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1720. Interceptor scores another bull's-eye by Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization scored another bull's-eye Dec. 3 in a test of the "kill vehicle," officials said. Unlike previous tests, this was not surrounded by a lot of press hoopla. "There was nothing special about it this time," said Air Force Lt. Col. Rick Lehner, a spokesman for BMDO. "We have an aggressive testing program and we will take the information we get from this test and apply in our future tests." This was the third successful intercept in five tests of the system. This test -- integrated flight test-7 -- was identical to a previous test in July. In the test, BMDO launched a modified Minuteman ICBM as a target from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 9:59 p.m. EST. The launch was supposed to go at 9 p.m., but it was delayed by weather. About 20 minutes after the launch from California, officials launched an interceptor with the exoatmospheric kill vehicle aboard from the Ronald Reagan Missile Range at Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The kill vehicle separated from its rocket booster more than 1,400 miles from the target warhead. After separation, the vehicle used onboard infrared and visual sensors to locate and track the target. The sensors were augmented by X-Band radar data from the battle management command, control and communications facilities in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Kwajalein. The sensors were able to distinguish between the target, the shroud enclosing the missile, and a decoy deployed in the test. The interceptor hit the target more than 140 miles above Earth during the midcourse phase of the warhead's flight. The closing speeds for the hit-to-kill intercept was "in excess of 15,000 miles per hour." Lehner said a flash marked the intercept. Another intercept system test is set for February or March. The BMDO has other tests scheduled for the intercept booster later this month. BMDO "has 12 missile defense programs and we will conduct any number of tests in the future," Lehner said. The test was just one in a continuing regime "to achieve a layered approach to missile defense, using different architectures to deter the growing threat of ballistic missiles carrying weapons of mass destruction," officials said. 1722. E-mail available for those with pay problems RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Airmen who are unable to reach the Air Force Personnel Center Contact Center here are asked to e-mail their issues to the center at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Because of the increase in calls from individuals reporting pay and bonus problems, some customers have reported waiting on hold as long as 30 minutes or are unable to get through. "We're sorry people are having trouble getting through," said Lt. Col. David Zeh, chief of the AFPC Contact Center. "With limited phone lines, our operators are working as diligently as possible to handle these issues." Individuals should work with their local military personnel flight or finance office to solve their pay problem before calling the contact center, Zeh said. "The finance office should be their first avenue," he said. "But if people do call the contact center and get a busy signal, they're certainly encouraged to try again later or send an e-mail." E-mails to the contact center are handled in a similar manner as the phone calls with customers receiving a response and control number to ensure their situation is being dealt with. "It's extremely important that those with pay issues contact us by phone or e-mail by (Dec. 7)," Zeh said. "We want to get all of the pay issues resolved as soon as possible so DFAS has time to update an individual's pay record before the end of year." The contact center phone numbers remain available at (800) 558-1404 or DSN 665-2949. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. After duty hours, a phone message can be left for an agent to follow-up the next day. (Courtesy of AFRC News Service) 1724. Air Force releases T-37 crash report RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Force investigators determined human and physiological factors caused the Sept. 5 crash of a T-37B Tweet pilot training aircraft near Pine Bluff, Miss. The mishap occurred about 30 miles west of Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. A student pilot was flying the aircraft on a solo training mission. Col. Walter Givhan, commander of the 71st Operations Group at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., served as the accident investigation board president. The investigation determined the student pilot incorrectly performed a G-awareness exercise and an associated anti-G straining maneuver, which subsequently caused the student pilot to lose consciousness, Givhan said. The student pilot's less than optimal physical condition made him more susceptible to a G-induced loss of consciousness during his intended flight maneuver. The student pilot regained consciousness after several seconds in a nose-low, left-turn attitude, when he applied right rudder and entered a spin at which point he was incapable of recovering the aircraft, Givhan said. The student pilot then ejected safely out of the T-37B. The pilot landed in an open field near the aircraft's impact site. The T-37B was destroyed upon impact. Givhan said the mishap could have been prevented on two occasions. Had the mishap student pilot performed the G-awareness exercise correctly, he would not have found himself in a nose-low, high-airspeed situation that ultimately led to his G-induced loss of consciousness. The second opportunity to avoid the mishap occurred when the student pilot failed to perform a nose-low recovery and continue his anti-G straining maneuver. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service) 1725. Software designer's hardware improves life for others by Tech Sgt Darlene M. Foote Standard Systems Group Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) -- His inventions are not known throughout the world but they have definitely changed the lives of two people in the Standard Systems Group here. Hadley Bean's, SSG's software factory chief of Windows-DOS section, most recent creation is what he calls a "fitness treadmill," that enables those using a wheel chair to exercise, much the same as a walking treadmill does for others. "The precision and durability of this machine is simply amazing," said Rick Hinder, a software program manager, who the treadmill was designed for. When I brought two rollers in and showed them to Hadley, I never would have even imagined that he would design something like this." The all-metal stand, which only weighs 100 pounds, has three elements: brakes, tension and height. This allows Hinder the ability to employ an exercise program without any assistance, something Hinder said he has not been able to do in the past. "It's a full exercise unit, allowing me to exercise my upper body, back, stomach and cardiovascular system," he said. "It's like riding around a track in a stationary mode." Hinder's injury was caused in a car accident that left him with a broken neck, when he was 16 years old. Because he lives alone, having the ability to function without assistance means a lot to him. "This gift has given me a sense of independence that I didn't have before," he said. People who have seen the apparatus that Bean designed tried to get him to consider putting a patent on it or sell it for mass production. "There is nothing that even comes close to this that exists on the market. It is easy to use, lightweight and durable," Hinder said. Bean, however, says that the design is a one-time good deal. "I only did this because it enabled me to make someone's quality of life be a little better," he said. The project could not have done without the help of the community, Bean said. "The cost to make this was minimal because people were so willing to help," Bean said. After Bean created a computer design, Robin Roberts, a local machinist transformed it into a computer file that drives an automated metal cutter; J&P Machine shop cut the metal; Ernest Folks of P&A Auto Body Shop donated an emergency hand brake; and Carl Cain from Carl's Hardware donated the hardware. "This was definitely a community effort that epitomizes the relationship that exist between the base and community here in Montgomery," Bean said. Bean also created and built a keyboard elevator that enabled another SSG member to do her job in comfort. Because of a back injury, Sandi McBride, former chief of specialist teams at the software factory, was required to stand 10 minutes of every 30 minutes. The keyboard elevator creation was formulated when Bean walked into McBride's office and noticed her trying to stand and type with her keyboard on top of the monitor. Bean designed and built the keyboard elevator within two weeks, McBride said. "Hadley is simply a godsend," she said. "In a time and environment when most people are thinking of themselves, he is a person who is always thinking of others and what he can do to help them. I think of him as a quiet genius." These creative engineering efforts are just two examples of many throughout the past 30 years at SSG that Hadley did on his own time and expense, said Ken Heitkamp, SSG's technical director and director of the software factory. "His actions clearly demonstrate the unique initiatives we do to improve the work environment for military and civil service personnel with the Standard Systems Group," he said. 1723. Undergraduate flying training board date set RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Force Personnel Center officials here plan to hold the next undergraduate flying training selection board April 23 with the board reviewing applications for specialized undergraduate pilot training, specialized undergraduate navigator training and undergraduate air battle manager training. Those officers with a born after Oct. 1, 1972, and with a total active federal commissioned service date after Oct. 1, 1997, will be eligible to apply for UFT. Applicants must send the completed application, postmarked by Feb. 22, to HQ AFPC/DPAOT3, 550 C Street West Suite 31, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4733. Applicants should advise their commanders/supervisors who are providing AF Form 215 comments of the application deadline. Those applicants requiring a new physical exam must schedule the appropriate physical immediately. Applications with incomplete physical exams will not be processed. All applicants competing for pilot training must also complete the basic attributes test. For more information on application procedures, contact the base formal training element of the local military personnel flight. (Courtesy of AFPC News Service) 1728. AMC lifts child seat requirements by Cynthia Bauer Air Mobility Command Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) -- Air Mobility Command recently lifted a three-year-old requirement requiring the use of car seats for children traveling aboard AMC aircraft. The old rule, implemented in October 1998, applied to children younger than 2 who weigh less than 40 pounds and are less than 40 inches tall. Cindy Rothenbach, a traffic management specialist with the passenger policy branch for AMC, said the former requirement was based on White House Commission for Aviation and Security recommendations. "Since that time, the Federal Aviation Administration has not mandated the use of safety seats in scheduled commercial carriers," she said. "As a result, some or our passengers transferring from commercial to military flights arrived without car seats, which meant they had to buy a car seat or get a loaner from the aerial ports." AMC officials felt the change would reduce some of the hardships placed on families traveling with small children on AMC aircraft, Rothenbach said. Even though the requirement has been lifted, Rothenbach said the child safety seats are still a good idea. "We still encourage the use of car seats and ask that parents use ones appropriate for their child's size and weight," she said The use of booster seats, harnesses and vest child restraints are still prohibited because of an FAA ban on this type of equipment, Rothenbach said. Questions on this policy should be directed to the nearest AMC passenger terminal. (Courtesy of AMC News Service) 1719. Pro Football Hall of Fame honors fallen airman by Master Sgt. Rick Burnham Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- Bitter cold grips south Texas -- an unusually frigid day for early December -- and the thoughts of Diane Steinbrunner-Barron drift to another time and place, equally cold, but warmer, just the same. She remembers near blizzard conditions atop a Colorado hilltop as she waits among a handful of other children for a school bus. They are huddled together next to her father, "a mountain of a man," whose enormous reach is enough to shelter them all inside his huge jacket, away from the blowing snow and extreme conditions. For those who did not know Don Steinbrunner, it is perhaps that memory that sums him up better than any other. Despite the violent aspects of his chosen fields of endeavor -- professional football player, military aviator -- he is remembered as a warm, caring man, passionate about his family and friends. Diane and her brother, David, were among the more than 200 people who gathered at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Nov. 10, during Veterans Day weekend, for a special ceremony to honor the Air Force major, an offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns from 1954 to 1957. Steinbrunner was killed July 10, 1967, when the C-123 Provider he navigated was shot down by Vietnamese enemy forces. There were no survivors. For many years, the Hall of Fame believed the only professional football player killed in Vietnam was Buffalo Bills guard Bob Kalsu, a belief incorrectly reported in the July 23 edition of Sports Illustrated. After reading that article, family members contacted the Hall of Fame, which immediately recognized the error. "Joe Horrigan, the vice president in charge of communications for the Hall of Fame, said the folks there would 'rectify the situation' to our family's satisfaction," Steinbrunner-Barron said. "We were relieved that they recognized the error and corrected it." Later, that feeling of relief turned to one of excitement when the Hall of Fame officials asked the family to participate in the Veterans Day ceremony. "We were very much honored," she said. "There are no words to express our gratitude. It's the type of thing we always hoped would happen, a great opportunity." Opportunity -- in the form of an Air Force career -- knocked in the late '50s for Steinbrunner. By joining the service, he would be repaying an ROTC commitment and serving his country at the same time. Later, when the call came to join the fight in Vietnam, he did so without hesitation, said Meredyth Richards, his wife of 13 years. Despite the turbulent times and the unpopular support for the war, he felt it was important to support the cause. "He loved his children very deeply and had some reservations about leaving them behind," she said. "But he also felt very strongly about going to Vietnam. He was going there to defend his country. At the time, communism was considered a great threat to the world. Don said it was his duty to go, and he wanted to go. He believed strongly in the cause." David said his father loved football and the military for many of the same reasons. "To him, football was all about sportsmanship and camaraderie," he said. "That's the same way he felt about the military ... and he loved the discipline and organization." For a brief period, Steinbrunner was able to combine the two passions. He served as an assistant coach for the fledgling Air Force Academy football team from 1959 to 1964, working primarily with defensive ends. Longtime Falcon head coach Ben Martin remembered Steinbrunner as a very inventive man with a great deal of knowledge about the game of football. "He had a very creative mind," Martin said. "We were just beginning the program back then, and he understood how to put the pieces together. He was a very valuable staff member." The highlight of that period, Martin said, was the team's 17-13 upset victory over the University of Nebraska in 1963, the only loss suffered by the Cornhuskers that year. Steinbrunner's contributions, he added, were significant. "A lot of his ideas were incorporated into the gameplan," Martin said. "We did some things they had not seen before, and were unprepared for." Perhaps most significant about Steinbrunner, though, was his outgoing, friendly manner, he said. "He was very personable," Martin said. "In fact, he was a big part of our recruiting success back then." Wendy McDermott, the second of Steinbrunner's three children, fondly remembers the days at the Air Force Academy. "Those are the days I remember the most," she said. "We'd be doing things the other kids would do, going to the games, playing in the snow, and running races. Of course, dad loved football, so we'd be running 'z-ins' and 'z-outs.'" Like her sister, Wendy vividly remembers her father's giant jacket, which he would use to shelter the children from the cold. "He'd unzip it and wrap us up in it, regardless of how cold it got for him," she said. "Of course, we saw him as someone who was not affected by the cold or the heat." That same jacket, a symbol of the man's passion for both his family and the game of football, is now enclosed in glass at the Hall of Fame, a token of appreciation from the Steinbrunner family for the organization's recognition of their father. Beside it is a symbol of his love for the military -- the Purple Heart he received posthumously for his service to the country. Both were presented to the Hall of Fame during the emotional Veterans Day ceremony. John Bankert, Hall of Fame executive director told the crowd of more than 200 in attendance that morning that the presentation of the medal was as memorable of an experience as he had witnessed in 37 years there. David, who was only 11 when his father died, called it a fitting tribute to a man who had a passion for his family, for the game of football and for service to his country. "We felt it would be ideal," he said. "Dad's jacket represented his football career and the Purple Heart represented the sacrifice he made -- the ultimate sacrifice." Giving up the items was not an easy choice to make, Diane said. "They were hard to give up," she said. "But, in a sense, we were not giving them up. They're behind glass, and we will always be able to see them whenever we want. And our kids and our kids' kids will be able to see them, along with other people who may not have known our father. "This way, dad will live on forever," Diane said. So, among the thousands of artifacts on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- jerseys and jackets and cleats owned by the likes of "Slingin' Sammy Baugh" and Joe Montana -- is a large Cleveland Browns jacket, and a small, gold medallion. Both ordinary at first glance, but both with a meaning as special as Fred Biletnikoff's shoes, Mike Singletary's pads, and Tom Landry's hat. They are the symbols of Don Steinbrunner -- pro football player, airman and father. 1727. Dover special-ops pilot makes history, receives award by Airman 1st Class Andrew Svoboda 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AFPN) -- Capt. Jodi Neff, a C-5 Galaxy pilot and flight instructor assigned to the 3rd Airlift Squadron here, was presented the National Aviation Club Katherine and Marjorie Stinson Award for Achievement in Arlington, Va., recently. Neff was chosen to receive the award this year for being the first woman to command a C-5 aircraft during special operations low-level missions. The award recognizes women in the aviation community and aerospace industry for an outstanding and enduring contribution, a meritorious flight, or a singular technical development in the field of aviation, aeronautics, space or related sciences, and was presented by the National Aeronautical Association. "It's really an honor to be selected," Neff said. "I'm doing the same job as other people in the squadron. It's almost overwhelming, judging by past recipients." Previous recipients of the Stinson award include Dr. Shannon Lucid, a female astronaut with the most hours in space (838 hours and 54 minutes); and Jeana Yeager, who co-piloted the Voyager, the first aircraft to circumnavigate the globe nonstop, without refueling. Neff has risen quickly through the ranks since beginning her career as a military aviator in 1994. She first distinguished herself as a C-21 pilot in the Middle East, where she flew more than 50 missions in support of Operation Southern Watch, the defense of the southern no-fly zone over Iraq. "As well as being a distinguished graduate of aircraft commander initial qualification, she was certified as an aircraft commander within one year of her arrival at Dover," said Lt. Col. Andrew Redmond, 3rd AS commander. "Within the next year-and-a-half, Captain Neff flawlessly upgraded to C-5 instructor and aerial refueling instructor." Neff's intelligent and articulate approach to solving problems makes her a highly effective and competent leader, Redmond said. After qualifying on the C-5, she was handpicked for special operations duty, a position in which she has served as a SOLL II aircraft commander, and chief of both the special operations tactics and special operations training offices. "She single-handedly re-organized the SOLL II training program by painstakingly reforming the training requirements to correspond more directly to the training regulations," Redmond said. "She also played a significant role in developing and obtaining approval for more user-friendly, comprehensive, and structured courseware for SOLL II upgrade programs." Among her various tours in the field, Neff is credited with transporting munitions to NATO forces in the Kosovo theater, and with flying humanitarian missions in East Timor and Korea. (Courtesy of AMC News Service) 1721. December issue of Airman now available SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- The December issue of Airman magazine, available now online, features stories about humanitarian airlift missions continuing over Afghanistan and C-130 crews airlifting vital supplies during Operation Coronet Oak. Also in this issue, the Civil Air Patrol search masters have a key job: find crash survivors or the lost or injured. It is a big job but the CAP has some 60,000 volunteers for the mission. In the southern Korean mountains, Father Paul Zawadzki's dream is to construct a church that will stand for hundreds of years. He started building it -- alone. Now U.S. servicemembers are helping to bring his vision to life. Meanwhile, when they learned they could not have children of their own, a Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., chaplain and his wife turned to adoption. One adoption eventually led to eight others and the creation of a family unlike any other in the Air Force. Also in this issue, airmen get training at the Culinary Institute of America in California's Napa Valley, and regular columns like Airman's World and Consumer highlight what is happening in the Air Force. Look for copies of Airman on your base or on the Web. Call local public affairs office for details, or order copies for your unit by e-mailing a complete mailing address to [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4056. Commentary: What's the value of a military community? by Maj. Steven Kimball 347th Services Squadron commander MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- A document I received with my leave and earnings statement has caused me to think about something I've taken for granted for years -- the value of being part of a military community. The "Statement of Military Compensation" outlined my military pay and summarized the worth of military benefits as "indirect compensation." Like everyone, I was happy to see military pay rates increase. But I never stopped to think about the impressive value of the compensation we get from being a part of this diverse community. I wondered how this compares to similar jobs, if there are such jobs offered in the civilian community. So I conducted a bit of unscientific research. I talked to Jay G., an accounting supervisor for a Fortune 500 firm in Atlanta. He's familiar with the military community from discussions he's had with friends in the military. Interestingly, his impressions of the value of the military community paralleled the information on my statement of military compensation -- it must be the accountant in him. "I don't think my salary will ever compare to military compensation when you include the benefits you receive as part of being in the service," he said after we talked about military retirement, medical care, insurance and education benefits. As a supervisor, he seemed impressed with how we care for people in need. We talked about Air Force Aid and Air Force Assistance funds, the thrift shop and Airmen's Attic. I couldn't convince him this kind of help wasn't much more than a phone call away. Bill M. is the district manager of a major grocery store chain in the Southeast. On his first trip to an Air Force base, he asked for a tour of the base retail stores. He was surprised at the size and diversity of products for the number of patrons we support. "I had heard about military commissaries, but always envisioned them as warehouse outlets," he said. "I'm surprised how comparable this store is to any of my stores that are located in the smaller communities. Offering this level of service at cost is really impressive. "The (base exchange) is a great supplement to the retail choices you have around town," he said. The fact that BX profits are reinvested in the community through services activities was a new concept to him. He told me, "If I knew my retail spending went right back into my community, you couldn't get me to go any place else." I also talked to Laura P., a manager in a large utilities firm that won a national award for quality some years ago. We talked about the benefits of working for a large firm. She was surprised to learn about all the community support at Air Force bases. "The lifestyle, travel, social support, and sense of family and community have no comparison in the civilian community," she told me. The recreational and family support services seemed to impress her the most. "The firm I worked for had a few new programs geared toward people, but nothing like the military has," was her response when I told her what the family support center, child development and youth centers, and chapel had to offer. Laura also commented on the sense of community that seems to be present at military installations. "People know each other, they work and play together, they help each other when there's a need. That doesn't happen very often any more," she said. Finally, I got the perspective of Emilio E., the chief executive officer of a multinational telecommunications firm. He is heavily involved with Boy Scout activities and has used Air Force campgrounds and fitness centers to support scouting excursions. Our discussions involved the cohesion that defines the military community. Even though we celebrate our diversity, there is a homogenous nature to our community that seems to be the key to our success. "You have a unity of purpose and a common goal that goes far beyond what I define as our corporate mission. The nature of your work promotes a trust and confidence in each other that most other communities could never duplicate," he said. In fact, when I compare what our military community offers each individual member, I have to compare it to a community of almost 100,000 people to find the level and variety of service offered at any Air Force base. From social services to medical care, recreation and fitness to child and family services, from civic planning to emergency service and law enforcement, from hotels and restaurants to libraries and lounges, we seem to offer more per capita than communities many times our size. I realize many of us interact within a variety of community associations such as our neighborhood or church. But as a military member, arguably, it's the military community you call home. Even with the resurgence of America's sense of community following our national tragedy, the military community still seems stronger, more enduring, and more cohesive. You can't put a price tag on that. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! Write to same address to be off lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. 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