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Show HiiStopj August 31 V Warrior spirit surfaces durira by Lt. Col. G. Roger Sunada Air rI Aen years ago Aug. 2, 1990 was in the dry dusty desert JL north of the runway at Holloman AFB, N.M. Our Prime Base Engineer Emergency Fojce Team was in the middle of a Phase II field exercise com- f I plete with simulated air attacks, ground burst simulators, and the transition of MOPP status. The base exercise was terminated early due to preparations for a real world deployment. As the exercise concluded we packed out with a sense of personal and team pride. We had demon- tf Y strated our physical capabilities, our book training was put to task in the field, and communication and teamwork were something to be proud of. Our squadron was put on telephone alert. Half a world away, news reports began to flow about Iraq invading the little known country of Kuwait. I listened with a keen interest since my previous r tour in assignment was a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with what was then Air Force Logistics Command, Foreign Military'Sales Constructions Program. I had traveled extensively throughout Saudi Arabia working on remote radar sites and underground command centers with the Royal Saudi Air Force. I was concerned for the safety and security of my friends in Saudi Arabia and began to visualize my own par-- ; ticipation as a Prime BEEF Officer in a very real wartime scenario. n Aug. 7, President Bush autho- - upon by our nation. Faith, courage, fear, personal sacrifice, preparedness, apprehension, readiness are words we talk about, read about, study, and even but at times like that, adrenpractice aline kicks in and you just go and do what needs to be done. bat-tlefro- with logistical support coming later. More than one squadron of U.S. planes was directed to a bare base and crews spent their first night sleeping on the ramp under the wings of their plane. Engineering, Services and other support teams were coming in the second wave. j four-mont- hair. May I performed my IMA duties, in for Lt. Col. Stuart the commander of the 775th Civil Engineer Group. It was my toughest day to put the uniform on for the first time since commissioning more than 22 years ago, I knew that my physical body wasnt fully mission capable for worldwide deployment. Yet, my spirit soared again. It was a show of force. I was strengthened by the thought of my fellow servicemen and women in uniform. I was still representing our flag, our countrys ideals, our Core Values: I felt the strength of a free nation In ferred to the University of Utah Medical Centers cancer ward in Salt Lake City. d, Dirty bridge ; The pedestrian bridge between separating the upper 1200 area from the lower 1200 area is filthy. Its full of dirt, dust, debris and litter. Can we get someone to clean this up and to take care of it on a regular basis? The Base Beautification Team has cleaned the bridge and will ensure that it stays that way. Common areas like the pedestrian bridge separating the upper 1200 area from the lower 1200 area have, in recent years, become somewhat neglected as we have downsized our workforce. However, improving the bases appearance is one of my prime objectives and we have an aggressive beautification program in place: - - C ' - - Services Base Restaurants or send on Outlook to HILL ACTION LINE, your com- , recorded and staffed through the agency - , '' Col. Ken Page 75th ABW Commander - - ing questions and solving problems before calling ACTION LINE. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest to the Hill workforce will be pub-lished in the Hilltop Times. ' Hilltop Times Published by MorMedia, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of the Hilltop Times are ,, 56 34 ..... 43 (civilian) 42 : ... 16 .... ........ Complaints (for appointment) Complaints (after hours) Fraud, Waste or Abuse (recording) 75th Medical Group Civil Engineering Hill Pride Hotline . Public Affairs Military Housing Maintenance Safety Office 28 .7-18- ' 51 01 05 , 61 18 56 33 ..I,..,., 01 63 33 .......7-325- 7 Union AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Family Assistance Center (when activated) 52 90 , Air Force people building the worlds most respected Air and Space Force A a ) yilLrJi Quality Systems for Americas Air Force A.,..,,., 1G responsible for Please give your supervisor and chain . IG action. ' RetirementCompensation Social Actions Employee Relations . Military Pay 50 Civilian Pay. Air Force Suggestion Program ments will be - ultimate sacrifice for our country, but we are charged with excellence a moment at a time, day by day. Security Forces 24-h-r, Crisis Information , ail : . Integrity First: I knew I had to be honest with my own physical limitations and myself. Service Before Self: I was weak but I could still serve and wanted to put forth my best effort until a medical board determines my capability to serve. Excellence in All We Do: For most of us, we arent called upon to make the The base agencies listed below can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: When you call 00 supporting:this frail human airman. There was a strength that came from beyond my own. - work and play. Ext. ' Phone numbers ACTION LINE is your opportunity to make Hill AFB . - DJira ; a better place to live, - 00 ; , of command the opportunity to work with you In answer- - Action Line Ext. '' The. medical teams Battle Damage Assessment confirmed that the invasion was 99.2 percent complete., I had reached stage three of three stages: of the cancer. Although this bone marrow' cancer didnt have a curei it does have a'good record of being treatable.:The average age for people getting'this type of cancer is in the late 60s or early 70s. My family medical history, my young age, and my good health record were on my side. Even so, at age 44, my kidneys were failing and my life was on the line for the time being. My mind drifted in and out of sleep and cbnsciousriess.'The'warrior spirit in me surfaced:-Faithcourage, fear, personal sacrifice, preparedness, apprewords we talk hension, readiness about, read about, study and even prac AftnBD J flooded in from literally around the globe. My body was in pain but my spirit soared to new heights. A week later I had completed the first round of chemotherapy and had a h of treatments outlined. protocol I was released from the hospital as the last drip from the IV was completed. Within a week I was able to return to my civilian job part time with the main side effects being physical weakness, some nagging bone pains and thinning apd started taking some extensive e; M fight for life, calls, letters, Now, aline. Perhaps there were thoughts of a family back home; perhaps a prayer sent to this classified unknown location by a worried mother and dad miles and miles away. An airman, alone, but part of a cohesive fighting unit, in a ng and my Air Force Family around the world. As the news began to flow of my ow, each deployed airman had; blood and other tests. Within three a personal. story to tell of char-- ' days he had me admitted to the Logan acter bolstered by faith and adreri-- Hospital and two days after that trans- V 7-70- team was the medical team, wife, my family, neighborhood, friends war-fighti- an Individual Mobilization Augmentee at Hill AFB, back in Prime BEEF and part of todays Total Force. 10 years after Iraq invaded another unexpected turn happened in my life. Cancer invaded my bone marrow. On April 8, 1 went to the doctor for a persistent but unrelated cough. Fortunately the doctor did a thorough exam only carrying the weapons and supplies on their plane or on their back, dry dusty desert in the Northern Arabian Peninsula. By Aug. 12, 1 too was tasked to return to Riyadh. After a short briefing at Tactical Air Command headquarters, I became a part of the quickly growing Headquarters Central Command Air I 1 rized United States military inter-- Forces-Forwarf Engineering and Sera privilege to be a vices was It staff. vention for the protection of Saudi Arabia Operation Desert Shield. part of the architecture of the war fightWithin 24 hours we had fighter aircraft ing teams. We worked feverishly yet AWACS flying combat air patrols ; systematically to create a fully mission-capablSaudi and Iraq border as a show ' SupNand plies, equipment, logistics, people, and units, made up of skills, talent came together with the human airmen, deployed liter- support of a nation and the prayers of a moments notice when called the entire free world. on ally I tice but at times like that, adrenaline kicks in and you just go and do what needs to be done. This time the Battles were fought and won. Saudi Arabia was protected. Kuwait was liberated. We made a difference in the course of human events. I loved my Air Force and the career path I was following. But in 1993 our family decided that it was time to separate from the active duty force for the benefit of our children who were struggling with the increased moves. I took the Voluntary Separation Incentive and transferred to the Air Force Reserves. Since then, Ive served as That initial show of force was extremely significant to Saudi Arabia, Iraq and us. The U.S. flag was flying as a symbol for freedom and liberty. The uniform of our military men and women was once again being placed at the In some cases our airmen were two-yea- ! ness COMMENTARY Force Reserve 2000 , not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. 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