U.S.AirForceCol.EdwardSzczepanikspeaksduringthe6th Air RefuelingWing change of commandceremonyat MacDillAirForceBaseAug.2. Szczepaniktookcommandfrom Col. Adam Bingham andwilloverseethewing’s worldwidecombatair refuelingmissionand provideinstallationsupporttoHeadquartersU.S.CentralCommand,HeadquartersU.S.SpecialOperationsCommand andover30otherjointmission partners.
NEWS/FEATURES
Mentalbreakspreventmentalbreakdowns
bySeniorAirmanZacharyFoster U.S.AirForceCentral
U.S. CENTRALCOMMANDAREAOF RESPONSIBILITY–
Thehardestpartofa deploymentisbeing away fromlovedones, but servicemembersdeployedtothe U.S. Central Commandareaofresponsibilityarenevertruly alone.
The379th Air Expeditionary Wing hostsavariety of resources solely dedicated to helping Airmencombat the struggles of deployment. Depending on the needs of the Airman, resourceslike the ChaplainsOffice and the Military and Family Readiness Center provideintroductory care.
The nextlevel of care, and thehighestlevel at the 379thAEW, is a visit to the379th Expeditionary Medical Squadron mental health flight.
“Our goal is to find ways to support people’s resilience,” said the379th EMDS mental health clinical psychologist. “We reallywant to optimize the human weaponssystem andlook at how we can bestsupport people so they cando their job more effectively.”
The team of three providers and two technicians has a full walk-in scheduledesigned to be as conducive to the customer as possible. According to the379thEMDS director of psychological health, the flight intends to flex to the needs of theindividual. Whether it be sleep
TheActionLineprovidestwo-waycommunicationbetweenthe 6thAirRefueling Wing commander and theMacDillcommunity. Personnelmaysubmitquestions,concernsorcommentsviaemailto macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil or Facebook@6thARWCommandTeam
MacDill Thunderbolt
Publisher: Joe Deluca
Editor: Nick Stubbs
The MacDillThunderbolt ispublishedby the Times Publishing Company, a private firm in no wayconnected with the U.S. Air Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is anauthorized publication for distribution to members of the U.S. militaryservices on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are notnecessarily the officialviews of,or endorsed by the U.S. government,the Departmentof Defense,
the Departmentof the Air Force or the6th Air Refueling Wing.
The appearance of advertisingin thispublication,includinginserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsementby the Departmentof Defense, the Departmentof the Air Force,6th Air Refueling Wingor the Publishing Companyof the products or serviceadvertised.
For retail advertising, call (813)226-3318.
Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, orpatronagewithout regard to race,color, religion, sex, nationalorigin, age, marital status, physical handicap,politicalaffiliationor any other non-merit factorof the purchaser,user,orpatron.
Newsitems for the MacDillThunderbolt can be submitted tothe6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs office,8208 Hangar Loop Dr., suite14, MacDill,FL 33621. Call the Thunderbolt at828-2215. : 6arw.pa.macdillthunderbolt@us.af.mil.
Deadline forarticle submissions is noon, Wednesdays to appear in the next week’s publication. Articlesreceived after deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions areconsidered for publicationbased onnews value and timeliness.
Everyarticleandphotographis edited for accuracy, clarity, brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook andLibel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.
The goal of the annual exercise is to enhance partnerships, promote regional stability andincrease engineerinteroperability Specifically, this exercise allows U.S. partners and allies to familiarize themselves with the techniques and equipment that the U.S. Air Force utilizes to ensure airfields can support, launch and recover aircraft.
“This past week, we’ve had74 engineers from sevendifferent countries participatingin joint airfield recovery operations along with Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear, and[our] fire department,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Celyn Rodgers,554REDHORSE SilverFlag flight lead. “Theylearned the basic steps of how we
NASASpaceXCrew-9missioncrewmembersaddressservicemembersfromSpaceLaunch Delta45duringaneventattheSandsSpaceHistoryCenteratCapeCanaveralSpaceForceStation,Florida,July23.TheCrew-9missionwouldbethefirsttimea rocketwouldlaunchwith a U.S.Space ForceGuardianaboard.
ROBINSAIRFORCEBASE, Ga.—Air Force chaplains fill acritical, demandingroleprovidingguidanceandsupporttoAirmenallovertheworld.TheChaplainCandidateProgramisaninitiativedesignedtocultivatewell-trainedanddedicated chaplains to ensure the spiritual strength of the force.
Hosted at Robins Air Force Base andled by the Air Force Reserve Command, the program playsa pivotal rolein supplying the total force with capable spiritualleaders.
“The impact of well-trained chaplains and religious affairs Airmen is likely immeasurable,” said Lt Col. Justin Ivy, Chaplain Candidate Program senior mentor and program alumnus. “How do you quantify theimpact of walking through thedifficult questions of acoupleconsidering divorce, or holding the hand of an Airman pulled back from the edge of suicide?The chaplain corps’ religious support teams standin the deepvalleys of life wheredespair is thick like smoke and hopelessness has taken hold, but for the chaplains and religious affairs Airmen who remind us of the presence of the transcendent. Airmen will know they are not alone because their chaplain is nearby.”
Through theefforts of the NaturalDisaster Recovery Division of the Air Force CivilEngineer Center and the325thCivilEngineering Squadron andvarious other entities, Team Tyndall has employed landscapedesign and resilient planting to increase mission readiness,improve sustainability with efficient land use anddevelop resiliency against flooding andhigh wind speeds.
Utilizing the landscape master plan guidelines that were developed post-Hurricane Michael to improveefficiency and budgeting for the Air Force, maintenance requirementsacross theinstallation are projected to decrease.
“Resilient planting is when youincorporate plantlifeand practices that will withstand the time andenvironment they arein,” saidSandra Buckley-Rusnov, AFCEC NDR project manager. “For example, most plants cannot withstand the amount of wind and salt in the airin our area. We must consider thesefactors in order to have plants thrive in theenvironment they are placedin, withoutcontinualintervention and maintenance by people.”
“WhenIthinkaboutthenexttwoyearsaheadofus,Ithink aboutanuclearoperationalreadinessinspection,acombatreadinessinspection[and]auniteffectivenessinspection,” Szczepanik said.“Thoseareallthingsthathappeneveryfiveyears. We getto doallofthis;itisgoingtobeus. We gettodo$260millioninconstructiontobringontheKC-46,America’snexttanker.”
Unlikemostincomingunitcommanderswhosenewpositions require movingfromoneinstallationtoanother, Szczepanik’sservicecontinues herewherehespentthe last14monthsasthe 6th ARWdeputycommander Asdeputycommander, Szczepanik was secondincommandofthe wingand was the actingcommander whenneeded.
“Youarea man ofgreat character and patience who always seesthegoodinpeople,” BinghamtoldSzczepanik.“Iadmireyou greatlyandwillbe cheeringyouontheentire way.”
Asthe6thARWcommander,Szczepanikisresponsibleforthe wing’s worldwide combatairrefueling missionandwillprovide installationsupporttoHeadquarters U. S. Centra l Command , Headquarters U.S. SpecialOperationsCommandandover30otherjointmissionpartners. Additionally,heisresponsiblefornearly 17,000baseemployeesandtheirfamiliesandapproximately$2.8 billioninbasepropertyandcapitalassets.
(Above)Airmenassignedtothe 6thAir Refueling Wingstandinformation duringa wingchangeof commandceremonyat MacDill Air ForceBase Aug.2.U.S.Air ForceCol. EdwardSzczepaniktook commandfromCol. AdamBinghamandwilloversee the wing’s worldwidecombatair refueling mission andprovideinstallation support toHeadquartersU.S.Central Command,HeadquartersU.S. SpecialOperationsCommandandover30other joint mission partners.
(Left)U.S.Air ForceCol. AdamBingham, left,Col. EdwardSzczepanik, middle,andMaj.Gen.Corey Martin, 18thAir Forcecommander, rendersalutes during thenationalanthematMacDillAir Force BaseAug.2.Martinpresidedoverthe6thAir Refueling Wingchangeofcommandceremonywhere Bingham relinquishedcommandtoSzczepanik.
LANDSCAPE
TheNDR team, together with the325thFighter Wing continues to construct, repair, andimprove more than 100 new andexisting buildings during the Department of Defense’s largest rebuild. Thisincludes choosing plant species,incorporating outdoor furniture, and choosing fixtures to withstand theFlorida coastalenvironment.
“Inaddition to plants that go into the ground, health and wellness professionals on base wanted to use very large planters for resiliency gardens,” said Traycee Chapman, former325thCES master planner. “We had to make sure that these items wereresilient to elements such as wind, but also complimented the structure and aesthetic of the base as well as met safety requirements.”
Project managers receivedalist of native plant species recommended for theinstallation by theFlorida State University department ofbiological science. This list included trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges, rushes, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. Additional considerationswere thenfactored in for what to plant where.
“Wecan’tjustgoinandpick anytreeoffthe list,” explainedBuckley-Rusnov “Incoastal Floridaweoftenneedtreesandshrubsthatcan takefullsun,salt waterandwetground. For thattypeofsite, it’simportantnottoselect a
Planners aim to reduce traditional stormwater capital, damage to buildings due to storm surge, improve water quality andestablisha more self-sustaining landscape by integrating stormwaterinto a land managementapplication from the buildingsite to the coast. Chapmanexplained landscapingwas not alwaysa forethought when theinstallation was originally established pre-Hurricane Michael, but utilizing the opportunity and natural resources available will improve the overall functionof the base.
“What we’redoing now is following best practices for natural runoff,mitigating damage to structures and personnel, and building the resiliency of theinstallation. Thatconceptofresiliencywasintentionalwhenwemade these plans for the future of Tyndall.” said Chapman.
SandraBuckley-Rusnov,AirForceCivilEngineeringCenternaturaldisaster recoveryprojectmanager, showcases a variegatedyucca outsideofthechilddevelopmentcenterat TyndallAirForceBaseJuly30.TheNDRdivision of AFCEC, the325thCivil Engineering Squadronandvariousotherentities, Team Tyndallhas employedlandscapedesignand resilient planting toincreasemission readiness,improvesustainabilitywithefficientlanduse.
PhotobySeniorAirmanZacharyNordheim
SUMMIT
recover an airfield.”
This year’s participantsincludedengineers from the Royal Australian Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Indonesian Air Force, Philippine Air Force, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. They worked with Team Andersen to learn how to executeexpeditionary airfield damage repairs
“This event helps our partners because we have the premier tools and equipment that allow them to [hone] their engineering skills and take what they learned back home so they can apply it to their airfield recovery program,” said Rodgers.
For Corporal Dillon Butler, Royal Australian Air Force carpenter, he was able to witness how othercountries performed airfield repairs throughvarious, yetsimilar, airfield tactics, techniques and procedures.
“I learnedalot this past week,” said Butler. “I learneddifferent forms of airfield repairs and how othercountries operated, whichwas very eye opening to me.”
Exerciseslike SilverFlag foster strategic relationships to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“At theend of the day, we might wear differentuniforms and speak different languages, butif push comes to shove, we’re going to function as oneengineering force,” said Rodgers. “No matter what uniform you [wear], we’re all going to be one team.”
Republic of Singapore Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force members participate in a SilverFlag exercise alongside the554th RapidEngineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer cadre during the Indo-Pacific Unity Allies and Partners Engineer Summit at the Pacific Regional Training Center-Andersen, Guam July 25. SilverFlag provided an opportunity for U.S.engineers and partnersto discuss expeditionary base resilience concepts and share best practices to ensure airfields can support, launch, and recover aircraft.
or stress, the mental health flight has the resources for each uniquecircumstance.
“The number one risk factor for suicide isisolation,” said the clinical psychologist. “One of our main focuses is promoting social communication, building those social networksacross base.”
One of the most effectiveways the clinic has built theseconnections is with their weekly classes. Twicea week, the flight invites service members from across theinstallation to participate in an open forum focused on building better sleep habits and reducing stress.
The flight is even taking a proactive approach to caring for Airmen with visits to high-stressunits. According to the379th EMDSdirector of psychological health, these visits aim to familiarize service members with representatives from helping agencies, forming a connection before they need help.
“Instead of waiting for Airmen to come see us, wego to see them,” said the clinical psychologist. “In theunits where there aresignificant work demands, it’s difficult for them to make the trip to the clinic, but we can go meet them. We’vedeveloped training for sleep, stress, communication- anything we cando to address the concerns units are feeling.”
The clinic oftenleaves Airmen with advice from Dr. Steven Hayes,aleadingindustry psychologist, “mental breaks prevent mental breakdowns.” According to the 379thEMDSdirector of psychological health, it’s in the best interest of everyone to pause often and take time to rest and recoverrather than pushing through to the point of mental exhaustion.
To schedulea training or for more information about the379thEMDS mental health flight call 318455-5227.
U.S.AirForceCol.AdamBingham,6thAir RefuelingWingcommander,getshosedwith waterbyhis sonfollowingafinalflightatMacDill AirForce Base July23.Thefinal flight isanAirForce tradition marking pilots’ departure froma unit, orthelast time theyflyanaircraft.
CHAPELSCHEDULE
Normal Hours- Monday - Friday - 9 a.m.to 3p.m. After hours chaplain, callthe Command Post at 828-4362/4361.
Monday-Wednesday Mass - 12:10p.m. www.macdill.af.mil/chapel
Catholic Mass - Sunday - 9:30 a.m. (confessionsby appointment)
Protestant services - Sunday - 11 a.m. Contact the Chapel at 828-3621or email at 6ARW.HCADMIN@us.af.mil for inquiries regarding Protestant religious education.
Jewish - Monthly Lunch and Learn: For schedule &tojoin distro,pleasecontactelimelach.estrin@us.af.mil
Islamic Service - Friday 1:30p.m.(space reserved)
OtherFaith Groups - Pleasecontact the Chapelat (813)828-3621orviaemail at 6ARW.HCADMIN@us.af.mil
Candidates arecommissioned as second lieutenants, sent to the Officer Training School at MaxwellAFB, Alabama, andcomplete a month-long Initial Candidate Trainingcourse here at Robins.
ICT bringsina cadre of experienced chaplains and religious affairs Airmen toteach and mentor candidatesacrossavariety of topics, regulations andceremonies. Candidates also attend the religious services foravariety of different beliefs, allowing them to better serve service members of all faiths as well as those who do not follow a religion.
“Asa graduate of the Chaplain Candidate Program many years ago, my experience as a mentor has been somewhat nostalgic,” said Ivy. “Senior chaplains poured wisdom out for us so we coulddiscern God’s call on ourlife and ourdirection forministry.I have been honored to walk with these chaplain candidates as they too explore anddiscern God’s purpose for theirlife andministry.”
After three weeksimmersedin theministerial duties of a chaplain, candidates spend the final week ofICT at a field training exercise designed to replicate the stress and rigors of adeployed environment. Partnering with the5th Combat Communication Group’s Combat Readiness School, candidates go through a series of intensive training events,including tactical casualty combat care,combatives andsimulated combat scenarios, all whileliving ina fieldenvironment.
Whileenduring the challenges of training andadjusting to life in the field, candidates areexpected to lead religious services and performceremonies–ensuring they are prepared for thedemands of chaplaincy in themilitary
“They’re getting an overview of what it would be like to be in adeployedenvironment,inacombat environment, to figure out how we fitin,” said Maj. Timothy Dahlstrom,446th Airlift Wing deputy wing chaplain and Initial Candidate Course mentor. “We’re going throughcombat scenarios as noncombatants and figuring out how to embed ourselvesinto themiddle of war, into themiddle of themission, and help others accomplish everything ahead of them.”
This hands-on approach is crucial for preparing chaplains to be the calm and steady presence Airmen need in times of uncertainty.
“I’ve seen firsthand howin themiddle of the chaos, weget to stepin and be that calm\face, the reminder that when everything’s not okay, it will be okay,” Dahlstromadded.
The trainingemphasizes the dual role chaplains play; while they may notengage incombat, they areintegral to the spiritual and emotional battles Airmenface.
The program’s structure, which sends ICT graduates on tours to shadow religious support teams at active-duty bases,ensures future chaplainsgain real-worldexperience. Thisexposure to military operations and theunique challenge of military ministry helps candidatesdevelop the resilience andadaptability needed to support Airmenindiverse and often challenging environments.
Upon completing the program candidates become fully-fledged chaplains and may choose to stay in the Reserve or apply foractive duty or Air Guard positions.
