News - 379th Air Expeditionary Wing

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Diligentia et Accuratio
DESERT ESERT EAGLE
Volume 9, Issue 18
May 3, 2009
Refuelers keep mission soaring
Pages 4 and 5

Volume 9, Issue 18
Editorial Staff
Commander
Brig. Gen. Michael Moeller
Chief, Public Affairs
Capt. Sheila Johnston
Superintendent, Public Affairs
Senior Master Sgt. Brad Fallin
NCOIC, News
Tech. Sgt. Shad Eidson
Editor
Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
Multimedia
Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia
Senior Airman Katerina Slivinske
Senior Airman Andrew Satran
Airman 1st Class Jennifer Herring
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unconnected with the U.S. Air Force, under
exclusive written contract with the 379th Air
Expeditionary Wing. This funded Air Force
newspaper is an authorized publication for
members of the U.S. military services overseas.
Contents of the Desert Eagle aren’t necessarily
the offi cial view of, or endorsed by, the U.S.
Government, the Department of Defense or
the Department of the Air Force. The editorial
content is edited, prepared and provided by the
379th AEW Public Affairs offi ce.
All photographs are Air Force photographs
unless otherwise indicated.
Commentaries and warriors of the week are
scheduled according to a squadron rotation. Unit
commanders and fi rst sergeants are the points
of contact for submissions.
For more information, call 436-0107.
Airman 1st Class Justin Simpson, a crew
chief with the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft
Maintenance Squadron, talks with the pilot of a
KC-135R Stratotanker as he inspects the boom
during a pre-fl ight check here March 5. Airman
Simpson and the pilots communicate via headsets
letting each other know if there are any problems
with the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff
Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
on
Commentary
Lead, follow or
get out of the way
By Col. Terry Watkins
1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group
The quality, professionalism and
ingenuity of our force are the strengths
on which we were founded and in which
our future lays. In my opinion, our future
looks bright. I found it profound when
the recently visiting Tuskegee Airmen
provided the same assessment of the
quality of today’s force. These heroes
from World War II, who faced challenges
that most will never know, recognized the
new standard of excellence as established
by our Airmen.
The phrase “lead, follow, or get out
of the way” is the motto of RED HORSE
units. However, it’s not the phrase that’s
important in our Airmen and leaders;
it’s actually the roles implied by this
phrase for which we serve throughout our
careers that is imperative. The leadership
and followership roles implied in our
motto are the foundation of our military
for which much has been written and
studied through our military heritage and
professional military education.
While “get out of the way” imparts a
connotation of a barrier, I’d like to look
at that phrase from a different perspective
-- one of an enabler role. Just like the
Tuskegee Airmen communicated to us
how proud and in awe they are of today’s
Airmen, we need to perpetuate the culture
of improvement and advancement by
allowing our Airmen the opportunity
to dazzle us with their talents. In other
words, to get out of their way.
We owe it to our Airmen to assess
their work environment and to ensure
we’ve provided them the means to excel
and adapt to the changing needs of
tomorrow. Some of us who have more
than 20 years of service in this great Air
Force have diffi culty keeping up with
the solution sets and ingenuity of this
computer-savvy, multi-tasking group
of next-generation Airmen. So, while
empowering them seems like an obvious
solution we should easily recognize,
sometimes we do not.
I recently accomplished a unit climate
assessment, and was surprised to fi nd
that many of my young NCOs didn’t
feel like they were being afforded the
opportunity to lead, period. Comments
about senior leadership not allowing
them the opportunity to take on a project
were far too common. As I pondered the
assessment, I realized there were times in
my career that I could relate to the same
thing. I recall bosses and commanders
who micro-managed, or refused to
relinquish control of a mission or project.
I remember telling myself that I wouldn’t
lead the same way, or allow that to
happen in my organization.
But, it’s not easy as leadership often
isn’t. It takes some effort throughout the
chain of command, both ways, to achieve
the trust necessary to take our hands from
SEE LEAD ON PAGE 3
Commander’s
Action
Line
- The Action Line is your direct link to Brig. Gen. Michael Moeller,
379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander.
- Use it if you have questions or comments about the base that
couldn’t be resolved by your chain of command or base agencies.
- Each question will be reviewed, answered and may be published on
a case-by-case basis. E-mail 379aewactionline@auab.afcent.af.mil.
Desert Eagle 2
May 3, 2009

By Army Sgt. Joshua Risner
Multinational Division
Baghdad Public Affairs
BAGHDAD – As sunlight
faded in Baghdad’s Sadr City
neighborhood, 1st Cavalry
Division soldiers of Charlie
Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th
Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade
Combat Team, along
with soldiers of the 42nd Iraqi
Army Division, moved down
streets lined with houses in an
effort to keep the city safer.
“We’re essentially trying
to hit target houses and
known bed-down locations of
bad guys,” said Greensboro,
Ga., native Army 1st Lt. Mark
Reinke, a platoon leader with
Charlie Company.
The soldiers knocked on
doors and entered with the
permission of the inhabitants
to look for contraband, intelligence
and people of interest.
“We … try to get all the
weapons out of the area, because
[Iraqi Prime Minister
Nouri al-Maliki] said that no
weapons are allowed in Sadr
City,” Reinke said. “So by
taking the weapons, we’re trying
to keep the streets safer.”
Taking weapons off the
streets has more value to security
than just keeping them out
of insurgents’ hands, Reinke
explained. “In the past, we’ve
had family feuds spill onto
the streets, which sometimes
involved shooting,” he said.
The search yielded some
promising leads and positive
results.
“We found a photo album
with pictures we believe to be
of a bad guy we are looking
for,” he said. “Now we have
his picture, so maybe we can
FROM LEAD ON PAGE 2
the reigns and let the horses run. So,
we have to work at it and facilitate the
organization to allow our young leaders
-- offi cers and NCOs alike -- to wield
their powerful minds to solve problems
in ways that seem unimaginable. And
when that happens, the results are pretty
amazing. I see this on each trip as I
get a better positive ID of
him. We also found a weapon
on a guy who claimed to be
an Iraqi policeman, who is
believed to be working with a
target we are trying to fi nd, so
we’re using that to help build
a case.”
The searches also have
positive effects on the community,
Reinke said. “We
provide a presence both night
and day in the area to hopefully
deter anybody from doing
something they would really
regret in the future,” he said.
Soldiers of 2-5th Cavalry,
most of whom are tankers by
trade, have largely abandoned
their tanks in favor of using
mine-resistant, ambush-pro-
News
Soldiers help keep Sadr City safe
Army 1st Lt. Mark Reinke, left, followed by an interpreter and an Iraqi
soldier, patrol a neighborhood in Baghdad’s Sadr City neighborhood,
April 19. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Joshua Risner)
tected vehicles and their feet
to get them where they need
to go.
“These guys are tankers,
but to operate in these conditions,
you have to be on the
ground, and that’s what they
do,” Army 1st Sgt. Glenn
Aldrich, from Houston, said.
“I’ve been in the Army for
21 years, and I’ve never had
a group of soldiers as good as
the ones I have right now, …
to be doing what they’re doing
the way they’re doing it.”
For the troops of C Company,
the missions in Sadr
City may not be the kind they
are accustomed to, but they
take to it with determination
and excellence, Army Spc.
travel the area of responsibility and
visit our Airmen at the various sites and
witness the challenges they’ve overcome
and what amazing accomplishments
they’ve achieved -- nothing short of
spectacular.
Leading by allowing others to lead
takes some work. But, whether you
Jimmy Howard, a Dallas native,
said.
“We, and pretty much all
combat-arms soldiers, are
doing the job of an infantryman
and a [military policeman],
because that’s what the
mission requires,” he said.
“Whatever it takes to get the
mission done, we’ll do it.”
The sun had set as C Company
troops made it back to
Joint Security Station Comanche,
their home away
from home in the Iraqi urban
jungle. They were sweaty and
tired, but they had accomplished
their mission for the
day and prepared to get some
sleep for the next opportunity
to keep their sector safe.
know it or not you’re setting an example
for them, so you might as well do
so while making use of their talents,
ingenuity and professional training. I’ve
often been pleasantly surprised, and
thus reminded to “get the hell out of the
way.”
May 3, 2009 3 Desert Eagle

Feature
Capt. Micah Vander Veen, assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, fl ies a
KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom Feb. 10. (U.S.
Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr.)
Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr.)
Refuelers keep
By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
379th Air Expeditionary Wing
Public Affairs
The U.S. Central Command area of
responsibility is a large area, spanning
nearly 6,000 miles from the Horn of
Africa to Northern Afghanistan. Coalition
aircraft have to cover this entire
area from a limited number of bases and
can be required to get to a location fast
and remain in the area long enough to
accomplish their missions.
However, without the KC-135 Stratotankers
assigned to the 340th Expeditionary
Air Refueling Squadron providing
air-to-air refueling, most of them
-- both joint and coalition -- would not
be able to meet their requirements.
“One of our planes takes off for an
air refueling mission about once an hour
every day, seven days a week, 365 days
a year,” said Lt. Col. Eric Wohlrab, Jr.,
340th EARS commander, who is deployed
from McConnell Air Force Base,
Wash. “The KC-135 brings fuel into the
AOR for receivers who need it. You can
name just about anything out there and
we can refuel it.”
The 340th EARS is one of three
refueling squadrons in the AOR, but it
is the largest. He said more than half of
the fuel provided by air-to air refueling
is pumped by the 340th EARS.
The Stratotanker can hold up to
200,000 pounds of fuel, and much of
that is passed to other aircraft during a
mission.
“The KC-135 holds about a swimming
pool’s worth of gas and we would
give about half the pool away in a normal
sortie,” said Colonel Wohlrab.
He said the rest of the fuel is used by
the tanker or held in reserve for emergencies.
The squadron is made up of approxi-
mately 200 individuals from 15 different
home-station units. The majority of
personnel are pilots and boom operators,
who are responsible for pumping fuel
from the KC-135 into the receiving
aircraft.
“We are in charge of the preparation
of the back end of the aircraft, pretty
much everything from the cockpit aft,”
said Chief Master Sgt. Kelly Philbrick,
assistant chief boom operator, from the
New Hampshire Air National Guard’s
157th Air Refueling Wing. During
a typical mission, there are multiple
refuelings of different types of aircraft
ranging from a British GR-4 Tornado to
a B1-B Lancer.”
The boom operators typically have
two ways to refuel aircraft; extending
the refueling boom and making contact
with the receiving aircraft or using the
multi-point refueling system.
The MPRS works by trailing a hose
Desert Eagle 4
May 3, 2009

Feature
ABOVE AND BELOW: Captain Andrew McLay, 340th
Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, performs a pre- pre-
fl ight check before boarding a KC-135R Stratotanker
here March 5. (U.S. Air Force Photos by Staff Sgt. Josh-
ua Garcia)
Harper Jr.)
mission soaring
ending with an infl atable basket from
the aircraft’s wing tips.
Most Navy and North Atlantic Treaty
Organization aircraft employ this system,
using an extended probe to make
contact with the basket to begin refueling.
While it’s possible for the squadron
to modify a boom to refuel this type of
aircraft, most boom operators prefer the
MPRS.
“We can hang [a basket] off the end
of the boom, but it’s about 12 feet long
and it’s very rigid and can be very unforgiving
on a receiver,” Chief Philbrick
said. “It can really beat them up. The
ones off the wing tip have a lot of give
and take.”
Tanker crews will normally work
for 12 to 13 hours per day followed by
a 12-hour crew rest. The colonel said
crews will work for eight or nine days
in a row before they take a day off.
“It is busy, our crews pretty much fl y
every day,” said Colonel Wohlrab, a native
of San Francisco. “I max them out
in fl ying hours every month. Therefore,
my crews will rotate out every 60 days
or so because, by regulation, they cannot
fl y any more than they already are.
We fl y every minute out of them we can
in a month and maximize their usefulness.
“Our great nation has enjoyed literal
air dominance for quite some time,”
Colonel Wohlrab said said. “A key
strategic piece in air dominance is the
ability to air refuel, one simply cannot
sustain air dominance without it. Think
of the tanker as the mission support
group in the air; we help everyone get
their job done.”
Colonel Wohlrab credits much of
the squadron’s success to not only his
people, but to the maintenance workers
who keep the Stratotankers here in
working condition.
Airman 1st Class Tyler Williams refuels
an E-8C JSTARS over Iraq in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom Feb. 10. (U.S.
Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James L.
Harper Jr.)
“We fl y old aircraft which are about
50 years old,” he said. “Maintenance
does a great job of taking care of our
aircraft so they are ready to go every
time.”
“All of the missions are combat missions
for us,” said Lt. Col. Dan Desautels,
340th EARS director of operations,
who is deployed from the New Hampshire
Air National Guard 157th ARW.
“We consider our weapon to be time.
It’s literally an offensive weapon because
if our receivers can loiter over an
area, keeping the enemy’s heads down
and allowing our forces to keep their
heads up, you have the upper hand. And
we allow them the luxury of greater
time to do that.”
“We have a simple mission, but it’s
an important mission,” Colonel Wohlrab
said. “A lot of folks depend on our air
refueling to keep them airborne and to
keep them on station.”
May 3, 2009 5 Desert Eagle

Story by Tech. Sgt. Shad Eidson
379th Air Expeditionary Wing
Public Affairs
Airmen, from the 379th Air Expeditionary
Wing at an air base in Southwest
Asia, hosted a cultural exchange with
host nation representatives April 23 at
a Texas-style barbecue event on base,
complete with cattle roping and line
dancing.
More than 250 Airmen and coalition
partners were in attendance at the oasis
of tents, bolstering the U.S military solid
relationship with host nation military
members for three and a half hours.
“One of the things the force support
squadron does is plan events, so it was
easy to throw Texas games, entertainment
and food together,” said 1st Lt.
Jesse Johnson, 379th Expeditionary
Force Support Squadron sustainment
services fl ight chief.
A team of 11 EFSS volunteers assembled
tents, tables, chairs and decorations,
and set up the several games to provide
entertainment, said Lieutenant Johnson,
who is deployed from the 21st Force
Support Squadron out of Peterson Air
Force Base, Colo. Civil engineers built
the dance fl oor, setup portable toilets
News
Host nation guests provide the bucking for a mock-mechanical bull ride during the Texas-style
barbecue cultural event hosted by the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here April 23. During the
event, Airmen, coalition members and host-nation guests participated in throwing horseshoes,
roping with a lasso, eating Texas-style food and sharing some American culture. (U.S. Air
Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Satran)
Airmen exchange cultures at BBQ event
and lighting, and built a ‘bucking barrel’
arena. Communications technicians setup
and manned the music system.
“We all work together to get these
events going. Without communications
or civil engineers, it wouldn’t have been
a successful event,” said Lieutenant
Johnson.
The mission support group team effort
was possible thanks to a lot of hard
workers with good attitudes, the Cromwell,
Ind. native said.
“It went great,” said Lieutenant
Johnson. “I heard the [host nation] base
commander say it was the most relaxing
evening he has had in a long time.”
“It was a good, fun experience,” said
host nation representative Lt. Col. A-Kareem,
who enjoyed his fi rst time using a
lasso to rope the wooden cattle models.
The event was not the only time
Airmen with the 379th AEW made a
good fi rst impression on the host nation
colonel.
“Everyone I have met is friendly,”
Colonel A-Kareem said of his almost
daily interactions with Airmen here.
Several Airmen helped teach dozens
of Air Force personnel and a few of the
host nation members how to rope cattle.
“I thought the event turned out
absolutely amazing! Everyone was very
pleased,” said Senior Airman Kayla
Hemmesch, 379th EFSS Grab-n-Go
Flight Kitchen food service specialist deployed
from the 3rd Services Squadron
at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
“This is what makes being in force support
so great. After it’s all said and done,
that one ‘thank you’ makes all the hard
work worth it.”
The Spring Hill, Minn. native is just
one of many wing Airmen who get a
chance to represent Air Force professionalism
to host-nation members almost
every day at her job.
“They are always happy to see me as
well as I am to see them. They’re very
friendly and fun people to talk with everyday,”
said Airman Hemmesch.
“I would encourage others to participate
or support future events. You
get a lot of experience and you never
know what opportunities may present
themselves by getting out and getting
involved. You get to meet new, great
people. There’s always something to be
learned and fun to have in the process,”
said Airman Hemmesch.
Lieutenant Johnson said the event
went so well that plans are already in
place to make it a bi-annual event.
Desert Eagle 6
May 3, 2009

Warriors of the Week
PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. JOSHUA GARCIA
Senior Airman Breyon Davis
379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron
Current Operations Scheduler
Hometown: Danville, Va.
Home station: Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
Arrived in AOR: January
Deployment goals: Studying for promotion, working out and
saving money
Best part of the deployment: Volunteering for the In-Theatre
Warrior Care Center and knowing that I am making a difference
for fellow servicemembers while they heal before heading back
down range.
Hobbies: Cooking, playing board or card games, and reading
Best Air Force memory: When I got to fl y an F-15D Eagle
during an incentive fl ight in San Diego.
Nominated by: Lt. Col. Jack Alden. “Airman Davis is a dedicated
Airman who is always on top of her game. She is vital in
tracking all wing air tasking order missions and preparing the
commander’s operations brief each morning. A bright, cheerful
go-getter she is active in all squadron functions, and serves as
our booster club treasurer.”
PHOTO BY SENIOR AIRMAN ANDREW SATRAN
Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Althouse
1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group
Supply Technician
Hometown: Terre Haute, Ind.
Home station: Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
Month arrived in AOR: March
Deployment goals: I would like to get everything in the group’s
warehouse inventoried and organized to better meet mission needs, and
I’d like to also complete fi ve college classes.
Best part of the deployment: Team work
Hobbies: Going to the gym, reading and watching movies
Best Air Force memory: Getting to ride camels
Nominated by: Tech. Sgt. Pamela Johns.“Airman Althouse is dedicated
to her job and ensures our personnel have the proper equipment and
materials down range to accomplish the 1st ERHG mission.”
PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. JOSHUA GARCIA
Staff Sgt. Dalia Castillo
379th Expeditionary Medical Group
Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman
Hometown: Raymondville, Texas
Home station: Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
Arrived in AOR: December
Deployment goals: To learn as much as I can from daily personal and
work-related interactions. I believe every day brings an opportunity to better
ourselves. We just have to take the initiative.
Best part of the deployment: Having supervisors who allow me to broaden
my expertise as an NCO, and working with my fellow medics who aid in
my growth as a supervisor.
Hobbies: Scrapbooking, reading, and spending time with my family.
Most memorable Air Force memory: The sound of Blackhawks landing
during my deployment to Balad Air Base in 2006. The opportunity to render
care to troops right off the fi elds of Iraq was the most rewarding feeling and
accomplishment as an Air Force Medic.
Nominated by: Master Sgt. Jesse Harris. “Sergeant Castillo simply
exemplifi es excellence. She accepts the leadership role, and excels in all
phases. She makes my job easy.”
May 3, 2009 7 Desert Eagle

This Week in Photos
ABOVE: Volunteers who support the In-Theater Care Program,
Blood transhipment, Jack’s Place and Airmen Readiness Center
gather for a group photo during a volunteer recognition ceremo-
ny held at the Freedom Center April 24.
BELOW: Staff Sgt. Paul Wells, Sirocco band’s lead guitarist,
strums to a classic rock and roll song during the Texas Barbecue
morale event here April 26. The members of the band are de-
ployed from Sembach Air Base, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photos
by Senior Airman Andrew Satran)
Royal Australian Air Force
Corporal Steve Clarke, TE
633.2.2.1, raises the Australian
national fl ag during the Aus-
tralia and New Zealand Army
Corps (ANZAC) Day ceremony
here April 25. ANZAC Day is a
national day of remembrance
in Australia and New Zealand
to honor their respective ser-
vicemembers who fought at
Gallipoli in World War I and
more broadly commemorates
all those who have died and
served in military operations
for their countries. (U.S. Air
Force photo by Senior Airman
Andrew Satran)
Desert Eagle 8
May 3, 2009

This Week in Photos
Senior Airman George
Reves, 379th Expedi- Expedi-
tionary Maintenance
Squadron, demonstrates
throwing a lasso during
the Texas-style barbecue
cultural event hosted by
the 379th Air Expedi-
tionary Wing here April
23. Airman Reves hails
from Follett, Texas and is
deployed from Dyess Air
Force Base, Texas. (U.S.
Air Force photo by Senior
Airman Andrew Satran)
Master Sgt. Brian Jusczyk, facility manager, spots Senior Airman
Chandra Wostenberg, services journeyman, as she delivers a pal- pal-
let of water to the Somerset Dining Facility here Monday. Both
are with the 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron. (U.S.
Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt Joshua Garcia)
May 3, 2009 9 Desert Eagle

News
Airmen line up to model historic Air Force uniforms during Operation Uniform Delta at the
Blatchford-Preston Complex theater here Monday. Operation Uniform Delta was held to dis- dis-
play the heritage of Air Force uniforms and uniform changes throughout the years.
Operation Uniform Delta highlights heritage
Senior Airman Shala San- San-
tiago, 379th Expeditionary
Communications Squad- Squad-
ron, models a 1950’s blue
Women in the Air Force
(WAF) uniform during Op- Op-
eration Uniform Delta here
Monday.
Story by Tech. Sgt. Shad Eidson
Photos by Senior Airman
Andrew Satran
379th Air Expeditionary Wing
Public Affairs
Air Force heritage walked before
today’s deployed servicemembers when
18 volunteer Airmen from the 379th Air
Expeditionary Wing wore vintage uniforms
at showcase events here April 24 and again
Monday.
Operation Uniform Delta was a sample
of a collection started and maintained by
Tech. Sgt. Jack Waid, 379th Expeditionary
Civil Engineer Squadron escort fl ight NCO,
who is deployed from Elmendorf Air Force
Base, Alaska.
“Since the moment I arrived, I have
wanted to get the uniforms here,” said
Sergeant Waid.
The base’s fi ve private organizations
-- Company Grade Offi cers Council, Desert
Chiefs, Desert Diamonds, Top IV and
Desert V -- all made monetary donations
to cover some of the $500 shipping costs
and each also provided volunteers to model
the uniforms. Organization supporters, like
Tech. Sgt. Scott Walker and Master Sgt.
Jereme Melton from the Top IV, were critical
to the planning and fi nal success of the
event, said Sergeant Waid.
“The private organization volunteers
modeling the uniforms made it feel like a
‘touch and go with the runways of the past’
which has been the theme of the collection
since it was started in 1997,” he said.
The full collection has grown to 90
uniforms, plus other memorabilia items,
thanks to donations including some from
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Rodney J. McKinley. Selecting a handful
of uniforms and shipping them was handled
by some key enablers back home -- Sergeant
Waid’s family.
Sergeant Waid’s two teenage children,
Andrew and Chelsey, were excited to help
out. They handled the collection, took
photos of selected uniforms, and packaged
them for shipment. His wife also helped.
Capt. Jonathan Harmon, 379th Expeditionary
Communications Squadron
operations fl ight commander, modeled the
offi cer’s white summer transition service
dress uniform, which was in use until the
1970s.
“I feel the energy and the reception we
received from everyone was great with a
lot of cheering. People wanted to touch the
uniform, take a lot of pictures and a few
said it looked sharp,” said the Mauldin,
S.C. native. “It was a great experience to
actually see Air Force history instead of
just reading about it.”
Desert Eagle 10
May 3, 2009

This Week’s Caption Contest
Photo No. 124
Miscellaneous
Congratulations award recipients
Congratulations to the following individuals and teams who
received awards.
March 379th AEW Monthly Awards
Airman -- Senior Airman Elizabeth Plack, 379th Expeditionary
Contracting Squadron
NCO -- Staff Sgt. Silas Clarke, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance
Squadron
Senior NCO -- Master Sgt. Maxie Hinojosa, 379th Expeditionary
Force Support Squadron
Company Grade Offi cer -- Capt. Bradley Young, 379th Maintenance
Operations Flight
Civilian -- Dina Darwish, 64th Air Expeditionary Group
Team -- 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron
Fuels Flight
March Base Monthly Awards
Honor Guard Airman -- Airman 1st Class Robert Fisher,
379th Security Forces Squadron
Honor Guard NCO -- Staff Sgt. Adam Ledwozan, 379th
EMXS
Honor Guard Trainer --Airman 1st Class Clifford Daniel,
379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron
Airman -- Senior Airman Dennis Bugerenko, 609th Air and
Space Operations Center
NCO -- Tech. Sgt. Lee Robinson, Air Force Forces
Senior NCO -- Senior Master Sgt. Mark Redden, 609th AOC
The winner is...
“The simulated gardening program had a
short-lived history in the AOR”
- Master Sgt. Jim Love
379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron
Honorable mention:
“Well, that’s the last of the bedding plants dug in
for the summer -- now i need to chat with Jim when
he’s fi nished mowing the lawn!”
- Squadron Leader Walter Baird
Royal Air Forces A1
Company Grade Offi cer -- Capt. Steven Nolan, 816th Expeditionary
Airlift Squadron
Civilian -- Kevin Howard, AFFOR
Team -- Combined Air and Space Operations Center Airlift
Control Team
CDC Achievers
Congratulations to the following individuals who received a
90 percent or higher on their CDC end of course test.
Staff Sgt. Samuel Smith, 379th ESFS
Airman 1st Class Austin Sluter, 379th ESFS
Staff Sgt. Christopher Kuscht, 379th EMXS
Senior Airman Michael Harasym, 379th ECES
Airman 1st Class Steven Armbright, 379th ESFS
Airman 1st Class George Chitty, 379th ESFS
Airman Tramaine Jackson, 379th ESFS
Airman 1st Class Benjamin Vanney, 379th ESFS
Senior Airman Richard Jones, 379th ECES
Senior Airman Gregory Shipley, 379th ECES
Senior Airman John Dannen, 379th ECES
Airman 1st Class Christopher Warner, 379th ESFS
Senior Airman Wesley Beck, 379th ECES
Staff Sgt. Darren Howe, 379th ECES
Airman 1st Class Korey Boyd, 379th ESFS
Senior Airman Damien Jones, 379th ECES
Airman 1st Class Kyle Woods, 379th ECES
Do you have what it takes to make the
base chuckle? Submit your made-up
caption to the photo below to 379AEW.
PA@auab.afcent.af.mil by Wednesday.
If your caption is the best (or second best),
it will appear in the following week’s paper.
Can’t come up with a caption but have
a funnier photo than we’ve been using?
Submit it to 379AEW.PA@auab.afcent.
af.mil and we’ll use it, assuming you didn’t
bruise our photographers’ egos too much.
Photo No. 125 (next week’s photo)
May 3, 2009 11 Desert Eagle

Feature
Public health maintains hig
Tech. Sgt. Duwayne Foster, 379th Expeditionary Medical Group public health NCO in charge, and
Staff Sgt. Rommel Hernandez, assistant NCOIC, run an operations check on the new hearing- hearingtest
booth here Thursday. The base is the fi rst in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsi-
bility to have a hearing-test booth. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
379th Air Expeditionary Wing
Public Affairs
An offi ce in the 379th Expeditionary
Medical Group is responsible for
monitoring the health of all individuals
on base and checking to see if illnesses
of base personnel are isolated incidents
or part of a trend.
“Our main role is the prevention and
control of communicable diseases,”
said Capt. Cesar Romero, 379th Expeditionary
Medical Group public health
element chief. “We monitor and track
all the diseases from the daily patient
visits to see if there are any trends or if
there’s anything we can do to prevent
further injuries or illnesses.”
The captain, who is an El Paso,
Texas, native, said the base is currently
the healthiest it has been in the past
four years, with a disease non-battle
injury rate 35 percent lower then the
Air Force Central Command average.
This rate refers to the number of the
population having some sort of illness,
such as a cold, infection sports-related
injury, etc.
He also said 99 percent of the base
personnel are current on all their immunizations,
compared to the 95 percent
average found throughout the rest of the
AOR and the Air Force as a whole.
Part of the reason the base is doing
so well is education is provided at
Right Start and everyone’s records are
checked soon after they arrive on to
ensure vaccine compliance and catch
any possible medical problem.
“We basically catch any discrepancies
on the spot,” said Staff Sgt. Rommel
Hernandez, public health assistant
NCO in charge, who is deployed from
Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. “When
people walk into the right start briefi ng,
we take their ID cards to check if they
need an immunization and give it to
them right after the briefi ng is over.”
As part of the continued change from
expeditionary to enduring, the offi ce
recently acquired and started using a
hearing test booth, a fi rst of its kind in
the AOR.
Initially, the offi ce is expecting to
see more Army and Navy personnel
using the booth because the hearing
test isn’t always a requirement for joint
servicemembers to deploy, Captain
Romero said. However, as more Airmen
are stationed here permanently it
will be used for individuals who require
it for their annual preventive or physical
health assessments. It also will be
used to monitor work-place hearing loss
in individuals.
Desert Eagle 12
May 3, 2009

Feature
h standards, healthy force
“When bioenvironmental engineering
verifi es that someone might be over
exposed to noise, we can monitor to
make sure they are protected and are
not losing their hearing,” he said. “It’s
a sign the base has taken another step
toward being an enduring base.”
Whenever someone forward deploys
from here, public health is also responsible
for making sure they have any
health-related items they might need
such as anti-malarial medications or
DEET, and ensures the individual understands
how and why to use the item.
In addition to monitoring occupational
health issues, public health is
responsible for inspecting food and
eating establishments on base. He said
walkthroughs of various facilities here
are done on a daily basis, unlike at
home station where an inspection may
be done only once per month.
These inspections certify more than
$16 million worth of food and 17,000
meals served daily are safe for consumption.
“We check to ensure the food storage,
preparation and service all meet
the FDA food code standards,” said
Capt. Romero. “We check everything
ABOVE: Tech. Sgt. Duwayne Foster,
379th Expeditionary Medical Group
public health NCO in charge, takes
the temperature of a bottle of milk
to ensure it is properly refrigerated
during a dining facility inspection
here April 18.
Right: Tech. Sgt. Duwayne Foster
and Staff Sgt. Rommel Hernandez,
public health assistant NCOIC, take
the temperature of an egg to ensure
it is properly refrigerated during
their inspection of a dining fa-
cility here April 18. (U.S. Air Force
photos by Senior Airman Andrew
Satran)
including how the food is stored, the
temperature the food is kept at, how
long it’s been out and we make sure the
plates and utensils are cleaned and sanitized
properly. The main thing is it’s an
unannounced inspection.”
Public health Airmen also monitor
the individuals who work there. Tech.
Sgt. Duwayne Foster, public health
NCO in charge, who is deployed from
Keesler Air Force Base, said they also
check to make sure workers aren’t sick
and are maintaining good hygiene by
washing their hands, wearing gloves
and keeping their hair covered.
One of the problems they run into
often is many of the workers who come
on base are trained well in food quality,
but not as well in sanitation.
“We held a class Monday with the
[workers] over in the BX food court,”
said Sergeant Foster. “We talked to
them about what they are supposed to
do and what we are looking for when
we go out to do our inspections.”
“It’s a team effort with the force support
squadron,” said Captain Romero.
“They do all of the work; we are just an
extra set of eyes. We basically provide
oversight and enforce the rules.”
Flu Watchboard
offers DOD
related info on
fl u outbreak
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR
FORCE BASE, Ohio -- With just
a few clicks of the mouse, servicemembers,
civilians and families
interested in learning more about
the H1N1 Flu outbreak, can access
a variety of resources on the Web.
Department of Defense offi cials
created and maintain a Pandemic
Infl uenza Watchboard, available at
www.dod.mil/pandemicfl u.
Symptoms of H1N1 are similar
to those of the common fl u:
sore throat, fever and overall
body aches such as painful joints.
Following guidelines set by CDC
experts, anyone who experiences
such indicators should contact his
or her health care provider. To prevent
infecting other people, individuals
with these symptoms should
stay home from work or school, as
well as other public areas.
Air Force medical treatment
facility commanders and public
health personnel have been
directed to increase surveillance for
fl u-like symptoms, and immediately
report suspected cases of H1N1 fl u
through their established service
reporting systems, offi cials said.
CDC offi cials recommend
individuals incorporate simple, but
most effective, practices into their
daily hygiene to prevent the spread
of H1N1 and other strains of fl u.
They include:
1. Hand-washing with soap and
warm or hot water -- cold water is
not as effective for killing germs.
2. Using alcohol-based hand
sanitizer to wash hands when soap
and water are not available.
3. Covering your nose and
mouth when you cough or sneeze.
4. Avoid touching your eyes,
nose or mouth.
5. Avoiding close contact with
people who are sick; avoiding close
contact with healthy people if you
are sick
May 3, 2009 13 Desert Eagle

Victory chapel
Open seven days a week,
24 hours a day,
‘And overtime on Sundays’
Worship schedule
Protestant - Saturday
7:30 p.m., Contemporary, Victory Chapel
Protestant - Sunday
1 a.m., Blended, Victory Chapel
9:45 a.m., Contemporary, Victory Chapel
9:45 a.m., Blended, CAOC second fl oor
10 a.m., Traditional BPC Mall area
11:30 a.m., Church of Christ,
Victory Chapel
4 p.m., Liturgical, Victory Chapel
7:30 a.m., Gospel, Victory Chapel
8 p.m., Blended, BPC Mall area
Roman Catholic Mass
Daily Mass Monday to Friday
8 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Saturday Mass
5:30 p.m., Mass, CAS
9 p.m., Mass, BPC Mall area
Sunday Masses
8 a.m., Mass, Victory Chapel
11 a.m., Mass, CAOC second fl oor
5 p.m., Reconciliation, priest’s offi ce
6 p.m., Mass, Victory Chapel
Jewish - Saturday
6:30 p.m., Shabbat, Victory Chapel
Phone 437-8811
For more information, look on
the base Web site
under CC Corner/Chapel
Chapel
Don’t forget mom
By Chaplain (Maj.) David Dersch
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Chapel
Proverbs 31:28 “Her children arise
and call her blessed; her husband also,
and he praises her.”
Next Sunday is one of the most important
days of the year -- Mother’s Day.
On this day, we celebrate and honor
mothers -- those who gave us birth, those
who give us children, those who make
our lives so much richer and fuller.
President Wilson, who made the fi rst
national proclamation for Mother’s Day
in 1914, specifi cally requested fl ags be
fl own in honor of mothers who had lost
their children in war. How interesting to
think the fi rst national Mother’s Day has
a military connection.
As we recognize and honor our mothers,
let’s not fall into the trap of commercialization
and materialism. According
to IBISWorld, a publisher of business research,
Americans will spend about $2.6
billion dollars for fl owers, $1.5 billion
for pampering gifts, and $63 million dollars
on greeting cards. Not surprisingly
Mother’s Day is the most popular day of
the year to dine out.
But in spite of what the marketers
want you to believe, you can’t buy your
mother’s love. In fact, you don’t need to
buy your mother’s love. The great thing
about mothers is they love us unconditionally.
A mother’s love is proverbial.
Have you ever heard the phrase “a face
only a mother could love?”
The proverb at the beginning of this
article gives good advice for those of us
who are children and husbands -- regular
gratitude and praise is the greatest gift
you can give your mother or your wife.
While there’s nothing wrong with fl owers
or a dinner out, don’t think recognition
one time a year is enough. Make it a
habit to regularly bless your mother and
praise the mother of your children.
Remember her by phoning, e-mailing,
sending a gift, or even the old fashioned
way, writing a letter. You could
purchase a fl ag in the base exchange and
have it fl own over Iraq or Afghanistan
and mail it and a certifi cate home to her.
You might even go out on a limb and
compose a poem or an acrostic honoring
her.
Even though you’re separated by
thousands of miles, take the extra time
and effort this week to honor your own
mother in some way, to recognize the
mother of your children, and to honor
the mothers here who are deployed away
from their children. Rise up, praise them
and call them blessed.
Company Grade Offi cer Council
donations support Jack’s Place
By Airman 1st Class
Stephanie Roberts
7th Aircraft Maintenance
Unit
Jack’s Place volunteers
would like to thank the
base Company Grade Offi
cer Council for a recent
donation.
The CGOC donated
$262 worth of items including
razors, toothbrushes,
toothpaste, sunscreen,
candy, shampoo,
lotions and other everyday
necessities.
“All donations are
greatly appreciated and
the donation made by the
CGOC was important to
the services Jack’s Place
provides to the base populace,”
said a volunteer.
Jack’s Place is a volunteer-run
facility, monitored
by chapel-core personnel,
which provides
U.S. and coalition servicemembers
of all religions a
quiet, wholesome place
to relax, study, read and
meet with friends while
enjoying refreshments.
The building includes
amenities such as a
stocked game room, free
selected toiletries, magazine
racks, snacks and a
free book exchange.
Since Jack’s Place is
part of the chapel, there is
also a variety of free religious
reading materials.
There are also computers
for personal use.
For more information,
make donations or to volunteer
to work at Jack’s
Place, call the Victory
Chapel at 437-8811.
Desert Eagle 14
May 3, 2009

Postage Increase
Effective May 11, the United States Postal Service is
increasing the cost of postage. The price for a 1-ounce
fi rst-class mail stamp will increase from 42¢ to 44¢.
Prices for other services -- standard mail, periodicals,
package services to include parcel post, and extra
services -- will also change based on size and weight.
May tobacco cessation
The Tobacco Cessation Program will have the following
sessions in May:
Morning session: 8 to 9 a.m. May 5, 12, 19, 26
Evening session: 5 to 6 p.m. May 7, 14, 21, 28
The sessions will be held at the Mental Health Clinic
located at Bldg. 10090, located in the Coalition Compound.
The program focuses on the behavioral changes
needed to increase long-term abstinence from tobacco
products. It is a group process-centered class that
incorporates behavioral change with nicotine replacement
therapy.
Participants may attend either the morning or evening
sessions but must complete all four modules.
To sign up for a module session, call Staff Sgt. Melissa
Melton at 437-8767.
Enlisted Force Structure update
Air Force Instruction 36-2618, also known as “The
Little Brown Book,” is now available electronically
through the Air Force Publications site at www.e-publishing.af.mil.
Civilian clothing needed
The 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron
and Personnel Support for Contingency Operations facility
needs clean civilian clothing items. The clothing
items are provided to members of all branches of service
who are traveling home on emergency leave. Servicemembers
departing Southwest Asia on commercial
fl ights must be in civilian attire.
Bring all donations to the 379th EFSS/PERSCO, Bldg.
3979, in Ops Town, next to the passenger terminal
across from the Grab-n-go. For questions, call Master
Sgt. Marc Mcalister at 437-3058.
Disposition of smoking materials
Ensure smoking materials are disposed of properly
in approved smoking-material containers only. These
containers must be free of paper or other fl ammable
products and have self-closing lids to prevent a fi re
from spreading.
Additionally, ensure smoking materials, and barbecue
briquettes are not disposed of in dumpsters.
There have been several incidents involving the improper
disposal of smoking materials in dumpsters.
As always, smoking is only permitted in designated
areas. Always dial 9-1-1 for emergencies.
Announcements
Safety Snapshot
“Avoid the worst, put
safety fi rst.”
Classes improve supervisory skills
The Top IV is hosting Airman Professional Development
classes for the next few weeks. Classes will be
held at the Airman Readiness Center. To better serve
Airmen and to maximize participation, a different topic
will be taught for each day of class. The classes are designed
to prepare enlisted and junior offi cers for future
promotions and enhance their supervisory skills.
For more information, call Senior Master Sgt. Paul
Hauer at 437-2417 or Senior Master Sgt. Kelly Burkhard
at 436-0601.
Education center
The education center offers DANTES, CLEP, Excelsior,
ACT, CDC, PME and proctored college and university
exams. The education center is open from 8 a.m.
to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 7
p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit the education center or
call 437-8710 or 437-0015.
Trips and Tours
The Trips and Tours offi ce at the Coalition Compound
Community Activity Center offers trips off base.
Trips include the Luxury Car Show, Beach Day, Arabian
Adventure, golf and more.
For more information or to sign up, call 437-8838.
ARC classes for May
The Airman Readiness Center ‘s may class schedeule
includes: communicating with pen and paper, communication
and confl ict in the workplace, keeping relationships
strong, and marriage and money. For more
information, call 437-7080/6267.
VA launches new Web site
The Veterans Affairs Department has launched a
new social, veteran-centric Web site to welcome home
veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan confl icts.
The Web site, www.oefoif.va.gov, focuses on the
needs and questions of returning veterans. it features
information on benefi ts, videos, veterans’ stories and
a blog where veterans are encouraged to post feedback.
Other base activities
For a list of menus, movies and more, visit the 379th
EFSS internal homepage, watch the commander’s
channel, or read the Desert Eagle Dispatch.
May 3, 2009 15 Desert Eagle

Chief Master Sgt. Pat Brown, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squad- Squad-
ron chief enlisted manager, shows the proper technique for throwing a
horseshoe to Lt. Col. Abdul Hameed during a Texas-Style barbecue cul-
tural event hosted by the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here April 23.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Satran)
Senior Airman Margaret Kandies stocks canned food as Senior
Airman Chandra Wostenberg records the weekly inventory at
the Somerset Dining Facility here Monday. Both are 379th Expeditionary
Force Support Squadron services journeymen. Airman
Kandies is deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. Air-
man Wostenberg is deployed from the Wyoming Air National
Guard. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt Joshua Garcia)
Desert Eagle 16
May 3, 2009