Texas Air National Guard Ellington Field JRB Houston, TX April 2014 Vol 6 Issue 4

JROTC VisitWestbury High School camps out at Ellington

ASOS members earn top scores at Army Pathfinder course

Top Graduates14

7th R

econ

naiss

ance

Wing

Theexanoperational

readiness

exercise

2 April 2014

Col. Terence WinklerWing Commander

Col. James SmithVice Wing Commander

Lt. Col. Shaunte CooperExecutive Officer

Capt. Fredy ReyesPublic Affairs Officer

2nd Lt. Alicia LacyPublic Affairs Officer

Master Sgt. Sean CowherPublic Affairs Manager

Staff Sgt. David PorcellePhotojournalist

Staff Sgt. Mindy BloemBroadcast Journalist

Senior Airman Chasity LollisPhotojournalist

Senior Airman Susanna CoronelPhotojournalist

14657 Snieder StreetEllington Field Joint Reserve BaseHouston, TX, 77034-5586(281) 929-2662

www.147rw.ang.af.milwww.facebook.com/147RW147RW.PublicAffairs@ang.af.mil

This funded Air Force publication is pro-duced for members of the 147th Recon-naissance Wing at Ellington Field. Con-tents of The Texan are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, the National Guard Bu-reau, or the Texas Air National Guard. The editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Office and members of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing.

Cover:A cadet from the Westbury High School JROTC program tries on a helmet from the Air Support Operations Squadron, 147th Reconnaissance Wing during a three-day field training exercise March 20, 2014 at El-lington Field JRB. Cadets were taught the importance of physical training and how to become a wingman. Cadets were also taught facets of different career fields on base. (National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Ali-cia Lacy/Released)

Wing Commander addresses this month’s Operational Readiness

As citizen-airmen, our job is to stand ready whenever our nation or state calls. Operational Readiness Ex-ercises (OREs) test just that, our abil-ity to deploy and respond. We will go through deployment processing and a simulated deployment April 1-6, play-ing out various scenarios to assess our readiness levels and how well we’re trained on items like basic combat skills, self-aid buddy care, or response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear explosive attacks.

Every airman here plays a vital role in the mission of this wing and our ability to conduct a successful exer-cise. During this ORE, we will evalu-

ate the Wing on the ability to rapidly and accurately process airmen in a simulated deployment. In addition, we will evaluate our ability to execute flight operations, respond to simu-lated base attacks and other scenarios that can potentially occur when in a combat zone.

There are many moving pieces in this exercise, with each player en-gaging in different roles and differ-ent scenarios. For those who’ve never participated in an ORE, or even Phase II, this will seem new and different. Some of you will be evaluated in the combat skills you have learned in your military training. Others will be eval-uated on new skills such as cargo pro-cessing or post attack reconnaissance (PAR). This exercise will not only test our ability to generate people, equip-ment and aircraft for deployment, but also presents an education opportuni-ty for our veteran Airmen to mentor, train and advise newer members.

I encourage you to utilize your Air-man’s Manual (AFMAN 10-100) as it will contain all the information you need to know to succeed in this ex-ercise.

The ORE is a great learning, teach-ing, and evaluation tool. I encourage everyone to get into the role and the mindset of a real deployment and learn as much as possible.

Thank you for all your work.

Colonel Terence WinklerCommander 147RW

The 147th Reconnaissance Wing would like to congratulate Master Sgt. Joseph G. Ashwood on earning the title of 2013 Air National Guard Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the year.“I felt an overwhelming sense of grati-

tude for leadership trusting me and putting me in positions to be success-ful, my troops for working their butts off for me and to those who have men-tored me along the way,” said Ashwood.

(National Guard Photo by Master Sgt. Sean Cowher/Released)

3 april 2014

ELLINGTON FIELD, Texas - Retired Chief Master Sgt. Cyndee Frank said she start-

ed noticing a difference when one of the most taciturn cadets became vo-cal and engaged with his wingmen.

With her only purpose at the event being to supervise and ensure the cadets are safe, Frank, Houston’s Westbury High School Junior Re-serve Officers’ Training Corps advisor, handed the reins to the cadet leader-ship who took charge right away. This lead-ership opportu-nity empowered them to become more confident in their abilities and reinforced the bond they’ve built as a team.

From the mo-ment the 24 stu-dents stepped off the bus at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base March 18, 2014, the cadet training officers, or cadet leaders, assumed responsibility and led the three-day field training exer-cise for their peers. They immediately began applying skills they’ve learned in their JROTC program.

The exercise, known as Camp El-lington, included marching, motiva-tional physical training and mentor-ing from National Guard airmen and soldiers.

“We have cadets who don’t speak English very well and some with learning disabilities, and a few who are wards of the state,” Frank

By 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy147th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

Houston’s Westbury High School JROTC cadets

said. ”But they come here, and they’re treated with respect and are faced with challenges they nev-er thought they could overcome.” Anthony Perry, 16, a freshman at the school, said one of the lessons he learned from the exercise was to nev-er give up.

Frank said Perry was reserved when he first entered the program

and even in the moments leading up to the cadets arrival at Ellington Field, but as the exercise progressed, she noticed a positive change in his demeanor.

Perry said the highlight of the ex-ercise was the opportunity to get to-gether with other cadets and learning about the importance of education.

He said he now has his sights on a cadet training officer position and wants to lead future exercises.

The cadets led the entire exercise, while working side-by-side with air-men from the wing.

They assembled the two tents,

with help from the Civil Engineer Squadron, that would serve as their living quarters and prepared their own Unitized Group Ration meal, or UGR, with airmen from the Force Support Squadron, and underwent self-aid buddy care training with the Medical Group.

Their field training included weap-ons displays with the Security Forces

Squadron, night o r i e n t e e r i n g exercises, par-ticipating in a scenario with the security forces and test-ing out some of the equipment used by tactical air control party members.

“[Our goal] was to familiar-ize them with the TACP ca-reer field, what we do, famil-iarization with the equipment we use in com-

bat and the importance of physical training and how that integrates di-rectly with our job,” said a technical sergeant with the 147th Air Support Operations Squadron.

“I picked a series of exercises that the group can do together and events they could help each other out,” the technical sergeant said.

ASOS airmen helped motivate the cadets during several exercises, dem-onstrating the importance of team-work, being a wingman and finishing together.

That lesson was something all 24 cadets could take away.

never giving uplearn about

A cadet from Westbury High School’s JROTC program poses in ASOS gear March 20, 2014 at Ellington Field JRB, Houston during a three-day field training exercise named Camp Ellington. (National Guard Photo by 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy/Released)

4 April 2014

Cadets from the Westbury High School JROTC program participated in a three-day field training exercise March 20, 2014 at Ellington Field JRB, Houston, which taught them the importance of physical training and how to

become a wingman. Students were also taught facets from different careers on base.

(National Guard photos by 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy/Released)

5 april 2014

ASOS conquers Pathfinder training By Senior Airman Chasity Lollis147th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

Battledress uniforms in a sea of combat uniforms.Nametapes stitched on in a

room full of Velcro.Buttons when everyone else has

zippers. They’re blue and everyone else is

green.Attending an Army training

course can be daunting to an air-man.

All of the soldiers are looking to see what the airmen know and how successful or unsuccessful they are in the course.

In addition to all that, there is the unspoken pressure to make the Air Force look good.

All of that pressure paid off when a technical sergeant, staff sergeant and senior airman from the 147th Air Support Operations Squadron, 147th Reconnaissance Wing, at El-lington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston, Texas, completed the Army Pathfinder course in February at Camp Swift near Bastrop, Texas.

The 15 training-day course is a gentleman-style course, which means they weren’t punished with or required to do any physical training. Their full atten-tion was on academics. They were the only airmen in attendance and graduated with three of the top five GPAs in the class, and the technical sergeant graduated as top graduate with the highest GPA.

Achieving such an honor is not an easy feat for anyone, airman or soldier.

“It’s the most academically chal-lenging course in the Army,” said the senior airman, a tactical air con-trol party member with the squad-ron. “We always studied together. We didn’t stop until all three of us were confident about the material.”

“On average, we were studying from six to nine or later,” said the staff sergeant, a joint terminal attack controller with the squadron. “It de-pended on how hard class was that day.”

The mentally intense course cov-ered aeromedical evacuation pro-cedures and general knowledge, sling-loading procedures for items ranging in size, from a small pallet to a 7,700-pound HUMVEE, and helicopter landing zones and drop zones.

“The drop zone section was the hardest by far,” said the technical sergeant, the chief JTAC instructor at the squadron. “That’s when we

were up the latest studying together.”“My fondest memory from path-

finder was passing the drop zone test,” the staff sergeant said.

Drop zones, or the specific area helicopter personnel is commanded to drop an object or person, was dis-cussed in length, covering four to five training days of instruction. Ac-

curacy when calling a drop requires skill and precise calculations as the helicopter doesn’t stop flying.

To recognize the achievement of the airman, Command Sgt. Maj. Bradley Brandt, Texas Military Forces senior enlisted advisor to the adjutant general, presented the technical sergeant with a plaque and a coin, and Command Chief Mas-ter Sgt. Kevin O’Gorman, the senior enlisted advisor to the commander of the Texas Air National Guard, stopped by the wing to coin him, and Col. Terence Winkler, the wing commander, presented each airman with a coin.

The Pathfinder course, based out of Fort Ben-ning, Ga., was facilitated by the Army National Guard through the use of a mobile training team. While at Camp Swift, the training team also held an air assault course that

two TACPs from the 147th ASOS at-tended. Mobile training teams allow the military to save time and travel expenses by bringing the training to the soldiers, rather than bringing the soldiers to the training.

Because Pathfinder training is an Army training course, Army Na-tional Guard personnel inviting the

TACPs graduate top of Army’s most academically challenging course

“We’re awfully proud of our guys’ integration in a joint world with our joint brothers”-Lt. Col Atkins

Pathfinder continued on page 7

6 April 2014

Partnerships with the community are vital to the military by providing an additional avenue of support for members and their families.

To thank and recognize four of the local businesses that supported the Texas Air National Guard, Com-mand Chief Master Sgt. Kevin J. O’Gorman, the senior enlisted advi-sor for the Texas Air National Guard and state command chief for Texas Military Forces, personally stopped by each business and presented rep-resentatives with a coin and a plaque on behalf of the Senior Enlisted Ad-visor Council. “These are strong patriots who sponsor programs in support of air-men across the state,” O’Gorman said. “It’s a community bond that makes us unique and different.”

O’Gorman and representatives from the council and the147th Re-connaissance Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Mar-lon K. Nation travelled to the American Legion Post 490 and Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 5619, McRee Ford, and Gay Family Auto.

“Supporting the mili-tary community, espe-cially Ellington Field, has always been a long-time commitment to Gay Family Auto,” said Kate Gay.

“It’s wonderful to be recognized and to be able to hang the plaque on our wall.”

“These guys have do-nated the past 2-3 years,” said Master Sgt. Hoke, president of the coun-cil and a member of the

147th Reconnaissance Wing, about the businesses that were recognized.

“The plaques are an addition this year. It’s showing their efforts didn’t go unrecognized.

“We hope they display it so that others can see it and know we’re still here and that the business supports the military,” Hoke added.

The sponsorships from the busi-nesses helped fund activities held during the Outstanding Airman of the Year weekend at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas.

Hoke solicited the places that al-lowed for the weekend’s events to happen, which included an informal meeting between OAY candidates and their families and TXMF lead-ership, an opportunity most airmen don’t have as their wings, located in Houston, Fort Worth or San Anto-nio, are geographically separated from TXMF headquarters in Austin.

The OAY program is a primary function of the council, who ad-vises O’Gorman, who then advises the Texas Air National Guard com-mander.

The council is comprised of se-nior enlisted members from each of the state’s wings and geographically separated units.

Another function of the coun-cil includes the state’s Best Warrior Competition – a joint Army and Air competition that pits enlisted mem-bers against each other in a series of events to determine who leaves with the title best warrior, which ties in with O’Gorman’s position with state headquarters.

“I’m on a team with two com-mand sergeant majors, and we en-sure the level of jointness for the 24,000 members of the Texas Mili-tary Forces,” O’Gorman said.

Chief O’Gorman awards local business’s for their military supportBy 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy147th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affiars

Recipients (from left to right:) Daniel Rodriguez, Commander of American Legion Post 490, and Senior Master Sgt. Faith Fed-erspiel, Superindentent of the 147th Medical Group, pose with their awards and (from left to right:) Master Sgt. Promise Harris, Master Sgt. Claude Hoke and Chief Master Sgt. Kevin O’Gorman, command chief of the Texas Military Forces and senior enlisted advisor to the Texas Air National Guard commander, after being awarded for their continued support of our military members March 21, 2014 at the American Legion Post 490 establishment. The winners also received a coin from O’Gorman.

7 april 2014

Pathfinder continued from page 5

airmen to participate in the course was a benefit to the airmen and the squadron, who are attached with Army units when they are executing a mission.

“We’re awfully proud of our guys’ integration in a joint world with our joint brothers,” said Lt. Col. Ni-gel Atkins, the ASOS commander. “We’re hoping this will lead to more training opportunities.”

As the chief JTAC instructor, the technical sergeant attended the training because it is beneficial to implement with the TACPs and JTACs at the squadron.

“Hands down, it was worth it,” he said.

Three soldiers await an inbound helicopter in or-der to begin hands-on instruction on sling-loading during the Army Pathfinder course at Camp Swift, near Austin, Texas, March 2014. (Courtesy Photo U.S. Army/released)

For more information on the squad-ron or being a TACP at Ellington Field, call 832-632-1387 or 800-864-6264

fThe Official 147th RW

Facebook page is

www.facebook.com/147RW

8 April 2014

Changing your inner attitudeBy Senoir Master Sgt. Faith Federspiel147th Medical Group Superintnendent

The number one question you should ask yourself is, ‘Am I happy about get-

ting up in the morning and going to work in this “new” Air Force?’ If you are, your zeal, devotion, at-titude and professionalism will be readily apparent. If you’re not, then ask yourself why and do what needs to be done to fix it and change your mind.

Our perception is our reality and day-to-day, work-related frustra-tions can be pinned down to simple and easily resolved issues. A fix can be as easy as sitting down with your supervisor and talking about the problem. Other times, discontent and frustrations can be deeply root-ed and perhaps even tied to manda-tory Air Force requirements.

Very common examples are com-plaints about the amplified opstem-po/perstempo, the 24/7 operations and the increased demand with de-creased manpower, especially in the Air Naional Guard.

What many people fail to see is in 1980’s, drawdowns were implement-ed and the Air Force lost roughly 40 percent of its force, but concurrently there has been a corresponding 400 percent increase in training require-ments.

Over the next five years, the Air Force is slated to cut nearly 25,000 airmen. We will be a smaller more agile Air Force, who will only main-tain the top notch, fit-to-fight air-man that are capable of adapting, overcoming, and paving the way for the changes ahead.

‘Having to do more with less,’ is a way of life in the ANG, but let’s

use our talents to ‘work smarter not harder.’

The Air Force is moving into an era that no one is familiar with and frustrations will be a fact of life.

The inspection system has changed and how we do business will need to catch up. By virtue of being human, we will naturally fight that change.

So, I challenge each of you in the coming months and years to pull to-gether and fine tune our processes, procedures and attitudes with integ-rity and embrace the changes that await us in the ‘new’ Air Force.

“The way you think effects the way you feel. The way you feel effects the way you act. The way you act effects the way those around you think. Hu-man beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”

- Anonymous

Release of InformationIn accordance with Air Force In-struction 35-102, all information pertaining to the mission, opera-tions and programs of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing must be cleared through Public Affairs pri-or to being released.This ensures that material pro-posed for public release is accurate, does not contain classified mate-rial and does not conflict with es-tablished Air Force, DOD, or U.S. Government policies.

All media inquires must be for-warded to the 147th Public Affairs office:(281) 929-2662147RW.PublicAffairs@ang.af.mil

In recognition of the complicated nature of filing taxes as a military service member and in support of financial readiness, the Department of Defense offers tax consultation and e-filing services through Mili-tary OneSource at no cost to service members and their eligible familymembers. These valuable tools and resources are provided as part of theFamily Readiness System.

Eligible service and family mem-bers have access to a no-cost tax preparation filing service, which al-lows users to complete and electroni-cally file federal and up to three state tax returns with the support and ex-perience of professional tax experts. The tax preparation software is easy to use, and filings are backed by a 100 percent accuracy guarantee.

In addition to filing services, Military OneSource tax consultants provide specialized support to help service members and their families understand the unique tax require-ments related to military personnel. Consultations can also help service members maximize their refunds and get connected to additional re-sources and services of benefit to them, such as no-cost financial coun-seling services, which can include basic budgeting, money manage-ment, debt consolidation and hous-ing issues (being behind on mort-gage payments or facing potential foreclosure).

POC: Tax consultants are avail-able to service members and their families at no cost by calling Military OneSource at 800-342-9647.

TAX HELP AVAILABLE

9 april 2014

ORE Safety• Identify and correct hazards at the appropriate level.• Report all injuries and property damage to supervisor;

know mishap reporting procedures• No shortcuts.• Compliance with Technical Orders, Instructions, and

Manuals is mandatory.• Remove all watches, rings and jewelry.• Wear seat belts when operating motor vehicles or

equipped handling equipment.• Use PPE when required, inspect prior to use.• Practice and maintain good housekeeping.• Know and brief fire procedures, fire extinguisher and

evacuation locations.• Be aware of tripping hazards.• Stay hydrated – drink plenty of water.• Wear hearing protection when required.• Remain alert of weather hazards – heat, lightning, high

winds, thunderstorms, snowstorms, etc.

ANG Ground Safety Orientation Course

The ANG Ground Safety Orientation (GSO) Course will be offered July 29 – Au-gust 1, 2014 in the CE Training Room. Course times will be determined. All 147 RW, 272 EIS, and 138 FW/Det 1 Unit Safety Representatives, Supervisors, and Commanders are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Class size is limited to 25 Ellington participants. If additional slots are required we will have a wait-list and the Safety Office will request additional seats as needed.Registration instructions are located on the User Information drive in the Safety Information folder, GSO Registration folder. If you have additional questions please contact the Safety Office, 929-2324.ANG Ground Safety Orientation Course PURPOSE: To provide training for ANG personnel assigned duties with responsibilities for ground safety. Com-manders, supervisors, and collateral duty safety personnel will be provided in-struction in unit/work center mishap prevention programs in accordance with Air Force and ANG safety directives. The GSO course provides all levels of manage-ment with an awareness of requirements for compliance with federal law related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Course features a mock inspection of an industrial work area. Course meets or exceeds supervisor safety training (SST) subject matter. Students completing this course will receive documentation for attending a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Training Course in General Industry. PREREQUISITE: This course is designed for personnel assigned as unit safety representative (collateral/additional duty) as well as all levels of supervision (com-manders, supervisors, functional managers). IAW AFI 91-202, members must be assigned to one of the above areas of responsibility to attend this course.

What is your temperament? Can you answer this question? If you already know and have had

a good grasp on how to deal with it, kudos to you. If you don’t and want to find out how, you are in luck.

The HRA office is facilitating a program called Four Lenses, and is coming to a venue near you soon.

This is a great tool to help you un-derstand more about the character traits you have and how to better understand the character traits of others.

Four Lenses can help us improve interactions with those whose tem-perament is different from our own. This program has been disseminat-ed to nearly 45 Wing members dur-ing the February and March drill weekends and has received great feedback on it’s usefulness.

Commanders are being solicited to bring this product to their units. It has the ability to help our mem-bers in all ranks, both officer and enlisted, to be more aware of the personalities of their colleagues and subordinates.

When this opportunity arises, please volunteer to participate as the class size will not exceed 40 partici-pants.

Come find out a little about your-self.

“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.”Stephen R. Covey

TemperamentBy Senior Master Sgt. Jeffery Robinson147th Human Resource Advisor

10 April 2014

Public Affairs Seeking StoriesLooking for inspiring and/or interesting sto-ries or ideas. Must be newsworthy and relevant to the 147th Reconnaissance Wing. Photos can be provided upon request.If interested call 281-929-2662 or send an email to 147RW.PublicAffairs@ang.af.mil.

Friday 4 April 2014

UGR Beef Pot RoastBroccoli Rice & Cheese

Assorted Drinks

Sunday 6 April 2014

Hamburgers/HotdogsBaked Beans

ChipsAssorted SaladsAssorted Drinks

Assorted Desserts

Saturday 5 April 2014

UGR Roasted Turkey Breast Sweet Potatoes & Green Beans

Assorted Drinks