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Show April 14,2005 Family goes active duty while staying together By Airman Stefanie Torres 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs So a question commonly asked by other members of the Air Force might be: How do Airmen who are related get stationed together? Well, that question can be answered by someone who is living that scenario. Master Sgt. Randy Schrecker is proof that relatives can still see each other every day, even when wife, daughter and brother-in-law are all in the active duty Air Force. But how does it happen? Sergeant Schrecker is currently the 388th Equipment Maintenance Squadron's assistant flight chief of the fabrication flight. He is scheduled to become the assistant 1st Sgt. for the EMS in about a month. His wife. Tech. Sgt. Yvonne Schrecker, a 388th EMS system administrator, happens to work right next door to her husband. "She comes over sometimes to visit and it's also good to have an inside track available if I need help with something," said Sergeant Schrecker. Airman 1st Class Randi Schrecker, not to be confused with her father Randy, is part of the 75th Security Forces Squadron here. Staff Sgt. Roberto Zamora, his brother-in-law, who is currently on temporary duty as an ammo troop with the 388th EMS, was the first to arrive ed to put Hill AFB on her dream sheet lo be stahere last Oct. tioned with her parents. Sure enough she made So, back to the question at hand, how does a Hill her first choice with help from her military family gel stationed together? training instructor's, and that's what she got. The husband and wife were stationed at Airman 1st Class Schrecker arrived here in Sheppard AFB, Texas when it ail began. September 2004 and her Sergeant Randy parents arrived a month Schrecker was working as later. a technical school instruc"Although it has Things can get very busy tor and an assistant 1st been a long ride, here but they find time on Sgt while his daughter the weekends to Be together. was in basic training for it's easier to be Sergeant Randy Schrecker the Air Force. As a rule, with each other explained. "Sunday dinner instructor's tours are limthan without is the big thing for us. ited to 39-months. As That's family time. We go, time passed, they still had because there's strength camping on the weekends no orders after the end of in numbers." and four-wheeling when we 39 months, he said. can," he said. "I contacted the appro"Although this is an Air priate people and told - Master Sgt. Randy Schrecker Force family so far, my son them to give me leeway 388th Equipment is graduating high school in since they didn't give me Maintenance Squadron June and going into the an assignment when my Marines. I am proud of my ' time was up," he said. "I wanted to be stationed at Hill because my broth- children," he said. Between he and his wife, the Schrecker's have er-in-law was here and family is very important seven children. He has four, she has two, and to me." I received an e-mail three hours later with they have one together. The ages range from 19 orders, he explained. years old to 18 months. It may seem hard to keep Sergeant Schrecker explained how a First Sergeant from Sheppard called down to Lackland a big family together even though they all don't , reached his daughter and asked if she want- live together. But Sergeant Schrecker doesn't feel that way. "I'm a firm believer blended families can work." "Although it has been a long ride, it's easier to be with each other than without because there's strength in numbers," Randy Schrecker continued. It's also easier to give them advice about the Air Force because Master Sgt. Schrecker has been in for more than 20 years. ''I tell my daughter that whatever she starts to do, never give up. She even put off injuries and toughed it out in tech school to make it through the security forces training," he said. I also emphasize education to my kids. I grew up a country boy who said college was not for me but now through the Air Force I have two degrees. The Air Force actually makes it hard not to get an education when everything is provided to Airmen now." "It's very good to have each other here. We can always contact each other and talk about what's going on with the base and be there for each other. Plus my daughter is getting married on base and we get to be there for that," he said. He says he loves this base. He is getting ready to retire - it's his last base and his daughter's first one. This is a good way to go. "The Air Force has been good to me," said Sergeant Schrecker. Changes From Page A active-duty 388th FW as an associate unit. Colonel Lyon discussed how this will enhance Hill's war-fighting capabilities: "Our reservists bring tremendous experience to the fight," he said. "Many of our reservists are former 388th FW members, so we know each other well; we share capabilities today and we share resources today. This association will not only bring us closer than we arc today, but it will preserve us for the long term and preserve the capability that the 388th FW and 419th FW personnel bring for the long term." After working together now for years in combat. Air Force leadership recognized that the potential existed to do the same at home. "We've changed the way we fight. We've changed the way we're organized in "Our reservists bring tremendous experience to the fight Many of our reservists are former 388th FW members ... we share capabilities today and we share resources today" -- Col. Charlie Lyon 388th Fighter Wing commander combat. Now we're going to change the way we are organized in peacetime," Colonel Lyon said. The only instructions Air Force officials gave to 388th FW and 419th FW leadership arc to "continue concept of operations development for the Air Force's first integrated fighter associate unit" and to be complete by Sept. 30, 2005. The 388th FW 'has established a FTF office to monitor the progress of the integration. The office is composed of field grade officers and senior noncommissioned officers from both operations and maintenance career fields. Their main task is to pull together all the inputs necessary to establish the integrated unit by the end of the fiscal year Hill AFB is marching to meet the Sept. 30 deadline, but wherever it is at that point will not be the end state. "Transformation is not a destination, it is journey," said Colonel Lyon. The journey has three major components: organizational construct technology, and operating principles. The short-term focus for the integration is on organizational construct. "That's where we arc today developing what we will look like and how we will operate as an integrated unit," said Colonel Lyon Technology may be the next part of the journey. Although no new decisions have been made for the final bed down of the F/A-22 Raptor and the Joint Strike Fighter, these aircraft will be the weapon systems of the future, replacing the Block 30 and 40 F16s. When .discussing the third leg of the journey -- operating principles --. Colonel Lyon emphasized the need to continue transforming. "Integration will be an effort that goes on for years; there will be differ- ent chapters to it as we transform how we operate together, what we operate and the places that we operate in," he said. Colonel Lyon explained that the changes (within both wings) will bring challenges. He said that as creatures of habit people naturally become comfortable with their daily patterns. The integration will challenge everyone's comfort level and force us to think differently, but he said Airmen at every level must to do their part. "Each Airman needs to concentrate on being the best Airman he or she can be," Colonel Lyon said. "Know your job, and continue to focus on honing your day-today skills. As you see new faces show up in your work center, or if you're the new face showing up in the work center, extend a hand and welcome the new person. Keep an open mind and learn about one another, and this opportunity could be tremendous." With anything new, whether it's a permanent change of station, getting married or having a baby, there are periods of uncertainty. Integrating two units with equalJy great traditions will also bring uncertainty. The 419th FW was the first reserve unit to fly the F-16. They have made great contributions to the global war on terrorism in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. Every indication is that the 419th'I; W flag will continue to fly, said Colonel Lyon. Most Airmen should not be affected by the integration. "They will come to work in the same work center, check out their tool boxes together, work on aircraft together and at the end of the day, they'll go home at the same time," said Colonel Lyon. The concept of operations for the integration depicts two separate chains of command. The 419th FW will retain administrative control over matters affecting reservists — work schedules, performance reports, decorations, disciplinary actions and pay situations. Operational matters -- the daily functions for getting the job done will fall under the active-duty chain of command. "I can see beyond that," said Colonel Lyon. "I can see the day on our transformation journey where, for operational matters, some commanders are active-duty members and some, are reservists. "In the end, what I and all Air Force leaders want to see is the most qualified officer, senior noncommissioned officer or noncommissioned officer in the leadership positions, regardless of reserve or activeduty status," Colonel Lyon said. Planning for the integration appears to be on track. Following the announcement and the deadline for completion, that gave Hill AFB about nine months to integrate the two units, Colonel Lyon said. "As a rule of thumb - and it's a good rule - you take two-thirds of your time to plan and the one-third of your time to execute," he said Colonel Lyon said that members of the 419th FW and the 388th FW should be proud that the Air Force has chosen them to lead the way in this initiative. It will be challenging, but, he said, both wings are ready for the task of flying aircraft together, maintaining aircraft together, and working on components together - all in one organization. Photo by Ms. Mlchc-He M. Butzgy Members of the special operations community join Gen. John P. Jumper, Valerie Chapman and her family on the gangplank of the MV Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman at Sunny Point, N.C., April 8 after renaming the ship. Navy dedicates ship to AF Cross recipient Tech. Sgt. Chapman By Senior Airman Becky LaRaia and Ms. Lisa Terry McKeown 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs SUNNY POINT, N.C. -- A fallen Air Force hero from Pope Air Force Base, N.C, was honored April 8 at the Military Ocean Terminal here. A Navy cargo ship was named for Air Force Cross recipient Tech. Sgt. John Chapman. The combat controller's legacy will live on as the Motor Vessel Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman carries ammunition to his brothers in arms around the world. "We promise that the MV Chapman will give her all to protect America's peace and prosperity just as John did in Afghanistan," said the ship's captain, Scott Moser. Sergeant Chapman died on March 4, 2002, while assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. He volunteered for what began as a rescue mission and ended in a struggle for survival. Thanks to his courageous efforts, the entire rescue team was able to escape to safety"John Chapman would tell you that he was just doing his job," said Col. Kenneth Rodriguez, 720th Special Tactics Group commander. "He was the kind of guy that we (as his team) wanted to be." Sergeant Chapman was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross Jan. 10, 2003. The dedication of the MV Chapman continues the long-standing tradition of the Navy's Military Sealifl Command by having a ship dedicated to fallen heroes. Sergeant Chapman is the third Airman to receive this honor. The ship is 670 feet long -- the size of two football fields, and can sail at speeds as fast as 16 knots. It is one of 36 ships that remain at sea filled with equipment in order to allow the military easy access to supplies in times of need. Valerie Chapman, Sergeant Chapman's widow, and Mickey Handy, wife of Gen. John W, Handy, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, co-sponsored the naming of the ship. They, along with Mrs. Chapman's two daughters, Madison, 8, and Brianna, 6, played an integral role in Friday's ceremony. "John would want us to go on, be happy and live life," Mrs. Chapman said. "That's what his death was all about — to live and to be free." Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff; Vice Adm. David L. Brewer, Military Sealift commander; more than 30 foreign officers; and members of the special operations community joined the Chapman family at the ceremony. "John, like all of our battlefield Airmen, brought high-tech to the battlefield," General Jumper said. "They bring it tfic old-fashioned way with raw guts, courage and honor in ways that make us all very proud." Sergeant Chapman's legacy to protect America's freedoms will carry on through the MV Chapman as it carries ammunition to the Airmen he fought alongside in the continuing war on terror. (Courtesy of Air Force Print News) |