Vol. 51, No. 49
Thursday, November 30, 2023
News/Features: page 3 Sustaining momentum
News/Features: page 3 Attracting civilian talent
Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week
Photo by Airman 1st Class Michael Killian
Community: page 15 Events, Chapel, more...
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Luis Garcia, Staff Sgt. Tyler Rendleman, left, and Senior Airman Jacob Tanner, crew chiefs assigned to the 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, tow a KC-135 Stratotanker down the flight line at MacDill Air Force Base Nov. 20. The 6th AMXS ensures that all of their Airmen are capable of rapid response to any scenario in order to keep aircraft in the fight.
NEWS/FEATURES
Family the foundation of Warrior Hearts culture by Air Mobility Command Public Affairs GRAPEVINE, Texas—America’s Airmen enter a Warrior Heart culture when they take their oath, but it’s the families who are the foundation of Warrior mentality. During the 2023 Airlift/Tanker Association Conference in Grapevine, Texas, Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander, acknowledged this fighting courage with a story of his own spouse, Ashley Minihan, after her father’s passing. While in the funeral procession, Minihan received a call notifying him of a sudden deployment tasking in just two days. “Three hours after I received that phone call, Ashley was standing next to her newlywidowed mother, holding our five week old, standing next to our six year old and nine year old,” Minihan said. “I’m getting in the car, and there’re tears on both of our faces, but the expression on her face was one of strength and support for me during that time when I needed her most. When I think of Warrior Heart, when I think of will to win, I think of my bride Ashley.” Over three days, A/TA featured 10 keynote speakers and six spouse-specific seminars that See WARRIOR, Page 13
Courtesy photo
Gen. Mike Minihan and his wife, Ashley, introduce Dr. Kimberly Dickman, U.S. Air Force Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development assistant professor during the 55th Annual Airlift/Tanker Association Convention, Nov. 11 in Grapevine, Texas. This year’s conference featured ten keynote speakers and 20 seminars centering on forging mobility warriors that effectively project the Joint Force and America’s lethality. Additionally, 70 industry partners proposed 89 solutions to AMC leadership, aiming to advance mobility capabilities and eliminate mobility gaps.
COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air Refueling Wing commander and the MacDill community. Personnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via email to macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil or Facebook @6thARWCommandTeam
MacDill Thunderbolt Publisher: Joe Editor: Nick The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by the Times Publishing Company, 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,
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the Department of the Air Force or the 6th Air Refueling 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 Refueling Wing or the Publishing Company of the products or service advertised. For retail advertising, call (813) 226-3318. 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.
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MacDill on the web Website: www.macdill.af.mil Facebook: www.facebook.com/ MacDillAirForceBase Instagram: macdill_afb Twitter: @macdill_afb News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted to the 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill , FL 33621. Call the Thunderbolt at 828-2215. : 6arw.pa.macdillthunderbolt@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
DoD senior leaders urge AMC to sustain momentum mobility symposium by Master Sgt. Jodi Martinez Air Mobility Command Public Affairs The 55th Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium brought together 1,500 Mobility Airmen in a single forum in Grapevine, Texas, Nov. 9 – 12, along with Department of Defense senior leaders and industry partners. During the event, themed “Forging Warriors, Projecting America’s Lethality,” Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, provided his final “State of the Mobility Air Forces,” in which he honored recent MAF actions while urging Airmen to capitalize on accomplishments and triumph over existing and anticipated challenges. “I should not be here because of [real-world] chaos, but I’m freaking here,” said Minihan. “That’s because it ain’t really chaos; this team’s got it gripped! What would cripple any other Air Force – cripple – is actually our greatest strength.” The MAF’s persistent global mobility presence in the past year – exemplified through Mobility Guardian execution, humanitarian response, and deterrence of adversarial aggression – reaffirmed that Air Mobility Airmen will not shy from adversity, regardless of regional challenges. In a virtual keynote address, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall also emphasized AMC’s consistent and reliable footprint throughout the globe over the past year. “We’ve had the Ukrainian conflict and our efforts to help the Ukrainians resist Russian aggression; you’ve been a major component of that,” said Kendall. “We’ve had now the operations in [CENTCOM] where you’re supporting our partners as they’re responding to the devastating attacks that they endured.” In the month of October alone, Air Mobility Command flew more than 2,100 global missions and nearly 5,500 sorties, transporting more than See SYMPOSIUM, Page 10
U.S. Air Force photo
Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander, delivers his keynote address during the 55th Annual Airlift/Tanker Association Convention, Nov. 9 in Grapevine, Texas. This year’s conference featured 10 keynote speakers and 20 seminars centering on forging mobility warriors that effectively project the Joint Force and America’s lethality. Additionally, 70 industry partners proposed 89 solutions to AMC leadership, aiming to advance mobility capabilities and eliminate mobility gaps.
New initiatives driving civilian talent acquisition changes across command by Marisa Alia-Novobilski Air Force Materiel Command WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS)—The Air Force Materiel Command continues to bolster civilian accessions by capitalizing on new, flexible recruitment policies and processes to attract and attain diverse talent across the enterprise. The command’s time-to-hire is at an all-time low, down 54% since dedicated reform efforts began in 2018, averaging 59.9 days to fill a position from recruitment-to-onboarding in Fiscal Year 2023. This is down from an Photo by Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Figueroa average of 129 days five years ago. In-person and virtual hiring events, along with other recruiting efforts, have yielded approximately 8,400 ex- Interested candidates arrive at an Air Force Civilian Service hiring event ternal gains in FY23, the largest workforce growth in three years. March 22 at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn, Ohio. Job seekers met with See CIVILIAN, Page 11 functional experts from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, November 30, 2023 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 3
WEEK IN PHOTOS
Airmen assigned to the 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, preform a routine maintenance inspection on a KC-135 Stratotanker, on the flight line at MacDill Air Force Base Nov. 21. These maintainers ensure the KC-135 operates at maximum performance to complete its aerial refueling missions.
Photo by Senior Airman Jessica Do
Photo by Senior Airman Joshua Hastings
Photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Foster
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Bradley Belmont, 6th Maintenance Squadron crew chief, inspects the tail of a KC-135 Stratotanker at MacDill Air Force Base Nov. 21. The 6th MXS is responsible for maintaining and providing quality aircraft, aerospace ground equipment, and munitions for the 6th Air Refueling Wing and global commitments.
A KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing is shown on the flight line at MacDill Air Force Base Nov. 20. The 6th ARW is committed to accelerating air power by delivering global air refueling capabilities, premier installation support and security and outreach.
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NEWS/FEATURES
RPP application process open through Dec. 9 Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS)—Active duty Air Force officers and enlisted Airmen who are interested in becoming rated officers can apply for the Spring 2024 Air Force Rated Preparatory Program now through Dec. 9. The Rated Preparatory Program provides qualified Airmen an opportunity to gain and strengthen basic aviation skills in advance of testing for application to an Undergraduate Flying Training board. “Qualified RPP Airmen have an opportunity to receive hands-on aircraft and simulator training while working with certified pilots from Civil Air Patrol,” said Kassandra Hall, Rated Diversity Improvement program analyst. “Since its inception, over 132 students have been selected for a rated career field through the UFT board, with an increase in scores by an average of 40%, improving the chances of selection for Air Force flying training programs. Up to 60 candidates for the program will receive ground instruction, about 7.5 hours of flight time, and about 2.5 hours of time in Federal Aviation Administration-certified flight simulators. The program is de-
signed for minimal interference in duties with the allowance of selfpaced ground school and a one-week, hands-on flying class to introduce participants to aviation fundamentals. Executed by CAP and Air Education and Training Command officials, RPP is not a commissioning program, nor does it guarantee participants will be selected for a particular rated Air Force specialty code. U.S. Air Force rated career fields consist of pilots, combat systems officers, air battle managers and remotely piloted aircraft pilots. Airmen who meet the requirements below are encouraged to apply. Applicants must: Be of high moral character Obtain group commander (or first O-6 in supervisory chain) approval and endorsement Score at least minimum passing for the physical fitness test Have a Pilot Candidate Selection Method score prior to submitting the application (must take the Air Force Officer Qualification Test and Test of Basic Aviation Skills) Applicants with five or fewer hours of flying time are preferred. Those with more than five hours will be considered on a space available basis. Begin the process to obtain the appropriate Air Force flight physical commensurate with the rated interest. For example, Initial Flying Class 1 (IFC1) for pilots. Meet Undergraduate Flying Training board requirements after completSee RPP, Page 7
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RPP
From Page 5
ing RPP (IAW AFMAN 36-2100). Enlisted requirements: Complete a bachelor’s degree by the program start date no exceptions. Individuals are responsible for ensuring they meet the requirements for application to an Air Force Officer commissioning source. (AFMAN 36-2032, Military Recruiting and Accessions, AFMAN36-2100, Military Utilization and Classification, AFMAN 36-2664, Personnel Assessment Program, and AFRS SOPG). Upon RPP graduation, apply to a commissioning source at the next opportunity. Application Process: Applications should be submitted via MyVector to include: Completing all sections and answering all questions Submitting the official Pilot Candidate Selection Method score print-out Submitting college transcripts with conferred dates (unofficial is acceptable but must have conferred dates) only if the most current Single Unit Retrieval Format does not capture the degree. Selection Process: AETC’s RDI team will conduct the RPP selection process. The RPP selection process will consider the following criteria:
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Active duty Air Force officers and enlisted Airmen who are interested in becoming rated officers can apply for the Spring 2024 Air Force Rated Preparatory Program now through Dec. 9. Job performance as an Airman (last three performance evaluations through MyVector) Demonstrated leadership potential Exemplification of Air Force core values Desire/motivation to serve in a rated career field Academic records
Airmen interested in applying to the program can find additional information via the call for nominations on MyFSS here (CAC required). For any questions, e-mail AETC.RDI.Workflow@us.af.mil with “Attn: Rated Prep Program” as the subject line.
Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Refueling Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil
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Allvin formally welcomed as 23rd Air Force chief of staff by Staff Sgt. Adam R. Shanks Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS)—Promising to lead the Total Force with “humility and resolve,” Gen. David W. Allvin was ceremoniously welcomed into his role as the 23rd Air Force Chief of Staff Nov.17 during a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. Allvin was joined by his wife, Gina, their three children, as well as former chief of staff and current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and numerous others. All were there for a dignified and historically significant ceremony to designate Allvin’s arrival as the Air Force’s highest ranking military officer. “As I enter my role as the 23rd Chief of Staff, I do it with both humility and resolve,” Allvin said. “I am humbled by both the responsibility vested in the office – so deftly carried out by my predecessors – and the skill, dedication, and sacrifice of the Airmen and their families for whom this office exists to serve.” Allvin steps into the job at a time of significant challenges – ongoing wars in Ukraine and Israel, as well as the emergence of “great power competition” with China, the pacing challenge. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin speaks to the audience during Allvin acknowledged those challenges in his remarks. Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. “The current strategic environment is one in which our national interests are threatened in a way we have not seen in decades,” he said. “And the evolving character of war is one that privileges speed and tempo, agility, range, flexibility, resilience, and precise lethality … these elements run deep in the DNA of airpower, and it is our responsibility to the Joint Force and the nation to bring these to bear to meet our pacing challenge.” Despite the complexities, competition, and evolving challenges, Allvin said the service’s core mission has not changed. “We deter and defeat aggression to defend and protect our nation and its interests,” he said. Doing that, however, requires new thinking and action, Allvin said. “We must solve for agility – initiating action in the right direction and building in the flexibility to learn and adjust while in motion. This is the spirit in which we must pursue the efforts to optimize for the environment we face.” Despite the challenges, Brown and Kendall each said in their remarks that Allvin is the right choice at the right time to lead the Air Force. “After our three years together, I couldn’t ask for a better person to follow through and build upon the many ideas we’ve shared,” Brown said. “… [His career] has provided him a wide foundation to draw on to lead the Air Force as it faces a complex and volatile global security environment.” Kendall echoed that assessment. “[Dave] is excited to come into this position at a time when our National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, Joint Warfighting Concepts, See ALLVIN, Page 12
Photo by E
Photo by Staff Sgt. Stuart Bright
g his welcome ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Nov. 17. Allvin was officially sworn in as the 23rd Air Force chief of staff on Nov. 2 at the U.S. Air (Far left) Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin pose with the CSAF positional flag during Allvin’s welcome ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Nov. 17. (Left) Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin salute for the national anthem during Allvin’s welcome ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Nov. 17. Allvin was officially sworn in as the 23rd Air Force chief of staff Nov. 2 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Eric Dietrich
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SYMPOSIUM From Page 3
27,000 tons of cargo and more than 64,000 passengers. This sentiment of the MAF’s ability to “grow from disorder,” as Minihan puts it, was echoed by Department of Defense senior leaders throughout the three-day symposium. “You’ve remained agile to fluctuating demands, you’ve embraced the thrash between the scenes, and you’ve ensured the flow of aid is met at the speed of need,” said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Sullivan, deputy commander of U.S. Transportation Command during hisremarks. He highlighted the MAF’s response to Türkiye and Syria earthquakes within 24 hours of notification, helping to free 1,000 souls from the rubble alongside 20 NATO Allies and partners. Sullivan also highlighted ways in which the MAF anticipates the speed of need and built solutions to meet these requests. AMC’s Maintenance Modernization Team – represented by Timothy Stevens, Boyd Rinderer, Jerry Hunter, and Tech. Sgt. David Shepherd – pursued advanced training environments affecting 13,000 maintenance technicians across 23 locations. This resulted in saving $16 million and 10,000 man hours, cutting aircraft usage 40 percent, and increasing maintenance training 30 percent. Chief Master Sgt. Jamie Newman, AMC command chief, asserted that the Air Force’s historical dominance, as well as its continued dominance, is a direct result of the Airmen who recognize embracing failure as a vital component to being victorious. “We have a problem in the Air Force,” Newman said. “We don’t know how to lose... We’re gonna have Airmen who are doing things we haven’t even thought of yet.” Minihan emphasized that Airmen like this, who “drive” rather than allowing themselves to “be driven,” is exactly the requirement to generate irreversible momentum to match and exceed future requirements. The sense of urgency was expressed among other senior leaders in attendance. Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass, who spoke on the second day of the symposium, stressed the necessity of change to defend the nation and its interests. “You are going to see more change in the next four to six years than I have seen in my entire 30-year career,” said Bass. “And it’s about time.” Kendall said Airmen can expect to see evolutions in next generation capability, contingency response, and the approach to the Air Force Force Generation process as it applies to the MAF. “When I came into office I was focused on modernization and we set up the seven operational imperatives, as we call them, to address our most pressing operational problems,” said Kendall. “We’ve moved forward with that and placed a lot of things into our budget and identified additional things through exercises like Mobility Guardian.” To effectively respond to combatant commands’ requirements spanning across every geographic area of responsibility, AMC has identified command and control, connectivity, command relationships and exploding into theater as crucial focus areas following MG23. “As ready as we are, we need to be more ready,” said Minihan. “As integrated as we are, we need to be more integrated. As agile as we are, we need to be more agile. Can this team – can this family – have the tough conversation with itself on how to aggressively close the gaps?” Minihan believes the answer is ‘yes.’ Attendees had access to 10 keynote speeches and 20 seminars address10
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Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass delivers her keynote address during the 55th Annual Airlift/Tanker Association Convention, Nov. 10, 2023, in Grapevine, Texas. This year’s conference featured ten keynote speakers and 20 seminars centering on forging mobility warriors that effectively project the Joint Force and America’s lethality. Additionally, 70 industry partners proposed 89 solutions to AMC leadership, aiming to advance mobility capabilities and eliminate mobility gaps. ing evolutions in education, leadership, and Agile Combat Employment, to include seminars specific to MG23 lessons learned, post-MG23 actions, game-changing initiatives, and leveraging emotional intelligence for combat readiness. Additionally, MAF Airmen and spouses were recognized for personal and professional achievements, and 337 medals were awarded to Airmen for their actions taken during Operation Allies Refuge. The Palmetto Military Support Group supporting Joint Base Charleston won this year’s Abilene Trophy, which recognizes the community that best supports an Air Mobility Command base throughout the year. Mary Graham from the PMSG received the Tampa Bay Trophy for exhibiting sustained and enduring service to the community. All keynote speeches and select AMC seminars can be accessed through the 2023 A/TA Symposium feature page.
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CIVILIAN From Page 3
Continued evaluation of current policies and cross-component partnerships are enabling ongoing processes improvements to drive down timelines and find talent needed to execute AFMC’s mission. “While we have made remarkable progress in driving down the time it takes to hire, we are not stopping here,” said Kathy Watern, AFMC Manpower, Personnel and Services director. “Our personnel teams continue to identify constraints in the hiring processes, while leveraging flexible initiatives to bring new talent onboard faster.” Communication is an important aspect of the hiring process. Filling a civilian position consists of multiple steps, beginning with identifying the talent requirement and ending with employee onboarding. “We all play some part in the hiring process, whether you are a requirement’s owner, a supervisor, or a wingman to a new employee,” Watern said. “Our goal is to ensure organizations have a better understanding of the hiring process so they can help influence it.” Several initiatives are aiding organizations in finding and hiring top talent. In June 2023, AFMC received relief from the requirement to wait 180 days before hiring recently retired military members into certain direct-hire positions. This change removes the barrier to hire experienced veterans for hard-to-fill positions and enables faster onboarding. In May 2023, AFMC began piloting a 28-day recruitment and hiring model for use at hiring events, enabling on-the-spot job offers to qualified candidates and expediting those hiring actions. The outcome of this pilot will help shape a permanent framework capitalizing on strategic planning and concurrent hiring steps to further optimize the employment process. Additionally, AFMC expanded its Centralized Selection and Hiring Process pilot launched in August 2021 to enable faster hiring for developmental positions, ensuring a steady pipeline of talent. This initiative continues to show positive results, filling direct-hire positions at an average of 57 days versus the 61-day average for other external and direct-hire authority fills. The success from the initial pilot, which focused on two functional areas, has expanded AFMC-wide to cover most developmental
positions. AFMC has also recently provided flexibilities in making firm job offers to college students in their final semester of study, securing entry-level talent to build the civilian pipeline for future mission needs. The ultimate goal is to cultivate new methods and best practices to better build and maintain talent pipelines. “We want to establish a holistic approach to recruitment by fine-tuning our processes and procedures so we can continue to not only be timelier, but more diverse in our hiring efforts,” said Nicole Estes, AFMC Civilian Personnel technical advisor. “While we’ve made a lot of improvements over the past few years, we still have work to do. We are gleaning lessons learned from our ongoing initiatives, and we will pivot based on what our data tells us.” AFMC talent initiatives align with the larger Department of Defensewide strategy to shape an appropriately-skilled and ready future force through improved civilian force recruitment and retention. This strategy seeks to maximize use of direct-hire authorities for eligible and hard-tofill positions, reduce time-to-hire timelines department-wide, leverage better candidate assessments during recruiting cycles and improve overall process satisfaction. As the largest civilian employer of any Air Force Major Command, AFMC is taking a proactive effort to address internal talent management issues to improve processes and identify best practices with potential for impact and change enterprise-wide. Internal efforts also align with the AFMC Strategic Plan’s Line of Effort 2, “Strengthen our Team,” which specifically cites improving end-to-end talent management as one of its objectives. “AFMC leads the Air Force in talent management timeliness and process innovation, but we recognize that we have more work to do in order to achieve our workforce goals,” Watern said. “We continue to work closely with our functionals across the command. AFMC has a world-class civilian force, and we need to do all we can to ensure we continue to build and grow our talent pool for the future.”
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ALLVIN From Page 8
and Air Force priorities are in such clear alignment,” he said. “We are all on the same page, part of one team and one fight across the Department of the Air Force, the Joint Force, interagency teammates, and allies and partners … Dave is taking the baton at full speed, and he is going to ensure that we follow through on the next leg of the race.” While the welcome ceremony was a significant milestone, Allvin had officially been in the job since Nov. 2. On that day the Senate confirmed Allvin to become the service’s highest-ranking officer and uniformed leader. That was followed the same day by a brief swearing-in ceremony while he was visiting the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The location bears a significant relevance as it was the same place Allvin swore his commissioning oath in 1986. As with his 22 predecessors, Allvin brings his own unique leadership style to the Chief of Staff office. One tangible example is that he signs most written correspondence simply “23.” Signing in this humble manner is Allvin’s acknowledgement that he is merely the “next up” in a long line of leaders charged with overseeing the service and upholding the Air Force’s high standards. It is also one of the ways he redirects personal attention from himself to Airmen and their families, who “display a sense of commitment and dedication to the mission that is unparalleled.” During the welcome ceremony, Allvin expounded on his first message to Airmen, titled ‘Follow Through’ – a charge which he intends to shape his tenure around. Allvin carries this responsibility with a sense of urgency, citing time as one of the “biggest challenges in pursuit of our destination … as the future rushes toward us at a breathtaking pace.” The call to follow through builds upon the changes set in motion by former service chiefs and brings into focus numerous initiatives that will be critical to the Joint Force in the years ahead. Among the most pressing are bringing the Air Force’s Operational Imperatives to operational capability, adapting the organizational structure for great power competition, and harnessing innovative talent. Allvin’s intent is well-supported by other senior leaders, who have full confidence in his leadership, integrity and ability to lead the Air Force. “I will spend every day from this one until I pass the baton in dogged pursuit of the change we seek … because [our Airmen] deserve it, and the nation demands it,” Allvin finished. “We’ve got the charge … now let’s follow through.” 12
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WARRIOR From Page 2
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Military OneSource from the Department of Defense is your 24/7 gateway to trusted information, resources and confidential help. When MilLife happens, it’s your “first line of support” — giving service members and military families tools to stay well and thrive. explored what it takes to build Warrior Hearts not just in Airmen, but in the spouses that back America’s defenders. “We develop Warrior Hearts because we have to,” said Lizann Lightfoot, military spouse, advocate and author. “Being a warrior is not a quality that people are born with. It’s something that develops from the challenges you face, the trauma you live through. And sometimes, military life is traumatic.” Lightfoot has been married to her Marine for 15 years. Somewhere in between seven deployments, six duty stations, giving birth during a Category 3 hurricane while her husband was deployed, and standing by her spouse while he recovered from combat injuries, her Warrior Heart was forged. Now, she is ow on a mission to share that culture with others. “This concept of Warrior Heart seems obvious for service members,” said Lightfoot. She explained that, at first glance, a Warrior Heart is associated with overthrowing empires, leading armies and firing weapons. But after over 15 years of military life, Lightfoot argues that the concept of Warrior Heart should be expanded beyond the battlefield. “Can you think of a military spouse who has faced a challenge with bold determination?” Lightfoot asked. “Is there a military spouse you would describe as strong and fiercely independent? Can you picture a military spouse who has inspired you with their confidence in a stressful situation? Those are the people with warrior hearts.” For Total Force mobility warriors and spouses, resources are avail-
able to assist in the military life rollercoaster. Military OneSourceand www.fiveandthrive.org are two easily accessible options with a wide variety of tools to build Warrior Hearts. Michelle Aldana, a Program Analyst for Military Community Support Programs, provided a demo of these sites to 46 spouses in attendance at A/TA. Resources include spouse employment options, career coaches, confidential counseling, education support, childcare, financial consulting, health and wellness coaching, document translation, and other military family concerns and focus areas. “It’s hard, but if you know where your resources are, if you know where to access it, and we share that, the better off we’re all going to be,” said Aldana. “It’s a lot easier to teach a swim lesson than it is to pull someone out of the water.” While many resources exist to support military families, Ashley acknowledges that the trick is getting this information out to spouses. Her goal was to use A/TA as a way to give spouses the knowledge and access they need to easily develop Warrior Heart in themselves and their Airmen. “This year we made a change,” said Ashley. “We got spouses access to military briefings and held spouse specific seminars, all with the intention of building Warrior Heart culture.” Ashley expressed pride in the inclusion of spouses at this year’s conference. It is another small step in continuing the positive change she’s seen over the years, change that recognizes the crucial role spouses and families play in Warrior Heart culture.
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COMMUNITY
EVENTS
MacWonderland Join the fun at the Breakaway Event Center on Friday, December 1 from 5– 9 p.m. to kick off the start of the holiday season with the base tree lighting and winter festival. This free event is open to everyone with access to MacDill AFB. For details and map, visit macdillfss.com/ macwonderland. Holiday Golf Scramble Mark your calendars, gather your golf gear, and get ready to tee off the holidays in style. Join the fun Saturday, December 2 with an 8 a.m. shotgun start at Bay Palms Golf South Course. Two person teams, 6 hole mix up (holes 1-6 Best Ball, holes 7-12 Modified Alternate Shot, holes 13-18 Scramble). Advanced green fee $25/ active duty & retirees $37/ civilians $45 (price includes green fees, cart, range balls, lunch, and prizes). Stop by the Pro Shop to sign up today. Deadline to register is December 1. Visit bit.ly/ HolidayGolfOuting_23 for more information. Trees for Troops Join FSS and the Christmas Spirit Foundation in spreading holiday cheer and gratitude to military families on December 8! Trees for Troops provides a free, fresh cut tree, limit 1 tree per family. Activeduty families from 11 a.m.– 1 p.m. and everyone with base access from 1– 3 p.m. (1904 Golf Course Ave, bld 72 parking lot). For more details, visit bit.ly/Trees4Troops2023.
The Champ!
Photo by Airman 1st Class Derrick Bole
U.S. Air Force Col. Adam Bingham, 6th Air Refueling Wing commander, left, and Chief Master Sgt. Chief Master Sgt. Catrell Wilson, 6th Operations Group Command Chief, pose for a photo with Airman Nya Hargis, 6th ARW chaplain’s assistant during a Champion of the Week recognition at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 20. Hargis was recognized as the 6th Air Refueling Wing’s Champion of the week for excelling above her duties as a Chaplain’s assistant to complete her five-level upgrade training ahead of peers, becoming her unit’s vehicle control officer and pursuing college credit.
CHAPEL SCHEDULE Normal Hours- Monday - Friday - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. After hours chaplain, call the Command Post at 828-4362/4361.
Monday-Wednesday Mass - 12:10 p.m.
www.macdill.af.mil/chapel
Catholic Mass - Sunday - 9:30 a.m.
Find more events at macdillfss.com
(confessions by appointment)
Protestant services - Sunday - 11 a.m. Contact the Cha-
pel at 828-3621 or email at 6ARW.HCADMIN@us.af.mil for inquiries regarding Protestant religious education.
Jewish - Monthly Lunch and Learn: For schedule & to join distro, please contact elimelach.estrin@us.af.mil
Islamic Service - Friday 1:30 p.m. (space reserved) Other Faith Groups - Please contact the Chapel at (813) 828-3621 or via email at 6ARW.HCADMIN@us.af.mil
For more details and information, visit the Chapel Facebook page at http://www.facebook/6amwhc/ or MacDill’s Chapel website is: https://www.macdill.af.mil/chapel MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, November 30, 2023 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 15
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WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, November 30, 2023 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
News
“Refuel the Force”
6th Force Support Squadron’s Monthly Highlights – a Supplement to the MacDill AFB Thunderbolt
DECEMBER ‘23
6th Force Support Squadron Telephone Extensions Prefix 828
Commander....................................... 2823 Deputy ................................................ 2823 Ops Officer......................................... 2703 Mortuary Affairs.............................. 6597 Unit Readiness ............................... 2252 Senior Enlisted Leader.....................3969 Honor Guard ....................................5190 First Sergeant.....................................4153 Marketing & Publicity.......................3055 Military & Family Readiness Flight..0134 Military & Family Readiness Ctr ......0145 Child & Youth Services Flight .......5097 Child Development Ctr 1.................. 3332 Child Development Ctr 2 ................. 2244 Child Development Ctr 3 ..................0195 Family Child Care .............................. 7760 School Age Care................................. 5971 Youth Center...................................... 7956 Civilian Personnel Flight................4286 Civilian Personnel .............................6090 Human Resource Office (NAF) .........2911 Community Services Flight............2921 Arts & Crafts Center..........................4413 Auto Hobby Shop ................... 373-6545 Wood Hobby Shop .........................2093 Bay Palms Golf Complex ................0046 8 Iron Grill.........................................1507 Information, Tickets & Travel ...............2478 MacDill Bowling Lanes.....................4005 Hangar 6 Grill ...................................7735 Outdoor Recreation/Equip Rental/ FamCamp ................................ 840-6919 Pool............................................769-9901 Marina ....................................... 840-1513 Skeet Range............................... 488-1244 Force Development Flight ............. 7320 Airman Leadership School.............. 2299 Base Theater...................................... 3607 Education .............................................3115 Library................................................. 3607 Professional Development...............1229 Training ...............................................4004 Manpower/Org Flight ..................... 9977 Manpower ............................................3711 Military Personnel Flight CAC Appointment Line ................796-5272 6fss.fsmps.deersidcards@us.af.mil Resource Mgmt Flight.....................1449 Private Organizations....................... 6962 Sustainment Services Flight ..........0034 2 Brews Catering...................... 840-2020 Diner’s Reef Dining Facility...............2412 Flight Meals....................................4998 Fitness Center...................................4496 MacDill Inn - Lodging........................ 4259 Rickenbacker’s ..............................7425 SeaScapes Restaurant ............. 840-1451 Breakaway Event Ctr/Boomers .. 840-2020
macdillfss.com
6FSS NEWS
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ARTS & CRAFT CENTER • (813) 828-4413
December ‘23 DJ & KARAOKE EVERY FRIDAY!
BONANZA BINGO
$500
Jackpot
Coming Soon!
OPEN FOR LUNCH!
INFLATION BUSTER SPECIALS!
Awards | Laser Engraving | Trophies | Framing | Plaques | Plates | Custom Wood Items Shadowboxes | Flag Boxes | Coin Racks | Challenge Coins | Art Classes | Graphic Design AND MUCH MORE!
HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR Sat, 9 Dec 10am-2pm
Menu Featuring... Nachos, Salads, Beach Time Favorites, Baskets, Sandwiches & MORE! For Inquiries Regarding Special Events at SeaScapes Phone: (813) 840-2020 6FSS.2.brewscatering@us.af.mil
CHECK OUT THE MENU!
At Outdoor Recreation, Bldg. 2017 at 10am Please register in person or by phone for at least 3 business days in advance. FamCampers register at FamCamp Office; Everyone else register at Arts & Crafts Ctr. December 1st - Watercolor Winter Scene (all ages, $15) December 15th - Wooden Ornament Paint and Decorate (all ages, $20) B AY PA L M S G O L F C O U R S E • ( 8 1 3 ) 8 2 8 - 0 0 4 6
Army vs. Navy Watch Party
Sat, 9 Dec • Doors open at 2:30pm • Game at 3pm
Ring in the New Year at SeaScapes!
NEON NEW YEARS EVE PARTY $20.00 per person • $35.00 per couple *Tickets at the Door 31 Dec $25 per person*
Tickets Include: Entertainment, Favors & Party Hats, Breakfast and Exclusive Party with Friends & Champagne Toast. DJ/Karaoke. Doors open at 6pm • Kitchen open 6-9pm
Tickets On Sale 1-30 Dec Limited Space Available
TUE-THU 11AM-9PM • FRI 11AM-10PM • SAT 3PM-10PM FOOD SERVED: TUE-FRI 11AM-8PM • SAT 3PM-8PM BAR: OPENS AT 3PM
BONANZA BINGO
ESM Welcome!
$500
Jackpot Coming Soon!
PROSHOP
HOLIDAY SALE 18-24 Dec
Food | Full Bar | Pool Tables TVs | Friday Stampede
NOW OPEN
FREE ACTIVE DUTY CLINIC
12-1pm Select Wednedays (Dec 6th & 20th • Jan 3rd, 17th & 31st) at the golf course driving range. Open to service members and their immediate families.
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Located Inside the Breakaway Event Center
WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, November 30, 2023 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
WED-FRI • 3-8PM Bounce Back Menu
Featuring... Salads, Wings, Nachos & MORE!
December ‘23
BONANZA BINGO
$500
6FSS NEWS
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ESM Welcome!
Jackpot
Coming Soon!
$2 All American Hot Dog $4 Cheese Fries $6 Chicken Caesar Salad $8 Bacon Cheeseburger Family Pack Special $20 Pick up & Dine-In. 1/2 Pizza (4 slices) & 8 Wings
Call Ahead Orders & Take-Out Available
(813) 828-7735 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT u Thursday, November 30, 2023 u WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u 3
6FSS NEWS
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INFORMATION, TICKETS & TRAVEL
Ticket Counter: (813) 828-2478
December ‘23 O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N • ( 8 1 3 ) 8 4 0 -6 9 1 9
Leisure Travel Office: (813) 828-1860
$25 OFF
https://macdillfss.com/information-tickets-travel/
Attraction Tickets & Passes Make Great Stocking Stuffers!
@macdillfss 4
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WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM u Thursday, November 30, 2023 u MACDILL THUNDERBOLT
EQUIPMENT RENTAL SPECIAL $25 OFF Bounce Houses, Any Weekday. (Mon-Thu)
macdillfss.com