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Show Hilltop 2 COMMENTARY TIMES Feb. 21, 2013 Commander's commentary: Preparing for the future TIMES 1 :ly BY LT. GEN. BRUCE A. LITCHFIELD AFSC commander Since 1' T INKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — I know everyone is anxious to hear news about the possible sequestration and potential for civilian furloughs. I know this affects more than just the mission; it has a personal impact on each and every one of you. Unfortunately, we're still waiting to hear what's going to happen regarding sequestration. But, while we wait for our marching orders, I encourage you to take this opportunity to prepare yourself and your families for what might occur, including Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Mikayla Beyer Hilltop Times Writer Krista Starker Hilltop Times Correspondent Kim Cook 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. GILBERT From page 1 HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness 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 for him along with the nine other advisors who were shot and killed by an Afghan that they were training," said Gilbert. For two weeks after that no one was allowed to go back over to the Afghan compound. A decision was made that the Afghans at Kandahar Air Wing were not allowed to carry weapons — that is, except the security forces. The Afghan air force security forces were the personnel Gilbert was training and advising. "You couldn't really think about it, we knew the risks, but we also had a mission to do," said Gilbert. During his role in the training operations in Afghanistan, his team's work enabled the Afghans to conduct the largest ground combat operations in the history of the Afghan air force. Joint operations resulted in 10 Taliban captures during outside-the-wire missions that were conducted with the Afghans. "I was just trying to do my part — to do a mission that needed to be done," said Gilbert. Today, he remembers something every day from that time he spent in Afghanistan. "I reflect on it a lot, just because it was such a life-changing event for me," he explained. "I don't think a day goes by that I don't think about either what I did there, the people that I was deployed with or the Afghans who were there," Gilbert said. He described his first mission, which was also the first-ever Afghan-led counterinsurgency patrol in the history of the Afghan air force, in which a squad of 14 Afghans and 4 Americans went outside the wire to patrol a village. "It was only us out there with them to go through a local village. Just seeing the local Afghans and Afghan children (looking at) their countrymen with respect, patrolling a village — they treated them respectful and with honor," Gilbert said. The Afghan security forces personnel began to gain self-confidence and could see they were making a difference. Over the course of time, the largest fully functioning Afghan air force security forces unit in Afghanistan was successfully brought into operation there at Kandahar Air Field. "That means (the Afghans) were doing everything. They had a law enforcement section, they had a flight line security section, they had a patrol team that was going outside the wire conducting raids," he said. Those actions meant that operations placed an Afghan "face" on counterinsurgency operations which reduced the stigma of Afghan National Security Forces with the local populace and helped build faith in the Afghan republic. There was still the risk of repercussions for the Afghans who served. One of the Afghan security trainees stopped in town at an ATM to withdraw cash to send money to his family and was wearing his uniform. A car stopped, a man got out, and shot him in the head. The shooter then got back in the car and drove off. Gilbert still isn't sure if the shooter was Taliban, an insurgent or just a thug. "They had very real threats. Some of them had to keep their hair a little bit longer than Afghan regs because when they went back home they couldn't show any signs that they were in the military because the Taliban might threaten their families," said Gilbert. "I grew a pretty big respect for those guys," he said. He said the reason he worked so hard and stayed so focused on the mission came from a sense of responsibility as the senior enlisted security forces advisor and that others depended on him. "I've got kids and I try to conduct myself in a way that my kids could look at me and say, 'Yes, my dad did a good job and I'm proud of my father,'" said Gilbert who explained that he didn't have a father growing up or a really stable home. He said he couldn't have accomplished anything he has done without the support of his wife, Carmen, and his family, including his son and two daughters. Hill's Total 2013 DUIs: 0 tikl Hill's Last DUI: Ifut. of our times cause you to take your eye off the ball. While we are at work, we need to do our job for our country's defense. Our warfighter is counting on us. I need everyone looking out for their Wingmen. Leaders, talk to your people about the possible effects this could have on their work and home life. And keep in mind, we've avoided furloughs in the past, and there's a chance we could avoid it again. While we may be focused on the individual impacts, we still have men and women in harm's way who need our support. We can't let them down. I will let everyone know when we receive specific direction on this issue. MIKAYLA BEYER/Hilltop Times Master Sgt. Terry Gilbert participated in Warrior Call, Jan. 22. The Senior NCO Flight, Security Forces honoree was awarded a Bronze Star in July 2012. He emphasized that he conducts himself in such a way that he would want his son to conduct himself if he were ever in the same position. After his year in Afghanistan, he PCS'd to Hill AFB, where Gilbert served as the mid-shift flight chief. He applied his efforts to reworking the PT schedule and his flight soon had the lowest fail rate and highest number of "excellents" within the squadron for physical training. During those four months in the FY 2012 period, he also applied to become a first sergeant, saying that he gained a lot of perspective from his time in Afghanistan. Serving with others from another culture and successfully facing that challenge helped motivate him to take on this new challenge. "You have to take care of your people," said Gilbert. "You have to make sure your people are doing better than you are doing." The master sergeant admits sometimes his people might think he is a bit hard on them and strictly enforces following the rules. But he agreed that following the rules gives more freedom for improvisation "if it comes to that, if it's legal" and it takes care of your people. "When you get to be in my position as a senior NCO, they're the people that are making things happen. It isn't so much me anymore as it is them," said Gilbert. He tells his people that being security forces Airmen doesn't necessarily make them popular. A lot of time for the local populace or the public the resulting interactions mean something less than positive for them, such as being stopped for a driving infraction. Gilbert tells them, "We've got one of the most challenging jobs that there are." "But I tell my cops to keep doing the job that they are doing and to stay passionate about their people and stay focused on the mission that we have to do. Don't let personal selfishness and ambition get in the way of helping your people be the best they can be and helping our career field be the best that it can be." 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil 9 Unit Involved: 523rd saving more money now or cutting back. If we're given orders to direct civilian furloughs, it could mean up to a 20 percent drop in pay from April 1 until Oct. 1, 2013. This equates to an 8.5 percent decrease in your annual pay for Gen. Litchfield Fiscal 2013. And, while I know the uncertainty weighs heavily on everyone's mind, we need to remain productive and keep our eyes on safety; do not let the uncertainty Report suspicious activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program. Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. is Our Business — Everyone is a Sensor Watch — Report — Protect. Force Protection Seect/toptee4 Victiategetace Squelditao Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. ==. 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 777-7433 777-9696 Hill Pride Hotline 777-3056 Hill Straight Talk 777-5305 Public Affairs 777-5333 777-3056 IG Complaints Military Housing 825-9392 777-4134 (for appointment) 777-2043 IG Complaints 777-5361 Maintenance 777-6142 Safety Office 777-3333 (after hours) 586-9300 777-5361 Safety Office Hotline Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5455 Sexual Assault Response 777-1985 777-7129 (recording) Coordinator (or) 777-1964 1 877 885 9595 777-1851 Loud Noise Union 777-3257 (complaints) 777-6246 777-1852 777-4918 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline 777-6901 75th Medical Group Family Assistance Center 777-3090 Civil Engineering 777-1856 - - - (when activated) SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 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 777-1163 Occupational Medicine Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 |