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Show ? i rrr-- .Tn innlf rr .w,T,i. 'gl innYwrffT C5CtCi Bee June 29. 2000 419th FW members pay tribute to veterans War of Vietnam memory fuels systems technician. Heaton, 419th Maintenance Squadron Sergeant Heaton, one of many 419th volunteers, guarded the wall Sunday, June 8. It was a humbling experience for me, and an honor to assist the many visiting families and F-- by Airman Lara Gale 16 1 419th FW Public Affairs Office American flags lined the length of the small-scal- e, traveling version Each Wall that visited Provo June of the Vietnam Memorial flag represented one year since the official end of the war in Vietnam. It has been said time heals all wounds, but for many, 25 flags are not enough. At least 10,000 people visited the wall during the week, some from as far away as St. George, Utah, according to Ms. Susan Sorensen, moving wall committee member. Three moving walls, exactly half the size of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., have been travelling the country since 1988, and all have a full schedule for the next coming year. Mayor Lewis K. Billings, City of Provo, organized the visit as part of his pledge to help bring a sense of patriotism to the city. Ive always felt that we need to better appreciate and understand our heritage, our freedoms, and what people have done that made those things possible, Mr. Billings said. Its pretty significant when you ask someone to put on a uniform and say go out and serve your country, by the way you might die. And a lot of people did. Volunteers put in hundreds of hours to bring the memorial to Utah. Many members of the 419th FW responded to a late request calling for volunteers to spend a shift guarding the wall. Event organizers sought volunteers to ensure the wall was guarded throughout its stay in Provo. Military members throughout the state k duty by providing two guards for the wall 24 hours a performed day. Volunteers found most visitors had a story to tell, and guarding the wall required of tissues rather than a 9 mm revolver. Often the guards greeted people a pocket-fu- ll who came to look for lost loves, family, friends, and fellow warriors, said Technical Sgt. Carolyn Chando, 419th Communications Squadron, who volunteered on the first day of the display. We helped them find names on the wall and told them how they could make a copy of the name if they wanted, said Sergeant Chando. We listened to people talk about their friends and family and even consoled a few people. The time flew Twenty-fiv- e 12-2- 0. friends, he said. Many volunteers stayed long after their shift officially ended, Mayor Billings said. Some even remained at the park until the wall was completely dismantled Monday morning. It was a powerful experience. I think a lot of people were affected that didnt expect to be, he said. Its a very emotional experience for a lot of people who thought they were just going to look at a wall. Three moving walls which are exactly half the size of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. travel the country. One of the replicas visited Provo, Utah June 12 - 20. Reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing were among Utah military members who round-the-cloc- volunteered to guard the wall while it was in Provo. by. Members of the 419th said the experience was very moving and well worth their time and effort. There are 58,209 names on the wall, and each name was associated with a person that had a family and friends that will never forget them, said Master Sgt. Richard Wing releases dates, details for annual salute to employers N The 419th Fighter Wing will host an Employer Appreciation Day Saturday, Sept 9. The annual event is designed to give traditional reservists a chance to show civilian supervisors first hand their "other job with the Air Force Reserve. Employers who have participated in a similar program in the past are not eligible. Only one nomination per reservist Nominations must be for a job. person in the direct supervisory chain at the reservists civilian is form nomination the July 14. The The deadline for submitting invitation is open to the first 30 employers who respond. For more information on the orientation or to discuss general employer-relate- d issues, call the 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office at Employer Appreciation Day September 9, 2000 Reservists name and rank: Reservists Daytime Phone: thejets zoom overhead of the audience at the precise moment designated. Colonel Brill and the other pilots vo- lunteered for the holiday duty even though many other service members will themselves be spending Inde- pendence Day with family and friends. I enjoy doing it, he said. Youre home by noon anyway, and it makes peoples day that much better. He said crowds generally respond enthusiastically to the flybys, which entail four flying in formation at the festivithe audience over twice F-1- 6s ties. Everyone likes to see airplanes, Colonel Brill said. Weve had people call and say it brought tears to their eyes. There are times when people complain about the noise scaring animals, too, in more rural areas. Colonel Brill said he has never had trouble recruiting pilots to support the flyovers. They are paid for their service as they would be on a man day, but he said pay usually wasnt the moti Employers job title: " Civilian employers mailing address (include ZIP code). Civilian employers daytime phone (include area code): office before July 14. Nominations must be received by the 419th FW Public Affairs 5713 lahm Lane, Bldg. This form can be dropped off or mailed to: 419th FWPA, 84056-541593 Room 105, HillAFB, Utah on Employer Note A letter of invitation with complete information nominated to employers. sent Appreciation Day will be 0. vating force. Most of the guys do it because it is fun to have center stage sort of be a for a day, Colonel Brill said. Its fun for their kids to be able to point out a jet and say, thats my daddy up there. mini-thunderbi- rd Flyovers are also a good way to strengthen the wings relationship with the community, another reason pilots are willing to sacrifice some of their holiday time for the program. Although the wing receives many flyover requests for July 4th celebra- tions, they try to accommodate as many as fuel capacity and man- - hours will allow. Im looking forward to showing the people of Utah what theyre getting for their tax dollars, said Major Gallegos. Were always looking for ways to foster our relationships with the communities. The flyover program is an excellent way for us to highlight the capabilities and the skills of the pilots in the Air Force Reserve. of the F-- 16 (contd from page A) An entry application and registration fee of $20 is required of each player by July 23. Teams, couples, or individuals Name of Employer (Mr., or Ms.): Company name: (contd from page A) SCRAMBLE Reservists unit: A FLYOVER may apply. As an added incentive, well also be giving various prizes and awards for individual and team accomplishments throughout the tournament, said Ms. Card. The longest drive, best score, and worst score are just a few of the categories we plan on recognizing. The tournaments are always a lot of fun because youre playing against people you know, said Ms. Angela Kracht. In the past, some of the more experienced golfers in the wing have joined together making the competition pretty stiff. This year, were implementing a few wrinkles to ensure they are faced with increased challenges. While the more skilled golfers are overcoming obstacles, beginners will be busy facing demons of their own. One of the hardest things for me sometimes is just finding my ball, said Ms. Janet Green. My team lost quite a few balls during the last tournament. This revelation led to a blanket disclaimer for all participants at this years tournament. As much as we want to people to participate, its probably worth noting that the 419th is not responsible for any misplaced balls ... or clubs for that matter, joked Ms. Card. Editor s Note: Registration forms for the Family Day golf scramble can be obtained by calling the 419th Public Postcards Affairs Office at will be sent to those who register advising teams in advance of assigned tee times. 777-271- 3. |