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Show Hilltop 2 COMMENTARY TIMES Sept. 5, 2013 The value of citizen Airmen in space today Hilltop TIMES " - -Ice 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Charles Horton Mary Lou Gorny Krista Starker Standard-Examiner publisher Hilltop Times Editor 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. be hard pressed to achieve this same high level of capability without the Reserve. Most don't know that on any given day, 40 percent of 310th SW conducts AFSPC missions, with some units at even higher percentages. On the other hand, we're a strategic Col. Mineo Reserve depended on to always be prepared to fill surge needs for defined chunks of time, whether it's a few weeks, months or longer. This is where efficiency comes in — it's a lot more efficient to have the capacity to surge whenever needed than to enlarge the fulltime force. With close to half of 310th SW currently activated, AFSPC may essentially draw from the remaining 60 percent of our wing's capacity. We save precious taxpayer dollars standing up additional Reserve forces only when mobilized or voluntarily activated and placed on the full-time payroll. With more than 130 total-force initiatives, or "TFIs" — an associated Reserve and regular Air Force unit performing one mission together — 310th SW oversees 10 of these TFIs. We partner with the 21st, 50th and 460th Space Wings, the 614th Air and Space Operations Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as well as both the Air Force Warfare and Space Education and Training Centers. These successful TFIs will continue to be the benchmark and the lens through which we will look at space missions. The relevance of Reserve forces in BY COL. JEFFREY MINEO 310th Space Wing commander S CHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — When asked to provide commentary on a subject of my choice, it took me about 10 seconds to pick a topic — the value of the Air Force Reserve in space today. The joining of 310th Space Wing "Citizen Airmen" alongside our regular Air Force mission partners across Air Force Space Command bases strengthens an important relationship needed for combatant command warfighting capabilities. We need to build on that momentum by recognizing the Air Force Reserve values and pursuing further efficient integration of Reservists in the right space missions. In today's fiscally-constrained environment and with continuing defense budget pressures, there is a renewed emphasis to operate efficiently now more than ever; while not compromising mission capability. With Space so foundational to military operations at large, integrating the citizen Airman is critical and must be balanced proportionately with our regular Air Force partners. I can think of no catalyst more relevant or suitable in this day and age than the traditional Reservist, the volunteer, part-time Airman who makes up the preponderance of our Reserve forces and who remains committed to answering his or her nation's call. The 310th SW is performing two Reserve functions in support of AFSPC missions. On one hand, we're an operational force that helps produce the higher "steady state" of space capability that today's warfighters require. The active-duty component would space naturally increases as we evolve into a leaner total force. In fact, there is a more compelling need today than ever before to increase the Reserve presence in space and find more of these TFI opportunities. In comparison, our Reservists typically have five more years of experience than our regular Air Force counterparts. This varies by mission and rank, but generally holds true in all our associations. The value of our experience is not the incremental increase in pay for time in service that one sees in the salary tables; rather, our value is inherent in a continuum of time spent learning lessons, honing mission skills and providing continuity in the space mission. The youth and vibrancy of the regular Air Force member coupled with the chiseled and grizzled Reservist makes for a powerful total force punch. We can't ignore that. Nor can we ignore the fact that so many of our Reservists bring instant leadership, management and technical skills from their civilian sector space industry jobs. Taxpayers don't pay a cent for this civilian work experience, yet it translates into a deep bench of Reserve space operators with a much wider perspective of military operations and space expertise. By nature, TFIs and Air Force Reservists in space demand a paradox of familiarity with change. As the Air Force reacts to budgetary pressures and further evolves, it naturally becomes more dependent on the Reservists skills and vast experience. The demand signal for both a strategic and operational Reserve presence in space is rock solid and will continue to be valuable well into the Air Force's future. What fighter weapon system escorted the two B-52s of Operation DESERT STRIKE? A. F-14 B. F-15 C. F-16 D. None HAWC Nest Fitnass Tip from the Hralth and Wanes, Cantar 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. U.S. Air Force The lower deck of the B-52, commonly referred to as the battle station. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2013 DUIs: 16 Hill's Last DUI: tO Unit Involved: sgra Egzeomeat A GLIMPSE BACK ANSWER ¿ Sept. 3, 1996 JCS Operation DESERT STRIKE. Following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kurdish territory in Northern Iraq, this U.S. joint service operation included two B-52s flying 13,683 miles roundtrip from Anderson AFB, Guam, to launch cruise missiles at Iraqi targets. The attacks defended Kurds and reduced risks to pilots enforcing the no-fly zones over Iraq. (07YIV3) nozniV I 82U srlt moll yvsYI 2.0 .A The B-52s also required 29 U.S. Air Force tankers (KC-10s and KC-135s). Fourteen tankers supplied 760,000 pounds of fuel to deploy the bombers, and 15 tankers offloaded 1,360,000 pounds of fuel for the airstrike. Wieleategemee .5644Acut 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. 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 Hill Straight Talk 777-3056 IG Complaints 777-4134 (for appointment) 777-2043 IG Complaints 777-6142 (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program 777-5455 777-7129 777-1851 777-6246 777-6901 777-7433 777-9696 Hill Pride Hotline 777-5305 Public Affairs 777-5333 Military Housing 825-9392 777 5361 Maintenance Safety Office 777-3333 (after hours) Safety Office Hotline 586-9300 777 5361 Fraud, Waste or Abuse Sexual Assault Response 777-1985 (recording) Coordinator (or) 777-1964 Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 Union 777-3257 (complaints) 777-1852 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline 777-4918 75th Medical Group 777-3090 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Family Assistance Center (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 |