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Show 1 81. M April 12, 2012 4:4 11 AFAF 5K family run at the duck pond April 15 EASTER EGGS AWAITING Hill Top 3 T Ritt 742i P...., P 14 eta tf-% ' ¥ keirP ,`.. .terager 61-!` MARY LOU GORNY/Hilltop Times Look closely and you will see the Easter eggs on the lawn and in the shredded mulch around the C-124 Cargomaster at the Hill Aerospace Museum on April 6. Attendees were just beginning to line up early on Saturday morning as the areas were blocked off with crepe paper borders. For more on the Hill AFB and Hill museum egg hunts see page 9. Both East and West Child Development Centers now accepting new enrollees 75th Force Support Squadron Marketing Office 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit serves up a real class act BY 2ND LT. STEVEN CONLEY 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit Assistant Officer in Charge 0 n March 19, the new Child Development Center (CDC West), opened its doors to Hill Air Force Base children, ages 6 months to 5 years; joining CDC East across the street in providing high level child care to Team Hill. Open Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the centers are located on Mitchell Way, directly south of The Landing (formerly Club Hill). The practices of the Air Force Child Development Programs are based on current knowledge of child development and early childhood education. The center is responsible for supporting the development of the whole child, meaning all areas of development are considered inter-related and equally important. The program acknowledges that children learn through active, hands-on involvement with their environment, peers and caring adults. Children are valued as individuals, as well as part of a group. See CHILD I page 9 Cut your health care clutter by going online BY BRIAN P SMITH TriWest HealthCare Alliance W hen you go to the doctor, do you sit by the mailbox, waiting for your claims statement to come in? Or do the envelopes and statements just pile up? Cut your clutter and get access to your TriCare health care information quickly when you register account and sign up for for a secure TriWest.com paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements, referral and authorization letters and fee statements. Your paperless communications are housed safely in your secure, password-protected account. You can log into your account at any time from your desktop, your phone, or your tablet 4 anywhere with an Internet connection. Keep your health information organized online, at your fingertips while you cut the clutter of your See ONLINE I page 9 he Hill Top 3 is hosting the 2012 Hill AFB/Air Force Assistance Fund 5K Rundown Friday, April 13. The run will benefit four Air Force charities: the Air Force Village, the Air Force Enlisted Village, the Air Force Aid Society, and the Lemay Foundation, all of which are dedicated to helping Air Force members in times of need. All Hill AFB personnel are invited to participate, including civilians, spouses and retirees. Civilians may use leave time, to include fitness/wellness time at the discretion of their supervisors. The race will take place around the Duck Pond. Entry fee is $10, and all proceeds will go directly to the Air Force Assistance Fund. The first 100 entrants will get a T-shirt. Registration is at 6:30 a.m. by the main track, and race start is 7 a.m. Hill civilians may use leave time to include fitness/wellness time at the discretion of their supervisors. For questions or more information, call 1st Lt. Kerrie Campbell 801-777-2994 or 1st Lt Daniel Prather 801-586-9680. I n September 2011 the 419th Fighter Wing and 466th "Snakes" Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU) deployed with 12 F-16s to Kunsan Air Base, Republic of South Korea, as a Theater Security Package (TSP). Then on Dec. 1, the 421st "Black Widows" AMU, the active duty counterpart to the 466th AMU, took over the air tasking order. The deployment was to support Kunsan in its mission to deter potential aggressive actions from North Korea. It would have been easier for the squadron to come to Kunsan, fulfill its obligations, and leave. However the 421st insisted on performing at its best to meet the legacy of the Wolf Pack, leaving a lasting impression with the 8th Fighter Wing for years to come. Upon arrival, the 466th/421st AMU faced a multitude of challenges but they could not stop the success that was about to unfold over the next six months. While deployed to the peninsula, the 466th/421st maintained an average mission capable rate of 84.1 percent, surpassing the 81 percent Combat Air Forces standard. Throughout December all maintenance indicators were either met or exceeded, typically unheard of in the aging F-16 fleet. Also, maintainers were able to accomplish 100 percent maintenance scheduling effectiveness for the duration of the deployment. This type of focus on tactics, techniques and procedures enhances long-term fleet health and prevents many unexpected "breaks" that will almost certainly hinder a jet's ability to fly for the day, or even longer. This balanced approach also facilitates maintenance and increases combat capability. The 421st operators were able to fly 1,241 sorties consisting of a total of 1,746.1 hours during the seven-month stay. An additional benefit was realized when a second TSP unit, the 55th Fighter Squadron from Shaw Air Force Base, joined the deployment in January. At this time, the 421st pilots were able to acquire real-world Sup- pression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD) training using actual SEAD and DEAD air assets that otherwise could not have been accomplished. This greatly contributed to the readiness of the air crew, keeping pilots fully trained and even more combat ready. While the team was racking up impressive stats, they were also challenged with the high readiness expectations that come with working with the Wolf Pack in a high-operations tempo location like South Korea. Unlike other bases which may participate in Operational Readiness Exercises (ORE) twice a year, Kunsan AB does not have that same standard. With a very real threat only a 12-minute flight away, the base is constantly preparing to respond if called upon. The 421st participated in a total of six OREs over the entire deployment and flew over 95 percent of scheduled sorties in all of them. Additionally, when not in Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear, the team brought a new level of competition to the 8th AMXS. During a recent competition for maintainers and pilots, called a Turkey Shoot, the 421st won all available maintenance categories. The categories for this competition were the weapons load competition, proud falcon, and the top AMU overall. From the start of the deployment to the very end, the 421st made significant efforts to integrate into the 8th Fighter Wing. Throughout the deployment the 8th Maintenance Group Commander, Col. Dane P. West, referred to the 421st as, "a real class act," because of the 421st AMU's high performance and willingness to help the other units when in need. From improving the facilities, managing fleet health, and keeping morale high, the 421st came together as a unit at every level to make this deployment as fun and successful as possible. After the trip, the only thing left for representatives to say is, "SAWADEE!!," a saying in the 421st that reaches back into squadron history meaning "hello" or "goodbye" in Thai. |