COMMANDER’S CORNER: LESSONS IN TIME MANAGEMENT - PAGE 2 Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Vol. 61 No. 8
NASA looks to create new satellite to measure snow pack By Shellie-Anne Espinosa 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — In the hopes that they can discover a way to measure the water content of snow and develop a satellite to obtain a global picture, NASA is basing their SnowEx mission at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, during the month of February to test new instrumentation. “SnowEx is a multiyear NASA project to figure out how best to remotely sense snow from space,” said Edward Kim, SnowEx lead project scientist with NASA’s Goddard Flight Center. Kim explained snow is critical to society in four key ways — water resources, natural hazards, water security and weather information. “About a sixth of the world’s population depends on water coming from snow,” said Kim. “The western U.S., itself, is pretty dry. There, anywhere from 70, 80 and some places 90 percent of the water comes from snow.” As a natural hazard, Kim said snow is responsible for the nine most devastating U.S. floods in the 20th century, either because the snow melted too quickly or the ground was frozen and caused the snow melt to run off. Water security affects the global water situation. Getting a satellite up that can read snow on a global picture is important to NASA. They want to get the most accurate information possible to key decision makers around the world. “Because so much of your water comes from snow,” Kim said, “it’s important to know who See Snow Pack page 9
(U.S. Air Force photo by Robb Lingley)
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The P-3 Orion aircraft sits on the Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, flight line, Feb. 17, as crew members run tests on the plane and its various sensors being used for its SnowEx mission. SnowEx is a NASA led mission to discover the correct instrumentation combination for measuring water content in snow.
18th CMSAF: The Airman behind the stripes By Staff Sgt. Hailey Haux Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information
(U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md., — Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright speaks during his appointment ceremony on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Feb. 17, 2017. Wright succeeds Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody, who retires after 32 years of service, as the 18th Airman to hold this position.
INSIDE News Briefs Crossword Classifieds
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Airman pays it forward with fitness motivation Page 7
WASHINGTON (AFNS) — A business card sits in the depths of a wallet. Sitting on the couch, the owner contemplates his next step in life, the billfold falls onto the floor and the card is strewn across the ground along with the other contents. The 18-year-old picks it up, studies the words ‘Air Force recruiter’ and makes a phone call. “It was fate. Two months later I was in basic training,” said the new Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright. Growing up with five other siblings, Wright said he had a very loving home. However, living in poor neighborhoods and moving from place to place presented trials. In his own words, they were, ‘humble beginnings.’ “Personal resilience is important to deal with the ills of life, period,”
Marine discipline serves Air Force officer well Page 13
Wright stated. “We all have to ensure that we become as resilient as we can.” Like many others, Wright went to basic training without a secure job and was unsure what was in store for his future. When he found out he was selected as a dental assistant, the Columbus, Georgia, native wasn’t exactly sure what it meant, confessing he had been to the dentist maybe once in his life up to that point. During his first enlistment, he claimed to be undisciplined, less well-rounded, and not the typical model Airman. That changed with the help of a mentor who pointed him in the right direction. Wright, a smile lining his face glanced at the ceiling as if returning to a point in time said, “At about my three-and-a-half-year mark, my mentor [retired Master Sgt.] Joseph Winbush had me join the base honor guard and that was the turning point.” See CMSAF page 6
Duty to Speak Up to Make a Difference Page 16