Despite the rainy skies Sept. 25, a silver lining could be found by the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Air-lift Wing with the arrival of its first C-17 Globemaster III.

The C-17, piloted by a crew assigned to the 164th Airlift Wing in Memphis, Tenn., touched down at Eastern West Vir-ginia Regional Airport ushering in a new era for 167th Airmen.

"The C-17, it's a great airplane," said Col. Shaun Perkowski, commander of the 167th Airlift Wing. "It's got a great mission and it's got a great reputation. It is extreme-ly valuable with everything that it can do."

Aboard the aircraft's inaugural flight to its new home were 24 Airmen from the 167th Maintenance Group to accept the

aircraft. The 164th transitioned from the C-5A Galaxy to the C-17 Globemaster III last year as well.

With its reputation of being able to ful-fill the United States' worldwide air mobili-ty requirements, Perkowski said the arrival of the C-17 brings new opportunities for Airmen stationed at the Martinsburg base.

"Obviously C-17s [are] a vibrant weap-ons system, well supported," Perkowski said. "It is a great option and opportunity for the 167th."

"The opportunity to fly that airplane with its capabilities is exciting for all of us," he added.

The 167th is slated to receive seven more C-17 aircraft with the last expected

OctOber 2014 Next UtA 1-2 NOv167th Airlift Wing

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by Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein

Wing ushers in new era with arrival of first C-17 aircraft

see "C-17 Arrives" page 3

The first C-17 Globemaster III arrived at the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, W. Va., on Sept. 25th, 2014. The wing has flown the C-5 Galaxy since 2007 and will begin C-17 flying operations in January 2015.

photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Dickson

Wing flies last Guard C-5 training mission

The distinct whistle of the C-5 Galaxy soaring over Martinsburg, W.Va., Sept. 25 marked the last C-5 training mission at the 167th Airlift Wing and within the Air National Guard.

The 167th received its first of 11 C-5s, Dec. 4, 2006 and launched its first C-5 mission, March 28, 2007.

Although the C-5 was sometimes a challenge, it flew a great mission, said Col. Shaun Perkowski, commander of the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, W.Va.

"Our maintainers and operators really met the challenge of the airplane," Perkowski said. "Across every group and through every building, we can be proud of meeting these challenges head-on and exceeding the standard."

From Aug. 2013 through July 2014, the 167th achieved an average mission capability rate of about 75 percent with the C-5, which was above the ANG's goal of 58.8 percent.

Since 2007, the 167th has acquired more than 20,000 flying hours on the C-5 with more than 4,500 sorties. It has hauled more than 53,000 short tons of cargo and more than 34,000 passengers.

Lt. Col. Lisa Windle, a pilot at the 167th, said the C-5 has its own charm, because of its size and the cool things that it does and hauls.

The wing span of a C-5 reaches

by Staff Sgt. Jodie Witmer

see "Last C-5 Mission" page 3

2

PLANE TALK is an authorized Air Force publication for the members of the 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard. Contents of PLANE TALK are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.

The editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office, 167th AW, WVANG, Martinsburg, WV 25405-0204.

Email comments to:167AW.PA@ANG.AF.MIL

Command Corner

Command Chief Master Sgt. Ron Glazer

Col. Shaun J. Perkowski Wing Commander

1st Lt. Stacy Gault Public Affairs Officer

Master Sgt. Emily Beightol-Deyerle Videographer

Master Sgt. Robert Fluharty Videographer

Tech. Sgt. Michael Dickson Still Photographer

Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein PA Specialist

Staff Sgt. Jodie Witmer PA Specialist

Senior Airman Nathanial Taylor PA Specialist

Senior Airman Joshua Clark Administrative Support

167th AIR LIFT WING

167th Airlift Wing

Col. Shaun Perkowski

Sept. 25 was a monumental day for the 167th Airlift Wing! We celebrated our final C-5 train-ing flight in the morning then welcomed our first C-17 in the afternoon. It was bittersweet as we close another chapter of the 167th history book but look forward to our future. We thank all of the maintenance and Boeing personnel who traveled to Memphis, Tenn., to accept our new aircraft, which already proudly displays the Martinsburg red tail flash. As of Thursday, we now have two C-17s sitting on our ramp and by July of next year, we’ll have the entire fleet of eight here.

With the bed-down of the new airplane comes a multitude of actions. From ordering sup-plies, to training, to building modifications, the requirements are varied—yet your conversa-tion team is knocking it out of the park. Lt Col Brandon Taksa has handed off the conversion reigns to Capt Dave Sammons. Lt Col Taksa brought a unique tenacity and understanding to the process and leaves a well-established, robust program to Capt Sammons and the entire wing team. Thanks to Lt Col Taksa and the entire conversion team!

You also may notice a large number of new faces around the wing. Pilot recruiting has been in full force and with the end of the fiscal year, many transitions are occurring this month—pilot and otherwise. If you see a new member, please say “hello” and welcome them to the wing. Our people are our greatest asset and these new members bring unique skills and experiences that will mesh with our wing as we transition to the C-17 mission.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the C-17 Introduction Ceremony Dec. 6. It will be a great weekend to officially welcome our new mission and honor the service of our flight engi-neers. Please invite your families to the ceremony and enjoy the holiday festivities to follow. The chaplains will host an ecumenical prayer breakfast in the morning in the dining hall. Your children can enjoy all the the fun of Kids Village and who knows, Santa may even make an appearance!

Get ready to submit your Airmen of the Year award packages by the end of December drill. We have so many great unit members who consistently perform above their level. It’s important we recognize our outstanding performers within the wing and state.

Finally, we’d like to personally thank everyone for supporting our shoppette. Our “Save our Shoppette” campaign is now officially “Support our Shoppette.” As we look to the future, it is important you provide feedback to Capt Chris Tusing, or Sandy in the shoppette. If you have a suggestion, please pass it along. The recent success is a direct result of the wing’s input and patronage. There is a possibility that we may receive an electronic AAFES ordering Kiosk. We’ll keep you informed. Thanks again.

Finally, we’d like to personally thank everyone for supporting our shoppette. Our “Save our Shoppette” has campaign is now officially “Support our Shoppette.” As we look to the future, it is important you provide feedback to Capt Chris Tusing, or Sandy in the shoppette. If you have a suggestion, please pass it along. The recent success is a direct result of the wing’s input and patronage. Thanks again.

about 222 feet, while the fuselage is mea-sures about 247 feet long. Along with its impressive size it can haul up to 200,000 pounds of cargo.

"When you roll into somewhere in a C-5 it's almost like you get a little celeb-rity status because it's so large," said Windle. "People are kind of amazed by the airframe."

Senior Master Sgt. Richard Turpin, a flight engineer at the 167th, said he will miss the massive aircraft and the comrad-ery of flying with a C-5 crew.

The remaining six C-5s, the last in the Air National Guard and based at the 167th, are scheduled to retire to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. through May 2015.

"I think there's always that sense of nostalgia when you take these airplanes that have served honorably," Perkowski said.

The 167th has flown missions to all parts of the world and was the first unit to haul the Army's mine resistant ambush

protected (MRAP) vehicle egress trainers.Eight C-17 Globmaster IIIs are sched-

uled to replace the 167th fleet of C-5s. The first C-17 arrived Sept. 25 after the C-5 completed its last training mission for the Air National Guard.

Having C-5s at the 167th put the base in a future position to accept basically any aircraft in the Air Force inventory, said Perkowski.

"I have every confidence that we will take on the new mission and the chal-lenges and eclipse what we have done with the C-5 and C-130 world with the C-17," said Perkowski.

to arrive in July 2015. In January a crew of 167th pilots and loadmasters will fly their first mission in the four-engine, T-tailed military transport aircraft. With the transi-tion to the C-17, the 167th joins five other Air National Guard units who fly the air-craft, two of which are co-located at active duty bases.

According to a Boeing website, maker of the 174-foot aircraft, the C-17 is consid-ered a premier transporter for military, hu-manitarian and peacekeeping missions due to its ability to fly long distances and land in remote airfields in rough, land-locked re-gions. It can take off from a 7,600-foot strip of land, carry a payload of 160,000 pounds and land on 3,000 feet or less of small un-paved, paved airfield.

The C-17 "can transport large equip-ment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain anywhere in the world day or night. The massive, sturdy long-haul aircraft tackles distance, desti-nation and heavy, oversized payloads in unpredictable conditions. It has delivered cargo in every worldwide operation since the 1990s," according to the aircraft's man-ufacturer.

Lt. Col. Lisa Windle, who is qualified to pilot the C-17 and assigned to the wing's training office, described the aircraft as "nimble" compared to flying the C-5.

When asked what she thought of the new aircraft she would be flying, Windle didn't have to think twice.

"I love it!" she said matter-of-factly."The C-17 is just fun to fly," Windle

said. "It's what I would call a nimble air-craft so it adds a lot of enjoyment to flying that is a bit different then the C-5."

The C-17 pilot, who has accumulated just over 200 hours of flying in the aircraft, described it as "a flying, friendly airplane."

"It is significantly different than flying the C-5," Windle said.

"I have every confidence that we will take on the new mission and the challenges and that we will eclipse what we've done in the C-5 and the C-130 world with the C-17," Perkowski said.

The commander said he is certain that the wing's new mission will be "a huge benefit to the nation, to the state and to the local area here in Martinsburg."

"I am very excited about the future. I know that the members are excited to be moving to a weapons system with a strong future," he added.

The wing is scheduled to hold an of-ficial introduction of the C-17 to the unit Dec. 6.

167th Airlift Wing

3167AW NewsC-17 Arrivescontinued from page 1

Staff Sgt. Zachary Thomas assists Cindy Magners and her daughters, Michaela and Hannah, as they aim a fire hose at Lt. Col. Don Magners as he exits a C-5 aircraft, his final flight as a C-5 pilot. The flight was the last C-5 mission for the 167th Airlift Wing as well as the Air National Guard.

Last C-5 Missioncontinued from page 1

photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Dickson

167th Airlift Wing

4167AW News

by Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein

Wing’s Base Marksmanship Team targets new membership

The 167th Airlift Wing’s Base Marksmanship Team is setting its sites on increasing its membership.

Although the team was reportedly formed in the 1960s, this past year has seen a renewed interest in participa-tion.

Airmen with the 167th’s Base Marksmanship Team par-ticipated in competitions this past summer – twice at Camp Perry near Port Clinton, Ohio and once at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.

Master Sgt. James V. DeCicco, the base marksmanship team’s coordinator, said in late August, seven team members competed in the Military Advisory Council (MAC) II Regional Match at Ft. Indiantown Gap, Pa. The military combat competition required the Airmen to don full battle gear as they competed against Army and Air teams from Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Mountain State. DeCicco said the marksmanship chal-lenge required “a lot of runnin and gunnin.” He considers the match the toughest the team has competed in to date. “It was very physically exhausting,” he said. “It was extremely challenging and we were shooting against some of the best marksmen in the five state region.” Tech. Sgt. Jesseca Kidwell is one of the Airmen who participated in the combat competition Aug. 21-24. She said she’s not partial to any one weapon when honing her marksmanship skills. A former member of the wing’s secu-rity forces squadron, Kidwell has been a member of the base marksmanship team for about a year now. Kidwell regularly attends the team’s practice which is nor-mally held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the Saturday of each month’s drill.

Kidwell, who is assigned to maintenance customer service in the wing’s logistics readiness squadron, said she enjoys com-peting in the marksmanship events to test her proficiency on a weapon. “Shooting and practicing is one thing, but I think when you finally get to put what you’ve learned toward something and actually have a goal, it lets you see where you actually stand,” she said. “Competing actually gives me a good point of where I’m at.” Kidwell participated in full battle rattle with DeCicco, Master Sgt. Garey Diefend-erfer, Master Sgt. Dave Jenness, Master Sgt. Angela Layton, Master Sgt. Warren Stimpson and Tech. Sgt. John Phillips at the MAC II Regional Match. She found the team competition’s using the M9 pistol, M16A2 rifle and M500 shotgun both challenging and rewarding. Her first competition with the base marksmanship team was at Camp Perry in early July. In that outing Kidwell competed with DeCicco, Diefenderfer, Jenness, Layton, Stimpson, Phillips, Maj. Bill Brohard, Master Sgt. Mike Darby and Tech. Sgt. James Barton in the National Matches. DeCicco said that event is con-sidered the “World Series of American” competition shooting. While at Camp Perry the wing’s marks-

men also attended the M9 pistol Small Arms Firing School which is administered by the United States Army Marksmanship Unit based at Fort Benning, Ga., and the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Following their participation in the SAFS, the team competed in the M9 Excellence-In-Competition and DeCicco said the group did “very well.” Darby earned EIC points toward his Distinguished Marksmanship badge and received a bronze Custer

medal, DeCicco said. Darby said he was surprised to learn that he placed in the top 5 percent of approxi-mately 300 shooters in his first match. “I think that as long as the 167th and the state continue to support the team we will continue to place higher and higher, especially in team matches,” Darby said. DeCicco noted the number of members on the base marksmanship team has “ebbed and flowed over the years,” depending on everything from funding to ammunition availability. “They are providing lots of funding for matches and pushing participation,” DeCicco said. “This program is really meant to be a type of war skills/combat skills sustainment training. It’s also a great opportunity for members to keep themselves acclimated with their assigned duty weapons and to network with mili-tary members from all over the country and the world.” “There is a great comradery and it is a nice way to highlight the 167th , Air National Guard, USAF and the military to others and it can serve as a good recruit-ing tool as well,” he said. “We also get the opportunity to share our skill sets with others and learn from more experienced

see "Marksmanship" page 13

5167AW News

167th Airlift Wing

When the duty day is done and all the base populous leave for home, the 167th Airlift Wing is under the vigilant eye of Security Forces, and maybe some other “guests “as well?

Throughout the years, stories and tales of the unexplained have circulated amongst the shifts and not just the Secu-rity Forces career field.

Whether you choose to believe them or not is up to you.

One of the very first stories that was told to me was by a Security Forces Squadron member who is now retired. His encounter happened in the old hanger Building 110, pre 9-11. The member was working out in the base gym in 110 which was very primitive, not like the facility we have now. The member had a radio playing as he was working out, he was singing along all through his routine. Upon com-pletion of his workout, he heard someone or something singing the very song he had turned off but he could not locate where it was coming from. There was no one else in the building being 0100 after hours. Needless to say, he packed up his equip-ment and left in quick haste. This person was a combat veteran of Desert Storm and a civilian law enforcement officer, and had no reason to fabricate the story.

Many stories have circulated through-out the years from different base person-nel. Tales include that of a shadow figure repeatedly walking from Building 119 to Building 118 and disappearing into the side of the building, to strange experi-ences such as doors slamming and whis-pering heard in Hanger 128 where Build-ing 309 now stands.

But if you ask any full time Security Forces member which building on base instantly gives them chills when asked to do an after hour walkthrough, hands down it will be Building 120.

A majority of the tales that were told to me were from that building.

After Sept. 11, 2001, the SFS was tasked to guard the Command Post, the assigned area was a desk that sat in front of the entrance of the main door.

Many different members reported during the nights assigned there, hearing footsteps coming from one end of the hallway, making their way to the desk, stopping and turning around and walking back down to the other end of the hallway.

Reports of talking in the stairwells, doors slamming in the lower level were reported as well.

Lights are still seen quickly turning on and off in offices, and there have been

reports of hearing music coming from offices that are locked and vacant in the building.

The SFS Control Center also would always receive phone calls from the oper-ations counter and Command Post which was then located in that building, and no one would be on the other end of the phone. This would prompt Security Forces to send a patrol to check it out, only to find the building empty and secured.

Just recently, one Security Forces member, upon finding the building unse-cured conducted a search of the facility. The member was downstairs in the men’s locker room area when a door opened and slammed shut on him.

He called the Control Center to ascer-tain if anyone had entered the building.

Upon visual inspection of the outside area with the camera system, Control stated that no personnel had entered the facility except for him.

The member completed the search and left the building very excitedly.

So whether you believe or not, these stories are not intended to assume the base is haunted, it’s just part of the base’s verbal history that’s untold and in light of this Halloween season, hope you enjoyed hearing about the lesser known side of it.

Don't put that in the blotter...by Tech. Sgt. Michael Seavolt, 167th Airlift Wing Security Forces

167th Airlift Wing

6167AW News

The Hero 2 Hired (H2H) com-puter kiosk placed in the foyer of building 134 by the dining facility has been removed as part of the tran-sition of Hero2Hired functions to the Department of Veterans Affairs Vet-erans Employment Center website.

All web-based veteran hiring tools have been consolidated under the Veterans Employment Center website: www.ebenefits.va.gov.

On April 23, 2014, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the Vet-erans Employment Center website as the culmination of the adminis-tration’s efforts to consolidate the

federal government’s web-based employment services in order to provide a one-stop shop for veterans seeking employment.

Hero2Hired employment coor-dinators will assist job seekers and employers with Veterans Employ-ment Center website enrollment and continue to provide one-on-one resume development, interview-ing skills and local employment resources. For more information visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/23/obama-administration-launches-online-vet-erans-employment-center-one-stop

UPDATE: Hero 2 Hired self enroll kiosk removed

by Staff. Sgt. Jodie Witmer

"The conversion is upon us"The 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg,

W.Va., is busy getting aircrew and main-tenance personnel mission ready for the base’s new aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster.

The 167th is scheduled to be mission ready with C-17s by Jan. 2015. The 167th started the conversation to C-17s July 1 and will continue until Oct. 2016.

“The reality is here. The conversion is upon us,” said Lt. Col. Martin Timko, the airlift squadron commander at the 167th.

“We set a standard for the way it was done in the C-5 and our reward for that is to do the same thing in the C-17 community,” Timko said. “I can’t wait to get up to speed and show them what we can do. If we do anything in the C-17, half as good as we did in the C-5, I think the results will be absolutely amazing.”

Timko said about 30 new pilots will be coming to the 167th pilot section.

“The majority of them are coming from active duty. About 80 percent of them,” Timko said. “Timing is everything in life,

including what’s going on in the Air Force.”Timko said the Air Force needed to

reduce their active duty numbers right about the time when the 167th needed pilots.

“It’s dynamic around the wing,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of new faces around here, but it makes for a pretty exciting time.”

Timko gives credit to Lt. Col. Drew Thomas, chief pilot at the 167th, for doing a phenomenal job finding high-caliber pilot candidates for the 167th.

“We had so many candidates we could pick and choose,” Timko said.

“Once maintenance can start pro-ducing aircraft for us to fly, I’ll have crews ready to go,” Timko said.

Master Sgt. Daniel Ritenour, the unit training manager at the 167th Main-tenance Group, said 173 maintenance personnel are scheduled to be trained on C-17 Globemasters by May 13, 2015 through a field training detachment (FTD) and a field training team (FTT).

Ritenour said the 30 days of content is the same during FTD and FTT. The only difference between FTD and FTT is the location.

Before the 167th received its first C-17 on Sept. 25, 46 maintenance per-sonnel from the 167th went to FTD at bases with C-17 aircrafts and C-17 maintenance instructors, Ritenour said.

Now that the 167th has gained two C-17 aircraft, 127 maintenance personnel will be FTT trained by seven Air Education and Training Command (AETC) instructors at the 167th using the two C-17s as trainers for maintenance personnel, Ritenour said.

“Basically, they are bring-ing the school house here,” he said.

“We’ve really come a long way already,” Ritenour said. “Every-one is really eager and ready to go.”

Chief Master Sgt. Roland Sham-baugh Jr., chief loadmaster at the 167th, said as of Oct. 2, 13 former flight engi-

see "Conversion" page 13

Approximately 80 unit members participated in the wing's Deployment Work Center Trainings, Sept. 18 -19.

The logistic readiness squadron nearly doubled the number of training lines to prepare for the fly away in May

2015 and future deployments. Twelve classes were conducted

covering processes such as unit deploy-ment manager, cargo pallet build-up, increment monitor training and cargo deployment manager.

The two-day training was part of a Black Belt initiative to increase the number of individuals trained and improve readiness.

The Save Our Shoppette campaign has been rebranded to Support Our Shoppette.

The Army and Air Forces Exchange Services store here on base has been operating in the black for the last several months, according to Capt. Christopher Tusing, wing executive staff officer, and continued growth is expected.

“I attribute that change to the wing and leadership stand-ing behind our partnership with AAFES,” Tusing said.

Communicating the needs of the unit members to the local management and AAFES management has been a key factor to making improvements to the exchange. There has been an increase in product selection in the store and there-fore an increase in sales.

“Last year we struggled getting items, like fleece caps, but this year we’ve got them on the shelf already,” Tusing

said. “And we’ve already sold out of the long sleeve shirts yesterday."

In addition to more uniform items, Tusing is hoping to add Air Force col-lectibles and more seasonal items such as holiday decorations and gift sets to the shelves

“The number one goal is to support the wing members and what they want to see in the store," Tusing said.

Suggestions to make improvements

are always encouraged and when they are received they are forwarded to AAFES immediately.

The store is limited in space so not every sugges-tion can be accommodated, but efforts will be made to maximize the space that is available.

An electronic AAFES ordering kiosk is another option that is being explored, according to Tusing.

“We may put in a kiosk to do lateral shipments from other stores like Fort Detrick and Andrews,” he said. “That would be optimal for this location and would truly help out with sales.”

Tusing encourages all wing members to patron the store and provide feedback to continue improvements.

“It is important to have this resource on base and we’d like to continue to see it grow here at the wing,” Tusing said.

7167AW News

167th Airlift Wing

LRS offers training, increases readiness

Base shoppette improvements continueby Master Sgt. Emily Beightol-Deyerle

photos courtesy 1st Lt. Jamie McDavid

167th Airlift Wing

8Family ProgramsFor Our Service Members And Their FamiliesFamily Programs Office:* Don't forget the 167th Family Readiness Group meets the second Tuesday of every other month [^^even numbered months^^] at 7 p.m. in the wing conference room. The FRG invites families and friends to join them in supporting wing events. ****Next meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014* The 167th Airlift Wing and 157th Military Police Company will hold their annual Halloween Bash and Trunk or Treat from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 25 in front of the 167th AW's headquarters building [B120]. There will be games, prizes and candy for kids of all ages. Decorate your trunk for the best trunk contest. * Operation Giving Tree 2014: The 167th Airlift Wing's Airman & Family Programs office is hosting an event that will provide assistance in ensuring gifts under the tree this Christmas for 167AW children. The program is only for current 167AW families and their dependent children listed in DEERS. Operation Giving Tree is set up on the honor system. The Service Member will complete an application of request and submit it to the Airman & Family Programs office before Oct. 31st. The information from the request will be transferred to cards which will be placed on a Christmas Tree outside the Dining Facility. The cards will be anonymous and will not identify the SM or child. Anyone wishing to sponsor a child may pull a card from the Giving Tree over November drill and purchase a gift or two from the card. Gifts, wrapped or unwrapped, need to be dropped off at the Airman & Family Readiness Program office located in the lower level of Bldg. 120 [Wing Head-quarters]. The gifts should include the child's card and be delivered by lunch time on Dec. 6, the Sunday of December's UTA. Gifts may be picked up from the Airman & Family Readiness Program office by the receiving SM Sunday afternoon, of December drill. All applicants remain confidential. Please access the following link for an application and more information on Operation Giving Tree 2014 at https://eis.ang.af.mil/org/167AW/HQ/FR/Shared%20Documents/OPERATION%20GIVING%20TREE%202014.pdf

The Family Programs Office is located in Bldg. 120, lower level. For more informa-tion contact Airman & Family Readiness Program Manager Sherry Lewis at 304-616-5590 or 1-866-986-4325

Staff Sgt. Dan Baker man-uevers a JLG lift around the tail of a C-17 aircraft, as Tech. Sgt. James Hughe, har-nessed to the lift, removes a drop cloth that was used on the fuselage while the new tail flash was painted, Oct. 2, at the 167th Airlift Wing. The C-17 , the first one in the wing's inventory to arrive, was on base less than a full week before the signature red stripe, "Mar-tinsburg," and the "Flying WV" logo were added.

photo by Master Sgt. Emily Beightol-Deyerle

New tail flash

167th Airlift Wing

submitted by Dr. Daniela Lupu

Not on our watchPsychological Health 9

"I became an expert on when to open the door and throw myself between my father's fist and my mother's body." Patrick Stewart shared

these words while describing growing up in a home where domestic violence occurred (Stableford, D., 2013). Every 9 seconds a woman in the US is assaulted by a domestic partner. One in 5 women and 1 in 7 men has experienced severe injury at the hands of an intimate partner.

Domestic violence occurs amongst the poor, rich, middle class, civilian and military. It is irrespective of culture, education level, religion and gender. It steadily erodes self-worth and confidence promoting shame, self-blame and self-doubt. Its victims are silenced through fear, denial and deceptive promises that the aggressor is “sorry” or “will change”.

Domestic violence can and must be stopped. It is not just an individual’s concern. It is a family’s and a community’s

concern. All must speak up against it. No matter the perceived provocation, there is never a justification for one to use violence.

If you are the victim of domestic vio-lence tell your family, friends, and clergy. Contact a counselor. Access the DoD Safe Helpline at www.safehelpline.org or 877-995-5247. At the 167th, contact the Chaplains office at 304-616-5319, SARC representative at (304) 616-5240 and the DPH at 304-616-5939.This will be incred-ibly difficult at first, but it will get easier.

If you are the abuser, you need to know that your partner is not the one at fault. He or she may push your buttons, but you are the one who decides how to react. Stop using intimidation, fear, and your fists to assert control. You have a problem. Solutions are available. Take the first step and speak to a clergy and or a counselor. Assistance finding resources can be accessed at the 167th by contacting the Chaplain’s office at 304-616-5319 or DPH at 304-616-5939.

For those blessed or lucky enough to not be directly impacted, I urge you to learn about the available resources in your community and support them. Check out the YouTube video of Leslie Morgan

Steiner Why domestic violence victims don’t leave & Jackson Katz’ Violence against women: It’s a men’s issue to learn more. Contact the 167th AW Wing Care Team Chair, Ms. Sherry Lewis at 304-616-5590, Chaplain’s office or DPH. Check out the National Coalition against Domes-tic Violence at www.ncadv.org; contact local agencies such as the Shenandoah Women’s Center in Martinsburg, WV at www.swcinc.org or 304-263-8522. Add the National Domestic Violence Hotline number 800-799-SAFE (7233) to your contact information. Men join the Ring the Bell campaign at http://breakthrough.tv/ringthebell/ and be one of the million men standing against violence.

Finally, let us all join together and say through words and action: “We will not let this go on. Not on our watch!”

References: National Coalition against

Domestic Violence. www.ncadv.orgStableford, D. (2013). Sir Patrick

Stewart calls on ’1 million men’ to end to violence against women. The Lookout, March 8. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/patrick-stewart-million-men-

“Domestic violence affects every American. It harms our communities, weakens the foundation of our Nation, and hurts those we love most. It is an affront to our basic decency and humanity, and it must end. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we acknowl-edge the progress made in reducing these shameful crimes, embrace the basic human right to be free from violence and abuse, and recognize that more work remains until every individual is able to live free from fear.” President Barack Obama

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) evolved from the "Day of Unity" held in October 1981 and conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Vio-

lence. The intent was to connect advo-cates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national level. The activities conducted were as varied and diverse as the program sponsors but had common themes:

• Mourning those who have died because of domestic violence

• Celebrating those who have sur-vived

• Connecting those who work to end violence

These three themes remain a key focus of DVAM events today. In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Aware-

ness Month was observed. That same year marks the initiation

of the first national domestic vio-lence toll-free hotline. In 1989, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 101-112 designating October of that year as Domestic Violence Aware-ness Month. Such legislation has

passed every year since. Each year, the Day of Unity is celebrated the first Monday of DVAM.

President proclaims October 2014 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

10

167th Airlift Wing

Chapel NewsCanoe trips and religious preferenceby Chaplain (Capt.) Ron Faith

1 September 2014, we broke camp near the Trough General Store and drove down the winding country road south toward Moore-field, West ‘by

golly’ Virginia. At Old Fields Bridge we stopped and launched our canoes north ward on the South Branch of the Potomac River. (You figure it out). It was a beautiful day in The Trough, slightly overcast, not too hot, and scenic views in every direc-tion. Seven hours, one eagle and many deer later we finished the trip. However, it was not uneventful.

The water was down and the rocks slippery. Multiple people fell while walking their canoes through the low water. This also created some interesting flow chutes and several canoes flipped during the day. According to my AF risk

management assessment training, which I recently finished, any of these challenges could have resulted in serious personal harm.

On my canoe trips life vests are a required piece of PPE (Personal Protec-tive Equipment). The reason being, in over 1,000 miles of canoeing I have dis-covered that unconscious people have a very difficult time swimming. Life vests will keep you afloat when you cannot swim for yourself.

Dog tags serve a similar purpose, they communicate for you when you cannot communicate for yourself. You’re bleed-ing and knocked out; a medic is able to give you the correct blood without an adverse reaction sending you into a coma-tose state because… they looked on your dog tag and it was correct. Your religious preference (RP) is impor-tant for the same reason. People’s reli-gious needs may not be met in a crisis situation because the RP listed is wrong. This could have occurred for various

reasons some of which follow:1. The individual themselves or the person entering the data may not under-stand the differences in RP or clicked the wrong one. 2. What, I have an RP? 3. Many Christians who are non-denom-inational may check No RP. There are options for them such as Christian Non-Denom. and Protestant Non-Denom. 4. The individual’s specific RP may not have been on the list at the time so another was chosen. RPs have been added. 5. The individual’s religious preference could have changed. R

The 167 Chaplain Corp will be around during the October/November UTAs with an Alpha roster to help verify you have the correct RP. Your RP can be accessed by you in your VMPF. Emails will follow with guidance help you know what to do if you need to make changes.

No safety officers feelings were hurt in the writing of this document.

WelcomeTech Sgt Lisa Affuso, FSSAirman First Class Shelby Alford, FSSCapt. Pedro Alvarez, OSSMaj. Nicholas Barnes, ASAirman First Class Michael Beall, CESMaj. Thomas Crittenden, ASStaff Sgt. Micah Doebler, ASSenior Airman Gregory Fuqua, SFSCapt. Ryan Gavina, ASCapt. Matthew Grantham, ASAirman First Class Austin Langley, OSSCapt. Guy March, ASAirman Basic Sylas Mason, MDGCapt. Benjamin Mathias, ASStaff Sgt. Margaret Mayberry, FSS

Capt. Audrey McCabe, ASCapt. Justin McCabe, ASCapt. Mark Reeder, ASCapt. Timothy Siemer, ASCapt. Roger Smith, ASStaff Sgt. Jonathan Stroud, CF

PromotionsTO SENIOR AIRMANSammy Santos, SFSTO STAFF SERGEANTAlexander Kenney, OSSAaron Mossholder, OSSJames Semler, AWTO TECHNICAL SERGEANTMonika Gonzalez, MDGAlan Romero, OSS

TO FIRST LIEUTENANTStacy Gault, AWJamie McDavid, MDG

TO MAJORJames Holsinger, AS

RetirementsTech. Sgt. Rhonda Fields, FSSTech. Sgt. Michael Kovacich, AMXSMaster Sgt. Thomas Lovless, MXS

Movin’ In, Movin’ Up, Movin’ On

11Force Support SquadronDid you know: Reduced retirement age

167th Airlift Wing

The National Defense Authorization Act for 2008 reduces the retirement age for Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers from 60 to a lesser age, but not below age 50, for those who have served on Active Duty (AD) in an eligible status on or after 29 Jan 08. For qualifying service on or after 29 Jan 08, each day on that AD tour could count toward a reduction in retire-ment age. However, even though each day counts, days are credited in aggregates of 90 days only within any Fiscal Year. A day of duty shall be included in only one aggregate of 90 days.

NOTE: You must submit Offi-cial copies DD Fm 214s to support the Reduced Retirement Age. DO NOT SUBMIT DD FM 214 WORKSHEETS. DD Fm 214s can be uploaded and attached to the Retirement Application via MyPers.

Be proactive when inquiring about reduced retirement age. You can start submitting DD214s to MyPERS even if you’re a young airman. Don’t wait to the last minute to find out if you qualify!

NOTE: Airmen are encouraged to maintain copies of their active duty orders, in case of a discrepancy.

Printable Fact Sheet Authority: Fiscal 2008 National

Defense Authorization Act, Section 647, Commencement of Receipt of Non-Regu-lar Service Retired Pay by Members of the Ready Reserve on Active Federal Status or Active Duty for Significant Periods.

Provision: Amends Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12731. Effective date: Jan. 29, 2008. Retroactive clause: None. Not ret-roactive to any periods of service before that date.

Law reduces eligibility age for receipt of Reserve retired pay by three months for each aggregate of 90 days of qualifying active duty performed within a fiscal year.

Eligibility age cannot be reduced below age 50

Qualifying service: •Involuntary mobilization (Call or order to active duty under Title 10, U.S.C., Sections 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, 12406, or any other provision of law during a war or national emergency declared by the Presi-dent or Congress).

•Voluntary active duty (Call or order to active duty under Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12301(d)).

•Includes MPA or RPA provided such active duty is performed under 12301(d).

•Full-time National Guard duty under a call to active service authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense under Title 32, U.S.C., Section 502(f) for pur-posed of responding to a national emer-gency declared by the President or sup-ported by Federal funds.

Non-qualifying service: •Active Guard Reserve (AGR).•Annual Tour (Title 10, U.S.C.,

Section 12301(b).•Captive status (Title 10, U.S.C.,

Section 12301(g).•Medical treatment/medical evalu-

ation for disability purposes or medical study (Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12301(h).

•As a Airmen not assigned to or par-ticipating satisfactorily in units (Title 10, U.S.C., 12303).

•Under active duty agreements (Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12311).

•Disciplinary/courts martial (Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12315).

•Muster duty (Title 10, U.S.C., Section 12319).

Impact on Benefits: •Airmen will receive all retired pay benefits (e.g., com-missary, base exchange, base services, etc) except

•Medical benefits are deferred until age 60.

•Blue ID card (ID card will show Airmen are not entitled to medical until age 60. At age 60, they will need to go to nearest military facility to obtain another

blue ID card bestowing the medical benefit).

•Premiums for the Reserve Com-ponent Survivor Benefit Plan will be deducted from retired pay upon the age the member starts drawing pay.

Use the following link for informa-tion about Reduced Retirement Age: http://www.arpc.afrc.af.mil/library/fact-sheets/factsheet.asp?id=13467

Click on the following link to submit your DD 214s for reduced retirement age:

https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/home

From there, click “Access the VPC-GR dashboard” under the “I Would Like To” heading. From there, click the tab titled “Action Request” and then the link titled “Reduced Retirement Pay Age” under the Retirements heading.

For Additional Information please contact FSS, MSgt Jacki Smith, Ext: 5544, Jacqueline.smith.1@ang.af.mil

Airmen may contact HQ ARPC, at 800-525-0102 or through vPC-GR, for clarification. Please include all details of your request.

Phone Total Force Service Center-Aurora (800) 525-0102 // DSN 847-3294

Senior Master Sgt Donald Lang would like to thank all the members of the First Sergeant Council and the countless volunteers who helped make the C.W. Bill Young DOD Bone Marrow Drive held on September 13, 2014 a success. Thanks to the generosity of all the donors, the 167th Airlift Wing was able to collect 87 samples that potentially could match someone in need.

AT ALL TIMES:- Be aware of your surroundings.- Report anything you feel is suspi-

cious (report to the local police agency).IF YOU ARE OUT OF THE AREA

FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD:- Get an automatic timer for your

lights. - Ask a neighbor to watch your home

and park in the driveway from time to time.

- Don't forget to have mail and news-paper delivery stopped. If it piles up, it's a sure sign you're gone.

IF YOU'RE OUT FOR THE EVENING:

- Turn on inside lights and a radio so it looks like someone's home.

- Be extra cautious about locking

doors and windows when you leave, even if it's just for a few minutes.

- Ensure outside lights are turned on if you expect to return after dark.

IF A STRANGER COMES TO THE DOOR, BEWARE:

- Criminals sometimes pose as couri-ers with delivery gifts.

- It's not uncommon for people to try to take advantage of others' generosity by going door-to-door for

charitable donations when there's no charity

involved. - Ask for identification, and find out

how the funds will be used. If you aren't satisfied, don't give.

REMEMBER: Antiterrorism and Force Protection is EVERYONE’S job.

These tips, and other important infor-mation are located in the CJCS Guide 5260, Service Member’s

Personal Protection Guide: A Self-Help Handbook to Combating Terrorism, which can be found on the

base intranet.The 167th Airlift Wing Antiterrorism

Officer is Major Tim Rice, 242-5084.

12Safe & SecureAnti-terrorism Force Protection- protect yourself from criminals and terroristsby Maj. Tim Rice, Wing Anti-terrorism Officer

167th Airlift Wing

Crime PreventionChild Protection Safety

At Home Alone: Your Guide to Pro-tecting Your Child

Your child gets out of school around 3:00, but you don't get home from work until 5:00. They are at home alone for those two hours every weekday. What do they do until you arrive?

Most likely, they will get a snack or talk to someone on the phone. Maybe they will just watch TV. But since you're not there, you worry.

Just like the majority of American parents who work and have to leave their children on their own after school every day, you are anxious about your child's safety.

But by following the safeguards listed below, you can help ease some of this worry and take measures that will protect your kids even when you're not around.

WHAT YOU CAN DO• Make sure your chil-

dren are old enough and mature enough to care for themselves.

• Teach them the basic safety rules.

• Know the three "W's": Where your kids are, What they're doing, and Who they're with.

ARE THEY READY? CAN YOUR CHILDREN-

• Be trusted to go straight home after school?

• Easily use the tele-phone, locks, and kitchen appli-ances?

• Following rules and instructions well?

• Handle unexpected situations

without panicking? • Stay alone without being afraid?

by Tech. Sgt. Craig Pearrell

see "Child Protection Safety" page 13

13Safe & Secure

• Know important phone numbers.• Who to call in case of a emer-

gencyA WORD ABOUT CURIOSITY...Are there things you don't want your

children to get into? Take the time to talk to them about the deadly consequences of guns, medicines, power tools, drugs, alcohol, cleaning products, and inhal-ants. Make sure you keep these items in a secure place out of sight and locked up, if possible.

TEACH YOUR "HOME ALONE" CHILDREN

• To check in with you or a neigh-bor immediately after arriving home.

• How to call 9-1-1, or your area's emergency number, or call the operator.

• How to give directions to your home, in case of emergency.

• To never accept gifts or rides from people they don't know well.

• How to use the door and window

locks, and the alarm system if you have one.

• To never let anyone into your home without asking your permission.

• To never let anyone at the door or on the phone know that they're alone. Teach them to say "Mom can't come to the phone (or door) right now."

• To carry a house key with them in a safe place (inside a shirt pocket or sock). Don't leave it under the mat or on a ledge outside the house.

• How to escape in case of fire. • To not go into an empty house

or apartment if things don't look right - a broken window, ripped screen, or opened door.

• To let you know about anything that frightens them or makes them feel uncomfortable.

TAKE A STAND• Work with schools, religious

institutions, libraries, recreational and community center, and local youth orga-nizations to create program that give chil-dren ages 10 and older a place to go and something to do after school - a "home-

work haven,"; with sports, crafts, classes and tutoring. Don't forget that kids of this age can also get involved in their commu-nities. Help them design and carry out an improvement project!

• Ask your workplace to sponsor a Survival Skills class for employees' chil-dren. You can kick it off with a parent breakfast or lunch.

• Ask your community to develop a homework hotline latchkey kids can call for help or just to talk.

• Join or start a McGruff House or other parent program in your community to offer children help in emergencies or frightening situations.

We are all Airman, and it is our job to protect our children and allow them to grow up in a safe and secure environ-ment. If we follow these instructions listed above, it will allow us to relieve some of the worries for our children’s safety, and allow us to focus on the mission a little more. We cannot be with our children 24 hours a day, but we can take the time to educate them.

Child Protection Safetycontinued from page 12

167th Airlift Wing

neers started their basic loadmas-ter training (BLM) on base and are scheduled to graduate on Nov. 29.

The BLM AETC instructor, Staff Sgt. Jason Fatjo, is from the formal BLM course that is taught at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, Shambaugh said.

Shambaugh said, it is more cost effective to bring one instructor here instead of sending the 13 former flight engineers to Lackland AFB for the five-week BLM course that is needed before going to the 12-week C-17 loadmaster initial qualification (LIQ) course at Altus AFB in Altus, Okla.

He said after C-17 LIQ, loadmasters will complete OJT on the C-17 under the supervision of an instructor loadmaster.

The first four 167th C-17 trained loadmasters are due back at the 167th this month, said Shambaugh.

Conversioncontinued from page 6

shooters in the process.” Whether individually or as a team, the 167th’s marksmen have the opportunity to compete for trophies, medals, badges and other recognition. “Several of the CMP and NRA matches that we attend are bulls-eye matches which allow members to earn Excel-lence-In-Competition points toward their ‘Distinguished Marksman’ designation,” DeCicco said. “Once an Airman/shooter attains this level of skill with either a rifle or pistol, the USAF awards that individual a badge that is worn on their uniform.” Asked why wing Airmen should want to join the team, its coordinator said it would be “a good way for members who want to compete, learn, work on and improve their marksmanship skills with their assigned duty weapon and miscellaneous firearms

to do so.” “We provide the place to shoot, all required gear, weapons, ammo and solid shooting instructions,” DeCicco said. “We start with the fundamentals and build from there. It’s also a good way for wing members from various squadrons to inter-act and build esprit de corps.” DeCicco invites interested Airmen to pay a visit to one of the team’s practice sessions. “Come out and try it a few times,” he said. “Build your comfort level up a little. We have lots of new and old shooters with varying levels of experience. This type of thing gets in your blood and really becomes a lifelong hobby that you can pursue long after your military career is completed.” Membership on the base marksmanship team is open to all 167th AW Airmen. For more information please contact DeCicco at Ext. 5583 or via email at james.decicco@ang.af.mil

Marksmanshipcontinued from page 4

Save the date!!!!!

The 167th Airlift Wing and

the 157th Army Guard invite you to attend the annual

Halloween Bash and trunk or treat!

Where: 167th Airlift Wing(in front of building 120)

When: Saturday, October 25th, 2014from 3p.m. - 5p.m. Open to all 167th & 157th families

LOTS OF GAMES, PRIZES AND CANDY for kids of all ages!

DECORATE YOUR TRUNK for the Best Trunk Contest!

we hope to see you there!

OPERATION GIVING TREE

Operation: Giving Tree is about Airman helping Airman.

Every year, due to hardships, an Airman is unable to provide a Christmas for their child(ren). Because of a special donation of a Christmas tree from an Airman firefighter, the 167th AW Airman & Family Readiness Programs Office (AFRPO) is setting up a tree in Bldg 134 outside of the Dining Facility called the Giving Tree, to help those Airmen in need this Christmas.

An application for Christmas assistance for 167AW children, can be picked up from the AFRPO, your First Sgt or any CMSgt on base.

This program is:

only for current 167 AW families and their dependent children listed in DEERS

set up on the honor system

for Service Members in need of financial assistance

anonymous

Applications are available now until 31 Oct 2014. Numbered cards will be placed on the Giv-ing Tree during November Drill. Airmen that want to sponsor a child can remove a card, pur-chase gifts, and return the card and the gift(s) to the AFRPO by noon Sunday December UTA. Applicants may pick up the donated gifts at the end or after December UTA.

OPERATION GIVING TREE Christmas Assistance for 167AW Children

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 31 October 2014

Important program details:

This program is only for CURRENT 167AW FAMILIES and their DEPENDENT children listed in DEERS.

This is set up on the HONOR SYSTEM.

We are trusting that the Service Member is in need of FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE and are being trustworthy in their request to us.

Please list person referring this applicant:

Name & Rank:___________________________________________ Unit:_______________________

Email:_______________________________________________ Phone:________________________

Applicant Information:

Service Member’s Name & Rank: _______________________________________________________

Spouse Name: _____________________________________________________________________

Street Address: ___________________________________________________________________

City:____________________________________ State: ____________________ Zip: __________

Phone Number: ____________________________ 2nd Phone: ________________________________

Email Address:_

Squadron/Flight & Section:

Please circle one: Full Time or Traditional

Packages will be picked up by applicant at the 167AW’s Airman & Family Programs Office at the end of December UTA or after

Application must be completed and returned by 31 October 2014. Please list 2 toy/gift choices per child up to a $50 maximum amount per gift, as well as clothing sizes. You will be notified via email when your request has been received and approved for the program.

Please note there are no guarantees on fulfilling exact requests. Be as detailed as possible on choices. Example: If asking for video games, please be specific for what game station it’s for (Playstation 2, Xbox 360 etc.). Sponsors will do their best to fulfill wishes.

Child’s Name: Age: Female/Male

Toy Choice #1: _____________________________________________________________________

Toy Choice #2: _____________________________________________________________________

Coat Size (includes gloves & hat): Shirt Size:

Pant Size: Pajamas Size: Shoe Size:

Child’s Name: Age: Female/Male

Toy Choice #1: _____________________________________________________________________

Toy Choice #2: _____________________________________________________________________

Coat Size (includes gloves & hat): Shirt Size:

Pant Size: Pajamas Size: Shoe Size:

167th Airman & Family Programs Office, 222 Sabre Jet Blvd. Martinsburg, WV 25405

Fax: 304-616-5024

Email: sherry.lewis@ang.af.mil

Child’s Name: Age: Female/Male

Toy Choice #1: _____________________________________________________________________

Toy Choice #2: _____________________________________________________________________

Coat Size (includes gloves & hat): Shirt Size:

Pant Size: Pajamas Size: Shoe Size:

(For Applicant) By signing below, I state that the information on this application is true & correct.

Service Member Signature:________________________________ Date:_____________

Please return application by 31 October 2014 to one of the following: