jbj_040513

Joint Base Journal

www.facebook.com/jointbase JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING www.cnic.navy.mil/jbab

News and information for and about the premierJoint Base and its region

Vol. 4, No. 13 April 5, 2013

INSIDE2013 Holocaust Daysof Remembrance:Heed warning signs

of hatredPage 3

Cognitive EnergyManagement Sys-

tem: Lights on whenyou need them

Page 4

Two PMA-275members sharetime and love forSpecial Olympics

Page 8

BY CMDR. KIMBERLY

HIMMER

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON - April is themonth of the military child. Since1986, the Department of Defense(DoD) has used this month torecognize the sacrifices that thechildren of military membersmake every day to support theirmilitary parent(s).

Military service is not just avocation; it is a lifestyle choice.And in choosing that lifestyle,the children of military mem-

bers face challenges and obsta-cles that other children do not.However, they also have a wealthof experience that often makesthem more well rounded and re-silient.

This month, take the time toshow your military child that yourecognize, and truly appreciatethe sacrifices they make in orderto support you and your militaryservice.

Here are ten ways to showyour appreciation to your mili-tary child.

1. Have lunch with your child.Children are proud of their par-

ents. Ask your child’s school ifyou can meet your child for lunchin the cafeteria. Wear your uni-form, and tell your child’s friendsabout your family’s military ad-ventures.

2. Cook dinner together. Kidsof any age love the opportunityto chose a menu and cook din-ner. Help them out and make it afamily affair!

3. Play a board game. Lifeis hectic, and most evenings af-ter work, you just want sometime to yourself. Take time af-ter dinner to play a board gameof your child’s choosing. Better

yet, make it a weekly event thismonth, and beyond.

4. Think positively; speakpositively. In the military, ourjobs revolve around being criti-cal, and correcting those mis-takes we see. It is easy then tocome home with that same criti-cal eye. Children take criticismdifferently than adults, so take aminute before you speak. Thinkof how your child will take yourremark before making it. Oftenturning your comment into apositive statement can make thedifference between fostering aself-confident child, or one with

self-esteem issues.5. Show respect. Yes, children

need to respect their elders, butadults need to offer a level of re-spect to kids of all ages, too. Inorder to foster two-way commu-nication, it is critical for a childto feel that their views, feelingsand opinions are respected. Youdon’t need to agree with yourchild’s position, but it’s betterthey come to you to discus a deli-cate issue, as opposed to theirpeers.

The Month of the Military Child starts at home

See CHILD, Page 4

BY PAUL BELLO

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON – Sexual As-sault Awareness Month – a cam-paign to prevent sexual assaults,support victims and hold offend-ers accountable for their actions– kicked off earlier this week witha special ceremony at the BollingClub.

This year’s theme, “We own it,we’ll solve it together,” is anotherstrong message to help build onsociety’s fight against sexual as-sault, according to Andrea Verdi-no, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling(JBAB) Navy sexual assault re-sponse coordinator.

She noted there are many op-tions for victims of sexual assaultin the National Capital Region, aswell as on military installationslike JBAB. Just last month, thebase hosted a week-long coursein victim advocate training forAir Force service members fromaround the region.

“Sexual assault is a violation ofeverything we stand for as a com-

munity,” Verdino said. “It’s ourhope that every victim receivesthe care they desire and deservefrom this day forward.”

The ceremony included anofficial proclamation againstsexual assault, which was signedby JBAB vice-commander and AirForce Element commander Col.Michael E. Saunders and Stew-art Marshall, director of JBAB’sJoint Base Program ManagementOffice. Marshall was filling infor JBAB base commander, NavyCapt. Anthony T. Calandra.

“Sexual assault is absolutelya crime and it will not be toler-ated. It’s a problem that faceseverybody in the Department ofDefense (DoD) and every branchof military service,” Saunderssaid. “You must be aware by nowthat there are people who feel themilitary can’t solve this problem.That’s very disheartening andwhy we must step up and do allwe can to solve it.”

Strides have been made on

Community gathers, stands up against sexual assault

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY PAUL BELLO

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling vice-commander Air Force Col. Michael E. Saunders signs a proclamation declaringJBAB’s stand against sexual assault during a kickoff ceremony earlier this week at the Bolling Club. He wasjoined by Stewart Marshall, director of JBAB’s Joint Base Program Management Office.See ASSAULT, Page 4

2 Friday, April 5, 2013 Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Joint Base Journal

BY JENNIFER CASSIDYAIR FORCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- TheAir Force released its plan Mar.28 to implement force structurechanges mandated by the FiscalYear 2013 National Defense Au-thorization Act.

The bill authorized the serviceto complete actions approved inprevious years, such as aircraft re-tirements, and directed executionof congressionally-approved forcestructure actions.

Some of these changes wereoutlined in the Air Force’s TotalForce Proposal, developed in co-ordination with the Air NationalGuard and Air Force Reserve. Oth-ers were congressionally-directed.

“Our Air Force continues ef-forts to maximize the strengthof our Total Force, and we arepleased with the progress that isbeing made on this front,” saidSecretary of the Air Force MichaelDonley. “This implementationplan illustrates the Air Force’scontinued commitment to trans-parency as it completes the forcestructure requirements directedand authorized by the NDAA.”

The NDAA directs a reductionof 65 aircraft and approximately1,400 military billets from the AirNational Guard, 57 aircraft fromthe Air Force Reserve, and 122aircraft and approximately 6,100military billets from the active-duty Air Force.

“Working together we can com-

bine the personnel, equipmentand readiness necessary to builda total Air Force equal to all thechallenges our nation faces,” saidLt. Gen. Stanley (Sid) E. Clarke III,director of the Air National Guard.

The Air Force’s implementa-tion plan includes a state-by-statedescription of changes for eachbase and the associated timeline.Each major command developedactivation, reassignment, remis-sioning or divesture options.

“We’ve developed guidingprinciples to ensure that as wemake decisions, we continue tohave a strong foundation for whatis best for our Air Force,” said Lt.Gen. James F. Jackson, chief, AirForce Reserve and commander,Air Force Reserve Command. “We

must leverage regular and reservecomponent strengths and alignour decisions with a commitmentas one total force team.”

Key principles include: ensurepersonnel readiness, training andretention for transitioning units toremain at the highest level practi-cable and minimize mission gapsfor units transitioning to new ordifferent missions. Each of thecomponents embraces these prin-ciples.

The Air Force will apply thiscollaborative approach to facili-tate open communication withkey stakeholders on future totalforce efforts. Recently, the Secre-tary and Chief of Staff of the AirForce created a Total Force TaskForce.

TF2 will create an enduringstrategic process to determinehow to correctly balance thestrengths of each component tosustain capabilities required todefend our nation now and intothe future.

“Our active, Reserve and Guardcomponents are increasingly inte-grated --training, deploying andconducting a full range of mis-sions together as one Air Force,”Donley said, “and we’re commit-ted to ensuring that our active andreserve component mix correctlybalances the strengths of eachcomponent, meeting our strate-gic requirements and our fiscaldemands as well. The FY13 imple-mentation plan gets us on a pathtoward that end.”

Air Force to implement force structure changes

BY NICK SIMEONE

AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- The DefenseDepartment has revised from 22to 14 the number of days hun-dreds of thousands of civilian em-ployees could be furloughed thisyear because of the budget se-quester, Defense Secretary ChuckHagel announced recently.

In addition, a senior DefenseDepartment official speaking onbackground told reporters thestart of the furloughs will be de-layed until mid-to-late June, aftermore than 700,000 departmentemployees receive furlough no-tices now set to go out in earlyMay. Furloughs would happenover seven two-week pay periodsuntil the end of September, whenthe current fiscal year ends, thesenior official said, with employ-ees likely to be told not to come towork for two days during each ofthose pay periods.

Department officials say theyare still working to determinewhich employees might be ex-empted.

Hagel characterized the re-duced furloughs as well as a re-vised estimate of sequestration’simpact on the defense budget asgood news. The changes followCongressional approval last weekof a defense appropriations billthat prevented an additional sixbillion dollars in cuts, orderedunder sequestration, from takingeffect.

“It reduces a shortfall at leastin the operations budget,” thesecretary told reporters duringa recent Pentagon news confer-ence. “We came out better thanwe went in under the sequester,where it looks like our number is$41 billion [in cuts] now versusthe $46 billion.”

But despite a Congressionalreprieve, Hagel said the Pentagon

is still going to be short at least$22 billion for operations andmaintenance, “and that meanswe are going to have to prioritizeand make some cuts and do whatwe’ve got to do,” including mak-ing sharp reductions in base op-erating support and training fornondeployed units.

More critical in the long run,he said, is how budget cuts willaffect readiness and the depart-ment’s overall mission. Becauseof that concern, he said he has di-rected Deputy Defense SecretaryAsh Carter and Army Gen. Mar-tin E. Dempsey, chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, to conductan intensive department-wide re-view of U.S. strategic interests in-cluding how to protect the nationwith fewer resources. “How do weprioritize the threats and then thecapabilities required to deal withthreats?” he said. “There will besome significant changes, there’sno way around it.”

Dempsey said the departmenthas already exhausted 80 per-cent of its operating funds half-way through the fiscal year andcharacterized the current budgetsituation as “not the deepest, butthe steepest decline in our budgetever,” and warned it will affectmilitary readiness into the future.

“We will have to trade at somelevel and to some degree our fu-ture readiness for current op-erations,” the chairman said. Hecalled on elected leaders to givethe Pentagon the budget flexibil-ity it needs to carry out institu-tional reforms.

“We can’t afford excess equip-ment,” Dempsey added. “Wecan’t afford excess facilities.We have to reform how we buyweapons and services. We haveto reduce redundancy. And we’vegot to change, at some level, ourcompensation structure.”

Hagel announces fewerfurlough days for civilians

Defense secretary meets with juniorenlisted personnel

DOD PHOTO BY GLENN FAWCETT

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel hosted a luncheon with junior enlisted members of the Army, Navy, MarineCorps, Air Force, National Guard and Coast Guard in his office at the Pentagon, March 28. Hagel, who servedas an Army sergeant during the Vietnam War, plans to hold regular lunches with enlisted personnel to heartheir views on Defense Department issues. Guests included Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Duskin De-ichl, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joan Powers and Army Spc. Michael Anderson.

Stories of World War II Series LuncheonApril 17: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Bolling Club - Tuskeegee Room

Guest Speaker: Robert F. DorrA writer for the Navy and Air Force Times, Dorr is an Air Force veteran who served

in Korea in the late 1950s and is the author of the book, Mission to Tokyo. He will tellhsi story of the B-29 Superfortress crew’s’ firebomb mission to the Japanese capital onthe night of March 9-10, 1945. His book is based on interviews with crew members.

Menu includes: Chicken & Roast Beef BuffetClub Members: $20, Non-Members: $22

For more information, please call 202-767-7710.

Mission to Tokyo

3Friday, April 5, 2013Joint Base Journal Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

This commercial enterprise Navy newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of the U.S. militaryservices, retirees, DoD civilians and their familymembers.Contents of Joint Base Journal do not necessarily reflectthe official views of the U.S. government, Department ofDefense, U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force and does not implyendorsement thereof. The appearance of advertising inthis publication, including inserts or supplements, doesnot constitute endorsement by the Department of De-fense, the Navy, Air Force, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling orComprintMilitary Publications of the products or servicesadvertised.

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JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLINGWASHINGTON, D.C.

Joint Base Journal Capt. Anthony T. Calandra, USNCommander

Col. Michael E. Saunders, USAFVice Commander

Joseph P. CironePublic Affairs Officer202-404-7206

Chief Master Sgt.Richard J. Simonsen Jr., USAFSenior Enlisted Leader

Cmdr. Kimberly HimmerPublic Affairs Supervisor

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JOINT BASE JOURNALPaul Bello

Photojournalist

COMPRINT MILITARYPUBLICATIONS

Maxine MinarPresident

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Deirdre ParryCopy/Layout Editor

BY NAVY OFFICE OF DIVERSITYAND INCLUSION PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navywill join the nation in reflecting on allwhose lives were lost or forever alteredby the Holocaust during the annualcommemoration of the Holocaust Daysof Remembrance, observed this yearfrom April 7-14.

With a national theme “Never Again:Heeding the Warning Signs,” the Ho-locaust Days of Remembrance invitepeople to look back, to examine howintervention by individuals or coun-tries could have changed the course ofhistory, and to remind participants thatfear and indifference to hatred createsan opportunity for evil to thrive.

The Days of Remembrance will in-clude the observance of “Yom Hasho-ah” or Holocaust Remembrance Day,Monday, April 8. Yom Hashoah corre-sponds to the 27th day of Nisan on theHebrew calendar and marks the anni-versary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.When the actual date of Yom Hashoahfalls on a Friday, the state of Israel ob-serves Yom Hashoah on the precedingThursday. When it falls on a Sunday,Yom Hashoah is observed on the fol-lowing Monday.

The United States Congress estab-lished the Days of Remembrance asour nation’s annual commemorationof the Holocaust, memorializing themillions of victims of persecution andmass murder. The Holocaust was thestate-sponsored, systematic annihila-tion of European Jews and other perse-

cuted minorities by Nazi Germany andits collaborators.

Between 1933 and 1945, more thansix million Jews were murdered. Addi-tionally, Poles, Soviet prisoners of war,Roma (Gypsies), Jehovah’s Witnesses,Catholics, political dissidents, thephysically and mentally disabled, andhomosexuals suffered grievous perse-cution under Nazi tyranny. The Days ofRemembrance serve as an opportunityfor our nation to reflect on the loss ofthese victims, as well as a reminder ofthe moral obligation of each individualto remain vigilant against hatred, per-secution, and tyranny.

Every year, Days of Remembranceevents are observed by state and localgovernments, military bases, work-places, schools, churches, synagogues,and civic centers. A searchable mapof 2013 Days of Remembrance eventsacross the nation can be found onlineat http://www.ushmm.org/remem-brance/dor/eventmap/

All commandsareencouraged tocom-memorate the Days of Remembrancethrough participation in related militaryand community events, programs andexhibits. The United States HolocaustMemorial Museum in Washington, D.C.offers free resources for planning anobservance, including historical photo-graphs, articles, posters, videos, ready-to-use resources and advice.

Resources for planning a 2013 Daysof Remembrance event for military au-diences can be found online at http://www.ushmm.org/remembrance/dor/military.

2013 Holocaust Days of Remembrance: Heed warning signs of hatred

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SEAMAN DEAN M. CATES

Logistics Specialist Seaman Jill Gold, assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, lightscandles during a Holocaust Observance Ceremony hosted by the American Heritage Observance Com-mittee in the hangar bay aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

1038039


BY PATRICK GORDON

NDW WATERLINE WRITER

WASHINGTON - Energy management is a prime con-cern to today’s Navy. By monitoring and using energywisely, the Navy can move toward “going green,” and savemoney in the process. Naval District Washington (NDW)is demonstrating its initiative in energy management withits testing of the Cognitive Energy Management System(CEMS) in Building 101 of the Washington Navy Yard.

CEMS is an NDW sponsored technology demonstrationdesigned to evaluate the effectiveness of intelligent occu-pancy-based building automation strategies to achieveenergy savings. CEMS will manage building lighting andenvironmental conditioning systems based on the pres-ence or absence of building occupants to optimize energyusage.

“This is part of our overall Smart Grid Pilot Program,and we’re looking for innovative projects like CEMS thatcan yield a reasonable return on investment,” said JeffJohnson, NDW chief information officer. “Any technologyinvestment that we can make to reduce our overall energyconsumption is part of our strategy.”

CEMS works by leveraging existing industrial controlsystem and access control capabilities to automate thecontrol of energy-consuming building infrastructuressuch as lighting, heating, cooling, and other servicesbased on occupancy. Simply put, CEMS will know howto regulate energy based on how many people are insideBuilding 101 at any given time. This optimizes energyusage throughout the day by ensuring that energy is notwasted when personnel are not in the building.

Personnel working in Building 101 can expect a fewchanges as a result of the CEMS testing later this year. Anaccess card swipe will be required to enter the building bytenants and visitors at all times. This will enable CEMS toactivate building lighting as well as environmental controlsystems based on the tenants entering the building.

When tenants swipe in, CEMS will be notified of thebuilding entry and activate the lighting associated withthe tenant’s work space. The system will also utilize mo-tion sensors and passive infrared occupancy sensors de-ployed throughout the building to determine occupancyand control the lighting accordingly. Environmental con-ditioning is also enabled when tenants swipe in, as CEMSwill be notified of the building entry and control the heat-ing or cooling of the area associated with the tenant’swork space to maintain appropriate comfort levels.

Extensive use of CEMS and other smart energy initia-tives are expected to result in a decline in not only energyusage, but public works maintenance man hours as well.According to the Department of Defense’s Strategic Envi-ronmental Research and Development Program, NDW’sCEMS program is expected to result in energy savingsapproaching 35 percent in locations where it is deployedwith a return on investment within 5 years. By adding ad-ditional intelligence to the enterprise as well as compo-nents used to secure the critical infrastructure, CEMS willevolve in such a way to provide the visibility of real-time

building occupancy and the analytics to manage the as-sociated energy.

“This test is going to inform us on future projects,” John-son said. “Once the test is complete, wewill look at the resultsand see what would be a reasonable investment on technolo-gies such as this for future projects in the region.”

Testing of the CEMS in Building 101 is expected to lastthrough April, 2013, and CEMS building management isexpected to last until April, 2014.

(This story is part four in a four-part series on the NDWSmart Grid Pilot Program)

Cognitive Energy Management System: Lights on when you need them

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY PATRICK GORDON

Jeff Johnson, Naval District Washington chief information officer, explains componenets of the Smart Grid Pilot Program, in-cluding an energy guard panel similar to the one being tested in Building 101 of the Washington Navy Yard. The energy con-trol panel is a component of the Cognitive Energy Management System that the region is testing to optimize energy usage.

6. Have a secret signal thatsays, “I love you.” As childrenreach middle school years, pub-lic displays of affection from theirparents can be embarrassing.However, they are still at an agewhere they need to know that youcare. Create a secret signal thatthe two of you can use in publicthat means, “I love you.”

7. Put your smartphone down.Eye contact can do wonders.Show your child that they are im-portant to you when they are talk-ing. You multi-task at work all day.No need to multi-task when youare spending time with your child.

8. Admit when you are wrong.We’ve all done it. We’ve had ahorrible day at work, and then weinadvertently take it out on ourchild when we get home. He/sheasks a simple question, and youreply negatively and start scream-ing. Take a minute and say you’resorry. Children are very forgiving,and they will respect the fact thatyou apologized.

9. Put your kids to bed at night.Children open up at night beforebedtime. This the “bewitchinghour” when you can truly find outwhat is on their mind. They willtell you what really happened atschool that day. It is also a goodtime to reflect as a family. Militarylife is stressful, and it is too easyto focus on the negative aspectsof our lifestyle. Take the time, atbedtime, to ask your child to namesomething that he/she is thankfulfor, or to reflect on a positive as-pect of the day. Help them learnthat there are always silver liningsto the dark rain clouds of life.

10. Be a role model. This maysound like a no-brainer, but it’samazing how many times we canfall into the trap of, “do as I say, notas I do.” Think about the choicesyou make every day, and what sig-nal that sends to your child. Fromphysical activity to food choices,you are showing them how to live.Don’t be a hypocrite.

Check out this month’s 411magazine to find more Month ofthe Military Child activities tak-ing place on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

CHILDn continued from 1

multiple fronts, according to Saunders.There are many preventive and sexualassault awareness classes that now cre-ate a culture where people understandwhat is positive and what will not be tol-erated. The Air Force has also created aspecial victims counsel to aid those goingthrough the court process involved withprosecuting sexual assaults.

“In the end, people are a treasured re-source,” Saunders said. “That’s why wemust do everything we can to have an en-vironment that’s respectful and one thatprovides dignity to all of our members.”

Marshall added that even one report-ed case of sexual assault, or domesticviolence attributed to sexual assault, isone too many. Over last 10 years, he saidthere have been 15,000 reported casesof sexual assault, domestic violence andchild abuse reported by the Navy alone.

“Please help us spread the wordabout this campaign,” Marshall said.“We have great programs that can helppeople cope with sexual assault. Let’sdo our part to put a stop to sexual as-sault once and for all.”

ASSAULTn continued from 1

1038379


FROM OFFICE OF NAVAL

INTELLIGENCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SUITLAND, Md. (NNS) -- Office of Na-val Intelligence personnel paused to marka milestone for America’s longest-servingintelligence agency during a ceremony forthe 131st anniversary of ONI’s establish-ment, March 22.

Presiding at the event, Rear Adm. Sam-uel J. Cox, commander, ONI praised thecommand’s intelligence professionals fortheir long record of accomplishments.

He said the ceremony offered an oppor-tunity to celebrate the shared experiencesof everyone who participated in some wayto naval intelligence. Cox said the achieve-ments include the sacrifices, hardshipsand all the great work that have built thelegacy that has been handed down overthe years.

Seventeen civilian and military awardswere presented at the ceremony duringwhich Cox lauded ONI’s civilians for pro-viding the long-term, in-depth expertisethat he said has always been critical tosuccessful intelligence production.

Cox noted historical examples of strong

relationships between commander and in-telligence officer.

“When Julius Caesar established the firstmilitary intelligence organization, he wasvery clear that ‘the spy reports to me,’” Coxsaid.

The death last October of retired RearAdm. Donald Showers marked the end of anera in naval intelligence, Cox said. As a juniorofficer, Showers played an important role inthe World War II Battle of Midway as one ofthe Navy’s “Station Hypo” code breakers atPearl Harborwhowarned Fleet Adm. ChesterNimitz that a Japanese attack was imminent.Under the command of Cmdr. James Roche-fort, then-Ensign Showers helped predict theJapanese navy’s moves.

“That bond of trust in intelligence waspresent at the Battle of Midway, and it wasthe key factor in Nimitz being able to takethe proper action based on intelligence,”Cox said. “I would argue that that rela-tionship between the military intelligencepersonnel and the commander held truethrough the Cold War, through today, andis still the fundamental issue of what this isall about.”

“Our primary purpose today is to pro-vide recognition and honor to some of our

stellar performers at ONI, both military andcivilian, who are building on the legacy ofall that came before,” he continued. “In themilitary, we roll in and out, back and forth,and the way you achieve the long dwelltime on the target is through our civiliananalysts.

“I would actually argue that in our par-ticular case, these (civilian) analysts whohave been working the targets for 20, 30years in some cases, (are) the main batteryof ONI, and that’s what makes this organi-zation really work,” he said.

Military members honored at the ONIanniversary ceremony were:

- Lt. Jeffrey Vanak, ONI Junior Officer ofthe Year

- Intelligence Specialist 1st Class (IDW/EXW/SA) Bryan Judicki, ONI Sailor of theYear (Sea)

- Yeoman 1st Class (IDW/SW/AW) TanjaSmith, ONI Sailor of the Year (Shore)

- Intelligence Specialist 1st Class (EXW)Abby Randleman, ONI Reserve Sailor of theYear

- Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class (IDW)Billy Kingry, ONI Junior Sailor of the Year(Sea)

- Information Systems Technician 2ndClass (IDW/SW/AW) Geneva Hume, ONIJunior Sailor of the Year (Shore)

- Information Systems Technician 3rdClass (IDW) Katherine Garret, ONI BlueJacket of the Year

Office of Naval Intelligence celebrates 131st anniversary

BY VAL GEMPIS

AIR FORCE NEWS SERVICE

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS)-- He’ll be the first to admit that his job isfar from easy. Maintaining highly complex,state-of-the-art cyber systems operationsequipment is something Senior Airman Jo-seph Cline finds amazingly difficult, but onethat he says has global implications.

Cline is a member of the 89th Commu-nications Squadron at Joint Base Andrews,Md., a unit responsible for supporting anumber of highly visible organizations, suchas the joint chiefs of staff, the State Depart-ment, even the president. And, according tohis boss, Master Sgt. Robert Jones, “he hasone of the most important jobs in the AirForce.”

The squadron’s high frequency globalcommunication systems is a worldwidenetwork of 13 high-powered, high frequen-cy radio stations that provide command andcontrol communications between groundagencies andmilitary aircraft and ships. Thestations are positioned around the globe inNorth America, the Pacific and Europe.

Cline is part of a 36-member crew in oneof the busiest maintenance shops in the AirForce. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s also excit-ing work,” said Cline. “Here at Andrews, wecan remotely control all worldwide receiv-ing and transmitting sites, as well as main-tain 16 radio consoles.”

The Air Force began operating its globalsystem in 1994, when they consolidated sev-eral high frequency networks that includedthe Strategic Air Command’s “Giant Talk”system and the Global Command and Con-trol System used by the remainder of the AirForce.

According to Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Derr,Andrews Net Control Station (ANCS) radiooperator supervisor, there are about 60 con-sole operators at Andrews who monitor theradios 24/7.

“They remotely control radio communi-cations transmitted and received from 13different locations,” Derr said. “The opera-tors report any outages to the maintenance

section right across the hall.”Derr said the unit has a mission that

mirrors the many missions of the Air Forceoverall: “They do everything from transmitemergency action messages to America’snuclear force to support space launches toprovide long-range communications forNavy vessels and maritime patrol aircraft.They also provide the president and othersenior leaders with vital voice and data com-munications.”

Staff Sgt. Julian Hupp is a cyber transportsystems technician who wasn’t exactly surewhat to expect upon his arrival to the unit.He said that each ground station consists ofthree sites: transmitter, receiver and con-trol, in addition to an infrastructure of an-tennas, feed lines and inter-site communi-cations - not an easy system to understand.

“I have a lot of experience on differentsystems from my last base, but the servershere were new to me,” Hupp said. “It wasreally intimidating. Sometimes you don’tknow which way to go and it makes youvery patient and innovative. But it’s one ofthe best feelings in the world once you fig-ure it out.”

Derr said that, whilemost units have con-crete technical orders, standards and proce-dures to keep their operations running, herAirmen rely on good old-fashioned knowl-edge and experience to get the job done.“We have no tech school or tech orders tofollow that are specific to this system,” saidDerr. “But there’s nothing they can’t fixhere. They always help each other, whichreally helps when you have to troubleshoota system half away around the world. Everyday is a training day.”

Airman 1st ClassMatt Laughner is a radiotransmission technician that puts his job,and that of his unit, into perspective. “Weremotely manage 235 global network infra-structure devices, 320 system servers andmaintain more than 900 network accounts,as well as a high-frequency email configura-tion. We don’t always see the results of ourefforts and we don’t know the content of theemail traffic, but all I have to do is watch thenews and know we make a difference.”

Andrews communicationsAirmen have global mission

1036127


BY STAFF SGT.DAVID SALANITRI

SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- AnAir Force legend was laid to restin Arlington National CemeteryMarch 22, officially “flying west”.

Retired Maj. Gen. Frederick“Boots” Blesse, a double ace pi-lot, passed away Oct. 31, 2012. Heretired from the Air Force April 1,1975, and into his final days, theAir Force was a consistent part ofhis life.

“He lived and breathed the AirForce until the day he flew west,”said Betty Blesse, Boots’ widow,who speaks about her late hus-band with great pride.

Blesse began his military careerwhen he graduated from the U.S.Military Academy, West Point,N.Y., in June 1945 with a rating asa pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

During Blesse’s second de-ployment, he was credited withshooting down nine MiG-15s andone LA-9 aircraft, according to hisofficial biography. He was the AirForce’s leading jet ace when hereturned to the United States in

October 1952.After almost 30 years in the Air

Force, the general earned manydistinguished medals includingthe Distinguished Service Medal,Silver Star and Legion of Meritall with one oak leaf cluster. Hishighest ranking medal was award-ed Dec. 3, 1998, for actions takenSept 8, 1952 -- the DistinguishedService Cross.

Below is an excerpt from hisDistinguished Service Cross nar-rative.

“Leading a flight of four F-86sprotecting fighter bombers frompossible attack by enemy MIGs,Major Blesse positioned his flightfor an attack on four sightedMIGs.Singling out one of the MiGs, Ma-jor Blesse followed it up into anovercast and broke out betweenlayers of clouds. As the two air-craft emerged from the clouds,Major Blesse was still in position,so he closed and fired, causing theMIG to burst into flames and thepilot to eject himself. Major Blessethen sighted a lone MiG and posi-tioned himself for another attack.The MIG began violent, evasivemaneuvers, but through superior

airmanship Major Blesse scoredhits, causing the MiG to snapand spin. Major Blesse followedclosely until the MiG recovered.He then scored hits with anotherlong burst which caused the pilotto eject himself. Through his cour-age, keen flying ability and devo-tion to duty, Major Blesse reflect-ed great credit upon himself, theFar East Air Forces and the UnitedStates Air Force.”

Blesse joined good companyin Arlington. According to Betty,Boots wanted to be buried at thesame cemetery his father, a retiredbrigadier general, is resting.

“He wanted to be near his fa-ther,” Betty said, who was marriedto Boots for 31 years. His fatheralso holds a place in history. Hewas the lead investigator duringthe famous General Patton slap.

During World War II, then Lt.Gen. George S. Patton contrib-uted to an event that has becomefamous through the years - heslapped a Solider, accusing him ofbeing a coward.

Fit for the occasion, pilots fromthe 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., flew

a four-ship F-15E Strike Eaglesover the internment -- the sameunit that Boots often spoke of.

“He was an Eagle guy,” Betty

said. “It would mean a lot to himfor them to say goodbye to him,and it certainly means a lot to me.It’s fitting.”

“Boots” Blesse flies west to Arlington

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. PERRY ASTON

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III salutes the American flagduring retired Maj. Gen. Frederick “Boots” Blesse’s funeral March 22 atArlington National Cemetery, Va. Blesse, a double ace with two combattours each in Korea and Vietnam, was the sixth-ranking U.S. jet ace andone of the world’s premier jet tacticians.

BY STAFF SGT.DAVID SALANITRI

AIR FORCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON (AFNS) --For decades, America has beenknown around the world as aplace of opportunity, a reputa-tion that has drawn people fromall corners of the world to inhabitthere.

It’s this reputation that moti-vated a husband and wife to leavea former communist nation ofYugoslavia with their two boys intow in 1961 at the height of theCold War.

This is the backdrop of oneAirman’s story; an Airman whotoday serves as one of the ser-vice’s top leaders.

Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc wasborn in the former communistcountry of Yugoslavia. There,his father worked as a tailor andmother served as a midwife.Though his parents worked hard,he said, there was somethingeven hard work couldn’t buythere: opportunity.

In America, your ability tosucceed is directly proportionateto what you put into it, Gorencsaid in a recent interview.

“The message to me was ifyou work hard in America, youcan succeed,” he said. “That wassomething that was not presentin Yugoslavia. That’s why theyleft -- opportunity for them, op-portunity for their children.”

Opportunity is not only whatmotivated young Gorenc to jointhe Air Force, but what he’s help-ing Airmen realize 34 years intohis military career.

“The motivation and attitudeof the Airmen, for me, is a pri-

mary,” Gorenc said. “I’ll take anAirman with a lower score or lessexperience, if they’re motivatedor have a great attitude. You can’ttest for those things. It comesfrom the heart.”

When Gorenc talks about thisupbringing, it’s clear that in theseyoung Airmen, he sees himself.

‘Two Ships Passingin the Night’

When Gorenc was 4, his familyemmigrated to the United States,settling in Milwaukee, Wis.There, they joined other familymembers from Yugoslavia.

“We chose Milwaukee becausemy dad had brothers who hadsettled there,” the general said.“And at the time, Milwaukee wasa very blue collar kind of town[with] many blue collar job op-portunities available.”

His family arrived in Americawith motivation and only about$100 to their name.

His father found familiar workas a tailor and his mother workedin a factory while taking Englishand constitution classes to be-come American citizens. Thiswas their routine for five years.

“I saw firsthand, though Ididn’t recognize it then, what asacrifice they made in their life-style in order to provide the op-portunity that came along withliving in America,” the generalrecalled.

Fulfilling their dream becamepart of his own, he explained.

“My father worked on the dayshift, and my mother had a nightshift job because there were notchildcare options available likethere are these days. Plus wedidn’t have money for child-

care” Gorenc said. “For years,they were two ships passing inthe night ... it motivated me be-cause I didn’t want to disappointthem.”

Gorenc was a motivated childfrom the start. While most chil-dren were learning basic math,Gorenc had to learn those thingsplus English. It was sink or swim.

Raised in an ethnic commu-nity, Gorenc said the goal was to“learn English as fast as we could,and to understand everythingthat America had to offer.” “Werecognized the fact that knowingEnglish well, knowing Americawell, was a way to move forward,”he added.

As Gorenc grew, so did his loveof school, he said. He didn’t justlove the academics, but what theentire environment offered him.

For most of his childhood, hisparents, he said, were “... other-wise occupied trying to sustainthe family.” “My entire life re-volved around going to school; itwas a safe place for me.”

An Airman in the MakingHis extra-curricular activities

included his school’s math club,football team, weight lifting club,band and more. Unknowingly atthe time, he was preparing him-self for a life of service in the AirForce.

The phrase “whole-personconcept” is well-known acrossthe Air Force and Gorenc hasbeen living this lifestyle since anearly age. The concept focuses onAirmen becoming well-roundedthrough unit and community in-volvement, active pursuit of off-

duty education and excellence intheir career fields.

“I feel like I’ve been an Airmansince day one,” Gorenc said. “Theway I grew up and the motivationof my parents was representedwell in the Air Force that I cameinto.”

The general noted that the AirForce seeks more than singulartalents.

“We value the whole person,as they come into our Air Forceand as they move up in our AirForce.”

Growing up, there was onlyone institution Gorenc wanted toattend after high school -- the AirForce Academy. Gorenc’s olderbrother, Stanley, was attend-ing the academy then. The elderbrother retired from the Air Forcein 2007 as a major general.

“When I was a freshman inhigh school, I went to parent’sweekend to visit [him],” he said.“I walked on the campus with myparents -- from that moment on,it was Air Force Academy all theway. It was very high-tech look-ing, so it attracted me visually. Iknew it was an organization thathad the future in mind.”

The ‘X-factor’Throughout high school,

Gorenc’s grades, though aboveaverage, did not stand out. Butwhat was distinctive could notbe quantified.

When asked what he attri-butes receiving his nominationto and eventual acceptance intothe Academy, he said it’s an “x-factor,” ... the “thing” numberscan’t define. The thing he looksfor in Airmen today.

Gorenc said his scholastic

aptitude test scores were just 10points above the minimum foracceptance into the academy. “Ihad to take the SATs three timesjust to get that score.” At the AirForce Academy, academics wereimportant, but so was athleticand military training ,” the gen-eral said.

“Being well rounded wasmore important than pure aca-demic achievement [and] our AirForce is like this,” Gorenc said,crediting his academic, athleticand community involvement forhelping open Academy doors tohim.

In order to apply for militaryacademies, applicants must benominated by one of their con-gressmen. Gorenc began with hissenators, both of whom deniedhim.

“I kept the (rejection) letters,”he said. “I have them at home.The senators said, ‘Thanks forapplying, your SAT scores are toolow.’”

But that didn’t stop him.Gorenc then applied through aman he already knew who’d al-ready significantly impacted hislife and still does, CongressmanClement J. Zablocki.

Zablocki, who representedthe people of Milwaukee formore than 30 years, sponsoredthe Gorencs’ immigration tothe states, and even nominatedbrother Stanley for the Academy.

The congressman, Gorencexplained, took a more involvedapproach than the senators forvetting potential academy nomi-nees. Zablocki commissioned athree-person panel of commu-

Through Airmen’s Eyes: An immigrant’s climb to the top

See IMMIGRANT, Page 10


Atlantic City Day TripApril 13 & May 18 | 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.Is Lady Luck on your side? Join ITT as

we head to Atlantic City, NJ for the day!Walk the boardwalk, shop at the outlets,test your luck at the casino and dine at anew restaurant. For information on the ca-sino and casino credit, please contact theITT office. Price: $38.75 per person

Day in New York CityApril 27 & July 20 | 6 a.m. to MidnightWe are headed to New York City! En-

joy the city either sightseeing, catching aBroadway show or shopping until you drop.Reserve your seat today. Price: $48.75 perperson

Sunday Family NightSundays | 5 to 8 p.m. | Potomac Lanes2 games of bowling, free show rental,

large cheese pizza and a pitcher of soda foronly $20. Maximum of 4 per lane. Must showactive Military ID. Please call 202-563-1701for more information.

Story TimeTuesday | 10 a.m. | LibraryThemes for April 2013 include:April 2: Children’s Book Day! (Interna-

tional Children’s Book Day!)April 4: April Shower’s Bring May Flow-

er’s!April 9: I’m A Hero Too! (Month of the

Military Child)April 11: April Birthday’s & Proud To Be A

Military Child! (Month of the Military Child)April 16: Kermit’s Happy To Be Green! (ForEarth Day and National Frog Month)

April 18: Save Our Planet! (Earth Day)April 23: Get Froggy! (National Frog

Month)April 25: Arbor Day!April 30: We Love Our Military Children!

(Month of the Military Child)Please call 202-767-5578 for more infor-

mation.

National PB&J DayApril 2 | 5 p.m. | LibertyEnjoy a good old fashion PB&J today to

celebrate National PB&J Day!Please call 202-685-1802 for more infor-

mation.

Patch ClubApril 4 | 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | LibraryCalling All Children Ages 7-12!! If you

have a love of reading or are working on it,join us in Patch Club! We meet once everymonth.

We feature various games & projects tokeep our members engaged in an excitingmanner. Some of the activities include pup-pet shows, crafts, posters, occasional partiesand much more.

Members earn Patches upon completionof reading requirements. We will discussbook’s read during the previous month anddiscover a new genre at each Meeting. Thegenre for April will be ‘Fantasy’. New mem-bers are encouraged to join Patch Club!Please call 202-767-5578 for more informa-tion.

Ping Pong Tournament (TEAMS)April 4 | 6 p.m. | LibertyPlease call 202-685-1802 for more infor-

mation.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month 5KRun/Walk

April 5 | 7 a.m. | Aerobic Center

Join us! The Sexual Assault Preventionand Response Program (SAPRP) and theJBAB Fitness Center are hosting the SexualAssault Awareness Month 5K Run/Walk.Participants have a chance to win a compli-mentary race entry into the 2013 Navy- AirForce Half Marathon and Navy 5 Miler thatwill be given to the first male and female fin-ishers. Note: Excluding prior recipients ofthe complimentary entry. Free t-shirts willbe provided along with post-run refresh-ments.

Please call 202-767-0450 for more infor-mation.

Rock and BowlApril 6, 15, 20 & 27 | 8 p.m. to midnight |

Potomac Lanes$15 for all you can bowl, including shoes.

Please call 202-563-1701 for more informa-tion.

First Friday featuring DJ Bob SkiApril 5 | 5 p.m. to midnight | Bolling Club

– Washington Dining RoomEveryone is welcome! DJ entertainment

from 7 p.m. to midnight. Club Members willbe given access to FREE Hor D’ouevres from5 to 7 p.m., non-members can enjoy theseitems for $10.


Wrestle Mania 29April 7 | 7 p.m. | LibertyPlease call 202-685-1802 for more infor-

mation.

Design a T-Shirt WeekendApril 5-6 | 6 p.m. | Youth CenterJoin the JBAB Youth Center staff for a

weekend of decorating/designing your ownt-shirt. You supply the shirt and we will sup-ply the materials. Sign up at the front desk.Please call 202-767-4003 for more informa-tion.

Liberty Cooking ClassApril 9 | 6 p.m. | Enterprise Hall Bldg.

72 2nd Floor Kitchen Come enhance yourkitchen skills with Liberty and learn how tomake different dishes!


Monthly Birthday LunchApril 10 | 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Bolling

Club Please call 202-563-8400 for more in-formation.

Early Bird WednesdayApril 10 & 24| 4 p.m. | Liberty“The Early Bird Gets The Worm!” Be the

first to receive a special treat from the Lib-erty Center. Hurry, only a limited amount.Please call 202-685-1802 for more informa-tion.

Movie Trip with LibertyApril 12 | 6 p.m. | AMC HoffmanPlease call 202-685-1802 for more infor-

mation.

Youth Sponsorship and MonthlyBirthday Celebration

April 12 | 7 to 8 p.m. | Youth CenterCome to the Youth Center to celebrate

your April birthday! Current Youth CenterMembership is needed for this event. Weinvite youth new to the JBAB communityto come and find out what JBAB has to of-fer, meet fellow members and hear whatthey have to say about the programming,

trips and activities. Please call 202-767-4003 for more information.

Shenandoah CavernsApril 13 | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Shenandoah

CavernsCabin fever is setting in, so let’s get

out and underground. ODR is going tosee the underground world of wondersof Shenandoah Caverns along a one-miletour circuit where a comfortable 56-de-gree temperature is maintained year-round. Plus, they offer the only cavernsystem with elevator service as well asthe added convenience of level walkwaysand no stairs. Your combination ticket in-cludes a professionally guided tour of theCaverns and self guided tours (with briefintroductions) to Main Street of Yester-year and American Celebration on Paradeand roundtrip transportation for $33 foradults, $30 for seniors and $20 for kidsages 6-14. Visit www.shenandoahcaverns.com for more details. Please call 202-767-9136 for more information

National Golfers DayApril 13 | noon | Andrew’s AFBCost: $20- Greens Fees $26- Cart Rental

$10- Club Rental Weather permitting, en-joy the day with Liberty at the Courses atAndrew’s AFB. Please call 202-685-1802 formore information.

DJ Cosmic BowlingApril 13 | 8 p.m. to midnight | Potomac

LanesDJ Chris fires up the night! All of the Cos-

mic Bowling, music and fun for only $15!Please call 202-563-1701 for more informa-tion.

Month of the Military ChildSpring Preteen Lock In

April 13-14 | 10:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. |Youth Center | Ages 9-12 years old

Join the Youth Center Staff for a nightof fun! Current memberships and permis-sion slips are needed for this event. Cur-rent members can bring 3 guests who havesigned permission slips. Cost is $7 permember and $10.00 per guest. Please call202-767-4003 for more information.

Paupers LunchApril 16 | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Bolling Club

– Washington Dining RoomTax Day Recover Lunch! Enjoy a paupers

lunch. Only $1.50 for Club members andregular price for non-members. Please call202-563-8400 for more information.

Third Friday featuring DJ Shawn DiggsApril 19 | 5 p.m. to midnight | Bolling

Club – Washington Dining RoomEveryone is welcome! DJ entertainment

from 7 p.m. to midnight. Club Members willbe given access to FREE Hor D’ouevres from5 to 7 p.m., non-members can enjoy theseitems for $10. Please call 202-563-8400 formore information.

Month of the Military Child VersusParent Basketball Game

April 19 | 7 to 10 p.m. | Youth CenterThe JBAB Youth Center is looking for

preteens and teens to play in two basket-ball games against their parents in thecelebration of the Month of the MilitaryChild. Preteens will play from 7 to 8 p.m.and teens will play from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m..If you are interested in playing, please signup at the front desk of the Youth Center.Please call 202-767-4003 for more informa-tion.

Single Leg TRX SquatApril 20 | Fitness CenterJoin us for our Challenge of the Month

to test out your lower body strength. Pleasecall 202-767-5895 for more information.

Earth Day Fun DayApril 20 | 8 a.m. | Marina Parking LotEnjoy a day full of fun as we celebrate

Earth Day with our Spring River Clean-Up,Earth Day 5K Run/Walk, USAF & USN DrillTeam performance, Blessing of the Fleet,Chili Cook-Off Contest, MWR booths andmuch more! Volunteers are needed to helpus clean up the Bolling and Anacostia Wa-terfront to make our surrounding a cleanerand better place to live. Please call 202-767-1371 for more information.

Month of the Military ChildApril 20 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Potomac

LanesAll children of our active Military person-

nel bowl for FREE! Please call 202-563-1701for more information.

Tie DyeApril 20 | 1 p.m. | LibertyCelebrate the warm weather by going

outside to do some tie dying! Please call 202-685-1802 for more information.

Earth DayApril 22 | 10:30 a.m. to noon | LibraryJoin the Library in celebrating Earth

Day! We will feature an abbreviated StoryTime with a small exercise on recyclingand then proceed outside for a RecyclingScavenger Hunt and flower planting in thefenced garden plots outside the facility. Allparticipating children can also put theirhandprints on fence slates. Prizes will beawarded to winners of the scavenger hunt.Light refreshments will be served. Formore information call 202-767-5578 formore information.

Earth DayApril 22 | 4 p.m. | LibertyDo your part and plant a flower! Please

call 202-685-1802 for more information.

Guitar Hero TournamentApril 25 | 6 p.m. | LibertyTo celebrate Guitar Month, come see

if you have the skills to rock your way intoclaiming first place! Please call 202-685-1802 for more information.

Month of the Military ChildCelebration at Bolling Green Park

April 26 |3 to 6 p.m. |Bolling Green Park/Pavilions 7&8

Join the CYP Staff for the Month of theMilitary Child festivities as we celebrateyou- the Military Child. Open Rec will be-gin at 8 p.m.. Please call 202-767-4003 formore information.

Bull Run Shooting CenterApril 27 | 9 a.m. | Bull Run Shooting Cen-

ter in Centerville, VAWant to learn to shoot? ODR is taking a

trip to Bull Run Shooting Center! A certi-fied instructor will cover the different typesof shotguns, shotgun safety, shooting eti-quette, the correct way to shoulder, pointand fire a shotgun, and a description ofeach game thrown. The instructor will workwith each student to get them started break-ing targets. The trip fee is $45 and it covers

MWR Calendar

See MWR, Page 9


BY JIM O’DONNELLV-22 JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE

(PMA-275) PUBLIC AFFAIRS

IJAMSVILLE, Md. - It’s an early Saturdaymorning, but instead of sleeping in after ahardweek atwork,Mark Fondren is preppinghis basketball team for tournament competi-tion.

Fondren, an integrated production teamlead in the V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA275) at NAS Patuxent River, can’t imagine be-ing anywhere else.

Fondren was at Oakdale High School inIjamsville, Md., on March 23 for the 2013Special Olympics Maryland State BasketballTournament. The tournament is one ofmanyfor Fondren, who has helped Special Olym-pic athletes in St. Mary’s county for the pasteight years.

The Special Olympic motto is “Let mewin; but if I cannot win, let me be brave inthe attempt,” and Fondren knows firsthandabout bravery. His son, Joshua, is a SpecialOlympian.

Joshua was born with Sturge-Weber syn-drome (SWS), a birth disorder characterizedby a port-wine stain birthmark and nervoussystemproblems. Symptoms can include sei-zures, paralysis or weakness on one side andlearning disabilities.

Fondren said his son’s special ability isright-side weakness.

“He started off playing mainstream soc-cer, but he couldn’t keep up with the otherkids,” Fondren said.

“We [him and his wife Sharon] definitelyappreciate the value and importance of teamsports andwewanted to keep himparticipat-ing so we tried Special Olympics and he justloved it,” Fondren said.

Air Force 2nd Lt. Nicholas Bixby, also

from PMA-275, is one of Fondren’s assistantbasketball coaches. Bixby’s older brother,Jason, who lives in Philadelphia, has Downsyndrome, a genetic condition in which theperson is born with 47 chromosomes insteadof 46. Its symptoms vary from person to per-son and can range frommild to severe.

Bixby, a development projectmanager for

the Air Force version of the V-22, has been in-volved with the Special Olympics for as longas he can remember.

“Jason and I had always played basket-ball in the alley, and I just started helping outwith his team,” Bixby said, whose parents re-main heavily involved with Special Olympicsin Philadelphia.

Bixby believes most of the people in-volved in Special Olympics are family mem-bers of the athletes.

“I think, maybe, 90 percent are familymembers or relatives of those with specialneeds,” Bixby said.

Fondren agrees, but said he’s always look-ing for more help.

“I’m always recruiting volunteers to help,”Fondren said. “It is how [Bixby] got connect-ed to the programhere in St.Mary’s County.”

Fondren said volunteers can come fromsome unlikely routes. “A lot of time peoplehave to perform community service forsome reason or another and they tend tovolunteer after their time is finished.”

Both agree their participation in SpecialOlympics pays out ten-fold over the timeand effort they put into it.

“It’s rewarding and it’s not a huge timecommitment,” Bixby said. “It’s a couple ofhours on Saturday and Sunday or a day forthe tournaments. It’s really about seeing thekids progress in their skills, overcome chal-lenges and building on that sense of prideand accomplishment.”

Fondren said the Special Olympics hasboosted his son’s self-confidence, enlargedhis circle of friends and he would probablyvolunteer if his son didn’t participate.

Two PMA-275 members share time and love for Special Olympics

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY JIM O’DONNELL

Air Force 2nd Lt. Nicholas Bixby, left, and Mark Fondren give their basketball team last-minute coaching instructions during their tournamentat Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Md., on March 23. Bixby and Fondren, both Special Olympics basketball coaches in St. Mary’s County,led their team to a win for the Traditional 3v3 division championship at the 2013 Special Olympics Maryland State Basketball Tournament onMarch 23. Bixby and Fondren work in the V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA 275) at NAS Patuxent River.

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Youth Jam 2013The Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Prot-

estant Youth of the Chapel will host YouthJam 2013 at the Chapel Center Friday,April 12 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at10 a.m. Ages 3-19 are welcome to attend.Music, dancing, movies and games will beavailable. For more information, contactTrina Randall at 301-325-0318.

AFOWC to host April luncheon and“Beach Blanket Bingo”

The Air Force Officers’ Wives Club willhost its April luncheon and “Beach Blan-ket Bingo” Tuesday, April 16 at the BollingClub. Guests can arrive at 10 a.m. Lunchwill be at 11 a.m. and bingo begins at 12:30p.m. Cost of the event is $20. For more in-formation, or to make reservations, call703-455-2809 or email [email protected].

Fitness Centers I and IIThe Fitness Center I basketball court

will be closed April 8 - May 31 due to ceilingrepairs. The front entrance to Fitness Cen-ter II will be also closed until April 15 formaintenance. Customers are asked to usethe rear entrance of the building.

Thrift Shop ReopeningThe Navy-Marine Corps Relief Soci-

ety Thrift Shop has relocated to Enter-prise Hall (building 72). The store hoursare Tuesdays and Wednesdays 3:30 - 6:30p.m. and the first Saturday of every monthfrom 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. For more informa-tion call 202-433-3364.

Protocol & Special EventsOffice has moved

The JBAB Protocol & Special Events Of-fice has moved to Building P-12. Coordina-tor Karen Smith’s new phone number is202-767-7710.

JBAB photo studio closureThe JBAB Public Affairs photo studio

is closed until further notice. For officialstudio photography support, contact 11thWing Public Affairs at 240-612-4430.

AFOWC Thrift ShopThe Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club

Thrift Shop is located at 13 Brookley Aveand is open Tuesdays, Wed-nesdays andThursdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Donationsare accepted during business hours only.Profits from the AFOWC Thrift shop gotowards college scholarships and other

military charitable organizations. Formore information about the AFOWC orits Thrift Shop call 202-563-6666 or [email protected].

Change to Firth-SterlingGate operations

The Firth-Sterling gate is closed onweekends. Once the gate’s automatedfeatures become available, the gate willbe accessible by any CAC card holder 24/7during normal FPCON “A” conditions.

Navy Wives Clubs of AmericaThe D.C. Metro chapter of Navy Wives

Clubs of America, Eleanor Roosevelt #37,hosts meetings every second Thursday ofthe month to discuss and plan volunteeractivities in the local military and civil-ian communities. Military spouses of allbranches are welcome to attend. For moreinformation, email [email protected] visit our Facebook Page at www.face-book.com/NWCA37.

JBAB Girl ScoutsCalling all Girls! Girls registered in

Kindergarten - 12th grade this fall and in-terested in joining should contact [email protected]. The troop meetsthe second and fourth Wednesday ofeach month at the community center onChappie James Blvd at 6 p.m. Girl Scouts;building girls with confidence, characterand courage for 100 years.

Jogging path closedThe jogging path by Giesboro Park is

closed until further notice. An alternateroute has been provided.

JNOTESMiscellaneous items related to your health,your career, your life and your community

transportation, ammunition, targets, earand eye protection and use of a rental gunfor the day. Please call 202-767-9136 formore information.

Save the Date: Operation MegaphoneWorldwide Lock-in 2013

April 26-27Military Youth around the world,

across all branches of services are in-vited! For more information, please visitwww.facebook.com/OpMegaphone or202-767-4003 for more information.

Medieval Times TripApril 27 | noon | Arundel Mills Mall -

Hanover, MDTravel with Liberty to a very popular

mall for fun, friends and food at MedievalTimes. Don’t miss your chance to see awonderful show! Please call 202-685-1802for more information.

UFC 159: Jones vs. SonnenApril 27 | 9 p.m. | LibertyPlease call 202-685-1802 for more in-

formation.

Sounds of Summer: Acoustic Nightfeat. Barry Charlton

May 3 | 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Slip Inn Bar& Grill

Listen to the sounds of the guitar fea-turing some of your favorite songs dur-ing our first Sounds of Summer kick-off!Please call 202-767-5840 for more infor-mation.

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CATHOLIC SERVICESReconciliation

Sunday 9 a.m. Chapel CenterRosary

Sunday 9:10 a.m. Chapel CenterMass

Tuesday 11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterWednesday11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterThursday11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterFriday 7 a.m. Chapel Center

Saturday 5 p.m. Chapel CenterSunday 9:30 a.m. Chapel Center

PROTESTANT SERVICESSunday Worship

Gospel 11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterGeneral Protestant 11 a.m. Chapel 2

Sunday SchoolSept - May 9:30-10:30 a.m.Any questions about these services or

other religious needs call 202-767-5900

Chapel Schedule

nity members, including a local business-man, a housewife and a priest, to interviewcandidates on their future goals and de-sires. Additionally, the congressman basedhis academy nominations on the Wiscon-sin civil service exam, not the SAT scores.

Clearly, they saw something special.Today, Gorenc is one of about 200 Air

Force generals on active-duty. He serves asthe assistant vice chief of staff and Air Staffdirector in the Pentagon.

As one of the service’s senior leaders,he uses a Zablocki-inspired approachto identify exceptional Airmen, some ofwhom will go on to earn stars on their

shoulders and lead the future Air Force, afact not lost on the general.

“The legacy that I want to see for me isin the end people will say ‘yeah, he knewhis mission, he did his mission well, andhe helped train a whole group of Airmenfor the future.’ That’s the only thing I givea (darn) about,” Gorenc said.

From seeking opportunity to overcom-ing adversity, Gorenc offers many lessons,though none are arguably more importantthan one he learned as a young Slovenianimmigrant with high hopes.

“In America, if you work hard, you suc-ceed -- that’s what I believe,” he said. “AndI believe that is true in the United StatesAir Force.”

(Joel Fortner contributed to this article)

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premierjoint base

joint base journalwww

familys military adventures

sault awareness month