Thursday, October 23, 2014
Vol. 42, No. 42
News/Features: page 3
‘There I was...’
News/Features: page 3
Academy Day at MacDill
Week in photos: page 4
Images from MacDill
Diamond Sharp: page 6
This week’s standout
Community: page 17
Events, Chapel, more...
Meet Mr. Clean - page 10
Photo by Airman 1st Class Danielle Conde
Staff Sgt. Adilson Andrade, NCO in charge of the Dental Instrument Processing Center, peers through a protective shield at the 6th Medical
Group on MacDill Air Force Base, Oct. 14. The processing center is where dental instruments are cleaned and sterilized to ensure they are safe
and ready for use.
COMMAND CORNER
Taking pride in creating the future AF
by Maj. Gen. Tom Masiello
Air Force Research Laboratory commander
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE
BASE, Ohio (AFNS) — I was privileged to
attend and participate in the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference held near
Washington, D.C., last month. It was simply
outstanding.
There were many inspirational moments.
The pride that I felt during the presentation given by our Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A.
Welsh III was incredible. Many themes rang
through loud and clear. Lead among them,
our Air Force vision: “The world’s greatest Air
Force -- powered by Airmen, fueled by innovation.”
Gen. Welsh offered many great examples of
Airmen dedicated to excellence and -- together
with their families -- making extraordinary
sacrifices to defend America in all three domains: air, space and cyberspace. The nugget
for me was, although we have incredible people teamed with the very best technology, it’s
the American spirit that makes us the world’s
greatest Air Force.
In the words of Welsh, “We can never lose
the heartbeat of the American spirit. It is and
always has been the secret to our success.”
Our leaders emphasized the new capstone
30-year strategy document, “America’s Air
Force: A Call to the Future.” As the commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory,
this was an incredible source of pride for me
because of AFRL’s key role as the Air Force’s
science and technology innovation center. We
provide direct support to the concept of “strategic agility” by leveraging technology.
During AFA, I also had the opportunity to
speak, and I mentioned AFRL’s three lines of
operations: We are revolutionary, relevant,
and responsive to the warfighter.
I’m often asked, what comes next? What is
on the horizon? As a global technical enterprise, AFRL is revolutionary. We are the lens
that focuses the national technical base to
solve the tough Air Force problems, and our
game-changing technologies answer those
questions. The AFRL “game changers” are
revolutionary technologies that make and
keep the fight unfair. These game changers
focus on three areas -- hypersonics, directed
energy, and autonomy. I sincerely believe that
our investments in these areas will pay off in
a tremendous way.
AFRL is relevant. This is our focus on delivering new capabilities in the mid-term. Our
investments in advanced adaptive turbine engines, sensors, and efforts to use new technology to enhance affordability and sustainment
are good examples.
Finally, AFRL is responsive. Warfighters
Maj. Gen. Tom Masiello
ask, and we respond with agility. We urgently
work on those vital, high-priority challenges
demanded by our warfighters “now.” Creative
capabilities that leverage existing technologies to defeat improvised explosive device
threats and weapons to take out hard and
deeply buried targets fit here.
See CORNER, Page 12
MacDill on the web
COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE
Website: www.macdill.af.mil
The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air
Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or
comments. Email [email protected].
MacDill Thunderbolt
Publisher: Brian Burns
Editor: Nick Stubbs
The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspapers, 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, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement
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Display advertising or classified advertising information
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News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted
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Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill
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Deadline for article submissions is noon, Wednesdays to
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are considered for publication based on news value and timeliness.
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.
NEWS/FEATURES
‘There I was...’
‘There is no situation you can’t get through’
by Senior Master Sgt. Charles Cramer
6th Logistics Readiness Squadron
On Sept. 1, 2013, I started another journey
that would land me in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.
Although it first came as a surprise due to
my short time on station, it was just another
deployment—or so I thought. Upon my 1 a.m.
arrival to KAF, I was met by a cheerful fellow
who was very happy to see me. Yup, you guessed
it; I was his replacement.
We started with a tour of the base and its
facilities before settling in for a much needed
nap. The following day was very routine as far
as in-processing goes. However, that evening
showed proof that we were indeed in a war zone
and it continued for several months.
Within two days of arrival, I got to meet my
leadership. This was a volatile part of my deployment, as there was enough tension to cut
with a knife. It was nearly six weeks before I
felt firmly planted into my role at KAF, partially due to the confrontational aspect of the
situation, and partially due to my ego. The only
thing I will say about the subject is, there is
no situation that you cannot get through. What
you need to do is have the desire to press forward, always take care of your people the best
that you can, and remain focused on the mission. The rest will follow suit.
My position as the flight chief of vehicle
maintenance also included the function of contract officer representative for the fine folks
of DynCorp. There were nearly as many civilians as military, which was a welcomed benefit.
Our civilians were focused, hardworking and
dedicated to the mission. Of course we had our
share of hot-heads and class-clowns, but we always got the job done. There were two folks in
Courtesy photo
particular who really stood out in both a hu- Senior Master Sgt. Charles Cramer at Kandahar
morous sense and a mission-focus as well. Al- Airfield, Afghanistan. Cramer was chief of vehicle
maintenance during his deployment there.
See ‘THERE I WAS...’, Page 18
MacDill hosts Academy Day
by Senior Airman Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
6th Air Mobility Wing Public affairs
The decision of where to attend college is something that should always be considered carefully. For those with a desire to attend a military
academy, the decision could potentially require even more scrutiny.
On Oct. 18, 2014, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida hosted Academy
Day in the Davis Conference Center.
Students, grades 9-12, from various high schools throughout Tampa
attended with their parents to meet representatives from the respective
military academies. Those present included the U.S. Academy at West
Point, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard
Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy as well as a Reserve
Officer Training Corps from Florida Southern College.
Following the singing of the National Anthem and opening remarks
by Col. Daniel Tulley, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander, Congresswoman Kathy Castor briefly explained the nomination process.
Afterward, each representative was given a 20minute time slot to
present information on their respective academy, including the application process and what to expect for four years if accepted. Some of the
representatives also played videos to give attendees a brief glimpse into
academy life.
See ACADEMY, Page 12
Photo by Senior Airman Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
Students from various high schools throughout Hillsborough County
sign in during Academy Day at the Davis Conference Center on MacDill
Air Force Base, Oct. 18. During the event, students in grades 9-12 listened to presentations by representatives from the respective military
academies present.
WEEK IN PHOTOS
Staff Sgt. Brian
Tubbs, 6th Operations
Support Squadron
weather specialist,
ensures all connections are secure for
a tactical meteorological observation
system at MacDill Air
Force Base, Oct. 14.
The TMQ-53 is used
at deployed locations
for weather readings.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
Photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
Photo by Senior Airman Jenay Randolph
Children from the school-age program and MacDill Air Force Base Youth Members from the 91st Air Refueling Squadron return from deployCenter launch paper rockets at MacDill, Oct. 15. About 56 children built ment on Oct. 15, at MacDill Air Force Base. Leaders and members
the rockets for 4-H National Science Day.
from the 91st ARS welcomed them back on the flight line.
DIAMOND SHARP
Senior Airman Tyler Birkholz
6th Medical Operations Squadron
Job Title: Aerospace medical technician
Hometown: Maplewood, Minn.
Short-term goals: Continue expanding my knowledge within my career field
Long-term goals: Become a physician’s assistant in the Air Force
Advice to others: Never stop self-improving. Also, be a learner; learn as much as you can
because knowledge is power.
Role model(s): Father, because he instilled good morals and work ethic within me
Why did you join the Air Force?: I was looking for a challenge and an adventure; also, to
gain valuable experience and for the college benefits.
COMMENTARY
Your health: It’s more than a lot more than just you
by Senior Airman Jenay Randolph
6th Air Mobility Wing public Public Affairs
On an October night in 1997, I was calmly
awakened by my cousin in the middle of the
night with some news.
She had received a call saying that we needed to come to the hospital. She didn’t explain to
me why, but when we arrived, there lie my best
friend—my mother.
She had tubes coming out of different parts
of her body, and was hooked up to all types of
machines. Our family gathered around the bed.
I stood there watching, unaware of the severity of the moment while others present attempted to fight their tears and be strong.
We all held hands and said a prayer.
I went to lie in the bed with her, carefully.
She gave me a kiss and said, “mommy loves
you; you know that, right?” I responded, “yes, I
know that and I love you too.”
Little did I know that would be the last time
I saw my mother and those would be the last
words I would ever hear from her.
So what was I to do now? The person I looked
up to, who took care of me and taught me all
of life’s important lessons up to this point, was
gone. It was a tough pill to swallow and it
changed my life forever.
On Jan. 30, 1998, at the mere age of 8, my
mother passed away from lung cancer, today’s
first leading cause of death in American women.
At that age, the concept was hard to grasp
and I didn’t quite understand what was going
on. All I remember is one day having my mother there and the next day she was gone.
It wasn’t until I became a mother in 2012
that I completely understood the importance of
a mother’s health. Sometimes I wonder how my
life would be if my mother had decided to practice a healthier lifestyle.
As a single mother, she always worked to
provide for me and any spare time she had was
See HEALTH, Page 12
Courtesy photo
My mother, Melvina R. Robinson, passed away
Jan. 30, 1998, from lung cancer, today’s leading
cause of death in American women. This is one
of the last photos that my mother and I took
together before she died.
NEWS/FEATURES
AF to implement TDY policy changes
by Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick
Headquarters Pacific Air Force Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) — Recently, the Air Force
started implementing two temporary duty policy
changes that will impact travel reimbursements
for Airmen.
The first change, which took effect Oct. 1,
made changes to the Joint Travel Regulations,
Reimbursable and Incidental Expense Policy.
The second will be a change in long-term TDY
per diem expenses and take effect Nov. 1.
Incidental expenses:
Under the new policy, Contiguous U.S. laundry expenses, tips to baggage handlers by uniformed members and ATM fees are now considered incidental expenses and are no longer
reimbursable as separate miscellaneous expenses. These expenses will now be added to the
current list which includes such items as tips to
porters, baggage carriers, bellhops, hotel maids,
stewards and stewardesses.
“(These changes will) simplify the travel reg-
ulation policy to align the Department of Defense with industry best practices and to reduce
travel costs for DOD,” said Kevin Banuilos, the
Headquarters Pacific Air Forces Financial Management and Comptroller office chief of financial operations branch. “There have been studies
on these areas, and this implementation should
have minimum impact on members.”
The rate for incidental expenses will remain
at $5 per day for CONUS locations and vary according to Outside Contiguous U.S. locations.
In a review of travel vouchers, the Defense
Travel Management Office found only 13.27
percent claimed ATM fees, 4.2 percent claimed
CONUS laundry and .04 percent claimed transportation tips.
If incidental expenses go over the set amount
and travelers can justify the expense, they can
work with their Defense Travel System Approving Officials to authorize Actual Expense Allowance.
For those who began travel before Oct. 1,
these new items can still be reimbursed under
See TDY, Page 15
Keepin’ it clean
Photos by Airman 1st Class Danielle Conde
Staff Sgt. Adilson Andrade, NCO in charge of the Den
ments into a machine to be sterilized at the 6th Medic
Staff Sgt. Adilson Andrade, NCO in charge of the Dental Instrument Processing Center, rinses soiled dental instruments at the 6th Medical Group on MacDill Air Force
Base, Oct. 14. He wears protective gear while handling tools that were contaminated
with blood.
Staff Sgt. Adilson Andrade, NCO in charge of the Den
ing Center, packages sterilized dental instruments at
on MacDill Air Force Base, Oct. 14. Once packaged, t
another machine to complete the sterilizing process be
used again.
ntal Instrument Processing Center, places a container of spoiled instrucal Group on MacDill Air Force Base, Oct. 14.
ntal Instrument Processt the 6th Medical Group
the tools are placed into
efore they are ready to be
A wide variety of dental instruments are
handled by the Dental Instrument Processing Center.
Staff Sgt. Adilson Andrade, NCO in charge of the Dental Instrument
Processing Center, rinses soiled dental instruments at the 6th Medical
Group on MacDill Air Force Base, Oct. 14. He wears protective gear
while handling tools that were contaminated with blood.
academy
From Page 3
During his presentation, Lt. Col. Kurt
Spranger, U.S. Air Force Academy Liaison Office director, highlighted that receiving a nomination doesn’t guarantee a spot—an applicant
must also be accepted into the desired academy.
Additionally, students were given the oppor-
tunity to speak with each representative before
the event, during intermission, and at the conclusion of the event.
“Everyone here should plan to apply to every
academy,” said Capt. Steve Swift, U.S. Naval
Academy representative. “Then look over each
option and decide on the best one for you.”
health
From Page 8
spent with me. As a result, she did little exercising and rarely attended health check-ups. My
mother had been a smoker for many years, as
well. While she did achieve her goal of becoming a non-smoker, she wasn’t able to celebrate
for long.
Unlike my mother, I do everything possible
to maintain a healthy lifestyle, because it is not
only important to myself but to my children,
family and friends. The decisions concerning
her health not only affected her life, but the
lives of the people around her.
I am determined to be around for my children and share in all of the important events in
their lives that my mother wasn’t able to expe-
rience with me. She missed out on big awards,
graduation, prom, and most importantly, the
birth of her two grandchildren.
Take it from me, staying healthy is important. There are people who depend on you to see
them walk across the stage and receive their
awards or diplomas, to help them get ready
to attend their first prom, and to attend their
sporting events or even just to talk.
Try and make every effort to be around for
your family, because when they know that
you’re not there, it creates a void in their lives.
So I challenge all of the women to be healthy
not just for yourselves, but for the ones who
love you.
CORNER
From Page 2
We can’t predict the future, but one thing is
certain: Our commitment to keeping the technological advantage over our adversaries isn’t
going away anytime soon. Our team of AFRL
Airmen—military, civilian, and contractor—
all take pride in envisioning and creating to-
morrow’s Air Force.
Attending AFA served as a friendly reminder of how great our Air Force truly is. You can
find our senior Air Force leaders’ video presentations and transcripts online. Check them
out and feel the pride!
TDY
From Page 9
the old policy as long as the expense was accrued before the new date.
Flat-rate per diem:
This policy change will encourage travelers to take advantage of cost
saving opportunities for long-term travel -- spending 31 days or more in a
single location.
Banuilos said this change is to urge travelers to work with hotels that
have discounted rates for extended stays, usually more than 30 days,
thereby saving the government outlays.
The new regulation will provide for a flat-rate per diem expense based
upon length of stay. The flat rate will be as follows:
u On travel day to location: 100 percent of lodging per diem at the locality rate and 75 percent of meals and incidental expenses
u For TDYs that are 31 to 180 days: flat rate of 75 percent of the locality
rate (lodging/M&IE) for each full day, starting day two through the end of
the TDY
u For those TDYs approved by the appropriate authority (per JTR) for
greater than 180 days : flat rate of 55 percent locality rate is authorized for
each full day, starting day two through the end of the TDY
“The DOD believes that for extended TDYs there are opportunities to
obtain a better hotel rate,” Banuilos said. “And, when you forecast out and
see that after 30 days you’re going to get 75 percent of per diem, you can
gear what hotel you’re going to stay in to meet that cost.”
However, there are exceptions to the policy.
“It depends on if you’re staying in government quarters or not. Also, if
you’re going to an area where the cost for all hotels is going to max out
your lodging, and you can’t get a reduced rate, approving officials can authorize ‘Actual Expense Allowance’ in DTS only after confirming there are
no other lodging with the Commercial Ticket Office,” Banuilos continued.
“So, there are methods to paying the higher cost in situations where you
can’t get that reduced rate. There are certain areas that are high-cost areas, and they get the full rate because the hotel may not want to negotiate
with you.”
In all instances, the traveler should work with the local Commercial
Travel Office to secure a hotel, Banuilos stated.
When given this flat rate, travelers will not be required to submit a
lodging receipt, but approving officials may request validation of stay.
To help members better plan for their TDY cost, Staff Sgt. Victor Gonzales, PACAF Financial Management and Comptroller office command
travel pay analyst, offers the following tip.
“I would recommend travelers go to the DTMO website that has a per
diem query where travelers can see their projected per diem entitlement,”
Gonzales said. “Use that information to project anticipated spending.”
Some other rules that will apply under this policy change are as follows:
u Flat rate does not apply when government or contracted government
lodging is available or provided at no cost to the traveler.
u If meals are provided or government meals are available and directed, the traveler will be paid the Government Meal Rate, Proportional Meal
Rate or Incidental Expense portion of per diem
u If the traveler is staying with friends/relatives in the TDY location,
they will not receive the lodging portion of per diem
Banuilos said further guidance will be forthcoming during the month of
October to explain how these new procedures will be implemented, as DTS
can’t accommodate them yet.
According to DTMO, the Department of Defense estimates they will
save on both policy changes more than $37 million annually. The DTMO
website can be found at http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/.
MACDILL COMMUNITY
EVENTS
Friday
Fitness Center
Paint the Pumpkin Color 5K
Run starts at 7 am. Prizes for top
males and females. 828-4496.
Saturday
The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families
Marine Reserve Center. Free
show; military ID required; 10
a.m., 1 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. Doors
open 30 minutes prior to show
times. Tickets available at Airman & Family Readiness Centers
MacDill, 8105 Condor Rd, Bldg 18
(next to Post Office), MacDill AFB,
Florida 33621, 828-0145; Brandon, 710 Oakfield Drive, Suite 153,
Brandon, Florida 33511, (813) 6559281.
Sunday
MacDill Lanes
NFL Sunday Ticket & Football
Frenzy Program – Watch all the
games. Open 12-6 p.m. Food and
drink specials, b owling specials,
billiards, darts and corn hole! For
more information, call 828-4005.
Tuesday
Base Library
Halloween Story Time & Craft
at 10:30 a.m.
Base Regatta
Now accepting teams for the Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta. For
more info call 840-6919.
Dining options
Diner’s Reef close for HVAC renovation. Where to Eat? For more
information, menus and hours of
operation log on to: tinyurl.com/
macdilleats
Congrats to the grads!
Photo by Senior Airman Jenay Randolph
Graduates of Airman Leadership School Class 14G lead the audience in The Airmen’s Creed and the
Air Force Song during the graduation ceremony Oct. 16, at MacDill Air Force Base.
CHAPEL SCHEDULE
Protestant service
Sunday - 11 a.m. - Contemporary Service
Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - FAMCAMP Service
Islamic service
Catholic services
Saturday - 5:30 p.m. - Mass
Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - Mass
Monday-Thursday - 12:10 p.m. Mass
Friday - 1:30 p.m. - Muslim Prayer Service
Call the chapel at 828-3621 for more information or visit the chapel web site
at http://www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel.
‘THERE I WAS...’
From Page 3
though they shall remain nameless, their contributions were invaluable.
They had a way about them that helped our military personnel remain
on-task while at the same time providing stress relief when needed.
These two had been in-place for multiple years, and because of this, they
had the “connections” necessary to ensure smooth operations.
The primary focus of our mission was the proper redistribution of
our vehicles and weapons systems both in and out of theater. Initially,
there was no official guidance, at least which was agreed upon, since our
shipping methods involved multiple military services. The biggest “guidance concern” was the “customs inspection process” which changed more
times in a week than did our socks. Once we had settled on the guidance,
we started down a rocky road that was “customs-cleaning.” After our
third customs failure in a row, we began the intensive, around-the-clock
cleaning of every vehicle destined for shipment. Let’s just say that we
disassembled, cleaned, cleaned, cleaned again, and reassembled every
vehicle prior to the customs inspection. It took some time, and a ton of
hard work to get this process right, but when we did, the assets began
to fly out of theater (no pun intended). At the end of our tour, shipment
numbers were well above the anticipated goal, and we held the area of
responsibility record for consecutive first-time customs inspection passes. Additionally, we were able to not only achieve, but actually sustain a
96 percent mission capable rate for the base vehicle fleet—a far cry from
meek beginnings.
One of our biggest “connections” mentioned earlier, was with an Army engineering brigade, which shared our facility. We worked hand-inhand with these folks assisting each other whenever possible. It was
through this connection that we found our niche in helping take down
the bad guys. Once we had a taste for this, it just snowballed from there.
We worked day and night, sometimes 30 or more hours, with our Army
brethren and several other government agencies to make a real difference in the war on terror. Skipping the details, we were able to relieve
the battlefield of more than 100 high-value targets, and seized multiple
weapons caches through unorthodox, yet legal use of available resources.
Although this deployment started very poorly, it grew to become my
best one to date, and this was entirely due to the personnel on my team.
From the lowest ranking Airman, to the civilian site manager, the vehicle maintenance team was simply unrivaled. Never have I had the
pleasure of working with such a dedicated, caring and fun-loving bunch
of people who performed “with precision and excellence.”
I will forever remember the men and women of the KAF Vehicle Retrograde!
Be sure to visit the official MacDill Air Force Base website at www.macdill.af.mil