Feature - 379th Air Expeditionary Wing

www.379aew.afnews.af.mil
Diligentia et Accuratio
DESERT EAGLE
Volume 9, Issue 3
Jan. 18, 2009
Airlifting wounded
warriors

Desert Eagle
Volume 9, Issue 3
Editorial Staff
Commander
Brig. Gen. Michael Moeller
Chief, Public Affairs
Capt. Sheila Johnston
Superintendent, Public Affairs
Senior Master Sgt. Brad Fallin
NCOIC, News
Master Sgt. Jeff Loftin
Editor
Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
Multimedia
Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia
Senior Airman Katerina Slivinske
Airman 1st Class Jennifer Herring
Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran
Printed by QF&M, LLC, a private firm
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.
Tech. Sgt. Keith Barker, 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical
Evacuation Squadron ground crew NCOIC, and Master
Sgt. Michael Granlund, 379 EAES aircrew, secure hooks
to hold litters on a C-130 for transporting patients on board
here, Jan. 11. The ground crew loads medical supplies
onto aircraft to support patients being transported in
the area of operations in support of Operation Iraqi and
Enduring Freedom, and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn
of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class
Andrew Satran)
on
Commentary
Leadership foundation
By Capt. John Creighton
379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance
Squadron
We possess a strong leadership
foundation from men and women at every
organizational level here in order to meet
the 379 Air Expeditionary Wing vector:
Mission First, Taking care of each other,
and Taking care of ourselves. To maintain
our demanding 379 AEW mission, we need
to ensure that we maintain and continually
hone our leadership skills in order to foster
a positive work environment.
I have observed several great leadership
traits throughout my Air Force career and
some while on my 120-day deployment
here. The fi rst leadership trait is creating
and following a common vision. As a
leader, you can improve both the quality
and acceptance of this vision by looking
at how it applies to your organization and
fully understanding how it fi ts into your
unit. Each squadron typically has a vision
which guides the unit to meet their mission
objectives to support the wing’s vision.
How does your organization contribute
to fl ying, fi ghting and winning the Global
War on Terror? How do you contribute
to making the Mission First? How do you
personally take care of people and how are
you taking care of yourself? Each person is
critical to the team and is extremely vital to
the success of our great organization.
The second leadership trait is to share
information: be a good story teller or
inspirational leader. When Brig. Gen.
Michael Moeller, 379 AEW commander,
tells stories at the afternoon wing standup,
he ties in how “we” as a wing affect big
events throughout the area of responsibility.
He emphasizes each person’s contributions
to something bigger than ourselves. This
ties in with the wing’s vision and vector by
inspiring passion in what “we” do daily, no
matter how insignifi cant the task may seem.
As leaders in our organizations, every word
and action must demonstrate our personal
passion in meeting this vision. How do
you motivate others? And do you share
your experiences or ideas to help the unit
perform better?
Throughout the military, there are
good and bad leaders. We have all been
around a leader who instills trust, whom we
respect, and who inspires people to excel.
Remember your worst school teacher? I
do and I remember really disliking them.
Typically it was the toughest teacher who
drove you to excel past your own potential,
holding you accountable for your actions.
Those are the leaders we remember and
admire.
Qualities associated with good
leadership include treating people with
dignity, fairness, truthfulness, offering
social support, and providing intellectual
stimulation and challenges. Lengthy
deployments, high operations tempo, and
managing family life from afar is much
easier to cope with when you have a good
SEE LEADERSHIP 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.
2 Jan. 18, 2009

FROM LEADERSHIP ON PAGE 2
News
Air Force inauguration participation
represents another historic event
By Maj. Gen. Ralph Jodice
Commander, Air Force District
of Washington and 320th Air
Expeditonary Wing
When President-elect
Barack Obama takes the oath
of offi ce Jan. 20, U.S. servicemembers
once again will
participate in a time-honored
tradition which began with
President George Washington
for his fi rst inauguration in
1789.
Among those servicemembers
participating with the new
president will be more than
1,300 Airmen from the Air
Force District of Washington.
As expected, the Air Force
Band and Air Force Honor
Guard, the ceremonial units
from the 11th Wing at Bolling
AFB, will participate along the
parade route and at other inaugural
events throughout the
week. Additionally, Airmen
assigned to AFDW will form a
segment of the ceremonial cordon,
which are military members
standing along both sides
of the two-mile parade route.
Airmen also will serve as
drivers, distinguished visitor
and media escorts, photographers
and ushers at events
taking place throughout the
inaugural period. These are
the “faces” of AFDW and the
320th AEW. But the value of
leader to follow; one who challenges you
to be your best, just as your tough teacher
did years ago.
In the Air Force, we must perform at
our best and be decisive in the decisions we
make.
As Theodore Roosevelt said, “In any
moment of decision, the best thing you can
do is the right thing, the next best thing
is the wrong thing, and the worst thing
you can do is nothing.” If you are in some
form of leadership position, there will
come a time when you must make a tough
decision. When placed in this position,
you will need to make the best choice for
that moment, which supports the mission.
each Airman’s participation
is not measured by his or her
proximity to inaugural events.
Hundreds of AFDW members
have worked tirelessly for
the past 14 months to ensure
all goes well for the men and
women out in front, and for the
newly elected president. Air
Force planners, in concert with
their counterparts at AFIC and
more than 20 state and federal
agencies, have spent countless
hours writing, refi ning and
executing plans for the event.
Specialists from nearly every
Air Force career fi eld continue
to identify and manage inaugural
requirements, leaving no
stone unturned.
Also taking place behind
the scenes is the participation
of AFDW’s Airmen in operational
events surrounding and
leading up to the inauguration,
providing around-the-clock
support during the 10-day “inaugural
period.”
The morning of the inauguration,
Services personnel
from the 316th Wing at Andrews
AFB, Md., will prepare
and serve more than 1,400
hot meals for cordon members
from all services and then
transport them to the parade
route. Medical specialists with
the 79th Medical Wing at Andrews,
as well as military medical
units throughout the NCR,
will deploy along the parade
route to provide assistance as
needed.
Putting together an event
as large as a presidential inauguration
is a monumental
If it was a bad decision, you may need
to go back and re-evaluate your decision
and learn what may have been the best
decision. If the outcome of your decision
was not optimal, you may need to reevaluate
your thought process or decision.
Good leaders are open and dedicated
to life-long learning. Don’t ever be afraid
to ask for guidance and mentoring. Every
good leader has had a trusted source or
mentor in their lives. You too should have
someone you trust for guidance and advise
as you progress throughout your career.
Seek feedback about your performance
through direct conversations with your
boss. You should not only seek personal
Staff Sgt. Shequila Hunter and Navy Petty Offi cer 2nd Class
Alexandria Elis work on administrative issues for the Armed
Forces Inaugural Committee in Washington, D.C. (Department
of Defense photo/Tech. Sgt. Alan Port)
achievement. All the successes
stemming from this will be due
to the training, professionalism
and dedication of the participating
Airmen and joint partners.
feedback on your performance, but
feedback on how your section is running
and if you are headed in the right direction.
This path should be in line with the Air
Force, wing and squadron vision, vector
and mission.
In the Air Force we spend hours
training as Airmen and warriors, but if
we are not practicing the right leadership
fundamentals, we will never be successful
Air Force leaders. The bottom line is
you should know the wing’s vision,
share information, be decisive and seek
feedback. Know these qualities and the
direction leadership is heading and you’ll
be successful.
Jan. 18, 2009 3 Desert Eagle

Airlifting
Feature
wo
By Master Sgt. Jeff Loftin
Photos by Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Caring for a double amputee in
an aircraft high above the area
of responsibility as it jostles
toward its destination is a diffi
cult endeavor, but one Airmen from the
379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation
Squadron call the best job in the Air
Force.
“It’s very humbling to me and very
much an honor,” said Maj. Susan Behrens,
the unit’s chief nurse. “I have the greatest
job. It’s like taking care of my kids … I
take care of them so they can do their job
the very best they can. You can’t tell people
what that is like.”
The unit airlifts patients on tankers
and cargo aircraft to locations around the
AOR, and out of it. The squadron members
transport patients with a wide variety
of medical problems to where they can get
the best treatment.
“We get patients from explosions, patients
with multiple fractures, motor vehicle
accident (injuries), sports injuries,
psych patients,” said Major Behrens, a
Finlayson, Minn., native. “There are gastrointestinal
problems. There are head injuries.
We have to know a little bit about
everything.”
Staff Sgt. Rebecca Jaudon, a squadron
crew member, added burn victims and
gunshots to the major’s list of medical conditions
they care for in fl ight.
“I’ve had a patient with third-degree
burns over 90 percent of his body, and I’ve
had someone with a sprained ankle from
a sports injury,” said Sergeant Jaudon. “It
really depends.”
Caring for wounded warriors with a variety
of medical conditions is further complicated
by the fl ight itself.
“What happens when you take them up
where the air is really thin and you are vibrating
on a plane,” asked Major Behrens,
a member of the Minnesota Air National
Guard. “You have to know what that does
to a fracture or an injury and how to take
care of it. It is a whole different medicine
in itself.”
The squadron stands ready to provide
that expertise 24/7. In addition to its week-
Desert Eagle
ly missions the unit provides the only “alpha
alert” air medical transport team in the
theater. The alpha alert team must be at the
aircraft in 10 minutes and be ready to take
off in one hour. Alert missions can come
at any time making it diffi cult for the fi vemember
crews to know when to sleep.
“We’ve had times when we’ve had
quick mission launches in the middle of
the night,” said Lt. Col. Georgeanne Johnson,
379 EAES commander. “They’ll call
up in the middle of the night and say to
whoever is up we’re launching a mission
can anybody come up and help? They are
4
over there to help right away. Everybody
pitches in.”
The key to the unit meeting the timelines
is the squadron’s operations team,
according to the commander. The team is
responsible for preparing for the mission,
working the patient manifest and paperwork
and confi guring the aircraft for medical
airlift.
“We have crews who aren’t on duty to
help get the equipment ready and prefl ight
it,” said the Eagin, Minn., native. “They go
out to the alert facility to load all their stuff
on a big truck. They go out to the aircraft

unded warriors
Feature
ABOVE: Members of the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron confi gure an
aircraft to handle patients and medical equipment before a mission in the area of responsibility
Jan. 11.
LEFT: Crewmembers from the 379 EAES receive their fi nal briefi ng on the patient transport
mission in a C-130 Jan. 11. The unit airlifts patients with a wide variety of medical problems on
tankers and cargo aircraft to locations around the AOR where they can get the best treatment.
and confi gure it. We have to confi gure everything
and bring all of our equipment on
before each mission.”
It takes about six hours of preparation
for a normal mission to get the aircraft
ready for patients and to load the 600
pounds of medical equipment. If the mission
calls for transporting warriors in critical
condition, the unit adds a three-person
Critical Care Air Transport Team and another
600 pounds of equipment. Flights
with the CCATT often pick up patients
from Iraq or Afghanistan and transport
them to Germany.
Typical missions for the squadron can
range from 12 to 16 hours, but can go as
long as 24 hours.
“On a typical mission once you get to
your starting point it is really busy,” said
Sergeant Jaudon, a Clarksburg, W.V., native.
“It’s about two and a half hours up
there and then it is about 30 minutes be-
tween stops. You are up and down. You are
only on the ground for about 25 minutes at
each place. It is dark. You’re on the fl ightline,
but you can’t go out and use fl ashlights
because depending on where you are everyone
may be using (night vision goggles).
It’s defi nitely a contingency situation.”
The experiences the fl ight crew has with
the patients on typical missions is anything
but typical.
“One of the fi rst missions I did was a
(coming) back from Germany to the states
hauling kids,” said Major Behrens as she
started choking up. “We had 74 patients on
board. It was in a C-141 so it was kind of
dark. I had to crawl up the litters to start an
IV on a young man that was up there. He
said to me, ‘Ma’am can you just stay here
with me for a little bit and hold my hand.
You remind me of my mom.’”
Interacting one-on-one with wounded
warriors is why many squadron members
endure the long hours, unpredictable schedules
and emotional stress of their job.
“It’s emotionally draining, because you
really do care about these people,” said
Sergeant Jaudon, deployed from Pope Air
Force Base, N.C. “Some of them are really
hurt and you just don’t know what is going
to happen to them. We really care about
them or we wouldn’t be in this job. Some
patients we’ll never forget.”
Colonel Johnson, a member of the Minnesota
Air National Guard, is a critical care
nurse in her civilian job, but said working
with military members is an entirely different
experience.
“It is a job that is our honor and privilege
to do,” she said. “I truly think it is the best
job in the Air Force. It is important we constantly
have our skills up to speed and that
we are ready to go at any time. We never
know what we might see when we open that
aircraft door and start loading patients.”
Jan. 18, 2009 5 Desert Eagle

Desert Eagle
Feature
$1,000 free from Uncle Sam
By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
The government wants to give you
up to $1,000 just for being a deployed
servicemember. All you need to do to get
the money is enroll in the U.S. Savings
Deposit Program.
“The Savings Deposit Program is a
savings account deployed
members can deposit up to
$10,000 into,” said Staff
Sgt. Justin Hughes, 379th
Expeditionary Comptroller
Squadron NCO in charge of
customer service. “Anything
you deposit will earn interest
for your entire deployment
plus 90 days after you return,
and that’s 10 percent annually.”
He said interest is compounded
quarterly at a rate
of 2.5 percent per quarter,
so the most money a person
could earn in one year from
interest is $1,000.
“It’s easy to enroll, you
just have to fi ll out the paperwork,” said
Senior Airman Sarah Vroman, a 379
ECPTS budget analyst deployed here
from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. “It
took me maybe 10 minutes to do everything
to open my account.”
In order to enroll in the program, a
person must be receiving hostile fi re pay
and have been deployed for at least 30
consecutive days, or one day in each of
three consecutive months.
“The way you contribute is bring in
a copy of your CED orders and ID (to
fi nance) and we’ll fi ll out the proper
forms and get you started,” said Sergeant
Hughes who is deployed from Mountain
Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
Once an account is open, people may
deposit any dollar amount up to their net
take home pay in $5 increments.
“Say you take home $3,000 a month,
then that’s all you can deposit that
month,” Sergeant Hughes said. “If you
get a commanders signature on our paperwork,
you can do two months of your
net pay.”
Money can be deposited into an account
in one of three ways: check, Eagle
Cash, or via allotment. Sergeant Hughes
noted, regardless of how money is deposited,
only one deposit can be made per
month.
“Normally you have to wait the 30 days
to make the initial deposit,” Sergeant
Hughes said. “But if you were to have
just gotten here, you can start an allotment,
because it wouldn’t pay out until
the end of the month, which would be
after the 30 day mark.”
Once a member deposits money into
their account, the money must remain
there until he or she has left the combat
zone, he said. This is waverable
by the commander,
but only in instances when
the health and welfare
of the member or his or
her dependants would be
in danger if the money
wasn’t used.
“You just can’t fi nd
better a better deal,” said
Sergeant Hughes. It’s a
great opportunity to save,
especially with everyone
getting the extra pay and
entitlements. (People)
wouldn’t even see the
difference if they started
putting that away.”
Airman Vroman, who’s
been enrolled in the program since November,
agreed with the staff sergeant.
“I enrolled to get the extra interest on
my money,” said Airman Vroman. “It’s
better than anything else out there that
I’ve seen.”
For more information on the USSDP,
an interest calculator and the enrollment
form, visit the 379th Expeditionary
Comptroller Squadron Web site at
http://intranet/organizations/379ecpts/Index.html.
6 Jan. 18, 2009

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. DARNELL CANNADY
Staff Sgt. Dominic Cirincione
379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron
Base Defense Operations Center Controller
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Home station: Lakenheath
Arrived in AOR: November
Deployment goals: Get a ripped physique, study for
technical sergeant and take care of my troops.
Best part of the deployment: The feeling of
satisfaction knowing the wing’s mission helps our
comrades in tougher places to survive and thrive.
Hobbies: Playing sports, reading and spending time
with my wife.
Best Air Force memory: Volunteering for a Special
Olympics event hosted by the Air Force in England.
Nominated by Master Sgt. Jamison Meyer. “Sergeant
Cirincione is my best controller, and his job knowledge
level goes far beyond his rank. He’s always at peak
job performance, and his level of professionalism is
consistently above reproach. NCOs of his caliber are
rare.”
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. DARNELL CANNADY
Warriors of the Week
Staff Sgt. David Fry
1st Expeditionary Red Horse Group
Heavy Equipment Mechanic Supervisor
Hometown: Redding, Calif.
Home station: F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
Arrived in AOR: September
Deployment goals: Learn new job skills and continually
improve my shop.
Best part of the deployment: Getting my tooth pulled,
hanging out with friends from work and meeting old
ones who pass through.
Hobbies: Weight lifting and playing World of
Warcraft.
Best Air Force memory: Deployment to Bosnia in
2001.
Nominated by Tech. Sgt. Joseph Gehring. “Sergeant
Fry is motivated, has a positive attitude and is a great
leader.”
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. DARNELL CANNADY
Staff Sgt. Mark Jackson
8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron
Aerial Port Expediter Team Leader
Hometown: Columbus, Miss.
Home station: McChord AFB, Wash.
Arrived in AOR: September
Deployment goals: Contribute to the mission the best
way possible.
Best part of the deployment: Knowing that each aircraft
loaded is aiding the mission down-range.
Hobbies: Weight lifting.
Best Air Force memory: Getting a “Thank You” from
an aircraft commander for having the aircraft prepared
and loaded ahead of schedule.
Nominated by Tech. Sgt. James Langston. “The APEX
program here is in its infancy. Sergeant Jackson is one of
only three APEX qualifi ed 2T2’s deployed to this location.
Due primarily to his unique abilities and attitude, the Air
Mobility Command velocity initiative has been realized
right here at the hub of OIF/OEF operations.”
Jan. 18, 2009 7 Desert Eagle

Feature
Providing power
Senior Airman Augustus Williams, a 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Electrician,
strips a wire of its protective coating in preparation to install a ballast in a light fi xture Tuesday.
Airman Williams is native to Augusta Ga., and is deployed from Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
Photos by Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Almost no one likes walking into
their offi ce to fi nd the lights or
their computer won’t turn on,
especially on a base as busy as this one,
and it’s up to around 20 people to make
sure it doesn’t happen, or if it does, that
it’s fi xed.
The people who work in the 379th
Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems
shop are responsible for repairing
and maintaining all lighting fi xtures,
street lights, power outlets and other low
voltage jobs for all fl ight line and Ops
Town facilities.
Desert Eagle
“
Basically, if it lights up,
heats you up or helps you
get your job done, we had
a hand making it work
Master Sgt. Stuart Fawler, 379th
Civil Engineer Squadron electrical
systems shop NCO in charge
“We take care of all secondary voltage
for Ops Town and the fl ight line,”
said Master Sgt. Stuart Fawler, NCO in
charge of the electrical systems shop.
“Most everything is electrical in nature.
Our work ranges from new installs to
basic things like ‘oh I have a tripped
breaker, could you come reset it.’ Basically,
if it lights up, heats you up or
helps you get your job done, we had a
hand in making it work.”
The shop is split into three shifts with
teams of at least four people ready to respond
to power outages. Generally, the
shop will receive about fi ve work orders
per day for power outages and will have
several more work orders waiting to be
completed because a part is out of stock
and they are waiting for it to arrive.
A large part of their work comes from
replacing light bulbs with a basket crane
because the fi xtures are at least 10 feet
8 Jan. 18, 2009

off the ground, said the Joplin, Mo.,
native, deployed here from Moody Air
Force Base, Ga.
“A normal day for us is to come in
and grab a few work orders to keep us
busy, but our primary job is to take care
of emergency calls,” said Staff Sgt.
Jonathan Williams, electrical shop crew
leader, who is deployed here from Langley,
Va. He also said emergency calls
are defi ned by either a safety issue or
something that prevents primary mission
operations from continuing.
Because so many people are tied into
the wing’s primary mission, the shop
sometimes has the challenge of deciding
which emergency call takes precedent,
Sergeant Fawler said.
“Everyone considers themselves to
be mission essential,” he said. “You
obviously do the best you can to prioritize,
but basically you have to use crisis
management and fi gure out who is, no
(kidding), the person who has a mission
related stoppage.”
Along with dealing with the daily
emergency calls and work orders, the
shop occasionally gets to work on special
projects, Sergeant Fawler said.
“The New Years Ball was our project.
We refurbished the ball from last
year and made the 2009 box from
scratch,” he said. “I was kind of sweating
bullets that night… I had a three-
Feature
r for the people
Lighting fi xture are one of the most common items customers
of the 379th Expeditonary Civil Engineer Squadron electrical
systems shop put in work orders for.
star and a couple of one- and two-stars
here plus about 2,000 people watching.
When everything turned on, it was very
Senior Airman Augustus Williams, a 379th Expeditionary Civil
Engineer Squadron Electrician, checks the starters in a light
fi xture Tuesday.
gratifying to know these people are having
a good New Year party and my guys
did that.”
Regardless of the job size or how visible
the result of the work will be, Sergeant
Williams, a native of Blytheville,
Ark., said his favorite part of the job
is being able to look at something and
know he had a direct impact on how it is
being used to complete the base’s mission.
“It feels good looking over what you
just did,” Sergeant Williams said. “It
doesn’t matter if it’s as small as fi xing a
light, when you fl ip the light switch and
it comes on, it feels pretty good knowing
your customer is happy.”
He also said it’s gratifying to know
just how big an impact he and the rest of
his shop have on the mission here.
“Without us, this base would be just
a replica, not the real thing” Sergeant
Williams said. “Everything would just
be sitting here and would look like it,
but that’s just about it, you would’t be
able to use it.”
Jan. 18, 2009 9 Desert Eagle

Desert Eagle
10 Jan. 18, 2009

This Week’s Caption Contest
The winner is...
“Jennifer was determined to catch her a man on
this deployment! ”
- Anonymous
Honorable mention:
“Andalay! Andalay! Arriba! Arriba! Arriba!”
- Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia, 379th Air Expeditionary
Wing
Miscellaneous
Photo No. 110
By Wendy Franklin
Try your hand at writing a caption for this week’s photo. The
author whose caption entry gets the most laughs - or groans
- from our panel wins.
1. Write an imaginative, humorous, printable caption related to
the Air Force.
2. E-mail caption entries to 379AEW.PA@auab.afcent.af.mil with
the words ‘Caption Contest’ in the subject header.
3. Include the Caption Contest photo number you are referencing,
your name, rank, deployed unit and phone number.
4. Winners are announced in the following paper.
5. Deadline for submission is noon Wednesday.
6. Got a funny photo you think is publishable and will make people
laugh and scratch their heads? E-mail us!
Photo No. 111
Photo No. 89
Jan. 18, 2009 11 Desert Eagle

Desert Eagle
This week in photos
ABOVE: Senior Airman Yvette Fowlkes, a medical technician
with the 379th Medical Group, packs sterile strips into a
wound on Airman 1st Class Bobby Knight, 379 Expeditionary
Maintenance Squadron, here Tuesday. The sterile strips aid the
healing of the wound from the inside out as well as keeping
the wounded area from getting infected. Airman Fowlkes is a
Fairfi eld, Calif., native and is deployed from Laughlin Air Force
Base, Texas, and Airman Knight is from Ashland City, Tenn., and
is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (U.S. Air Force
Photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
12 Jan. 18, 2009

LEFT: Senior Airman Bryan
Hunt, an Aircraft Ground
Equipment mechanic with
the 379th Expeditionary
Maintenance Squadron,
inspects the relay switches for
an A/M32A-103 generator set
here, Jan. 10. The AGE shop
owns and maintains more
than 590 pieces of equipment.
Airman Hunt is a native of
Ft Mill, S.C., and is deployed
from Tinker Air Force Base,
Okla. (U.S. Air Force Photo by
Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
BELOW LEFT: Tech. Sgt.
Reno Cruz-Betancourt, Senior
Airman Desmond Johnson,
and Airman 1st Class James
Turner, all assigned to the
379th Expeditionary Civil
Engineering Squadron, replace
a condenser fan motor for a
medical refrigeration supply
box here Jan. 9. Tech. Sgt.
Cruz-Betancourt hails from
Los Angeles, Calif., and is
deployed from Travis AFB,
Calif. Senior Airman Johnson
hails from Mobile, Ala., and
is also deployed from Travis.
Airman 1st Class Turner hails
from College Station, Texas,
and is deployed from Beale
AFB, Calif. (U.S. Air Force
photo by Airman 1st Class
Andrew Satran)
This week in photos
Airman 1st Class Andrew McCartney, 340th Expeditionary Air
Refueling Squadron, throws a right hook against his opponent,
Airman Ronnie Echavarria, also with the 340th EARS, during
their match at the Friday night boxing matches here, Jan.
9. The event, put on by the Desert 5, is to boost morale of
servicemembers while in the area of responsibility. Airman
McCartney is deployed from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.,
and Airman Echavarria is deployed from Mildenhall Air Base,
England. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
LEFT: Senior Airman
Kenvin Keophakdy,
an immunizations
technician with the
379th Expeditionary
MMedical e d i c a l GGroup, r o u p ,
prepares a vile of
the anthrax vaccine
for a patient here,
Tuesday. Members
who haven’t received
all their vaccinations
prior to deploying
can still have them
administered while
in the area of re-
sponsibility. (U.S. Air
Force Photo by Staff
Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
Jan. 18, 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, sanctuary
Protestant - Sunday
9 a.m., Orthodox, multi-purpose room
9:45 a.m., Contemporary, sanctuary
9:45 a.m., General Protestant, CAOC
second fl oor conference room
11:30 a.m., Church of Christ, sanctuary
1:30 p.m., Liturgical, multi-purpose
room
1:30 p.m., LDS, sanctuary
4 p.m., Traditional Protestant, sanctuary
7:30 p.m., Gospel worship, sanctuary
Roman Catholic Mass
Daily Mass Monday to Friday
8 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Saturday Mass
8:30 p.m., Reconciliation
9:15 p.m., Mass at Victory Chapel
Desert Eagle
Sunday Masses
8 a.m., Mass, sanctuary
11 a.m., Mass, CAOC second fl oor
conference room
5:15 p.m., Reconciliation, priest’s offi ce
6 p.m., Mass, sanctuary
Phone 437-8811
For more information, look on
the base Web site
under CC Corner/Chapel
Chapel
Roman Catholic Education Opportunities
“I want to grow spiritually.”
“I want to learn
more about my Catholic
Faith.”
“I am interested in becoming
Catholic.”
These are all wonderful
goals many people have
when deployed here. Here
is a brief list of times and
contacts for Roman Catholic
programs offered here.
Becoming Catholic
If you are interested in becoming
Catholic or already in an “RCIA” program
at your home station, you can begin or
continue right here. Chap. (Capt.) Las
Nwoga will lead this faith formation class
Monday nights and Tuesday mornings.
Just email him from the global or catch
him at the chapel at 437-8811.
Catholics Seeking Christ
This is a lay led program of faith
formation that meets Wednesday nights.
There are a variety of topics that are
available to meet the needs of the group.
Scriptures, church teaching and basic
living out of these beliefs is the discus-
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
sion format for this group. This group
seeks to connect deployed Catholics with
each other to support one another in their
Catholic faith.
What Catholics Believe About ...
This is an upper-level course about
the Catholic faith and teachings. There
are 12 different faith topics to choose
from depending upon interests. Meetings
are held Tuesday nights and use DVDs,
quizzes, lectures and discussions. Chap.
(Lt. Col.) Dan Bergbower is the presenter.
Email him on the global or catch him at
the chapel at 437-8811.
Liturgical Ministries & Music
We strive to have outstanding
worship in our Roman Catholic tradition.
To do that, we need everyone
to be involved. So, if you play
an instrument, sing, song lead, are a
Eucharistic minister, lector, server
or a greeter, we need you. Please
contact either Chaplin Dan or Chaplin
Las at the chapel to begin your
service to your deployed parish.
Daily Mass
Each day there are two opportunities
to worship God through the
celebration of Mass at 8 a.m. and
6 p.m. in the Blessed Sacrament
Chapel.
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
This is a Catholic specifi c
prayer room that is open 24/7 for
quietprayer and refl ection. Recent
upgrades have enhanced this sacred
space.
14 Jan. 18, 2009

Announcements
Memorial Plaza vehicle restrictions
New cable-gate barriers have been placed around
the Memorial Plaza area to eliminate non-mission essential
vehicle travel. Emergency response and service
vehicles, in addition to designated reserved parking
users, are still authorized to use the Memorial Plaza
thoroughfare. For more information, contact the 379th
Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron customer service
desk at 437-2154.
Leave for family members
Under a new provision of the Family and Medical
Leave Act, family members of deployed Guard and Reserve
servicemembers who work for public agencies
or private sector employees are eligible to take up to
12 weeks of un-paid leave to attended activities that
have arisen because of the servicemember’s deployment.
These include childcare issues, family services
sponsored events, fi nancial and legal matters, counseling
and homecoming ceremonies. Family members
may also take up to fi ve days off to spend time with a
servicemember home on short-term rest and relaxation
leave.
At present, these rules do not apply to the families of
active duty members.
For more information and specifi c rules regarding the
program, go to http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/fi nalrule/MilitaryFAQs.pdf
or visit the legal offi ce.
UMUC registration begins
University of Maryland University College course
registration is now open for the Spring 1 semester.
Courses are taught on base by UMUC faculty members.
Classes are available in most categories: math, English,
speech, social science, humanities, management and
upper-level Spanish and German. Classes begin Jan.
26.
All military branches and civilian and contractor
Department of Defense ID card holders can be UMUC
students. Registration is open until classes are full. Seats
are limited to only 18 students per class. Contact Susan
Cleveland for information on becoming a UMUC student
and registering in class. For more information, call 437-
0077 or e-mail Hsusan.cleveland@auab.afcent.af.mil.
Traveling around the AOR
All military and civilian personnel forward deploying
or traveling to other bases within the area of responsibility
are required to process through Public Health
prior to departure. Public Health will review your immunization
record, provide a country specifi c medical
intelligence briefi ng, and go over force health protection
measures. As a reminder, many areas in the AOR
require anti-malarial medication on a year-round basis.
It is important to start this medication one or two weeks
prior to departure. For additional information, call 437-
4245.
January tobacco cessation
The Tobacco Cessation Program will have the following
sessions in January:
Morning session, 8 to 9 a.m. Jan. 20, 27
Evening session: 5 to 6 p.m. Jan. 22, 29
The sessions will be held at the Mental Health Clinic
Safety Snapshot
“Don’t dream and drive.
Stay focused.”
(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. Attendees must complete all four modules.
To sign up, call Master Sgt. Fernando Richards at 437-
8767.
Dormitory rules
All personnel are reminded that the use of candles in
dormitories, work places or other areas is strictly prohibited.
This includes air fresheners that require any
open fl ame.
Other general housekeeping tips include ensuring air
conditioner fi lters are kept clean and are maintained at
the proper intervals, not overloading electrical outlets
or “daisy chaining” surge protectors; this occurs when
a surge protector is plugged into another surge protector.
Proper removal of trash and ensuring the removal
of dust/lint from refrigerators, TVs, laundry equipment,
etc. will greatly reduce the risk of fi re in your area.
Desert 5 scholarship
If you are currently enrolled in classes, you may be
eligible for a one-time grant of $100 provided by the
Desert 5. This grant, open to select E-1 through E-5
members, is structured to provide assistance for enlisted
members in dealing with the fi nancial burden of a
college degree program. For more information, visit the
Desert 5 website located on the intranet.
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 379 EFSS/PERSCO, Bldg.
3979, in Ops Town. For questions, call Master Sgt.
Heather Hughes at 437-3058.
For a list of menus,
movies and more,
visit the 379th EFSS
internal homepage
or watch your e-mail
for the Desert Eagle
Dispatch.
https://intranet/
organizations/
379ESVS/marketing.
htm
Jan. 18, 2009 15 Desert Eagle

Senior Airman Dale McDowell,
assigned to the 340th Aircraft
Maintenance Unit, watches as
Tech. Sgt. Marty Davis, also from
the 340th Aircraft Maintenance
Unit, places the final blades
of a fan assembly for a KC- KC-
135 Stratotanker back into the
engine after performing an
inspection here, Jan. 8. The fan
assembly is inspected every
1,500 hours of engine run time
and each of the four engines
on the Stratotanker contain 44
blades in the front fan assembly.
Airman McDowell is deployed
from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.,
and Sergeant Davis is deployed
from McConnell Air Force Base,
Kan. (U.S. Air Force Photo by
Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
Desert Eagle
Tech. Sgt. Joseph Vigil, assigned to the 379th Expeditionary
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, performs a fi nal lookover of
the blades of a KC-135R Stratotanker engine fan assembly
prior to handing them to Tech. Sgt. Eric Peterson, also from
the 379th EAMXS, to place back in an engine here, Jan. 8.
Both Sergeant Vigil and Sergeant Peterson are deployed
from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force Photo
by Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia)
16 Jan. 18, 2009