April2002 Inside - 931st Air Refueling Wing > Home post office called GIMail, which is accessible from said Air Force Maj. Jay Doherty of Air Force Family Matters at the Pentagon.

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McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas April 2002

Inside

• Readiness TeamPage 3

• “Mail Call!”Page 4

• Ritchie retiresPage 5

KanzaSpirit 931st Air Refueling Group

Commander’sconferencefocuses onwar, retention

See conference, Page 7

Col James Bouska (right), 931 st Air Refueling Group commander, and Lt. Col.Ray Kozak listen as three staff members from Senator Sam Brownback’s officeask questions concerning the unit’s mission. Katie Weyforth and Jay Wolff fromBrownback’s Washington office and Tamara Baker from the senator’s Wichitaoffice visited McConnell Air Force Base to get an orientation and update fromthe 22 nd Air Refueling Wing, 184 th Bomb Wing and the 931 st.

Spirit Photo\ Maj. David Fruck

By Capt. Andra Higgs4th Air Force Public Affairs

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. �Five months after Sept. 11 launched Americainto its first war of the 21st century, the mes-sage to 4th Air Force squadron, group andwing commanders was clear.

�The people in America will look to us �the men and women who wear the uniform �and expect us to win this war,� said Maj.Gen. James P. Czekanski, 4th Air Force com-mander.

That message opened a two-day meetingin February for 300 leaders from the 13 majorflying organizations aligned under the num-bered air force flag.

With more than 3,100 of the 24,000 menand women under his command mobilizedfor the war, Czekanski emphasized the uniqueopportunities his commanders have to de-fend America. Cops under his command areproviding about 20 percent of the currentAir Force ground fighting and securityforce. For them and other mobilized reserv-ists, the days of serving one weekend amonth and two weeks a year are a thing of

the past.�We�ve all had to change with the world,

and the Air Force and the Air Force Reservehave been changed forever,� the general said.

Beyond the war effort, March�s 452nd AirMobility Wing and the 445th Airlift Wing fromWright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, are

possible candidates to receive C-17 aircraftas replacement for the aging C-141 Starlifter.The C-141 fleet is scheduled for retirementin 2006, a three-year process slated to beginnext year.

Legislative Visit

2 A p r i l 2 0 0 2

Vol. 7, No. 4

Commander,931st Air Refueling

GroupCol. Jim Bouska

Spirit StaffMaj. Dave Fruck,

Chief of Public AffairsVacantEditor

Tech Sgt.David Brumley,Staff Writer and

Photographer

How to reach usKanza Spirit

931st Air Refueling Group53280 Topeka Street

Suite 221McConnell AFB, KS 67221

Commercial Phone:(316) 759-3616DSN: 743-3616

Fax: (316) 759-3393e-mail:

[email protected]

DeadlinesThe deadline to submit ar-

ticles and newsbriefs for pub-lication is the 20th of eachmonth.

Legal infoThis funded Air Force

newspaper is an authorized pub-lication for member of the U.S.military services.

Contents of the Kanza Spiritare not necessarily the officialviews of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government or the Departmentof the Air Force.

Editorial content is edited,prepared and provided by the931st Public Affairs Office.

All photos are Air Forcephotos unless otherwise indi-cated.

KanzaSPIRIT 931st Air Refueling Group

Commentary

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS)� Our Air Force desire to excel while gettingbombs on target too often leads to overlookingthe importance of operations security in the heatof battle.

We always promise ourselves to do betterthe next time but never seem to get there. There are many reasons why we are stuckin this continuous cycle. The fact is thatOPSEC, if applied correctly and consistentlyacross the spectrum of Air Force operations,starting now, will make a difference in our abil-ity to achieve our ultimate mission � to defendthe United States through control and exploita-tion of air and space.

One important piece of OPSEC is informa-tion assurance � protecting our informationand information systems.

The current state of IA would be much far-ther along had our Air Force culture paid closerattention to OPSEC as the cyber world wasemerging. Whether that inadequate attention toOPSEC was due to lack of individual OPSECawareness, lack of OPSEC training across theAir Force, or lack of leadership emphasis onOPSEC doesn�t matter.

IA doesn�t mean just computers, tele-phones, radios, and other technical assets. Nomatter how secure these systems become, themost important variable is the human operator� you. If you are uneducated, unaware, orunconcerned, you are the greatest threat to thesecurity of the systems you touch.

You must adjust your frame of mind everytime you touch these systems or use the infor-mation obtained from them. Here are the mini-mum steps necessary

Think about the immediate surroundingsto determine the facility�s level of sensitivity(i.e., sensitive classified information facility,open office area, cubicle, etc.). This will alsoraise your awareness of the need-to-know ofothers in the area.

Protect the passwords used to access yoursystems. Don�t leave passwords on, under, ornext to desks or equipment surfaces or in �se-cret� hiding places in your desk. Intruders will

Protecting information is vitalfind them. Follow established procedures forbuilding your password each time you changeit. The more difficult you make it for an in-truder who is trying to guess your password,the more likely he will give up trying.

When talking about information systems, becareful with what you say about infrastructure.Open discussion about information-system vul-nerabilities could give adversaries the avenuethey need to exploit them. Remember, the moreyou say or type, the easier it will be for theexpert intruder to manipulate your system.

If your duties include acquiring informationsystems, be aware of the depth of informationyou release to the vendor. Telling the vendorwhy you need a particular equipment configu-ration may be the key an intruder is looking forto access your unit�s information infrastructure. When discussing operational information, re-gardless of its classification level, think twiceabout giving more information than necessaryto accomplish the task at hand. Operational in-formation includes every part of your job in theAir Force. Whether you are the director of anair operations center making decisions aboutcombat activities or an information specialistassigned to the military personnel flight, it�s yourjob to think about the sensitivity of the informa-tion you are about to discuss or type, the vul-nerabilities of your communications or computersystem, and the receivers� need-to-know.

Know who the OPSEC point of contact isfor your unit and ask for assistance in develop-ing OPSEC critical-information lists that includeinformation assurance elements. Post theOPSEC CI lists next to each computer terminalfor ease of reference and awareness develop-ment.

Preach OPSEC awareness in your office.Don�t look the other way if you notice some-one practicing poor OPSEC when discussingor handling operational information. Your re-minder to work associates, combined with yourobvious attention to OPSEC awareness, willbecome contagious. We�ll all benefit from yourperseverance.

Remember: OPSEC is the 24-hours-a-day,7-days-a-week responsibility of each Air Forceemployee, whether you are in uniform, in civilservice, or on a contract.

By Patrick J. FoxHeadquarters Air Combat Command

3A p r i l 2 0 0 2 News

By Maj. David Fruck931st Public Affairs

Having already earned several military awards, McConnellTeam Readiness traveled to Las Vegas March 11 - 13 to com-pete with 16 civilian organizations for a national quality award.

The National Team Excellence Award, sponsored by the As-sociation for Quality and Participation, recognizes teams thatmost clearly and effectively demonstrate the principles and tech-niques of improving quality through participation.

Just getting to the team final event in Las Vegas was note-worthy. The team had to submit a video presentation whichwas reviewed and graded by AQP judges. After being notifiedthey had made it to the national competition, the team refinedtheir presentation and spent time practicing for what would bea very tough competition.

In the end, McConnell Team Readiness didn�t win a na-tional award by finishing among the top three teams. But allmembers agreed all the competitions were worthwhile. �It hasbeen a great learning experience for all of us,� said Tech. Sgt.

McConnell Team Readiness members receive a National TeamExcellence finalist plaque from Warren Krompf, chief judge forthe Association of Quality and Participation competition heldMarch 11-13 in Las Vegas.

Tech. Sgts. Victor Vaughn (left) and John Bryan pack up part oftheir display following the team’s presentation during theNational Team Excellence competition.

Spirit Photo\ Maj. David Fruck

Spirit Photo\ Maj. David Fruck

John Bryan, 931st Civil Engineer Squadron. �We had the oppor-tunity to show our system to a lot of people both in the militaryand civilian world.�

Developed in late 1998, McConnell Team Readiness wasformed to develop a better way to decontaminate troops andtheir uniforms in the event of a biological or chemical attack. Ajoint effort began with members of the 931st Air Refueling Group,184th Bomb Wing and 22nd Air Refueling Wing personnel. Alongthe way, the team won two awards from Air Force ReserveCommand, one from Air Mobility Command, and narrowlymissed winning the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award twice.

While many members of the team have subsequently movedon to different bases, the contamination and control systemwill continue on. �We have proven that this system works,�said Master Sgt. Morris Findley, the leader of the team. �It�smobile, durable and cost-effective.�

Besides Bryan, other team members from McConnell whoattended the event included Maj. Kim Thompson, 931st CEScommander, Tech. Sgt. Vic Vaughn, 931st CES, Senior MasterSgt. Bob Homan, 184th Bomb Wing, Staff Sgt. Fred Schmidt,22nd ARW, and Staff Sgt. Jim Vause, 22nd ARW.

Going for the Gold:Civil Engineers Compete for NationalTeam Excellence Award in Las Vegas

4 A p r i l 2 0 0 2News

Air ForceAround the

Air ForceBy Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

Services Respond to Electronic Age’s “Mail Call!”

A Marine in the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SpecialOperations Capable) checks his personal E-mail account whileon station in Kandahar, Afghanistan in January 2002.

Photo by Capt. Charles Grow, USMC.

WASHINGTON � Servicemembers through the ages have livedfor mail. Whether in the trenchesaround Vicksburg, Miss., in 1863 orin Pleiku, South Vietnam, in 1967,soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marinesand Coast Guardsmen have alwayslooked forward to the shout, �MailCall!�

But today, instead of the pla-toon sergeant shuffling through let-ters and calling out names, the mailcall come- and-get-it is more likely adelivery announcement that pops upwhen you connect your computerto the Internet.

Electronic mail has become ubiq-uitous in America at large. Some ser-vice members are using e-mail tokeep in touch with family and friendsno matter where they may be, in-cluding distant battlefields.

The war against terrorism takesfull advantage of the technologyavailable to the U.S. military. Partof that technology helps soldiers,airmen and Marines in Central Asiawho are using computers to keep intouch, said service officials.

The Air Force has an ambitiouse-mail post office called GIMail,which is accessible fromwww.afcrossroads.com/html/com-munications/index.cfm, said AirForce Maj. Jay Doherty of Air ForceFamily Matters at the Pentagon.Accounts are free and open to mem-bers of all the services. Visit the sitefor more information and conditionsof use.

�It is a �dot.mil site,�� Dohertysaid. �Military members themselveshave to go in and register. Once they

do, e-mail can be sent to and [email protected].� Deployed per-sonnel can access the site from anycomputer with an Internet connec-tion. Families without home com-puters may be able to access GIMailaccounts using equipment in servicefamily centers on installations, or li-braries or schools.

GIMail is intended for short-term �keep-in-touch� use by service

members and families. To keep it-self lean, the system deletes mail af-ter 90 days and automatically de-letes accounts not accessed for 90days.

The Navy has a sophisticatede-mail system for sailors deployedaboard ship. �It�s getting better allthe time,� said Navy spokeswomanLt. Brauna Carl. �In 1998, I de-ployed on the USS Whidbey Island.We had to save e-mail as text filesand it was all sent out once a day atone time.

�I was recently aboard the USSPeleliu,� she continued. �There, theyhave computers all over the ship andyou can log right onto e-mail ac-counts. If you get a good connec-tion, the turnaround time is some-times 10 minutes.�

Carl said she can�t think of any-one aboard ship who doesn�t takeadvantage of the service. �Some ofthe sailors are encouraging their par-

ents and grandparents to figure outhow to use a computer so they canstay in touch,� she said.

The Marines who went intoCamp Rhino and later Kandahar,Afghanistan, had e-mail connectionswith their families stateside, Marineofficials said. There were no �dedi-cated� official resources to the pro-gram and, in fact, no formal programat all. Marines, with their command-ers� blessings, used official comput-ers on off-hours to read and send e-

mail.Soldiers in the area are also main-

taining contact. �There is no formalset up, like we have in Bosnia andKosovo,� said Kathleen Cole, a spe-cialist with the Army�s Communityand Family Support Center in Al-exandria, Va. In the Balkans, theArmy has set up �cyberhuts,�which are small buildings with com-puters inside and a small satellitedish on top.

�We have nothing like that inAfghanistan,� Cole said. �We don�tknow how long we will be there and,let�s face it, the commanders are run-ning combat operations. Those, ofcourse, have priority.�

In more sett led areas, theservices have video-telephonecapabilities. These aren�t in placein Central Asia yet , but thecapability is mobile and could bedeployed if needed. The services see e-mail as acritical morale booster, and theycontinue to seek ways to improveit. �We�re looking at having acapacity to videostream e- mails,�said the Air Force�s Doherty. �Inother words, send e-mails withvideoclips so that while you�redeployed, you don�t miss theSoapbox Derby or the baby�s firststeps.� This means time zones don�tmatter when scheduling videophonee-mail . �It may be noon inWashington, but three o�clock in themorning where your loved one isdeployed,� Doherty said. Just fireoff an e-mail with that ballet clipattached, he said. The recipient canopen it at his or her leisure.

5A p r i l 2 0 0 2 News

Senior Master Sgt. Ted Ritchie (right) was recognized duringthe March Unit Training Assembly by Col. James Bouska,931st Air Refueling Group commander. Ritchie, a member ofthe 931st Aircraft Generation Squadron, is retiring to Shelton,Wash., after a 35-year military career.

Air Force Photo Courtesy of the 931st AGS

By Linda KozarynAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON � Defenseofficials are on the trail of any-one who hasn�t paid their gov-ernment travel credit card bill andthose who�ve misused govern-ment purchase cards.

Defense Secretary Donald H.Rumsfeld �is moving forcefully�to correct department travel andpurchase credit card problems,�which he considers to be veryserious,� DoD Comptroller DovS. Zakheim said in a Pentagonpress briefing today. The depart-ment intends to have a packageof remedies in the form of pro-posed legislation or administra-tive changes within 60 days, headded.

Zakheim said he set up a taskforce about a week ago made upof the DoD inspector general andDefense Criminal InvestigativeService, and representatives fromthe Office of Personnel Manage-ment, Justice Department andOffice of Management and Bud-get. The task force objectives areto investigate and punish wrong-doers, develop reforms, and im-prove training and senior man-agement enforcement.

The Defense Department hasissued about 1.4 million travelcredit cards to individual employ-ees and service members. Lastyear, cardholders charged some$3.4 billion using the cards. Thedepartment has also issued about207,000 purchase cards to per-sons authorized to buy office

DoD FightsGovernment CreditCard Abuse

supplies and equipment. Lastyear, $6.1 million was spent us-ing DoD purchase cards.

Defense officials say users�current delinquency rate ontravel cards is 11.7 percent and 3percent for centrally billed pur-chase card accounts. Accountsare considered delinquent whenpayment is not made within 60days. Punishment for card mis-use, fraud and abuse include ter-mination of DoD employment,imprisonment, probation, restitu-tion, fines and demotion, officialssaid.

The Defense Criminal Inves-tigative Service has 17 open in-vestigations involving 90 per-sons allegedly involved in creditcard fraud. Other completedcases have resulted in jail terms,probation and restitution. Ex-amples:

-A Florida man, for example,pleaded guilty to placing fraudu-lent charges on 13 governmentcredit cards. He was sentencedto 18 months in jail and 36months� probation, and orderedto pay $262,840 in restitution andother fees.

-In another case, a Texas manpleaded guilty to using a gov-ernment credit card to buy a tele-vision for personal use. He wasfired and sentenced in federalcourt to a $3,000 fine and $1,400in restitution.

-A Virginia man must pay$400,200 in restitution afterpleading guilty to bribing JointStaff Supply Service employeesto buy from his office supplies

company using their governmentcredit cards. He was sentencedto 27 months in jail and 36months� probation.

�The point is we doprosecute,� Zakheim stressed.�We do get convictions, andpeople do pay either in jail timeor in money or both.� Zakheim called the credit cardprograms a major and essentialpart of DoD�s efforts to improveits business practices. The cardscut costs, free up funds for criticalrequirements and create thepotential for accountability.�What we�re looking for now isbetter ways of executing that,�he said. �The issue is not toeliminate the cards � that isgoing backward. � What we�vegot to do is prevent misuse.�

The problem is notwidespread, Zakheim stressed. �Ithink sometimes people get theimpression that there is thisoverwhelming degree of misuse.It is simply false.� While thedelinquency rate on the DoD

cards is higher than for privatesector cards, he noted, thatdoesn�t mean the departmentthinks it�s acceptable.�No abuse is acceptable,� hestressed. �No delinquency isacceptable.� Since April 2001, defenseofficials have taken steps toreduce misuse, fraud and abuseand have succeeded in cuttingthe total delinquent amount from$20 million to about $6.9 million,he said. Because of one step, forinstance, employees can�ttransfer to another office or leavethe department until delinquentcredit card charges areaddressed. �In other words, you can�t justskip town,� Zakheim said. Defense officials are lookingat ways to make both individualsand supervisors responsible forfraudulent charges. �The bestway to encourage people to dothings properly is if they knowit�s ultimately going to come outof their pocket,� he said.

Career Completed

6 A p r i l 2 0 0 2

Military PersonnelFlight hours

The core hours of operationfor the MPF are: Mondaysthrough Fridays�7:30 a.m.-4p.m.; UTA Saturdays �8 a.m.-4p.m.; and UTA Sundays�10a.m.-4 p.m.

MPF MINIMUMMANNING

The MPF will be minimallymanned during the May UTA.

ART OrientationNewly hired enlisted ARTS

should attend this course withintheir 1st year of being hired. It isnow an in residence course, heldat Robins AFB, Ga. The nextclass is June 4-5. Contact yourunit training manager or GroupTraining to request a slot.

GI Bill StoppageEffective June 1, members re-

ceiving reserve (chapter 1606) GIBill payments must call the VA(1-877-823-2378) each month tocertify the number of credit hoursthey are taking. Members whofail to call will not receive theirmonthly check.

Airman LeadershipFY �02 dates have been an-

nounced. Senior Airmen with 48months time in service are eligibleto attend ALS. Interested mem-bers may contact Group Train-ing for further information.

NCO LeadershipClass dates from both Tinker

and Ft. Worth Joint Reserve Base(Carswell) are available. Inter-ested staff sergeants and techsergeants can contact GroupTraining for information.

pleted PME via in residence:Master Sgt.Corinna Seitz ,

931st MSF ( SNCOA); Tech. SgtDon Ellis , 931st MSF, ( NCO A);Tech. Sgt Jon Wattenburger,931st MSF ( NCO A)

The following recently com-pleted PME via correspondence:Tech. Sgt Anna Kasl, 931st MSF,5 (SNCOA) ; TSgt Tatia Krueger,931st ARS, 5 (SNCOA)

The following recently com-pleted or will soon complete for-mal training: Tech. Sgt DebroadaCornelius, 931st MSF, Person-nel 3 level school; Staff Sgt. PaulMcGinnis , 931st AGS, Electro-Environmental 7 level school;Senior Airman Penny Rickets,931st OSF, Information Manage-ment 3 level school; Senior Air-man Marcus Thurman, 931stARG, Information Management3 level school; SeniorAirmanBenny Acosta, 931st OSF, retrain-ing to Electronic ComputerSwitching; Staff Sgt. AndreaBeaupre, 931st ARG, retrainingto Public Affairs

First Shirt OpeningApplications are being ac-

cepted for a First Sergeant posi-tion within the 931st Mission Sup-port Flight. To qualify you mustbe an E6 or E7, completed theNCO Academy, communicatewell and meet minimum weightand body fat standards. Appli-cations should be turned into the931 MSF/DPMSC by June 6 forthe board held June 8. For ques-tions Call Tech. Sgt Pat Johnson,DSN 743-3587, Commercial (316)759-3587.

Need to outprocess?If you need to out process for

TDY, reassignment or retirement,keep in mind that on UTA week-

Spirit ShortsHometown News

Have you just been promotedor received an achievementmedal? These are just two ofmany events that qualify you tofill out a hometown news release.Once you�ve completed the form,an announcement will be sent toyour hometown newspaper topublicize your achievements.Examples of qualifying events forthe program include promotions,awarding of the achievementmedal and above, re-enlistments,obtaining a college degree, win-ning airman of the quarter andmany more.

Stop by the Public Affairsoffice in Rm. 221 to fill out yourHometown News Release.

New StripesCongratulations to the latest

reservists for selection to the fol-lowing new ranks in April andMay:

Senior Master Sgt. Mack L.Housman, 931st MSF;SeniorMaster Sgt Pamela Summers,931st MSF; Master Sgt. JamesKirk, 931st AGS; MasterSgt.Debra Lee 18th ARS; MasterSgt. Michael Gil, 931st AGS; TechSgt. Michael Haggit, 931st AGS;Tech Sgt.Edwin Espinoza; StaffSgt.Gregory Carron, 18th ARS;Senior Airman Linda Sutter, 931stAMF; Senior Airman WilliamBaker, 931st AGS; AirmanJeremiah Babcock, 931st AGS;Airman David Dixon, 931st AGS

Movin’ On UpCongratulations to the follow-

ing members for completing Pro-fessional Military Education orformal technical training.

The following recently com-

Briefs

ends the Military Pay Office (Samor Dee) is only open for businesson Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1p.m. For information, contactTech. Sgt. Anick Wallace at Ext.3665.

MPF TrainingThe 3A�s and 3C�s training for

the April UTA will be held on Sat-urday 1:30 p.m-3:30 p.m in build-ing 850, room128. Training willresume to normal during theMay UTA-9am-11am in building850, room 217.

Training OpportunitiesConfronting difficult issues

course: The Professional Devel-opment Center from AFRC willbe providing this class to 931st

members May 19-20. Class sizeis limited to 10. Those interestedmay contact Group Training Ext.5423.

FITNESS WALK It�s that time again - time to

put on those walking shoes &get after it! Our first walk will beon Sunday April 14 at 3:30 p.m.bythe CE ball field. There will notbe another walk until the JuneUTA. You must complete a newAFRC Form 48 PRIOR to walk-ing. Contact your unit fitnessmonitor for the form.

VOLUNTEERSNEEDED!!

Do you enjoy taking pic-tures? Are you versed in desktop publishing? Would you justlike to pitch in and help whereyou can?? The HRDC is start-ing a yearbook for the 931st andwe need lots of help. For Ques-tions call Master Sgt. Pam Sum-mers Ext.5423.

7A p r i l 2 0 0 2 News

U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert went to bat on thisissue for both organizations at the podiumduring remarks at the conference.

�I�m looking forward to adding the C-17mission to 4th Air Force,� said Calvert, repre-sentative for the 43rd congressional districtwhich includes March Field. �Acquisitionof more C-17s built for March and Wright-Patterson is an ongoing matter. The defensebudget is not settled, and there is room formore negotiations for the military.�

As the war on terrorism evolves, reserv-ists can expect call-ups to continue. Thedirector of the Aerospace ExpeditionaryForce Cell at AFRC headquarters reinforcedthis point at the conference.

�It appears that current operations willcontinue for a long time,� said AnthonyTassonne Jr. of the AFRC directorate of op-erations.

He urged the commanders to be flexiblein managing their functional areas.

�Reality 101 is we�re going to war in anAEF construct,� he said. �The real worldworks by the theater commanders in chief

and when we�re deployed we work for theCINCs.�

One of the CINCs� recently activated work-ers is Col. David Walker, 4th AF operations.He got a call on his drive to work in Januaryto depart before close of business that day.Without time to double back home for a fare-well hug, he left by lunch time to start hisnew mission: build an air-bridge plan totransport Al Queda and Taliban detaineesfrom Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Security was also bolstered for the flights.The 8,000-mile airbridge swept through 12times zone and used crews from four AFRCwings on C-17 and C-141 aircraft.

�This mission was the definition of mili-tary precision,� said Walker, who spent fourdays bunkered at Khandahar, Afghanistan�s,battered airport. �There was 100 percent re-liability on every mission.�

His briefing, with its graphic descriptions,captured the conferees� undivided attentionand yielded a spontaneous, standing ova-tion at its completion

The point was reinforced about how in-volved air reserve forces are in this opera-tion. Air support for the current operationis, according to 4th AF tacticians, the thirdlargest airlift effort to date behind the Berlin

Airlift and Operations Desert Shield/Storm.�We are not just the back-up team,� Lt.

Gen. James E. Sherrard III, AFRC commanderand chief of the Air Force Reserve, told theattendees. �What we are accomplishing isthe right thing at a difficult time, and we haveto get that message across [to the Americanpublic].�

Sherrard touched on other issues duringhis presentation, including the C-17 projectand discussions related to the possible useof Boeing 767s in the air refueling commu-nity. But nothing was discussed more thanpersonnel.

�Our challenges are recruiting and reten-tion,� he said. �I can do all the talking in(Washington) D.C., but the only person I�llretain is me and my secretary. It�s up to eachof you (reservists) to talk with people in yourunits about recruiting. We also have to havea serious talk with our members at the end oftheir mobilization to remind them of howmuch they bring to the table and how impor-tant they are to us.�

Command officials stressed concern formaintaining high levels of personnel reten-tion, an effort that is likely to be a creativemix of career incentives for reservists, espe-cially those now on extended active duty.

ConferenceContinued from Page 1

WASHINGTON (AFPN) � Military clothing sales shopperswill see a new set of optional items for wear in the coming year. TheAir Force Uniform Board recently approved the addition of Air Forcesymbol cuff links, tie tacks and tie bars.

These items will replace the respective coat of arms items cur-rently on the inventory, said Master Sgt. Ruth Nischwitz, Air Forceuniform section chief at the Pentagon. Also on the inventory aregrade insignia and Hap Arnold wing and star items.

These optional items are authorized for wear with the servicedress, long-sleeved shirt and blouse, mess dress, semi-formal andmaternity dress.

Nischwitz said the new items will be authorized for wear afterminor spec adjustments and manufacturing. Provided there are nomanufacturing delays, the items should be available by 2003,Nischwitz said.

The phase-out period for coat of arms cuff links, tie bars and tietacks will be published in the new Air Force Instruction 36-2903,Dress and Appearance, later this year.

by Staff Sgt. Amy ParrAir Force Print News

Addition made to optional uniform items �Normally items are phased out of the inventory by attrition or

within a two-year cycle,� Nischwitz said. �The availability of thenew items will determine which method is the most appropriate. Weanticipate (the phase out to be) approximately 18 to 24 months fromthe date of the AFI.�

To add an item to the inventory, major command commandersnormally approve and submit uniform proposals to the Air ForceUniform Board office for evaluation and processing, Nischwitz said.After evaluation by the board, the item is forwarded to the Air Forcechief of staff for approval.

�The new symbol was introduced in January 2000 to honor theheritage of our past and represent the promise of our future,� shesaid.

Because the symbol has been used in a variety of ways, includ-ing outreach communication and advertising, to promote recruit-ing, retention and general public awareness of the Air Force and itsvalue to the nation, Nischwitz said its move to the uniform was notunexpected.

�(It was) originally conceived as part of an effort to more effec-tively tell the Air Force story and present a consistent Air Forceimage,� she said.

8 A p r i l 2 0 0 2The Back Page

931st ARG/PA53280 Topeka StreetSuite 221McConnell AFB, KS 67221-3767

PRESORTED STDPostage and Fees PaidMcConnell AFB, KS

PERMIT #85

Wichita Weekend Flickpicks No information on theMcConnell theater was available at press time. Call the McConnell Movie Lineat Ext. 4181 for information.

Other area theaters:Cinemas East 6: 684.2805Towne East 4: 685.1121Towne East 2: 681.2717Towne West 5: 945.5093Cinemas West: 729.5665Royale 8: 282.4423Northrock 14: 636.5432Northrock 6: 636.5431Palace Theaters: 721.7949Premier Palace: 691.9700Warren Theater: 721-9545

Joseph Andrew Lloyd Webber�s

Broadway mega hit Joseph andthe Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat. Six performances atCentury II Concert Hall. April 11and 12 at 7:30 p.m., April 13 at2:30 and 7:30 p.m., April 14 at 2:30and 6:30 p.m. Tickets $33 to $43at Select-A-Seat locations.

Cattleman’s Ball Cattleman�s Ball Fundraiser

for the American Cancer Society.April 13 at Sam Fulco Pavilion inthe Kansas Coliseum. Begins at5 p.m. Tickets are $85, call 265-3400 for details.

Wichita StealthFootball

Arena football at the Kan-sas Coliseum, April 13. WichitaStealth vs. Arkansas Twisters.Tickets $8 to $35 at Select-A-Seatlocations.

Wichita State Baseball College baseball at Eck Sta-

dium, Wichita State Universitycampus. WSU hosts Bradley.April 12 at 7 p.m., April 13 at 2p.m. (doubleheader), and April 14at 1 p.m. Tickets $6 to $12, call978-FANS for details.

Dinner Theatre Crown Uptown Dinner The-

atre presents Annie, April 11 �

June 2. 3207 East Douglas. Fri-day and Saturday, doors open at6 p.m., buffet at 6:30 p.m., andshow at 8 p.m. Sunday doorsopen at 5:30 p.m., buffet at 6 p.m.,and show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets$22 to $29, call 681-1566 for de-tails.

Riverfest coming in May Wichita�s annual 10-day

Riverfest extravaganza takesplace May 10 � 19 downtownalong the river and other loca-tions throughout the city. A $3button admits you to everything,including plays, concerts, mu-seum events, contests, and muchmore. Call 267-2817 for details orvisit www.wichitariverfestival.org.