Home Blog Page 48

Armed Forces Day honors all military

0

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country. On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too.

In a speech announcing the formation of the day, President Truman “praised the work of the military services at home and across the seas” and said, “it is vital to the security of the nation and to the establishment of a desirable peace.” In an excerpt from the Presidential Proclamation of Feb. 27, 1950, Mr. Truman stated:

“Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense”.

The theme of the first Armed Forces Day was “Teamed for Defense.” It was chosen as a means of expressing the unification of all the military forces under a single department of the government. Although this was the theme for the day, there were several other purposes for holding Armed Forces Day. It was a type of “educational program for civilians,” one in which there would be an increased awareness of the Armed Forces. It was designed to expand public understanding of what type of job is performed and the role of the military in civilian life. It was a day for the military to show “state-of- the-art” equipment to the civilian population they were protecting. And it was a day to honor and acknowledge the people of the Armed Forces of the United States.

According to a New York Times article published on May 17, 1952: “This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces … to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won’t be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty.”

The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions, and air shows. In Washington D.C., 10,000 troops of all branches of the military, cadets, and veterans marched past the President and his party. In Berlin, 1,000 U.S. troops paraded for the German citizens at Templehof Airfield. In New York City, an estimated 33,000 participants initiated Armed Forces Day “under an air cover of 250 military planes of all types.” In the harbors across the country were the famed mothballed “battlewagons” of World War II, the Missouri, the New Jersey, the North Carolina, and the Iowa, all open for public inspection. Precision flying teams dominated the skies as tracking radar were exhibited on the ground. All across the country, the American people joined together to honor the Armed Forces.

Team March provides national defense transportation anytime, any place

0
U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Russell S. McMillan

President Barack Obama proclaimed Friday, May 15, 2015, as National Defense Transportation Day and May 10 through May 16, 2015, as National Transportation Week. In the proclamation, he calls upon all Americans “to recognize the importance of our Nation’s transportation infrastructure and to acknowledge the contributions of those who build, operate, and maintain it.” We salute Team March members who take part in that transportation mission. Team March Airmen and members from an elite 57-person team, known as the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 2 (CA-TF2), load equipment on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at March ARB, Calif., April 26, 2015. The CA-TF2 team, sponsored by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Calif., was activated by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance on Sunday to deploy to Nepal in support of earthquake emergency rescue operations.

Threat level increased at Defense Department facilities

0

The 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Reserve Base, and other Defense Department facilities around the nation increased their terrorist threat level last Friday to “Force Protection Bravo,” setting off a comprehensive process of measures intended to protect troops and their family members.

Navy Adm. Bill Gortney, commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command, elevated the protection level so military personnel would be on “increased vigilance” because of a “vast array of threats, not any specific threat” such as ISIS, according to Air Force Master Sgt. Chuck Marsh, a Northern Command spokesman.

The elevation was a result of the May 3 shootings in Garland, Texas, between police officers guarding a controversial exhibit of cartoons about Islam’s Prophet Muhammad and two gunmen from Phoenix. The gunmen were killed trying to gain revenge for what they believed was the desecration of a holy figure.

“The impact to the base (March ARB) populace should be very minimal,” said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Dennis, NCO in charge of police services, 452nd Security Forces Squadron. “There may be a small increase in random vehicle inspections.”

From the desk of the 452 AMW Inspector General

0

Inspector General

Deputy Inspector General

The success of our FWA program lies with each individual assigned to the base. Support by both military and civilian members is crucial in preventing and eliminating FWA. You must report any FWA or lack of controls that could allow resources to be wasted or diverted from their intended purpose. 

Here are some definitions to help you determine if FWA is occurring:

Fraud – any intentional deception designed to unlawfully deprive the Air Force of something of value or for an individual to secure from the Air Force a benefit, privilege, allowance or consideration to which he or she is not entitled

Waste – the extravagant, careless or needless expenditure of Air Force funds or the consumption of Air Force property resulting from the deficient practices, systems controls or decisions. The term also includes improper practices not involving prosecutable fraud.

Abuse – the intentional, wrongful or improper use of Air Force resources. Examples include misuse of rank, position or authority that causes the loss or misuse of resources.

Gross Mismanagement – management action or inaction that creates a substantial risk or significant adverse impact on the organization’s ability to accomplish the mission. It is more than mere trivial wrongdoing or negligence. It does not include management decisions that are merely debatable, nor does it mean action or inaction that constitutes simple negligence or wrongdoing.  There must be an element of blatancy.

If you discover a FWA violation on base, you should first contact your unit FWA monitor. If the violation is not addressed, feel free to contact me or Maj. Wells on the wing FWA Hotline at 951-655-4400. You also have the option of contacting the Air Force Reserve Command FWA Hotline at 800-223-1784 extension 4971513; Secretary of the Air Force FWA Hotline at 800-538-8429; or the Defense Department FWA Hotline at 800-424-9098. Please try to work your issue at the lowest level in the name of expediency.

These austere times dictate that we should be aware of and report FWA. Keep your eyes open and help us be as economical as possible. You may want to consider volunteering to be your unit FWA monitor should you need an additional duty.

Feel free to visit our office in the Education and Training Center, Bldg. 441, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on drill weekends if you have any FWA concerns. Just look for the double doors east of the Education Office’s entrance. We are available for appointments by calling 951-655-4478 or you may email us at 452amw.ig@us.af.mil.

Senate panel backs smaller military pay hike, retirement reform

0

Senate lawmakers on Tuesday shook hopes for a larger military pay raise next year by recommending only a 1.3 percent hike in their draft version of the 2016 defense authorization bill, a move that could further widen the “pay gap” between troops and their civilian counterparts.

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s personnel panel differs from the House version of the annual budget legislation, which instead defers to existing law that suggests troops should get a 2.3 percent raise next year.

However, the House version does not include specific language mandating the bigger raise, leaving the door open for the White House to substitute its own pay figure. President Obama already has indicated his preference for only a 1.3 percent raise, to help rein in military personnel costs.

For an E-4 with three years of service, the difference between the two potential pay raises would total about $268 a year. For an O-4 with 12 years, it would be about $838.

Outside advocates say that can have real impact on service members’ financial stability, especially when paired with lower housing allowances and increased pharmacy co-pays suggested by the Pentagon.

They also noted that military pay raises have been stuck below average annual increases in private-sector wages for the last two years, widening the salary gap between civilian workers and their military counterparts.

But defense officials say the lower pay level could save the department about $4 billion over the next five years that could be reinvested in training and modernization programs.

On Tuesday, personnel subcommittee chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the smaller pay raise was one of a series of unpalatable options lawmakers are being forced to accept because of looming budget caps.

“Sequestration has caused us to make some difficult cuts, some draconian cuts,” Graham said. “Until we can replace that with rational cuts, this is only going to get worse.”

Full details of the personnel panel’s markup of its slice of the authorization bill will not be made public until later this week, after the full armed services committee has reviewed its entire draft bill.

But Graham said the measure will also include “slight changes” to housing allowances, which were trimmed by 1 percent last year in another cost-savings measure. The draft bill also will again call for increased beneficiary co-pays for Tricare drug prescriptions.

House members rejected both of those ideas in their draft.

Graham said the Senate draft also will include changes to military retirement benefits based on recent recommendations from the congressionally mandated Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.

That plan would replace the current 20-year, all-or-nothing retirement system with a 401(k)-style retirement plan and pension-style retirement payout. The change would allow all troops to receive some retirement benefits, but has received criticism from some military advocates over fears it could hurt retention.

Graham said his panel’s version of retirement reform differs from what’s in the House bill, meaning the two retirement overhaul plans would need to be reconciled in a conference committee.

The Senate version of the bill is expected to be finalized later this week. No time frame has been outlined for when the legislation might reach the Senate floor for consideration by the full chamber.

The House is expected to finalize its draft by the end of the week, opening the door for conference committee work in early summer if a full Senate vote comes in the next few weeks.

VA, Congress work to change VA Choice eligibility

0

Congress and the Veterans Affairs Department are working to change eligibility rules and open the VA Choice program to veterans who can’t get needed medical care at their closest VA facility.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said lawmakers and VA officials are working to change the regulation that bars veterans from using the private care program if they live within 40 miles of a VA clinic, even if that facility does not offer the services the veteran needs.

The rule has come under fire from lawmakers and veterans who say it has kept thousands from using VA Choice, a program launched in November to reduce patient wait times for appointments and improve access to health services.

Since the kickoff of VA Choice, nearly 51,000 authorizations have been issued to veterans to use the program, resulting in 48,642 appointments.

But more than 8 million VA Choice cards were issued, an indication that the program is falling short of its intended purpose, veteran’s advocacy groups and lawmakers noted at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday.

According to a survey by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the percentage of veterans waiting more than 30 days for a medical appointment actually increased by 10 percent since VFW last surveyed veterans in February.

And while more people are being offered VA Choice, according to the survey, 19 percent of those who decided to use it report waiting longer than 30 days for an appointment.

“Anyone who believes this crisis has been solved is living in an alternative universe,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the committee’s ranking Democrat.

Lawmakers did not provide a time frame for when the eligibility change to occur. The Senate passed a resolution in March on a 100-0 vote to change the rule; a House bill, H.R. 1909, has been introduced but has not yet been considered by committee.

The VA estimates that the change could cost the department $4 billion to $34 billion a year, according to VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson.

Gibson said VA needs “greater flexibility” in its contracting agreements for community care to expand the eligibility rules and cover costs.

“We will be unable to sustain that pace without greater program flexibility,” he said.

VA has asked for authority to use a portion of the $5 billion allotted for infrastructure and improvements by the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act to cover more than $700 million in cost overruns for a new VA medical center in Denver, Colorado.

Gibson also asked on Tuesday to use part of the $10 billion allotted for VA Choice to cover the cost of hepatitis C treatments for veterans. He said VA already has moved $688 million from its community care account to cover those costs, but needs more.

“It was the right thing to do, but it wasn’t enough,” Gibson said.

In February, VA Secretary Robert McDonald asked Congress for more flexibility in using VA Choice dollars, but that request met a mixed reaction on Capitol Hill, with many lawmakers saying they want the two-year program to remain untouched while it is determined how many veterans actually could benefit from it.

Veteran’s organizations said they believe veterans need more education on the program and VA staff needs to be trained to help veterans seeking care.

Veterans who call about the program often are told they are ineligible, or staff does not provide the necessary medical documentation to schedule appointments through the program or are slow to process requests for follow-up treatment.

American Legion officials said that in Puerto Rico, for example, veterans have been told that none on the island were eligible for the program since no point is more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility there — as the crow flies.

However, that strict geographic rule was changed in April to account for potentially winding roads between the homes of veterans and their nearest VA medical facility.

“The American Legion is concerned that due to improper training, some VA medical centers are not offering Choice access to their veterans at all,” said Roscoe Butler, the group’s deputy director for veteran’s affairs and rehabilitation.

Gibson said roughly half of veterans offered VA Choice say they’d rather be seen at a VA facility. He added that some also prefer being seen at VA facilities because they do not have to pay Medicare or Tricare copayments, which some veterans and military retirees must do when they use civilian care.

He suggested VA could perhaps be a second insurance payer to these other programs, allowing veterans what he called “true choice.”

“This isn’t about protecting turf. We are all about caring for veterans and being good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Gibson said.

Deployments, TDYs available for combat-ready reservists

0

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. —  Reservists seeking a deployment or temporary duty outside their Reserve Component Period vulnerability cycle can use the Volunteer Reserve System to search for opportunities.

Located online via the Air Reserve Component Network, known as ARCNet, the VRS had 81 “want ads” posted May 12.

These listed vacancies ranged from 20, 60 and 90-day gigs to 120, 180 and 365-day tours. Their locations comprised of assignments to U.S. Central Command’s overseas area of responsibility as well as every region in the U.S., including a telework job.

The database can be searched by key words, Air Force Specialty Codes and minimum and maximum grades accepted. This week, opportunities exist for first lieutenants to colonels and senior airmen to senior master sergeants.

“Supervisor permission is the first step in the application process,” said Capt. Brian Saul, 512th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander. “I also highly encourage all personnel who want to volunteer for a deployment to review their ARCNet Readiness Report and Individual Medical Readiness Report to ensure they’re fully eligible to deploy.”

Members must also route approval through their squadron, group and wing commander using a Deployment Volunteer Request Worksheet, found on the 512th LRS’ Enterprise Information Management site under the LGRDX tab.

Applying through VRS and submission of the DVR should happen concurrently, said Saul.

During the final steps of the application process, the volunteering reservist typically receives an email offering the temporary assignment.

Senior Master Sgt. Kwame Tawiah, 512th LRS, is currently working at Antigua Air Station, Antigua, where he’s supporting a half-year mission, which stemmed from a VRS opportunity. This is his third volunteer deployment – a once in a lifetime opportunity, but he said he’s had several disappointing experiences as well.

“I have applied for old requests that still happen to be in the system, and there have been delays in getting a request approved in time,” he added. “Be patient, and don’t give up. Check VRS regularly, because you never know when a (functional area manager) will post an assignment.”

There’s not a set day of the week or month VRS is updated. Its currency is based on input submitted by those searching for volunteers.

Potential deployers can find a job they’re qualified to fill using VRS in ARCNet, which is found online at the wing’s EIM homepage and through the Air Force Portal.

News Briefs 05/08/2015

0

IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY HONORS ARMED FORCES

Irwindale Speedway’s Armed Forces Appreciation Night is May 16th in honor of all active and retired military and their family members. Grand Marshal is WWII vet Carl Harstine, an expert marksman and rifleman in the U.S. Marines, on his 90th birthday year. Military/military retirees enter free with ID. March military members/military retirees may email megan.crusher.1@us.af.mil (by May 15) to be put on the March will call list for tickets. Email rank or retired rank/name/squadron/number of tickets requested. Tickets must be picked up by member (with ID)  listed in email on May 16 at will call. Each person (infants included) must be ticketed. If you miss the deadline, you can go to the speedway with your ID to get your ticket. Irwindale Speedway is located at 500 Speedway Dr., Irwindale, Calif.

FREE CAMP FOR MILITARY/VETERAN FAMLIES

Military/Veteran families: Free Family Camp is June 8-12 in Texas. Eligibility requirements are that children must be at least 8 years old and that one member of the immediate family must be military (active, Reserve, Guard or veteran). Activities include rock wall, zipline, games, swimming, kayaking, family bonding, challenge course, archery, rifle shooting and more. To register, visit https://campscui.active.com/orgs/Texas4HConferenceCenter# and look for “SESSION TYPE” along the left column of the page the click on “Family Camp Registrations.”  Hurry – it fills up fast!!

EXCHANGE TO REWARD MILITARY PET WINNERS  $900 IN SHOPPING SPREES

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is “throwing a bone” to military pets and their owners in the Patriot Pet contest. Through May 29, authorized Exchange shoppers can submit a photo of their pet along with a short description of their four-legged friend. Submissions will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, quality and effectiveness in conveying the loyalty and companionship of pets belonging to military members. The grand prize winner will “fetch” a $500 Exchange gift card. Additional prizes include a $100 gift card for two runners up and four third place winners will receive a $50 gift card. To participate in the Patriot Pet contest, military shoppers can visit www.shopmyexchange.com/patriot-family and submit a photo of their pet (or pets) along with a 50-word or less description. Entries must include name, address, phone number, date of birth and pet’s information (name, breed or type of pet).

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

Daily activities include: 

May 8 – May Fitness Month Zumbathon, Fitness Center, 10 a.m. – noon

May 16 – Pickup Volleyball, 5 p.m.

May 20 – Intramural softball begins (letters of intent available at the Fitness Center)

May 27 – May Fitness Month 5K Run/walk, 7 a.m., Fire Dept. Route

May 27 – May Fitness Month Racquetball Tournament, 5, single elimination

May 29 – May Fitness Month 5×5 Basketball Tournament, Fitness Center, 5 p.m.

For more information, visit the Fitness Center or call 951-655-2284.

   FITNESS CENTER INCENTIVE PROGRAM

The March Fitness Center is sponsoring a May Incentive Program. Earn points as individuals or groups by participating in scheduled group classes. The top two individuals to reach the goal will receive medals while the top two groups or squadrons will receive trophies. Registration sheets are available at the front desk. Each WellBeats TM class is worth 50 points. VIBE, Stomp, TKO and Kinetics series are worth an additional 25 points. Goals are 700 points for 1st place and 600 points for 2nd place and must be reached by May 31. It is open to active military, Guard and Reserve, family members, retirees, DOD civilian employees and contractors. Class times are posted in the Beacon and available at www.MarchFSS.com.

TICKETS & TOURS SPECIAL PROMOTIONS

— Medieval Times free Royalty Upgrade – Purchase tickets ($46 adult, $35 child) from the ITT office and receive a free Royalty Upgrade, which includes VIP seating, a commemorative program, a knight’s cheering banner and a behind the scenes DVD.

— Disney 3-Day Park Hopper Military Special – $130 per person, six tickets per person maximum purchase, valid until Oct 1, 2015, blackout dates apply.

— SeaWorld Waves of Honor Special – Free admission for active, Guard and Reserve members and up to three direct dependents annually.

Call the March ARB Information, Tickets & Tours office at 951-655-4123 for more details.  Full updated ticket discount prices available online at www.MarchFSS.com.

CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY WITH HAP ARNOLD CLUB

The Hap Arnold Club will hold its annual Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The price is $26 for club members and $28 for non-club members; $13.95 for ages 6-10 and $5.95 for ages 5 and under. Menu is Irish Whiskey-marinated steak, garlic herb-rosted chicken, garden spring salad with lemon poppy dressing, green beans Almandine, apricot-glazed carrots, rustic mashed potatoes, classic sweet potatoes, golden macaroni & cheese, Hawaiian rolls & whipped butter, cheesecake with caramel topping, strawberry shortcake, iced tea & coffee, champagne punch. Reservations are required. Call 951-653-2121.

GRILL NIGHT AT SALLY’S ALLEY

Every Wednesday night starting at 4 p.m., Sally’s Alley is open for business with Grill Night. On the grill May 13 is the chef’s signature marinated steak with fixin’s and salad – $14; May 20 is half-pound 100 percent Angus beef cheeseburger with fixing’s and salad – $8.95. Sally’s Alley is also now open every Pre-UTA Thursday at 4 p.m. For more information, call them at 951-653-2121.

LEARN TO FLY AT AERO CLUB

The March Aero Club offers flight training (flying, private license, ground school, instrument training) at a very reasonable rate including a pay-as-you-go plan with zero down. Visit them in Hangar 355 on base or call 951-655-3875 for more information.

NORTON-MARCH REUNION

Former 452nd Air Mobility Wing commander, Tim Wrighton, announces the Norton-March reunion at March Field from June 18-20, 2015. Visit www.norton-marchaircrew.org to learn more and to register. Access from government computers may be limited, so you may have to go to the site from a computer that is not on the base network.

YELLOW RIBBON MAY EVENT

The Air Force Reserve Command Yellow Ribbon Program invites you to a Regional Yellow Ribbon Training event to be held in Orlando, Fla., May 15-17. This event will include activities, referral information, education, vendor booths and interactive breakout sessions that span the concerns and issues faced by reservists and their loved ones before and after a deployment, including: Tricare, Airmen & Family Readiness, ESGR,  legal assistance for wills & powers of attorney, Military Family Life Consultants, Personal Financial Consultants, and more. For information on the event and the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, contact the 452 AMW Yellow Ribbon Representative, 2nd Lt Shelley Lawrence at 951-655-4615 or shelley.lawrence@us.af.mil.

CONSTRUCTION AT CACTUS AVE & RIVERSIDE DR

The City of Moreno Valley has removed the “No Right Turn” sign at Cactus/Riverside (east bound) and will see how it goes. They warned that during construction, the turn radius is not enough for tractor trailer/delivery trucks and it will be a problem for those vehicles. Please have your delivery trucks use the Heacock/Meyers entrance to the area to avoid problems with the construction crew. If a problem arises with the vehicle traffic while the construction crew is relocating the traffic signal and installing traffic modifications at the Riverside/Cactus intersection the “No Right Turn” sign will be put up again and enforced. Hopefully this will make things easier for all while the street widening project is going on. If you have any questions contact the March Community Planner and Liaison at 951-655-2236.

RIVERSIDE NATIONAL CEMETERY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND EVENTS

American Flag Placement – May 23, 8 a.m.

Several thousand Southern Californians will converge on Riverside National Cemetery with the goal of placing an American Flag on each of the nearly 180,000 gravesites. To volunteer contact Mary Ellen Gruendyke at (951) 640-3935 or maryellengruendyke@gmail.com.

The Roll Call Project – May 24, 9 a.m.

For the sixth consecutive year, volunteers will gather at the cemetery flagpole plaza to read aloud the names of the more than 5,000 Veterans who have been interred between June 1, 2014 and May 24, 2015. To volunteer contact J.C. Strauss at (951) 992-8349 or jcstrauss@live.com.

Memorial Day Ceremony – A Salute to Fallen Heroes, May 25, 11 a.m.

Introductions will be followed by Bradley Phillips, executive director of the National Cemetery Administration’s Memorial Service Network 5 as the keynote speaker. There will be a special presentation by American Legion high school oratorical scholarship program two-time winner, Amir Shahatit, who will read his award-winning essay. Musical accompaniment for the program will begin at 10:30 a.m. by the Riverside Concert Band. Military honors will be provided by the California National Guard.

Treasure uncovered near March Air Reserve Base

0

Defense Visual Information Record Center archivist Pedro Loureiro, sifts through mounds of submitted materials in his office at the Defense Media Activity-Riverside, California, adjacent to March Air Reserve Base. Loureiro, who holds a PhD and is a former college professor, is on a quest to find and preserve military history.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Treasure is tucked away in a building a street away from March Air Reserve Base. It’s hard to find because it’s in Defense Visual Information Record Center archivist Pedro Loureiro’s office, mixed in with a bunch of, well let’s be diplomatic here – “non-treasure.”

Loureiro’s job is to sift through more than 5,000 still images and 500 motion and audio products to find items of historical significance that tell the story of the Defense Department and the United States: visual treasure.

Air Force history is well represented with rocket and missile launches, aircraft, historic productions and combat camera documentations from March Field; Vandenberg, Los Angeles, Barksdale and Norton Air Force Bases; and Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.  At one time Norton AFB was the central repository for all DOD films. Much of that repository was transferred to the Defense Visual Information Record Center when Norton closed.

In addition to Air Force historical imagery, Loureiro has slides from a private collection that have not been publicly viewed.

“I was sent rare slides of the evacuation of the U.S. Ambassador and his staff from the Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, by a U.S. Vietnam War era vet who was a combat cameraman at the time,” said Loureiro.

Some imagery originated on a most unusual surface: glass. Some of the footage brings on laughter, he said.

“We have photos of the U.S. Navy Base in Norfolk, Virginia, that were first displayed on hundreds of glass plates in the early 1900s,” Loureiro said. “Some of the most memorable footage I’ve seen is some of the ‘why join the Army’ recruiting videos from the ‘60s,” Loureiro said.  “Seeing those bell bottoms and long hair, and listening to the way they talked back then was quite entertaining.”

Not all the history Loureiro sifts through is about the military.

In 2012, a former colleague, Mary Carnes, found a reel of show segments of one of the greatest TV shows of all time, “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” that didn’t exist anywhere else in the world. The show had a remarkable run on American TV from 1962-1992. Until 1972, Carson’s network routinely recorded over old show tapes with new programs because tape was so expensive.  For unknown reasons, someone from the Armed Forces Network (AFN) Broadcast Center kept a reel of Carson segments that hadn’t been seen by anyone since they first aired. It was Loureiro who played the reel for Jeff Sotzing, Carson’s nephew and the CEO of the Carson Entertainment group. The AFN subsequently donated the reel to Sotzing. 

Loureiro’s run is far shorter than Carson’s epic run. The DOD archivist joined the Defense Visual Information Record Center July 5, 2009, after teaching East Asian studies at Pomona College.

So why would Loureiro, a former college professor with a PhD, drive 90 minutes a day to take a GS-11 job? 

“I saw the job here as an opportunity to create the primary sources of military history that I had been using,” he said. 

When Loureiro talks about finding a gem in the stacks of routine objects, and his face transforms into nothing but a huge smile and arched eyebrows that you know the man is “all-in” with his quest to find and save military history.   

He’s not alone in that quest. In addition to Loureiro, his team sorts through, and logs in all media.

Roxanna Rawls and Dennis Martin are the media managers for motion imagery. They conduct preliminary sorting of incoming media to determine if the images should be a permanent or temporary record. Steve McGill and April Alexander do the same work for still imagery. Johnnie Williams is the media manager for film, and stills, and Lono Kollars is the chief of Multimedia Services, who ensures all equipment, software and digitization formats are current and meet National Archive/Library of Congress-approved standards. All media meeting the correct criteria is digitized and then sent to the National Archives as a permanent historical record.

It’s that opportunity to have an individual’s work or name permanently added to our nation’s history that gives Loureiro a big, juicy, digital carrot for private collectors that would otherwise not give up their imagery. 

“I tell them that if they send their images to me, we can digitize (them), and archive (them) for future generations,” he said. “Add to that, I’ll give them a digital copy of their old Beta tapes, reel-to-reels and old photos. That gives them their own durable image.”

Much of the existing media from American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) comes from private collectors, the producers themselves, or a relative.

“Up until about 1 ½ years ago, AFRTS was exempt from submitting their material for life-cycle management and eventual transfer to the National Archives,” Loureiro said. “That is why it is so hard to locate AFRTS historical content now. We’d love to have more!” 

It’s no stretch to say Loureiro is loved and appreciated by the historians and media reps he encounters. When a request comes in for historical information or imagery, the doctor turns part detective and part treasure hunter, coming up with sparkling tidbits.

In the last several months he won the praise of a producer creating a documentary on how the Vietnam War’s Hue Offensive impacted the American Forces Vietnam Network, and answered an international researcher’s question about whether the song “White Christmas” was the sign to evacuate Saigon. It was, but it was Tennessee Ernie Ford’s version, not the Bing Crosby one.

It’s Loureiro’s passion and love for history that makes him what he is – a treasure hunter extraordinaire.

March firefighters support local communities

0

Engineer Jeremy Gerrish (left) and Fire Capt. Frank Hanson, March Air Reserve Base Fire Protection Flight, were part of a strike team (five engines and one fire chief officer) sent to Corona, California, April 19, 2015, to assist with the Highway Fire, a wildfire that had the potential to become very large.

The March Field Fire Department sent a strike team (five engines and one fire chief officer) to Corona, California, April 19, to assist with the Highway Fire, a wildfire that had the potential to become very large.

Fire Capt. Frank Hanson and Engineer Jeremy Gerrish, both with the March Air Reserve Base Fire Protection Flight, were part of that strike team.

“As a fire captain everyone’s safety is my first concern. They don’t need to worry that their lead isn’t prepared, and in turn this helps their ability to focus on doing their job,” said Hanson “I would like to think there is a trust built. We have worked together for years at the station, and the relationships there have grown into a brotherhood.”

Gerrish, who fights fires as a Defense Department employee and as a Reserve Airman, said that balancing the two roles is challenging but ultimately rewarding.

“To know that I’m supporting my local community and keeping the area safe from fire on the blue side (civilian) and ready and able to protect citizens of the United States on the green side (military) is what motivates me,” he said.

In addition to their primary mission of firefighting and aircraft rescue, the March Field station is equipped to respond to emergency medical services, structural emergencies, motor vehicle collisions, hazardous materials response, technical rescues (rope rescue and confined space) and wild land urban interface to support wild land responses.

(NOTE: Other fire departments that sent strike teams to aid in the Highway Fire were Cathedral City, Hemet City, Palm Springs and Riverside City. The Highway Fire is fully contained, after burning 1,049 acres near the Prado Basin where Highways 71 and 91 intersect, according to ca.gov.)