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Show 0 ILlhnpTimes 11. 2002 April Hill unit watching California a by Capt. Kim Garbett 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Always a busy hub and platform for global reach, after Sept. 11, the base here has become even busier. Operations tempo, deployments and constant alert status are an even more ingrained part of life. While much attention has been focused on the base's support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Travis has also become an important base for the homeland defense mission, Operation ; Noble Eagle. With Operation Noble Eagle came fighters on loan here, sitting on constant alert status and performing random combat air patrol missions in support of homeland defense in Northern California and the western United States. Since the attacks, Travis has become a second home to Detachment 388, a small Fighting Falcon unit assigned here from Hill AFB. Its supersonic fighter aircraft are ready to go at a moment's notice. which can reach speeds of up to 1,500 mph, are The d loaded with deadly weapon systems, including e missiles and cannons. This missiles, infrared-guide- d and aircraft is a multirole fighter with both capabilities. The aircrew and support people are here on a rotational basis but are always ready to go should the call come in for an intercept or an escort They have become accustomed to instant noodles and other packaged food for meals, unless the barbecue is fired up outside their makeshift home on a carefully selected corner of the base's 6,400 acres. Maj. "Slim" Pickens, the Det. 388 commander, has his hands full. As one of the many layers of defense touched by this national crisis and the terrorist attacks, Det. 388 has been busy. At the same time, said Pickens, he and pilots in his command are confronting the thought of possibly shoot- TRAVIS AFB, Calif. (AFPN) F-1- 6 s, radar-guide- single-engin- air-to-a- ir guarding your own back yard, you tend to be a little more vigilant. I believe we all believe in exactly what we are doing When you're )) " Maj. "Slim Pickens ing down a hijacked American passenger jet "To a man, it's an abhorrent thing to do," he said. "But if 1 take several lives in the air to save thousands on the ground, I know it's the right thing to do." Pickens said the decision to engage and fire is not the pilot's call. "Military and civilian authorities at a much higher level than us let us know whether or not we need to do what might need to be done," he said. People from Det. 388 have been called to duty on a number of different occasions, including a potential intercept Jan. 31, when the Golden Gate Bridge had some unusual aircraft activity around it. As a cultural landmark, that bridge and San Francisco are potential targets. Pickens said he and his pilots are truly proud to be in a position to protect their homeland should they be called upon. "When you're guarding your own back yard, you tend to be a little more vigilant," he said. "I believe we all believe in exactly what we are doing." f I r .V I Photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Verchio Senior Airman Nick Wallace, a crew chief with Detachment 388 from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, talks to the pilot of an 6 Fighting Falcon prior to the aircraft taking off for a mission. The detachment is deployed to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., supporting Operation Noble Eagle. Commissary construction program triples in 2002 nine Palms, Calif. Store upgrades are sched- uled for Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Naval Air Station FORT LEE, Va. - Commissary officials are tripling the pace of major construction compared to previous years, with three new stores, five store renovations and two warehouse upgrades on tap for fiscal 2002. "This year's $98 million program lays the first bricks on a solid business foundation, lining up to a sound investment blueprint we developed over the last two years," said Maj. Gen. Robert J. Courter Jr., Defense Commissary Agency director. "With the hard work and dedication of our DeCA team, and critical support from the Pentagon and Congress, we have reversed a serious decline in the commissary infrastructure." DeCA will begin 10 major projects in fiscal 2002. New stores are planned for Grand Forks Whidbey Island, Wash.; RAF Lakenheath, Engn AAFB, Ariz., and Fort land; Leonard Wood, Mo. Warehouse upgrades are planned for Germersheim Central Distribution Center, Germany, and Kanto Plain Central Distribution Center, Japan. An architectural and refrigeration upgrade Davis-Montha- project is planned for the Hill AFB commissary, according to Ray Gardea, store director. The project is tentatively scheduled for fiscal 2003. The 95 percent pre-findesign review was performed last December, Gardea said, and the project al is awaiting funding. Agency officials want to make sure each commissary project will meet the particular needs of the local military community and ask cus AFB, N.D.; Kunsan AB, South Korea, and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twenty- - rette process provides better adherence to con struction cost, schedule and performance. In addition to the locally focused charrette process, commissary officials must make sure facility investments are made in the right places worldwide. Priorities are ranked on the basis of four factors: facility condition, operational market assessment and assessment, long-termilitary service assessment. Engineers score aspects of a facility's condition such as age of the roof and refrigeration tomers for ideas and suggestions. Under the new Project Definition Process, commissary designers host a round of meetings with active duty, retiree, spouse, family member and command groups, as well as the commissary managers. "In what we call a Project Charrette Agreement, the new process gives us a scope, cost and schedule for the project defined in terms that are more responsive to the community, with roles, responsibilities and accountability assigned for all stakeholders," said Marvin X. Beck, DeCA's chief facility engineer. "All the stakeholders sign the document and agree to be accountable to its provisions." This joint commitment to excellence, he said, improves the quality of the commissary design and technical review. By minimizing or eliminating design changes down the line, the char equipment while store operations experts determine if the sales area is big enough and configured right for customer traffic. Known changes, such as planned construction of a new commissary nearby, and any other local expectations are analyzed. Finally, the host military service weighs in with its assessment of the installation's commissary needs. SPORTS BRIEFS U Wrestling benefit Friday Pro wrestling's "Legend of Superfly Show" will be presented Friday at Northridge High School in Layton, sponsored by the NHS Junior ROTC. Bell time is 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for the general public. Proceeds benefit the JROTC drill team. The main event features World Wrestling Federation legend Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka vs. "German Monster" Grogenstein. In another match, Jason Ray, an American who wrestles for FMWJapan, will face Lucha libre's Juve Rios. Featured in the Ladies Match will be Sierra vs. Storm. Advance tickets and more information are available by calling NHS JROTC at Ext 147. Tickets will also be available at the door. 402-850- 0, D Golf games help WarmHeart The Air Force Sergeants Association will hold its inaugural golf tournament April 19 at the Hubbard Golf Course. The cost is $44 n teams. Entry fee includes green per person with four-perso- rock chip repair i fee, golf cart, Continental breakfast and lunch at the halfway house, and a portion of the proceeds go to Operation WarmHeart Registration begins at 8 a.m. and play begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Prizes will be awarded. Sign-u- p deadline is Monday. For more information, call Senior Master Sgt Larue Campbell at Ext or Staff Sgt Sandy Ruiz at Ext IS Golf tourney funds scholarships The Hill Administrator's Association sponsors a scholarship golf fundraiser, May 3 at the Hubbard Golf Course. Shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $55 or $35 with a punch card, and the fee includes a Cinco de Mayo lunch. Entry is limited to 144 players, and those who register and pay before Monday get double prize tickets. Grand prizes two remote control airplanes valued at will be presented to the top military and civilian play$500 each ers. For tickets, contact Bonnie Tidball, WMBA, Ext Mick Liesel Woodard, DPF, Ext. Liscomb, LIOC, Ext Steve Adams, PK3, Ext Gaylene Brown, DPCE, Ext. Kyle Widdson, LCAP, Ext 63197; Gerald White, TI-- Ext S6713; Barbara Hunt LGMPT, Ext 3, B Intramural season starting Five-on-fi- mmmmmam9mm MMaaoM ?49419 mm Archery Club hosts open house The Hill Archery Club will host an open house and membership I. 1 OflsSfefc. .urn - S Hockey team forming The Hill hockey team is looking for new players. Anyone interested in the game is invited to participate. Games will be played on weekends. Call Russ Hanson at Ext. for more details. H Outdoor Recreation hours change Summer hours for Outdoor Recreation are weekdays, 8 a.m.-- 5 Outdoor Recreation is closed Sunp.m., and Saturday, 8 days and holidays. a.m.-noo- n. hosts Jazzercise B Thornton Jazzercise classes are held weekdays from 67 a.m. and noon-p.m.; Monday and Wednesday, p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, p.m.; and Friday, 3 p.m. The free classes are held in the Thornton Community Center, Bldg. 460. Step classes are also available. For more information, contact the Hess Fitness Center or Kathy Farrell at 1 4-- 5 Team rosters for several intramural sports are available at the Hess Fitness Center. coaches meeting will be Tuesday at 1 p.m., and the season starts April 22. Softball rosters are due Tuesday. The intramural golf coaches meeting will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Hubbard Golf Course. Trap shooting season starts April 29. For more information, call Mark Davis at Ext. mmmmmm 4 5-- 546-412- 5 I drive on April 27 from 8 a.m.-- p.m. at the archery range. The range is located along Deer Run Drive on the northeast side of the base, overlooking Weber Canyon. Membership is open to all skill levels, and to all military and civilian personnel working on Hill Air Force Base and to retired military and their family members. For more details, call Tech. Sgt. Kevin Short at Ext. I'll i, 6 2-- 547-184- B Hess offers fitness contest The Hess Fitness Center is sponsoring the "Start New in 2002" fitness program. Participants that complete a workout can enter a drawing for a chance to win a Names will be drawn weekly until April 26. The weekly winners will be put into a grand prize drawing for a fitness bag, given away on May 1. 1 ' Jff (fmm 'j 'SS&S (fftr ml IWJ I I 1 I 1 i feaSS MARINE! RECREATIONAL 4-- 9 (801) 295-599- 9 1 mm a mm!! out a hodem to i 14, 2002 APRIL 13 pm Fm. PRODUCTS Exit 318 Off mBEnffltiMMBmmPM 200 West Ogden, Utah 84404 TAKE EXIT 349 OFF M 5 q, Toys Sat. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. $3.00 FREE PARKING' For more information call BOS M (801) 782-- 1 124 (Call after 9 p.m.) THOUSANDS OF ITEMS PRICED TO SELL!! STAA -- TR6KL DIE CAST TOYS ilMliUMMIMIMIIIH Do you have a story to tell? Let us know! ADMISSION 80 E. Pacific Ave. N. S. L. I 1000 North . mday, April 11 BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND ' T jffTl flft I JIM HART V A The Hilltop Times, Ext. 7-45- 98. |