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Show 2 IiIItop TIMES March 8, 2012 TIMES COMMENTARY Changes to ensure a ready force albeit a smaller one War-winning capabilities... on time, on cost 'ay Since 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Anne Morrison Hilltop Times Writer Krista Starker Hilltop Times Correspondent Ryan Larsen Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimes@standard.net or call 801- 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., 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 U.S. 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 supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at mgorny@standard.net . Call 801-625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. 0 n March 6, the Air Force released a Force Structure Announcement that details force structure and manpower impacts from decisions the Air Force has made in support of the new Department of Defense strategy and the President's Fiscal Year 2013 budget that reduces Air Force Active Duty, Guard and Reserve positions by 9,900. This follows announcements this past November and January of some 12,100 civilian position reductions across the Air Force. This announcement includes manpower adjustments as- sociated with the reduction of 227 aircraft and other actions, including the inactivation of a combat communications group, several air control squadrons and restructure of the Air Force's regional bands. The Air Force has made a deliberate decision to avoid a "hollow force" by prioritizing readiness over force structure. A smaller, ready force is preferable to a larger force that is not prepared because it lacks the right resources. In addition to exploiting new, more efficient technologies, the Air Force will rebalance the mix of active duty, Guard and Reserve forces to deliver core capabilities to the war-fighter. In AFMC, the direct impact of the force structure changes on our military members is minimal since we reduced a large number of civilian positions in the two previous announcements. Tuesday's announcement identifies approximately 100 AFMC military positions for reduction, to include the Air Force-wide band initiative which closes the U.S. Air Force Band of Liberty at Hanscom AFB and reduces the U.S. Air Force Band of Flight at Wright-Patterson AFB. However, there will be a significant number of positions impacted at non-AFMC units that operate from some of our installations. In light of our nation's current economic challenges, the Air Force, along with DoD and the nation, have to make tough choices. This force structure announcement preserves capabilities our nation counts on from its Air Force. Thank you for all you do to ensure our Air Force will continue to be a ready, well-trained and capable Air Force — the best in the world! General Donald Hoffman Commander, Air Force Materiel Command Things 'I Learned in Kindergarten' lesson still applies BY ANGIE TYMOFICHUK Director of Engineering and Technical Management hen you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together." This is one of my favorite lessons from Robert Fulghum in his book "All I Ever Needed to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten." Simply stated, it provides us an essential life's lesson that each of us needs to keep in mind as we progress — together — through these times of change. Again, the one constant we can always depend on is that we are in a world full of change. Those changes most evident to us include re-organization, VERA/VSIP, SERB, budget and force structure reductions and leadership moves, just to name a few. This is the "traffic" we are facing today. Now is the time to join and stick together. As a nation, we learned this lesson long ago and it cements some our fundamental beliefs as a country and for which we stand. This axiom is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world it is best to join up and stick together. What is most essential at this time as a phase in wholesale change comes across the DoD is to keep focused — together! In our business this is extremely critical as our combatant forces are depending on us Tymofichuk to keep the focus, to continue delivering war-fighting capability that will protect and save lives. I am reminded of the concentric circles that define our sphere of influence, that we are in the very center of what we can influence and that is the area we need to pay close attention to — there are certainly influences in the outer rings, but most of those are driven by realities of budget, economics and political decisions. So I challenge you, take that opportunity and keep the focus on your area of influence. It is what enables us to continue to provide effective combat capability. It is that focus that is contagious and will help others around us stay together and focused on the critical and important job we do today. Our resilience as a nation is unmatched as is yours at this air logistics center. We know and trust we can negotiate the traffic head on; it is one of those mission imperatives because unlike other occupations, peoples' lives are depending on us not to get caught up in the traffic jams that change often brings. Remember character is defined by how well you respond and react to adversity and we have continued to demonstrate unshakeable resolve to ensure the mission gets done. This week I hosted All Hands calls for the installation's scientist and engineering community. I ended those sessions with one of those Facebook motivational wall photos that I shared as a reminder that we are in the midst of a sea of opportunities and challenges through the re-org transition and our job is to ensure continuation of a thriving work force and mission, i.e., hold hands and stick together. I share the same thought with you upon closing: One day you'll be a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one. AIRMAN AIRMAN TO HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness Center Up to 12 weeks of FREE tobacco cessation medication is available to federal employees and up to 6 months is available for active duty, dependents and retirees when attending the tobacco cessation series. Call the Health and Wellness Center at 801-777-1215 for further information. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2012 DUls: 6 Hill's Last DUI: Ifieurd / Unit Involved: 75e zelareat Readeptedd, Spetebreg Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. What did you do before the Air Force was in the Reserve? I Army National Guard here in Utah for nine years. I worked as a counter-intelligence agent. We dealt with protecting information, operational security education, and investigations that dealt with compromised information. I deployed twice with the Army, once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil When you call or send an e-mail, your comments will be recorded and staffed through the agency responsible for action. Please give your supervisor and chain of command the opportunity to work with you in answering questions and solving problems before calling the Action Line. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest will be published in the Hilltop Times. Report suspicious activ- SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE ity via the AFOSI EAGLE Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 EYES program Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource (800) 342-9647 National Suicide (800) 273-8255 Prevention Line Force Protection is Our TriWest Crisis Line (866) 284 3743 Business - Everyone isa TriWest Behavioral (866) 651-4970 Sensor Health Contact Center Phone numbers —The EAP (800) 222.0364 base agencies listed can Occupational Medicine 777-1163 be contacted directly if Services you have a complaint Wingman Advocates 777-2255 or a problem with their Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch - Report Protect Tech. Sgt. Heath Weber F 16 crew chief in the 419th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron - Why did you join the Air Force Reserve? I worked with Air Force people during my last Army deployment, and had an easy time working with them. They seemed to stick to protocol and were really open to our ideas. Also, the Air Force has shorter deployments, so I could be home a little more often and spend more time with my family. When I joined the Air Force Reserve, I spent about eight months doing AGE (air ground equipment), but then I got an opportunity to be a crew chief. I wanted a job where I could be outside, work with my hands, do mechanical stuff, something where I could see immediate results -- just a change of pace. a corWhat's your civilian job? I'm rections officer for the state. We're in charge of physical security of the prison and ensuring public safety. You can think of us as law enforcement inside the prison community. We're not just prison guards; we also try to manage personnel and encourage good behavior. Are their similarities between your civilian job and your Reserve job? We're encouraged to stay physically fit in the Air Force, and they definitely want that in the prison, too. Also weapons training; we use a variety of different weapons in both jobs. Tell me about your family. I have a wife, Emily, and three children — two girls and one boy. We live in Gunnison, right about in the middle of the state — a 150-mile drive to the base. Do you hope your children will one day serve? If they were passionate about it, I think it would be great. I would encourage them to go into the Air Force, just having experienced what I've experienced. ride What are your hobbies? I horses. I've got three. That's a big part of my life, always has been. It's becoming a part of my family's life, too. I like working with animals and wildlife. Also, any kind of outdoor activities, like riding my dirt bike in the mountains and desert. - services: Security Forces 24-hr. Crisis Information Force Support Squadron Base Restaurants Retirement/Compensation 777-3056 777-3056 777-4134 777-2043 777-6142 (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program Hill Straight Talk IG Complaints 777-5455 777-7129 777-1851 777-6246 777-6901 777-9696 777-5305 (for appointment) IG Complaints 777-5361 (after hours) Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 (recording) Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 (complaints) 75th Medical Group Civil Engineering Hill Pride Hotline Public Affairs Military Housing Maintenance Safety Office Safety Office Hotline Sexual Assault Response 777-4918 777-1856 777-7433 777-5333 825-9392 Coordinator Union AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Family Assistance Center (when activated) 777-3333 586-9300 777-1985 (or) 777-1964 777-3257 777-1852 777-3090 |