OCR Text |
Show MM) i Jun 21. 2001 388th FW receives new career advisor STTTTTT By Tech. Sgt. Sonja C.R. Whittington 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Tough decisions face airmen in today's Air Force. One of the toughest is w hether There can be a lot of or not to enticements either way. Senior Master Sgt. LaRue Campbell hopes to help airmen make that decision. He's the 388th Fighter Wing's career assistance advisor. 'I see my position as an intricate part of informing those (who are at the decisionmaking point) of some of the benefits and airmen." opportunities afforded first-terexplained Sergeant Campbell. While hoping to influence airmen to stay in the Air Force and reverse the retention trends. Sergeant Campbell figures he w ill have accomplished his task if he can at least help people make truly informed m . ; , , .: " .: ' . , OV . It 1 .1 ST - ; , , ," .'; f decisions. "My ultimate goal is to educate," he said. airmen w ho "There are a lot of first-teraren't aw are of some of their benefits such as assignments or retraining." And, he said, m there have been many changes to the systems in the past several years; some super- isors have been misinformed and are relaying that misinformation to their airmen. "Sergeant Campbell is focused on mak- ing sure folks have enough knowledge to make an informed decision," said Chief Master Sgt. Stanley Sanders who was on the selection board for the applicants to the job. "Six months down the road we want them to still be convinced they.made the right decision, w hether that was to stay in or separate. Each day there are five or six prior enlisted people returned to the active duty Air Force. I'm sure each one of them thought they made the right decision when they separated." Sergeant Campbell w ill not be working alone, lie w ill be working very closely w ith Senior Master Sgt. Larue Campbell will help airmen make one of the toughest decisions in today's Air Force, stay in or get out, during his new role as the 388th Fighter Wing's career assistance advisor. Master Sgt. Joseph Jennings, the career assistance advisor for the Air Logistics Center here. "It's definitely a Team Hill effort," said Sergeant Campbell. "We will be w orking closely together. The only difference is that our units have different missions; we work for different commands." Sergeant Campbell's focus will be largely directed toward the airmen who work in the critically manned flight line maintenance jobs. "I'm concerned that line folks may feel left put by stating that his job 'is largely focused on the flight line'". Retention of these airmen is of major concern to the commander and the Air Force. "I'm even looking for a location closer non-flig- ht to the ramp to have an satellite office so I can more easily available for the flight line personnel," he explained. "I want them to know I am here for them to answer questions whenever I can." Having personnel in units to advise airmen on options is not a new idea. Many years ago, career advisors airmaintained folders on each First-terin man and briefed them on the Air Force when the airmen became m ng eligible. "The main difference between them then and us is that we take a more proactive approach," Sergeant Campbell said. "We're briefing them at the First Term Airmen's Center, at Right Decision briefings, and for those w ho stay in, at the Enlisted Pro fessional Development Program. "We're hitting educating today's airmen who at many points, not just the are near the point," he said. "Back when I was coming up through the ranks, no one ever said anything to me about staying in," Sergeant Campbell said. "I want to make sure that doesn't happen to this generation of airmen." Sergeant Campbell officially takes over full time as wing career assistance advisor July l. His main office is in Building 120 on the second floor next to the command chief master sergeant's office. " "I'm here any time to answer questions," he said. "If you want to sit down and talk about your options, give me a call." His phone number is First-terme- rs one-on-o- ne 775-782- 9. 4th FS returns home from deployment By Senior Airman Cindy Huston 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs The 4th Fighter Squadron "Fightin Fuujins" returned y deployment to Curacao, a small island off the coast of Venezuela. The squadron's mission while deployed was to deter illegal drug trafficking. "Squadrons before us have done such an excellent job deterring smugglers in the past that we really haven't had too many problems during our rotation here," said Capt. Craig Moore, 4th FS pilot who was deployed to Curacao for 50 days. "However, we know if we were to stop patrolling this area the smugglers would resume their operations at the same levels as they did in the past," he added. home June 3 from a 90-da- Captain Moore, who has been a pilot for more than four years, has been deployed several other times to include: Operation Southern Watch, Maple Flag and Combat Archer, and said although it was great to be deployed on a Caribbean island, the deployment lacked training opportunities because there wasn't much flying going on. "Dilring other deployments the Air Force sends us on, we have set flying schedules so we know exactly how long we are going to be up in the air and what areas we will be patrolling," said Captain Moore. "With the deployment to Curacao, we didn't have a set schedule. The squadron had groups of pilots and set on alert, ready to launch in case they were called upon," added the captain. Crews on alert usually started their shift at 6 p.m. and went until 6 p.m. the following day. People had to stay in main-taine- 24-ho- ur rs a designated area near the runways. They were only allowed to leave long enough to go to a nearby restaurant and grab something to eat. When the men and women of the 4th FS weren't on standby status, there were many things around the island to keep them busy. "Justabout everyone who went on this deployment took advantage of all the great recreational activities the island had to offer," said Captain Moore. "From snorkeling to scuba diving, island tours and all the great restaurants, there was something for everyone to do." But even an island paradise cannot replace what some left behind back home. "I am very happy to be back home with my wife and kids again," said Captain Moore. "They were very missed while I was gone." Cofntry Published for People Like... HigHt t . ( Name: Lee GVenier Rank: airman 1st class Job: munitions systems apprentice Unit: 388th Component Repair Squadron Time in Service: 9 months term is over Goals: Become an officer before Most Recent Accomplishment? Graduated from technical school six-ye- ar Editorial Staff Col. John Weida Commander NCOIC, Public Affairs Chief, Command Information Tech. Sgt. Sonja Whittington , Senior Airman Cindy Huston Fighter Country is a supplement to the Hilltop Times, published by MorMedia, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs Office. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of Fighter Country are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are U.S. Air Force photos. Fighter Country is edited, prepared and provided by the 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, 5887 D. Ave., Suite 113, Hill AFB UT, 84056-501Story submissions for Fighter Country can be brought by the office, to the editor at fighter.country. hill.af.mil or fax to Deadline for submissions to Fighter Country is no later than Monday, noon, two weeks prior to publication, For ' more information, call the public affairs office at 777-292- 3. 777-320- 0. '' |