OCR Text |
Show 2 I IiIltop TIMES Aug. 23, 2012 TIME Weekly Since 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Katina L. Ventura Hilltop Times Writer Kim Cook Hilltop Times Correspondent 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. HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and leading:2 Canter 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 2011 DUls: 36 Hill's Last DUI: Ifut. 25 Unit Involved: 3ir8a Alezmajt Victiateaciace 5944.644 COMMENTARY Team Hill central to national ICBM project Through their continual pursuit of perfection, those who contribute daily to the nuclear mission ensure an on-alert weapon system consistBritton ing of 450 ICBMs which provide 90 percent of our Nation's daily strategic deterrent. Here at Team Hill, a stellar team of personnel work together to provide this capability, a group I commonly refer to as Team ICBM. This includes members of my Directorate, the 309th Missile Maintenance Group, 748th Supply Chain Management Group, 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing, Defense Logistics Agency and a tremendous contractor Prime Team, all working in unison to deliver a weapon system to the operators of 20th AF. Together, we are the single By COL. RYAN L. BRITTON Director, ICBM Systems Directorate For most people, the Nuclear Thad is not a common element of discourse during their day-to-day lives. Because of this, many may miss the tremendous contribution the personnel at Team Hill provide to our Nation and its deterrent forces; something I wish to expand upon today. The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) constantly projects our Nation's commitment to self-defense and the protection of our allies. In peacetime, in crisis and in the future, this historically least expensive (and most reliable) leg of the Thad will continue to serve as a critical, stabilizing force throughout the world. If you are in earshot of my organization, the ICBM Systems Directorate, you will constantly hear me praising the hard work and dedication of Team ICBM. 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill. af.mil A. Ronald R. Fogleman (Oct 1994Sept 1997) B. Michael E. Ryan (Oct 1997-Sept 2001) C. John P Jumper (Sept 2001-Sept 2005) D. T. Michael Moseley (Sept 2005Jul 2008) 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 activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch Report - Protect Force Protection is Our Business Everyone is a Sensor Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their 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) Social Actions Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program Hill Straight Talk IG Complaints IG Complaints Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. Now I ask you, what is the reward for this team and its astounding success? We have to get better. As the Nation's ICBM fleet is reduced through the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, our Combatant Commander at United States Strategic Command will continue to require a cadre of assets for his utilization in the numbers to which he has grown accustomed. To make this happen, the personnel comprising Team ICBM are working tirelessly to find more efficient ways to modernize and sustain the weapon system. This is the amazing part and what makes my job the best one in the Air Force. I can guarantee this team will find a way, like it always has, and will do so with little fanfare or accolades. The continued pursuit of perfection is the culture that underpins nuclear forces, and one I'm proud and fortunate to be a part of. Graduating from the USAF Academy in 1964 - in its sixth class - Captain Ritchie also became the Academy's first graduate to become an ace (thus far followed only by Captains DeBellevue and Feinstein). Who was the Academy's first graduate to become Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (CSAF)? GET liTORY Okt 777-3516 777-7129 777-1851 777-6246 777-6901 777-9696 777-5305 (for appointment) Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. point of failure (or in the ICBMs case, success) for one third of the Nuclear Thad. The buck truly starts and stops with us. Every day, thousands of personnel dedicate their energy to ensuring our ICBM fleet is combat mission ready. In my opinion, no group of outstanding Americans work harder or are more successful. The numbers speak for themselves. The alert rate for ICBMs is a staggering 99.7 percent. Imagine an aircraft flying 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with a 99 percentplus success rate. Now multiply that single aircraft by 450, spread them across three wings and a "flight line" of 31,900 square miles and maintain that same stringent operating standard. Most operators would call that unattainable; within Team ICBM, we call this business as usual. Your friends, neighbors and co-workers are the ones making this happen. 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 Union AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Family Assistance Center (when activated) 777-4918 777-1856 777-7433 777-5333 825-9392 777-3333 586-9300 777-3257 777-1852 777-3090 U.S. Air Force DeBellevue and Ritchie (front row), and Col. Baily and Capt. Feinstein (back row) head for a pre-mission briefing at Udorn. A GLIMPSE BACK August 23 1972 In 1972, in a F-4D, Captain Richard S. "Steve" Ritchie, with Captain Charles D. DeBellevue, shot down his fifth MiG-21 near Hanoi. Ritchie thus became the first USAF ace of the Vietnam War and the first since the Korean War. For this feat, Ritchie shared the 1972 Mackay Trophy with Captains Charles B. DeBellevue and Jeffrey S. Feinstein. ANSWER He has a master's degree in military history and political science from Duke. A command pilot and a parachutist, he flew over 6,800 hours in fighter, transport, tanker, and rotary wing aircraft, including 315 (L66T 1daS166T PO) uelnaI203 2I Pluuoll combat missions (806 hours). In 1997, after careful deliberation and believing he had made all the contributions that he could, he chose to retire early after 34 years of distinguished service. |