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Show 2 COMMENTARY TIMES May 10, 2012 Paying respects to fallen: A lifetime in 8 minutes ES Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Katina L. Ventura Hilltop Times Writer Hilltop Times Krista Starker 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. 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs S OUTHWEST ASIA — It was just eight minutes. I would think about that later. It was just eight short minutes from the time the troop commander called everyone to attention to the time he dismissed us. Just eight short minutes that I will remember for the rest of my life. Eight short minutes in which I watched two fallen military members transferred out the back of a C-17 Globemaster III and onto a waiting truck. Eight minutes where I, along with about 90 other military members, all ranks, all services, civilians too, stood at attention and slowly rendered a salute as those two flag-draped cases were carried off of that aircraft. Before those eight minutes, the passengers who had been sharing their flight with these two fallen warriors were asked to exit the aircraft and form up two lines, one on either side of the cargo ramp at the 387th Air Expeditionary Group, which is part of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing. Twelve across, we stood. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen all stood solemnly at parade rest. No one told us to; it was just natural, like the moment demanded every ounce of our military discipline. It didn't matter that some of these pas- sengers had traveled all day and were only stopping for a little while. It didn't matter that some of us had worked an entire 12-hour day when that aircraft landed late that night. What mattered were those eight minutes. As the troop commander called the formation to attention, I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. I saw the sharp snap of the six Airmen whose charge it was to carry these fallen warriors off of the aircraft. With grace and poise, these six Airmen performed the transfer. As they walked past me, I thought of the warriors in those cases. I thought about how these warriors wouldn't be able to feel the soft breeze on a still night. They wouldn't be able to hold their fami- ,k\r_Ma-6 LIA Team Hill 4 Junior Force Council issues president's welcome message 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil B Resort suspicious activity via he tie AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch — Report — Protect Force Protection i5 Our Business — Everyone is a Sensor Phone numbers HAWC Nest Fitness Tip tram the Health and Wanes: 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 DUIs: 7 Hill's Last DUI: tO/tit 27 Unit Involved: 729a ,4 egootoe Sfaai/teia 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. — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE 777-7909 Mental Health Clinic Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource (800) 342-9647 National Suicide (800) 273-8255 Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line (866) 284-3743 TriWest Behavioral (866) 651-4970 Health Contact Center EAP (800) 222-0364 Occupational Medicine 777-1163 Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 Security Forces 24-hr. Crisis Information Force Support Squadron Base Restaurants Retirement/Compensation (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program Hill Straight Talk IG Complaints (for appointment) IG Complaints (after hours) Fraud, Waste or Abuse (recording) Loud Noise (complaints) 75th Medical Group Civil Engineering ill Pride Hotline Public Affairs Military Housing Maintenance Safety Office Safety Office Hotline Sexual Assault Response Union AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Family Assistance Center (when activated) 777-3056 777-3056 777-4134 777-2043 777-6142 777-5455 777 7129 777-1851 777 6246 777-6901 - - 777 9696 777 5305 - - 777 5361 - 777 5361 - 1 877 885 9595 - lies, hug them or kiss them again. They wouldn't be able to see the stars again. For those eight minutes, I thought about a lifetime of things these two fallen warriors would never be a part of again. As that thought passed through me with a shiver, I stood a little bit taller, saluted just a little bit sharper. If these two warriors were never going to see these simple joys again, the least I could give was everything, every single thing I had, for the remainder of those eight minutes. They deserved it. They deserved all that the solemn 90-man formation had that night. These two warriors gave their life for those simple freedoms, for those things that many of us take for granted. In those eight minutes, I thanked those warriors from the depths of my soul. I thanked them for their sacrifice, and for paying the ultimate price. My day started as mundane and routine, just another day on my deployment, one more day closer to me returning to my family. It did not, however, end that way. In those eight short minutes my perspective was forever changed. Editor's note: This commentary took top honors in the Department of Defense Thomas Jefferson Award Contest for best commentary. Twelve across, we stood. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen all stood solemnly at parade rest. No one told us to; it was just natural, like the moment demanded every ounce of our military discipline. BY STAFF SGT. PATRICE CLARKE - - 777 4918 777 1856 777 7433 777-5333 825-9392 - - - 777-3333 586-9300 777-1985 Coordinator (or) 777-1964 777-3257 777-1852 777-3090 efore I get down to business and shine some light on the direction the Team Hill-Junior Force Council (TH-JFC) will be heading this year, I would like to introduce our newly elected officers for 2012. Each of our very talented officers is driven to improve the working environment at Hill Air Force Base. So, without further ado, the vice president is Jennica Semon, a management analyst in the 75th Air Base Wing; treasurer is Jimmy Davis, a contract negotiator in PK; public affairs manager is Jen Tiede, a logistics management specialist for the Taiwan F-16 Program Office; newsletter manager is James Vaughan, a small business specialist in the Small Business Office; web manager is Capt. Sofia Russi, a systems engineer in the ICBM Systems Directorate; resource manager is Jason Carrion, a work leader in the F-16 Blast and Paint Shop in the 309th Maintenance Wing; operational officer is Evan Porter, a contracting officer in PK and I am the president, a chemist for the 309th MXW. These officers make up only a small portion of the council. The real meat and potatoes of the TH-JFC are our council members, who not only excel at their jobs, but also find time to help improve the functionality of this base by volunteering for council duty. These individuals have demonstrated that by taking a proactive approach to address concerns of the work force, the TH-JFC can provide a more effective and productive work environment for years to come. Now, let's get down to business. The council has a lot in store this year. We are going to continue selecting knowledgeable and fascinating presenters for our Speaker Series, which is held biennially at the base theater during the summer and fall. It is going to be a challenge to outdo last year's presenters as both gentlemen delivered pertinent, valued information and stayed for Q & A with the audience until their concerns were addressed. That being said, the council will be taking on the challenge of answering your future concerns by locking in two, possibly three, top- notch speakers for this year. If you have a suggestion for a presenter or want to learn more about a certain subject, please email us at Hill.JFC@Hill.af.mil otherwise, we look forward to seeing you at the presentations hosted by the TH-JFC. The TH-JFC is also researching and designing value added products to aid in the development of the junior work force, similar to the TH-JFC's Awards and Recognition brochure, a useful tool to help both co-workers and supervisors give credit where credit is due. The Sackmann ; council is brewing up some career development and mentoring materials to ensure that employees at Hill AFB understand their opportunities and take full advantage of them. With all of us going the extra mile, we will easily keep Hill AFB the best center in AFMC. The council understands the importance of helping others in need. Last year, the TH-JFC put on their first basewide food drive called "Lend a Hand, Give a Can." The event was extremely successful, in which the base generously donated approximately 5,500 pounds of food. The food you donated was distributed to food banks around the local area to support those in need. The council has agreed to sponsor the second annual "Lend a Hand, Give a Can" with hopes to surpass last year's amount. So save your peanut butter, kidney beans and cans of tuna until you see our TH-JFC collection barrels coming to a location near you sometime in the late summer. With everyone giving a little, it can go a long way. Finally, the Air Force is undergoing a very historical change and we all need to embrace it. I had the opportunity to listen to Maj. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, discuss the current plans of each phase in the AFMC restructure and the direction Hill AFB will be heading. In his presentation, he also mentioned that there will be roadblocks and barriers along the way. It is up to all of us to become active supporters during this process for a smooth transition. Therefore, these roadblocks and barriers need to be discovered and fixed promptly before they turn into an overwhelming problem. The TH-JFC would like everyone to know that we are here to help. Feel free to submit your concern anytime on our SharePoint site https://cs.eis.afmc.af.mil/ sites/894/default.aspx and select the link for "Confidential Feedback for the JFC." This survey allows you to leave anonymous feedback for the council, and has a place for you to leave contact information if desired. The council and I are looking forward to making Hill Air Force Base a more proactive, successful and enjoyable work place for all. Respectfully, Valentine Sackmann President of the Team Hill - Junior Force Council |