A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE 502nd A IR BASE W ING

J O I N T B A S E S A N A N T O N I O - L A C K L A N D , T E X A S • V o l . 7 3 N o . 1 • J A N U A R Y 8 , 2 0 1 6

INSIDE | Commentary 2 News 3 Community Briefs 14 Sports 17 ONLINE | http://www.JBSA.mil

Photo by Johnny SaldivarGen. Hawk Carlisle (third from left), Air Combat Command commander, and Gen. John E. Hyten (far right), Air Force Space Command commander, are escorted by Maj. Gen. Ed Wilson (second from left), 24th Air Force commander, and Maj. Gen. BJ Shwedo (second from right), 25th Air Force commanderduring a visit to Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland Dec 21, 2015. The MAJCOM commanders received briefi ngs from their respective NumberedAir Force and discuss the continued integration and collaboration between Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and cyber.

MAJCOM commanders visit 24th and 25th Air Force

PAGE 2 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016commentary

This newspaper is published by EN Communities, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with JBSA-Lackland, Texas. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of the Talespinner 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 appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or EN Communities, of the products or services advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.

Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Office of the 502nd Air Base Wing. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air Force photos.

Deadline for story submissionsis noon Wednesday the week prior

to publication.

Office2230 Hughes Ave.JBSA-Lackland, Texas78236-5415(phone) 671-2908(fax) 671-2022Email: tale.spinner@us.af.mil

Straight Talk: 671-6397 (NEWS)

For advertising information:EN CommunitiesP.O. Box 2171 San Antonio, TX 78297250-2052

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland

Editorial Staff

Brig. gen. BoB LaBrutta

502nd Air BAse Wing/JBsACommAnder

todd g. White

502nd ABW/JBsAPuBliC AffAirs direCtor

oscar BaLLadares

JBsA-lACklAnd PuBliC AffAirs Chief

senior airman Lynsie nichoLs

senior airman KrystaL Jeffers

PhotoJournAlist JourneymAn

Jose t. garza, iii sPorts/stAff Writer

dorothy Lonas PAge design/illustrAtor

Finding strength, resiliency through Air Force familyBy Airman 1st Class Christopher Thornbury22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

I joined the military to provide for my family, but I never would have expected the challenges my family

would face and how we would evolve.When I enlisted in the Air Force I

joined another family without intent. This family has been with me ever since, especially during my family’s darkest tragedy.

FamilyAfter completing basic military train-

ing and tech school, my family and I made the 303-mile drive from our hometown of Lebanon, Mo, to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. We didn’t know anyone or anything about the area before arriving. It was only my wife Kristina, my daughter Kierstin, and myself.

My co-workers welcomed us and within a few months, I had made friends at work. We soon found out that our immediate family was going to grow. We were going to have a baby boy, who we decided to name Emmitt Alan Thornbury.

On Sept. 18, 2015, Emmitt was born. HardshipWe didn’t have the chance to raise

Emmitt. We’ll never know what kind of man he would become or if he’d have my blue eyes or his mother’s dimples. We won’t be able to take him to ball-games or pick him up after a fall. We won’t be able to hold and comfort him when he is upset – because he isn’t with us anymore, but he is still with us in our hearts.

His fragile body couldn’t support life outside his mother’s safe womb. He only lived a little over an hour but the im-pression he left will last forever.

We didn’t go in blind though. We knew Emmitt was going to face chal-lenges when the doctors spoke to us about his deformities caused by his con-dition, Trisomy 18. It was gut-wrenching

when they began talking about how much time we would have with him. They weren’t talking about years or even months, not even days; they were talking about minutes and hours. Hearing this hit me harder than a speeding train and took me to an emotion I didn’t know existed.

LeadershipMy leadership was incredible. They

made sure I was at every appointment

and ensured I knew all my options so we could take the best course of action. This allowed Emmitt and Kristina to go to one of the best hospitals in the nation for children with severe problems. If he had any chance of survival, it would be there and my leadership made it possible.

I was given emergency leave so we could stay at the nearby Ronald McDonald House allowing us to be close to the hospital with the best care possible. In the end, the doctors couldn’t save our son, but knowing we tried has made our situation easier to live with.

Air Force familyI received calls, texts and messages

from many people sending condolences and asking if there was anything they could do. A vast majority of those people I had just met within the year and a half of my enlistment, not in my 24 years before; they were co-workers, mentors, instructors and my leadership. It was my Air Force family that really made the effort to make sure we were OK.

We had the funeral in our hometown, so he could be near family. It was a dif-ficult day that I wish no parent will ever have to go through.

Before the funeral, my brother came up to me and said, “Your friends are here.” As I went to the back of the room, I saw four familiar faces that I recognized from base. A chaplain, two co-workers and my fearless leader traveled the 303 miles to be there for me and my family. I felt overwhelmed with emotion to the point I could barely breathe.

It may not be as obvious as time passes, but they are still helping me, whether they know it or not, just by be-ing a friend, mentor and always understanding. I don’t know what would have happened without the resources provided to my family by the Air Force and to my family back at McConnell, but I do know that because they picked me up, I can put my best foot forward.

Courtesy photoEmmitt Alan Thornbury’s headstone, son of Airman 1st Class Christopher Thornbury, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs photojournalist, who was laid to rest in Lebanon, Mo. Emmitt passed away as a result of deformities caused by his condition, Trisomy 18.

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 3newsnominations sought for 2016 outstanding airmen of the year

Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2016 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award.

There are three categories: Airman, NCO and Senior NCO. Major Commands and the Air Force District of Washington may each nominate one candidate per category to the Air Force 12 OAY selection board, which will select the winners.

Organization and base-level personnel must contact their MAJCOM, forward operat-ing agency, direct-reporting unit or MAJCOM equivalent for applicable suspense dates. Nominations are due to the Air Force Personnel Center by April 1.

All nominees must be enlisted in the Air Force through Sept. 30. Any nominee with a projected separation date prior to Sept. 30, must take immediate action to extend or re-enlist in the Air Force. Lo-cal military personnel section officials may approve or disapprove extensions for the purpose of the 12 OAY program. AFPC will make the final approval determination for extension requests sent from the Military Personnel Section for 12 OAY nominees.

Any nominees who extend their enlistment for the 12 OAY award program and are not selected may cancel their extensions through their local MPS.

For details, go to https://mypers.af.mil/. Individuals who do not have a myPers ac-count can request one by following the instructions at http://www.retirees.af.mil/mypers/index.asp.

2016 vanguard award nominations due jan. 25

The Vanguard Award annually recognizes one enlisted member from each of the uni-formed services for an act of heroism that results in saving someone’s life or preventing serious injury. The act must be a voluntary action initiated by the nominee and not a result of directions or orders. It must also have been a legitimate attempt to save a life or prevent serious injury to another person or group of people.

Each major command, combatant com-mand, field operating agency and direct reporting unit may nominate one person. Organizations and base-level personnel must contact their MAJCOM, COCOM, FOA or DRU for applicable suspense dates and nomina-tion process information.

For more information visit https://mypers.af.mil. Individuals who do not have a myPers

News in Brief

See NEWS IN BRIEF Page 5

Air Force officials an-nounced Dec. 21, 2015 that Tops in Blue, the service-unique entertain-ment program, will cancel its 2016 season, allowing an extended review of the program.

Over the last year, sub-missions to the Air Force’s Airmen Powered by Innovation program re-flected recommendations to cancel Tops in Blue be-cause of the required man-power and associated cost. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James noted the topic was often a dis-cussion during her base all calls with Airmen.

Combined with today’s fiscal realities and resource constraints, and chang-ing Airmen demographics and entertainment prefer-ences, James sought ad-ditional feedback from Airmen about the program. Headquarters Air Force decided on two methods to gather this feedback.

The first method was to attach Tops in Blue ques-tions to an internal survey already set to reach 4,674 Airmen. The second was an email sent from the deputy chief of staff for manpow-er, personnel and services to the major commands asking them for Airmen feedback by means of the wing commanders and command chiefs.

The first survey, an in-ternal communications as-sessment group, indicated a wide awareness of Tops in Blue among Airmen. About half of all Airmen surveyed agreed they would attend a future Tops in Blue event.

While there is wide-spread awareness among the force, only about 25 percent of all Airmen have seen a performance within the past five years. Of all the age groups, and represent-ing a third of the overall

Airman population, the 25- to 34-year-old age group was the least likely to have a posi-tive opinion of Tops in Blue.

In addition to the official survey, feedback solicited from the MAJCOMs and bases showed 41 percent recommended divesting, while 19 percent of the members polled were in favor of keeping Tops in Blue. Around 17 percent suggested a modified pro-gram and six percent had “other” opinions.

In consideration of this feedback from a wide range of Airmen, the secre-tary and chief of staff of the Air Force made the deci-sion to take a pause in the Tops in Blue program to reassess its mission, venue, themes and cost.

“The decision to pause and reassess the 2016 Tops in Blue season was a tough one,” said Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, director of manpower, personnel and services. “While Airmen’s

feedback was extremely important, it was just one of many factors considered as we seek to meet our core mission requirements in a time of constrained resources. The Air Force will continue to support our Airmen and their fami-lies while recognizing their entertainment preferences have changed.”

“The feedback indicated this was not a cut-and-dry decision,” explained Brig. Gen. Lenny Richoux, director of Air Force Services. “There are Air-men who enjoyed the performance, and we do care about what Airmen value. However, consider-ing a changing demand for entertainment com-bined with constrained resources, it is important that we take a look at alternatives and ask for a broad base of inputs and opinions.”

Richoux said the Air Force Services Activity will

consider a wide range of options to both entertain and educate Airmen. Some of those include increased use of contracted musical, sports-related, and other professional acts in both deployed and home station locations.

Other options include modifying the Tops in Blue program to include mes-sages and teaching mo-ments for Airmen that talk to the real challenges as-sociated with military life.

Tops in Blue’s last 2015 show will be Jan. 15, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. For a complete schedule of the final shows, visit https://www.usafservices.com/TopsInBlue.aspx#tour.

For information about additional morale, welfare and recreation events, Airmen should contact their local MWR facilities or force support squadrons.

(Source: Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Washington)

Air Force cancels 2016 season of Tops in Blue

Photo by Johnny SaldivarSecond Lt. Christina A. Muncey, United States Air Force Band of the West flight commander, leads members of “Fiesta in Blue,” a Band of the West ensemble, during a performance at the Fiesta in Blue Concert at Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium in San Antonio April 21, 2015.

PAGE 4 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016

By Senior Airman William Blankenship, 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

(This feature is part of the “Through Airmen’s Eyes” series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, high-lighting their Air Force story.)

During a push to gain military training instructors, then-Staff Sgt. Chi Yi found himself donning the under-the-brim stare that welcomed him to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland years before.

The former vehicle operations specialist accepted the challenge of molding future Airmen, an ambition of his since joining the Air Force.

“I was nervous my fi rst day of being an MTI,” said Yi, who has been a MTI for seven years. “But, once I understood the big reason as to what I’m really doing, it has become the biggest reward.”

Yi spent over three years shaping newly enlisted Airmen at basic military training before transitioning to a new type of molding venture – infl uencing cadets at the Offi cer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base Ala.

“Personally and professionally, this job has had a tremendous impact on my life,” said the husband and father of two sons. “To see those trainees and the cadets at Offi cer Training School, how they conduct

themselves and how they march around two-inches taller because of their pride, it culminates to the best feeling in the world.”

Online social media sites pertaining to OTS litter warnings of the high standards expected by Yi, both for those inbound to commission and for laughter of those already commissioned. His attention to detail, along with cutting eyes peering from underneath his cam-paign hat, remains easily recognizable to those who have been cordially welcomed into the military by him.

“Driving to work, especially during early morning (indoctrination) phase when we aren’t so friendly here, I anticipate what challenges I may face that day. I want to be prepared for how to handle those situations,” he said. “I constantly try to think of a better way to give the best training possible for these brand new cadets. Not every class is the same and you have to adjust,

thinking back to what I did yesterday and what I can do better today to help.”

Many Airmen think back to their initial encounters with MTIs and remember the chaos, yelling and the constant pushing to get more out of them. Yi passion-ately explained the reasoning behind an instructor’s “elevated voice” is that they need to make sure every-one is standardized.

“Nobody here at OTS is out to become the cadet’s friend,” he said. “We are to be their trainers, mentors and also their guidance counselors, at times. It is that foundation to let them know we have business that we have to conduct and we need to get to the business and there’s no time to beat around that. But towards the end, the MTIs will take a step back and become more of that mentor fi gure and try to make them a better leader.”

Yi’s passion for the development of offi cers stems beyond his dedication to his service and his job, as his eldest son is set to join his father in the Air Force next year.

“I want these leaders to lead, especially my son in the right direction,” Yi said, fi ghting back emotion. “I want them to lead by example, upholding our core values.”

The instructor has overheard jokes from those he has trained before saying, “I bet he makes his kids do drill,” which he stressed couldn’t be further from the truth, despite how humorous he fi nds the thought.

“I physically leave the hat in my vehicle when I get home and will not wear it into my house,“ he said. “I have to understand that there is work and then there is family life. I am just a regular human being, a father and a husband, just like anybody else.”

Campaign behind the hat

Courtesy graphic

Friday • 6 p.m. Spectre (PG-13)Saturday • Noon Studio Appreciation Advance Screening – Free Admission – Rated R*. Tickets available at your local Exchange Food Court. Seating open to non-ticket holders 30 minutes prior to showtime. • 3 p.m. Spectre (PG-13)

• 6 p.m. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (PG-13)Sunday • Noon Krampus (PG-13)

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Thursday • 4 p.m. Krampus (PG-13)

Movie Line: 671-3985 or View schedules at:https://www.shopmyexchange.com/reel-time-theatres/

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

FRIDAY Program NoteLocate the Day of the Week and Date and Read across for specifi c show times.We have one movie screen, one movie per show time. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each show time.

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 5

account can request one by following the instructions at http://www.retirees.af.mil.

inter-service physician assistant commissioning program application window open

Eligible Airmen interested in biomedical sciences education or commissioning opportunities can now apply for Inter-service Physician Assistant Program. Applicants should be U.S. citizens, meet the minimum commissioning age requirements, meet fitness standards and be medically qualified for worldwide duty.

Inter-service Physician Assistant Program application packages must include worksheets, transcripts and SAT reports, which must be emailed to the AFPC Biomedical Sciences Corps Utilization and Education Branch by Jan. 25, 2016. For field requirements and application procedures go to the Air Force Medical Service Knowledge Exchange page at https://kx.afms.mil/afbsceducation. For more information, go to https://mypers.af.mil/. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following the instructions at http://www.retirees.af.mil/mypers/index.asp.

NEWS IN BRIEF from Page 3

By Shannon Carabajal59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

The Air Force’s largest medical wing just got larger with its latest addition - the 59th Training Group. The 59th Medi-cal Wing took command of its seventh group during an activation ceremony held Jan. 4 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

The new unit joins a consortium of Air Force health care professionals and educators dedicated to the training and medical readiness of warrior medics worldwide.

“Training is the bedrock that supports

the USAF’s medical capability and the 59th Training Group has a long history of training the world’s finest warrior medics. Consequently, the 59th Medical Wing is honored to add the proud and dedicated Airmen of the 59th Training Group to our team,” said 59th MDW Commander Maj. Gen. Bart Iddins, who presided over the event.

Formerly, the 937th TRG part of the 37th Training Wing at JBSA- Lackland, the new 59th TRG continues to develop, deliver and evaluate medi-cal training for 75 medical treatment

59th Training Group activates, joining largest medical wing

See ACTIVATION Page 12

Photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin IinumaMaj. Gen. Bart Iddins, 59th Medical Wing commander, gives command of the 59th Training Group to Col. Steven Caberto during an activation ceremony Jan. 4 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. The 59th TRG supports military medical service and medical readiness training at the Medical Education and Training Campus for 12,100 students annually and at two operating locations, one detachment and 17 sites around the world.

PAGE 6 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Mindy Bloem149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. James Hecker, 19th Air Force com-mander, visited Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Dec. 10, 2015, to observe the people and progress of the 149th Fighter Wing.

The 149th FW was number 17 of 19 visits on the general’s schedule before the close of the year.

During his visit, Hecker held an all call where he addressed the members of the wing and praised them for the work they’re doing to support the F-16 mission.

“We couldn’t produce the number of fi ghter pilots we produce without you,” Hecker said. He recognized the diversity and varied skills that Air National Guard members bring to the fi ght, but also challenged them on suicide prevention.

Suicides in the Total Force, including civilians, climbed from 85 in 2014 to 105 in 2015.

“The best leadership advice I’ve ever gotten is to treat them like your son or daughter ... or like your brother or sister,” Hecker said. He explained that by treating people in this way, you’ll always have someone’s best interest at heart, especially in regards to correction, thereby fostering a more

respectful and understanding work climate.The 19th Air Force commander also didn’t shy

away from other real issues facing the force today, namely, sexual assault, substance abuse and child predators.

“The people who do this won’t listen to what I’m saying, but I’m talking to the 99.9 percent of people who don’t do this,” Hecker said. “If you witness this, have the moral courage to step in and do something about it because it’s cancer to our Air Force.”

After Hecker’s presentation, wing members had the opportunity to ask questions that ranged from transgender issues to the recent terrorist attacks.

Hecker’s advice on the latter was to stay espe-cially alert to your surroundings.

“What we can’t do is let them win,” he said. “If we hide away in our house and never go out, we let them win. Be vigilant. Don’t be scared, but just know your surroundings. Be your own guard for you and your family.”

The general concluded saying that the airmen he visits regularly are among the fi nest, and the active duty force recognize the Guardsmen’s su-perior performance out in the fi eld and the skills they bring to the table.

19th Air Force commandervisits Joint Base San Antonio

Maj. Gen. James Hecker, 19th Air Force commander, listens to the 149th Fighter Wing munitions fl ight chief, talk about location limitations during his visit Dec. 10 to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The general took time to stop by several base units and listen to various members brief the commander about their work section.

To advertise in the Talespinner, call 250-2440 for classifi eds

or contact Michelle Bogue at 250-2052 for retail ads

One of the best things about ICE is that people can let service providers know when they do a great job, not just for poor service.It takes fi ve minutes or less to submit a comment at http://ice.disa.mil.

The 2016 JBSA-Lackland African American Heritage Committee will host a service to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Freedom Chapel, 2200 Treumper Street from noon to 1 p.m. The service will include a reading of the “I Have A Dream” speech by Dr. Scott. Bradley. Guest speaker will be Chaplain Capt. Lamar Reece, 502 ABW, and music will be provided by Venture Carter. For more information, call 671-3956 or 671-0916.

WednesdayAnnual Martin Luther King Jr. Program

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 7

INTEGRATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN AIR FORCE ISR AND CYBER

Staff Sgt. Destinee Avila of the 383th Training Squadron was STEP promoted to technical sergeant during a surprise ceremony December 23, 2015 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, by Brig. Gen. Trent Edwards, 37th. Training Wing commander and Chief Master Sgt. Sharon Fuller, 37th TRW command chief.

STRIPES FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE

Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle(left), commander of Air Combat Command, and Gen. John Hyten (center), com-mander of Air Force Space Command, met Dec. 21 with Maj. Gen. Bradford Shwedo (right), 25th Air Force com-mander, and Maj. Gen. Ed Wilson, 24th Air Force com-mander, to discuss the con-tinued integration and col-laboration between Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and cyber.Photo by William Belcher

PAGE 8 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016

Military Ambassadors chosen for 2016

Military ambassadors from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard will represent their respective services at San Antonio-area community events, includ-ing nearly 150 activities associated with Fiesta San Antonio. They also participate in parades and visit local schools, nursing homes and retire-ment facilities throughout the year.

Army Staff Sgt. Jacquelyn M. Jones and Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Richardson

Staff Sgt. Jacquelyn M. Jones, from Jacksonville, N.C., is assigned as the 5th Brigade Army Music Recruiting Liaison with the 5th Recruiting Brigade. She proctors auditions, conducts Army music outreach and awareness tours and presentations at high schools, universities and music conventions in the Central and Southwest United States for the U.S. Army Music Program.

Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Richardson, from Halifax County, Va., is the opera-tions NCO for the 412th Contracting Support Brigade. He directly supports 65 Soldiers and 234 Department of the Army civilians and is the primary liaison between the brigade S3 to one battalion, six contingency contracting teams and six contracting centers.

Marine Sgts. Dawn P. Casiano and Thiago M. Alves

Sgt. Dawn P. Casiano, from Princeton, Texas, is assigned to the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion as a supply administrative and logistics NCO. Her responsibilities include ensuring all supply administrative operations are ac-complished to meet all procurement needs for fi ve outlying companies within the battalion.

Sgt. Thiago M. Alves, from Recife, Brazil, is assigned to the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. His current job and responsibilities include being a personnel clerk, where he is responsible for pay, travel entitlements and admin-istrative issues. He is responsible for training Marines for honor guard duty and acts as a Sergeant of Marines, responsible for the professional development of all junior Marines.

Navy Petty Offi cers 1st Class Kadia Griffi n and Kalvin Wilburn

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Kadia Griffi n, from Hollywood, Fla., is a Navy dental assistant program leading petty offi cer and instructor at the Navy Medicine Education and Training Command at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. She is responsible for leading the daily operations of and providing instructional hours to students for the Navy Dental Assistant Program.

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Kalvin Wilburn, from Killeen, Texas, is assigned to the Navy Information Operations Command Texas at JBSA-Lackland, where he is an administration department leading petty offi cer, guiding a team of 12 junior personnel in processing the administrative and pay and personnel requirements for more than 600 command personnel.

Air Force Tech. Sgts. Jacqueline I. Crow and Steven Nowicki

Tech. Sgt. Jacqueline I. Crow from San Antonio is the intelligence NCO in charge at the 149th Fighter Wing’s Operations Support Squadron. She ensures the intelligence team maintains the capability to provide timely and accurate operational support and fully trained personnel. Crow also develops scenarios for unit training missions and creates threat of the day briefs and mission planning studies for peacetime.

Tech. Sgt. Steven Nowicki is assigned to the 341st Training Squadron at JBSA-Lackland where he is the team chief for the military working dog handler course. Nowicki guides the instructor team that provides formal training in basic MWD principles.

Coast Guard Petty Offi cers 1st Class Betsy L. Harrell and Marco Rivera

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Betsy L. Harrell, from Lenoir, N.C., is assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Recruiting Offi ce San Antonio. She is responsible for processing qualifi ed applicants into the U.S. Coast Guard.

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Marco Rivera from Houston is assigned to the Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit Texas at the Texas Cryptologic Center at JBSA-Lackland. He is an intelligence specialist, performing a wide range of duties associated with the collection, analysis, processing, and dissemination of intelligence in support of Coast Guard operations.

Courtesy photos

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 9

By Benjamin Faske433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Three members from the 433rd Airlift Wing’s Maintenance Squadron took part in an annual fuel extraction exercise Dec. 17, 2015.

Airmen are graded on extraction protocol, execution time, and safety. The scenario begins when a bull horn simulates an Airman has been rendered incapacitated due to jet fuel inhalation while inside the wing of C-5A Galaxy aircraft.

Once the alarm is sounded, a call is immediately placed to the dispatch office of the 502nd Air Base Wing emergency services. As the call goes out, the remaining two Airmen begin the extraction.

Senior Airman Joseph Hargrave, 433rd MXS aircraft fuel systems technician, is hoisted through

a small hole beneath the aircraft’s wing. Once in-side, Hargrave makes contact with the downed Airman – a manikin.

“Using an actual person is not realistic because they will help themselves out of the tank, so it’s not actually dead weight,” said Tech. Sgt. Jason Rachwitz, 433rd MXS aircraft fuel systems techni-cian. “It’s totally different with a dummy because we have to actually maneuver the body around to get it out.”

Waiting beneath the wing is Senior Airmen Eric Garcia, 433rd MXS aircraft fuel systems techni-cian. It is his job to take hold of the patient and secure him to the gurney. Once the patient is se-cured, both Airmen bring the awaiting hydraulic scissor lift down to the ground to a waiting Rach-witz. From there, Garcia and Rachwitz carry the

litter outside the hanger door to wait for emer-gency services to arrive.

The Airmen completed the exercise in a re-cord time of 3 minutes and 15 seconds. In a real-world scenario, every second counts. All aircraft maintenance personnel are trained to provide CPR and other basic life saving techniques.

“The importance of this training is life and death; people don’t realize how dangerous this job can be,” said Master Sgt. Sandra Flores, 433rd MXS aircraft fuel systems technician. “If somebody hap-pens to go down in one of these tanks, we are the first responders for each other, so there is a lot of training involved. We do this training because we want our people to become proficient and know what to do in a real-world situation.”

Alamo Wing conducts fuel extraction exercise

Senior Airman Eric Garcia, 433rd Maintenance Squadron aircraft fuel systems technician, removes a manikin from the wing of a C-5A Galaxy aircraft during a fuel extraction exercise Dec. 17 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The annual exercise is graded for extraction protocol, execution time, and safety.

Photos by Benjamin FaskeSenior Airmen Eric Garcia and Joseph Hargrave, 433rd Maintenance Squadron aircraft fuel systems technicians, secure a manikin to a gurney before transporting it to the hydraulic scissor lift Dec. 17 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The Airmen completed the exercise in a record time of 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

PAGE 10 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016

Courtesy photoApproximately 100 Airmen assigned to the 737th Training Group participated in the opening ceremony for the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio by holding the U.S. fl ag during the National Anthem. The Airmen who were participants graduated from basic military training that day.

Photo by Benjamin FaskeSenior Airman Ryan Spray, 433rd Aircraft Maientenance Squadron aircraft electrical and environmental specialist, takes appart an instrument pannel on a C-5 Galaxy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Photo by Airman 1st Class Justine RhoMilitary members assigned to the 802nd Security Forces Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland render a fi -nal salute in honor of Military Working Dog Daysi at the Holland MWD Hospital. Due to an aggressive cancer and an inoperable malignant tumor, MWD Daysi was euthanized that afternoon. As tradition, a police procession is followed by a fi nal salute to MWDs prior to euthanasia.

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

Photo by Joel Martinez

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 11

Photo by Senior Airman Lynsie NicholsAir Force basic military trainees from the 737th Training Group and Bugle Corps play a selection during the Air Force at the Alamo event during Fiesta in San Antonio.

Photo by Johnny SaldivarTech Sgt. Jarmaine Thomas, 331st Training Squadron military training instructor, marches a new flight of Air-men to inprocessing appointments during their first day of basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland.

Photo by Benjamin FaskeTech. Sgt. Raymond Rasing and Staff Sgt. Stephen Souer, 737th Training Support Squadron independent duty medical technicians, along with AirLIFE medical personnel, load Tech. Sgt. Michael Gibson onto an await-ing helicopter during the AirLIFE training exercise at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Photo by Benjamin FaskeIAAFA students conduct a simulated hostage rescue as part of the aircraft interdiction course at JBSA- Lackland-Lackland.

Photo by Johnny SaldivarRambler 120 competitors race down a hill of the 22-mile bike race portion of the annual competition at the Joint Base San Antonio Recreation Park at Canyon Lake.

Photo by Senior Airman Keith JamesU.S. Air Force Airmen applaud Special Tactics Airmen as they ruck on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The march covers over 812 miles before ending at Hurlburt Field, Fla., in memory of fallen comrades since Sept. 11, 2001. Each Airman carries a 50-pound ruck to bring awareness to the service and sacrifice of Special Tactics members.

Photo by Airman 1st Class Stormy ArcherAn A6M3 Zero flies over the crowd at the Joint Base San Antonio Air Show and Open House during Tora! Tora! Tora! Friday at JBSA-Randolph. Tora! Tora! Tora! is a re-enact-ment of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.

Photo by Johnny SaldivarSecond Lt. Christina A. Muncey, U.S. Air Force Band of the West flight commander and associate con-ductor, conducts members of the USAF Band of the West during the Holiday in Blue concert at the Edgewood Independent School District Theatre for the Performing Arts in San Antonio.

Photos by Johnny SaldivarBrig. Gen. Trent H. Edwards (left), 37th Training Wing com-mander, passes the guidon to Col. William Fischer as Chief Master Sgt. Richard Sutherland 737th TRG superinten-dent, looks on during the 737th TRG change of command ceremony on the Basic Military Training parade grounds at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

APRIL MAY JUNE

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Photo by Airman 1st Class Stormy ArcherAn A6M3 Zero flies over the crowd at the Joint Base San Antonio Air Show and Open House during Tora! Tora! Tora! at JBSA-Randolph. Tora! Tora! Tora! is a re-enactment of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.

PAGE 12 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016

ACTIVATION from Page 5

facilities and deployment operations worldwide.

Located on JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, the group supports mili-tary medical service and medical readiness training at the Medical Education and Training Campus for 12,100 students annually, and at two operating locations, one detachment and 17 sites around the world. The staff also manages 125 acres at the Medical Readiness Training Center located on Camp Bullis in San Antonio.

Its partnership with METC affords training for the five uniformed ser-vices and international students. The group awards 24 Air Force specialty codes and 93,037 Community College of the Air Force credit hours annu-ally while maintaining 14 national accreditations.

“We’re excited to join the 59th Medical Wing and become a part of its great mission,” said 59th TRG commander Col. Steven Caberto. “Aligning under the 59th gives us the opportunity to consolidate Air Force medical education and training pro-grams under one command.

“It makes perfect sense. We expect to achieve efficiencies, improve train-ing and reduce redundancies by shar-ing information across the medical education and training enterprise,” Caberto said.

Activating the 59th TRG grows the wing to 7,000 military, civilian and contract personnel and reinforces its status as the Air Force’s premier health care, medical education and research, and readiness wing.

The 59th TRG is absorbing a mis-sion that traces its roots to the in-fancy of aerospace medicine in 1917 outside Mineola, N.Y. The chief Sur-geon of the Army’s aviation section, under direction from the U.S. War Department, established a training lab for flight surgeons that officially be-came the School of Aviation Medicine in 1922. The school moved to Brooks Field, Texas, in 1926.

After the establishment of the U.S. Air Force as an independent service in September 1947, the service unit-ed many medical training courses at Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. In 1966, the group’s medical training and readiness mission moved to Sheppard Air Force Base where it remained until moving to JBSA-Fort Sam Houston in 2011.

For more information, visit http://www.59mdw.af.mil.

Photos by Staff Sgt. Michael EllisTech. Sgt. Christy Nixon, NCO in charge of the Air Force Dental Assistant training program at the Medical Education and Training Campus on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, instructs students how to properly give an oral examination Dec. 17. Formerly part of the 37th Training Wing, Air Force medical service and medical readiness training programs are now with the 59th Medical Wing’s newest unit – the 59th Training Group.

Air Force students carry a training mannequin during a Dec. 17 expeditionary medical support system exercise at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis. The exercise tests a student’s ability to quickly respond to an emergency by providing care and evacu-ating casualties in a simulated deployed environment. Technical training students are assigned one of four squadrons in the 59th Training Group. The unit’s partner-ship with the Medical Education and Training Campus on JBSA-Fort Sam Houston affords training for members of the five uniformed services and international students. The 59th TRG manages 125 acres at the Medical Readiness Training Center on JBSA- Camp Bullis.

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 13

By Tech. Sgt. Christopher Carwile59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

Going diving at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center is helping wounded warriors, diabetics and can-cer patients recover more quickly from their ailments.

But the dives are not quite what peo-ple might picture. There is no plunging into deep waters.

Instead, members of the 59th Medical Specialties Squadron’s Hyperbaric Medicine Flight use two hyperbaric chambers to treat patients. The treat-ments are called dives because the chamber increases environmental pressure, much like diving in water.

Although the flight’s official mission is treating aviation decompression sickness, the flight treats patients with a variety of ailments–mostly retirees, Veterans Affairs patients and depen-dents of retired military members, said Col. Michael Richards, Hyperbaric Medicine Flight commander.

“The decrease in altitude chamber use has cut down on the number of al-titude related decompression sickness cases that we have treated,” Richards explained.

One of two in the Air Force, the facility is the only one in South Texas operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The flight operates two cham-bers, a mono-place chamber for treat-ing individual patients and a multi-place chamber capable of treating up to six patients at once.

Decompression sickness is only one of many reasons to treat patients in a chamber. Treatable conditions include crush injuries, bone infections, sudden hearing or vision loss and some types of soft tissue infections.

Doctors tailor treatment plans to each patient’s specific needs. Ninety percent of patients seen at the facil-ity are being treated for diabetic foot and lower extremity wounds or dam-age caused by radiation therapy.

Foot wounds become problematic for diabetic patients because they can lose sensation in their feet, unknowing-ly making wounds worse. Additionally, radiation therapy designed to elimi-nate unhealthy cells and tissue in cancer patients can damage healthy tissue and bone as well.

“Using the hyperbaric chamber to treat suitable illnesses and injuries allows us to provide patients with a 100 percent oxygen environment at a higher pressure. With higher pressure, we can deliver more oxygen, increas-ing oxygenation of the blood and capil-lary bed density. This results in faster healing,” Richards said.

The flight typically carries a small patient load, five or six at any given

time, and treats each patient for about 30 consecutive sessions. Each session lasts around 90 minutes, although decompression sickness treatments can take five to six hours.

As few as 10 sessions in the cham-ber can help wounded warriors re-cover from their injuries more quickly and move on to the rehabilitation stage sooner because patients “with amputa-tions are not able to be fitted for pros-thesis until they heal,” said Richards.

The hyperbaric medicine flight is also a significant part of Air Force pararescue training.

“We provide the dive qualification test for pararescue students before they are allowed to move on to dive school,” said Master Sgt. Sandra Diaz,

59th HMF chief.Students are required to show that

they can safely reach a depth of 60 feet before they can proceed to dive school training, Diaz said.

“We have very few failures, and are usually able to teach them how to get to depth without injury,” he added.

The facility will temporarily move to San Antonio’s Southwest General Hospital in March while a new home is being built at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Currently under construction, the facility will be located adjacent to the San Antonio Military Medical Center. It is slated for comple-tion in August.

Once the move is complete, the flight will be able to offer inpatient capabili-ties not currently available. For more information about the hyperbaric medicine flight, call 292-3483.

‘Diving’ promotes healing in 59th MDW’s hyperbaric chamber

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Christopher CarwileCol. Michael Richards (left), 59th Hyperbaric Medicine Flight commander, observes as Staff Sgt. Sherri Jones, 59th HMF hyperbaric medical technician, demonstrates the con-trols of the mono-place hyperbaric chamber Nov. 18 at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgi-cal Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Treatments in the chamber help wounded warriors, diabetics and cancer patients recover more quickly from their ailments.

Col. Michael Richards (right) and Staff Sgt. Maribel Cortez, 59th Hyperbaric Medicine Flight, communicate with patients under-going treatment in the multi-place hyper-baric chamber Nov. 18 at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Patients are closely mon-itored during each dive by technicians and doctors, both inside and out of the cham-ber, to ensure patient safety at all times. Richards is the flight commander and Cortez is a hyperbaric medical technician.

For current, automated information during a natural disaster, crisis or emergency, call your local Straight Talk line.

•JBSA-Fort Sam Houston: 466-4630•JBSA-Lackland: 671-6397 •JBSA-Randolph: 652-7469

Straight Talk Line

JBSA Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

JBSA SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE • 808-SARC (7272)DOD SAFE HELPLINE • (877) 995-5247

JBSA CRISIS HOTLINE • 367-1213JBSA DUTY CHAPLAIN • 365-6420

PAGE 14 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016 community

Air Force Aid Society 671-3722Airman & Family Readiness Center 671-3722Airman’s Attic 671-1780American Red Cross 844-4225Base Post Offi ce 671-1058Bowling Center 671-2271DEERS 800-538-9552Exceptional Family Member Program 671-3722Family Child Care 671-3376Legal Offi ce 671-3362Library 671-3610Medical Appointment Line 916-9900MPF ID Cards 671-6006Outdoor Recreation 925-5532TRICARE Info 800-444-5445Thrift Shop 671-3608

Enlisted Spouses’ Club http://www.lacklandesc.orgForce Support Squadron http://www.lacklandfss.comLackland ISD http://www.lacklandisd.netOffi cers’ Spouses’ Club http://www.lacklandosc.orgJBSA Public website http://www.jbsa.milMy Air Force Life http://www.MyAirForceLife.com

JBSA-LACKLAND KEY FAMILY SUPPORT RESOURCES CHAPEL SERVICES

For more details, contact Freedom Chapel - 671-4208 • Gateway Chapel - 671-2911

—PROTESTANT WORSHIP SERVICESFreedom Chapel – Building 1528Contemporary Service Sun. 9:30 a.m.

Religious Education Sun. 11:00 a.m.

Gospel Service Sun. 12:30 p.m.

Spanish Service Sun. 3:00 p.m.

LITURGICAL SERVICEAirman Memorial Chapel – Building 5432 Sun. 8:00 a.m

CHURCH OF CHRISTNew BMT Reception Center – Building 6330 Sun. 7:30 a.m. (Rm. 175)

SEVENTH - DAY ADVENTISTGateway Chapel – Building 6300 Sat. 12:30 p.m.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCENew BMT Reception Center – Building 6330 Sun. 7:30 a.m. (Rm. 112)

—ORTHODOX CHRISTIANAirmen Memorial Chapel – Building 5432 Sun. 9:30 a.m.

—WICCANew BMT Reception Center – Building 6330Sun. 9:00 – 11:00 (Auditorium)

Freedom Chapel – Building 1528Wicca Open Circle 1st Tues. 6 – 7 p.m.

—REFUGE STUDENT CENTERBuilding 9122 (Tech Training & TDY Students) Wednesday 6 – 8 p.m.

Thursday 6 – 8 p.m.

Friday 6 – 11 p.m.

Saturday 12 – 9 p.m.

Sunday 11 – 5 p.m.

—JEWISHAirmen Memorial Chapel – Building 5432Sabbath & Kiddush Fri. 4:30 p.m.

Religious Education Sun. 1:30 p.m.

—ROMAN CATHOLICFreedom Chapel – Building 1528Religious Education Sun. 9:00 a.m.

Mass Sat. 5:00 p.m. Sun. 11:00 a.m.

Reconciliation Sat. 4:00 – 4:45 p.m.

Daily Mass Mon., Tues. & Thur. 11:30 a.m.

Note: Reconciliation(s) may be scheduled by appointment

—ISLAMICGlobal Ministry Center – Building 7452Jumu'ah Prayer Fri. 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

—BUDDISTNew BMT Reception Center – Building 6330 Sun. 10 a.m. (Rm. 175)

—ECKANKAR Gateway Chapel – Building 6300 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays 12:30 p.m.

—BAHA'IGateway Chapel – Building 6300 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sun. 11:00 a.m.

—THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTSGateway Chapel – Building 6300Religious Education Tues. 6:30 p.m.

LDS Institute Thurs. 6:30 p.m.

LDS Service Sun. 1:00 p.m.

SATURDAYBag sale

The Lackland Thrift Shop will have a $5 bag sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Regular hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the One Stop building. For additional information, call 671-3608.

WEDNESDAYthe enlisted character development series chapter 1, part 2: courage

Cory Etchberger, son of Medal of Honor recipient Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger, will share how his father’s character contributed to his courage.

The objective of the seminar is to promote character development through an individual’s stages of awareness, maturity, growth and understanding of their mental, ethi-cal and moral qualities and their alignment with universal, institutional and organizational expectations.

The luncheon will be at the Pfi ngston Reception Center at JBSA-Lackland from noon to 4 p.m.

TUESDAY how to Buy a house

Patrons review requirements and learn about available resources to assist with purchasing a house 11:30 a.m. to noon. This workshop is hosted by the Better Business Bureau and held at the Wilford Hall Annex, building 4600. For more information, call (210)671-3722.

WEDNESDAYinvesting for your future

Debunk the common myths associated with investing and learn how to begin investing for retirement while on a budget from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Air Force Federal Credit Union is hosting this work-shop at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center Annex, bldg. 4600. For more information, call 671-3722.

THURSDAYany BaBy can’s case management

Patrons review available ser-vices provided by Any Baby Can, a provider of the Texas Department of State Health Services, Children with Special Health Care Needs Program, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Military & Family Readiness Center. Services are open to children,

newborn through 17 years of age, with a chronic illness, disability, developmental delay or health risk and that reside in either Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Medina, Real, Uvalde or Wilson County. Call 671-3722.

JAN. 15Single parent support group

A brown bag forum for single parents to connect with one another and share helpful resources and ways to overcome challenges is slated from, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This support group meets in Bldg. 4600. Call 292-3543.

JAN. 20resume writing techniQues

Patrons will learn which resume formats to use when writing a non-Federal resume, Jan. 20, 8-10 a.m. at the Military & Family Readiness Center. Call 671-3722.

interview with confidence Review ways to engage employers

by creating a great fi rst impression through appropriate attire and a clear knowledge of shared interest

and values Jan. 20, 10 a.m. to noon at the Military & Family Readiness Center. Call 671-3722.

dress for success Learn what, when, where, and

how to wear the right attire when networking or interviewing Jan. 20, 1-1:30 p.m. at the Military & Family Readiness Center. For more informa-tion, call 671-3722.

opm federal application process

Review the Federal employment process and careers offered within the Federal government Jan 20, 1:30-4:40 p.m. at the Military & Family Readiness Center. For more information, call 671-3722.

JAN. 26hearts are linKed

Military spouses are invited to attend the quarterly spouse orienta-tion, Heart Link, at the JBSA-Lackland Military & Family Readiness Center from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Receive information about resources, programs located on JBSA and the surrounding area, military customs, courtesies, ranks, acronyms and more. For more information, call 671-3722.

JAN. 28seminar focuses on adoption and foster care

The JBSA-Lackland Military & Family Readiness Center is hosting an adoption and foster care seminar 9 a.m. to noon. Attendees learn how to get started in adopting a child or becoming a foster parent and discover what is required. Topics include process length, Texas laws and cost, terms and benefi ts, De-fense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System and more. This seminar is facilitated in part by M&FRC, Texas Adoption Resource Exchange and the Department of Family and Protective Services. Call 671-3722.

INFORMATIONALwinter jacKets are donated

The JBSA Libraries’ Winter Jacket Drive ends Jan. 15. Donate jackets to help children and families secure winter gear and stay warm. Donation drop boxes are at each JBSA Library. All donations go to families in need around the San Antonio area. For information, call the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Keith. A. Campbell Memorial Library at 221-4702, JBSA-Lackland Library at 671-2678 and the JBSA-Randolph Library at 652-5578.

LOCAL BRIEFS

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 15

Congratulations to the 72 Airmen selected as honor graduates among the 723 Air Force basic military trainees who graduated Dec. 24:

320th Training Squadron–Flight 042Timothy Fletcher Shun Ganas Michael Hindsman Mark Hostetler Jr.Flight 043Albert Fontenot IV Dominick Partlow Douglas Quirie III

321st Training Squadron–Flight 053Tiheeb Carrington Jacob Fravel Julian Hamner John Kennedy Mathew Lauer–Flight 054Pete Ancheta John Campbell Gregory Cavalier Angel Coronado William Davis

Talon Green Dakota Hopson Ryan Kerby Kongphop Krataikaew III Ortiz –Flight 055Duane Jongeling Daniel Laughlin Jonah Perrine Daven Shah–Flight 056Heather Holgate Angeira Linebaugh Courtney Wagner

322nd Training Squadron–Flight 049Thomas Kappenmacher Chen Liang Xavian Mendez Francisco Menna Will Solomon Spencer Wiesner–Flight 050Julian Kemper Rhett Long Christopher Valencia–Flight 051Nehemiah Bryant Mitchel Evans

Antheus Hebert Wesley Henderson Alexander Lawson John Neff Logan Obrien Mark Releford Ethan Rentz–Flight 052Alicia Boothe Brittany Clark Kasandra Hershberger Chazzney Mills Breanna Powell Sherry Rhoden Emma Sawmiller Tarra Stott Lauren Williams

323rd Training Squadron–Flight 045Jesse Acevedo Tyler Holmlund Kyle Lake Christian Potts Juan Roncallo–Flight 046Taylor Dunn James Pack James Peters Braxton Quinlan

Desmond Washington–Flight 047Dalton Booth Erick Juarez Johnathen Zimmer–Flight 048Rebecca Glogowski Lyssa Hill Sydney Miller

Top BMT Airman Jacob Fravel 321st TRS, Flight 053

Most Physically Fit–Female AirmenBillie Moore 323rd TRS, Flight 032 Jessica Fanty 320th TRS, Flight 028 Ashley Weidenbach 320th TRS, Flight 028 –Male AirmenMichael Stocker 320th TRS, Flight 025 Richard Newman 320th TRS, Flight 027 Landon Moore 322nd TRS, Flight 035 Angelo Deprimo

320th TRS, Flight 026 –Female Flights322nd TRS, Flight 034 321st TRS, Flight 040 320th TRS, Flight 028 323rd TRS, Flight 032–Male Flights320th TRS, Flight 027 320th TRS, Flight 025 320th TRS, Flight 026 321st TRS, Flight 037322nd TRS, Flight 035

Top Academic Flights320th TRS, Flight 027 320th TRS, Flight 026 323rd TRS, Flight 029 320th TRS, Flight 025 321st TRS, Flight 039 322nd TRS, Flight 036 323rd TRS, Flight 030 322nd TRS, Flight 035 321st TRS, Flight 037 323rd TRS, Flight 031 322nd TRS, Flight 033 321st TRS, Flight 040 323rd TRS, Flight 032 322nd TRS, Flight 034 320th TRS, Flight 028 321st TRS, Flight 038

Congratulations to the 52 Airmen selected as honor graduates among the 525 Air Force basic military trainees who graduated Dec. 31:

321st Training Squadron–Flight 065Nathaniel Asato Andrew Coward Andrew Dixon Michael Eubanks Jonathan Golden Paul Kuper Tai Seay –Flight 066Zachary Brouillard Jacob Guy Justin Mccartney Christian Sharpe Ian Simms Adrian Velazquez Ronald Zemke –Flight 067Kenneth Berry

John Lindeman Tyler Ozehowski Edward Woolridge –Flight 068Ashley Gutierrez In De Betouw Van Der Voort Gwendolyn Watkins

323rd Training Squadron–Flight 062Johnathan Barker William Gibson Mark Havener Brendan Hurst –Flight 063Michael Coppola Estevan Dibene Nicholas Zavodny –Flight 064Annelise Bertleson Kalli Knutelski

331st Training Squadron–Flight 057Cameron Allen

Chun Ko James Oldham Darrian Sommers Zachary Stevenson Andrew Tarnutzer Vladyslav Yakobchuk –Flight 058James Doyle Austin Garlotte Robert Gwinner Michael Hauck Tyler Herlihy Kyle Rohlfs –Flight 059Mitchell Belch Jacob Mills Willie Peterson Cody Stratton –Flight 060Kasey Auerbach Jennifer Colone Katrina Guerra Lauren Minyard Amber Wester

Top BMT Airman Amber Wester 331st TRS, Flight 060

Most Physically Fit–Female AirmenLindsey McKee 331st TRS, Flight 060Jennifer Colone 331st TRS, Flight 060Tiffany Ganiere 331st TRS, Flight 060Annelise Bertleson 323rd TRS, Flight 064–Male AirmenChristian Northway 331st TRS, Flight 057 Brandan Adams 331st TRS, Flight 058Andrew Coward 321st TRS, Flight 065 Cameron Allen 331st TRS, Flight 057–Female Flights331st TRS, Flight 060

321st TRS, Flight 068323rd TRS, Flight 064–Male Flights321st TRS, Flight 066 331st TRS, Flight 059331st TRS, Flight 058331st TRS, Flight 057 321st TRS, Flight 067 321st TRS, Flight 065323rd TRS, Flight 063323rd TRS, Flight 062 323rd TRS, Flight 061

Top Academic Flights321st TRS, Flight 066 331st TRS, Flight 057323rd TRS, Flight 063323rd TRS, Flight 062321st TRS, Flight 065 331st TRS, Flight 058 323rd TRS, Flight 061331st TRS, Flight 060331st TRS, Flight 059321st TRS, Flight 067 321st TRS, Flight 068

PAGE 16 TALESPINNER JANUARY 8, 2016

Congratulations to the fol-lowing 65 Airmen for being selected as honor graduates among the 654 Air Force basic military trainees who graduate today:

320th Training Squadron–Flight 069Cole Durand Josue Moreno Cory Shoemaker Ronald Wallwork–Flight 070Nicholas Barrow Mitchell Halbleib Joshua Mcneill Fernando Muniz Sebastian Muse Samuel Nawrocki Logan Pilawski Darren Tobyansen–Flight 071Colten Blackwood Timothy Jennings Thomas Linden Nathaniel Myers

Jesse Peart Joshua Pravel–Flight 072Gabrielle Anderson Emily Baird

321st Training Squadron–Flight 081Kyle Aldrich Christian Beserra Arvin Buenrostro Grant Hoffman Adrian Patting Glen Simmons Christian Trocke Zachary Tumas–Flight 083Nicholas Barnett Hunter MaggardFlight 084Kenyatta Brooks Vanessa Escorpiso Alexis Fernandez

323rd Training Squadron–Flight 077Stephen Billings

Caleb Klugherz Matthew Leslie Zelalem Rey Charles Smith–Flight 078Kyle Cox Brewster Curry Leonard Espinoza III Noah Gustafson Paul Morss Savion Sweeney Martin Valencia–Flight 079Benjamin Cameron John Finn Anthony Lee Jakob PowersNoah Still–Flight 080Kelsey Hodkin Christine Myers

331st Training Squadron–Flight 073Lucas Magruder Tyler Smith Trever White

–Flight 074Anthony Pacenski Saeed Said Nicholas Shields–Flight 075Jordan Petro James Williams–Flight 076Anya-Andrea Brown Amanda Krupa Kourtney Pace Kariya Reavis

Top BMT Airman Christian Beserra 321st TRS, Flight 081

Most Physically Fit–Female AirmenGabrielle Anderson 320th TRS, Flight 072 Kimberly Oneill 320th TRS, Flight 072 Hali Conner 331st TRS, Flight 076 –Male AirmenAngel Tercero

320th TRS, Flight 069 Trever White 331st TRS, Flight 073 Mitchell Halbleib 320th TRS, Flight 070 –Female Flights331st TRS, Flight 076 321st TRS, Flight 084 323rd TRS, Flight 080 –Male Flights320th TRS, Flight 070 320th TRS, Flight 069 321st TRS, Flight 081

Top Academic Flights320th TRS, Flight 069 321st TRS, Flight 083 321st TRS, Flight 082 320th TRS, Flight 071 323rd TRS, Flight 077 323rd TRS, Flight 078 320th TRS, Flight 070 321st TRS, Flight 081 331st TRS, Flight 075 331st TRS, Flight 076 331st TRS, Flight 073 331st TRS, Flight 074

By Shannon Carabajal59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

Offi cials with the 59th Medical Wing are encourag-ing eligible patients to give TRICARE Online another look and take advantage of recent upgrades aimed at improving the user experience.

TOL, the Department of Defense’s online patient-fo-cused portal, gives benefi ciaries secure, anytime access to health care information and services. The portal is open to TRICARE patients, at least 18 years old, receiv-ing care at a military hospital or clinic.

“The improvements to TOL are great. It’s easier than ever for our patients to schedule appointments them-selves without having to call the appointment line. They can also easily refi ll prescriptions and access or print select medical documents, saving them a trip to the clinic,” said Maj. Joseph Popham, TRICARE Operations and Patient Administration fl ight commander with the 59th Medical Support Squadron.

The appointment-setting feature includes options for benefi ciaries to make, change and cancel appoint-ments; view future and past appointments; and set up email and text message reminders.

Family members over the age of 18 must have their own TOL account, but authorized family members - based on relationships established in the Defense En-

rollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS - can manage appointments and prescription refi lls for other family members for whom they’ve been granted access, according to the TOL website.

“An active-duty Airman can grant his spouse the ability to book and cancel appointments for the couple and their dependent children,” Popham explained.

Another feature of TOL online is called Blue Button, a tool giving benefi ciaries easy access to their medi-cal record information. Patients can review, print or

download information about medications, allergies, immunization records and lab and radiology results.

Benefi ciaries can also use the site to get refi lls on existing prescriptions for themselves and their family members, Popham said.

“Users can request up to 10 refi lls at a time and check their status,” he explained.

For active-duty members transitioning out of the military, TOL includes a service separation page with medical information and guidance for people pre-paring to separate from active duty or the reserves. The page includes guidance on fi ling a VA disability claim, has access to the Transition Assistance Program portal, and offers steps to assist service members through the separation process.

“TOL has really improved over the past year,” Po-pham said. “We hope everybody signs up and takes a few moments to look around. The site has a lot to offer.”

The system is user-friendly and registration takes only a few minutes:

1. Go to http://www.tricareonline.com and click “Log In.”

2. Log in with a DOD Self-Service username /pass-word, DOD common access card, or DFAS myPay cre-dentials. Users without a CAC or myPay account can register for DS logon credentials by clicking “Register.”

3. Select a TOL feature to explore.

Improved TRICARE Online enhances user experience

JANUARY 8, 2016 TALESPINNER PAGE 17sports

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is the nation’s premier high school All-American game, featuring the best 90 players in a classic East vs. West match-up every January in San Antonio’s Alamodome and broadcast live on NBC.

Last year’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl marked the 15th anniversary of the game and drew a crowd of 35,687. This year’s game takes place at noon Saturday, broadcast live nationally on NBC and live across the world to service members deployed overseas.

Each year, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl provides a glimpse into the future of college and pro football. The history and tradition of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is highlighted by Heisman Trophy win-ners and NFL MVPs.

A total of 299 U.S. Army All- Americans have been selected in the NFL Draft. The Bowl has consistently featured the nation’s most elite foot-ball players, providing a launching pad for college and NFL stars such as Andrew Luck (2008), Odell Beckham Jr. (2011), Jamaal Charles (2005), Patrick Peterson (2008), Ezekiel Elliott (2013) and hundreds more.

Joining the players in being hon-ored as Army All-Americans and performing in the Alamodome will be the U.S. Army All-American March-ing Band, comprised of 125 of the nation’s finest young musicians who perform during halftime.

The All-American Bowl excitement gets started every fall when each U.S. Army All-American player and marching band member is honored during a pep rally at their school in front of army representatives, class-mates, teammates, family members, school administrators and media. The U.S. Army All-American Selection Tour touches more than 1.5 million students, athletes, coaches and fami-lies throughout the 10-week tour.

Selection as a U.S. Army All- American is an important and pres-tigious honor for these athletes and musicians. Only the strongest are chosen to wear the Army colors, and these young men and women truly embody the characteristics of the Army Strong Soldier – demonstrat-ing strength through loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, in-tegrity, and personal courage on a daily basis.

Activities throughout Bowl Week help connect these All-American athletes and musicians with Army Soldier Heroes from around the coun-try and provide better understanding of what it takes and what it means to be an Army Strong Soldier and an All-American.

San Antonio residents can cheer for local product Mark Jackson Jr. of Byron P. Steele II High School in Cibolo, as he has been selected to join an

elite group of All-Americans for the 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

The 6-foot, 226-pound defensive lineman is described as a defender with quick feet and a high motor. He works hard to make a play, even if it is away from his side of the field. Jackson anchors the edge with regu-larity and he can fire off the snap with a quick first step to disrupt plays before they begin. His speed and athleticism present major troubles for offensive tackles.

“Mark has demonstrated versa-tility and adaptability both on and off the football field,” said Mark S. Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for marketing. “It is these skills – skills we instill in every Army soldier – that have guided our selec-tion of all of the 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl players. We are pleased to welcome these talented athletes to this year’s elite team and we congratulate each of them on their selection.”

Jackson Jr. was selected by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selec-tion Committee, which consists of All American Games, 247Sports and XOS Digital. U.S. Army All-Americans are eligible for the U.S. Army Play-er of the Year Award, the Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, the American Family Insurance Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Pete Dawkins Game MVP Award and the Felix “Doc” Blanchard and Glenn Davis Awards.

As a result of Jackson being select-ed for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, his head coach, Scott Lehnhoff, is invited to attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, an elite three-day learning experience, and participate in Bowl Week activities.

Jackson has committed to attending Texas A&M University after graduation.

(Source: U.S. Army All-American Bowl)

U.S. Army All-American Bowl showcases best football players

Mark Jackson Jr., of Steele High School