Thursday, May 29, 2014
Vol. 42, No. 22
News/Features: page 3
‘There I was...’
News/Features: page 6
Emergency training
News/Features: page 8
FORCE symposium
News/Features: page 10
A test of strength
Community: page 21
Events, Chapel, more...
Remembering our fallen - page 12
Photo by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler
The pledge of allegiance is recited during the U.S. Special Operations Command Memorial Day Ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, May 22. The
ceremony was held to honor those who had fallen in the last year.
COMMENTARY
Feedback best fuel to help Airmen achieve better performance
by Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth L. Jones Jr.
60th Logistics Readiness Squadron superintendent
Catch phrases, mottoes, and vision statements give us a peek
into the values of an individual or organization.
They also are great
ways to start a conversation. Every time
I permanently change
stations, one of the first
catch phrases written on my white board
Chief Master Sgt.
when I setup my workKenneth L. Jones Jr.
space is, “Feedbacks are
more important than
performance reports.” Then whenever someone
visits me and I catch their puzzled look at the
quote, it gives me the perfect opportunity to explain exactly what it means.
At the mention of feedback, most Air Force
members immediately think about a supervisor
and subordinate discussion and the completion of the required form. But to understand
the phrase, we need a common understanding
and definition of feedback. Then, to be used effectively, the supervisor has to give honest, accurate and timely feedback.
I compare feedback to the practice before or
the coaching during the game - it’s what helps
us get better. Whereas a performance report is
more like the game score, it only records how we
did, but has nothing to do with making us better.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides
the definition of feedback I like best: “helpful information or criticism that is given to someone
to say what can be done to improve a performance or product.”
Feedback is everywhere and every successful
event depends on some kind of feedback. The
NASCAR driver races toward pit row talking on
the radio to the maintenance team. He’s telling
them how the car is performing, giving them
feedback so they can make the adjustments for
the team to win the race.
In the football huddle, the quarterback isn’t
just calling the play, he’s giving feedback, telling
the linemen who they need to stop, who is getting through the line.
Even video games give feedback with clues
or warnings through the controller vibrations.
Feedback should be much more than a pat on
the back, its information to improve performance and help the team win.
The role of the supervisor should be as the
coach, the quarterback or the video game controller. Their job is to provide the effective feedback to get better team performance. It has to
be honest and accurate. Telling the offensive
linemen they are doing fine when the quarterback has been sacked 10 times isn’t honest or
accurate.
Feedback also has to be timely to be effective.
If the race car has been sluggish in the straight-
aways, pulls hard to the right all day and the
driver waits until the last two laps to provide
the feedback, the pit crew cannot make the correction before the race ends. At a minimum, an
Air Force supervisor should give initial and a
midterm feedbacks.
It’s pretty easy to get agreement on the
definition of feedback, but how can it be more
important than writing someone’s performance
report? After all, we have an entire Air Force
Instruction on them, bullet-writing classes to
teach them and squadrons spending a fortune
in manpower reviewing, editing and approving
performance reports. Keep in mind, a report is
the summary of the event that is already done.
It’s akin to what position the NASCAR driver
finished in the race or the final score of the football game. Performance reports document what
happened in the past, but have little effect on
improving the current results. This is exactly
why feedback is more important than the report.
If you want to improve your Airmen, coach
them with honest and accurate feedback. Tell
them what they do well, but more importantly
tell them what they can do better. Make it
timely and give them opportunities to practice,
perform and improve before the report.
Remember, the driver or quarterback can’t
provide last-minute feedback and expect the
team to have time to achieve victory. Feedback
provides the opportunity to improve performance. The feedback is more important than
the performance report.
MacDill on the web
COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE
The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air
Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or
comments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or email macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil.
MacDill Thunderbolt
Publisher: Bill Barker
Editor: Nick Stubbs
The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air
Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized
publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military
services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are
not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S.
government, the Department of Defense, the Department of
the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing.
The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement
by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air
Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of
the products or service 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 non-merit
factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
Display advertising or classified advertising information
Website: www.macdill.af.mil
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
MacDillAirForceBase
may be obtained by calling (813) 259-7455.
News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted
to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar
Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill
Thunderbolt staff at 828-2215. Email: thunder.bolt@us.af.mil.
Deadline for article submissions is noon, Wednesdays to
appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after
deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions
are considered for publication based on news value and timeliness.
Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity,
brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook
and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.
NEWS/FEATURES
‘There I was...’
MacDill Airman ‘thankful’ for experience
by Airman 1st Class Spencer Marks
6th Mission Support Group
I was fortunate enough to be afforded the
opportunity to join my brothers and sisters in
the Middle East less than a year after I graduated basic training.
Eight months after arriving at MacDill, I
was not only anxious and excited, but confident in the training I had received early in my
career and I wasready to support the global
mission.
Leaving MacDill meant I was off to another base and to a different squadron, stepping
away from my communications roots to support our civil engineers as a member of the
Force Protection flight. The flight is comprised
of the Airmen whose primary job is to escort
various Other Country Nationals around the
base. The flight was a collection of various career fields, so I ate, slept, and worked side by
side with crew chiefs, dental techs, plumbers,
and many others from bases across the globe.
I am incredibly thankful that this experience provided me with a greater understanding of not only the daily demands placed on
other career fields, but also other bases as es-
sential components of the world’s greatest Air
Force.
My original tasking was supervising and
protecting OCNs, as they comprised the majority of our labor force for various construction projects on base. While escorting OCNs,
I was directly exposed to multiple cultures in
the region. Each day I consistently learned
about food, social relationships and family values through an entertaining system of communication comprised primarily of broken English and hand signals accentuated by the few
Arabic and Hindi phrases I could butcher with
a thick American accent.
After a few months of escorting OCNs, a
unique position opened up in the Civil Engineering squadron. I was stationed at a shared
base of American and Host Nation forces,
which meant that each OCN needed to pass
two separate screenings and approval processes for installation access. CE maintains one individual who is a liaison between contracting,
security forces, CE, FP, and the Host Nation
Courtesy photo
security forces. This individual’s job is to guide
OCNs through the screening and base access Airman 1st Class Spencer Marks at his deployed
process, while maintaining a live tracker of location. Among his jobs was escorting nationSee ‘THERE I WAS...”, Page 22 als from various countries.
Hurricane season nearly upon us
Be prepared; build a kit, have a plan
by Staff Sgt. Bonnie Von Dohre
927th Readiness and Emergency Management
Hurricane season begins June 1, but now is
the time everyone should review their emergency plans and build a supply kit for their
families and pets.
While it’s important to always have a plan
and supply kit for any type of emergency, hurricane season brings these needs into focus as
we prepare for one of the most intimidating
natural disasters we face as residents of Florida. While emergency plans can be lengthy, de-
tailed documents, they don’t have to be. The
most important aspect is to tailor your plan to
the needs of your individual family. Who are
your primary and alternate points of contact
in the event of an emergency? Where would
you evacuate to if you had to leave your home?
What are the phone numbers for each of your
utility companies? Do you have elderly family members, children or pets that you need to
consider in your plans?
While many parts of your emergency plan
may seem inconsequential, it is important to
U.S. Air Force graphic by Capt. Joe Simms
The 927th Emergency Management team reminds everyone to review their emergency
plans and build a supply kit for hurricane season. Kits should include enough food and waSee HURRICANE, Page 14 ter to last for a minimum of three days.
WEEK IN PHOTOS
Jerry Moore, U.S.
Army veteran, rides
a horse at Quantum
Leap Farm, Odessa,
Fla., May 16. QLF
works to help veterans
grow strong, achieve
goals and overcome
challenges by engaging them with horses.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Ned T. Johnston
Photo by Airman 1st Class Ned T. Johnston
Photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
John Sena, Navy and Air Force Reserve veteran, goes for a horseback
trail ride at Quantum Leap Farm, Odessa, Fla., May 16. Veterans and
wounded warriors participate in therapeutic riding to help them overcome obstacles.
Tech. Sgt. Wayne Johansen, 6th Aerospace Medicine Squadron NCO
in-charge, contingency health element, and Staff Sgt. Jason Espurvoa,
6th AMDS bioenvironmental engineer flight technician, prepare to go
into a simulated radiation scenario at MacDill Air Force Base, May 15.
Care must be taken to ensure all seals are secured and closed to keep
NEWS/FEATURES
MacDill teams up with Guard for
emergency response training
by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
Team MacDill partnered up with the 44th Civil Support Team from
Jacksonville, Fla., and Alliance Solutions Group during integrated base
emergency response training May 15.
“Training consists of lectures, hands-on practicals, and three exercise scenarios,” said Tech. Sgt. Heather Bigler, 6th Aerospace Medicine
Squadron bioenvironmental engineer flight technician. “Topics include
evidence preservation, sampling techniques in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear environments, and performing health risk assessments for incident commanders.”
Part of the bioenvironmental engineering flight’s mission is to respond
to emergency CBRN situations, such as suspicious packages or accidental chemical releases to identify health threats and assess risks.
The training is funded by the Air Mobility Command with the purpose
of enhancing integrated emergency response capabilities.
“If major command funding allows, full-week response training occurs
Photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
Maj. Carolyn Prill, 6th Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental
engineer flight commander, and Staff Sgt. Grady Holmes, 6th AMDS
bioenvironmental engineer flight technician, measure the amount of beta radiation in the air using an ADM-300 at MacDill Air Force Base, May
15. The results assist in determining what type of respiratory protection
is needed to keep emergency responders safe and if any radiation is
See TRAINING, Page 22 spreading to the local population.
NEWS/FEATURES
Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Menges
Master Sgt. Timothy Andrus conducts training during a FORCE Symposium. The focus of the one week course is to ensure Air Expeditionary
Force deployers receive proper training on the new fuel delivery system
prior to arriving at the deployed location.
FORCE: Supporting the Air
Force global mission
by Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Menges
49th Material Maintenance Support Squadron
MacDill Air Force Base is host to 38 mission partners. One of those
partners, the 49th Material Maintenance Support Squadron/Operation
Location Alpha, which maintains and postures war readiness material
assets, while training Airmen from all major commands.
Based out of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Operating Location Alpha’s mission at MacDill includes the responsibility for maintenance,
readiness and deployment of 329 Fuels Operational Readiness Capability Equipment assets valued at $15.6 million. Known as the “Center of
Excellence” by the fuels community, the 21 assigned members perform
a variety of support functions. Recently, personnel deployed to assist
the Expeditionary forces at six locations with physical layout and setup
of the system, aircraft servicing modes, and equipment communications/electrical troubleshooting.
“Conducting Operational Safety Inspection Checks to ensure serviceable equipment is postured for OPLAN support is our main purpose,”
states Master Sgt. Jimmy Lopez Beniquez, 49th MMSS/OLA superintendent.
This team utilizes seven MacDill facilities to house and operate support equipment and is charged with custodial duties of fuel support
items including Mission Readiness Support Packages. Additionally, the
See FORCE, Page 18
NEWS/FEATURES
Airman tests fitness; places 2nd in strength competition
final event, the push-up.
The push-up event put Sanders in the homestretch and provided him
with one final opportunity to achieve as many repetitions as possible to
further his chances of taking home the gold.
At the conclusion of the event, the competition officials convened and
tallied the results of each individual participant’s scores.
When the results were announced, Sanders came out as the second
place winner, receiving a silver medal, and a paper listing his weight results from each individual event and the overall score.
“I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t come in first,” stated Sanders.
“But overall I still had fun.”
Photo by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
Airman 1st Class Clarence Sanders, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
hydraulic mechanic, deadlifts during the Push/Pull/Deadlift and Bench
Press competition in the Short Fitness Center May 21.
by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MacDill’s Short Fitness Center allowed members of Team MacDill to
come and test their strength and endurance in the Push/Pull/Deadlift and
Bench Press Competition May 21.
One participant specifically, Airman 1st Class Clarence Sanders, 6th
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hydraulic mechanic, saw it as an opportunity to compete in something he enjoys and push his limits.
“I originally started lifting in high school, because I was on the football
team,” said Sanders. “Now I work out and weight lift to stay in shape and
meet the Air Force’s standards.”
The first event was the bench press, which allowed three different attempts to lift however much weight they selected, increasing the weight
after each lift. In order for each attempt to count, they would have to lift
with little or no assistance.
“My goal is to push around 460 pounds,” said Sanders when asked what
was his goal for the event. “I’ve only done it once before, and my personal
best is 470 pounds.”
Not only did Sanders reach 460 lbs. during his last of three lifts, he actually exceeded it by benching an event high of 465 lbs., almost reaching
his personal best.
The second event, the deadlift, which required participants to lift a portion of their body weight for maximum repetitions; Sanders completed 32
repetitions of 205 lbs.
The third event, the pull-up, requiring participants to do the maximum
number of pull-ups possible within a one minute time frame, really put
Sanders and the other participants to the test. They had already expended significant amounts of energy in the first two events and now had to
try to summon whatever they could muster to push through this and the
They are not fo
orgotten
Photo by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
Sgt. Maj. James Faris, Command Sgt. Maj. of
U.S. Special Operations Command, speaks during the USSOCOM Memorial Day Ceremony at
MacDill Air Force Base, May 22. The ceremony
was held to honor those who had fallen in the
last year.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
Service members post the colors during the
singing of the National Anthem at MacDill Air
Force Base, May 22. All five branches were represented and held their respected flags during a
Memorial Day ceremony.
The names of the fallen heroes over the last year are recited at the U.S. Special Operations
Command Memorial Day Ceremony, May 22, at MacDill Air Force Base. The Special Operations Foundation Memorial pays tribute to those men and women of Special Operations
who have made the supreme sacrifice in service to their nation.
photo by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
MacDill Air Force Base base honor guardsmen
perform a 21-gun salute during a Memorial Day
ceremony, May 22.
hurricane
From Page 3
put the plan into writing and educate your family members on where
to find the plan and what it contains. Realistically consider what you
would do and need in the event of an emergency and build your kit
based upon those needs.
Your emergency supply kit will be your lifeline immediately following a disaster. Ensure you have at least one gallon of water per person per day for a minimum of three days. Your kit should also contain
enough food and supplies for a minimum three day period. Common
emergency kit items include flashlights, candles, batteries, generators,
fuel, non-perishable food, toiletries, cash, first-aid kit and important
documents. If your family members have special needs such as diapers,
medications, or pet supplies, those items should also be included in the
kit.
A copy of your important documents and emergency plan should be
kept in a waterproof container, like a Ziploc bag, within your supply
kit. It is advisable to keep the originals in a secure location such as a
fireproof safe or safety deposit box. Documents can also be kept with
the county records office. Important documents include, but are not
limited to, birth certificates, marriage certificates, wills and insurance
policies.
Emergency supply kits do not need to be recreated every year. Many
items can be kept from one year to the next and replenished as necessary. It is advisable to use and replenish food, water, fuel and batteries
at least annually to avoid expired and degraded supplies. Medication
and some first-aid items should also be inventoried regularly to avoid
expired items.
The Florida Legislature has approved a nine day tax free holiday for
hurricane preparedness supplies. This holiday is an excellent opportunity for shoppers to save money on items needed for their emergency
supply kits. Many retailers will also advertise sales during this time
to encourage consumers to buy with lists of items eligible for savings.
Monitor local news outlets for more information about when the tax
free holiday will occur.
It is important to maintain a state of readiness at all times, but especially during hurricane season. Keep cash on hand in the event of an
emergency and always keep your fuel tank above half full in case you
need to evacuate. Being ready in advance will make recovery for your
family a much easier process.
For more assistance on preparing for disasters, contact your unit
Emergency Management Representative; or the Installation Emergency Management Office can be contacted at 813-828-4321. Additional
resources are also available at ready.gov.
DIAMOND SHARP
Senior Airman Lady Ciara Eime
6th Comptroller Squadron
Job Title: Commander support staff
Hometown: Bremerton, Wash.
Short-term goals: To be a Nurse Corps Officer in the
United States Air Force
Long-term goals: To make a difference in my Air Force
by taking care of all Airmen and earning the honor to
one day retire as a colonel
Advice to others: Take it one step at a time. We all have
visions of our own limitless potential and that which we
aspire to become, and for us to achieve it, just take it
slowly. Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment.
Role model and why: My husband Jason Eime, he is a great husband, a great father to
our kids, and a great friend. He is always there for us and I never hear any complaints.
force
From Page 8
OLA conducts classroom and hands-on training to fuels specialists from all major commands ensuring members’ readiness prior to
deployments.
“FORCE was designed to replace technology
from the 1960s adding increased fuel receipt
and delivery capabilities to match the ops tempo our troops face in today’s Air Force,” stated
Oscar Neverson, 49th MMSS/OLA director.
“FORCE is a mobile modern day fuels hydrant
system and is the bread and butter for day to
day fuels operations at deployed locations.”
Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Menges
A FORCE set-up accomplishes three primary
missions: Aircraft servicing by fueling aircraft
from one or more sources; off-loading by removing fuel from trucks or other tank transport
and pumping it to bulk storage; and transfer by
moving fuel from one location to another.
MACDILL COMMUNITY
EVENTS
Friday
MacDill Lanes & Family Fun Night
Family Fun Night from 5-9 p.m.
50¢ games for all bowlers under
the age of 15. Mike the Magician –
Magic & balloon sculptures; kid activities; value menu food specials.
Saturday-Sunday
Base Pool
The Base Pool is now open through
Labor Day. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6
p.m.
Saturday
Seascapes Beach House
Steak-n-Date Night served from
5-8 p.m. Creole seasoned or blackened rib eye with garlic roasted
potatoes, fresh vegetable du jour
& crispy French bread and butter
$15.95. Add a house salad with
your choice of dressing $1.95. Ask
about our dessert and drink Specials!
Tuesday
MacDill Lanes & Family Fun Center
Single Airman Lunch & Bowl from
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Free games and
shoes.
Wednesday
SeaScapes Beach House
Wednesday BASH from 4-8 p.m.
Free bar snacks, drink specials, bar
bingo ($2 a card/cash), trivia, and a
DJ. Call 840-1451.
Thursday
Base Theater
Free movie: “The Pirate Fairy,” at
5:30 p.m. Everyone welcome and
feel free to bring your own food and
drink.
Mark your calendar
MacDill Day Base Picnic Friday,
June 13. Everyone welcome.
Power!
Photo by Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
Members of the 6th Force Support Squadron and participants of the Push/Pull/Deadlift and Bench
Press competition pose for a picture in the Short Fitness Center at MacDill Air Force Base May 21.
The top three performers in the male and female categories with the highest scores of the four events
combined were awarded a first-, second-, or third-place medal.
CHAPEL SCHEDULE
Protestant service
Sunday - 11 a.m. - Contemporary Service
Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - FAMCAMP Service
Islamic service
Catholic services
Saturday - 5:30 p.m. - Mass
Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - Mass
Monday-Thursday - 12:10 p.m. Mass
Friday - 1:30 p.m. - Muslim Prayer Service
Call the chapel at 828-3621 for more information or visit the chapel web site
at http://www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel.
‘THERE I WAS...’
From Page 3
their status. This is essential because multi-million dollar contracts
can easily fall behind schedule if their workers are denied access to the
installation for even a single day. Observing the way I forged honest
and professional relationships with the workers on a daily basis, my
flight chief selected me to fulfill this role.
There I was, one day watching 10 laborers dig a trench, and the next
day overseeing base access for $25 million worth of contracts. I was
issued a cell phone so I could be on-call 24/7 and travel to the industrial district downtown to meet contractors in their lean-to factories
on a weekly basis. During the remaining months of my deployment,
my cultural education accelerated at an incredible pace. Far beyond
the cuisine and short stories I had picked up from the laborers, the
high-powered contractors practiced slight cultural nuances that dis-
tinguished each individual’s background. One consistent theme across
all cultures was their propensity to negotiate—everything was up for
discussion. It became my biggest day-to-day challenge because there is
no room for negotiation in base security which is all about emphasizing
punctuality and ensuring complete paperwork.
I am astounded at the amount of information I gathered during my
time in the Middle East, learning about our Air Force, our Host Nation partnerships, and various cultures on the other side of the world.
I thoroughly appreciate the freedoms and luxuries we fight to protect
each day after experiencing entire societies that are less fortunate.
I would also like to thank everyone who supported us while we were
out there, especially during the holiday season. Finally, I hope that my
brothers and sisters who are still out there all across the globe are as
TRAINING
From Page 6
approximately every three to four years; however, base-level emergency
management exercises occur at least annually and small-scope flight
training occurs monthly to maintain proficiency in our unique mission,”
said Bigler.
Bioenvironmental engineering interacts with several outside agencies
to include fire and emergency services, emergency management and the
office of special investigations personnel.
“Integrated training is vital to ensuring that we all communicate and
respond in a cohesive manner,” said Bigler.
Due to the lack of some traditional roles performed by the 6th Civil
Engineer Squadron emergency management flight at MacDill Air Force
Base, Fla., bioenvironmental engineering has the additional responsibilities of performing CBRN plume modeling and CBRN response tasks.
“Technical emergency response skills are highly perishable,” said Bigler. “This training enhances our knowledge base and improves our risk
communication skills.