Thunderbolt 03/10/2022

Vol. 50, No. 10

Thursday, March 10, 2022

News/Features: page 2 Kendall details imperatives

News/Features: page 3 Kessel Run

Week in photos: page 4 Images from the week

ALS Team in running for Air Force’s best - page 8 Photo by Senior Airman David D. McLoney

Community: page 15 Events, Chapel, more...

The Airman Leadership School (ALS) commandant and instructors pose for a photo in the Chief Master Sgt. Aubert E. Dozier ALS on March 1 at MacDill Air Force Base. The MacDill ALS team was recently named the Air Mobility Command’s ALS of the Year and will compete against other major commands across the Air Force for ALS of the Year.

NEWS/FEATURES

Kendall details imperatives’ and how they forge future force

by Charles Pope Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ORLANDO, Fla. (AFNS)—Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall outlined his increasingly urgent roadmap March 3 for successfully bringing about the new technologies, thinking, and cultures the Air and Space Forces must have to deter and, if necessary, defeat modern day adversaries.

The particulars of Kendall’s 30-minute keynote to Air Force Association’s Warfare Symposium weren’t necessarily new since they echoed main themes he’s voiced since becoming the Department’s highest ranking civilian leader. But the circumstances surrounding his appearance before an influential crowd of Airmen, Guardians, and industry officials were dramatically different, coming days after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Kendall used the invasion to buttress his larger assertion that the Air and Space Forces must modernize to meet new and emerging threats and challenges. The path to achieving those goals are embodied in what Kendall has dubbed the Department of the Air Force’s “seven operational imperatives.”

“My highest personal goal as Secretary has been to instill a sense of urgency about our efforts to modernize and to ensure that we improve our operational posture relative to our pacing challenge; China, China, China,” he said. “The most important thing we owe our Airmen and Guardians are the resources they need, and the systems and equipment they need, to perform their missions.”

“To achieve this goal, I’ve commissioned work on seven operational imperatives. These imperatives are just that; if we don’t get them right, we will have unacceptable operational risk,” he said.

Kendall spent the balance of his address discussing each of the seven

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, speaks at the Air Force Association Warfare Symposium March 3. Kendal spoke about his one team one fight mantra and his operational imperatives during the symposium. imperatives. But he also noted that, given recent events, the threats are not abstract.

“In my view President Putin made a very, very, serious miscalculation. He severely underestimated the global reaction the invasion of Ukraine would provoke, he severely underestimated the will and cour-

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 Deluca Editor: Nick Stubbs 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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See KENDALL, Page 6

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 AFB, FL 33621. Call the Thunderbolt at 828-2215. Email: 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

Kessel Run’s C2IMERA used during multinational exercise

by Richard Blumenstein Kessel Run Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFNS)—The Air Force recently used a Kessel Run application during Cope North 22, a multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, large force employment, and aerial combat training exercise Feb. 2-18.

The exercise was composed of fighter aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force conducting aerial refueling, close air support, and counter-air missions.

These training missions concluded with a large force employment exercise designed to enhance readiness and interoperability among the three countries, according to a press release.

C2IMERA, which stands for Command and Control Incident Management Emergency Response Application, is an application focused on reporting, planning, force generation, emergency management and command and control monitoring and execution. The capability is developed by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Detachment 12, also known as Kessel Run, which is a software development and acquisitions unit.

See KESSEL RUN, Page 10

Kessel Run graphic

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Detachment 12, also known as Kessel Run, has partnered with Headquarters, Supreme Allied Command Transformation to use JIGSAW for tanker fuel mission planning.

DAF summer job opportunities for 700-plus qualified students

by Toni Whaley Air Force’s Personnel Center Public Affairs

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas (AFNS)—The Department of the Air Force is giving more than 700 students an opportunity to develop and hone their skills under its flagship summer hire program, which runs May through September.

“The 2022 Summer Hire Employment Program provides students in high school, college, trade school, vocational school, and other qualifying educational programs with opportunities to work in federal departments and agencies and explore federal careers while still in school,” said Tracy Wise, Air Force’s Personnel Center Civilian Recruitment and Placement Branch chief.

This year, AFPC received requests for more than 700 positions at stateside and overseas bases.

Local civilian personnel sections at each base will manage the recruitment process for their respective summer hire programs for clerical, rec-

reation aid, laborer and general engineering fields. AFPC will recruit and hire lifeguard positions.

In this summer hire program, students are employed for appropriated funded positions for up to 40 hours per week in the grades of GS-1 to GS5. Summer hire students will remain employees until their respective program’s end.

“We maintain this and other internship programs to help provide the civilian force pipeline with highly-qualified and skilled talent to meet today’s and future years’ challenges,” Wise said. “Because the talent pool is limited and highly competitive, it’s essential that we recruit, hire and retain the right people early and often.”

Intern opportunities are designed to inspire talented men and women to join the Department of the Air Force civilian service and ultimately grow and develop into senior civilian leadership positions through deliberate development and experiential training.

Interested candidates can search “summer hire” or “student” at www.

USAJobs.com.

Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Refueling Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

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WEEK IN PHOTOS

Photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren Cobin

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Stephen Brown, 91st Air Refueling Squadron pilot, flies a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft over Tampa Bay, Feb. 27. MacDill Air Force Base supports flyovers at various events in the Tampa Bay area to strengthen relations and bolster community support.

Photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Hastings Photo by Airman 1st Class Hiram Martinez

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dillon Tucker, a boom operator assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron, prepares to refuel an aircraft over New Mexico, Feb. 22. The KC-135 Stratotanker is capable of transferring more fuel through its boom in eight minutes than a gas station pump could pump in 24 hours.

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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jared Remender, 6th Security Forces Squadron marine patrol crew member, performs a weapons exercise during Emergency Services Team (EST) tryouts at MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 4. EST tryouts are held to ensure members of the team are fit and qualified to handle the high-stress scenarios they will be asked to respond to.

NEWS/FEATURES

Air Force art contest opens for submissions

by Armando Perez Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS)— Imagine, Create and Win. It’s that time of year to show off your creative artistry in the Air Force Art Contest. The submission period will be throughout the month of March.

Artists may submit up to two, digital photographs of their two-dimensional painting or drawing, in one of five categories, for judging.

The subject of the artwork is at the discretion of the artist but must comply with the official rules of the contest here.

Accepted art media include oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel, mixed media, gouache, egg tempera, pen and ink, graphite, charcoal, colored pencils, scratchboard, markers and metal point.

Managed by the Air Force Services Center and part of the Air Force’s Arts and Crafts Program, the contest is open to all authorized patrons See ART CONTEST, Page 13

U.S. Air Force graphic

The Air Force Art Contest is accepting submissions through March 31. In 2021, approximately 800 artists submitted more than 1,000 pieces of art using a variety of media. Artists may submit up to two, digital photographs of their two-dimensional painting or drawing, in one of five categories, for judging.

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KENDALL From Page 2

age of the Ukrainian people, and he overestimated the capability of his own military,” Kendall said.

“Perhaps most of all, he severely underestimated the reaction from both the U.S. and from our friends and allies,” he said.

The world’s mostly united response to Ukraine should not divert attention from the distance the Air and Space Forces must cover to adequately upgrade and change to face current threats.

“We’re stretched thin as we meet Combatant Commanders’ needs around the globe,” Kendall said, repeating a frequent refrain. “We have an aging and costly-to-maintain capital structure with average aircraft ages of approximately 30 years and operational availability rates that are lower than we desire.”

Kendall added, “While I applaud the assistance the Congress has provided this year, we are still limited in our ability to shift resources away from legacy platforms we need to retire to free up funds for modernization. … We have a Space Force that inherited a set of systems designed for an era when we could operate in space with impunity.”

Those realities, he said, triggered establishing the Department’s seven operational imperatives. They are: 1. Defining Resilient and Effective Space Order of Battle and Architectures; 2. Achieving Operationally Optimized Advanced Battle Management Systems (ABMS) / Air Force Joint All-Domain Command & Control (AF JADC2); 3. Defining the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) System-ofSystems; 4. Achieving Moving Target Engagement at Scale in a Challenging Operational Environment; 5. Defining optimized resilient basing, sustainment, and communications in a contested environment; 6. Defining the B-21 Long Range Strike Family-of-Systems; 7. Readiness of the Department of the Air Force to transition to a wartime posture against a peer competitor.

The first imperative, he said, is aimed at ensuring capabilities in space. “Of all the imperatives, this is perhaps the broadest and the one

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with the most potential impact,” he said.

“The simple fact is that the U.S. cannot project power successfully unless our space-based services are resilient enough to endure while under attack,” he said. “Equally true, our terrestrial forces, Joint and Combined, cannot survive and perform their missions if our adversary’s space-based operational support systems, especially targeting systems, are allowed to operate with impunity.”

The second of Kendall’s seven imperatives is to modernize command and control, speed decision-making and linking seamlessly multi-domain forces. In short he wants continued development of defense-wide effort known as Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) and the Air Force component of that effort known as ABMS or Advanced Battle Management System.

“This imperative is the Department of the Air Force component of Joint All Domain Command and Control. It is intended to better define and focus DAF efforts to improve how we collect, analyze, and share information and make operational decisions more effectively than our potential adversaries,” Kendall said.

At the same time, that effort demands discipline. In this regard, Kendall was blunt, saying “we can’t invest in everything and we shouldn’t invest in improvements that don’t have clear operational benefit. We must be more focused on specific improvements with measurable value and operational impact.”

Another imperative is Defining the Next Generation Air Dominance (or NGAD) System of Systems.

“NGAD must be more than just the next crewed fighter jet. It’s a program that will include a crewed platform teamed with much less expensive autonomous un-crewed combat aircraft, employing a distributed, tailorable mix of sensors, weapons, and other mission equipment operating as a team or formation,” he said.

Kendall’s next imperative is “Achieving Moving Target Engagement at Scale in a Challenging Operational Environment.”

The effort, he said, has direct connection to the JADC2/ABMS initiatives but tightens the focus.

MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

See KENDALL, Page 14

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Photo by Senior Airman David D. McLoney

Photo by Senior Airman David D. McLoney

A U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Aubert E. Dozier Airman Leadership School (ALS) coin is displayed on a plaque in the ALS auditorium at MacDill Air Force Base March 2.

A copy of the Airman’s Handbook from 1954 is showcased in a display cabinet in the Airman Leadership School auditorium March 2 at MacDill Air Force Base.

MacDill Airman Leadership School nominated as AMC’s ALS of the year

by Senior Airman David D. McLoney 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

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earning leadership skills can be a crucial aspect of growing in the military as they are one of the many key principles to how service members operate in their careers.

The Airman Leadership School is designed to be a great first step to enhancing an Airman’s knowledge of important leadership skills and military practices.

On Feb. 18, 2022, the 6th Force Support Squadron’s Chief Master Sgt. Aubert E. Dozier Airman Leadership School at MacDill Air Force Base was nominated as the Air Mobility Command’s ALS of the year.

“The ALS team works hard to ensure that we are the best instructors, leaders and mentors for the Airmen coming through the schoolhouse,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Samantha Dougherty, the 6th FSS ALS commandant. “I couldn’t ask for a better team and to be named AMC’s Airman Leadership School of the year is an honor and truly humbling.”

ALS is the first level of professional military education enlisted Airmen experience. The ALS course provides entry-level leadership skills to prepare Airmen for positions of greater responsibility.

Dougherty explained ALS instructors are taught to understand the value of good leadership and their role is critical not only to MacDill’s mission but throughout the entire Air Force. She noted their main objectives as ALS instructors are to provide Airmen with skills needed to lead, follow and manage others.

“Today’s Air Force requires us to be a highly trained, educated and adaptable force,” said Dougherty. “We must develop enlisted leaders for tomorrow’s Air Force.

They must be innovative, able to think critically, problem-solve and act decisively.”

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With 193 students graduating MacDill’s ALS in 2021, the instructors can make a difference in the careers of every Airman they teach.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Shawna Wise, 6th FSS ALS instructor, mentioned being hired as an instructor was life-changing.

“Being an instructor boom, teaching was already a passion of mine,” said Wise.

“I have grown tremendously over the past three years and cannot imagine my life without the experience this job has brought me.”

For Airmen like Tech. Sgt. Jose Lopez-Rodriguez, a 6th FSS ALS instructor, graduating from the ALS course inspired him to become an instructor and share the knowledge he gained with future frontline supervisors.

“Being an ALS instructor is a dream come true, and it is an experience I enjoy every single day,” said Lopez-Rodriguez. “Whether I am working out with the students and motivating them to go past their comfort zone in fitness, or helping them figure out the answers to possible problems or situations they may face, this job is the most rewarding experience I have had in my career.”

Though the level of trust required to train the Air Force’s next generation of supervisors is high, MacDill’s ALS team remains dedicated to preparing their students as they progress through their military careers.

“The ALS team has a huge impact on our students whether they are Air Force, Space Force, joint members, or even civilians,” said Dougherty. “Not only are we providing the tools and resources to be successful leaders, but we empower them to be the supervisors they wish they had as Airmen. We also establish professional relationships with the students and show them that we truly care about every one of them. Our students know that we are always here to guide and mentor them.”

Regardless of the date or time, the 6th FSS’s ALS team is a force dedicated to helping Airmen to acquire and practice the skills it takes to become strong leaders.

Photo courtesy of MacDill ALS

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Joanne Bass, middle, poses for a photo with U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Samantha Dougherty, MacDill Airman Leadership School (ALS) commandant, left, and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Shawna Wise, an instructor at the MacDill ALS, right, while holding a picture and biography of Tech Sgt. Jose Rodriguez, an instructor at the MacDill ALS, June 11, 2021, at MacDill Air Force Base. Chief Bass visited the MacDill ALS to see the dedicated work the school puts into developing tomorrow’s leaders.

KESSEL RUN From Page 3

Kessel Run’s role was made possible with support from Pacific Air Forces who directed the application’s use throughout the exercise.

“It helped because we had senior leadership’s backing,” said Gwenn Haden, Kessel Run’s C2IMERA Team operations engagement lead. “[Brig. Gen. Jeremy T. Sloane, 36th Wing commander] was on board; having his backing really helped our team.”

A team from Kessel Run flew to Guam and trained various personnel on how to use the application a week prior to the start of the exercise.

The training focused on each unit’s specific needs.

“There was a high value with our team being there; It allowed us to work one on one with the users,” Haden said. “It really showcased C2IMERA’s capabilities when everyone was putting their data into a single source. That allowed the units to use the application collaboratively and in real time.”

The application uses a common operating picture and dashboarding capabilities as communication tools, which consolidates and shares information for leaders, and boasts multiple features to provide C2 capabilities. These tools are customizable and optimized based on the in-

dividual needs of the installation and focus on updating and communicating data in real time to give commanders a constant picture of their installations, environment, assets and personnel.

Airmen used the application during the exercise to track everything from aircraft movement to individual personnel’s medical status and movement in real time. The capabilities C2IMERA provided enhanced the Agile Combat Employment environment by providing leadership constant situational awareness on their aircraft, personnel, fuels, communications status, and more, at the forward operating locations, according to Haden.

“For airfield management, we used it for aircraft accountability, arrivals and departures, tail-number tracking, we also used it for the common operating picture,” said Staff Sgt. Rebekah Kowalczyk, 36th Operations Support Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of airfield operations. “Before we had this, we had Excel documents, PowerPoints, and Word documents that we would use on the share-drive. We also are able to use it on the airfield for real-time updates, rather than having to come into the office with the updated information.”

Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Refueling Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil 6th ARW Chapel Holy Week Schedule

u Monday, April 11: 12:10 Daily Mass u Tuesday, April 12: *No Daily Mass u Wed, April 13: 12:10 Daily Mass and Penance Service from 17:30 - 19:00 u Thursday, April 14: 19:00 Mass of the Last Supper followed by Eucharistic Adoration until 2130 (**No 1210 Daily Mass) u Friday, April 15: 14:15 Stations of the Cross followed by 1500 Good Friday Service u Saturday, April 16: 2000 Easter Vigil Celebration (**No 1730 Mass) u Sunday, April 17: 0930 Easter Sunday Mass & Easter Egg Hunt after Mass

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NEWS

B A Y

P A L M S

Courtesy graphic

by Keiana Holleman DALLAS – The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is saluting military children who excel in the classroom— and those good grades are paying off.

The Exchange’s You Made the Grade program, now in its 22nd year, rewards academic excellence for students in first through 12th grades, including those who are home schooled. Students who maintain a B average or higher are eligible to receive a $5 Exchange gift card each grading period during the 2021-22 school year.

Military students face unique challenges. According to the Department of Defense Education Activity, military children move six to nine times before graduating high school—three times more often than civilian children.

“Military life poses challenges that our youngest heroes consistently overcome,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Osby, the Exchange’s senior enlisted advisor.

“Military kids face multiple moves, new schools and parental deployments. The Exchange’s You Made the Grade program celebrates the resiliency of military students and rewards their hard work in the classroom.”

Students who make the grade qualify to enter a worldwide sweepstakes to win a $2,000, $1,500 or $500 Exchange gift card. Drawings are held in December and June. The most recent sweepstakes winners were from Travis Air Force Base, Fort Hood and U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys.

To receive the $5 gift card, students can visit their local PX or BX customer service area and present a valid military ID with proof of a B average or higher.

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Prizes to Approx Top 30%

Bay Palms MacDill AFB

19 & 20 March

South Course 8am Shotgun Start Both Days

Open to patrons with access to the base. Stroke play, amateurs only.

Must have current USGA HCP Index. Gross and Net prizes in all divisions based on the number of participants, except Championship division.

All competitors are required to ride in golf carts.

Lunch & Drinks provided after 2nd round DIVISIONS Championship – Blue Tees, No HCP, Gross Open – HCP, White Tees, Gross & Net Senior – Age 55 & Older, White Tees, Gross & Net Super-Senior – Age 65 & Older, Gold Tees, Gross & Net Legends – Age 75 & Older, Gold Tees, Gross & Net Women – Red Tees, Gross & Net

See MADE THE GRADE, Page 13 u

C O M P L E X

2022 Club Championship

Academic high achievers can score rewards with Exchange’s You Made the Grade

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AGF*: $90 | DoD E1-E4: $110 DoD E5 & Up: $130 Civilian Guests: $155 *Advanced Green Fee

Must sign up NLT Fri, 18 March

For more information please call Pro Shop (813) 828-0046 macdillfss.com/bay-palms-golf-complex/

ART CONTEST From Page 5

of Department of the Air Force Morale, Welfare, and Recreationprograms in the five categories below: Adult Novice and Accomplished categories, for those 18 and older at the time of entry: Novice for new or inexperienced artists and Accomplished for those with knowledge based on education, training, experience or those who operate as professional artists.

Youth categories, based on the age of the artist at the time of submission: Children for ages 6-8, pre-teens for ages 9-12 and teens for ages 13-17.

Upload high-resolution images in JPEG format here no later than March 31. Images must be at least three megabyte but not exceed 9 MB. Digital art, photography, or 3D art such as sculptures, clay art, pottery, woodwork, etc., are not accepted.

When the contest closes March 31, expert artists will evaluate each entry based on impact, creativity and technical excellence. Winners will be announced a few months later with the top three artists in each category winning Amazon gift cards of $500 for first place, $400 for second and $300 for third.

Visit the Air Force Art Contest Facebook page here or @airforcearts, where updates, artist stories, tips and special features posted weekly.

MADE THE GRADE From Page 12

To enter the You Made the Grade sweepstakes, students can complete the form on the back of the gift card reward sleeve and mail it to: You Made the Grade PO Box 227398 Dallas, TX 75222-7398 Students can submit one sweepstakes entry for each grading period. The next drawing will take place in December.

Facebook-friendly version: Good grades pay off at the Exchange! High-achieving students can score rewards each grading period and a chance to win a share of $4,000 in gift cards with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s You Made the Grade program. Read more:https:// wp.me/p9Q7PG-1V2.

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KENDALL From Page 6

“What enables our aforementioned ABMS investments to be successful starts with the ability to acquire targets using sensors and systems in a way that allows targeting data to be passed to an operator for engagement,” he said, adding, “for the scenarios of interest it all starts with these sensors. They must be both effective against the targets of interest and survivable.”

The next imperative is a pragmatic throwback to a concept that has long been important – defining optimized resilient basing, sustainment, and communications in a contested environment.

But as in other efforts, Kendall says the concept needs new thinking.

In addition to relying on large, fixed bases as the Air Force has done for generations, Kendall said there needs to be a new “hub-and-spoke” arrangement that includes smaller, more mobile bases. That concept is known as Agile Combat Employment (ACE).

“It’s the idea that you don’t just operate from that one fixed base. You have satellite bases dispersed in a hub-and-spoke concept, where you can operate from numerous locations and make your forces less easily targetable because of their disbursement,” he said.

The sixth imperative has a heavy focus on hardware. The effort will define the B-21 Long Range Strike “family of systems,” he said.

As in other imperatives, this one has echoes to others in the list.

“This initiative, similar to NGAD, identifies all of the components of the B-21 family of systems, including the potential use of more affordable un-crewed autonomous combat aircraft,” he said.

“The technologies are there now to introduce un-crewed platforms in this system-of-systems context, but the most cost effective approach and the operational concepts for this complement to crewed global strike capabilities have to be analyzed and defined.”

As a former senior weapons buyer for the Department of Defense, Kendall has a keen understanding of the tension between equipment

and cost. That understanding explains, in part, this imperative.

“We’re looking for systems that cost nominally on the order of at least half as much as the manned systems that we’re talking about for both NGAD and for B-21” while adding capability, he said. “ … They could deliver a range of sensors, other mission payloads, and weapons, or other mission equipment and they can also be attritable or even sacrificed if doing so conferred a major operational advantage – something we would never do with a crewed platform.”

The seventh and final imperative is both ageless and essential – readiness.

“To go from a standstill to mobilizing forces, moving them into theater, and then supporting them takes the collective success of a large number of information systems and supporting logistical and industrial infrastructure. We have never had to mobilize forces against the cyber, or even the kinetic, threats we might face in a conflict with a modern peer competitor,” he said.

While achieving the imperatives is challenging, Kendall said he’s optimistic.

Kendall said industry, with its “intellectual capital” will have a critical role in finding solutions and compressing the often decades-long development time. So will allies and, of course, Airmen and Guardians.

“I’ve gotten to meet a lot of Airmen and Guardians. Nothing is more inspiring to me than to have informal conversations with the men and women who wear the Air or Space Force uniform. The dedication, commitment, professionalism, and passion these people bring to their service and to the nation is simply awesome,” he said.

“As I’ve traveled to places like Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and Thule, Greenland, the positive attitudes, drive, and commitment our men and women serving far from home, and in sometimes challenging circumstances, is just exceptional.”

Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Refueling Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil

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MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

COMMUNITY

EVENTS

Youth basketball registration Registration is open March 7 through April 8 at the youth center.

Open to ages 5-15 with current immunization records. Call 828-7438 to register your child.

5 on 5 basketball tournament March 11, 3 p.m. at the Short Fitness Center. Four teams needed for event. Register your team at 6fss.fsvs. sportsprograms@us.af.mil.

St. Patrick’s Day 5K Mar. 17, 7 a.m. Join us for a themed fun run at the fitness center.

Wear your best green attire for prizes.

More info at macdillfss.com/short-fitness-center/.

Bay Palms golf complex The 2022 club championship is Mar. 19-20. There’s an 8 a.m. shotgun start both days. Open to patrons with access to base and amateurs only.

Prizes awarded. Lunch and drinks provided. Register by Mar. 18 at the golf course.

FroYo at the MacDill Lanes Grab a lane and then grab a cup of frozen yogurt with your choice of toppings. The bowling center is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

6FSS is hiring in the following areas: u recreation u food service u hospitality u child and youth For job information, visit: https://macdillfss.com/open-jobs/ Find more events at: macdillfss.com

Heritage marker unveiled!

Photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Hastings

The 6th Air Refueling Wing leadership team unveils a heritage marker at a Black History Month commemorative luncheon at MacDill Air Force Base Feb. 25. The heritage marker formally recognizes the service of thousands of black Americans who served in engineer aviation battalions during World War II. The efforts of these battalions, which trained at MacDill, expedited the end of the conflict and helped ensure an Allied victory.

CHAPEL SCHEDULE Normal Hours- Monday - Friday - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. After hours chaplain, call the Command Post at 828-4362/4361.

Catholic (in-person) - Saturday - 5:30 p.m. (confession 4:30 p.m.) Sunday - 9:30 a.m. (confessions by appointment) Protestant services (virtual) - Sunday 11 a.m. at www.facebook.com/6amwhc

Monday-Thursday Mass - 12:10 p.m.

www.macdill.af.mil/chapel

Other Faith Groups

Off-base referral as needed

For more details and information, visit the Chapel Facebook page at http://www.facebook/6amwhc/

Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Refueling Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

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