SUITING UP - Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass

439th Airlift Wing - Westover Air Reserve BaseAugust 2005 - Vol. 32, No. 8SUITING UP – Andrew Gordon gets dressed in aJSLIST chemical warfare defense ensemble withthe help of fellow employer Tim Day and Tech.Sgt. Theresa Needham, 439 th Civil EngineeringSquadron. Mr. Gordon was one of 29 employerswho visited the base July 14 for the annualEmployer Day. They also boarded a C-5 for anorientation flight.(photo by Senior Master Sgt. Sandi Michon)

AUGUST 2005 CommentaryPAGE 2Wing reputation speaks for itselfWhen you read this the 439 th will be in the middle of ourAugust “Inspection Marathon,”and a group from our wing willhave deployed for an IGX. All of our folks have worked extremelyhard in preparation for these events. I’m sure everyone will dowell and we will arrive at the end of this month with flying colorsall around!If you have a chance to read this prior to the UTA and ournumerous inspections, let me remind you that you are in goodcompany. This wing and this base have a solid reputation in the AirForce Reserve, and for that matter, throughout the Air Force. Inthe past four years, the wing has earned two Air Force OutstandingUnit Awards. Our maintenance folks launched more C-5s thanany other base in the world in the spring of 2003. The medicalsquadrons at Westover continue to haul in command-level awards,as you will see in this issue of the Patriot. Air Force Reserveheadquarters tapped Westover to be the pilot program for the newfitness standards required of all reservists which began in 2004.August 2005439th Airlift Wing commanderCol. Wade FarrisChief of Public AffairsMaj. Jennifer ChristovichWing Public Affairs OfficerMaj. Wilson CameloNCOICSenior Master Sgt. Sandi M. MichonDeputy NCOICMaster Sgt. Tom N. AlloccoIllustratorMaster Sgt. W.C. PopeAir Reserve Technician/EditorTech. Sgt. Andrew S. BiscoeCol. WadeFarris439th AirliftWingcommanderIn short, our reputation precedes itself! So, remember that you are part of ateam that has a well-earned place in the command.We will get a well-deserved break in September and take a short breather forour bi-annual Family Day Wing Picnic. This year’s event promises to be the bestever with lots of fun activities planned for you and your family. One of thoseactivities is the first ever “Galaxy Adventure” for children. I hope that you had achance to sign your children up for this fun event which will include lots ofinteresting activities and conclude with some special recognition at myCommander’s Call.Unfortunately, come October, it’s back to work to start preparing for our ORIin August 2006. Most of us have been through these before and many agree thatafter this August’s marathon, the ORI prep should be a breeze. It may be, but, itwill take a lot of time and effort to shine like Westover always does. However, Iknow all of you are up to the task. We will show the AMC IG how it’s done.THANKS for everyone’s hard work to getready for the inspections and for your continueddedication to getting the 439 th ’s mission accomplishedevery day! Let’s keep up the team spiritthrough the rest of the August inspections!Volume 32Number 8“This funded Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. militaryservices. Contents of the PATRIOT are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S.Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.”“The content is edited, prepared and provided by the 439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office,Westover Air Reserve Base. All photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated.”StaffMaster Sgt. Anne C. WardStaff Sgt. Paul N. FlipseStaff Sgt. Tom R. OuelletteSenior Airman Michael S. LanzaAirman 1st Class Timothy HuffmanAdministrationSenior Airman Erika L. Sambrook439Patriot.Editor@westover.af.mil- (413) 557-3500 -www.afrc.af.mil/439awBriefsChild care help availablefor parents who deployWhen parents deploy, help is availablefor child care through the recentlyintroduced Department of Defense programOperation Military Child Care.The program offers help finding andpaying for child care. Fees are based ona sliding scale that takes into considerationtotal family income and the careprovider’s actual cost.To take part in Operation MilitaryChild Care, parents can go to the website www.childcareaware.org or call tollfreeat (800) 424-2246.‘Galaxy Adventure’volunteers still needed“Galaxy Adventure,” for school-agedependent children of Westover Air Forcereservists, will be held Sept. 10 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The Westover Family SupportCenter and Key Family MemberProgram volunteers are co-hosting thefirst-ever “Galaxy Adventure.” This willbe held the same day as the Family Daypicnic.Planned “Galaxy Adventure” eventsinclude tours of reservists’ work areas,and a special Commander’s Call for children,who will receive a Key FamilyMember coin from Col. Wade Farris,439th Airlift Wing commander.People with questions or who wouldlike to volunteer for the morning eventshould call the family support center at(413) 557-3024 or toll-free (866) 690-2161.Squadrons urged tosubmit photos for CDWestover squadron members cansubmit their digital photos for a yearbookCD that is being put together coveringthis year’s events.Such activities as commander’scalls, deployments, family reunions atthe base, and other highlights are amongthose suggested. Plans call for the CDsto be available to wing members by nextyearḞor more information, call Ext.2020.

JANUARY AUGUST 2005 NewsPAGE 3Rapid runway repairMarine exercise provides realistic training for baseArticle by Master Sgt. Anne Wardand Staff Sgt. Paul FlipsePatriot Wing civil engineers joined withMarine Reservists to practice the skillsneeded to keep runways open under combatconditions during the July A UTA.On Saturday morning, the 439 th CivilEngineering Squadron’s Explosive OrdnanceDisposal flight members packednearly 40 pounds of C-4 and seven poundsof TNT into a small hole in an obsolete cementpad near a Westover taxiway.Just after 9 a.m., the charge was detonated,thundering through the morning calmand raining jagged chunks of concrete upto 500 feet away. The result of the blastwas a smoking gash in the hardstand about15 feet across and 6 feet deep.That afternoon, Marine Wing SupportSquadron 472 here set about cleaning, fill-“We had an opportunity tohelp Westover demolish anddispose of one of several 50-year-old, abandoned aircraftparking pads, and get realistichands-on training in the process.”-- Lt. Col. Terry Harwooding and patching the ragged wound. Massivebulldozers, capable of hefting more thana ton of earth and rock, scooped charredblocks of concrete from the crater.Master Sgt. Scott F. Carroll squintedthrough the afternoon sunlight and cloudsof dust raised by the dozers. SergeantCarroll, the squadron heavy equipment chief,orchestrated the repair and was part of therepair team that patched holes in the 14,000-foot runway at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq lastyear.The air wing Marine knows rapid runwayrepair is essential to successful air operations.A damaged runway means no takeoffsor landings until the hole is patched,Sergeant Carroll said Normally, base operationsis reluctant to let anyone blow holes intheir airfield to practice RRR. This operationwas a first.“We had an opportunity to helpWestover demolish and dispose of one ofseveral 50-year-old, abandoned aircraft parkingpads, and get realistic hands-on trainingin the process,” said Lt. Col. Terry Harwood,MWSS 472 inspector instructor.Time is of the essence when workingin a combat environment and training is crucial,said the colonel, who felt the exerciseof nearly 30 Marines went extremely welland was a success. “The repair was accomplishedin 1 hour and 40 minutes – wellahead of the two-hour deadline,” he said.photo by Master Sgt. Anne WardON THE MOVE - Marines rush to patch the Patriot Wing’s runway. Westover’s bombspecialists detonated a 15-foot wide crater in one of the airfield’s former taxiways. Thejoint force exercise took place July 9.photo by Staff Sgt. Paul FlipseUP IN THE AIR - Forty-seven pounds of C-4and TNT blast an unused portion ofWestover’s tarmac as part of a rapid runwayrepair exercise.“We did have some big equipment issueswhen one of our excavators broke down,but we took the challenge in stride.”After filling the hole with dirt to simulatecrushed stone and concrete and compactingit for reuse, the Marines spent severaldays digging and removing the remaininghardstand in preparation for grasslandrestoration.The plan is to continue RRR training asoften as possible, depending on ordnancerequirements, personnel availability and flyingschedules, Colonel Harwood said.“There’s a huge amount of planning involvedin setting up an activity of this significance,and Westover did a great job ofcommunication and coordination, on- andoff-base,” he said.“Most of the base was involved – airfieldoperations, fire department, civil engineering,safety and more. When the timecame, there was no doubt in my mind thateveryone was aware of the operation anddid their part flawlessly,” he said. The exercisewas a win-win situation for Westoverand the Marines, said Mark E. Tartt, airfieldmanager. “It allowed us to remove an oldhardstand in the runway approach clear zone,returning this area to grasslands, and supplythe Marines an excellent training scenario forhoning their war-time skills,” he said.

PAGE 2 AUGUST 2005NewsCrew evacuates 73 passengers after smoke fills C-5by Tech. Sgt. Andrew BiscoeThe professionalism and teamwork of 10 Westover aircrewmembers resulted in a safe evacuation of a smoke-filled C-5 duringan overseas mission in June.Col. Udo K. McGregor, aircraft commander, ordered the evacuationimmediately after landing at Osan Air Base, Korea, June 15.Seventy-three passengers safely exited the C-5 on slides deployedfrom more than 30 feet in the air out of the sides of the aircraft.Many of the passengers were women, and children flying on spaceavailable (Space A) basis.Colonel McGregor, 439 th Operations Group commander, ledthe Pacific channel mission to a brisk 2,000-foot landing on therunway at Osan AB. On board was a light cargo load for the C-5 –four pallets and some rolling stock.Colonel McGregor said thunderstorms caused some turbulenceshortly after the two-hour flight began from Kadena Air Base,Japan. “It was real bumpy – really rough,” he said.The flight from Kadena AB was nearly over when smoke beganfilling the troop compartment, Colonel McGregor said.“We were going around a frontal system, and Osan was recoveringtheir fighters. We were 17 miles out and asked to holdfrom Osan,” he said.Then, what is routine for the crew so many times, becameanything but an ordinary procedure.The aft flight deck loadmaster reported smoke was comingout from the boiler room, an area that holds most of the air conditioningequipment on the aircraft,Colonel McGregor said. “I askedone of the flight engineers to grab an oxygen mask and to take alook.”Master Sgt. Bob Motley, 337thAirlift Squadron loadmaster,followed the flight engineer with a fire extinguisher in hand, andwhat he saw was unforgettable for any seasoned aviator.“He disappeared in a wall of smoke,” Sergeant Motley said.“Smoke was pouring out of the boiler room.”Meanwhile, Colonel McGregor and Maj. Lee Feuling werebusy managing with the Air Force’s biggest jet as it neared OsanAB. Smoke was now coming out of the air conditioner in the troopcompartment which was where all the Space A passengers weresitting. Colonel McGregor directed everyone to put on their oxygenmasks.“I asked Bob (Sergeant Motley) how bad the smoke was,” thecolonel said.“I told him, ‘I can’t see toward the front of the airplane,’”Sergeant Motley said.Because the Galaxy was flying at 6,000 feet, pressurizationwasn’t an issue. Colonel McGregor and the crew meticulouslyran through their checklists. They ventilated the aircraft, and hedeclared an in-flight emergency to air traffic control at Osan AB.The smoke now billowed throughout the entire aircraft. “Itwas thick and it wasn’t clearing,” Sergeant Motley said.The Osan controllers cleared the C-5 for an immediate prioritylanding, which was a good break for a change, amid the smokeand bad weather.“I give these guys a lot of credit for workingthat environment. You don’t have to thinkabout the peripheral pieces of a scenario. Wehave checklists to run.”PAGE 4Courtesy photoSAFE SLIDES - The C-5 remains on the runway with its emergencyslides deployed at Osan Air Base, Korea, June 15. The 337th aircrewsafely evacuated 73 passengers from the aircraft after it landed atOsan.Colonel McGregor said the smoke got thicker in the flight deckas the pilots peered through it below while preparing to land, flyingat about 220 miles per hour slowing to approximately 130 mph justprior to landing.“We could see the runway. I told the tower that we were goingto stop on the runway.”And – in 2,000 feet – they brought more than 350,000 poundsof aircraft safely to a halt. Osan’s fire engines were already on thescene.But the emergency hadn’t concluded yet.Smoke was still pouring out of the massive airlifter, so ColonelMcGregor ordered the emergency evacuation of the C-5. For thefirst time in the history of C-5s assigned to the 439 th Airlift Wing,the huge evacuation slides were deployed.Sergeant Motley said not all of them worked like they weresupposed to and had to be manually operated. “The first slide didn’tinflate,” Sergeant Motley said. “We had to reach out and pull thecable.” Eventually all four slides deployed successfully, and all ofthe passengers evacuated safely, with extensive help from the aircrew.Most of the passengers slid down quickly, but one scaredchild got some personal attention from a crew member. Tech. Sgt.Richard W. Gauvreau, loadmaster, clutched a scared 12-year-oldand took him down the slide to safety.The aircrew got out last. “They beat me out, but not by much,”according to Colonel McGregor, who said the evacuation was remarkablyfast. “It couldn’t have taken more than three minutes,”he said.While firefighters made sure there was no fire, the white-graysmoke continued to billow.Colonel McGregor said prior training helped with dealing withthe emergency which lasted about 12 minutes.“The simulator training paid off,” he said. “It was a textbooksimulator scenario.”Experience played a part too. Collectively, the 10 aircrew membershave almost 50,000 hours of flying time.Sergeant Motley, who has more than 8,000 himself, said hehad seen smoke in a C-5 before, but nothing like in the skies overKorea.“I saw this and said ‘Oh, man.’ I lost all concept of time. But-- Col. Udo K. McGregor, aircraft commander see OSAN continued on page 5

AUGUST 2005337th crewbeats landinggear failureEDITOR’S NOTE: This account of theJuly 2 landing gear incident at Westoverwas written by Staff Sgt. Susan Bolduc, a337 th Airlift Squadron loadmaster aboardthe flight.We began that Saturday morning atMildenhall Air Base, United Kingdom witha legal for alert time of 5:45 a.m. Five hourslater, we landed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.We loaded the aircraft with no incidentand four hours later, we began ournine-hour flight to Dover Air Force Base,Del. There was enough time after thedownload in Dover to return to Westoverthat night. The day’s mission was withoutincident…until final approach at Westover.The checklist called for the extensionof the landing gear. The lever was flippedand the landing gear began its trek downward.Cockpit indications showed that theleft forward main landing gear was not fullyextended.Master Sgt. Kenneth MacDougald, thescanner, descended to the cargo compartmentto check visual indications. It wasconfirmed that the landing gear was notfully rotated. It was at a 90-degree angle.Master Sgt. Robert Stawasz, who wasoperating the engineer’s panel on the flightdeck, began the appropriate checklists.Tech. Sgt. Shawn Harris descended to thecargo compartment to assist SergeantMacDougald.When the checklist actions proved tobe unsuccessful, the pilots determined thata holding procedure was appropriate andinitiated the request for holding. MasterSgt Stawasz began the appropriate emergencychecklists, which also proved to beunsuccessful. At that point, the pilots determinedit was necessary to climb and holdat a higher altitude for fuel conservation.A call was initiated to Westover’s CommandPost, who then connected the crewwith Senior Master Sgt. Glenn Flynn, a 337 thAirlift Squadron flight engineer. Communicationscontinued, with Command PostNewsPAGE 5attempting to contact the on-call emergencycontacts at AFRC HQ and Lockheed Martin.Many procedures were tried and triedagain, including the attempt to perform anin-flight kneeling of the left forward mainlanding gear, but the number four hydraulicsystem failed. Communication continuedbetween and among the crew, BradleyIAP approach, Westover’s tower, SergeantFlynn, and AFRC HQ.When options were exhausted and itbecame clear that, because of low fuel, weneeded to land, the aircraft commandermade a decision to land. The loadmastersstowed loose equipment and prepared theflight deck for a rough landing. The pilotran the appropriate checklists and beganbriefing the landing.The ground maintenance crew performedthe exceptional task of towing, inrecord time, every C-5, from the back rowof parking to the front row. The fire departmentwas standing by, ready to movein and help.The pilots made the decision to land onthe right side of the runway, away fromthe parking ramp and new control towerbecause it was determined that a rough landingwould result in skidding to the left sideof the runway. The landing briefing includedthe plan to land the airplane at anangle so the right landing gears made contactfirst.Once the airplane was in full contactwith the runway, the brakes would be appliedwith no force spared. Emergency exitsand procedures were briefed and discussed.At the very least, a landing gearfailure and fire were expected.The crew knew that, more than likely,the 90-degree landing gear might causeenough drag upon landing to break off, takingthe left rear main landing gear with it.From that point, anything else could havehappened. The crew knew it, but we onlyfocused on our emergency procedures anddoing everything we could to land as safelyas possible.As we neared the runway, we buckleddown tight. Maj. Mark Tirrell, aircraft commander,made the final briefings, and thenall became silent as we mentally preparedfor our task at hand. A few of the last wordsheard over our headsets before our landingcame from Major Tirrell: “Good luck everybody.”The injured C-5 roared toward the runway,slanting ever so slightly. Upon touchdown,as planned, the brakes were appliedwith full force. We came to a stop and thetower was contacted to see if they saw anything.At that point, the loadmasters beganthe evacuation.The scanner and three loadmastersdeplaned and ran away from the aircraft toour crew evacuation point. When we lookedback at the airplane, the landing gear seemedto have miraculously aligned itself with therunway. The nitrogen fire suppression systemwas discharged into the landing gear toeliminate the possibility of a fire. Hydraulicfluid was streaming out of the landing gearwith a vengeance.Loadmasters marshaled the fire departmentcloser to monitor the situation. In thenext few hours, the fire department deemedthe area safe, flight safety came to take picturesand lend a hand, maintenance crewscame out to recover the airplane, and a buscame to pick up the crew and gear.The airplane landed with less than13,000 pounds of fuel. It may sound like alot, but the C-5 burns approximately 30,000pounds of fuel at low altitude doing maneuversand 20,000 pounds of fuel duringcruise.Due to the outstanding efforts of MajorTirrell, his crew, and everyone else involved,the C-5 incurred minimal damage on landing,and has been returned to flying status.The landing gear failure is currently underinvestigation.OSAN continued from page 4we have the training drilled into our heads. How I reacted wassecond nature. My body just took over.”Colonel McGregor said the training regimen aircrew membersgo through expects swift reactions.“I give these guys a lot of credit for working that environment.You don’t have to think about the peripheral pieces of ascenario. We have checklists to run,” he said.The culprit in the emergency was an air conditioning turbinewhich lost its oil bearing. A maintenance repair team fromYokota Air Base, Japan, replaced the turbine. The aircraft lefttwo days later for Hickam AFB, Hawaii and returned to WestoverJune 18. The following week, the same C-5 was back in theAMC system, flying another worldwide airlift mission.

AUGUST 2005Nurse earnsBronze Starfor OIF tourCites AES teameffort on front linesby Master Sgt. Tom AlloccoCapt. Patricia Wong, 439 th AeromedicalEvacuation Squadron flight nurse, recentlyjoined a small, distinguished group ofPatriot Wing combat veterans when she receivedthe Bronze Star Medal for OperationIraqi Freedom service. Col. Wade Farris,439 th Airlift Wing commander, pinned theBronze Star on Captain Wong in ceremoniesduring the July A UTA.Captain Wong earned the Bronze Starwhile serving with a 439 th AES team at aSouthwest Asia base and at the Army’s CampDogwood near the Baghdad Airport fromMarch through August, 2003.While serving at the Southwest Asiabase, Captain Wong served as an Air Forcemedical liaison officer to an Army combatsupport hospital. She assisted in preparingmore than 3,000 patients for aeromedicalevacuation, including American, coalitionand civilian casualties, to Landstuhl RegionalMedical Center, Germany.At Camp Dogwood, Captain Wong andCapt. Robert M. Maynard, 439 th AES,evacuated patients from hospital tents thatwere hit by incoming shells and fragmentswhen a nearby ammunition dump caughtfire. They moved about 40 ambulatory andlitter patients to a safe area as the ammunitiondump burned.They were told that one shell landed insidethe hospital tent, but fortunately did notexplode.“We weren’t sure what was going onas we all moved….everyone pitched in tomake sure the patients were safe and takento a facility where we could care for them,”Captain Wong said of the evacuation.“We worked into the night. We slept onthe concrete sidewalks. Wherever you couldfind a place you just laid down and tried toget some sleep. I remember bugs werecrawling all over me but I didn’t care becauseI was just so tired,” she said.The ammunition dump fire was just oneincident in a combat tour in which harrowingexperiences were a routine part of theworkday.“We’d see troops right from the frontlines. We were the next step from first aidbuddy care or the forward surgicalteams…burns, shrapnel, IED injuries. Justanything and everything would come in,”she said.Casualties arrived at Camp DogwoodCourtesy photoAES AT WAR - Bronze Star Medal winner Capt. Patricia Wong poses with other membersof the 439 th AES team in the Iraqi Freedom AOR, from left, Tech. Sgt. Jason M. Kennedy, Capt.Robert M. Maynard and Staff Sgt. Andrew J. Monahan.PATRIOT“I think my toughest dayscan’t ever compare to some ofthe experiences that some ofthe young troops have gonethrough and will have to dealwith for the rest of their lives.”-- Capt. Patricia Wong, 439thAES nursefrom the battlefield by helicopter, were stabilizedand helicoptered to Baghdad Airportfor eventual evacuation out of the AOR.“They’d hit you at 4 in the morning or10 at night. The days were long. You’vehad to be ready for anything,” Captain Wongsaid.The Camp Dogwood ammunition firewas not uniquely tough for the members ofthe AES team serving in the Iraqi FreedomAOR.“Every day was tough because you sawthe wounded who were sometimes just 18or 20 years old coming in. You’d see thewounded come in with amputated legs andarms, loss of sight, burns, paralysis…justmassive trauma. It was very difficult todeal with that day in and day out but youdid it because you had to and wanted to beyour best for them” she said.“One day there was a soldier injured byan IED. We were going through his personaleffects for tagging purposes and sawa picture of his baby girl, no more than twoyears old. This young man lost one leg andpossibly two. I thought this soldier who wasbarely out of his teens himself would neverbe able to play or run with his daughter likehe did before,” Captain Wong said.“I think my toughest days can’t evercompare to some of the experiences thatsome of the young troops have gonethrough and will have to deal with for therest of their lives,” she said.Captain Wong later served with the 31 stCombat Support Hospital in Baghdad’sGreen Zone and at a Southwest Asia basefrom September, 2004 to January, 2005,during which she continued to assist in thesteady evacuation of casualties.Of the two tours, she believes, “I cameback a different person. These types of experiencesjust change you. You don’t forgettheir faces. You don’t forget their names.You just don’t forget anything about yourexperiences.”The Bronze Star recognizes CaptainWong’s exceptional performance, but shesaid, the medal represents a team effort.see CAPTAIN continued on Page 7

AUGUST 2005by Master Sgt. W.C. PopeThe C-5 Galaxy will never fly to the moon, but Westoverrecently made one small step in contributing to the space program.A Westover C-5 loaded a 52,000-pound NASA transportationcontainer at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., June 29. It wasflown to the NASA Research Facility at Wallops Island, Va. Fromthere it was transported, over road, to Maryland where it will bereconfigured for transporting components of the new James WebbSpace Telescope, the replacement for the aging Hubble Telescope.The container was a snug fit and took the expertise of crew chiefsMaster Sgts. John G. Williams and Shane Manley who had to removeand replace equipment inside the cargo bay that might bestruck by the container.“This was great training for our loadmasters,” said Chief MasterSgt. Thomas V. Dzwonkus. Chief Dzwonkus, with Senior MasterSgt. John J. Duffy and Staff Sgts. John A. Cody and Jonathan T.Menard, received rare training on a special ramp system borrowedfrom Dover AFB, Del. The ramp is specially made for outsizedcargo that can’t be loaded by regular loading equipment.The container had been at Vandenberg for a year awaitingtransportation. The only aircraft big enough to transport it, the C-5, had been busy with other worldwide commitments.NewsROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – The 439th Airlift Wingwon the most Air Force Reserve Command medical awards for2004.Headquarters AFRC officials announced the winners in Junewith Westover taking five individual and three unit awards.CaptainMontolioPAGE 7Westover C-5 aircrew supports NASA missionphoto by Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Dzwonkus, 337th Airlift SquadronSPACE LOAD - A 52,000-pound NASA transportation container isloaded aboard the C-5 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., June29. The C-5 was the only aircraft large enough to haul the container.Patriot Wing leads in command medical awardsSergeant ChappCourtesy photoWestover squadrons and reservists whowon included:Reserve officer, NCO and airman in anon-deployable medical unit – Capt. Kelly H.A. Montolio, Master Sgt. Patricia E. Schanzerand Senior Airman David Rivera, all assignedto Westover’s 439th Aerospace MedicineSquadron.Reserve officer, NCO and airman in anaeromedical staging squadron – Maj. Robert D.Rostedt and Master Sgt. Richard D. Chapp,439th ASTS.Aeromedical evacuation squadron with amobile aeromedical evacuation staging facility mission – Westover’s439th AES.Medical squadron/aerospace medical squadron with generationmission – 439th AMDS.Aeromedical staging squadron (150 and 250 bed) – Westover’s439th ASTS.Members of the Westover medical community have been keptbusy deploying all over the world - having been involved in suchoperations as Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (AFRC NewsService and 439th AW staff)see CAPTAIN continued from Page 6“Although I am deeply honored to receive this medal, I believethe honor also belongs to them as well. I would not have been ableto perform my job without the assistance of my fellow team members- Capt. Robert Maynard, Tech Sgt. Jason Kennedy, Staff Sgt.Andrew Monahan. Without their hard work, loyalty and dedicationto fulfilling the mission, this recognition would not have been possible,”she said.Captain Wong lives in Connecticut and served six years in theConnecticut Army National Guard as an enlisted medical specialist.She was commissioned in the Air Force Reserve in 1998 afterearning her nursing degree.

AUGUST 2005NewsPAGE 8Senate confirms General Moseley as chief of staffSAN ANTONIO (AFPN) - The Senatehas confirmed Gen. T. MichaelMoseley as the next chief of staff of theAir Force.He is the current Air Force vice chiefof staff.General Moseley met with membersof the Senate Armed Services CommitteeJune 29 during his confirmationhearing.Following the approval of the committee,his nomination was forwarded tothe full Senate which approved the nominationjust before adjourning for the Fourthof July holiday.During the hearing he said his prioritieswould be to further refine and improvejoint warfighting skills, continue toGeneral Moseleystrengthen the Air Force’s greatest asset -its people - and to recapitalize the agingaircraft fleet to meet future warfightingneeds.General Moseley is a command pilotwith more than 2,800 hours in the T-37Tweet, T-38 Talon and F-15 Eagle.He is a graduate of Texas A&M Universitywhere he earned both a bachelor’sand a master’s degree in political science.Besides holding numerous operationalassignments, he commanded U.S. CentralCommand Air Forces and served as CombinedForces Air Component commanderfor operations Southern Watch, EnduringFreedom and Iraqi Freedom.Patriot Wing reservists can access individual medical recordsReservists have asked members of the439 th Aerospace Medicine Squadron abouttheir rights to their individual medical recordsand the information contained in thoserecords.According to AFI 41-210, medicalrecords are the property of the United StatesGovernment. The information contained in therecord belongs to the patient. In accordancewith he Privacy Act of 1974, the patient hasthe right to the information in the record; however,the maintenance of the record at the MTF(medical Treatment or training facility) is alegal requirement.Reservists cannot remove their medicalrecords without the prior approval of the439th AMDS Medical Administrator or seniorART.Any member can obtain a copy of theirmedical records by completing a Release ofInformation request for the Clinic and allowingsufficient time for the record to be copied.The medical facility staff can assist withthe completion of the Release of Informationform. For any further questions regardingmedical records, please contact AMDSat Ext. 3565.Members need to updateTRICARE info on websiteThere has been a change in how reservistsapply for the new TRICARE ReserveSelect (TRS) program.The new premium-based TRS healthplan is available for purchase by qualifiedmembers of the National Guard and Reservewho have been activated for a contingencyoperation on or after Sept. 11, 2001. Eligiblereservists wishing to apply for thisprogram have to initiate the TRS agreementvia the TRICARE Reserve Selectportal.After electing the program, they mustfax copies of their DD Form 2895, TRSElection Form to the ARPC Contact Centerat (800) 525-0102 or DSN 926-0102.The ARPC staff determines eligibility andwill execute the TRS agreement.Once executed, the member must mail/fax their enrollment form and the firstmonth’s premium to the NORTH RE-GIONAL TRICARE office.The Military Personnel Flight’s customerservice office is the alternate pointof contact for this program and should onlybe contacted if reservists cannot get intouch with ARPC. For more information,visit https://wwwmil.afrc.af.mil/439aw/msg/mpf/customerservice.htm, or logonto: http://www.tricare.osd.mil.Base offers round-the-clock help for sexual assault victimsEach military installation has a Sexual Assault ResponseCoordinator who is available 24/7 to assist victims of sexualassault. Victims can make confidential reports of sexual assaultby contacting the installation SARC directly. This “RestrictedReport” does not immediately initiate an investigation but providesthe victim support, advocacy and assistance in obtaininga forensic exam. Restricted Reports only pertain to sexual assaultswhich occur in military status.Reports made to any other agencies or the installation lawenforcement will result in command notification and initiate aninvestigation.The base Sexual Assault Response Coordinator is Maj. MarieL. Dufault. She may be reached at (413) 687-3543. The alternateis Maj. Diane Baynon at (413) 687-3544. Other helpful numbersare:Chaplain Ext. 3031Chaplain (after duty hours)Security Forces(413)785-3195Ext. 3557Family Support CenterJudge AdvocateExt. 3024Ext. 3180Public Affairs Ext. 3500

AUGUST 2005SportsPAGE 9Eagles claw title from ChiefsChiefs’ late-inningrally falls shortby Maj. Patrick Ryanwing executive officerMichigan versus Ohio State. Duke versus North Carolina.Yankees versus Red Sox.There are several great rivalries in sports, but none canquite compare with the annual Westover Chiefs vs. Eaglessoftball game.This year’s contest was a display of offensive fire-poweron both sides as the Eagles wrested the crown back from theChiefs 16-13. Due to manpower concerns on both sides,commanders and first sergeants were enlisted to fill out bothrosters.The Eagles were eager to prove last year’s drubbing was afluke and jumped out to a first inning three-run lead poweredby singles by Maj. Tim Donnally, Lt Col. Lou Shogry, and Maj.Mike Barden. The Chiefs came right back in the bottom of theframe with two of their own off a towering home run by ChiefMaster Sgt. David Carbin.The second inning saw more scoring by the Eagles, onceagain on the back of Major Donnelly as he brought in anotherRBI with his second straight single. The high-ranking squadwas starting to think ‘blowout’ after holding the Chiefs scorelessin the second, but the defending champs had other ideas.The Chiefs bats exploded in the bottom of the third with asix-run tally. Another home run, this time a three-run shot byChief Carbin, started the rally which was capped off by a tworunsingle by Chief Master Sgt. Bruce Westcott. A fielder’schoice by Master Sgt. Mike Bellerose capped off the scoring.Not to be outdone. the lead was regained by the Eagleswith five runs of their own in the top half of the fourth. Lt Col.John Greene was instrumental to the scoring with a two runhomer of his own. The Eagles’ intensity didn’t let up as theythen clamped down defensively holding the Chiefs scoreless forthe next two innings while pushing across five more runs in thetop of the fifth. A two-run single by Col. Wade Farris and atwo-run error on a Lt Col. Dave Maloy offering contributed tothe surge.With the score at 14-8 in the bottom of the fifth, neitherteam seemed ready to give in. The Chiefs dug out three runs ona double and single by Chief Master Sgts. Frank Puopolo andRandy Malek respectively, while the Eagles eked out only onerun on a single by Colonel Farris in the sixth.Another single run, again driven in by Colonel Greene,finished off the Eagles scoring, but the question on everyone’smind was could the lead hold? The Chiefs were eager to deliveran emphatic ‘no’ to that question. After two quick outs,including an ESPN highlight diving catch by Major Donnelly inleft field, the Chiefs put together five singles in a row to pushacross two runs, cutting the lead to only three. Chief Malek hita deep fly that made many stand in their seats, but it fellharmlessly into the glove of Colonel Shogry to mark the finalout.photo by Master Sgt. W.C. PopeEYE ON THE BALL - Chief Master Sgt. Frank Puopolo takes aim at thepitch of Lt. Col. Thomas Clark in the latest round of the Chiefsversus Eagles series, won this year by the Eagles, 16 – 13.

AUGUST 2005Wing aerial porters,chaplain’s assistantserving at Balad ABby Master Sgt. Tom AlloccoWestover PatriotsPATRIOTEleven Patriot Wing aerial porters and a chaplain’s assistantare serving Air Expeditionary Force tours with the 332 nd Air ExpeditionaryWing at Balad Air Base, about 68 kilometers north ofBaghdad. The airmen deployed in late April and May.Those serving at the air base are Master Sgt. Ernest Anelunde,Master Sgt. Michael Hamlet, Master Sgt. Robert H. Salomaa, MasterSgt. Robert B. Torrey, Tech. Sgt. David A. Langhill, Tech. Sgt.Leopoldo J. Filkins and Staff Sgt. Ronald A. Knight of the 85 thAPS; Tech. Sgt. Martin A. Bray, Staff Sgt. Barrington Dyer andSrA. Michele M. Chetuck of the 58 th APS; Chief Master Sgt. JohnF. Szewc of the 42 nd APS; and Staff Sgt. John A. Shepard of theWing Chaplain’s Office.Chief Szewc serves as aerial port superintendent of 80 Reserveand active duty aerial porters serving with the 332nd AEWmoving cargo aboard C-5s, C-17s and C-130s and C-141 medicalevacuations. Like most of the other aerial porters, Chief Szewc isa veteran of other Southwest Asia combat tours. He previouslyserved four-month tours as an aerial port supervisor at two otherbases in the AOR.Sergeant Shepard works with the Catholic chaplain at BaladAB, including helping to prepare for Mass and visiting with thetroops. The Balad chaplain’s group has set up a recreational areawith tables, board games and a water fountain, which has beendubbed “Shep’s Place” in honor of the Patriot Wing chaplain’sassistant.“The days are so long it makes the time go by fast. There’s notmuch time for sitting around,” Sergeant Shepard said.For those serving at Balad AB, home is wooden barracks, trailersand tents. In July daytime temperatures were averaging 115degrees, with lows of 85 or 90 degrees at night. Adding to thediscomfort were regularly recurring sandstorms.Operations at the air base are conducted by Air Force, Army,British Royal Air Force and Australian coalition troops. The base isadjacent to the Army’s Camp Anaconda.Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom two yearsago, conditions at Balad AB have improved, including introductionNavy commander thanks 42nd NCO for dedicationEDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter was addressedto Col. Wade Farris, 439th Airlift Wing commander, tothank Tech. Sgt. Janet Walker, 42nd Aerial Port Squadron,for her efforts with a recent diverted C-5 at Westover.Commanding Officer, 439th Air lift Wing,I would like to thank Sergeant Janet Walker for hersuperb handling of the passengers on the C-5 flight divertedto Westover on June 19.All of the 60+ passengers were traveling Space A afterwaiting over 24 hours at the Dover Terminal (the flight hadmade an emergency landing the day before after a medicalemergency). The unexpected landing would have been aBALAD TOUR - Deployed Chief Master Sgt. John F. Szewc, 42 nd APSair freight superintendent, meets Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, Chief ofthe Air Force Reserve, at Balad AB during a recent tour by thegeneral of the Iraq AOR.nightmare, but Sergeant Walker had the foresight to havelodging and transportation ready before we landed. I havebeen traveling Space A for over 13 years and although alwayspleased, I have never experienced the compassion andunderstanding that the staff at Westover displayed. In theend, we enjoyed our unexpected stay. You can be proud ofthe professionalism and dedication of your people.Matthew J. Gramkee, Commander, USNHead, Department of PeriodonticsNaval Dental Clinic NorfolkNorfolk, VirginiaCourtesy photoof coffee shop, hamburger and pizza trailers. An in-ground swimmingpool and two shopettes are open. A free theater offers firstrunmovies.Frequent alerts, combat gear and walls of sandbags remindthe airmen every day that they are in a combat zone. Another indicationof duty in a combat zone is a recent restriction of civilianclothing. Off-duty wear is limited to uniforms and the official AirForce PT gear.The deployed Airmen are scheduled to return to Westover inmid-September.

AUGUST 2005 Hats OffPAGE 11Patriot PeopleStaff Sgt. Kennedy C. Semedophoto by Master Sgt. Anne WardName: Kennedy C. SemedoRank: Staff sergeantAge: 33Address: Boston, Mass.Unit: 439 th Aeromedical Evacuation SquadronPosition: Tactical radio operatorCivilian position: Law enforcement, BostonFavorite food: Anything – everythingYears of service: 10Favorite sport: Baseball – Red SoxFavorite hobby: Road trips and finding new placesIdeal vacation: Cruise the worldBest way to relax: Quiet time at home, dinner and a moviePreferred entertainment: MoviesFavorite hero: MomFavorite music: CountryFavorite movie: Full Metal JacketFavorite aircraft: C-130Pet peeve: Two-faced peopleWhat would I do if I won $1 million: Get lost in the worldPatriot PraisesReenlistments:Chief Master Sgt.James H. LagasseSenior master sergeantEdward H. BrainardLawrence N. MillikenKaren S. ScottMaster sergeantJohn H. BenoitDaniel G. HoganDaniel A. Leone Jr.Richard E. WojtowiczRebecca L. PinaSharon E. SilvaTimothy R. SmithersRichard M. StruthersDaniel T. SullivanJoni M. ThomasJohn W. TinnemeyerRichard P. TitcombRichard J. TowlsonScott E. TrumbleEllen M. VanloonWilliam M. WatsonDebra J. WilcoxThomas R. WilliamsJeanpierre WoodCynthia J. HarrisDaniel A. LabelleDaniel C. LesterEric G. MarjaultMelinda J. MetzgerJenny Rosanna PolancoChristian A. RuehrweinMarina J. SedorMatthew D. SheaPaul Andrew TalbotMichael Lovell TaylorTechnical sergeantIsidro W. AguinagaJose A. CabreraMelissa K. CanarelliWilliam J. CzarneckiDavid J. DemersScott M. ForbesTeresa A. FowlerJohn GallagherDavid R. GeorgeStephen P. GiordanoEric R. GoodkowskyAndre H. GreeneThomas F. GriffinMichael A. HallGary R. JosefiakLewis A. LabiancaRobert E. MoranStephen F. MelloMatt David MorganCraig A. MorrisGary Alan MerrittChristopher PandolfiSteven Richard PelletierStaff sergeantOrlando J. BallestasGuy Michael BensonAaron R. CharbonneauValerie A. DunnRebecca J. DuvallChristian EscobarRussell A. HedgesVictor M. MarkeyKarla M. McgrathAluin MoralesDonahue R. PintoRobert Q. SteelePaul J. Tatar IIKerry Anne TromblyJason J. WeaverJeffrey W. ZercieSenior airmanErin M. CabralPeter G. GagnonJason A. GendronRafal P. GrzybJames F. Kochis Jr

AUGUST 2005NewsPAGE PATRIOT 12Media join aircrew on refueling missionIN POSITION – Maj. Douglas R. Gernhard, 337 th Airlift Squadron instructor pilot, talkswith the crew of the KC-135, during a practice air refueling mission and media flightJune 30. The tanker can be seen flying next to Major Gernhard.LOWERING THE BOOM – As the C-5moves closer to the KC-135 Stratotankerof the Maine Air National Guard, the boomoperator can be seen ready to lower theboom from the tanker.- photos by Master Sgt. Anne WardLISTEN UP – Michelle Smith, 22News anchor, listens in onconversations between thePatriot Wing aircrew and the 101 stAir Refueling Wing KC-135 crew.Mrs. Smith was among threemembers of the local media whoflew on a practice air refuelingmission June 30. Other mediamembers were from ReminderPublications and the ChicopeeRegister. Also pictured is Maj.Michael Smith, 337 th AirliftSquadron pilot.www.afrc.af.mil/439aw439th AW/PAWESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE100 Lloyd StreetEast Wing, Suite 103CHICOPEE, MA 01022-1825August UTA scheduleA UTA Aug. 6-7B UTA Aug. 20-21PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDCHICOPEE, MAPERMIT #43Published monthly for Patriots like SeniorAirman Leon F. Lowery, Ledyard, Conn., and2,442 reservists of the 439th AW at WestoverARB, and the wing’s geographically separatedunit.