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Show October 19, 2000 nswers provided for Commander Call questions - Maj. Gen. Scott Bergren, Ogden ALC commander, held Commanders Call Oct. 5. Since time didnt allow all questions from the audience to be answered then, the following is the first installment of answers to the submitted questions. the Air Force is having trouble recruiting civilians and military. Is there anything we can do to help with that? We know Ive heard so many who have left the service say, when that kind of experience and that kind I miss the I I people. miss the camaraderie. miss the closeness and I miss the sense of mission. Thats what weve got to offer and all of us have to tell Americas sons and daughters thats what were loss to us. We want to keep you as long as we can. all about! Upon completion of the how soon personnel be affected by privatization of positions and RIF? The earliest employees will be affected by reduction in force as the result of the Study will be 120 days after the decision is made to either privatize or keep the work in house. A-7- 6, will Hill AFB civilian Weve heard about the aging workforce. When, and how are we going to get younger employees on base? Recruiting is a huge challenge right now and all of us need to think of ourselves as Air Force and DoD-widthe civilian workwith Air Force recruiters. That means we partners force average age is 48. By 2007, 40 percent of need to take every opportunity to talk to young men our people will be retirement-eligible- . If 40 percent and women about our service and what it offers. of our people retire all at once, its going to hurt us I visited with Air National Guard members who deeply. Were visiting local trade schools, local uniwere here fighting fires last summer. That group versities, and high schools, in an effort to recruit of people was so enthusiastic, and so proud of what young people. Were also working hard to 'attract they were doing. They had a mission, they were young engineers. Not long ago, I met with a group doing it together, they were doing some good in the of Palace Acquire and Copper Cap people repreworld and they felt good about themselves. sentative of the fresh, young kids who will be our Thats what service to the nation can offer young future. Were working hard to bring those young men and women who are looking at the Air Force people in but at the same time, we want to both military and civilian for a career. You encourage our older, experienced workers to stay dont get that kind of job satisfaction anywhere else. with us for as long as possible. Let me tell you, A-7- e, Hill of expertise that has been developed over a professional lifetime walks out the door, that is a huge 6 Why are we being forced to use the stop- per list for 6 positions in the study? Many who are here and working deserve the opportunity to be promoted and there is not hope because of the stopper list. A-7- We are required to clear all valid vacancies throughout the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program (Stopper). Once cleared, the positions may then be filled through internal placement or external recruitment sources. defender team meets competition challenges by Gary Boyle Hilltop Times staff incredible six minutes to spare. and brush of In the swamps shot, ran, and they pass, Purtell said. After replacing the battery, the men encircled the position and awaited the assault they knew would come. A wave of hostility thrust its anger at the defenders who eliminated the fought their way to the top. The Hill Defender Challenge team came back from Eglin AFB Sept. 27, after a week of competition, with more medals than any of the other 10 teams who competed. Three of the eight competitors of the Air Force Materi- al Commands defenders threat to the station and insured the repeaters safety and the enemys demise. started Combat tactics a vac-cin- to be tested. Passing through the jungle the team was ambushed and forced to take cover. On one side was an enemy bent on killing them, the other a minefield mindless of whom it took out. Once again the defenders prevailed, protecting the good doctor and wiping out their attackers. This is something we would see in combat. We do a lot of Staff Sgt. Brent Pomeroy, who was point man for the Hill team, will also handle the job for the AFMC team, along with Master Sgt. James Purtell and Staff Sgt. Kevin Chadaz. It says a lot about our hard training when three guys from one team make it to the World-Wid- e team, team trainer Tech- nical Sgt. Butch Brien said. out- convoy escort in security forces, standing team of previous expe- Purtell said. Delivering the doctor to the medical tent, the defenders created a defensive perimeter, as inside the tent the doctor rience and new blood were, Technical Sgt. Rusty Schenck, and Airmen 1st Class KJ. Hiezer, Matt Deorio and Markus Hunt. Hill was called to the award tested the vaccine. Then stand more than any other team, Maj. Warren Keithley of the 75th SFS, said. Undoubt- edly we had the best team. I am very proud of what they did. The defenders medals, took four including gold in the physically demanding obstacle course, where the e team had a buffer between them and the closest competitor. Silver medals were captured in 9mm handgun, combat 6 and combat tactics, where the men fell a mere 50 points short of 4,000 for the gold. Jurtell and Chadaz won three-minut- M-1- sweet for the team as it is Purtells last opportunity to take part in the Challenge with convoy carrye ing a doctor and a malaria world cup team will come from the 75th Security Forces Squadron. Included in this years Our Hill Defenders worked extremely hard to represent Team Hill in the competition and clearly came out on top, Col. Kefmeth Page, 75th Air Base Wing commander, said. They gave every ounce of energy they had. All of us can be proud of their efforts and rest assured we have the best defenders in Air Force Material Command. This years triumph is bitter We would never have gotten there that fast with a com- Medal winning through the brush Photo by Gary Boyle Defenders Challenge team of the 75th Security Forces Squadron are, top row, from left, Staff Sgt. Rusty Schenk, Airman 1st Class Matt Deorio, Team Captain Master Sgt. James Purtell. Middle row: Staff Sgt. Brent Pomeroy, Airman 1st Class K.J. Heizer, Staff Sgt. Kevin Chadaz. Bottom row: Team Trainer Technical Sgt. Butch Brien, Airman 1st Class Markus Hunt. Hill AFB silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the obstacle course. I felt we were mentally and physically ready for anything they could throw at us, Brien said, and anything was what the team got. A portion of combat tactics this year was held at night and had the team moving through -- careened towards them in an effort to eliminate the tent and kill the doctor. The defenders took out the vehicle and insured the missions success. During shooting exercises the team ran though a combat swamps and vegetation to replace a battery on a TAC similar environment. Running repeater, an essential device that boosts radio signals to increase communication abilities. Pomeroy led his team- through U Hilltop Times Published by Moi Media, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of the Hilltop Times are a course the team members shot at targets with then during the 9mm handgun competition particiM-16- s, mates as point man 1,500 meters a few feet short of one mile using the global positioning system, through the darkness to their objective with an pants shot at targets that popped up, reacted to hostage situations, and had to make split second judgements on whether to shoot or hot. Air Force people building the world's most respected Air and Space Force U-JLJ ur" Quality Systems for Americas Air Force a vehicle not necessarily the official views of, 01 endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Foi ce. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or MorMedia, Inc., of the pioducts or services advertised. Everything advertised m this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or pationage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs Office staff in Bldg. 102, second floor. Call Ext. with story ideas or comments, or send to hilltop pahill.af mil. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are U.S. Air Force photos. 1 TO PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT, CALL because of regulations restricting senior officers participation. I love doing that stuff. I like putting my skills to the test, Purtell said. rest of the team can next year though and expect to do so, except Pomeroy who is applying for the Rangers. Our younger guys learned a lot and did a lot of training for tactics, said Brien, who will return as the team trainer next year. Everybody but The Purtell is eligible to come back, but Im sure hell have his hand in the cookie jar helping us train and assisting. And we might have other people come out who might bump guys who made the team this year. With the accolades won, team members get a few months off before revving up for next years competition. Year after year Hill keeps sending what is considered the best overall team, dominating and winning a medal in almost every aspect of the challenge, but they dont feel they do it alone. Id like to thank the entire base for their support and were looking forward to coming back next year, .Brien said. Global Power and Reach for America, u Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Maj. Gen. Scott Bergren Maj. Sam Hudspath Bill Orndorff Mary Galbraith, Gary Boyle Senior Airman Russ Martin Deadlines: . . . i Commander, Director, Public Affairs Editor OO-AL- C Staff writers Editorial and Around the Hill items, 3 p.m. Thursday, seven days before publication; sports articles, 9 a.m. Monday, week of publication; classified ads, 2 p.m. Tuesday, week of publication. For more information, call the editor, Ext. 625-430- 0 |