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Show B Fighter' Country August 19,2004 Commentary: 388th AMXS performs first retreat The story of the ceremony as new wing squadron accidental Air Force career By 1st Lt. Jesse Fritz 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit assistant officer in charge Commentary By Lt. Col. Jeffery Warnement 388th Range Squadron director of operations I never planned, or gave much thought to, an Air Force career. In fact, my career started off by accident. I was attending freshman orientation Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., and, taking a left instead of a right, I inadvertently wandered into the ROTC building. What was my first clue that I'd taken a wrong turn? People in uniform. I signed up for a semester "just to check it out." And besides, it counted as a PE credit and when classes started a month later I was informed that I was the recipient of an Air Force four-year ROTC scholarship. The Air Force pays for four years; I give them four years. The semester prior to graduation I was asked, "How'd you like to go to navigator training?" Four years became five. In the fall of 1990, seven years and a few bases later, I found myself as a B-52 instructor navigator at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Mich., and for the first time without a commitment. Operation Desert Shield had just commenced and Operation Desert Storm was just around the corner. Could I have left then? Yes, but I didn't. Why? In the spring of 1992 I was still without a commitment. Pd been informed there would be no cockpits in my future. The Air Force was downsizing, and offering substantial financial "/ am a professional Airman. I didn't choose it; it chose me. And I've enjoyed every moment and challenge along the way." Although a great majority of military and civilian Team Hill members are familiar with the retreat ceremony, few know that the time-honored military tradition of bringing down the flag to signify the end of the duty day takes place at Hill every Wednesday at 5 p.m. The formal ceremony is conducted in front of the 75th Air Base Wing Headquarters, Building 180, where our flag soars uninterrupted throughout most of the week. The 75th ABW schedules HAFB units to rotate weekly as they perform the formal retreat ceremony. Each unit gathers Airmen, forms a ceremonial flight and performs the military tradition of lowering the flag at the end of the duty day. Pictures by Airman 1st Class Mark Vandovender From the left: Airman 1st Class Chadwlck Morrison, 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew member, Staff Sgt. William Bazzell, 34th AMU weapons load crew chief, and Senior Airman Carlyle Tucker, 34th AMU, weapons load crew member, fold the flag after a retreat ceremony performed by the 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron August 6. For the 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, August 6 was a special day because the squadron performed its first retreat ceremony since the 388th Fighter Wing reorganization in August 2002, and the squadron activation in August 29, 2002. -- Lt. Col. Jeffery Warnement 388th RANS director of operations incentives for those who elected to leave. An involuntary RIF was also on the horizon. Could I have left then? Yes, but I didn't. Why? In June 2003 I was eligible for retirement. I'd been promoted twice and had a NATO tour in Naples, Italy. Then I went to Barksdale AFB, La., flying the B-52, back to Italy, Vicenza this time around, jumping out of airplanes with the Army, and I had just finished a Pentagon tour. Could I have left then? Yes, but I didn't. Why? Simple. I wasn't ready. It wasn't time. In March 2003 I stood looking out a sixth floor window at Air Force Studies and Analysis Agency in Rosslyn, Va., with a PowerPoint briefing clenched in my hand. I was bummed. My old unit, my tactical air control party (TACP) had jumped into Iraq the previous evening and, instead of being with the ones I trained, I was churning out another briefing that I can't remember and, in my mind, wasn't important. I am a professional Airman. I didn't choose it; it chose me. And I've enjoyed every moment and challenge along the way. (-r\ For the latest Air Force News: Log on to wwwxLmiJ 1st Lt. Jesse Fritz, 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit assistant officer in charge, leads squadron Airmen In a salute during a retreat ceremony at the 75th Air Base Wing August 6. This was the first retreat ceremony for the squadron since they were activated In August 2002. New initiative to improve junior officer leadership and mission effectiveness By 1st Lt. Rosaire Bushey Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. Air Combat Command began testing a new initiative designed to improve junior officer leadership engagement and mission effectiveness, and to take better care of Airmen and their families in the short term while helping develop leaders for the out years. The "Command Opportunities for Lieutenants" initiative will begin testing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, NC, Mountain Home AFB, ID, and Whiteman AFB, MO, Monday. The program will task lieutenants currently in non-supervisory technically oriented jobs to also command element-size ranks of E-4 and below. Placing a lieutenant in an element or flight-commander position where he or she can apply "faceto-face" mentoring give's the young officer an opportunity to develop their leadership skills and will provide more care for our enlisted Airmen. "General Hal Hornburg, Commander, Air Combat Command, has asked us to look at more lieutenant *command' opportunities and engagement...and establish or re-establish lieutenant 'section or element commander' positions in ACC," said Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, ACC vice commander. "We need a relook to ensure we're yielding as much leadership potential as possible from our Air Force junior officers." "By "dual hatting" some of our lieuSee Leadership page D units. ACC continues to experience high operations tempos and continued AEF deployments. This operating environment places great demands on our chain of command and requires high standards of ethics and professionalism founded on our core values. While our NCOs provide the majority of leadership for younger enlisted airmen, and this is one of our greatest strengths, we can use the additional leadership engagement from our junior officers. In addition to leadership development, this program will enhance the care of our Airmen and their families. A review of recent trends in ground fatalities and suicides showed more than two-thirds of them involved Airmen in the Published for People Like... Airman 1st Class Ebony Williams Unit: 388th Component Maintenance Squadron Job: Information manager * Editorial Staff Col. Charlie Lyon Commander Capt, Monica Bland Chief, Public Affairs Senior Airman Madelyn Waychoff Editor Time in Service: Six months Most recent accomplishment: I arrived at the 388th Fighter Wing and started my career development courses Goals: To make staff sergeant before four years If I could change one thing at Hill AFB what would it be: Have all the dorms updated ffl the new dorm style The Fighter Country is a supplement to the Hilltop Times, published by MorMcdin, 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 comnicrci.il enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of iJie U.S. military services. Contents of Figlircr Country ore noi necessarily the official views of. or endorsed by t]te U.S. Clovemnienl, the f>epanmeii1 of DefeiiM.- or the Department of tlie Air Force. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos an: U.S. Air Torcc- phoios. AdvertiKcincni5 contained herein do noi constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force of Hill AI-Tt. livcryihiiig advertised is available without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or other nonmeril factor of the purchaser, user or patron. The Fighter Country is edited, prepared ami provided by the ,188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, 5887 D. Ave.. Suite ll3,HniAFBUT.8JO56-5OI7. m Story submission.1; for the Fighter Country can be brought by Uw office, e-mailed to the editor at figliier.coumry® .hill.af.mil or faxed to 777-:9I!3- m Deadline for submissions to Fighter Country is no later than Monday, noon, two weeks prior to publicatiou. For more information, call the public affairs office at 777-3200. |