January 31, 2010 at 9:03am
By McChord Field Release
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- When Staff Sgt. Josh Kreutzer, 62nd Civil Engineer Squadron, unearthed a box of jumbled papers under the wing chapel last month referencing McChord Field, he hadn't discovered part of a secret or lost Joint Base Lewis-McChord transition plan.
Rather, the documents offered a glimpse of McChord's past - dating to a time when servicemembers went on furlough, the per diem rate was $2 per day for lodging, "pets and friends" were expressly not authorized during temporary duty travel, and new enlistees reported to the Indoctrination Division of Air Training Command in San Antonio, Texas, for processing.
Sergeant Kreutzer and Thomas Wyatt, also 62nd CES, had been working on a maintenance issue underneath the McChord chapel when the sergeant came across what he describes as simply "a hole in the ground". Taking a closer look, he noticed something in the hole - a container of some kind.
Lifting the documents out, the box itself basically fell apart, he said, but a majority of the papers were in excellent shape. He quickly called for Mr. Wyatt and soon they were flipping through the pages of distant McChord and Air Force history.
Some of the better-preserved documents include special orders from McChord Field, copies of Air Force Association and Reserve Officer magazines from 1947-48, radio scripts, religious posters, and a stack of programs for the 1947 base chapel Christmas service.
"These documents likely hadn't seen the light of day in 40 to 50 years," said Mr. Wyatt, "possibly longer than that."
"It's really an amazing find," he said. "Every now and then we'll find an old coin here or there, but nothing of this magnitude."
Sorting through the documents, he even found a pristine 1948 calendar and located his own date of birth - May 9.
After making a few phone calls to see where the documents should go, Sergeant Kreutzer delivered the historical treasure trove to Master Sgt. Susan Robinson, 62nd Airlift Wing historian.
"I was amazed" she said. "I've only been serving as the historian for a few weeks and this provided a truly unique look into the past."
"It really opened my eyes to the important role of the historian - occasions like this are opportunities to preserve the proud culture and heritage of McChord," said Sergeant Robinson.
While it remains a mystery exactly how or why the box ended up under the chapel for decades, many of the documents appear to have once been the property of McChord Field Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Elbert L. Atkinson.
"Now that we've come full-circle, perhaps someone 60 years from now will unearth a box of 'McChord Air Force Base' documents or discs and have the same sense of 'wow'," said Sergeant Robinson.
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January 29, 2010 at 10:30am
By Tyler Hemstreet
Gen. Raymond Johns Jr., Air Mobility Command commander, visited McChord this week on his first official visit as the new AMC commander.
Johns was previously assigned to McChord as the 62nd Airlift Wing commander from 1998 to 2000.
Among meeting with various units on base and flying with an aircrew, Johns also announced during a commander's call that AMC has provided McChord with $675,000 to upgrade the fitness center annex with an indoor running track, larger locker rooms and electric system upgrades. The construction is projected to be completed near Labor Day.
Johns also recognized retiring long-time federal employee, William "Pappa J" Johnson, 62nd Force Support Squadron athletic director. The Fitness Center upgrade was the last in a long series of Johnson's efforts to improve McChord health and wellness programs and facilities.
Johns also recognized Cheryl Vollmer, director of the Airman and Family Readiness Center, who retires this week after 22 years at McChord and 32 years of federal service. Vollmer is responsible for growing the Airman and Family Readiness Center from two employees in 1988 to 11 in 2010, initializing the Escape Zone, a family resiliency center for parents and children and building a job placement program for spouses of military members and veterans.
(Information courtesy 62nd AW PA)
January 28, 2010 at 2:09pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
Baseball fans rejoice, for spring training is right around the corner and Opening Day will be here sooner than you think.
The Seattle Mariners released details about the club's 8th annual Salute to Armed Forces Night.
(This from the 446th Airlift Wing PA.)
The Seattle Mariners professional baseball team is hosting its 8th annual Salute to Armed Forces event April 17. The Seattle Mariners will be playing the Detroit Tigers in a game that starts at 6:10 p.m. Salute to Armed Forces begin at 5:30 p.m., with a special pre-game program honoring the United States Armed Forces, service veterans and support organizations.
This year the 446th Airlift Wing will represent the Air Force in on field activities, to include first pitch and accepting a plaque honoring the Air Force.
Reservists can obtain discounted tickets through the 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs office. Order and pay for your tickets by April 5, by stopping in at the PA office, Bldg. 1214, Room 110 during duty hours.
Discounted tickets are: View Reserved seats are $10, Field seats are $25 and Terrace Club seats are $30. Reservists who'd like to go as a group should buy their tickets at the same time. Checks will only be accepted. Please make them out to "446 Orientation Tour." For more information, call (253) 982-3330.
January 27, 2010 at 2:18pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
First Lady Michelle Obama spoke Tuesday at a Joint Armed Forces Officers' Wives club banquet at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., offering her support for military families.
Read the complete story on the Air Force's Web site here.
January 25, 2010 at 3:25pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
The Seattle Times' Hal Bernton wrote an interesting piece on McChord's Operation Deep Freeze mission.
Read it here.
January 21, 2010 at 3:06pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
(From the 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs)
Airmen assigned to the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron depart for Haiti late tonight to bring specialized airfield operations skills and equipment to the humanitarian relief effort at Port-Au-Prince's Toussaint L'Ouventure International Airport.
The 15-airmen APS team is made up of experts in airfield operations and allows critical relief supplies to be unloaded from cargo aircraft with aircraft engines still running. This allows faster ground times for all aircraft bringing in relief supplies and departing with evacuees.
Prior to the earthquake, Haiti's single runway airport averaged three takeoffs and landings per day; under current U.S. Air Force operation, the airfield is averaging more than 170 takeoffs and landings daily in support of ongoing humanitarian efforts.
"It's a privilege to participate in this operation and help the Haitian people," said Air Force Master Sgt Jason Aven, 62nd APS air transportation operations center, senior NCO in charge. "Engine running off-loads and on-loads are one of the most specialized skills the Air Force brings to this humanitarian airlift operation; it allows us to safely download cargo in minimal time to rush aid to the Haitian people."
January 20, 2010 at 5:09pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
The Olympic Flight Museum in Olympia hosts the 10th annual Paper Airplane School & Contest from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 13. The event is open to participants of all ages, and will focus on various types of folding and flying paper airplanes - from simple examples to the "cutting edge" in paper airplane technology.
Experts will be on hand to guide participants from construction, first flight and advance maneuvering. A distance and spot landing contest will begin at 2:30 p.m., with prizes awarded in various categories. Admission for flight school participants is $7, which includes professional instruction, all construction materials and a snack. Spectator and general admission is $5. Children 6 and younger are free. The Olympic Flight Museum is located at the Olympia Regional Airport.
For more information, visit www.olympicflightmuseum.com or call (360) 705-3925.
January 18, 2010 at 10:17am
By The Associated Press
McCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -
Two C-17 cargo planes from McChord Air Force Base are on their way to assist in Haiti relief efforts.
The planes left Sunday morning, one for Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and the other to Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. They'll pick up specialized teams and relief supplies to bring to Haiti, which was devastated by a magnitude-7 earthquake Tuesday.
Two other C-17s and four aircrews remain on alert at McChord for additional humanitarian relief missions.
January 13, 2010 at 7:11pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
This year's Northwest Pacific Joint Service E-9 Ball will be sponsored by the Air Force. The ball is set for 6 p.m. Feb. 6 in Hangar 9 on McChord. All E-9s, including active duty, reserve, guard, retired, and their guests are invited to attend. Attire is mess dress or service equivalent for military members and formal for civilians. To sign up, contact one of the following service representatives no later than Jan. 20.
For Air Force, call Chief Master Sgt. Charles Bell at (253) 982-0064; Army: Sgt. Maj. Robert Carmel at (253) 948-2968, Coast Guard; Master Chief Petty Officer John Dunn at (206) 220-7192, Marines; Sgt. Maj. Richard Smith at (360) 265-5248, retirees; Harry Schreiber at (253) 661-9064.
January 11, 2010 at 4:33pm
By Tyler Hemstreet
Here's an interesting story that ran in The New York Times about how the Air Force is handling all the data obtained by the continued use of drones to monitor hostile areas in Afghanistan.
It's an interesting read.
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