May 2012 - 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts Air National Guard

May 2012Recipient of the Air ForceOutstanding Unit Award 2009-2011On April 15, 2012, Capt. Neal Byrne and Staff Sgt. Fabricio Ochoa explain some facts about the F-15 Eagle to membersof the Paraguay military during their visit to the 104th Fighter Wing. (Photograph by Senior Master Sgt. Robert J. Sabonis)

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPChief Master Sergeant’s ColumnBy Chief Master Sgt. Todd Fappiano, 104th FW Command ChiefPAGE 3Get ready, getset, go…. Wait,can you do thatwhen you‘realready running?It appearsso. Thereis no questionour pace hasnot, and will not slow down, more importantly,we need to remember that perspectiveis everything. You and I need tokeep focused on the mission, our familiesand ourselves, and not always in onlythat order.As I read Col Gwosch‘s column, Icouldn‘t help but notice how aggressiveour ORE schedule is, but once you re-lookat it, you will also realize that we havevery little time to get ourselves preparedfor this inspection.Considering we just completed a majorinspection schedule in 2011, the twoyear break does not translate into verylong to prepare, if you‘re counting, theORI is less than 34 drill days away...soour traditional members only have a littleover a month of work-time to preparefor a major inspection.I am fortunate to sit in on the WingCommander‘s planning meetings, wherethe strategic calendar is always referenced.The method in which the commandersdirect and redirect the focus israther amazing. One assumption theyalways make, which is critical to our success,is that all airmen, at all levels, embracethe direction and charge forward.The leadership assumes that the messagesconveyed are translated into thecommander‘s intent, and that all airmenwork synergistically in the same direction.From the enlisted perspective, I canattest that 99.9% of the time, the assumptionis true.The moments when we fail, are whenoutside stressors, or unexpected delays/unavoidable circumstances take the unitor a group of people off track.As we are beginning a race from a fullstride, we must look out for these pit-fallsmore astutely, because when you‘re travelingat full-speed, any erratic deviationcan be detrimental.The deviations are sometime personal,but they can also be professional ortechnical; and in the same vein as thelook-out in the crow's nest of the Titanichad to watch for ice-bergs...calling outthe ice-berg is the most critical piece tosuccess.We need to keep our eyes forward, notlooking back at what we have accomplished.We need to identify challenges,and communicate them up the chain. Ifyou are challenged outside of work(personal life), I urge you to call-it-out aswell, because it could be just as detrimentalas a work-related mishap.When the pressures on, stress increases.With higher stress comes theinability to focus, and with lack of focuscomes mistakes, mishaps and injuries.We can avoid a great many of those, bylooking out for ourselves, our wingmenand our mission. I am pretty sure theentire wing knows the wing focus, if not Iwill spell it out to you in 6 simple letters.ACA & ORI. Those two events are whatwe need to keep our efforts directed at.Aerospace Control Alert is around theclock, and requires a constant focus andattention to detail.The Operational Readiness Inspectionis going to take flexibility, preparationand constant tweaking.Both offer unique challenges, but bothrequire focus and effort to make a successfuloutcome. Most importantly, to besuccessful at both...it will take YOU andwhat you bring to the fight.Stay safe and keep excelling forward.First Sergeant’s ColumnBy Master Sgt. Tom Moriarty, 1st Sgt, Logistic Readiness SquadronTo the members of the104 th Fighter Wing: Iwelcome you to theMay UTA. I sharedthis article with the Logistics Squadronlast drill. I feel it is relevant to the entirebase, and would like to share myexperience with all of you.As some of you may know, I lost oneof my brother's in a car accident in Holyoke,in the early morning hours ofMarch 31 st of this year. He was approximately500 feet from where he lives. AsI have dealt with the loss, I have spokenwith some of the people who had seenhim last, prior to the crash. One thingthat has stuck out in my mind is whatone of his friends told me. He said: ―Joejust did not look right.‖ I asked him tofurther explain, and his friend told methere was a distance in his eyes and althoughthey just waved goodbye to oneanother, his friend had an uneasy feeling,only to find out the next morningJoe was gone.The reason I am sharing this storywith you is to ask all of you to take thatextra minute or two when you see afriend, coworker or family member whoseems a little bit off or uneasy, to stopand simply ask if everything is alright.All too often, we get so wrapped up inour own lives and what we need to accomplishthrough the course of a daythat we forget to slow down, take abreath and look around. You may overlookthat person who may be in need ordismiss what you saw as nothing or oflittle significance. People are often tooproud or just do not know how to ask forhelp.As our base and squadron just deployedhundreds of 104 th members overseas,please remember the 104th'sstrongest asset is its people. Take careof one another; keep an eye out for yourfriends and coworkers. If you get thatuneasy feeling, or see something thatdoes not look quite right, take a minuteto inquire or find a supervisor or a firstsergeant and pass on your concerns.Your supervisors and command staff canutilize resources the base has to offer torender a wide array of assistance to unitmembers and their families if the needarises. Please remember, each andevery one of you matter!

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPVisitors from ParaguayBy Maj. Matthew T. Mutti, 104th Fighter Wing Executive OfficerPAGE 4Friendships are built on sharing.Sharing memories, time, things,ideas, etc. This premise is repeatedin school playgrounds around theworld...sometimes we can learn a lotfrom children.The basic premise of buildingrelationships and long-term friendshipsis at the crux of the StatePartnership Program, a NationalGuard program where states partnerwith foreign nations, to helpbuild lasting partnerships.The 104th has been buildingfriendships with the nation of Paraguayfor more than 7 years. As thepartnership program was in it‘s infancy,we would send a few of ourmedical staff down to Paraguay toconduct training, all while providingmedical care to the citizens in thecommunities surrounding their militarybases.Those visits have evolved to usworking with the Southern Commandto take aircraft maintainers,pilots, and safety personnelto share some of the techniqueswe use to safely maintain our aircraft.In recent years, Paraguayandelegations have traveled up toMassachusetts to learn moreabout our operations(Headquarters, and the 2 Wings)as well as the Army NationalGuards mission.On April 15th, the Mass. NationalGuard hosted a delegationthat spent some time at the 104thFighter Wing.The delegation included a ParaguayanSenator, their president ofthe Chamber of Deputies DefenseCommittee, a Major General andtwo Colonels. They were also escortedby members from the Mass.National Guard Headquarters SPPoffice and liaisons from SouthernCommand.Capt. Neal Byrne, a 131FS pilot shakes the hand of ColGilberto Arriola as he completes a cockpit tour of the F-15C.Paraguayan Military Forces ColGilberto Arriola was part of theApril 15th visit and commented thatit is always intriguing to learn aboutother military operations. He addedthat the true value of the SPP is tolearn from each other, but also tosee that the military, regardless ofwhere they are from, have manysimilarities.

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPBataan March 2012By Staff Sgt. Matthew Benedetti, 104th FW Public AffairsPAGE 5―No Mama No Papa No UncleSam‖ The Battling Bastards ofBataan.It was 70 years ago that the Japaneseattacked Pearl Harbor and thePhilippines ushering the UnitedStates into World War II.Unlike Pearl Harbor, the Japanesefollowed their surprise air attackin the Philippines with a landinvasion. As the Imperial JapaneseArmy raced towards the capital, Manila,American and Filipino troopsretreated to the Bataan Peninsula onthe island of Luzon. Cut off from suppliesdue to a naval blockade anddown to their final rations, the12,000 airmen, soldiers, Marines andsailors as well as thousands of Filipinoswere forced to surrender on April9, 1942.Unprepared for the number ofprisoners, the Japanese marched76,000 American and Filipinos northwardinto captivity. Many of theJapanese felt it was dishonorable tosurrender and thusly held little regardfor the prisoners of war forcedto march 60 miles in the blazing hotsun. Suffering from a lack of food andwater, many of the prisoners weresubjected to shocking brutality at thehands of the guards. Prisoners wereroutinely shot, bayoneted or beheadedduring the arduous journeythat would become known as theBataan Death March. Approximately,5,200 Americans did not survivethe march.The 23rd Annual Bataan MemorialDeath March was held on March25, 2012 at White Sands MissileRange in New Mexico. The objectiveof the organizers, Team White Sands,is to keep the Bataan story alivethrough this event which has grownevery year. The march serves as atouchstone for participants to recognizethe strength and bravery of theBataan service members.More than 6,700 participated inthis year‘s event which drew participantsfrom around the world. Amongthe marchers included two distinguishedmembers from the 104thFighter Wing, Senior Master Sgts.Joe Delaney and Keith Buckhout.Both members served in the Marinesprior to joining the wing and theircombined years of service span severaldecades.Senior Master Sgt. Delaney ofEasthampton learned of the marchafter reading an article in Men‘sHealth a few years ago. He has participatedin three marches and isproud to be involved, ―We thinkabout what they went through in1942. We saw about 12 amputeesfrom the current conflict on the planecoming in who are participating inthe march and we think of the challengesthey face as well,‖ he said.Senior Master Sgt. Buckhout alsoof Easthampton agreed, ― It was hotwith no shade and we are marchingin sand and gravel and we weremarching next a guy who is a doubleamputee. …it really brings it home,‖he said. ―One girl was having troublewith one of her legs, by the time shegot to the end she was practicallydragging her leg…it is inspirational..wewere thinking ..we can dothis…we can finish this,‖ said Buckhoutwho finished the march for thesecond time.―To watch the column of about7,000 marchers stretch out in front ofyou and to think about Bataan..it ishard to get your head around 76,000prisoners marching for days untilyou see it…‖ he observed.Relatives of the survivors are involvedand many marchers wearclothing honoring fallen comradesfrom Iraq or Afghanistan. Over 30Wounded Warriors, some single anddouble amputees, marched the rigorouscourse.The two senior NCO‘s are proudto march and plan to make the tripnext year. ―When I crossed the line Iwas glad I did it but it doesn‘t compareto what they went though inBataan,‖ said Delaney.―It is incredible to watch all thesepeople doing it for different people………themarch is about courageand honor,‖ said Buckhout.Senior Master Sgt. Delaney andSenior Master Sgt. Buckhout areseeking to fill a five person team nextyear to complete the 26.2 milecourse. Interested Wing membersshould contact either unit memberfor further information.

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPTime to goBy Technical Sgt. Melanie Casineau, 104FW Public Affairs photographerPAGE 6(Photograph by Technical Sgt. Melanie Casineau)―Come on Kids, it‘s time to go!‖ I repeatedthis several times, however, mykids were way too involved in their activitiesand new found ―buddies‖ to hearme. After arriving at the Boys and GirlsClub in Westfield, Mass., at 6pm on Fridaynight, April 13th, I assumed wewould be in-and-out in about an hour. Iwas wrong. After the first hour went by Irealized I lost track of the time myselffrom all the socializing with other parentsand staff. Expecting to be home by alittle after 7, that at 8pm I had to decidewe needed to go home. This wonderfulevent, hosted by the Westfield Boys andGirls Club was organized to introducemilitary families to the number of programsthey had to offer, programs specificallygeared to children with militaryparents.My experience with the Boys andGirls Club has always been impressive.The ―Military Night‖ event was a first forthem, and as usual, very impressive.They catered the event with hot and coldfood from Bella Roma of Westfield as wellas desert and drinks. The food was greatand plenty of it as well. Seconds weredefinitely an option when you finishedyour first plate. Outside of the informationpresented, this was my favorite partof the event. Drill was the following dayand instead of having to cook-up dinner, Iwas able to relax with the family.There were activities set up from atable full of different crafts to a piano inthe room with many different people entertainingus with their musical skills.My son was glued to the piano for almostan hour, drawn by all the different excitementthat revolved around it. Verytalented piano players were trying to―teach‖ my son different songs or justallowing him to make up his own. Mydaughter must have created 3 differentcrafts at the craft table while my youngest1 year old was entertained by severalyoung members of the ―Key Club‖ theChaplains CornerBy Chap. (Lt. Col.) Steve Misarski, 104th FW Chaplainentire time.When it was time to leave, we did notleave empty handed. The kids were givengoody bags full of cool stuff and we allwent home with t-shirts to remember theevent. I enjoyed meeting the other militarymembers and their spouses. My kidsmet some new friends as well as had funwith children they had a lot in commonwith, most of which they plan on seeingagain at the free child-care program offeredat the Boys and Girls club everydrill weekend. I look forward to theirnext military event they host, I am suremy children will be excited when I say,―Come on, it‘s time to go… to the Boysand Girls Club!‖(Photograph by Technical Sgt. Melanie Casineau)The Chaplain Corpswas proud that for thefirst time ever, a chaplainaddressed the audienceof 1,200 AirGuard leaders at thisyear‘s Air National Executive SafetySummit. Unfortunately, one of the factorsthat prompted it was that there havealready been 10 Air Guard suicides for2012. Chaplain, Brigadier GeneralAlphonse J. Stephenson, the Director ofthe National Guard Bureau Office of theChaplain, stated that there is no onecause and no one solution.He announced some of the new initiativesthat the Chaplain Corps are producingincluding a new Spiritual ResiliencyCurriculum (more to follow). Onetake away was that leaders should walkaround and talk to their people. Hesuggested that as they engage in conversation,that they say the person‘s nametwice. He concluded by stating thatHOPE is the Air National Guard‘s mostimportant product.Another interesting motivationalspeaker at the Summit was RichardHawk. He addressed the topic of how tohandle stress in the workplace and ineveryday life. He presented six simplehabits that anyone can practice to alleviatestress.1. Hydrate. Your body is made up of60% water. Most people function dehydrated.2. Eat colorful food. The colors indicatedifferent vitamins that your bodyneeds.3. Sleep. Only 20% of your sleep is usedto rebuild your body while 80% is usedfor your busy brain to sort, categorizeand download. Your brain is like an―Etch-a-Sketch‖ that needs to beshaken and the old lines erased.4. Exercise. Exercise not only has benefitsfor your body but also helps yourbrain get rid of waste products.5. Mindfulness. Take 5 minutes a dayto stop and notice things around you. Itis called the practice of awareness.6. Watcher/Observer. When you findyourself becoming upset, stop andstate, from an objective observation, ―Iam upset.‖ This gives the thinking partof your brain an opportunity to takecontrol where the emotional part ofyour brain once ruled supreme.Hope some of this helps. We are, asalways, available to talk. You can find uswalking around or contact us at the BaseChapel (Building #12) or call 698-1057.

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPTIME to ReBlue!By Master Sgt. Douglas Daponde, 104FW Human Resource AdvisorPAGE 7I was extremely excited toget back to my roots as I was headingtowards Lackland AFB, Texas. Yes, mostof us have been introduced to this place atone point in our careers. I was lookingforward to seeing the old stompinggrounds and changes, if any, that havecome about. Most importantly I wasabout to witness my own daughter, SeniorAirman Shauna Daponde, graduate fromBMT. What I was not prepared for wasthe overwhelming sense of pride andpatriotism that came over me during theobservation of events that led to thegraduation. These events included theAirman‘s Run and Coining ceremony,which takes place before graduation day.Family and friends line the streets hopingto get their first glimpse of their new―Airmen‖ as they run by in formationsinging Jodie‘s. Soon after the run theAirmen go back and change into uniform,align themselves in formation in front oftheir family and friends and are awardedthe Airmen‘s coin by their TrainingInstructor.It was during the Airman‘s Run andupon seeing my daughter that I felt asense of pride and patriotism that I neverfelt before. I did not know the immediatereason I felt that way. I was happy to seemy daughter but it was deeper than that.I did not completely know what it wasuntil I had the opportunity to witnessthese events again while at LacklandAFB for HRA training. Again, I wasoverwhelmed with emotion. I was RE-BLUED! I would have run through abrick wall if someone asked me to at thetime. I was so motivated and ready totake on any task after seeing such adisplay of airmen!After that experience I thought of howcould I bring this back to the base and Ihave the answer. In July with ChiefMaster Sgt. Rick MacDonald‘s and ChiefMaster Sgt. Shayne Newton‘s leadershipalong with the help of Senior Master Sgt.Tim Domer from the 102 nd IS, myself andothers we are sponsoring the TIMEconference in Southbridge, MA from10-12 July 2012. TIME stands forTechnical Sergeants Involved inMentoring Enlisted airmen. This is atremendous opportunity, not just for the104 th , but for the state of Massachusettsto RE-BLUE invaluable middle managersand influencers of younger airmen.This is a great opportunity for theseTechnical Sergeants as they are going tobe exposed to some highly sought aftermotivational speakers such as ANGSpecial Assistant for Diversity ColonelOndra Berry, ANG Command ChiefMaster Sgt. Christopher E. Muncy andmotivational speaker Staff Sgt Ken toname a few. Topics of the conference aregoing to include mentoring, diversity,force development and management,leadership, discipline and resiliency.This is a privilege to attend and theultimate goal is to get these TechnicalSergeants back to their units REBLUEDand ready to motivate those that theycome in contact with. In the end, theTechnical Sergeant, their mentees, theirunits, their wing, and the Air NationalGuard will benefit from their TIME spentwisely.Technical Sergeants Involvement in Mentoring Enlisted airmenChief Master Sgt. Richard MacDonald, MA JFHQMy name is Richard MacDonald, Chief Master Sergeant and State Human Resource Advisor Joint ForceHeadquarters, Massachusetts Air National Guard. The State Command Chief Master Sergeant, Shayne Newton,and I are hosting a three day workshop targeting Technical Sergeants of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.The workshop TIME, Technical Sergeants Involved in Mentoring Enlisted Airmen, involves deliberately mentoringinitiatives on Force Development, AF Core Values, Leadership, Resiliency, Mentorship and Diversity. We areinviting 160 Technical Sergeants from across the Massachusetts Air National Guard. There will be guest speakersand facilitators from various backgrounds that have expertise in these disciplines.Our purpose for choosing this rank is simple, these Airmen are at a crossroads in their military career andhave a high potential to separate from the Air National Guard. The Technical Sergeants‘ skill sets are invaluable;working as mentors for the Airman they oversee and acting as foot soldiers for their senior leadership. We envisionthis work shop to be a force multiplier to motivate, educate and give them the tools to be successful leaders in theAir Guard.There are limited seats and if you are selected by your Chief, you will be sitting alongside other selectTechnical Sergeants that the Massachusetts Air National Guard envisions to be future difference makers.Hopefully you will share your knowledge and experience return back to your units with a better perspective onyour responsibilities and vision, and mentor Airmen at all levels.WHAT – TIME (Technical Sergeants Involved in Mentoring Enlisted Airmen)WHERE - Southbridge Convention Center Southbridge MA.WHEN - Travel days will be July 9 and 12.WHO – Questions contact Chief Master Sgt. Richard MacDonald, State Human Resource Advisor atrichard.maconald@comcast.net or by Cell# (781)864-1489.

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPSafety: How goes it?By Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Dumais, 104th FW SafetyPAGE 8This unit has experienced one injury(deployed member) since the last―How-Goes-It.‖ACCIDENTALLY STARTED MA-CHINE; HAND LACERATION;STRUCK BY WRENCH;14 STITCHESThis unit has experienced one mishapsince the last ―How-Goes-It,‖ resultingin a totaled PMV4 and greater thanfirst aid injuries.PMV4 totaled; impact rear of trailertruck, operator error; one lost workday.In both of the above situations, I thinkwe can clearly see the outcome of eachof these could have been much worse.For the machine operator, they couldhave easily been caught up in the spindleon the machine they were workingon and sustained very serious injuries.In the PMV4 mishap, we once againsee inattention or misperception of oursurroundings and activities truly are anoble adversary. Luckily the operatorwas wearing their seat belt. Had theynot been wearing one, they no doubtwould have been projected forward at afast rate of speed. As I always say; ― it‘snot the flying forward fast that‘s isbad; ITS THE STOP THAT WILLKILL YOU!‖Hopefully we can use the misfortunesof others to help up prevent our own.The Safety Staff“101 Critical Days of Summer”(25 May-4 September 2012)For those who have been around for awhile, and for those who have not, oneof the biggest safety campaigns theUnited States Air Force initiatesyearly is the ―101 CRITICAL Days ofSummer‖.This is the time between departingwork before Memorial Day weekendand the day of return to work after theLabor Day weekend. The summermonths are historically the time ofyear we see a spike (rise) in the numberof off duty fatalities from summermonth activities such as traveling,swimming, boating, and other types ofrecreational activities.In the year 2011, the US Air Force experienced17 Fatalities and one permanentpartial disability to its membersduring this critical time. Most if not allof them were preventable had theytaken the time to think things throughBEFORE they did whatever it wasthey were doing. Having a good wingmanaround from time to time wouldhave also been a great asset. Theyhowever for reasons only known tothem, chose another path.Rather than lecture about last year‘seighteen (18) Class A mishaps duringthis time frame, below is a snapshot ofeach for you to look through;(YOM=Year Old Male; YOF=Year Old Female,SR=Sports and Recreation,PMV2=Private Motorcycle, PMV4=Private 4wheeled vehicle, Misc= Miscellaneous)43YOM, E-8, Avionics, Father and stepson kayaking, both drowned whenpulled under by water at a dam, Unfamiliarterritory, Fatal24YOM, E-5, Security Forces, PMV2Impact guardrail, Inexperience, Fatal38YOF, O-4, Nurse, SR, Swimming,Drowned due to overexertion, Rip Tide,Fatal20YOM, E-3, Security Forces, PMV4Impact pedestrian member sitting onedge of road, Alcohol related, Fatal23YOM, E-4, Aircraft propulsion,PMV2 impact guardrail, Speed andalcohol, Fatal27YOM, E-5, Vehicle Operations,PMV2 lost control, member run over byPMV4, Perception, Fatal26YOM, E-4, Aerospace Maintenance,Misc, Fell from 2nd floor parking deckto lower lever, Alcohol, Fatal44YOM, E-8, Aerospace Maintenance,PMV2 departed roadway, Alcohol/distraction,Fatal41YOF, O-3, Operations Space, PMV4impacted by PMV4, Operator ran redlight, Speed, Fatal52YOM, E-6, Aircraft Fuels MX, PMV4lane change to pass vehicle, lost control/overturned,Speed/overcorrection,Fatal31YOM, E-6, Aerospace medical, PMV4impact tree, overcorrection and steering,Fatal26 YOM, E-5, Tactical Aircraft MX,PMV2 impact PMV4, turned into traffic,Fatal25YOM, E-5, Aircraft Egress systemsMX, PMV2 impact PMV2, Inattention,Fatal28YOM, E-5, Communications, PMV2impact barrier, Speed, Fatal45YOM, E-6, Tactical Aircraft Maintenance,PMV2 making U-turn impactedby PMV4, Not seen, Lost both legs34YOM, E-6, Contracting, SR, ATVoverturned, Aggressive operation,Blunt trauma, Fatal29YOM, E-3, Tactical Aircraft MX,PMV4 tire blowout on highway, memberejected, No seatbelt, Fatal19YOM, E-1, Aircraft Metals Technology,Technical school, PMV4 impactambulance, Alcohol, FatalOur hope is that you can see mishapshold no true boundaries to age, rank orcareer field. As you see by the ages,ranks, and career fields, the spectrumis wide. In many—if not all—of thesemishaps, I feel confident in stating thatnone these fellow wingmen began theirday‘s activities with the thought of becominga statistic.We can only hope that as you step intothese new ―101Critical Days of Summer,‖you think about what you aregoing to do, BEFORE YOU DO IT!With your help and commitment, wecan all do our part to make it a safesummer for ourselves, our families,and our fellow Wingmen! Thanks forall you do—SAFELY!

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPVolunteer newsBy Master Sgt. Tina Dimino-Frazer, Family Readiness Group ChairHere is what has been going onaround the base, thanks to the volunteersin the base‘s Family ReadinessGroup (FRG). If you did not knowabout these events, please contactthe Family Readiness Office and geton the mailing list. If you are a familymember, you too can be on themailing list. Call Sandy Wakefield at413-568-9151, x698-1183 orsandra.wakefield@ang.af.mil.On Sunday, the 25th of March2012, the 104 th Family ReadinessGroup sponsored the Annual Children‘sEaster Egg Hunt here on baseat the NCO Club, located at building8. We received many complimentson the event, and consider it a hugesuccess.Approximately 100 children tookpart in the festivities which includedan indoor craft station, an outdooregg-coloring station, the greatly anticipatedegg hunt, visits and photoswith the Easter Bunny and, ofcourse, delicious refreshments.The baskets full of candy-filledeggs and the smiles on the children‘sfaces reaffirmed why we continue tosupport events like this. We had approximately15 volunteers, and withouttheir help, we would couldn‘thave done it.On April 20 th the base held it‘sannual Base Clean-Up Day, in conjunctionwith Earth Day. The FRGran a military burger-burn as alunchtime fun-raiser. Burgers, hotdogs, chips and a drink were servedto nearly 200 members. The PioneerValley USO provided desserts andthe event was staffed with a combinationof military members and ourFRG volunteers. In total, it tookabout 15 member to staff the grills,run the serving line, and clean thedining room. Thank you again to allwho participated, it was a great teameffort.On April 25 th an Ice Cream Socialfor the families of the deployed memberswas held at the NCO Club.Over 30 families attended and enjoyedmaking and eating sundaes.Children and adults all took part increating a personal card and/or bannerfor their deployed loved one. Aslideshow ran continuously throughoutthe evening, and folks appreciatedconversation with Col. Gwoschand all the volunteers. Again, ourfriends, the Pioneer Valley USO, waswith us supporting an informationtable complete with free books, DVDsand information about their services,including the Food Pantry located atWestover.FRG State Volunteer WorkshopConference April 28-29 had greatattendance from the 104FW. Therewere a lot of great classes for newvolunteers, as well as seasoned volunteers.Classes included informationon Air Force FRG volunteersopposed to Army FRG volunteers.Working in official capacity from the104FW, and teaching classes wereMs. Sandy Wakefield, 104FW FamilyProgram Office, Maj. Matthew Mutti,and Mrs. Lynn Richards.It is with the continued supportfrom the 104FW Command Staff thatmakes it possible for us to continueto bring events to our families.PAGE 9THANK-YOU Col.‘s Brooks,Keefe, Gwosch, Gunning, Henry,Lambrich, Haldopoulos and ChiefMaster Sgt. Fappiano for your continuedsupport of the FRG.THANK-YOU Barnestormers,Sandy Wakefield and the 104th WingFamily Program Office, FRG Volunteers,PVC Board Members, SMSgt.Rob Sabonis, 104FW/PA, 104CES,and all the families and attendeesthat continue to help make all ourevents a big success.Sincerely,The 104th Family ReadinessVolunteer Group Board Members:Tina Dimino-Frazer, ChairpersonCindy Patnode, SecretaryBeth St. Clair, TreasurerRyann Parker, Youth CoordinatorMrs. Lynn O’Brien, KeyVolunteer/Voting MemberMrs. Miki Okutani, KeyVolunteer/Voting MemberMrs. Cathleen Haldopolous,Key Volunteer/Voting Member.Upcoming FRG events:All are Welcome!10 May – Pasta Night, 4:45pm atthe Dining Facility8 June – Cookout for DeployedMember‘s Families at the NCOClub, serving begins at 5:30pm**11 July – FRG Meeting, 5pm atNCO Club5 Sept – FRG Meeting, 5pm atNCO ClubInterested in helping out? Wewelcome all volunteers. For moreinformation, contact any of the BoardMembers. Hope to see you at ournext event!

MAY 2012Spikes in suicidesBy Markeshia Ricks - Air Force TimesAIRSCOOPPAGE 10Air Force efforts at 'resiliency' runup against busy forceMore airmen killed themselves in thefirst three months of this year than inany other first quarter in the past decade.The spike in suicides comes amid anintensive campaign to improve airmen‘s―resiliency‖ — and the rollout of the service‘snew Comprehensive Airman Fitnessprogram, which focuses on physical,social, mental and spiritual fitness.Though not billed as a suicide preventionprogram, the Air Force program is modeledafter the Army‘s ComprehensiveSoldier Fitness program, designed tocombat daily stresses that can lead todrinking problems, failed marriages andsuicidal thoughts. But airmen say thefocus on resiliency alone cannot addressthe complicated problem of suicide. Theyblame being overworked, stressed abouttheir futures and tired of doing morewith less. The statistics back up theirarguments: Two of the busiest groups ofairmen — security forces and maintainers— have been hardest hit by suicide.Since 2009, 19 percent of airmen whokilled themselves were security forcesmembers, yet they make up only 8 percentof the total force; 22 percent of suicideswere maintainers, who make upabout 16 percent of the force.The Air Force knows these airmen areat greater risk because they do shift workthat disrupts their sleep patterns andtakes them away from supportive relationshipswith family and friends, saidMaj. Michael McCarthy, the Air ForceSuicide Prevention Program manager.Airmen who have financial, legal andrelationship problems are also at risk ofsuicide. ―When you factor [suicides inthese career fields] out, the Air Force‘srate of suicide is really quite low,‖McCarthy said. ―The problem is thatthe vast majority of people who have relationshipproblems and legal problemsand financial problems don‘t die by suicide,‖McCarthy said. ―Having those riskfactors doesn‘t say for certain that this isthe guy who is going to do it.‖And though maintainers and securityforces airmen tend to deploy often,McCarthy said frequent deploymentsaren‘t a risk factor for the Air Force. Infact, deployment is associated with reducedrisk of suicide. ―People who deployare deemed to be healthy,‖ he said. ―Thatmeans you‘re not going to be someonewho has a lot of health problems ... orwho has a failed family health care plan.You‘ve got the ability to take care of yourdependents. ―Our deployers are healthyfolks,‖ McCarthy said. That‘s becausedeployed airmen live and work in closequarters with a tight-knit group of peoplewill know if someone in their unit isstruggling with his job, finances or marriage,McCarthy said.Fighting a different enemyIn the mid-2000s, the number of suicidesbegan growing at an alarming ratein all the services. When compared withthe Army and the Marine Corps, the AirForce, Navy and Coast Guard‘s rateshave remained relatively low. Since 2000,the number of suicides in the Air Forcehas ebbed and flowed, with a low of 29 in2002 and a record high of 54 in 2010.Since 2008, there have been at least 40Air Force suicides every year. Now theAir Force is trying to stave off anotherrecord year. In January, Chief of StaffGen. Norton Schwartz ordered a one-daystand-down for all airmen; 11 airmenkilled themselves that month. By the endof March, 16 airmen had taken their ownlives compared with 13 in the first quarterof 2011. Add in suicides by airmen inthe Guard, Reserve and civilian force andthe numbers are staggering — 35 byMarch 31, a 40 percent increase over lastyear. Schwartz and Chief Master Sergeantof the Air Force James Roy sayleadership and resiliency are key to reducingthe number of airmen who commitsuicide. ―The fundamentals of thisare that we need to continue to build resilienceinto our airmen to better dealwith the crises that life presents to all ofus; to offer the kind of institutional assistancefor which the services are very wellknown; again, to do our best to minimizethe likelihood that someone would makethat terrible, final decision,‖ Schwartzsaid in an April 5 interview with AirForce Times. ―It‘s a continuing leadershipissue for us, and so I think it‘s a maximumeffort on our part because certainlywe‘re crushed when we lose one of ourteammates to suicide,‖ Schwartz said.―We‘re working in a multitude of areas asall the services are to try to minimize thelikelihood of people taking their ownlives.‖Though enlisted airmen represent themajority of Air Force suicides in the past10 years, Roy said that no airman is immuneto having suicidal thoughts, pointingout that even a brigadier general tookhis own life. Roy talked about it during apanel discussion at the Warrior ResilienceConference at the end of March andagain during an Air Force Associationevent in April, both in Washington, D.C.―We have a problem with suicides,‖ Roysaid at the Warrior Resiliency Conference.―Every single one that happens hitsyou in the heart. This is life. Life matters.Every single one matters.‖The Air Force suicide rate is slightlyhigher than the national average. Accordingto the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention, the national suicide rateis 12 suicides per 100,000 people, comparedwith 13 for every 100,000 airmenin 2011. Roy declined to be interviewedfor this story. Through spokesman SeniorMaster Sgt. Christopher Vadnais, Roysaid in a statement that airmen aretrained to watch for signs of suicide andleaders rely on them to be attentive.―There may not always be signs, but airmenshould always be looking,‖ Roy saidin the statement. ―Any airman contemplatingsuicide needs to know help isavailable — and more important, be opento getting that help. Legal counsel, personalfinance experts, Airman & FamilyReadiness Centers, and a host of otherhelping agencies are standing by to providesolutions.‖ Roy said all airmen needto speak more openly about their struggles,and all airmen need to be ready tolisten when others speak up. ―No airmanshould ever feel alone,‖ he said. ―We canovercome these issues together, as ateam. Human life matters, and no problemcalls for ending it.‖No more programsRoy said at the conference that themilitary doesn‘t need more programs tobattle suicide. He said the Air Force, andits sister services, need to create a culturewhere people take care of eachother. For Roy that means putting downthe smartphone, powering off the iPadand being able to look another airman in

the eye, see the cues for distress and dosomething about it. ―We‘ve got to understandhow to communicate with people,‖Roy said. While the Air Force is not creatinganother program aimed at suicideprevention, the service plans to spend atleast $7 million on training Air Forcepersonnel in skills that promote physicaland mental strength and leadershipskills that help increase organizationalresilience, according to a request for proposal.The training will ultimately producemaster resiliency trainers and instructors,along with a resiliency curriculumthat will be part of the ComprehensiveAirman Fitness program. Ask airmenwhat they think will help reduce thenumber of suicides in the Air Force, andthey‘ll tell you they need more time offand more resources at work to get theirjobs done. Enlisted airmen told Air ForceTimes that with fewer people trying tomanage a higher ops tempo, people aremore stressed out than ever. And theysaid supervisors are not empowered toacknowledge that and do somethingabout it. ―If they see their guy is stressedout, they need to be given the opportunityto say, ‗We need to give this guy aday off,‘‖ said a maintainer, who askednot to be named. ―It just seems the moreand more we try to give our guys a break,the more and more we have to do computer-basedtraining.‖ Some airmen complainthat the push for resiliency and theadditional time spent talking about it istaking them away from their jobs andtheir busy lives. They say the constanttalk about resiliency is a growing sourceof frustration. Staff Sgt. Dana Rohlfing, amaintainer at Little Rock Air Force Base,Ark., said the Air Force might be tellingairmen that being resilient will help withthe stressors of military life, but whatshe hears is that she should toughen upand get back to work. ―My impression ofthe overarching message of ‗resiliencytraining‘ is, in order to prevent suicide,we need to eat more fruits and vegetables,keep fit and share our feelings withour co-workers on a regular basis,‖ shesaid in an e-mail. ―The fact that our manningkeeps getting cut, our work daykeeps getting longer, and we‘ve beenfighting the ‗Forever War‘ for over a decadeis shrugged off as something we can‘tchange and just need to accept. ―In otherwords, the onus is on us to ‗toughen up‘and find ways to deal with whatever theAir Force chooses to throw at us.‖Rohlfing said she knows the Air Forcehas no plans to cut back its mission andmanning issues will remain, but saidthere are things the service could do torelieve the pressures airmen face. Shepoints to endless additional duties, demandsfor off-duty volunteering, emphasison off-duty education and the growingnumber of computer-based trainings thatairmen must endure. ―Stop pretendingthat we can eliminate all human errorand come up with more realistic expectations,‖she said in the email. ―In otherwords, make work suck less.‖ Rohlfingsaid she believes that enlisted airmenmake up a larger portion of Air Forcesuicides because they have the leastamount of control over their lives. ―Manyof us have little say in how things aremanaged, and we face dire consequencesif we can‘t meet the expectations placedon us,‖ she said in the email. ―Couplethat with a lousy economy and everincreasingpressure to ‗do more with less,‘and you have a population who feels theyjust can‘t escape any other way.‖ She saida mechanic who has been at work for 12hours doesn‘t want to sit through yetanother briefing on why he should eatmore vegetables and do more PT. ―Hewants to go home to his wife and kids,‖she said. ―Let the poor man go home,okay?‖A noncommissioned officer who didnot want to be identified criticized effortsto promote resiliency by having more ofthe same training. ―If someone has a suicidethen basically the base kind of stopsand you get [an] all-day suicide briefing,‖the noncommissioned officer said. ―Imean, how effective is that, really?‖An expert opinionMark Lerner, a clinical and forensicpsychologist who specializes in traumaticstress, said he suspects troops experiencea certain level of frustration and resistancewhen they hear their leaders talkabout resiliency. ―Resiliency really impliesby definition the ability to bounceback, or in more clinical terms, to restorea person to pre-morbid, or pre-crisis functioning,‖he said. ―But it‘s about finding away to take your painful energy and useit to cultivate a mission and some purposefor your life.‖ Lerner, who is theauthor of such books as ―It‘s OK To NotBe OK ... Right Now‖ and ―Crisis Notes,‖said usually one of three things happensto people who live through a traumaticevent: They shut down and get stuck inthat moment and live with their pain;they become destructive at work and inrelationships, and turn to selfmedication;or they turn their traumainto triumph. Lerner said more peopleneed to know that they can be taught thethird option. That happens by educatingpeople that what they feel and experienceis normal. Then they can learn practicalstrategies to help them survive. Peoplecan be taught that the very thing theyfind painful can be used to fuel their mission,Lerner said. ―The answer is notresiliency,‖ he said. ―I think it‘s aboutproviding people with a toolbox. In thesame way we train our men and womento deal with the physical aspects of war,we train them in weaponry, we trainthem in how to fly their aircraft and howto repair it — all of the physical stuff —we also have to train them to deal withthe hidden trauma, the traumatic stress,the emotional hemorrhage.‖ He said noapproach to dealing with stress andtrauma should be one size fits all. Everyonein the Air Force has been trained torecognize the risk factors associated withpeople who die by suicide and how to intervene,McCarthy said. Because of theheightened risk of suicide for airmen whoare maintainers, enlisted intelligence andsecurity forces, and the emphasis onleadership as part of prevention, supervisorsin those fields have received additionaltraining since 2010. Airmen whoprovide mental health services or work insecurity forces or offices of special investigationsalso receive advanced training.The Air Force is currently the only servicewith a process in place to specificallymeet the needs of an individual who isunder investigation. The investigatingofficer is allowed to notify the person‘scommand of the investigation so that thecommand can look out for behavioralchanges and provide an opportunity foradditional support. If the person beinginvestigated does seek out mental healthservices, Air Force policy prevents theuse of notes from counseling sessions forfurther prosecution.In addition to training, at every baseand major command and at the HeadquartersAir Force level, a CommunityAction and Information Board, or CAIB,monitors the health and welfare of airmenon a quarterly basis. But McCarthysaid the Air Force must still do more toprevent suicide, especially at the mostbasic level. ―When we see our young airmennot relating well to their spouse,when we see our young airmen makingdecisions that aren‘t good for them withtheir money, or in their career, that‘swhen we need to intervene,‖ McCarthysaid. ―Not when they are watching theirmarriage crumble, when they‘re watchingtheir financial situation get out ofhand and feeling overwhelmed. ―If we‘rewaiting that long, we‘re not doing our joband it‘s not good suicide prevention,‖McCarthy said. But early intervention isonly half the battle. Convincing airmento take advantage of programs before it‘stoo late is the other half.

Perception vs. realityCapt. Julia Vanover with the EglinAir Force Base Outreach and Resiliencyprogram said she‘s worked with manyupper enlisted airmen and they usuallyfall into one of two categories when itcomes to seeking mental health services— those who have decided to end theirlives and those who‘ve waited until theend of their career to get help. She saidfor those who‘ve decided that suicide isthe answer; a visit to mental health is alast-ditch effort. But for those who gethelp at the end of their career, the delaywas about preserving their career. ―Theybelieve — appropriately in many cases —that coming in will hurt their career,‖ shesaid during the question-and-answerperiod of an enlisted service chiefs‘ panelat the Warrior Resiliency Conference.McCarthy said the stigma associatedwith seeking help for mental health issuesis real and not unique to militaryculture. Because of the very nature ofmilitary service, there are some jobs,such as those dealing with nuclear weapons,where you cannot have a mentalhealth condition. In addition to that, securityforces airmen who have been determinedto be high suicide risks anddeemed unfit for duty will have theirguns taken from them and everyone willlikely know. ―We‘re going to take theirgun away for their protection and everybodyelse‘s,‖ McCarthy said. ―But everyother cop sees that. Nobody likes their coworkersto think that – to use their language– ‗not a full up round.‘‖ ButMcCarthy said that 97 percent of peoplewho seek mental health care do not haveadverse actions taken against them, andthe Air Force has to get that message outto airmen. Vanover suggested that oneway to get that message out would be forthe enlisted chiefs to share their personalstories with troops so they‘ll know youcan seek mental health services and stilladvance your career. ―I hear a lot of peoplesay that [seeking help] is a sign offlexibility — it‘s a sign of strength,‖ shesaid to the panel of service chiefs. ―Youall have successful careers ...what ifevery single one of you went to mentalhealth and talked about it?‖At the conference, Sergeant Major ofthe Army Raymond Chandler said thepersonal message is what people remembermost, so on the spot he shared hisown story.In 2004, he was almost killed by a122mm rocket that came into his roomwhile he was winding down from aneight-hour patrol in Baghdad. He said hepushed aside how he felt about his neardeathexperience for years until he foundhimself on a downward spiral. ―I prettymuch spent 2009 through 2011 in behavioralhealth seeing a social worker andgoing through some pretty intense counseling,‖he said. Chandler said when hewas being considered for his current position,he was asked by then-Army Chief ofStaff Gen. George Casey if there wasanything that might come up that wouldembarrass the Army if it came to light.Chandler told him about his time incounseling. Instead of Casey viewing theconfession as a sign of unfitness, Chandlersaid the general told him to sharethat story with soldiers whenever he felthe could. ―If I can be chosen, that showsthe Army‘s commitment,‖ he said. ―I‘m abetter husband, a better father, and atthe end of the day, a better soldier‖ forseeking help.Marine Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, thetop enlisted adviser to the Joint Chiefs ofStaff, said that he, too, sought the help ofa psychologist for post-combat stress.―Battaglia didn‘t see it, some of his fellowNCOs or officers didn‘t see it,‖ he said,speaking in the third person. ―It was myspouse who saw it. I was in denial andshe‘s the one who identified it: ―Hey,there have been some changes in you.Maybe you need to go see someone‖.Though Roy didn‘t have a personal storyto tell, he said at the conference that AirForce leaders are considering whether todo more pre-screening for pre-existingmental health conditions. He said ifmaintaining security clearances and personnelreliability programs for airmen innuclear operations is a barrier to seekingmental health services, then those areboth areas that need to be looked at. Healso said there is a concern that whenairmen do seek help — particularly forpost-combat stress — that they aren‘tgiven the samerespect asother troops.―In certainsituations,we‘ve had airmencome backfrom the Areaof Responsibilitywho wentto behavioralhealth wherethey were told,‗There‘s nopossible waythat couldhave happenedto you becauseyou are anairman,‘‖ hesaid. ―That‘s aproblem.‖Warning signsTraining materials for front-line supervisorsidentify these signs of distress:*The belief there is no solution or noway out*Feelings of hopelessness*Anxiety or nervousness*Agitation, anger, irritability*Frequent arguments, indecisiveness*Isolation, social withdrawal*Depression*Low self-esteem*Constant fatigue*Trouble concentrating*Change in appetite or weight*Insomnia*Excessive sleeping*Upset stomach*Frequent headaches*Loss of interest in normal activities*Neglecting one‘s responsibilities*Talking about death or suicideKnow your peopleSupervisors should be on the watchfor any unusual or sudden changes in:Behavior, Appearance, Hygiene, Demeanor,Emotions, Work, Performance,Relationships at work or at home.Help is available:* Airmen, remember you can help.You can either seek help in a crisis orbetter yet, help in prevention effortsbefore things escalate. Resources includeour Chaplains and the full-timeDirector of Psychological Health,Shannon Mandle (413) 568-9151 ext6981536 or Military One Source at800-342-9647. Peer support and preventionactivities are critical whenthere is a personal crisis. Peer interventionare statistically proven to bethe most likely way to prevent both

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPMassachusetts Air National Guard (MA ANG)JOINT FORCE HEADQUARTERSMilitary Vacancy Announcement (MVA)(Must be a current MA ANG member only)2012-003- SERIVCES OFFICER (Major to Lieutenant Colonel)*(Must meet this rank requirement at closeout date)Closeout Date: May 21PAGE 13This position is a Headquarters MA ANG Traditional Guardsmen Tour at JFHQ-MA (Joint Force HeadquartersMassachusetts National Guard). Must possess a fully qualified Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC)038F3/4, 34M3 or 21R3 (Logistics AFSC must retrain to 38F3). Must have secret clearance, at a minimum.GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Assist unit level operations within and across assigned FEMA Regions. Individual will Provides staff assistanceto unit-level operations with an emphasis on field training and mobility readiness. Individual selected is responsibleto JFHQ –State, unit and staff agencies for successful conduct of unit level tasking under both on base and deployedconditions. Develop and distributes plans and policies. Establishes plans and policies for filed units on resources,program operation, personnel and facilities. Monitors operations for compliance with policies and standards.Tracks financial performance, provides financial oversight, and ensures adequate financial controls. Monitorfield organizations; determine resource allocation- people, money, facilities, and equipment—to accomplish organizationaltasking. Coordinates with JFHQ – State, JFHQ JOC, NGB-JOC, AFNORTH (T10) wing, group,squadron and flight organizations to ensure proper and timely completion of mission assignmentsSPECIALITY QUALIFICATIONS:Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of readiness and mobility operations; food service, lodging, fitness andrecreation practices; civilian and military personnel policies; APF and NAF financial management principals ofaccountability, propriety and stewardship; and business management principals. Education. For entry into thisspecialty, undergraduate academic specialization is desirable in hospitality, restaurant and hotel management,recreation, fitness, business administration management, finance, accounting or public administration management.Training. All training requirements based on LWRRH MISCAP, AFI 10-214, Prime RIBS Program Mangerguide, Ancillary, and PME. Experience. For award AFSC 34M3, a minimum of 24 months experience in Servicesassignments is mandatory.TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:- Must complete National Incident Management System (NIMS) training.- Must complete Contingency Wartime Planning Course.- Must complete Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments (DCAPES) Program- Joint Operation Center (JOC) 101 Training.Application Packages: Officers applying for this Traditional Guardsmen position at JFHQ-MA ANG must include the following in theirapplication package:Military Resume, Virtual Military Personnel Flight (VMPF) report on individual personnel (RIP), Copies of at a minimum last 4OPRs, Letter of Recommendation from Group and/or Wing Commander, Copy of a current Physical Fitness TestMandatory criteria as indicated in the MVA must be documented on the members report on individual personnel (RIP). If it is not indicated onthe RIP, it is incumbent upon the applicant to ensure that the applicable source documentation is provided with the application. Must meet theabove stated grade/rank requirement by closeout date of advertisement. Applicants must have a SECRET CLEARANCE and be able to obtaina TS/SCI level clearance to apply for this position. Officers applying for this position must have a minimum of a Bachelors Degree prior to applying.Application for this MVA signifies agreement to the following statement: ―I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all ofthe information on or attached to this application is true, correct, and complete and made in good faith. I understand that false or fraudulentinformation on or attached to this application may be ground for rejection. I understand that any information I give may be investigated.‖Applications should be sent to:JFHQ MA ANG(Attn: COL Green)50 Maple St.Milford, MA. 01757Questions regarding this advertisement can be sent to: peter.green@ang.af.mil

MAY 2012Medical Group Training Manager Position AvailablePosition/Title/Grade: Training Manager E-6Minimum Grade eligible to apply: None—see below forSpecial QualificationsUnit: 104th Medical GroupSupervisor: Col. Sean CollinsApplication Deadline: Open until filledAIRSCOOPFor Your InformationParalegal Positions AvailablePAGE 14Position/Title/Grade: Paralegal/E-6Minimum Grade eligible to apply: None—see below forSpecial QualificationsUnit: 104th FW // Staff Judge AdvocateSupervisor: Lt. Col. Robin PetersonApplication Deadline: Open until filledPOC for more information: Col. Sean Collins, e-mail:sean.collins@ang.af.mil or Master Sgt. Marnie Wallace atmarnie.wallace@ang.af.milThe 104th MDG is looking for a traditional guardsman tofill our training manager position. We are looking for anenergetic and knowledgeable individual. Interested individualsmust understand principles, policies, and proceduresof Air Force Education and Training programs; interviewingand counseling techniques; training techniques andinstruction methods; task analysis procedures, learningprocess, curriculum development, training evaluations, andEducation and Training systems and products; effectivewriting skills; editing practices; instructional media application,training reporting, program and curriculum validation,and implementation procedures; training programmanagement; scheduling training events and facilities; conductingassistance visits and training meetings; work centerand individual job qualification standard development;education institution registration requirements; militarypersonnel classification system and policies; application ofcommunicative interpersonal skills. Knowledge of AFTRcomputer training and tracking program.This individual administers all Education and Trainingprograms, serving as the MDG Education and Training programmanager responsible directly to the MDG/CC. Theyconsults on ISD process and career field Education andTraining plans (CFETP). They advise on: Education andTraining materials and services; conducts work center visits,and organizes programs to develop and conduct job sitetraining. Identifies Education and Training providers, capabilities,and resources, and ensures availability of materials.Recommends revisions to Education and Training programsand CFETPs. Records and evaluates the history ofEducation and Training achievements, establish goals, andenroll in classes, courses, and programs. Prepares andmaintains records, files, and materials.Application package must include: Cover sheet Letter of application Resume Current passing fitness assessment RIP (record of individual personnel)POC for more information: Lt. Col. Peterson, cell (479)430-3223, email: robinpeterson@cox.netTechnical/Educational background desirable: Prior experiencein legal or paralegal work desirable but not mandatory.Ability to multi-task and excellent attention todetail is mandatory. Outstanding interpersonal communicationsskills, untouchable personal ethics and integrity.Individual must be a self-starter, with exceptionalorganizational skills and the ability to manage large clientloads in high tempo situations.Duties and Responsibilities: Prepare documents such aswills, powers of attorney, promissory notes, bills of sale,etc. Process correspondence and maintain suspense files.Performs legal research. Process special and generalcourts-martial proceedings. Process Article 15 and UCMJactions. Assist with investigations. Examine and processlegal actions.Special Qualifications: Individual must possess a minimum5-level in any AFSC. Must have a minimum GeneralASVAB score of 50 (60 preferred) and be able to type25 WPM.Training: Completion of the Paralegal Apprentice coursein residence is mandatory. The course six weeks at Maxwell,AFB, Ala.Application package must include: Cover sheet Letter of application (what you can bring to the position) Resume Current passing fitness assessment RIP (record of individual personnel) Commander concurrence (email 104FW/Orderly rm) Letter of recommendation (optional)Application Procedures: Mail/e-mail to Lt Col Robin Peterson,Staff Judge Advocate, 104th FW/JA, BarnesANGB, 175 Falcon Drive, Westfield, MA 01085. Youmay also email your resume to robinpeterson@cox.net.

MAY 2012AIRSCOOPFor Your InformationSuicide prevention/crisis contact information FREE PASTA NIGHTPAGE 15104FW Chaplains:(413) 568-9151 ext. 698-1082Dr. Shannon Mandle, PhD, LICSWDirector of Psychological Health(413) 568-9151 ext. 698-1536Military One Source:1-800-342-9647National Suicide prevention lifeline:1-800-273-8255(Salad, Pasta, Dessert & Beverage)To honor ourBarnes 104th FamilySponsored by 104th Family Readiness GroupWhen: 10 May 2012Where: Dining FacilityTime: Continuous serving from 1645 until 1900RSVP requested by: May 2, 2012Beth St. Clair (413-245-6615) BethS104th@gmail.comor Sandy Wakefield (413-568-9151) ext. 698-11832012 Run-Walk to Home BasePresented by New Balance - Fenway Park - May 20This 3rd annual event is a fundraiser to benefits the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program.It is a 9K (5.6 mile) run or 3 mile walk that begins on Yawkey Way, wind through Boston and ends with a timed finish atthe Green Monster and photo finish of participants crossing home plate at Fenway Park. Military participants are required topay a $50 registration fee, but not required to fundraise the $1000 that other participants are required to raise. There are alimited number of discounted spots reserved for service members, so interested members are encouraged to register early.For more information, visit: www.runtohomebase.orgTo register, visit: https://register.gorun.org/runtohomebase

MAY 2012Welcome to new membersAIRSCOOPJesse Anderson SFS 27 Mar 2012Kristine Carolino MDG 28 Mar 2012Benjamin Fischer AMXS 30 Mar 2012Raymond Lapointe MXG 30 Mar 2012David Kearney LRS 30 Mar 2012Lucas Sullivan CE 13 Apr 2012Illyana Velez FSS 19 Apr 2012Anthony Boyd CE 24 Apr 2012Brandon Sabonis LRS 24 Apr 2012Nicholas Albert AMXS 24 Apr 2012Alyssa Dailey FSS 24 Apr 2012Ernie Santiago Jr. CE 26 Apr 2012Congratulations on your PromotionsTo Airman (E-2)Derrick ColemanAshley MartinsTo Senior Airman (E-4)Kayla BartlettAngelica MendozaMichael NevueTo Staff Sgt. (E-5)Michael Johnson104FW AMXS104FW FSS104FW FSS104FW MDG104FW FSS104FW FWPAGE 16Congratulations on your RetirementsSusan Pennison FSS 20 May 2012George Labonte MXS 14 Jun 2012Dennis Hudgins MXS 20 Jun 2012Robert Gleason LRS 25 Jun 2012Dana Bein CES 24 Jul 2012David White CF 5 Sep 2012Keith Buckhout MXS 24 Nov 2012James Parnell SFS 1 Dec 2012CCTV broadcast line upChannel 7 - Training videos & Base InfoChannel 9 - Warrior NetworkChannel 10 - Pentagon Channel - inopAncillary training schedule - channel 7MorningTraining Video0900-0940 Forklift Fundamentals and Ops0940-1013 Confined Space Awareness1013-1023 Basic Ladder Safety1023-1053 Lockout/Tagout1053-1101 FOD Prevention1101-1108 Copyright InfringementAfternoon Training Video1300-1340 Forklift Fundamentals and Ops1340-1413 Confined Space Awareness1413-1423 Basic Ladder Safety1423-1453 Lockout/Tagout1453-1501 FOD Prevention1501-1508 Copyright InfringementTo Second Lt. (O-1)Anthony MuttiDwight ManganaroEric ChanReligions notes:104FW PA131 FS131 FSGeneral Christian Service: Saturday of the UTA,at 1600 hrs, in the Base Chapel /building 12, Chaplain Stephen Misarskipresiding.Orthodox Catholic Service: Sundayof the UTA, at 1600 hrs, in theBase Chapel / building 12, ChaplainKen Devoie presiding.Satellite NCOA Class 13-1Base Training is now accepting Formal TrainingSchool Request (FTSRs) forms for the nextSatellite NCOA Class. Interested Tech Sgts,please see your Unit Training Managers to determineyour eligibility to attend, and to fill outthe FTSR forms. We must have one namesigned up by 21 June 2012, and full site information(minimum 8, maximum 14 students) isdue to us by 6 July. Phase I (Home Station) is20 August-16 November, and Phase II(Resident Phase) is 26 November-12 December.Each Satellite NCOA class can host two StaffSergeants, interest SSgts, please see your UTMto determine eligibility, and fill out the FTSRforms.

MAY 2012This Month in HistoryMay Historical EventsMay 17, 1919 - The War Department ordered useof national star insignia on all planes.AIRSCOOPPAGE 17May 25, 1927 - Lt. James H. Doolittle performedthe first known successful outside loop.May 21, 1937 - Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonanleft San Francisco on a West-to-East around-theworldflight. Their trip ended on July 2 when theydisappeared near Howland Island in the Pacific.May 7, 1945 - Mass-produced B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-29s, P-38s, P-40s, P-51s and C-47s led toVictory Day in Europe.May 8, 1945 - Germany surrendersunconditionally.May 25, 1948 - Using a modified B-29 as thetanker aircraft, the Air Force completed its firstin-flight refueling.May 12, 1950 - Capt. Chuck Yeager flew the #1Bell-X-1 research aircraft on its last flight aboveEdwards AFB, Calif. Film clips of the flight wereused in the movie "Jet Pilot."May 20, 1951 - In a F-86 Sabre, Capt JamesJabara from the 334th Fighter InterceptorSquadron became the world's first jet ace.May 16, 1955 - U.S. Air Force marking approvedfor use on aircraft wings.May 20, 1966 - The North American AerospaceDefense Command Attack Warning Systembecame operational.May 10, 1972 - The Fairchild-Republic A-10Aprototype, an entry in the U.S. Air Force's A-Xcompetition to select a close-air-support fighter,completed its first flight at Edwards AFB, Calif.May 30, 1974 - The U.S. launched the world'sfirst communications broadcast satellite, theApplications Technology Satellite or ATS-6. Fromits synchronous orbit, the satellite providedcoverage to half of the globe.May 25, 1984 - A Military Airlift Command C-141 Starlifter transported the body of theUnknown Soldier of the Vietnam War forinterment at Arlington National Cemetery.May 2, 1987 - The first F-15E arrived atEdwards AFB, Calif., for flight testing.MASSACHUSETTSAIR NATIONAL GUARDBarnes Air National Guard Base175 Falcon DriveWestfield, MA 01805www.104fw.ang.af.milSocial Media Sites:www.facebook.com/barnesangwww.twitter.com/104fighterwingwww.flickr.com/photos/barnesangbPRIDE,PROFESSIONALISM,PATRIOTISMWe’re on the WebWWW.104FW.ANG.AF.MILCopyright (c) 2012 104th Fighter Wing Air National Guard.All rights reserved. This funded Air Force newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of the U.S. Militaryservices. Contents of the AIRSCOOP are not necessarily theofficial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, theDepartment of Defense, the Department of the Air Force orthe Air National Guard.