help raise funds to pay for his cancer treatment.

See CHARITY, Page 9

Commentary

by Master Sgt. Matt Gadziala6th Operations Group First Sergeant

Being a First Sergeant is a great job! By

the way the Air Force is looking for more of them, so if you are interested, please see your First Sergeant. One of the best aspects of my job is to be a salesman. No really… most of you are aware of the stereotypical aspects of the “Shirt’s” job, especially when one gets in trouble. First Sergeants are always pres-ent when the commander has to impose discipline, but a lot of my time is being an advocate for all the great services around our fine base. The Airman and Family Readiness Center (A&FRAC), Education Office, Chapel, Fitness Center, Health and Wellness Center (HAWC) are few of the agencies that come to mind. Check them out; they are here for you! It costs almost nothing to use their services. I spend much of my time telling the troops of the benefits that are available to them, so they can better themselves. This all leads to the message I want to tell you about today.

Are you set up for success? Are you bet-tering yourself? Are you moving in the right direction in your life? I ask these questions to all of my Airmen. I am talking about life goals. It is important to be prepared for de-ployment and meeting your short term goals,

but how are you preparing yourself for five years from now? I tell them especially when they first arrive to MacDill to…” Do some-thing for your Wing; Do something for your unit; and most importantly Do something for yourself while you are here at MacDill.” I learned this saying while serving remote as-signments in Korea. Do something for your-self, what do I mean by this? It can mean being financially secured. Everyone has heard of the saying “pay yourself first” it is so true. As little as $25 a month towards a long term investment will start you on the path to sav-ing for the future. The military has the thrift savings plan (TSP); this is a great way to start saving for your long term goals. Are you debt free? This is probably the best finical advice to give as a starting point.

How else can you better yourself? Being physically, spiritually, and mentally fit are so important in life. Going to school to fur-ther your education, quitting smoking, losing weight, job fairs, and fitness opportunities are all available to you on this installation. I ask you to get involved with your well being so you will be productive to the Air Force as well as a success in your own eyes. Just like the Nike commercial says “Just Do it!” Don’t wait until tomorrow; every new day can be the be-ginning of your new life.

It’s all about you, so get involved in your well-being

Master Sgt. Matt Gadziala

MacDill ThunderboltPublisher: Carla Floyd

Editor: Nick Stubbs

The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspa-pers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the Department of

the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing.The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ-

ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of the products or service advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.

Advertising information may be obtained by calling 259-8104. For classified advertising call 657-4500.

News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, Bldg. 299, at 8208 Hangar Loop Drive, Suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at 828-4586. Email: thunder-bolt@MacDill.af.mil.

Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions are considered for publication based on news value and time-liness.

Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity, brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.

Color Available

See TO THE POINT, Page 9

Current as of May 30

Pharmacy ClosuresThe MacDill PharmaCARE Center will undergo

renovations beginning June 5. The hours of opera-tions for the PharmaCARE Center during the renova-tion period will be Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The PharmaCARE Center will be closed every Friday beginning June 6 until the reno-vations are completed. The estimated completion date is Aug 30.

Tax assistanceThe Retiree Activities Office will continue provid-

ing tax service for the rest of the year for those who have not filed or need to file an amendment. Starting in May, the service will be available for walk-ins on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ap-pointments will be available only on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Returns can be filed electronically until Oct. 15; after that date, IRS requires paper returns. Active duty, retiree, and reserve personnel and their dependents can take advantage of this service at no cost, courtesy of the staff judge advocate. For details, call 828-0248.

Death Gratuity Exception extended through end of FY08

Congress authorized changes to the Death Gratuity paid to the Next-of-Kin of all military members in the event of an active duty member’s death. Previously, the Death Gratuity was paid to a designated benefi-ciary and only that beneficiary. This change allows for an additional designated beneficiary for the $100,000 death gratuity to be designated for up to 50 percent of the Death Gratuity.

Personnel can change their designation via the Vir-tual MPF, vRED (Virtual Record of Emergency Data) application. Currently they will utilize the “Remarks” section of the vRED to designate the additional ben-eficiary.

If you or your members have any questions con-cerning this new policy, please contact the Casualty Assistance Representative, Mr. Steve Mikesell, at 828-2503.

Join Enlisted Spouses ClubJoin the MacDill Enlisted Spouses Club the second

Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Base Chapel Annex 1. Spouses of an active duty or retired enlisted service member or the civilian equivalent, are invit-ed to join the ESC for fund-raising, social gatherings and community service. Spouses who are active duty themselves are eligible for membership as well. The ESC is open to all branches of the military. For more information, contact Samantha Wolf at (813) 610-0061 or via email at macdillesc@yahoo.com.

Bike tourA 200 mile, two day fully supported bike tour to

benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay will take place Nov. 8 and 9 throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Anyone looking to participate should contact Kelsey

To the point Goal Day Tracker

Airman First Class Dallas L. Tuel6th Medical Operations Squadron

Job Title: Physical Therapy Rep

Hometown: Charleston, South Carolina

Why did you join the honor guard?: The experience, to help with below the zone, and my desire to render the proper honors for our U.S Armed Forces members.

Do you have any special memo-ries?: Having the privilege to give full military honors to a few fallen active duty soldiers. They are defi-nitely events that will never be forgotten.

Longterm goal: To finish my de-gree in secondary education or go to mortuary school. I also want to continue being happy and have a lot of babies.

by Airman 1st Class Latanya Reid6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

The search for military friendly schools can be as easy as finding a needle in a hay stack. Like any-thing worthwhile, it takes careful planning, an optimistic outlook and research.

“Look for the degree you want,” said Cindy Carr, MacDill educa-tion counselor. “This can be done when you know where your inter-est lies.”

Servicemembers can take ca-reer assessment tests at the edu-cation center or online to help find their strengths and weaknesses, she said.

This should be the first step be-cause it prevents the servicemem-bers from choosing a course of study they lose interest in early.

Additionally, doing internship or working in other fields can broaden their experience and in-formation about careers.

After the degree is chosen the next step is to look for the school which offers this degree and the accreditation standards.

She said the highest qualifica-tion a degree should be is region-ally accredited. This accreditation is accepted anywhere while the

others won’t go very far.Military personnel found that

searching for schools used to be a problem but nowadays, prospective students can use a growing num-ber of college-search tools on the Web to narrow the field of schools and to comparison shop among in-stitutions based on size, course of-ferings, application requirements and tuition costs. These are some of the search engines used for avoiding diploma mills, the Col-lege Board, the Princeton Review and the American Council on Ed-ucation Military Programs.

“The ability to access informa-tion and tools online just in the last couple of years has improved dramatically,” said Jack Joyce di-rector of training and information services for The College Board, a nonprofit association dedicated to helping students find college suc-cess. “Today’s students can iden-tify opportunities that they prob-ably wouldn’t have known were out there.”

“Reflecting on my own experi-ence as someone who went into the Navy out of high school and didn’t start college until I was out of the military, I can easily identi-fy with the insecurity,” Joyce said. “The reality is that once someone

has made the right points of con-tact, the education system has so many resources and support sys-tems in place that will lead some-one through the process.”

While accessing information online speeds up the research pro-cess, ensure that the web sites are valid and up-to-date.

Servicemembers looking to start their application process to the schools of their choices but

they are not entirely certain can visit their education center, speak with a counselor and have them review their choices.

“We will sit down with the ap-plicants and help them find mili-tary friendly schools that will benefit their lifestyles,” said Mrs. Carr. “They should also know the questions to ask when speaking

Plan, prepare, apply to find military friendly schools

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol

Getting schooling in the Air Force, like here in the U.S. Air Force Ex-peditionary Center’s Aerial Port Operations classroom, but finding a military friendly school outisde the service presents more challenges.

See SCHOOL, Page 5

by Airman 1st Class Katherine B. Holt6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

Recycling plastic, aluminum cans and paper products are all things that people have been do-ing for years to help save the en-vironment.

The Army and Air Force Ex-change Service along with The Defense Commissary Agency have both introduced another way for people to do their part.

AAFES is introducing reusable bags to military shoppers. Made of non-woven polypropylene mesh. The bags are now arriving in stores in the United States, with worldwide distribution expected by June.

“Military shoppers continue to express a strong desire for envi-ronmentally friendly products,” said Maggie Burgess, AAFES’ se-

nior vicepresident of sales.The AAFES recycled-reusable

bag line, capable of carrying up to 35 pounds, will consist of a small shopping bag and wine bag for 99 cents each, a large shopping bag for $1.49 and a thermal bag is available for $1.99.

DECA has found that the reus-able bag method works. Commis-

sary customers have purchased more than 1 million shopping bags sold at commissaries worldwide.

The popular green bags, which were introduced last October, cost 70 cents each, are made of sturdy mesh and are strong enough to hold up to 30 pounds of groceries.

The bags are machine wash-able and can be recycled when no

longer usable.In addition to the reusable bags

sold at commissaries and AAFES, shoppers have other options.

Bennett Boyd, a commissary shopper here, discovered a way for shoppers to extend the use of the brown paper bags.

The U.S. Air Force retiree sug-gests when emptying your brown bags at home double all of them and place them in one bag and put them back into the car.

When returning to the store, hand them to the bagger for re-use.

He has been using this system for nine months now and stresses that it works.

Whether it’s recycling old plas-tic bottles or using these reusable bags, everyone should try to do their part in saving the environ-ment.

MacDill AAFES goes green with reusable shopping bags

with the administrators from different schools this will determine whether this school meets the criteria.”

A list of good questions about the uni-versity; its history, programs and accredi-tation should be made.

“Ask if they are a part of the Service-members Opportunity Colleges,” she add-ed. “These colleges and universities have signed agreements to transfer any credits the applicants have earned toward their degree.”

Kathleen Connolly, education services officer at the Stone Education Center at Fort Lewis, Wash., encourages students to consider a school from the Servicemem-bers Opportunity Colleges Consortium, a group of more than 1,800 colleges and universities dedicated to helping service-members and their families get college degrees.

Some other interesting facts to know about the schools are about their online programs. Most colleges offer 100 percent online but always ask what this means because it differs from school to school.

The cost of the program should also be considered as this could narrow down your choices faster. The military offers many incentives such as tuition assis-tance and the Montgomery G.I. Bill but

based on the type of degree be it associ-ate, bachelors or a master’s degree the cost will change.

Also, look for any special programs or perks a school might offer to those with a military background.

These perks include but are not lim-ited to waiving the application fees and discounts on tuition costs are just a few.

After narrowing down the choices gather all the paperwork for the admin-istrative section, such as transcripts, grade-point average SAT, ACT, GMAT, GRE etc…

In addition to the application itself, some colleges and universities also re-quire prospective students submit letters of recommendation and essays.

The American Council on Education evaluates this education and experience for the award of equivalent college credits that are recognized by more than 2,300 colleges and universities

After these steps have been completed the final frontier is meeting the deadline. Depending on when the applicant chooses to begin their classes’ spring, fall, summer the applications need to be in on time.

The process to searching for a good military friendly college that meets the needs of the servicemembers can be frus-trating and time consuming. But thor-ough planning, communication and re-search can lead to a rewarding future.

SCHOOLFrom Page 4

by MSgt Ryan A. Kukua 6th Security Forces Squadron

President George W. Bush has pro-claimed May 2008 as Asian/Pacific Ameri-can Heritage Month. This month we have the opportunity to learn more about the history of Asian/Pacific Americans and their many contributions to our nation.

All together, there are 28 Asian and 19 Pacific Islander subgroups which form the Asian/Pacific American ethnic group. This diversity adds to the cultural fabric of our society. Asian/Pacific Americans speak many languages, honor countless traditions and practice many faiths, but are bound by a shared commitment to freedom and liberty. With such diversity, it is impossible to capture every subgroup in one article. Instead, I’d like to recognize some of the Asian/Pacific Americans that I have personal ties with and who have answered the call to protect the cause of freedom by serving in our Armed Forces.

My father, growing up in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, vividly remembers the fateful day of Dec 7, 1941. He was on-

ly two years old at the time, but he could see the smoke and hear the explosions from Pearl Harbor, over 170 miles away on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. At first, he thought it was some type of fireworks display until the U.S. Army emplaced an anti-aircraft gun in the front yard a few days later.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, a young local man volunteered as a medical assistant. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 442nd Regiment Combat Team, a unit composed of mostly Japanese Americans who fought in Eu-rope during the Second World War. This self-sufficient fighting force fought with uncommon distinction in Italy, France and Germany and became the most highly decorated military unit in the his-tory of the United States Armed Forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients. He lost his right arm during the war, but decided to continue to serve. After finish-ing his degree, he became Hawaii’s first Representative to Congress when state-hood was achieved in 1959. Three years later he was elected to the U.S. Senate

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month - A personal perspective

See ASIAN/PACIFIC, Page 8

and Senator Daniel Ken Inouye contin-ues to serve today as the third most se-nior member of the U.S. Senate.

Another young Japanese-American man, growing up with my father in Kona, Hawaii, also decided to serve our great nation. Graduating from high school in 1964, this young man followed his dreams and the sky wasn’t the limit. He contin-ued his college education and was later commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. Much of his early military experience was spent as a test pilot and flight test engineer in southern California. Selected for the as-tronaut program, he finally realized his dream and conducted his first space mis-sion in 1985 completing 48 orbits around

the Earth. Unfortunately, his second trip to space ended tragically. Seventy-three seconds after launch, Lt Col Ellison Shoji Onizuka and the other 6 members of the Space Shuttle Challenger perished when stress ruptured the external fuel tank.

There is one final person’s story I’d like to share. The first in his family to ever graduate high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and spent his fair share of time deployed. He spent tours in South-east Asia during the Vietnam conflict, sweltered in the heat in northern Africa, and even was stationed in Taipei Air Sta-tion, Taiwan before it closed down. Af-ter 27 years in the U.S. Air Force, SMSgt Robert Kukua retired and is at his home in Kona, telling his sons and grandchil-dren stories of what it was like when he was growing up.

ASIAn/PACIFICFrom Page 6

pleasure being at MacDill and working with the people he met.

His daughter, son and wife were also in attendance supporting their father at the fundraiser.

Mr. Bernt works out regularly at the gym, building his upper body strength and keeping active. He enjoys playing softball with his team and working toward a bachelor degree.

He lives life to the fullest, teaching, volunteering and giving to anyone in need despite his situation, Andy is a great person, he has a kind heart and he is respected and loved said Sergeant Kellebrew. Everyone who came out to participate knew him and wishes him the best.

CHARITyFrom Page 1

TO THE POInTFrom Page 3

Rigdon at 813-386-1471 and for more in-formation go to www.ridewihoutlimits.org

Military Widows meetingThe Society of Military Widows meets

the first Saturday of each month. All ser-vices and ranks are welcome. For informa-tion on meetings, call (813) 831-6181 or (813) 837-5065.

Airman’s Attic saves moneyThe Airman’s Attic welcomes all dona-

tions and exists to defer some cost of liv-

ing expense by providing donated clothing items, household items, etc without cost to eligible Airmen, as well as active duty members of all branches of the U.S. mili-tary assigned to MacDill or any unit sup-ported by MacDill. Eligibility is defined as active duty E-1 through E-6 and family members with a valid DoD ID card. Do-nated uniforms must have all name tags removed.

The Attic needs volunteers for Fri-days. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Color Available

101 Critical Days of Summer

We will soon enter the 101 Critical Days of Summer, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During this period, we are involved in summer activities potentially exposing us to increased risk. Unfortunately, Air Force safety statistics show this time of increased risk results in more mishaps, especially in off-duty activities. Last year alone we tragically lost 19 Airmen during this 101-day period.

The leading cause of fatal mishaps during the 101 Critical Days of Summer continues to be off-duty private motor vehicle mishaps followed by water sports and drowning. Whether travel-ing at excessive speeds, driving while fatigued, failing to fasten seatbelts, drinking then driving, or not using personal flotation devices, the sad news is that all of these mishaps were prevent-able.

We must ensure Airmen at all levels understand the importance of smart personal risk management and being good wingmen. These 101 Critical Days of Summer present an excellent opportunity for us to personally do our part to drastically reduce this trend of mishaps. Supervi-sors at all levels must engage their Airmen and ensure they understand their role in mitigating risk for themselves and their families. Additionally, continued education efforts should focus on creative ways to communicate the importance of safety for our younger personnel. Success in reducing preventable mishaps depends on strong leadership, effective training, looking out for each other, and maintaining our Warfighter Edge at all times.

To help ensure success, Air Force Safety can provide key support tools for commanders from the MAJCOM to Squadron levels. These tools include analytical surveys, historical trends and support at the local installation level. The goal is to target Airmen in high risk categories, and we expect our directors and commanders to take the lead in this effort.

Color Available

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) — Some of the Army’s most high-tech future weapons were recently on display on Capi-tol Hill as part of the “Empowering Soldiers Through High Technology” exhibit sponsored by the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisi-tion, logistics and technology.

Last week, Congressmen got a sneak peak at the future of Sol-diers’ personal weapons, including the M-26 Modular Accessory Shot-gun System and the XM-25 Indi-vidual Airburst Weapon System.

Making its way onto the field in fiscal 2009, 35,000 M-26 12-guage MASSs will be a new addition to arms carried by infantry, military police and Special Forces opera-tors and will reduce the number of weapons a Soldier carries. De-signed to be mounted on an M-4 or M-16 rifle, the combination ri-fle/shotgun also has a collapsible butt stock for use as a stand-alone weapon.

“Right now if a Soldier wants to use a shotgun, he uses a shot-gun and slings his rifle and when he uses his rifle he has to sling the shotgun and then get out the rifle,” said Maj. Lawrence Dring, assis-tant program manager for individ-ual weapons at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. “With the M-26, it’s an all-in-

one piece. It has a door-breach-ing attachment which goes flush against a door lock and allows the 12-guage shell to blow the lock off a door and the Soldier to room clear without changing weapons.”

The M-26 can also be used in non-lethal operations by using rubber buckshot or slugs in the shotgun while the rifle or carbine carries live rounds. This way if the situation changes and becomes deadly for Soldiers, they can place their primary weapon on “fire” mode.

The futuristic-looking XM-25 IAWS is under development and will eventually be used to address the defeat of defilade targets - those targets protected by obstacles such as hills or ridges.

The 2.5 pound, lightweight ma-terial composite system will come with a target acquisition/fire con-trol that integrates a thermal ca-pability with direct-view optics, laser rangefinder, compass, fuze setter, ballistic computer and an internal display.

Firing 25mm munitions that include high-explosive airburst, armor-piercing, anti-personnel, non-lethal, training and breaching rounds, a Soldier places the aim point on the target and activates the laser rangefinder. The fire con-

trol system will then provide an adjusted aim point that the Soldier adjusts for distance. The range data is communicated to the round

which when fired will explode over the target at a precise programmed distance. The Army expects the XM-25 to be fielded by 2013.

U.S. Army photo

The Army’s futuristic-looking 2.5 pound XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon System is in development as a means to defeat defilade tar-gets.

Present, future weapons displayed on Capitol Hill

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTEN-MA, OKINAWA, Japan — The Russian-built Antonov An-124, a colossal cargo Aircraft, land-ed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma May 19, delivering a KC-130J simulator for Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152.

With the addition of the simulator, Marine Corps KC-130J pilots on Okinawa will no lon-ger have to travel to the states for simulator training.

“This simulator will increase the unit’s over-all readiness,” said Capt. Damian Duhon, air-crew training officer for VMGR-152. “The train-

ing simulator significantly reduces the man hours required on the airplane.”

Duhon said that the simulator can be adjust-ed to enhance training for pilots by preparing them for a wide variety of flight conditions and environmental factors such as weather, lighting and geography.

Once pilots become proficient in the simula-tor, they will log anywhere between 20 and 30 hours of simulator time per month. Duhon said he anticipates the simulator will be assembled and ready for use by August.

Transportation of the simulator, built by the Tampa, Fla.-based CAE USA Inc., to Futenma was handled by Atlantic Relocations Systems.

The An-124 was chosen to transport the massive simulator because the 226-foot plane

is equipped with a crane inside the cargo hold to move heavy loads. The simulator is the third of its kind the Marine Corps has purchased.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel A. Flynn

The 226-foot An-124, equipped with a crane in its cargo hold, is one of the only cargo planes capable of transporting the simulator.

Giant transport delivers KC-130 flight simulator

Color Available

by Senior Airman Stephenie Wade 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

The month of June begins tomorrow and that also signifies the beginning of hurricane season. Because MacDill is in a flood zone. Team MacDill members should make plans and

take precaution prior to hurricane season.The start of hurricane season isn’t quite the non-event it was

before Charley, Ivan, Frances and Jeanne paid a visit in 2004. “While it has been a few years the 2004 hurricane season proved that you don’t know where a hurricane is going until after it has been there,” said Larry Clark 6th Civil Engineer Squadron, in-stallation emergency manager.

“Being prepared and having a plan is the most effective thing you can do to mitigate the effects of a hurricane” stated Mr. Clark. “Your family disaster plan should cover escape or evacua-tion routes, transportation, insure vital documents, special needs items, pet care, and safety information. Just remember you run from the water and hide from the rain,” he said.

Depending on where individuals live, they may be required to evacuate when a hurricane threatens the area. “Only the com-mander has the authority to initiate an evacuation of installation personnel. However if your county is being evacuated, then most likely you should expect to be evacuated too,” said Mr. Clark.

The base has the concept of afe house and safe haven for hur-ricane evacuations. “Safe house” is used to describe family evacu-ation locations within the Tampa Bay area for evacuation from a Category I -III Hurricane,” said Mr. Clarke.

Team MacDill members who must evacuate because they live in a flood zone or mobile home are matched with other Team MacDill members who volunteered to host evacuees in their home. Evacu-ees become the guests of the host family and must remember to bring their own emergency supplies, to include food, clothing, bed-ding, medicines and special needs.

“If you are a potential “evacuee,” you should know where your safe house is and discuss such subjects with your hosts such as what to bring and whether pets are welcome,” he said.

According to the emergency management office, in the case of a Category IV or V hurricane, evacuation of the entire Tampa Bay area may be required. When this evacuation is declared, personnel may have to relocate well outside of the area, possibly even out-side the state of Florida. This location will be your “safe haven.” Individuals are responsible for planning this type of evacuation.

Commanders at all levels have an inherent responsibility to protect the personnel under their command. In the event of a hurricane, the Adopt-A-Family Program is a key aspect of this protection. Each unit manages its own program. Airman will be required to coordinate evacuation plans with the unit emergency management representative.

Prior to a Hurricane developing, there are several things that should be accomplished:

Develop a family disaster plan (important for single members too). A disaster plan should cover escape or evacuation routes, means of transportation, insurance and vital records, rally points, special needs listings, arrangements for animals, and safety in-formation. If single, individuals need to ensure someone else is aware of their disaster plan.

Next, a family should always have a disaster supply kit put together in case of evacuation. Some suggestions for the kit are

water, food, blankets, batteries, radio, flashlights, toiletries and money.

When a hurricane evacuation seems imminent, home prepara-tion becomes a priority. In order to help ensure personal property will weather the storm, follow these guidelines:

During a watch:u Secure all out door objects (may bring indoors, except gas

canisters/grills)u Unplug electrical equipment (except freezers and refrigera-

tors as long as flooding is not expected)u Turn freezers and refrigerators to coldest setting – avoid

openingu Withdraw cash from ATMs (which may not be in working or-

der for weeks after the storm)u Ensure vehicles are fueledu Board windows (off base only), do not tape. For those on

base, pull curtains closed and safety pin together if needed. Do not open windows, it will not relieve pressure

u Fill bathtubs, sinks, and buckets with waterDuring a warning:

u Listen to a battery operated radio or TV if ownedu Follow instructions issued by local authorityu If in a mobile home, evacuate immediatelyu If in a surge zone, move furniture higher u Turn off the main water valve

In the thick of it:u Remain indoors, in the center of the home, in a closet, bath-

room, or hall without windows. u Stay away from flood waters. If a road is flooded, turn around

and go another way. If caught on a flooded road in rising waters, get out of the car and climb to higher ground. After the storm:

u Keep listening to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for instructions. Return home only when local officials tell you it is safe to do so.

u Inspect the home for damageIn order to inform the base about the approaching hurricane

season the emergency management office on MacDill has set up a “Hurricane Awareness” night on June 18 at the base theater fol-lowed by a free viewing of the movie “Speed Racer”.

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by Christine Stives

The OSC-ESC Academic Merit Scholarship Program hosted its annual awards presentation May 19 at The Surf ’s Edge Club for scholarship recipients and their parents or spouses.

Following opening remarks by Beth Williamson, OSC president, Judy Burke, the scholarship chair, introduced each of the 12 schol-arship recipients and presented them with a certificate. There were 23 scholarship recipients this year.

The scholarships totaled $25,000, with individual awards ranging from $500 to $1,500. $20,000 of the program’s funds came from The Johnny Glenn Thrift and Consignment Shop,

Inc., a not-for-profit corporation at MacDill Air Force Base, spon-sored by the Officers’ and Enlist-ed Spouses’ Clubs. The remaining $5,000 was a grant from Grow Financials non-profit foundation, Friends of Military Families, LLC.

The OSC-ESC Academic Merit Scholarship Program provides scholarships to dependents of ac-tive duty, retired and deceased military members in the five-coun-ty Tampa Bay area. Applicants are judged by an independent panel taking into consideration GPA, SAT/ACT scores, volunteer and paid work experience, and an essay written by the applicant. Awards may be used for tuition or books at any accredited college, university or school of the recipi-ent’s choice.

A special thanks to this year’s OSC-ESC Academic Merit Schol-arship committee members: Chris-

tine Stives, Judy Burke, Kelly Patch, Samantha Wolf, and Chief Master Sgt. Athena Cody.

Spouses clubs award annual scholarships

Courtesy photo

This year’s scholarship recipients include (front row, lef to right) Ana Benitez, Tiana Becton, Stacy Witschen, nicole Rodriguez, Jenny Jacobs, Keshia Sutton, and Marisa Hivner. (Back row) Shelly Wet-terstroem, Andrew Arens, Matthew O’nan, Amanda Rodriguez, and Chryston Mays.

WhenWhenWhenSaturdaySaturdaySaturday

June 7th, 2008June 7th, 2008June 7th, 2008

WhereWhereWhereCyber CafeCyber CafeCyber Cafe

(Dorm Residents Only)(Dorm Residents Only)(Dorm Residents Only)

TimeTimeTime120012001200---170017001700

Prizes IncludePrizes IncludePrizes Include1st Place 1st Place 1st Place --- ($150 Gift Card)($150 Gift Card)($150 Gift Card)

2nd Place 2nd Place 2nd Place --- ($100 Gift Card)($100 Gift Card)($100 Gift Card)3rd Place 3rd Place 3rd Place --- ($50 Gift Card)($50 Gift Card)($50 Gift Card)

Sponsored BySponsored BySponsored ByMacDill AFB ChapelMacDill AFB ChapelMacDill AFB Chapel

Giant CampusGiant CampusGiant Campus

Prizes for TopPrizes for TopPrizes for TopWinnersWinnersWinners

Free Lunch!Free Lunch!Free Lunch!

HHHALOALOALO 3 G 3 G 3 GAMINGAMINGAMING

TTTOURNAMENTOURNAMENTOURNAMENT

Equipment and Support Provided by:

Attention Brandon area residents: Did you know there is an Airman and Family Readiness Center (A&FRC) satellite office right in your backyard? Well there is and it’s called the MacDill Family Resource Center (MFRC). The MFRC is located west of the Kings Avenue/Oakfield Drive intersection at 710 Oakfield Drive. It is inside the Credit Union Building, in suite 153.

The MFRC offers a wide range of services. Standard services include internet access, employment resources, financial counseling, family life counseling, tax prepara-tion, loan locker, deployed spouse support, legal services, notary, and more. In addition to the standard services, we also offer several specialized services, such as Em-ployment workshops (taught by the A&FRC), Red Cross CPR classes, Teen Nights, Terrific Toddler classes, play-groups, and other events as needed.

If that’s not enough, Giant Campus is co-located within the MFRC. Giant Campus is a contract company who offers free computer classes in Microsoft programs (MS Office, Windows, etc), digital photography, web de-sign, digital scrapbooking -- just to name a few. During school breaks, they offer a CyberCamp to the children and cover topics like animation, web and game design, digital photography, and more.

Look for our monthly calendars via email. If you would like more information or to register for classes at the MacDill Family Resource Center, please contact Gayle Cook @ 655-9281 or via e-mail gayle.cook.ctr@macdill.af.mil Feel free to stop by and take a look around during regular business hours of Mon – Fri 0900-1600.

Airman and Family Readiness Center serving Brandon area

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At the Movies

Chapel ScheduleProtestant servicesSunday - 9 a.m., Traditional Service10:30 a.m., Religious Education, Noon, Gospel ServiceTuesday -Noon, Promise Keepers6 p.m., Pioneer Club(grades 1 to 7)Thursday - 11:30 a.m., Officers’ Chris-tian FellowshipFriday - 10 a.m., Women of the Chapel

Catholic servicesSaturday - Mass, 5:30 p.m.Sunday - Mass, 10:30 a.m.Monday to Thursday: Mass, 12:10 p.m.Saturday - Sacrament of Reconciliation, 4:30 p.m., (or by appointment)

Jewish and Islamic servicesCall 828-3621 for information.

Friday 7 p.m.

Street KingsTom Ludlow sets out on a

quest to discover the killers of his former partner, Detective Terrance Washington. Captain Wander’s, Ludlow’s supervisor. Ludlow teams up with a young Robbery Homicide Detective to track Washington’s killers through the diverse communi-ties of Los Angeles. R

Saturday 3 p.m.

The RuinsA group of friends who be-

come entangled in a brutal struggle for survival after visit-ing a remote archaeological dig in the Mexican jungle where they discover something deadly living among the ruins. R

The Ruins

Saturday 3 p.m.

Prom NightDonna’s senior prom is sup-

posed to be the best night of her life. Surrounded by her best friends, she should be safe from the horrors of her past. But when the night turns from magic to murder there is only one man who could be respon-sible. PG-13

Coming Soon

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Devastated Peter takes a Ha-waii vacation in order to deal with recent break-up with his TV star girlfriend, Sarah. Little does he know Sarah’s traveling to the same resort with her new boyfriend. R

Street Kings

Prom Night

Shows and times are subject to change. Call the MacDill Theater at 828-2780 for complete listings. Doors normally open 20 minutes prior to showtime, but call the theater for verification because they may open earlier. Tickets are $3.50. Children under 4 are free, unless it’s a G-rated movie.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Warrior training

Airman 1st Class Jeffrey Roark, 6th Air Mobility Wing Com-mand Post; and Senior Airman Justin Safley, 6th Aerospace Medicine Squadron medical tech-nician; compete to be-come Air Force Special Tactics warriors May 22. Chief Master Sgt. (Ret.) Wayne Norrad, former combat controller and AFSOC command chief lead the Special Tactics recruiting briefing at MacDill and then in-vited all applicants to test their Physical Abil-ity Stamina at the base pool and fitness center.

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