By Staff Sgt.Beth Del Vecchio

Wingspread editor

Nearly a year inremission from testicularcancer, a staff sergeantfrom the 12th SecurityForces Military Working Dog section,celebrates a new year and a newoutlook on life.Staff Sgt. Nathan Combs, faced hisbattle with the disease that took thelives of his father and grandmother, with courage. With his mother, hisfellow handlers and his MWD, Bak,by his side providing an attentive ear with unconditional love and support,he has beaten cancer and is here totell his story.Sergeant Combs was born inBrewster, Washington. Shortly after,his family moved to Hawaii to start

61st Year No. 2 January 19, 2007Randolph Air Force Base Texas

President reveals plan

Taxseasontips

2005 Healthsurvey results

Staff Sgt. Nathan Combs, 12th Security Forces, and Military Working Dog Bak taketime out for a belly rub. (Photo by Melissa Peterson)

Portrait of Courage

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By Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio

Wingspread editor

Randolph members have the chance tobecome part of the base’s history by namingthe new park which is being built in the oldWherry housing area.The contest starts today for all of TeamRandolph, in search of a name thatencompasses the feeling of history andheritage that will be prevalent in the park.“We will open the doors for submissions forone month and the name selected will beentrenched in the wall on the park’sentrance,” said Lt Col Vincent Feck, MissionSupport Group deputy commander.In addition to submitting a name, entrantsare required to include their rationale on their proposed name for the park, said ColonelFeck.The park’s advisory committee will pick thename from the entries submitted. Theadvisory committee is chaired by the vice wing commander and is composed of seniorleadership from each of the wing’s groups.The committee will be provided counsel by personnel composed of public affairs, civilengineering, legal, senior enlisted advisor andthe wing historian.The author of the chosen entry will not onlybe honored with a permanent staple of theirtour here, but will also be invited to lunch with Col. Richard Clark, 12th Flying TrainingWing commander, and their name will be placed in a time capsule along with otherhistorical items inside the ball on top of the park flagpole.

Be par

t of histor

y,name Randolph’snew air park

“I don’t want any sympathy or empathy, I just want people to understand that cancer doesn’t discriminate.”

Staff Sgt. Nathan Combs

12th Security Forces

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Frozen Falcon

An F-16 from the Iowa Air National Guard sitscovered in ice on the Randolph runwayWednesday. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio)

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s R

ndolph

Team Randolph urged to know recall procedures, reporting information

By Gabriel J. Myers

12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

Team Randolph unexpectedlyexperienced an extended weekend whensevere winter weather swept throughthe San Antonio area this past week.Freezing rain, sleet and icefroze business on base for twodays, as roads closed andorganizations andschools shut down to keep people from traveling inthe inclement weather.Only mission-essential personnel such as securityforces, fire department and command post wererequired to report for duty on Jan. 16 and 17.The inclement weather tested recall procedures as well as the 12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairsability to keep people informed of delays andcancellations.

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For Randolphnews, visitrandolph.af.mil

By Senior Master Sgt. Clayton French

Air Force Print News

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – We, theAir Force, have an identity crisis. I vividly remember my firstday as a Professional Military Education instructor. On thatday, everyone stood up and introduced themselves to theirclassmates with the typical, “Hi, my name is Bob and I’m acrew chief.” Each student stated his or her first name and AirForce occupation. Then came the final student, an Army Staff Sergeant. He quickly arose and stated, “I’m Staff Sgt.Coleman. I am an American Soldier. I am a warrior and amember of a team ... I will never accept defeat. I will neverquit ... I am disciplined ... I stand ready to destroy theenemies of the United States ... I am a guardian of freedom ...I am an American Soldier.”After proudly stating the Army Creed, he sat down. Then along 15 seconds of stillness passed before Tech. Sgt. Jonesbroke the silence. He stood back up and proudly responded,“I’m Sergeant Jones and I’m an Airman.” He hesitated for afew awkward seconds and then concluded, “And I guess Ireally don’t know what that means.” Then he sat down.If you are on an Army post and shout, “hey Soldier” you’relikely to have everyone turn around in response. The samething will happen if you shout “hey Marine” or “hey Sailor”on a Marine camp or Naval station. However, on an Air Forcebase, if you try the similar “hey Airman” your onlyresponders will likely be our youngest troops.Why is that? Are we not all Airmen? Or is it because we“really don’t know what that means?” If you are asking yourself those questions, let me offer you a few suggestions.

I am an Airman.

I act with truthfulness and honesty. AsAirmen, we are entrusted with the greatest calling, protectingour country and our way of life.Because of our unique profession, we can’t pencil-whiptraining reports, or cover up tech data violations, or falsifydocuments. We simply can’t afford to live dishonestly.Dishonesty breeds mistrust, and mistrust erodes our ability to perform the mission. In everything we do, we mustintentionally do it in truthfulness and honesty.

I am an Airman.

I willingly sacrifice myself for thebenefit of the team. Being part of a team requires self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice must happen at all levels.Performing as a team requires a “less of me and more of us”mindset. We have to give more than what is expected. It’samazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn’tmatter who gets the credit. Being part of a successful teamrequires sacrifice.

I am an Airman.

I care passionately about my fellowAirmen. No other profession calls for compassion than thatof a military warrior. As warriors, we underestimate the power of a kind word, a listening ear, an honestcompliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which havethe potential to turn a life around. We must promote aculture of reliance on each other in order to accomplish themission. Without compassion, we will lose trust in ourteammates, and the mission will fail. We must care passionately for each other.

I am an Airman.

I am accountable for my actions.Individually, we are responsible for upholding the standards.We must live by the concept, “I am responsible.” Although we may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, weare responsible for our attitudes and actions. We must rejectthe idea that every time a standard is broken, someone else isto blame. We must live by the precept that each individual isaccountable for their actions.So I challenge you. Define who you are by yourAirmanship. The next time someone calls out, “hey Airman,”stop, turn around and respond. We are all Airmen. Together,let’s solve this identity crisis.

By Lt. Col. Ron Perrilloux

560th Flying Training Squadroncommander

s professional warriors, we workhard to lead our Airmen in theright direction. We accomplish themission, no matter how scarce theresources or daunting the task. We usethe authority inherent in rank andcommand to direct actions, set policies,and manage resources. We express ourvisions and set examples with our ownactions and behavior. We write reports,give feedback and try to get our folksto the right assignments so they can be promoted when the time comes. Buteven with all that on our plates, the jobisn’t complete.One responsibility often overlookedin today’s fast-paced environment isthe need to mentor our Airmen so theyare successful in their military careersand beyond. Air Force Instruction 36-3401, Air Force Mentoring, formalizeshow senior leaders think we shouldmentor our people and provides a pathway for assisting their professionaldevelopment.What we sometimes fail to realize isthat mentoring is not just an Air Force program in which we are obliged to participate; it is a critical part of the way every member of a unit, circle of friends or family learns to excel. It is ahuge part of how we take care of eachother and take care of the Air Force.Webster’s dictionary defines a mentoras a “wise and trusted teacher.”Whether you know it or not, you area “trusted teacher” to someone. Infact, we mentor others all the time without even realizing it.For parents, your children learn fromeverything you do, positively ornegatively. They see how you act,speak and behave in your daily life andemulate it in their own. They learn which actions lead to which results,and will choose the course of actionmost likely to bring a desired result.This happens every day in everyrelationship. Friends, coworkers,subordinates and supervisors all learnfrom each other and derive theirconcept of normal behavior from thatinteraction.That is why it is absolutely essentialto understand how our actions affectthose around us, and how it directlyimpacts the success of any Air Forceunit. If we set a good example for thosearound us and teach them to do theright thing, they will see the successthey deserve and so will the squadron.f you are an Airman, no matter yourrank, you can be a mentor. Rankand position may affect the number of people you mentor, and some of ushave a formal responsibility to provideguidance. But even the youngestservicemember is looked upon as ateacher by someone.No matter how long you’ve been at your duty station, someone has lessexperience than you. You can make adifference in that individual’s personaland professional life by simply passingalong the lessons you’ve learned. Itdoesn’t need to be an elaborate orgroundbreaking lesson; something assimple as teaching another Airman thebest times to visit the chow hall toavoid crowds can have a positive effecton someone’s quality of life.erhaps you will have theopportunity to speak at a localschool during career day or a Veteran’sDay remembrance. Maybe there is atour of your base for at-risk studentsfrom an inner-city school, by steppingup and passing along your experiences, you not only represent the Air Force, you provide someone else with some of the tools they need to be successful ina world full of challenges.Of course, mentoring also helps theAir Force develop the leaders and warriors we need to fight and win ournation’s wars.It is an easy thing to see at a trainingbase; the whole operation is focused onteaching new Airmen how to wear auniform, fly an aircraft, defend againstan attack, or accomplish a technicaltask. But teaching doesn’t stop aftertraining is complete and our folksmove on to their gaining duty station.Everyone needs to learn the Air Force’sunique culture.here is no formal training program to teach our folks where they fit into the big picture of the mission to fly, fight and win. Wedon’t hand Airmen a book thatteaches them how to manage theircareers or how to deal withsituations in their duty sections.Our history, our heroes, and ourheritage are all taught throughexperience and exposure, and we arethe teachers. We have a responsibilityto arm each new Airman with thetools he or she needs to be successfulas a warrior and a citizen. Formaltraining programs provide a strongfoundation of military and technicalexpertise, but a culture of mentorshipteaches the skills Airmen need to putthat expertise into practice.So be a mentor to your folks –read the AFI, set an example with your own behavior, and pass along your experiences whenever you havethe opportunity. Your people will bebetter Airmen and better citizensbecause you set them on the right path. The Air Force and this nation will reap the benefits for an entiregeneration.

While our goal is to provide the best programs,products and services to our customers, there will beinstances when people believe we could have servedthem better.In those cases, I ask the individual to first contactthe responsible organization to allow the unitcommander or manager an opportunity to ensureprofessional and impartial treatment.

When those officials are unable to providesatisfaction, the individual may contact me throughthe Action Line. I will ensure each Action Line callis looked into and a reply is given by telephone orin writing. I ask callers to include their name andtelephone number so we may send a personalresponse.

Commander

’

s Action Line

Call 652-5149 or e-mail randolph.actionline@randolph.af.mil

Col. Richard Clark

12th Flying Training Wing commander

I am an A

irman

This paper is published by Prime Time MilitaryNewspapers, a private firm in no way connectedwith the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive writtencontract with Randolph AFB, Texas. Thiscommercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of the U.S.military services. Contents of the Wingspread arenot necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by,the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense,or the Department of the Air Force.The appearance of advertising in thispublication, including inserts or supplements, doesnot constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, or PrimeTime Military Newspapers of the products or services advertised.Everything advertised in this publication shall bemade available for purchase, use or patronagewithout regard to the race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.Editorial content is edited, prepared andprovided by the Public Affairs Division of the 12thFlying Training Wing in accordance with local policyand style guidance. All photos, unless otherwiseindicated, are U.S. Air Force photos. Articles for the newspaper should be submittedby noon Thursday the week prior to the desiredpublication date. Items can be dropped off on a PC-or Macintosh-formatted disk at the Wingspreadoffice in room 110 of Building 100. Articles may also be sent by e-mail towingspread@randolph.af.mil or by fax at 652-5412.For more information about submissions, call652-5760.

Wingspread office:

1 Washington Circle, Suite 4Randolph AFB, Texas 78150Phone: (210) 652-5760Fax: (210) 652-5412

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12th Flying Training WingEditorial Staff

Col. Richard Clark

Commander

Capt. Heather Kekic

Chief of Public Affairs

Gabe Myers

Chief of News and Information

Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio

Editor

Melissa Peterson

Staff Photographer

Maggie Armstrong

Graphic Designer

COMMENTARY

Wingspread January 19, 2007

Mentoring: Not just a program, a way of life

“Whether you know it or not, you are a ‘trusted teacher’ to someone.”

A I P T

NEWS

Wingspread January 19, 2007

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

President Bush’s new strategy for Iraq,announced Jan. 10 in a televised speech to thenation, includes more than 20,000 additionalU.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad andAnbar province, increasedresponsibility for the Iraqigovernment and Iraqi securityforces, and more diplomatic andeconomic initiatives.President Bush, speakingfrom the White House, said hisnew strategy “will changeAmerica’s course in Iraq andhelp us succeed in the fightagainst terror.”The presidentacknowledged that thesituation in Iraq has changeddramatically since the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra inFebruary 2006. The sectarian violenceit ignited has overwhelmed political gains Iraqis haveachieved and created an “unacceptable” situation inIraq, he said.The most urgent priority in Iraq is to stop theviolence and create the stability needed for thecountry’s new government to succeed, the presidentsaid.Toward this end, President Bush said the Iraqigovernment has committed 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades to deploy across Baghdad’s ninedistricts and work in concert with local police.To help the Iraqis succeed in their mission, PresidentBush said he has committed five additional U.S.military brigades to Baghdad and 4,000 more troops inAnbar province, the most restive parts of Iraq. Henoted that 80 percent of all violence in Iraq occurs within 30 miles of the capital city and that Anbar province has become al Qaeda’s new home base.The U.S. troops will embed with Iraqi formationsand operate alongside them, helping them clearand secure neighborhoods, protect the local population and ensure that they are able to provide the security Baghdad needs, he said.President Bush said militarycommanders who have reviewed his new plan say it addresses the two principalreasons past efforts to secure Baghdadfailed.“Here are the differences,” the president said. “In earlier operations,Iraqi and American forces clearedmany neighborhoods of terrorists and insurgents, but when our forcesmoved on to othertargets, thekillers returned.This time, we will have theforce levels we needto hold the areas that have beencleared.”President Bush said political andsectarian interference during past operations prevented Iraqi and American forces from going intoneighborhoods that are home to the people fuelingsectarian violence.“This time, Iraqi and American forces will have agreen light to enter these neighborhoods, and PrimeMinister (Nouri al-) Maliki has pledged that political orsectarian interference will not be tolerated,” he said.Ultimately, President Bush said, “only the Iraqis canend the sectarian violence and secure their people.”But, he added, the Iraqi government has an aggressive plan to accomplish that.The president said bumping up the U.S. troop presence now will help the Iraqis succeed.“If we increase our support at this crucial momentand help the Iraqis break the current cycle of violence, we can hasten the day our troops begin coming home,”he said.President Bush said he has made it clear to PrimeMinister Maliki that the U.S. commitment is not open-ended and that his government must step up to the plate.“If the Iraqi government does not follow through onits promises, it will lose the support of the American people, and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people,”the president said. “Now is the time to act. The primeminister understands this.”President Bush cautioned that the new strategy won’t bring an immediate end to violence.“Our enemies in Iraq will make every effort toensure that our television screens are filled withimages of death and suffering,” he said. “Yet over time, we can expect to see Iraqi troops chasing downmurderers, fewer brazen acts of terror, and growingtrust and cooperation from Baghdad’s residents.”When that happens, Iraqis will gain confidence intheir leaders, and the government will be able to make progress in other critical areas, he said.“Most of Iraq’s Sunni and Shiia want to live togetherin peace,” the president said. “And reducing theviolence in Baghdad will help make reconciliation possible.”President Bush emphasized that a successful strategyfor Iraq goes beyond military operations.“Ordinary Iraqi citizens must see that militaryoperations are accompanied by visible improvementsin their neighborhoods and communities,” he said. “SoAmerica will hold the Iraqi government to thebenchmarks it has announced.”These benchmarks include the Iraqi government:• Taking responsibility for security in all of Iraq’s provinces by November;• Passing legislation to share oil revenues among allIraqis, giving every Iraqi citizen a stake in thecountry’s economy;• Spending $10 billion of its own money onreconstruction and infrastructure projects that createnew jobs;• Holding local provincial elections later this year toempower local leaders; and

Bush outlines new strategy for course ahead in Iraq

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“Team Randolph should befamiliar with their organization’srecall procedures as well as where they can get immediateinformation on their dutystatus,” said Capt. HeatherKekic, 12th FTW Public Affairschief. “The best option for TeamRandolph to get up-to-dateinformation is the Randolphhomepage, www.randolph.af.mil. Thesecond source available is theRandolph straight-talk line at652-7469.”In addition, PA will contactlocal television and radio stationsto report delays andcancellations.“People should keep in mindthat news and radio stationsreport cancellations and delaysfor the entire San Antonio area, where as the Randolphhomepage and straight-talk lineare for Randolph only,” Capt.Kekic said.Once a decision is made todelay or cancel the duty day, theRandolph Web site and straight-talk line are updated withinminutes.“I urge everyone to checkthese sources first, they providethe most accurate and up-to-dateinformation,” the captain said.“Make sure to refresh the screen when dealing with the Randolphhomepage to ensure you havethe latest posts.”

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By Sue Campbell

Wilford Hall Public Affairs

The Department of Prosthodontics at Wilford HallMedical Center is seeking alimited number of patients whomay need new complete dentures.Selected patients will be screenedfor possible treatment in theProsthodontics ResidencyProgram.The Department of Prosthodontics provides treatmentto replace missing teeth and softstructures of the mouth byfabricating dental prostheses.Applicants must be a militaryretiree, a family member of aretiree, or a family member of anactive duty military member andmust have a need for a new set of complete dentures. Individualsenrolled in the Dependents’Dental Plan are not eligible fortreatment, unless they haveexceeded their annual coverage.Eligible interested patients maycontact the ProsthodonticsDepartment at 292-4208.Interested patients should providetheir full name, a good day-time phone number and the last fourdigits of their Social Securitynumber.A limited number of patients will be contacted to arrange for ascreening examination. Patients will be selected for treatmentbased on the needs of the training program.

rosthodontic

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s denture patient

Resident, Capt. (Dr.) James Piper (left), 59th Medical Wing Department of Prosthodontics,reviews a complex plan for complete mouth rehabilitation with Staff, Lt. Col. (Dr.) DonaldSheets at MacKowan Dental Clinic. The Department of Prosthodontics is currently seekingcomplete denture patients for their residency program. (Photo by Col. Paul Rogers)