OCR Text |
Show HILLTOP TIMES TIMES December 24, 2008 This season, holding peace includes many roles, meanings Christmas magically and mystically brings us together. It tears down our Team Hill Chaplain artificial walls of division, such as race and religion. Although Christmas may ave you ever wondered why mean different things to different so many Americans, repeople, collectively we can all rally gardless of their creed, get around it, like "Mom" and "apple pie." into the Christmas spirit? Surely The spirit of Christmas is love. it isn't because of spending sprees Also the spirit of Christmas is 6n useless gifts. It certainly isn't peace, a true and ancient message. because we're all Christians. Nor is Remember the Angel's message, as it because we share the same backquoted by Linus the theologian in "A grounds or experiences. Yet, to paraphrase the famous bak- Charlie Brown Christmas"? "Peace on er, "everybody doesn't like something; earth, goodwill towards men!" This message transcends all our differbut nobody doesn't like Christmas." ences. Peace, especially in this time of Why? I think the answer is partly wars and recessions, is what most of contained in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Dr. Seuss' "Grinch Who Stole us desire. We may not be able to say, "nobody doesn't like peace," for there Christmas," "It's a Wonderful Life" are some who prefer evil or chaos. But and other great classics. The spirit of BY CHAPLAIN (LT. COL.) CAPL WRIGHT H we can say with confidence that most of us want it and pray for it. Our enemies may find it ironic, even hypocritical, that a nation founded in Revolution should somehow try to be the world's peacekeeper. (Much of our Air Force global mission is peacekeeping.) Similarly, to some it may seem contradictory that we in the profession of arms are nevertheless placed in these peacekeeping roles. But we know, as the poet and aviator Amelia Earhart Putnam said, "Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." We know that without our sacrifices there would be no peace on earth. As the bumper sticker suggests, "If you are free to protest today, thank a soldier!" If we must fight to establish or preserve the peace, then that's the price we willingly pay. The prophet Jeremiah (fifth century B.C.) criticized his people for "saying shalom: peace, peace, when there is no peace." We should heed his warning. Peace is not merely the cessation of violence. The spirit of peace that comes with Christmas is far deeper. It is the spirit of the Prince of Peace. It is the peace of God. It is the peace that made Nazis on one side and Allies on the other throw down their weapons on Christmas Eve and sing "Silent Night" together. Christmas is indeed God's gift to us. I pray that you can accept his gift. And I hope this holiday season will unite us in new ways so that together we may work for peace on earth. team of seven joins Spangdahlem crews in A-10 repair mission BY STAFF SGT. LOGAN TUTTLE 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs S PANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany — The 52nd Fighter Wing is playing a unique role in getting aircraft back into the fight downrange by helping perform repairs on A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft sent from a deployed location, originally from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Spangdahlem was able to provide not only a location close to the aircraft but, also working knowledge of the A-10 Thunderbolt II after 28 years of employing it actively. The A-lOs requiring repair were Thin Wing A-lOs manufactured in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During the inspections, cracks were found in some critical areas of the wings. "If they were allowed to continue to grow, it could possibly have caused major problems down the road for the A-10," said Master Sgt. David Hilton, Production Superintendant, 81st Aircraft Maintenance Unit, who acted as the 52nd Maintenance Group liaison for this project. A seven-person depot team was sent from Hill Air Force Base to help repair the jets, and Hilton said the depot team and Spangdahlem's maintainers had an outstanding relationship with each other. Spangdahlem first recovered the aircraft, and conducted post flight inspections. The Spangdahlem maintainers then dis- TECH. SGT. CECILIO M. RICARDO JR./U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joseph Cordero, Staff Sgt Andrew House and Staff Sgt. Barrett Read troubleshoot an electronic error on an A-10 Thunderbolt II on the flightline at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on Nov. 21. A team from Hill Air Force Base flew to Spangdahlem Air Base Germany to keep such A-10s in the fight mantled the jets so the depot team could gain access to areas that needed to be inspected and worked on. Maintainers also assisted the depot team with repairs and rebuilt the jets when they were done, as well as accomplished overdue operational checks and scheduled maintenance. When all the repairs and inspections are complete, Spangdahlem will send the aircraft back to their deployed locations. "Parts were a problem in the beginning," Hilton said. "This area of the jet isn't usually torn apart. The success was after they sent us the parts. Everyone jumped in and made it happen in quick fashion." A wing doesn't typically get tasked to set up and man a depot facility for another major command, in addition to maintaining their own flying schedule Hilton added. "Fear the 'Hog,' al-Qaida does," Hilton said. Standard 12 Uwittioiis on Mm Wnsntch Front or Wo dm Como to Yon! ($1095 Ha Appolslmefll Heeded. ' ass ^3^ AUTO GLASS.../>£Srr Auto Glass Repair and Replacement Done Bight.../to// Repairs in about 15 minutes • Replacement in about an hour j#f Unmatched 12-Month "No Hassle" Windshield Replacement Guarantee. ** Inw IMru liiuimnlro Acctpttog All Mijof j M-F:**m-flpm • 8AT;9am-6pm # Accepting All #S§H»blM Insonnts Espiflol 'See store lor complete details. With coupon. Expites 1/31/09 $9.95 ROCK CHIP REPAIR 'In-shop anytime. With coupon. Expires 1/31/09 Ogden • 6Z7-O0J0 ClEirtldd * 525-uOOD I N. Ogden • 737-QD66 I S Ogden • GZ7-0D1D I Laylon • 497-0066 I Brigham Cily • |«5]723-5599 t2ttfiMMAti oUHMiin I I 47<1 S Hairooo I I ZOOS Main Easily get an Initant price quota and schedule an appointment ontlnel Loff onto... www.ToclmoGlnss.com Automatic [Transmission Flush ANY WINDSHIELD INSTALLATION! •** IpO". SdlKlnrJIon liunmnlpmi If your windshield breaks for anyreason in the next 12 months we will replace it again absolutely free, aD you wfl! pay is the installation fee. Hours; $25 OFF ^AMERICAN CAR CARE CENTERS* most cars and light trucks Only l Cooling System Flush olf State Inspection w/ purchase of emissions ONE STOP It $3995 w/coupon rog *99" Expirn 1/24/08 Jam^aw up to ^* rog S79» J (Indudos 1 gal. coolant) J [•xttwWd tffa anlHrtnt add *8.9S)| (M^MI only gooi al |)MM location Hot Valid Wilh Any OhWOlftf Only Only Emission, Inspection & Registration • W. do aD vtkkb mod.li• Wi rtfllitM- year vcblda Full Service Oil Change ExpJrw I/29/0B AME tv.oo o.-sposji/ too 5 Quarts rog S34" only good wilh coupon Maal cars & light trucks { Hoi VeU With h* OiW Offw Expirn 1/29/08 CAR CARE CENTER 4739 S. 3300 W. HOY CAF1 CARE CENT ... 13M) E. 700 S. ' CLLAI1FIELP EH I CAN CAR CARE CENTER tiUli S. MAIN LAYTON 732-9000 773-1640 593-1800 Watch for coupons every 4th Thursday in Hilltop Times. For more details and to advertise, call 625-4322. |