November UTA News & Notes Published Nov. 4, 2010 MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. -- This is a compilation of news bits Airmen and families can use to prepare for the upcoming UTA weekend. Welcome New 129th Members! -Capt. Emmanual Cao, 130 RQS -Capt. Nathaniel King, 129 RQW -Tech. Sgt. Sally Ford, 129 RQW -Staff Sgt. Raymond Dempsey, 129 AMXS -Staff Sgt. Joshua Holdridge, 561 Band -Staff Sgt. Jason Weber, 129 OSF -Senior Airman Alex Chang, 129 AMXS -Senior Airman Johnathan Nordstrom, 129 AMXS -Senior Airman Nathan Schmidt, 131 RQS -Airman 1st Class Adrian Escarega, 129 RQW -Airman 1st Class Gina King, 123 AMXS -Airman 1st Class Albert Thomas, 129 SFS -Airman 1st Class Andrew Vu, 129 RQW Congratulations! The following members have recently been promoted to their current rank. -Master Sgt. Mark Andrews, 129 AMXS -Master Sgt. Alan Barnett, 129 AMXS -Tech. Sgt. Latausha Freeman, 129 MXS -Staff Sgt Kristian Dela Cruz, 129 LRS -Senior Airman Gaspare Cammarata, 129 MDG -Senior Airman Adam Borgeson, 129 MXS -Senior Airman Jacqueline Marrolli, 129 FSF Thank You for Your Service! We wish the following retired, separated and transferred members well - Senior Master Sgt. Mark Biernacki, 129 LRS - Senior Master Sgt. George Granada, 130 RQS - Tech. Sgt Juan Alaniz, 129 MXS - Tech. Sgt Mathew Divina, 131 RQS - Tech. Sgt Lance Martin, 129 MXS - Tech. Sgt George Uvillado, 129 MXS - Tech. Sgt Marcel Villanueva, 129 CES CCAF Graduates! The following members have received associate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force. -Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Baker, 162 CCG -Senior Master Sgt. George Granada, 130 RQS -Master Sgt. Howard Bentley, CA HQ -Master Sgt. Jennifer Bush, 149 CCS -Tech. Sgt. Craig Bailey, 149 CCS -Tech. Sgt. Jose Hernandezleon, 129 LRS -Staff Sgt. Barry Oconnor, 149 CCS -Staff Sgt. Paul Stout, 129 MXS -Staff Sgt. Zapata, 129 OSF Well Done! The following Airmen were selected as the 2010 Air Force Association, Chp. 361 members of the year. -Field Grade Officer: Maj. Jeremy Guenet, 129 OG -Company Grade Officer: Capt. Christopher Nance, 129 OG -Aviator of the Year: Capt. Benjamin Copley, 129 OG -First Sergeant: Master Sgt. Anja O'Neil, 129 MXG -SNCO Category: Master Sgt. Jessica Brown, 129 MXG -NCO Category: Tech. Sgt. Kurtis Simmers, 129 MXG -Airman Category: Airman 1st Class Parker Imrie, 129 MXG -Mission Support Member: Master Sgt. David Snyder, 129 MSG -Maintainer Category: Staff Sgt. Lance Zhang, 129 MXG -Medical Member of the Year: Senior Airman Kayla Sather, 129 MDG 2010 UTA Schedule November 6-7 December 4-5 Religious Services Schedule Chapel services have been moved from the MXG classroom to the new Family Reception area of bldg 669. Services take place every Sunday morning of UTA drill weekend in Building 650. - Catholic Mass: 10:15-10:45 - Non-denominational services: 11:00 - 11:30 2011 UTA ORE and ORI Schedule In accordance with the memorandum for all 129th Rescue Wing members sent out by Col. Amos Bagdasarian, the 129th RQW Wing Commander, the following dates are scheduled for 2010 and 2011 Unit Training Assembly's and Super Drills for the Operational Readiness Exercises in preparation for the upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection. These dates are to be used for drill attendance as opposed to the special orders M-2 dated Dec. 1, 2008 and M-1 dated Oct. 1, 2009 that were sent out by the Adjunct General. Note: All 129th RQW members will be on military status when performing ORE or ORI events. January 8-9 February 5-6 March 5-6 April 9-11 - CRTC Training (April 11 required if identified by unit commander) May 10-15 - Phase I/II ORE (6 days) June 4-5 July 9-10 August 6-7 September 10-11 October 1-6 - Phase I/II ORE (6 days) November 5-6 December 3-9 - Phase I/II ORI (7 days) Feb 2012 UTA moved to Dec. 5-6 2011 Marriage Enrichment Weekend Retreats The purpose of the seminar is to coach couples on how to communicate effectively, work as a team to solve problems, manage conflicts without damaging closeness, and preserve and enhance love, commitment, and friendship. - Nov. 20-21, 2010 - Marriott, Rancho Cordova - Jan. 22-23, 2011 - Doubletree, San Diego - Feb. 12-13, 2011 - location to be determined - Jun. 11-12, 2011 - location to be determined - Aug. 13-14, 2011 - location to be determined - Sept. 17-18, 2011 - location to be determined If you have questions or need assistance, please contact June Sato from Operations Ready Families Program at 1-800-449-9662 or june.sato@us.army.mil. There is also a Premarital Interpersonal Choices & Knowledge Seminar being held Mar. 19-20, 2011. Registration for these events is now in progress, please go to http://www.prestoregister.com/cgi-bin/order.pl?ref=Readyfamilies&fm=2. Also, visit http://www.calguard.ca.gov/readyfamilies/Pages/default.aspx for more information about Operation Ready Families. DEADLINE APPROACHING: 129th Alumni & Heritage Association Scholarships 129th AHA provides six $1,000 Educational Scholarships to unit members this year, applications are due Nov. 7, 2010! Applicants need to be currently enrolled in an educational program. A current transcript, a statement of work in progress from the educational facility or other evidence of program participation is required for all applicants. Wing Members applying for a scholarship are required to submit a letter of recommendation from their squadron commander with the application. This letter should describe the endorsement reason and brief description of the individual's future potential. The deadline for submitting scholarship applications is the close of business on Sunday of the November UTA. Applications can be obtained online at http://www.129aha.org/ScholarAppl.htm. Completed applications can be submitted to the 129th Alumni & Heritage Association Scholarship Chair, CMSgt (ret) Liliana Ramos, by e-mail at lilramos@pacbell.net or by mailing the application to her home at 1662 Crater Lake Avenue, Milpitas, CA 95035. Applications can also be submitted to CMSgt Kristina Keck in the Headquarters Building. For more information about the scholarships, please e-mail Chief Ramos or call her at (408) 263-5352. 'Aim High...Fly-Fight-Win' To Be Air Force Motto Incorporating extensive inputs from all ranks and career fields in the development effort, Airmen have selected "Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win" as the service's motto. An enduring statement of Airmen's pride in their service, the motto is a two-part expression -- a call to action, with a response of commitment. "The call and the response are two sides of the same coin," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. "Airmen indicated 'Aim High' and the response 'Fly-Fight-Win' as indicative of their enduring commitment to do just that in defense of our nation." TriCare Official: Early Flu Shots Key to Prevention With flu season already under way, the top TRICARE military health plan official encourages the system's almost 9.7 million beneficiaries to get their flu shots as early as possible at a military medical facility or network provider, or at any participating pharmacy. This year's flu vaccine is available to every TRICARE beneficiary over 6 months old. Unlike last year, when people needed two vaccines -- a conventional flu shot and another developed specifically for the H1N1 virus -- one shot will suffice this year, Admiral Hunter noted. Its formulation covers two of the most common seasonal influenza strains, A H3N2 and B virus, as well as H1N1. Registration Now Open For 2011 AETC Symposium Registration is open for the 2011 Air Education and Training Command Symposium, scheduled for Jan. 20 and 21 in San Antonio. The two-day symposium will feature more than 90 seminars on a variety of education, training and innovation topics by experts from across the Air Force. Participants can decide which seminars and discussions they want to attend, tailoring their interests. The keynote speaker for the Jan. 20 luncheon will be Gen. Douglas Fraser, the commander of U.S. Southern Command. The keynote speaker for the Jan. 21 luncheon will be Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy. Both luncheons are included in the symposium registration fee and open to all symposium attendees. To register for the 2011 AETC Symposium visit http://www.aetcsymposium.com. National Guard Launches Mobile Education Lab As part of the president's "Educate to Innovate" initiative, National Guard officials debuted The Energy Lab -- a mobile classroom featuring interactive learning tools focusing on the science and technology behind alternative energy sources. Unveiled Oct. 1 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, The Energy Lab is part of the Guard's Mobile Learning Center program, which is slated to visit schools in 10 states starting in October and running through early 2011. The mobile lab will also provide a unique exposure to science and math for a number of schools and communities that may have limited access to educational resources. Program Fills Gap for Returning Guard, Reserve Though the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program has eased the post-deployment process for thousands of Guard and Reserve members and their families over the past two years, officials are hoping thousands more take advantage of the Defense Department program in the coming months. DOD officials launched the program in 2008 to ensure Reserve-component servicemembers have access to the information and resources they need to reintegrate with their families, their communities and their employers effectively. Over the past decade, more than 787,000 Reserve-component servicemembers have been called to duty, and more than 100,000 are deployed or on active-duty orders on any given day. Yellow Ribbon helps to ensure that geographical separation from the military doesn't equate to emotional or social isolation. To reach every servicemember regardless of distance, Yellow Ribbon coordinators sponsor Yellow Ribbon events across the nation and U.S. territories, with more than 500 scheduled to take place in the first half of fiscal 2011 totaling about 2,000 Yellow Ribbon events. For more on this program or to locate a Yellow Ribbon event, visit http://www.yellowribbon.mil. Veterans Day (Nov. 11) Freebies - Restaurant - Applebee's Restaurant Free dinners to veterans from a new Veterans Day menu - Outback Steakhouse Free Blooming Onion and beverage - Golden Corral Free buffet dinner from 5-9 p.m. - Subway Free six inch subs to all Veterans or Active Duty members - Krispy Kreme One free doughnut of any variety - UNO Chicago Grill Free entree or individual pizza with an entree or pizza purchase of equal or greater value - MarketPlace Grill & Express Veterans and active-duty military receive free entrees - Abuelo's Mexican Food Restaurants All veterans and active-duty military receive a free entree - McCormick & Schmick's Free entree to military veterans. Menu picks include such seafood items as parmesan crusted tilapia, roasted cedar plank salmon and almond crusted rainbow trout. Veterans Day Freebies - Retail - Brides Across America Provides free wedding gowns to qualified military brides - Lowe's & Home Depot Extra 10% off to all military members, including retirees, veterans and family members - Amazon.com Free "Veterans Day Honor" MP3 album download. - Build-a-Bear Workshop Members of the armed services will receive a 20% discount Nov. 11-15 - Dollar General 10% discount for all military members - Fashion Bug 20% off all plus-size and misses clothing purchases with a copy of military ID or spouse's military ID. - Cabela's Outdoor Store Offers their employee discount to all veterans, active-duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel Nov. 11-12. Discounts vary from 5% to 50%, depending on the item. - Sam's Club Over 25,000 Hugo canes will be given away to U.S. veterans in need of mobility assistance. Membership is not required, but supplies are limited, so check with your local store. Veterans Day Freebies - Entertainment - National Parks, Forests And Monuments Admission is free to everyone - Knott's Berry Farm Free park admission to armed forces personnel and a guest November 1-26 Online Tool Tracks Airman Deployment Readiness An online tool available to Airmen aims to reduce the workload of tracking appointments and training in preparation for a deployment. The Personal Deployment Processing Tool, found on the Air and Space Expeditionary Force Online website, allows Airmen to review and track their readiness status for medical and personnel requirements. The PDPT tool was developed by AEF Personnel Operations Center officials as a means for consolidating data from various personnel systems. The tool presents data from the Military Personnel Data System, preventive health assessment and individual medical readiness in a personalized "dashboard" format that is refreshed daily. To use PDPT, Airmen must first create an AEF Online account at https://aef.afpc.randolph.af.mil/default.aspx by selecting the "Register" tab. Airmen can access the tool at the PDPT link under the "Other AEF Applications" dropdown menu. Users can also access their account with their common access card by clicking on the "My Account" dropdown item and selecting "Enable CAC." For additional information, visit the AEF Online and AFPC personnel services websites or call the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102 or DSN 665-5000. Are You Ready For Winter? If living in or traveling to a region that experiences snow and freezing temperatures, now is the time to make winter preparations. Please review the following preparation tips (courtesy of Headquarters Air Force Space Command Safety Directorate): Prepare a Winter Storm Plan Keep the following supplies on hand: Lantern/flashlight, batteries, non-perishable food, potable water, a heat source and a cell phone. Have extra blankets on hand, and ensure that each member of the household has a warm coat, gloves or mittens, a hat, and water-resistant boots. Inspect Fireplaces Have chimneys inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire. Take Precautions with Wood Stoves Follow manufacturers' recommendations for proper use and maintenance. Burn only wood, and be sure the wood stove is placed on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot coals. Be Cautious With Space Heaters Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, clothing, pets, and people. Never leave space heaters operating when not in the room or when going to bed. Vehicle Safety Kits Vehicle safety kits don't have to be large and bulky, here are some suggested items: Flash light and extra batteries, jumper cables, tire chains, road flares, a can of fix-a-flat, ice scraper, some basic hand tools, spare fuses, a clean towel or rag, a wool blanket, spare gloves or mittens, matches, candles, an empty soup can to melt snow for water, trail mix and a first aid kit. Extras include a foldable shovel, compass, signal whistle, Meals Ready to Eat, a tow rope, an extra jacket, a wool cap, wool socks and chemical hand warmers.