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Show Hilltop Times November 10, 2005 'Have a Heart' gives a home BY BETH YOUNG Hilltop Times staff Each year, the Have a Heart project makes the dream of home ownership a reality for a deserving family. This year they would like to make this possible for a military family. "We would love a military family to have this home, to show our appreciation for what they do," said Aljoe King, Community Services Committee chair for the Weber/North Davis Association of Realtors. The Have a Heart project started in 1998 as a community service project of the Weber/North Davis Association of Realtors. Now the project, in cooperation with Northern Wasatch Home Builders, Ogden City, Layton City, Affordable Land Lease Co. and the Standard-Examiner builds two new homes - one in Davis County and one in Weber County - that are sold at a substantial discount to a special needs family. "With donations from community members and businesses, they can get into it for substantially less than what the house is worth," Ms. King said. "The payments are less than usually what they are paying for rent." The mortgage usually ends up being approximately two-thirds what it would normally be and the realtor, title and closing fees are all donated at no charge to the recipient. Fees associated with the loan process are also reduced. Although potential home owners will have to qualify for the reduced mortgage, certain credit problems may not necessarily make them ineligible. "We don't want to put someone in jeopardy by putting them in a home they can't afford," Ms. King said. "We have a loan officer talk to them and get them a good loan." This year's Davis County home is nearing completion in Layton City, just a few miles east of the South Gate. The keys will be given to the chosen family Dec. 16 by the mayor of Layton. Military members can apply for either the Davis or Weber County house. "We are encouraging military members to apply," Ms. King said. "We support and appreciate our military, and love having them in our community. We want to show them we really welcome them." For more information on how to apply for the Have a Heart project, call the Weber/ North Davis Association of Realtors at 476-4216 or Ms. King at 721-7512, no later than Dec. 8, The Have a Heart home is a non-profit project with all donations going towards the home. Photo by Beth Young The Have a Heart home, currently being built In Layton, will be completed by Dec. 16 when the chosen family will receive the keys. Who he is: Airman 1st Class Thomas Mroz What he did: Normally an electronic warfare maintenance technician with the 388th Component Maintenance Squadron, Airman Mroz trained a couple of weeks ago to be a 75th Security Forces Squadron augmentee. His heroic act came about on Sunday, which happened to be his very first day on duty as an augmentee. While working the South Gate conducting random vehicle checks, he noticed a plastic bag in a driver's side door. Airman Mroz called a patrolman over with a military working dog, who confirmed his suspicion of illegal drugs. "It was a good experience," Airman Mroz said. "You don't expect to find something, especially on your first time out. Getting a real world find was cool. The training we got was really good." Airman Mroz said that he was really surprised that someone would try to bring illegal drugs onto a federal installation. His keen observation was what prevented it from happening Sunday. "Hats off to Airman 1st Class Thomas Mroz for a job well done," said Lt. Col. Robert Rocco, Team Hill Battle Staff mission director. Nominator: Lt. Col. Robert Rocco, 75th Medical Support Squadron commander Compiled by Lisa Aschbrenner 75th Air Base Wing Unit Public Affairs Representative. To nominate someone for Hill's Heroes, e-mail lisa.aschbrenner@hill.af.mil 84th RADES realigns for combat effectiveness BY SHAD WEST Hilltop Times staff A ceremony was held here last week to realign the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron under the 505th Command and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Since its inception in 1954, then known as the 4754th Radar Evaluation Electronics Countermeasure Flight, evaluating radar data has been the squadron's main focus. In 1975, the squadron became the only unit in the Department of Defense to carry out this vital mission. Until this realignment, the unit reported directly to the Air Combat Command Communications Group at Langley AFB, Va. While the 84th RADES will continue to monitor and support all DOD and Federal Aviation Administration short and long range radars in the United States, the realignment under the 505th Combat and Control Wing will allow combatant commanders to exploit the new capabilities of the squadron. "The realignment under the Air Force's command and control wing clearly puts us right where we need to be—supporting the C2 community's efforts as they continue to transform and define how our Air Force flies and fights," said Lt. Col. Robert Mulheran, 84th RADES commander. The 84th RADES can now tap into radar systems and provide commanders with real-time pictures of battle space via a scrambled signal through a standard phone line to a laptop computer. It's this type of capability where the synergies of the Combat and Control Wing and the Radar Evaluation Squadron can be further explored and enhanced. "We are extremely excited to have the 84th RADES join our wing," said Col. Charles H. McGuirk, commander of the 505th Command and Control Wing. "The mission RADES personnel perform links up perfectly with what we do in the 505th. The 84th RADES is an outstanding unit with a rich history." A high Profile The 84th RADES has been instrumental in putting the Force shaping Continued from 1 ready approved. Subsequent boards will consider officers commissioned was under strength by approxi- three years earlier. For exammately 6,000 enlisted members ple, the 2007 board will evaluand over strength by approxiate officers commissioned in mately 4,000 officers. 2004. A current excess of nearly "We value the service of all 4,000 officers — primarily our Airmen," General Spears from the 2000 to 2004 commis- said. "Voluntary force shaping sioning years — make the initiatives and the Force Shapimbalance worse and has a ing Board are key aspects of long-range impact on the effec- our force management and detive development of the officer velopment. corps and the ability to access "Our Airmen have many opsustainable numbers of enlistportunities to serve—in the Air ed Airmen. Despite an aggresForce Reserve or Air National sive voluntary force shaping Guard, as Air Force civilians or campaign, the Air Force has in the Army," the general said. not achieved the balance of offi- "We encourage Airmen in the cer to enlisted Airmen through affected year groups to pursue existing voluntary means. those opportunities to continue Eligible officers may continue service to our great nation." to apply for voluntary separaPortions of this article were tion until March 1, 2006 using provided by Air Force News Serthe force shaping initiatives al- vice FORCE SHAPING BOARD Convenes in April 2006 AUTHORIZED BY 1 Secretary of the Air Force OFFICER OVERAGE 4,000 . BASE THEATER BRIEFINGS Nov. 17, 1 - 3 p.m. • Nov. 18, 10 a.m. - noon & 1:30-3:30 p.m. pieces of the puzzle together in many high profile aircraft accidents and the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. In July 1999 the FAA called upon the unit to help find the remains of the fated flight of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife and sister-in-law when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. RADES personnel were able to use radar data to pinpoint latitude and longitude coordinates of the last radar return to narrow the search to within one-half mile of floating debris. When an Egypt Air Jet bound from New York to Cairo crashed 60 miles south of Nantucket, Mass. In October 1999, the National Transportation and Safety Board came to the 84th RADES for help in finding the altitude changes of the jet just before it crashed^ The vital information provided.by the. unit helped the investigation determine that the plane did not fail due to any mechanical problems. On Sept. 11, 2001 the FBI contacted the 84th-RADES within hours of the attacks to get detailed information on the flights hijacked by the terrorists. RADES personnel went to 24-hour operations to accommodate all the requests for information they received after the attacks. Information provided by the unit was used by the 9/11 Commission who investigated the incident. When the Space Shuttle Columbia was destroyed upon reentry to the earth's atmosphere in February 2003, the 84th RADES gathered radar information to track the debris path Photo by Todd Cromar across the Gulf States. By evaluating the information fed to Col. Charles H. McGuirk Jr., (left) commander of the 505th Command them from regional radars, the unit helped NASA and search and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla. takes the flag from Col. Byron H. crews pinpoint the debris field spread from the Dallas-Fort Risner, (right) commander, of the 505th Operations Group, Nellis AFB, Worth Area. Nev. as Lt. Col. Robert A. Mulheran, (background) commander of the Although they have been in the spotlight often, most of the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron, and Col. Linda McMahon, (far right) RADES success stories are quiet ones because personnel commander of Air Combat Command Communications Group at Langkeep Air Defense Sectors functioning, which prevents sensa- ley AFB, Va. watches during the realignment ceremony for the 84th tional events from happening. RADES last week. The 84th RADES is now under the 505th Command "Our job is to try to answer two questions for the warfight- and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Until this realignment, the unit er," Colonel Mulheran said. "These questions are: What is reported directly to the Air Combat Command Communications Group my air picture, and, how good is it at any moment in time?" at Langley AFB, Va. Safety Continued from 1 While security forces personnel enforce seat belt wear through regular checks at base gates and in high traffic areas, such as Base Exchange and Commissary parking lots, General Carlson said commanders and supervisors should assist in this effort by providing an additional "pair of eyes" to ensure everyone is taking this mandate seriously. "It's important to remember that a friendly reminder to buckle up can save someone's life," General Carlson said. "In appropriate cases, I expect commanders to consider administrative or disciplinary action where failure to wear seat belts can be substantiated." In the case of DOD contractors, failure to use seat belts or motorcycle safety equipment while driving on base may result in the loss of base driving privileges or possibly more serious action, depending on the jurisdictional authority existing at each AFMC base. General Carlson has instructed AFMC safety and security forces personnel to continue the seat belt awareness program that was established in 2004. General Carlson has also requested that seat belt statistics be rolled up and briefed to him on a quarterly basis. "This initiative is to encourage the use of seat belts by all AFMC personnel and to save the lives of our most valuable resource — our people," General Carlson said. "We constantly stress safety because we care about those with whom we work and live," said Col. Sharon Dunbar, 75th Air Base Wing commander. "There are three simple actions that save untold lives every day: immediately correcting safety hazards, abiding by basic safety requirements, and ensuring others do the same. Never underestimate the importance of your actions." The Hill Riders' Association has taken action by meeting regularly to discuss motorcycle safety and sponsoring organized rides in the local area. For more information and local safety tips, visit their website at http://www.hill.af.mil/ moto/main.htm. ' Davis Arts Council W»e. {fewer i .to S+renijf tan |