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Show "We're because the world must not and cannot reward aggression. We're there because our vital interests are at stake. And we're in the gulf because of the brutality of Saddam Hussein." in the gulf President Bush Supplement to the Hilltop Time a Hill AFB, UUhFeb. 8, 1991 Reserve chief stresses viability Ji. ........ " - ,"ri'-- ' by TSgt. Bruce Hills 419th TFW Public Affairs Office Readiness in the U.S. Air Force Reserve has never been higher, says Maj. Gen. John J. Closner III, chief of Air Force Reserve and AFRES commander. General Closner, former 419th Tactical Fighter Wing commander and former commander of 10th Air Force, Bergstrom AFB, Texas, visited the 419th TFW at Hill AFB dur- ing the Reserve wing's January unit training as- sembly. Among those he spoke with were the 24 firefighters from the 419th Civil Engineering Squadron who were General Closner called to active duty in December and who now work at the Hill AFB Fire Department. General Closner told the firefighters that 1991 "is a watershed year in American his- tory, a dynamic time when America's Guard and Reserve forces are becoming more important than ever before." He said congressional budget cutting and restraints are expected to cut the regular armed forces by possibly making the nation's Guard and Reserve even more vital than it already has been to this country's defense. In the future, he said, he expects U.S. Air Force Reserve training to be more and more tuned to creating the sharpest fighting edge possible. "Since the start of Operation Desert Shield and especially since the onset of Operation Desert Storm, the public is more interested in the Guard and Reserve than it has been in decades," General one-thir- d, Closner said. "Leaders from around the world have been studying our Reserve military programs for years because of their cost effectiveness and efficiency. Now we are showing the world how ready and able our Reserve forces are. "Training pays off. Our Reserve air components, especially, have been able to work well with other nations in the Middle East because of the joint training exercises we have had in the past and the exchanges of pilots we've had our pilots training overseas and theirs training in the United States." General Closner said some of his goals during the next four years as chief of Air Force Reserve are to maintain the Reserve's high level of skill, readiness and efficiency and to pursue a campaign begun by his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Roger P. Scheer, to boost morale and increase the productivity and job satisfaction of every Air Force Reservist. "Reservists are more capable than they even know and we want to unlock their latent talents and skills. "I want to hear reservists' good ideas. I want them all to know that not only does the Air Force want to hear from them, but every reservist has a responsibility to let us know what he thinks." He said he wants unit commanders and leaders in each unit to be trained to elicit and listen to suggestions on how to improve the quality of the Air Force Reserve. "We all need to feel we are part of the team and that it is 'our Air Force.' We owe it to ourselves and to others to take our role in the Air Force Reserve seriously and to give the service the highest quality job we can. "It wouldn't be a bad idea to think of the boss at every level of every unit as a cheerleader. What we are looking for is the best from everyone and the best quality U.S. Air Force Reserve," he said. Heading out MSgt. James K. Luker, seated, helps members of the 419th Tactical Fighter Wing's Medical Squadron Lt. Col. Norman C. Bos II, right; Capt. Lynn J. Clifford, center; and Maj. Chris S. Crnich through the line. More 65 than were to medical in 16 called active mobility personnel duty Jan. support of Operation Desert Storm and are serving in a hospital at Langley AFB, Va. See more pictures and story on Page 3a. 100 wing reservists on active duty emll tikes services s lolls Nine Air Force Reservists from the 419th Tactical Fighter Wing's Civil Engineering Squadron left Utah Jan. 29 for an active duty assignment at George AFB, Calif., in support of Operation Desert Storm. This brings to nearly 100 the number of 419th reservists called to active duty since December 1990. The team, commanded by 1st Lt. Cristy Edwards, one of four women in the group and the only officer, includes eight Utahns and one reservist from Idaho. Their duty assignments at George will include food preparation, linen exchange, billeting and mor- tuary affairs. This is the third Reserve group from the 419th TFW to be activated in the past two months. More than 60 men and women, including five physicians, from the 419th Medical Squadron were called to active duty Jan. 16 and are serving at a hospital a Langley AFB, Va. Twenty-fou- r firefighters from the 419th TFW were called to active duty Dec. 8, and are serving Pilots and support personnel from the 419th Tactical Fighter Wing returned to Hill AFB today after a deployment to Miramar NAS near San Diego. More than 200 reservists and 11 participated in the exercise. "The deployment was memorable for California's excellent weather and the great training provided by the Navy hosts," said project officer Capt. Robert Colyer, 419th TFW electronic warfare officer. Captain Colyer said part of the Reserve contingent drove overland to and from Miramar, a distance of 762 miles, and the rest flew. "We had mild days and cool nights. Temperatures were in the 70 to 72 degree range during the day and got down to 50 to 55 at night. "Officers were billeted on base and enlisted personnel were housed in the naval training center in downtown San Diego," Captain Colyer said. four-wee- k is a Reserve supplement to the Hilltop Times, published by MorMedia, Inc., a private firm ALC Public In no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the Ogden Air Force for is authorized an publication Affairs Office. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper official the not are of necessarily headaOp Reserve members of the U.S. military services. Contents headsdp U.S. Air Force Photo by TSgt. Bruce Hills F-1- 6s at the Hill AFB Fire Department. Medical units assigned to the 419th's units in Oklahoma and Arizona were also recalled to active duty. Fifty-seve- n reservists from the 507th Tactical Fighter Group, Tinker AFB, Okla., were mobilized to Shaw AFB, S.C.; and 52 reservists assigned to the 944th TFG, Luke AFB, Ariz., have been assigned to their home station. About 31,000 Air Force Reservists were slated to deploy to other locations for annual tour training during the first nine months of 1991, but that changed for some because of the Middle East crisis. "The schedule is uncertain because of the participation of our forces in Desert Storm," said Lt. Col. Omer K. Holcomb, acting chief of exercise plans at Headquarters Air Force Reserve. Most of the annual training is to take place in the United States. However, some reservists are to deploy to Canada, Panama, Honduras, Germany, England, Spain, Italy, Turkey, the Azores, the Philippines, Japan, Korea and Guam. F-1- 6 5 "We averaged 16 sorties a day, Monday through Friday, with no weekend sorties, and flew against 8 Hornets and 4 Tomcats. In addition to F-1- F-1- and some Navy planes, we had some Canadian from Luke AFB, Ariz., participating in the exF-1- 8s F-1- 5s ercise." Captain Colyer said, "Flying against dissimilar aircraft, planes that have flight characteristics different from our own is terrific training. We even flew a few sorties against ships during our deployment." Pilots rotated in and out of Miramar every week and 100 enlisted reservists rotated after tours. "The 419th has hosted both of the Miramar Navy squadrons at Hill and we enjoyed working with the two squadrons at their base, especially this past month while Hill had' such cold, foggy and snowy weather," he said. F-16- s, four-wee- k two-wee- k F-1- 4 views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. Advertisements contained herein do not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill AFB, Utah. Everything advertised is available without regard to race, color, religion, sex or other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. |