Col. Gerard Malloy (left), commander, 452nd Operations Group, and Lt. Col. Steven C. Priest, commander, 336th Air Refueling Squadron, stand at attention during Priest’s assumption of command ceremony while members of Team March’s Blue Eagles Total Force Honor Guard post the colors at the Cultural Resource Center here on Aug. 23, 2015. Priest’s appointment as commander of the 336th ARS was effective Aug. 23, 2015.
Assumption of command ceremony
Terrorism 101 – Eagle Eyes Hotline 951-655-7777
With the 14th anniversary of the September 11th tragedies at hand, it is time to revisit the security issue here at March Air Reserve Base. Since May 8, 2015, U.S. military sites around the globe have been in Force Protection Condition (FPCON) BRAVO, which applies when an increased or more predictable threat of terrorist activity exist. Sustaining BRAVO measures for a prolonged period may affect operational capability and military-civil relationships with local authorities.
March ARB is not immune to these measures.This year alone, there have been several security breaches around the world targeting Americans, and specifically U.S. military families.
Master Sgt. Juan Rodriguez, 452nd Security Forces Squadron, cites the July 16th slaying of four Marines and a Sailor at Chattanooga’s U.S. Naval Marine Reserve Center, or the July 15thdeadly force incident at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, where Security Forces members fatally wounded a threatening suspect.
Rodriguez added that in recent months, there have been multiple incidents at some of our local establishments such as the Circle K across from the main gate, and at the USA Gas station on Alessandro Blvd. Uniformed members have been asked suspicious questions like, What do I need to get on the base?What would Security Forces ask me for? Did you recently deploy?Are you deploying?
There are those out there who would choose to harm you simply because you are affiliated with March ARB or the U.S. military. Be aware and report anything you are not sure of.
Were you aware that an unknown civilian was found inside a fenced-in area at one of the Team March during a recent Unit Training Assembly without permission? That incident was the result of a team member driving through a locked gate and not waiting for it to close before proceeding.
We have got to be more aware and take these possible threats seriously.
The Eagle Eyes program is an Air Force anti-terrorism initiative that enlists the eyes and ears of Air Force members and citizens in the war on terror. Eagle eyes teaches people about the typical activities terrorists engage in to plan their attacks. Armed with this information, anyone can recognize elements of potential terror planning when they see it. The program provides a network of local, 24-hour phone numbers to call whenever a suspicious activity is observed. You and your family are encouraged to learn the categories of suspicious behavior and stay attuned to your surroundings. If you observe something suspicious, send your input to hqafosi.watch@us.af.mil.
Team March members can alert local authorities by calling the local Eagle Eyes Hotline 951-655-7777. Attempt to gather as much descriptive information of the individual and vehicle if possible; hair, eye color, approximate age, height, weight, race, vehicle make, model, color, license plate.
These are categories of suspicious behavior:
Surveillance: Someone recording or monitoring activities. This may include the use of cameras (either still or video), note taking, drawing diagrams, annotating on maps or using binoculars or other vision-enhancing devices.
Elicitation: People or organizations attempting to gain information about military operations, capabilities, or people. Elicitation attempts may be made by mail, fax, telephone, or in person. Examples could include being approached at a gas station (or mall or airport or library, etc.) and asked about what’s happening at the base; getting a fax (or an e-mail or a telephone call, etc.) asking for troop strength numbers… or the number of airplanes on base… or deployment procedures… or how a trash-collection truck gets on base… or the location of the HQ building… or how many people live in a certain dorm… or where the commander lives… or how many people hang out at the officers/enlisted club at night… or which nightclubs/restaurants off base are highly frequented by military people… or the workings of the base’s network firewall, etc.
Tests of security: Any attempts to measure reaction times to security breaches or to penetrate physical security barriers or procedures in order to assess strengths and weaknesses. Examples: a person grabs the base fence and shakes it and sees how long it takes for police to respond; a driver approaches the front gate (without ID and/or car sticker) and pretends to be lost or to have taken a wrong term, just to learn the procedures of how he is dealt with and how far into the gate he can get before being turned around; a person places a “smoke bomb” near the fence or throws it over the fence, just to learn how quickly police respond and what effect that has on front-gate operations, etc.
Acquiring supplies: Purchasing or stealing explosives, weapons, ammunition, detonators, timers, etc. Also includes acquiring military uniforms, decals, flight manuals, passes or badges (or the equipment to manufacture such items) or any other controlled items.
Suspicious persons out of place: People who don’t seem to belong in the workplace, neighborhood, business establishment, or anywhere else. This includes suspicious border crossings and stowaways aboard ship or people jumping ship in port. This category is hard to define, but the point is that people know what looks right and what doesn’t look right in their neighborhoods, office spaces, commutes, etc., and if a person just doesn’t seem like he or she belongs, there’s probably a reason for that.
Dry run: Putting people into position and moving them around according to their plan without actually committing the terrorist act. This is especially true when planning a kidnapping, but it can also pertain to bombings. An element of this activity could also include mapping out routes and determining the timing of traffic lights and flow. Take note of people moving around from place to place without any apparent purpose and doing it, perhaps, many times. The appropriate example here is the Sept. 11 hijackers, who are now known to have actually flown on those exact flights several times before Sept. 11. Their purpose was to practice getting their people into position, working out arrival times, parking, ticketing, going through security, boarding, etc. By taking note of everything around them, in one sense they were conducting surveillance and testing security, but they were also doing a dry run of the actual activity.
Deploying assets: People and supplies getting into position to commit the act. This is a person’s last chance to alert authorities before the terrorist act occurs. Look for people loading up vehicles with weaponry/explosives, etc., and/or parking that vehicle somewhere, or people in military uniforms (who don’t look right) approaching an installation or getting into a vehicle, or people who seem out of place standing by at a certain location as if waiting for something to happen. One fairly good example of this is the attack on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia. When the explosives-laden truck pulled up to the fence line (which was the “deploying assets” step) and the driver jumped out and ran away, that was seen by a spotter on the roof of the dormitory, who recognized this as suspicious activity. He then sprinted down stairs and began pounding on doors, rousting people out of bed and getting them out of the building. Because of that, he saved many, many lives, and it’s all because he recognized the “deploying assets” element.
March Airmen line field at Padre’s game
March Air Reserve Base Airmen participate in the San Diego Padres’ Military Appreciation Game at PETCO Park in San Diego, Sept. 6, 2015. The Padres recognized a different branch of the service each month, so September’s game fell to the Air Force. The ceremonial game included a swearing-in of newly-enlisted Airmen by Maj. General John C. Flournoy Jr., Headquarters 4th Air Force commander, followed the by the lining of the bases by Team March Airmen. Second Lt. Jeffrey Collins, 452nd Medical Group, sang the national anthem to kick off the game. The hosts provided free tickets to each Airmen to enjoy the event with a family or friend.
452 FSS – March ARB Intramural Softball Champions
U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tiffany Lindemann
The 452nd Force Support Squadron clinched the title at the championship Intramural Softball game against the 452nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, runners up, Aug. 25, with a score of 16-6. The 163rd Attack Wing took home the League Championship title with the best regular season record. Final standings were 163ATKW 13-3; 452FSS 12-4; 452CEF 11-5; 452AMXS 10-6; 452SFS 10-6; 362RCS 6-9; 729AS 6-9; 912ARS 2-14; 452MXG 1-8.
ANG Ready Airman website and mobile app; powerful resiliency, risk and safety resources
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md — The Air National Guard Community Action Information Board, in partnership with the safety, personnel and manpower, chaplains, and Surgeon General Directorates, have updated the portfolio of applications available on the ReadyAirman.org site and mobile app.
Initially debuted at the ANG Executive Safety Summit earlier this year, ReadyAirman.org is already receiving positive reviews from users and has topped 25,000 likes on social media.
“Starting in 2005 with SeeAndAvoid.org, joint midair collision avoidance, ANG safety garnered more than a decade of experience innovating, developing, and fielding useful web and mobile platforms for Airmen, families and communities–many of them going on to recognition as Air Force or even joint service best practices.” said Col. Edward L. Vaughan, director of safety and executive director of the ANG CAIB.
Ready Airman brings three successful legacy programs under one umbrella to serve as the ANG content hub for readiness, risk and resilience information, as well as the home of the ANG’s suicide prevention outreach and wingman day planning efforts. The ANG pioneered online delivery of resilience content for airmen and families in 2007 with the AF-best practice Wingman Project.
“When it comes to resilience, risk, and readiness, we already had three well-performing brands in the public space with interconnected missions: Wingmanproject.org, Ready54.org and Wingmanday.org,” said Lt Col Roberto Balzano, ANG Risk Management program manager. “We worked closely with our stakeholders and customers to bring those programs into one-stop shopping for our Airmen and families…preserving those functions that proved useful and adding new functionality that results in better human-to-human interaction.”
Vaughan continues, “The ultimate goal is resilient Airmen ready to execute our missions in a downrange war fight, a home front domestic response, or build security cooperation through partnerships around the globe –to do that we need to engage families too. Unlike the active component, ANG families are typically not centralized around large bases, but geographically distributed throughout civilian communities in 54 states and territories. Ready Airman is designed to engage these 105,400 citizen-airmen and their families, wherever they may be.”
The new Ready Airman portfolio puts users in touch with specific care providers or resources in their area, who are familiar with issues airmen and families face.
“Ready Airman gives Airmen and families the ability to locate their nearest care provider,” said Dave Schoenberg, ANG Suicide Prevention Program manager. “Whether it’s a chaplain, Director of Psychological Health, Master Resilience Trainer, Airman and Family Readiness Program Manager, so on and so forth. Airmen and families can locate the person nearest to them, or in their geographical region, with a tap on their mobile app.”
The site also contains information for Department of Defense and Air Force resources to access assistance no matter where Guard Airmen and families happen to be.
Ready Airman’s mobile app, available for most smart phone platforms, has additional features to summon help quickly, should an Airman or family member find him or herself in an emergency situation.
“It’s called the Fearless Five,” said Vaughan. “Fearless Five allows any Airman or family member to program in the five people closest to them, who are interested in helping them in a crisis situation. In an emergency, one push of a button on that mobile app sends an urgent message, similar to an Amber Alert, to all of those five people at the same time, and not only are they notified that you’re in trouble, they then can push a button and using your GPS location, get directions to navigate to where you are and render aid.”
The site also hosts more than 3,000 independent pieces of content, including short-format mobile videos produced for Airmen on a large number of topics which are two to three minutes and designed for leaders to easily put into a briefing, commander’s call or Wingman Day program. Units hosting a Wingman Day can also take advantage of the multiple pre-built agendas, or use the site to customize their own program, Vaughan said.
Vaughan also highlighted the site’s use of crowdsourcing to help Airmen and family members find the existing resources that best work for them.
“There’s an awful lot of websites out there and one of the biggest problems is how can anyone sort through them all and know which ones to use,” he said. “We went out and found 400 websites that allege to help Airmen and Soldiers. Most of them do, but nobody can make any sense of all 400 at once. Starting this summer, everybody who uses ReadyAirman.org will have the ability to rate, qualitatively, what they’ve gotten out of each site. [Users] will be able to go through and rate each one on a 5-Star system. You can also add your comments. For example, ‘I rated this a three because of X, Y and Z,’ and you can go forward from there.”
ANG Airmen and their families are often geographically separated from their bases and have very few of those bases with housing. Ready Airman’s content is derived directly from feedback from them.
“We now have the ability to reach them with messages from ANG leadership and the CAIB,” said Vaughan. “In those messages we talk about taking care of each other, the wingman concept, Ask Care Escort (suicide prevention), and we can make those resources available when they need it.”
OPM, DOD announce identity theft protection and three-year credit monitoring contract
Victims of Cybercrime to Receive Three Years of Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) today announced the award of a $133,263,550 contract to Identity Theft Guard Solutions LLC, doing business as ID Experts, for identity theft protection services for 21.5 million individuals whose personal information was stolen in one of the largest cybercrimes ever carried out against the United States Government. These services will be provided at no cost to the victims whose sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, were compromised in the cyber incident involving background investigations.
“We remain fully committed to assisting the victims of these serious cybercrimes and to taking every step possible to prevent the theft of sensitive data in the future,” said Beth Cobert, actingdirector of the Office of Personnel Management. “Millions of individuals, through no fault of their own, had their personal information stolen and we’re committed to standing by them, supporting them, and protecting them against further victimization. And as someone whose own information was stolen, I completely understand the concern and frustration people are feeling.”
ID Experts will provide all impacted individuals and their dependent minor children (under the age of 18 as of July 1, 2015) with credit monitoring, identity monitoring, identity theft insurance, and identity restoration services for a period of three years. This task order was awarded under GSA’s Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA) for Identity Monitoring, Data Breach Response and Protection Services which GSA awarded today.
The U.S. Government, through the Department of Defense, will notify those impacted beginning later this month and continue over the next several weeks. Notifications will be sent directly to impacted individuals.
For more information, or to sign up for email alerts, please visit https://www.opm.gov/cybersecurity.
OPM has previously issued the following guidance to affected individuals:
Monitor financial account statements and immediately report any suspicious or unusual activity to financial institutions.
Request a free credit report at www.AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. Consumers are entitled by law to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit bureaus – Equifax®, Experian®, and TransUnion® – for a total of three reports every year. Contact information for the credit bureaus can be found on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, www.ftc.gov.
Review resources provided on the FTC identity theft website, www.ftc.gov/idtheft. The FTC maintains a variety of consumer publications providing comprehensive information on computer intrusions and identity theft.
You may place a fraud alert on your credit file to let creditors know to contact you before opening a new account in your name. Simply call TransUnion® at 1-800-680-7289 to place this alert. TransUnion® will then notify the other two credit bureaus on your behalf.
How to avoid being a victim:
Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages from individuals asking about employees or other internal information. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company.
Do not provide personal information or information about your organization, including its structure or networks, unless you are certain of a person’s authority to have the information.
Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in email.
Do not send sensitive information over the Internet before checking a website’s security (for more information, see Protecting Your Privacy, http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-013).
Pay attention to the URL of a website. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net).
If you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. Do not use contact information provided on a website connected to the request; instead, check previous statements for contact information. Information about known phishing attacks is also available online from groups such as the Anti-Phishing Working Group (http://www.antiphishing.org).
Install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters to reduce some of this traffic (for more information, see Understanding Firewalls, http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-004; Understanding Anti-Virus Software, http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-005; and Reducing Spam, http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-007).
Take advantage of any anti-phishing features offered by your email client and web browser.
Affected individuals can obtain additional information about the steps they can take to avoid identity theft from the following agencies. The FTC also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them.
For California Residents: Visit the California Office of PrivacyProtection (www.privacy.ca.gov) for additional information on protectionagainst identity theft.
For Kentucky Residents:Visit the Office of the Attorney General of Kentucky, 700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 118, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601. (www.ag.ky.gov) Telephone: 1-502-696-5300.
For Maryland Residents: Visit the Office of the Attorney General of MarylandConsumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. (www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer) Telephone: 1-888-743-0023.
For North Carolina Residents: Visit the Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina, 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-9001 (www.ncdoj.com) Telephone: 1-919-716-6400.
For all other U.S. Residents: Visit the Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20580 (www.consumer.gov/idtheft) 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338) or TDD: 1-202-326-2502.
Mentorship is vital to professional growth
After Deborah Lee James
A letter to Airmen from Deborah Lee James,
Secretary of the Air Force
Airmen are the Air Force’s most important asset. Over my 30 years in defense and industry, I’ve learned the importance of mentorship. Leaders at all levels should be actively involved in their Airmen’s development, and all Airmen should actively seek direction and mentorship throughout their careers. We have developed an innovative Total Force platform to support your continued professional growth—MyVector.
MyVector is available to all Airmen as a place for mentors and mentees to come together and develop positive, professional relationships; give helpful, honest guidance; and find sound advice. The new application allows you to request a specific mentor via “Direct Connect.” If you don’t have a specific mentor in mind, MyVector has a mentor-matching capability based on characteristics you choose via “Find a Mentor.” The system has a real-time Mentoring Plan. Every officer, enlisted, and civilian Airman has a career field pyramid available to start discussions. Users can document achievements and share information with their mentor. You can find answers to mentoring questions on the resource page. Individuals interested in sharing knowledge can access public and private forums to discuss with their peers, leaders, and subordinates. Forums generate a wide variety of input and feedback on trending topics, important policies, and Air Force life. I built my mentor profile and look forward to personally mentoring four Airmen—please come join me at https://afvec.langley.af.mil/myvector/.
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact the MyVector POCs in AF/A1D, Maj Holly Chadwick, holly.a.chadwick.mil@mail.mil or Capt T.C. McNitt, thomas.c.mcnitt.mil@mail.mil, Comm: (703) 695-3594 or DSN: 225-3594.
Passion for design
Michael Quiboloy “Q”, formerly 163rd Reconnaissance Wing public affairs, left the California Air National Guard last year to pursue his writing and graphic design career. He is one of the founding members of Think Kings Publishing and a self-taught graphic designer, using the Internet to learn. “Everything is out there if you just look for it,” he said.
Also an aspiring author, Q was at a conference in Coronado, California, with Capt. Perry Covington, 452nd Air Mobility Wing (formerly 163 RW), and a group of friends, talking about how difficult it is to get an agent and publish their stories, when Q jokingly said, “We should publish our own stuff!”
That’s how Think Kings was born and the rest is history, he said.
Practicing graphic design in high school, Q said he learned that there were computer programs that he could use to make pictures of his friends look stupid.
When Covington, another founding member of Think Kings, asked Q to complete one of seven book covers for a series Covington was writing, Q agreed.
Covington had sketches, stick figures of his first book cover, a vague concept, Q said. “I could have never developed the cover from scratch,” Q said.
“I was standing on the shoulders of giants who laid the foundation for that first book,” he said. “Paul Duquette, a former co-worker, started it. I used his existing template, and polished it to make it work.”
Although he doesn’t read the books before designing the covers, Q said Covington tells him the book’s climax and just enough of the story to know what the front and back covers should look like.
“You want the covers to all look like they are part of a series, having a trend or pattern between them, so you recognize it,” he said. “Each book has a different feel or color, but is similar to the rest.”
With Covington’s pace picking up, Q said he doesn’t know if he will be able to keep up.
“Graphic design is hard work, really taxing. I can only do a book jacket about once every six months.”
News Briefs 09/04/2015
COMMISSARY CASE LOT SALE SEP 17-20
The March Commissary’s next case lot sale is scheduled for September 17 – 20. Sale hours will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. In addition to the case lot sale outside, there will be extra savings on items in the meat and produce departments inside! Save the dates.
INSTALLATION VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICER
With the onslaught of political debates in the news, it’s time to consider your right to vote. Are you registered? Do you understand military and federal employee guidelines for participating in a political rally or event? Are your social media postings getting political? The March Air Reserve Base Installation Voting Assistance Officer, Maj. Jessica Ditson, can help you find the information you need. She can be reached at
Jessica.ditson@us.af.mil or by calling 951-655-4551. Don’t wait until your state’s deadline to register. Choose to make your vote count!
LEGAL OFFICE MOVES TO BLDG 470
The 452nd Air Mobility Wing Legal Office has moved to the Wing Headquarters, Bldg. 470, Room 209 (2nd floor), 2145 Graeber St. The office phone numbers will remain the same. They are 452 AMW/JA on UTA’s at 951-655-4454; 951 RSPTS/JA on weekdays at 951-655-4479.
Service members and federal civilians may visit the Air Force Legal Assistance Website at https://aflegalassistance.law.af.mil for wills and Powers of Attorney (POA) and follow these steps:
1. Go to legal worksheets tab and complete wills and/or POAs.
2. Save the ticket number(s). Hint: Use your smart phone to take a screen shot of the ticket number(s).
3. Provide legal office with the ticket number(s) and last name(s) via email at 452AMW.JA@us.af.mil or telephone (listed above).
Any feedback for the March ABR legal offices is greatly appreciated. Complete a client feedback survey at https://aflegalassistance.law.af.mil.
452 AMW EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MOVES TO BLDG 470
Please be advised that the 452nd Air Mobility Wing’s Equal Opportunity office for EO (military) and EEO (civilian) services has moved and is now located on the second floor of the Wing Headquarters, Bldg 470, Room 207, 2145 Graeber St. Phone numbers will remain the same and are: EO Specialists (EO/EEO) (military staff): 951-655-4782; EEO Counselor (civilian staff): 951-655-7402; FAX: x2066.
All individuals are to be provided the opportunity to reach their full potential, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion and sex (gender, sexual harassment, sexual orientation).
Civilian protected categories also include: disability (physical & mental), age (40+ years), genetic information and reprisal (for EEO activity).
Services offered are:
– Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Complaint Assistance
– Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) through Mediation and Facilitation
– Human Relations Education (Newcomers, First Duty Station, Key Personnel Brief, Sexual Harassment Awareness, TDY Brief, EO Refresher)
– DEOMI Equal Opportunity Climate Assessments (DEOCS)
– Advisor for Special Observances recognizing minorities and women
MARCH EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SEEKS COUNSELORS
The March EO office is looking for ARTs/civilians interested in training to serve as Collateral Equal Opportunity counselors. This is an additional duty appointment. The Collateral EO counselors serve as a bridge between civilian employees and management for informal complaints concerning discrimination. Applicants should be at ease with oral and written communication to all pay grades, and have the ability to remain neutral while performing his or her duties. The additional duty will not exceed 20 percent of the counselor’s primary job duties. Applicants range from GS-05 to GS-12 or equivalent. Primary supervisor concurrence required. Training is required, date/time to be determined. If interested, contact Ms Paula Greenhaw, paula.greenhaw@us.af.mil, Maj. Nixomar Santiago, nixomar.santiago@us.af.mil.
SINGER/EMCEE AUDITIONS SEPT 12
Auditions for national anthem singers and master/mistress of ceremonies for the Nov 21, 2015 military mall will be Sept 12, 9-11 a.m., inside Sally’s Alley on base. Stop by and strut your stuff for an opportunity to be an integral part of the annual event. All are welcomed!
HELP DECORATE THE BACK STREET CAFÉ
You are invited to be part of the Back Street Café’s transformation. The Hap Arnold Club is looking for “Team March” specific items/memorabilia to decorate the walls of the new Back Street Café. Bring items to Bldg. 434, the administrative office by Sep 15, 2015. Any unused items will be returned. Call 951-655-2801 for more information.
ANNUAL KID’S RUN AND ADULT 5K
The 452nd Force Support Squadron Fitness Center’s Annual Kids & Adult 5K Run, in conjunction with the 1st Sgt’s Council, is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2015 at 7 a.m. across from the air traffic control tower. Check-in time is 5:30 a.m. This one event includes a kids’ and adults’ 5K run, and a 1st Sgt’s unit formation run. Kid’s age groups are: 5-6, 7-8, and 9-13. Medals and T-shirts will be awarded along with a unit trophy. Sign up at americaskidsrun.org.
VIRTUAL AIRMAN’S ATTIC
Did you know March ARB has a virtual Airman’s Attic? Log on to Facebook and search “March ARB Airman’s Attic” to like it. The site is where all Team March members can post things they are in need of and/or offer items (for FREE) that they would like to donate to help someone at March in need. The site is NOT for selling or advertising. All items offered must be completely FREE. The link is as follows: https://www.facebook.com/marchairmansattic?ref=tn_tnmn#!/marchairmansattic. Please share the site with your family and friends so we can help some of our own.
REGISTER FOR YELLOW RIBBON EVENTS
The September 25-27 Yellow Ribbon event is open for registration for eligible members. For more formation, contact 1st Lt. Shelley Lawrence, your 452nd Air Mobility Wing Yellow Ribbon representative, for details at 951-655-4615.
HOUSEKEEPER JOBS
The March Inn has non-appropriated funds job vacancy announcements listed at www.NAFJobs.org for housekeepers. Applications being accepted on website.
HAP ARNOLD CLUB
The Back Street Café is temporarily operating in the Grande Ballroom at the Hap Arnold Club and serving breakfast and lunch. Most of your Back Street favorites are available, such as breakfast burritos, french toast, fried chicken, March Burger, salmon sandwich and more! Download the full menu with pricing at MarchFSS.com. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday: 6:30-10 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. for lunch.
UTA operating hours are 5:30-9 a.m. for breakfast (Sat & Sun); 11-1 p.m. for lunch (Sat & Sun), and 4-8 p.m. for dinner (Fri & Sat).
MARCH TICKETS & TOURS
Water Park Specials
Aquatica: $36 adult; $31 child
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor: $31 adult/child
Raging Waters: $37 adult/child
Knott’s Soak City: $29 adult; $24 child
Splash Kingdom: $22 adult; $14 child (ages 3-10)
Helpful links to water park summer schedules available at MarchFSS.com.
Amusement Park Specials
Castle Park: $16 per person includes unlimited rides, water park access, miniature golf and the new Sky Rider.
Disney 3-Day Park Hopper military special: $130 per person (adult/child)
SeaWorld “Waves of Honor” special: Extended through November 11, 2015. Program provides a one-time, limited, free admission to SeaWorld San Diego per veteran service member and up to three guests. Visit WavesofHonor.com to register for and obtain your free admissions. Additional tickets are available for purchase from the Tickets & Tours office.
Discount Movie Tickets
Available for only $10 each and valid for Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Cinemas.
Hotel Discounts
Receive 10% off any Best Western and 15% off any Choice Hotel
Visit the Tickets & Tours page at MarchFSS.com and download the Discount Ticket Price List for a full list of discounts tickets prices, hotel discounts and special promotions. Call Tickets & Tours at 951-655-4123 for more information.
FINAL, FREE, SUMMER OUTDOOR MOVIE
Outdoor Recreation is pleased to announce their summer movie series. All movies are free and start at dusk on the “A” and “B” UTA’s. Bring your own chairs, blankets, snacks, etc., and join us on the lawn behind the Outdoor Recreation/Tickets and Tours – Bldg. 434. Be sure to take all of your belongings and properly dispose of your trash before you leave. Movies are open to anyone with base access. For more information, call Outdoor Recreation at 951-655-2816.
Sep. 12: McFarland USA (PG-13) – A cross country coach in a small California town transforms a team of athletes into championship contenders. Stars: Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Ramiro Rodriguez
LEARN TO FLY WITH THE AERO CLUB
The March Aero Club offers flight training (flying, private license, ground school, instrument training) at very reasonable rates including a pay-as-you-go plan with zero down. Visit Hangar 355 on base or call 951-655-3875 for more information.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE TRIPS
March Outdoor Recreation plans the following trips for the remainder of the fiscal year:
September 19 – Skydive in Perris for $50 per person
September 26 – Three-hour Alpine horseback tour in Big Bear for $42 per person
Call them at 951-655-2816 for further details or to sign up.
ODR EQUIPMENT RENTALS
Outdoor Recreation has a variety of equipment for rent such as camping gear, water sports equipment, bicycles, and trailers to carry it all! Special orders for Callaway, Odyssey, Cleveland, Never Compromise, Nike, Bag Boy, Sun Mountain and Staff golf equipment are also available. Download the full equipment rental price list at MarchFSS.com, call 951-655-2816 or come on by for more information.
RIDE A BIKE ON UTAs
Outdoor Recreation, in conjunction with the Fitness and Sports Center, offers FREE bike rentals to UTA members from now through September. Male and female beach cruisers, including helmets and locks will be located in front of the Fitness Center and issued by Force Support Squadron fitness personnel. Due to a limited supply, only 10 bikes will be made available each UTA weekend. Mountain bikes are available by special request only through Outdoor Recreation. For more information, call ODR at 951-655-2816 or the Fitness Center at 951- 655-2292.
FITNESS CENTER NEWS
The March Fitness Center has received the Wellbeats Virtual Group Fitness Kiosk. This kiosk allows members to participate in virtual fitness classes.
Daily Fitness Schedule is:
Mondays: 6 a.m. — Virtual Fusion Yoga; 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. — Intro TRX; 11 a.m. —Virtual Spin
Tuesdays: 11 a.m. — Virtual Strength “Fit for Duty;” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. — Circuit Training
Wednesdays: 6 a.m. — Virtual Fusion Yoga; 11 a.m. — Zumba; 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Fusion Yoga; 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. — Battle Ropes Circuit Training
Thursdays: 11 a.m. —Virtual Spin; 12:15 p.m. — Virtual Strength “Fit for Duty;” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. — Circuit Training
Fridays: 10 a.m. — Zumba; 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. — Intermediate TRX; 11:15 a.m. — Virtual Cardio
UTA Saturdays: (A UTA) 5 p.m. — Virtual Strength “Fit for Duty;” (B UTA) 5-7 p.m. — Pick-up Basketball
Call the Fitness & Sports center at 951-655-2292 to sign up or for more information on these programs.
SALLYS ALLEY GRILL NIGHT
Every Wednesday night starting at 4 p.m., Sally’s Alley is open for business with Grill Night. Sally’s Alley is also now open every Pre-UTA Thursday at 4 p.m. For more information, call them at 951-653-2121.
THE 452ND AIR MOBILITY WING’S 2015 MILITARY BALL
The 452nd Air Mobility Wing’s 2015 Military Ball is scheduled for Saturday, November 21. This year’s location remains the Riverside Convention Center, and this year we will have a Holiday Theme. This will be a fantastic evening and one you do not want to miss. Ticket prices dropped to $60 per person. See your first sergeant to purchase tickets or contact SMSgt. Griffey at 951-655-3999. There are 40 rooms available at the Marriott for $123 each, and 50 rooms available at the Hyatt Place for $105 each (the Hyatt Place price includes breakfast). When you call to make a reservation, mention the 2015 Military Ball to get the correct rate. You can contact The Marriott at 1-800-228-9290 or (951)784-8000 for reservations and The Hyatt Place at 1-888-553-1300 or (951)321-3500. ROOM RATE INCREASE-The Marriott Hotel advises that the room rates for the 2015 military ball were increased from $110 to $123 due to the FY 16 military per diem rate change that was recently released.
RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
The March Retiree Activities office is looking for volunteers to work a three-hour shift each week. This is a great opportunity to continue serving fellow retirees while learning about benefits available. For more information or to volunteer, call 951-655-4077 or 4079. Current openings are Mondays and Wednesdays, noon – 3 p.m.
September is Suicide Prevention Month
Deaths as a result of suicide are a preventable public health concern and a top priority for the Department of Defense. The Military Health System works with military and civilian organizations to build awareness of suicidal behavior and risks, and provide prevention programs and resources to help service members and their families cope with mental health issues and everyday stressors. The MHS also promotes programs that instill the skills needed to manage life’s challenges and encourages those with suicidal ideation to seek help.
“American Airmen are agile, innovative, and always accomplish the mission! To do this, we overcome obstacles every day, both professionally and personally,” said General Mark. A Welsh III, Air Force Chief of Staff. “I urge you to guard and strengthen that resilience. Take care of yourself, your family and fellow Airmen. If you see someone in need, help them. If you’re the one struggling, make the right choice and seek help from a friend, a supervisor, or a professional.”
Reaching out for help is a sign of strength – find that strength and help others by decreasing the stigma and dispelling myths.
Maintaining interactions with family can be tough. Each day is an important opportunity to better connect. Learn parenting skills to help strengthen your relationships with your children. Resiliency is a prominent characteristic of an Airman. Learn how to translate this into your family life to strengthen your relationships.
Get tips for spotting warning signs, coping with the loss of a friend at guardyourhealth.com.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Taking care of your mind is just as important as your body. Find hope by getting support. A team of professionals stands ready to help.
This month, and all year long 24/7/365 – if you or a fellow Airman is in crisis, help is a phone call away. At March Air Reserve Base, members may contact Elaine Valentine (olga.valentine@us.af.mil), 951-655-5097 or Frank Pavone (frank.pavone@us.af.mil), 951-655-4551 anytime for help. Another number you may call if you need help anytime day or night is 951-655-7272. For more information on how to stay supportive of your Wingman, visit airforcemedicine.af.mil/suicideprevention.
