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Show MES March 19, 2009 Hilltop ITMES Wckly Since W-18 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Lee Anne Hensley Hilltop Times Writer Catherine Cornett Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noori on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimesestandard.net or call 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call 625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 625-4388, The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corporation, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the US. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or implements, does not confeute endorsement by the iovernment of the products 3r''services advertised. Everything advertised •\ in this publication shall be • made available for purchase, :| use or patronage without ] \ regard to race, color, relijgion, sex, national origin, ;jage, marital status, physical ; handicap, political affiliation : . or any other nonmerit fac,: tor of the purchaser, user or .patron. : : Editorial content is edited, :; prepared and provided by ;jthe Standard-Examiner, 332 ) Standard Way, Ocjden, Utah, '; 84404. "AcfditionaT ecfitoVlaFn" | content is provided by variUli ;': ous military arid'tM^h'Wirt : services and Hill Air Force • Base public affairs depart• ments. Call 625-4273 with story \ ideas or comments, or conj| tact the editor, Mary Lou i Gorny, at mgorny@standard. ;: net. 'Call 625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 625-4388 for Retail Advertising. COMMENTARY Hill's mission is changing: Can you see it? COMMENTARY BY JAMES SUTTON Director, Plans and Programs "O h that a man's reach should (exceed his grasp, or what's a Heaven for?" ... Robert Browning's words seem pretty pretentious two centuries after they were written, but they translate into one word — vision. Vision? Why bother daydreaming about what should be next? Simple: Without vision we can't see, much less reach, our mission goals. So isn't this just a "boss" thing? Absolutely not! Having vision is everyone's duty and employing it is how we get our jobs done efficiently. I've worked with quite a few visionaries at Hill Air Force Base whose ability to conjure what seemed impossible yielded very real accomplishments. None of them were "bosses." Several of these ideas will come to life here in the next few weeks — and they are spring-loaded to span years and decades into the future. Here's what to look for ... Falcon Hill — developing the west side Congress passed an awkwardly worded law a few years ago that seemed pretty vanilla at the time. These few words, however, captivated an inventive group of men and women at Hill. They could see past the legalese into possibilities for our future. Today's result is the Falcon Hill project — redeveloping Hill's entire west side as the largest enhanced use lease program in Department of Defense history. Jt will develop 550 acres of the west side of Hill for private and public use. It has spawned the creation of a unique new State of Utah entity, the Military Installation Development Authority, to assist in this development that will ultimately support Air Force mission requirements. And it will mean jobs, a tax base and security for you, your children and very likely, your great-grandchildren. The program enjoys broad state and community support and promises to provide strong revenue to the base — Air Force value for the first 180 acres alone is $152 million. It will eventually replace 1.5 million square feet of aging office space in the 1200 area where many of you work today. Some 200,000 square feet of new office space will be built in the first phase of construction. Building starts this spring with the first facility set to open Sutton in summer of 2010. Watch for a new West Gate, buildings on the hill east of the gas station, and a new security forces/OSI building north of the BX. Then, the south end of the 1200 zone will start disappearing ... A handful of people made a difference, sparked by personal and collective vision. ones. Without fanfare, Hill's energy experts huddled together with state and academic representatives during an Energy Summit in January. They'll expand those stakehold ers to industry, finance and other federal, state and local agencies for an Earth Day Energy Forum on April 22. Teams growing from this effort are already engaged in: technology assessment, project planning, and financing for each reasonable opportu^ nity. For all of us it means harnessing the sun; the wind, and the earth itself to achieve energy independence here. Once again, the collective vision and genius of small teams is making a revolutionary difference. That's imagination. Energy independence One day a few years from now, Hill 388th and 419th Fighter Wings will stable a new warhorse: The F-35 Lightning aircraft, the Joint Strike Fighter. Three squadrons will begin arriving in 2014 to create an operational wing that will be complete just eight years from now. About that same time Hill's 309th Maintenance Wing will start de-: pot level maintenance, repair and overhaul efforts on that same jet. As announcements last week indicated, Hill will soon begin serving as the primary repair location for all low observable composite constructed aircraft. Turning these few words to reality will require collective vision and effort: vision to create an efficient capability unencumbered by stale thought and policy; effort and patience to suffer the inevitable delays and setbacks. The vision, effort and patience needed begins at the shop floor — not in some boss' office. So, some English poet from the Victorian era apparently had the right idea. If we can imagine it, we can achieve it, he said. A lot of folks here at Hill AFB know this intuitively. And they create successes every day. It doesn't require wild imagination — only a willingness to consider the possibilities, say something, volunteer to help and be patient. All this is really happening. Here. And now. What do you see? The same kind of vision that could imagine Falcon Hill out of 550 sagebrush-covered acres is now being directed with laser intensity at the goal of achieving energy independence for Hill and other Air Forceowned properties in Utah. Hill has already been a leader in this arena. With the Air Force's three-pronged Energy Strategy as guidance, we've reduced our energy demand by about 10 percent over the past five years. We've increased our energy supply (what we produce on base) to about 17 percent of the base's total energy load. We have saved $4.2 million annually in energy-saving performance contracts, nearly $1 million in municipal solid waste incineration and $500,000 from recycling. Landfill gas generators generate power today and a new solar array is springing up north of Wardleigh Road. But that's just a start. Today's vision includes comprehensive development 6f innovative energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels across our vast land footprint. Energy will be produced in such volume as to secure our complete independence from the energy grid. Further, we expect to be net producers of power — the revenue from which will be used to further reduce demand by improving existing facilities and, perhaps, building new Changing the face of what we do ..% 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil, When you call or send an e-mail, your comments will be reReport suspicious activity via theAFOSI EAGLE EYES corded and staffed through the agency responsible for action. prog fa m Please give your supervisor and chain of'command the opporDial: 777-3056/3057/3058. tunity to work with you in answering questions and solving probWatch - Report - Protect lems before calling the Action Line. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest will be published in the Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor Hilltop Times. Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly If you have a complaint or a problem with their-services: r- Security Forces 777-3056 24-hr. Crisis Information 777-3056 Force Support Squadron 777-4134 Base Restaurants 777-2043 Retirement/Compensation 777-6142 (civilian) Social Actions 777-3516 Employer Relations .777-7129 Did you know that your weight on the scale can vary about five pounds a day according to your hydration level? A more accurate and meaningful measurement is to hSve your body composition measured. This will cjn/e a clear picture of your rijusde-to-fat ratio. A Higher muscle weight and alower body fat weight make you a "better butter burner" and your clothes will be looser! Military Pay.... 777-1851 Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 Civilian Pay 777-6246 (recording) Air ForceSuggestion 777-6901 Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 Program ^a? • (complaints) Hill Straight Talk ........J.........777-9696 75th Medical Group .....777-4918 Gvil Engineering „.... 777-1856 IG Complaints ;. 777-5305 (for appointment) Hill Pride Hotline 777-7433 Public Affairs 777-5333 IG Complaints ;. 777-5361 Military Housing 825-9392 Maintenance Safety Office 777-3333 Safety Office Hotline 586-9300 Union 777-3257 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline 777-1852 Family Assistance Center 777-3090 (when aclivoted) % What is your favorite spring activity? L THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2009 DUIs: 7 Hill's Last DUI: Unit Involved: 75*6 Airman Against Drinking ind Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 any time to request« ride. Rob Vansant 309th Missile Maintenance Group "When It's warmer, I enjoy hiking and kayaking. Right now, though, I'm getting stuff ready for gardening." Al Cheney 532nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron "Camping on my property at Sourdough (Utah)." Gayleen Bennington 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group Staff Sgt. Josh Arends 367th Training Support Squadron "Working in the yard, planting new annual flowers and nurturing. the perennials." "Being able to run outside." |