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Show Fighter Country Page 2a Commentary tt" Supporting our troops Families: Lt Col. "If courage the true heros maintenance and support personnel are the hardest working, most dedicated Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron in is used word a a group of professionals any organization Courage could boast The skill and pride of variety of circumstances. Sports announcers speak of an athlete's squadron members simply will not when with an permit failure. In fact, I have yet to courage playing injury. Books are written about the courage of face a situation or challenge that exceeds our capability. As such, the warriors facing great odds on the battlefield. In all cases, courage is examples of courage I mentioned have not been associated with squadron used to describe one's ability to act in the presence of difficulty, to overcome personnel, but from our families. Our extreme circumstances. Often the spouses have demonstrated remarkable courage in facing and persevering courage exhibited is for the good of others and not of the individual perthrough the most difficult times. When the squadron leaves for the forming the courageous act In my far reaches of the world, our spouses experience as the commander of the remain behind and assume responsibil421st Fighter Squadron, I have seen some great examples of courage. ity for raising our children, helping The mission of the squadron, is to with the homework, maintaining the house and car, paying bills, and in win any conflict, anytime, and fight e many cases, holding down a anyplace. In three major overseas job. Not only must they perform the deployments, numerous wing operawork of two parents, for the last two tional readiness exercises, and the Air Combat Command Operational Readiyears they had to do all these things ness Inspection, we have proven our during the winter while we were do that. is to But that no deployed to Southwest Asia. I know of ability just We have the resources needed numerous cases where spouses had to surprise. overcome flooded basements, wrecked to get the job done and dedicate our automobiles and severe hardships. end. Our towards that training pilots, By Ron Oholendt full-tim- Credit to have access to the people regardless of rank card with a few exceptions for cases of financial irresponsibility. In the 388th alone, people have charged about $12,000 already this year. Of that, more than $8,000 were cash advances. "People are afraid to charge things on their cards because they don't want to get in trouble," said Manker. Widely publicized stories about abuse of the card have emphasized the punishments and actions that can be taken against cardholders who make illegal charges. extreme difficulty, than I know of no one more courageous than our spouses. " Lt CoL Ron Oholendt 421st Fighter Squadron commnader Several experienced grave medical problems and even surgery. Amazingly though, not one spouse threw in the towel. A deployment to Southwest Asia is no picnic, but it is something we are very capable of and prepared to do. We depart with a great deal of attention and return home as heroes to crowds waving American flags (which by the way is a great feeling). We garner the fanfare and have the satisfaction of knowing we maintained the peace in Southwest Asia. However, our spouses are the real heroes, unsung heroes, but heroes in the truest sense of the word. I am forever amazed at their capacity to deal with the demands of a military spouse. In a moment's notice they must be ready to assume full responsibility for our families and continue to support us after we leave. This support was evident everyday in the desert where we worry. "As long as it's an authorized travel expense and paid off on time, there should be no fear of getting in trouble," Manker said. Authorized charges include lodging, meals, transportation and ATM withdrawals associated with official travel. Cases of abuse are almost always clear acts of criminal intent, not misunderstandings or oversights, said Manker. 'Those who get into trouble are the ones who get cash advances from Wendover for a personal Wing honors suppliers and maintainers Saturday Nominees for 1994 Maintenance Professionals superintendent of the Operations Group. The 388th Fighter Wing will recognize Its MainSrA, Sean Goode TSgt William Collins tenance Professionals and Professional Providers of" SrA. Steven Holder TSgt James Barnes the year In a banquet held at the NCO club Satur- A1C Michael Ryan TSgt Scott Currie day. The social begins at 6:30 p.m. and a choice of TSgt David Jewkes prime rib or halibut will be served at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through squadron first serProfessional Providers 1 0 2 are for for $ SrA. Robert Haney $ geants, prices through TSgt Renee Welry 5 SrA. Daniel Velez through 6 and $14 for 7 and up. Civilians SSgtGregoryDodd 1 E-- E-- E-- E-- 4, 1 E-- pay!. of facing or withstanding But the 388th program manager assures wing members no one who honestly uses the card has reason to "Come on out to support the folks who make It happen atl year long," said CMSgt. Mike Downey, is the act SrA. Shirley Haney - "feu received dozens of care packages from home containing cookies, snacks and episodes of "Seinfeld." If courage is the act of facing or withstanding extreme difficulty, than I know of no one more courageous than our spouses. Though the squadron has a few husbands as spouses, the vast majority of spouses are wives. King Solomon records in the book of Proverbs, "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband." How true! What we do as a squadron in the performance of our mission is indeed important, but it is not as great an achievement over adversity as what our spouses do when we're gone. For all military members in the wing, who seemed to be gone more than we're home, we would like to publicly acknowledge and thank our spouses for all their courageous support and love. You are our heroes. vacation or go to the mall shopping right here in town," said Manker. "Reasonable people have little trouble distinguishing between when they are and aren't TDY," he said. "If you're on travel orders, expenses you ordinarily incur can be paid for with the card meals and other expenses are no problem. A gift for your spouse, however, wouldn't be an official expense. It's pretty easy, really," he said. The purpose of the American Express Government card is to make official travel easier and even beneficial to the Air Force, said Manker. "It's a good program. I think everyone should use it," he said. Award was unavailable, our guys did some great moving and salvaging of parts. "The fighter squadrons have their hands full, and the last thing they need is to have to beat up on us to get the job done. We are way out in front in that area, we'd rather be right there when they need us," said Schumacher. Embracing the concept that every idea counts, the keeps squadron one step ahead of the others. The Maintenance Squadron surpassed all other squadrons in the wing for suggestions; out of 128 submissions about 52 were approved. The tangible benefits totaled $308,277, which was 99 percent of the wing total. "All those great ideas that saved the Air Force money and time is one of the most telling examples of this squadron's winning attitude," said Schumacher. 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