OCR Text |
Show o ".a if l! J U ; y v 388th Fighter Wing supplement to the Hilltop Times Thursday, August 29, 2002 Twice Monthly K mm Wing Reorganization The 388th Fighter Wing Reorganize-- , tioa ceremony is at a.m.. 8 today ia 8 Haagar37. OOSRotroat Ceremony Operation Northern Watch The Operations Support Squadron retreat ceremony will take place 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the flagpole in front of the 75th Air Base Wing. US Air Force photo by Senior Airman James Harper 6 Fighting Falcon from the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron flies through the sky August 13 during a mission supporting Operation Northern Watch. ONW was established in January 1997 to enforce the y zone as United Nations well as monitor and survey Iraqi forces north of the 36th parallel. An TSP The Thrift Savings Plan's new comg system, which puterized starts in November, will provide more record-keepin- control of accounts for investors and faster processing of transactions. Some of the improvements will include account values posted daily, quarterly statements by mail, loans, withdrawals and transfers between funds processed daily, interfund transfers posted to accounts within two business days, ability to increase or decrease the payment amount on TSP loans more than once, online application for loans and withdrawals. During the transition period Aug. 19 to Sept. 16, access to accounts will be limited. Military and appropriated fund civilian employees can access the TSP Web system at http:www.tsp.gov. Select "civilian" or "uniformed services," click "TSP features," and click "TSP new record . keeping system." no-fl- Combat Survival Training keeps pilots' skills sharp Course reviews basic skills for staying alive during wartime and everyday situations By Airman Madelyn Waychoff 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Out among unknown landscape, vegetation, smells and sights, pilots wind their way around, trying to find a safe zone. Attempting to outrun their enemies and potential captors, they crouch under bushes and trees and avoid open fields, usually choosing to go the long way rather than chance detection, 5 About seven times a year, groups of 388th Fighter Wing pilots are brought together for a refresher course in combat survival training. They review academics for three hours before being sent out to East Canyon for their real task to survive, evade, resist and - Homotovn News Have you recently made rank or received an award? Have' you returned from a deployment or been assigned to Hill Air Force Base? By filling out a HTNR (DD Form 2266), you can let family and friends in your ; hometown know what achievements you've made through the local newspaper. Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, Building 120, suite 113. Airman scholarship and commissioning program The Air Force Reserve Officer Train- ing Corps Airman Scholarship and Com- missioning Program offers active duty Air Force enlisted personnel the opportunity to earn a commission while completing requirements for their degree as an AFROTC cadet. 1 receive a monthly non-taxab- stipend le of $250 - $400 (dependent on class year) during the school vear. In addition, cadets may use their Montgomery GI Bill benefits. For more information, please visit the Base Education and Training Flight, or eli-gib- Call le 777-331- 6. Lithos . . The 38Sth Fighter Wing Public Affairs office still has 2002 lithographs. Lithos e will be handed out on a basis to 388th FW squadrons and first-com- first-serv- e, ' 9fa limited to one per duty section. i For more information contact the 388th FW Public Affairs office at tic BIdg. 1 20, suite U3. 777-320- ilop by 0, Photo by Airman Madelyn Waychoff During combat survival training 1st Lt. Greg Cloer, 421st Fighter Squadron pilot, sits under a tree, checking out his surroundings before moving on. escape (SERE). Pilots are required to take the class every two years, with classes held between June and September, said Technical Sgt. Paul Laws, 388th Fighter Wring SERE instruc tor. Sergeant Laws has been teaching survival training for over 16 years. He spent five years at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., three years teaching combat survival, two years teaching resistance training, and nine years teaching water survival training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla. He is the only SERE instructor on base, and teaches all SERE classes. combat Pilots are sent through a survival-trainin- g course at Fairchild during their initial pilot training. The first than the course is much more extremely important," said Capt. Andrew Caggiano, 421st FS pilot. "Not only do we need to worry about survival in enemy territory, but also in everyday flying. If our plane malfunctions and we have to eject out over the desert, we need to know how to survive until we can get rescued." Pilots, for the course, are given most of the same gear they would use situation. in a Hholo by Airman Madelyn Wayclwtt This includes a vest that Combat survival training, held between June and September, is a mandatory contains a compass, map refresher course for pilots. Pilots are given a review of basic survival skills for the possibility that they would need to eject from their plane over enemy territoof the territory, global ry during combat or in an emergency. positioning system track uation the pilots might face. er, water, a whistle and radio. They also wear a web belt with two canteens of water. Dry brush and heat make going undetected Once the pilots reach East Canyon, they go difficult and strenuous. The noise of the over map reading and landmark recognition. brush and need for water slow them down. Next, the pilots are brought to a preWater checkpoints are placed around the drop-ofand briefed f are on planned point area so dehydration doesn't become a factor. the area they must reach to be rescued, and But, the chance of being seen sometimes how long they have to get there. This area seems more risky than getting the water. is programmed into their GPS system, Because of the need for stealth and the difwhich they can use along with the map and ficulty of communication, staying with compass to find their way. teammates is a hard task. When communiThe players are then divided into teams of cation is necessary, only hand signals are two and given the rules. used, since talking and whispering are too Their task begins as they race away from loud. the spot they were left, looking for a secludPilots learn hand signals during the acadeed, remote area to apply the camouflage mic portion of the training, but each individneeded to go unseen. Moving quickly, and ual team will often make up their own stealthily, they continue on, dodging and because they're easier to remember. ducking. Also taught during the academics is basic Every little noise, the crack of a twig or survival techniques, such as what types of sound of a car passing, sends the pilots plants and meat are edible, how to make traps and fishing poles, and how to perform a basic edibility test in areas where the vegetation is unknown. Self-ai- d and buddy care is also emphasized during the class, not only for review, but also for the chance that a pilot could sustain an injury during the train- AdwttMfwts oonWrMd htraln do net ooratitut COPY! ld 31 17-d- ay th xfcMmnt by tr Dprtmrtt of Dfnu, th U S AJr Forct of HMI AFB scrambling for cover, hoping they weren't detected. After giving the pilots a head start, the instructors comb the area, both on foot and in Hummers, driving up and down the dirt roads surrounding the exercise area. This is to simulate, as close as possible, the real sit- - refresher, said 1st Lt. Greg Cloer, 42 1st Fighter Squadron pilot. The pilots not only have to evade and survive, they are also captured and interrogated by their enemies (instructors). The refresher course, though, lasts only a day. "I think the refresher course is real-wor- Forms can be obtained from the 388th AFROTC Type II scholarships, valued at up to $ 5,000 per academic year, are awarded along with an annual textbook allowance of $510. All AFROTC cadets on scholarship F-1- Technical Sgt. Paul Laws, resist and escape (SERE) flare during combat survival Everything KhwtlMd BvaHabto without ing. Even though the course is mandatory for pilots, it is important for all Air Force airmen to know basic survival techniques. Photo by Airman Madelyn Waychoff Not only can they be used for combat, but 388th Fighter Wing survive, evade, are also useful in every day situations, instructor, demonstrates setting off a they said Captain Caggiano. training August 9. regard to riot, color, reliQton. mx. or other nonmertt factor of tha purchaaar. uaar or patron. |