-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! 1216. Personnel data system journey not over yet RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Three months after the launch of the Air Force's new personnel data system, some problems have been worked out, but officials said the journey is not over. Reports are flying in to local units of serious pay problems. Many of these reports are true, and it's "simply not acceptable," said Maj. Gen. Michael C. McMahan, AFPC commander. "It's frankly upsetting that airmen have been inconvenienced and financially stressed because of the transition to the new system," McMahan said. "Getting no pay or the wrong pay; or waiting months for a re-enlistment bonus is not something we should be putting our people through, especially when we're at the same time asking people to make the Air Force a career. "We're working on every level -- directly with the individuals, with local finance offices and with other agencies like the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to get people paid, paid right, and paid on time," he said. And, according to officials, it looks like the causes of most of those problems have been identified and long-term fixes are being developed. In the short term, people are getting paid on paydays and the delayed re-enlistment bonuses should be paid out by the end of September, said Lt. Col. Richard Treasure, chief of the requirements systems division here. "There will certainly be pay problems that continue to crop up -- there were before this changeover -- but that's what the (military personnel flights) and the finance offices are there for: to help people with those problems," Treasure said. Officials are also keeping a close eye on the assignment process. "We are working to get the enlisted assignment process back on track, after it was essentially put on hold over the summer because of the transition to the new system," Treasure said. The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for overseas returnees in the November through January cycle is now posted to the AFPC Web site and is available at local MPFs and commander's support staff offices. Airmen eligible during this cycle have until Sept. 6 to update their assignment preferences through their MPF or CSS. Individuals who have applied for a voluntary assignment action -- base of preference, join spouse, special duty, etc., are still waiting. "We can't do the voluntary assignment actions until we know who is most eligible to go overseas," Treasure said. "And since we are having technical problems with that data, we're having to hold off approving those voluntary applications." Information on the overseas EQUAL, scheduled for release Aug. 7, is still forthcoming. Details will be sent to the field as soon as officials know when they will be able to release that list, officials said. "It's like one giant puzzle," McMahan said. "We fixed the pieces for one thing and then we've got to get to work on all the other pieces." As AFPC officials continue fine-tuning the new system, people manning local military personnel flights are staying very busy. People doing business with their local MPFs may have to wait longer for some actions to be completed, officials said. All the routine requests can be taken care of, but it may take some extra time. "The individual knows their personnel history better than anyone else," Treasure said. So officials are asking them to review their records carefully and alert the MPF of any discrepancies. Individuals who do not get their problems resolved through the local MPF or accounting and finance office can contact the AFPC Call Center at (800) 558-1404, DSN 665-2949 or e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] Voice mail answers after-hours calls. "We understand that everyone is frustrated and that patience is running thin," McMahan said. "We knew this was going to be a bumpy ride -- and it has been. We expect the system to be running smoother by the beginning of next year. "Before I got to the center, I thought the problems with the personnel data system were out of control," he said. "But now that I've been here for about a month I see these folks working long, hard hours and finding solutions to very complex problems. "We've asked for specific and detailed information from the personnel flights and commanders out in the field to understand what unresolved issues are still ongoing. Knowing the problems our customers are having is half the battle to getting the system running smoother," he said. (Courtesy of AFPC News Service) 1219. AFOSI receives praise for drug investigation work by Maj. Mike Richmond Air Force Office of Special Investigations Public Affairs DENVER (AFPN -- Law enforcement officials in Colorado and California arrested and charged 55 defendants Aug. 29 for alleged drug offenses, thanks in part to information provided to the Drug Enforcement Agency by agents of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Asa Hutchinson, administrator of the DEA, and Richard T. Spriggs, U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, announced the arrests at a press conference here Aug. 30, at which time AFOSI's contributions were recognized. Specifically, AFOSI agents provided DEA agents the names and activities of civilians not affiliated with the military who were suspected of supplying illegal drugs to Air Force people. The information had been developed by AFOSI agents investigating illegal drug use at Colorado's Peterson Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Complex, and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. "It's our normal practice to share this type of information with our civilian law-enforcement counterparts," said Special Agent Gary Triplett, commander of AFOSI's Region 8. "In this particular case, we started by sharing what we knew with the DEA and the Colorado Springs Police Department." Soon, the DEA invited other agencies to get involved, and regular information-sharing sessions commenced in November. Some of the agencies included the Boulder County Drug Task Force, the Colorado Springs and Denver Police Departments, and the Boulder District Attorney's Office. "It's really nothing new for our agents to share information with their civilian law-enforcement counterparts, although the scope of this effort was larger than normal," Triplett said. "Other than that, this type of interagency cooperation is routine for us." Less routine, however, were the sizable number of arrests and confiscation of evidence that followed. According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, all-day enforcement actions Aug. 29 netted about 85,000 Ecstasy tablets, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, 320 pounds of marijuana and 4,100 marijuana plants, 5 pounds of methamphetamine, 40,000 dosage units of LSD, 13 vehicles, 36 weapons, and more than $1.3 million in U.S. currency. While operational security prevents describing the exact nature of AFOSI's support, a U.S. Attorney's Office official said agents information helped DEA agents identify significant suspected drug suppliers to users and street-level traffickers. "The information from OSI led to critical linkages of key players," said Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the District of Colorado U.S. Attorney's Office. "It helped us confirm and solidify some of what we already suspected, and ultimately it helped lead to the identification of other suspects. The OSI was very helpful, very eager to team up to help us out." The AFOSI cases that led to discovery of the alleged civilian suppliers were run by Detachment 803, which supports Peterson and Cheyenne Mountain, and Det. 808, which supports the academy. Those cases eventually identified a total of 27 military people as suspects. All 27 of those cases are closed. Thirteen suspects have already been court-martialed, and the remainder are in various stages of legal resolution. 1215. Expand personal development with CSAF reading list by Staff Sgt. Amy Parr Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- For people who wish to expand their professional knowledge or just get a broader look at military views, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Professional Reading Program is the place to turn. Started in March 1997, the program is broken into categories by grade for officers, enlisted people and civilians and meant to cultivate professional knowledge. The list not only gives people a foundation for their professional library, but serves as a tool for developing that professionalism as well, said Lt. Col. Brenda Roth, Air Force officer professional military education chief. "It broadens our perspective and increases our understanding of the Air Force and our role in national security," she said. To enhance that effect, and to keep in line with current Air Force policies and issues, the list is ever-changing, said Maj. Kenneth Smith, Pentagon History Support Office chief. "The list changes for different reasons," he said. "First, the Air Force is always adapting. Therefore, the CSAF may add or delete a book to ensure the correct focus. Also, new books are evaluated continuously. Since the number of books on the reading list remains fairly constant, by design, an 'old' book will sometimes drop from the list to make room for a 'new' book." The list, maintained by the Air Force History Office, recently expanded to include "The U.S. Air Force in Space: 1945 to the 21st Century." Smith said the book was added because it strengthens the coverage of the Air Force's space mission. "For a book to be on the list it must be relevant," he said. "It needs to be interesting and also needs to fill a particular niche." The last reason Smith cited for books to be on the list was cost. When books are on the reading list, copies are purchased for base libraries and certain Professional Military Education students. Because so many books are purchased annually, sometimes a less expensive book is substituted for another book to keep the program within the budget. Because Air Force leaders believe this form of professional development is so important, $600,000 per year is spent on books. More than 100,000 books are purchased each year, Smith said. Books are distributed, free of charge, to enlisted people attending Airman Leadership School and the noncommissioned officer and senior NCO academies. Officers receive the appropriate books while attending the Aerospace Basic Course, Commissioned Officer Training, Reserve Commissioned Officer Training and Squadron Officer School. Civilians receive the same books as their military counterparts while attending any professional education. People who have already attended these courses can checkout the books in local base library's "Chief's List" section or purchase their own copies. Most books can be purchased at military clothing stores, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Web site, the Air University bookstore at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and through many commercial bookstores. Some books on the list are Air Force publications and can be obtained at no cost through the Air University Press or the Air Force History Support Office. "Airpower Journal," recommended reading for all grades, is available online. The Air Force History Office works closely with the CSAF and his staff to ensure the list is on target with the chief's goals, Smith said. "The CSAF's reading list ensures a common set of knowledge among Air Force personnel," Smith said. "For example, most of us in the Air Force have not served in combat or worked on the flightline. By reading the books on the list, we develop a better understanding of these and other missions. This in turn helps us as we do our part of the Air Force mission." A complete list of books, broken down by grade, can be found at www.af.mil/lib/csafbook/index.shtml. The Air University bookstore can be reached at (877) 265-0824. The Air University Press Web site is www.maxwell.af.mil/au/oas/aupress/. The Air Force History Support Office Web site is www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/pubs/index.htm. For the online version of the "Air Power Journal," visit www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/. 1222. Bright IDEA nets excellence award, cash by Master Sgt. Teresa Kaye 55th Wing Public Affairs OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFPN) -- Two noncommissioned officers here have earned a Department of Defense Productivity Excellence Award and will share $10,000 for their money-saving improvement idea. The award recognizes DOD people who have made substantial improvements in quality and productivity that resulted in a savings of at least $1 million. Those improvements come by way of suggestions through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, or IDEA program, special acts and other management initiatives. Master Sgt. John Norris and Tech. Sgt. Dean Ross of the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron here devised a simple and inexpensive solution to a radio problem on the E-4B aircraft. Submitted through the IDEA program, their idea saved the Air Force nearly $1.3 million. An upgrade to a more powerful satellite antenna on the E-4B almost completely diminished the pilot's radio signal. The contractor proposed an $11 million-plus solution to install a filter for the pilot's radio. Norris and Ross believed that price was too high. After intensive research, they developed a low-cost solution to reconfigure the antennas on the aircraft, then reroute cables from each of the radios to reconfigured antennas. After successful testing, their solution was incorporated into a time-compliance technical order, making compliance with the reconfiguration of antennas mandatory for the remaining E-4B fleet. "It took a lot of extensive testing to prove to ourselves, the contractors and the Air Force that such a simple solution could actually solve the problem," Ross said. "But in the end, we were right." "Through the extraordinary efforts of these individuals, the problem was solved in-house at virtually no cost to the government," said Brig. Gen. Greg Power, 55th Wing commander. "They are both to be commended for their initiative and creativity." (Courtesy of Air Combat Command News Service) 1217. Air Force Weather Agency support NOAA OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFPN) -- The Air Force Weather Agency recently assumed the operational backup role for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Camp Springs, Md. AFWA's meteorological satellite applications branch has generated volcano summaries since 1998 and monitored volcanic emissions for Department of Defense agencies for more than a year. "(Meteorological satellite) analysts watch, on average, 60 active volcanoes worldwide," said Tech. Sgt. John Kramer, superintendent of meteorological satellite applications at the weather agency. "From these observations, we generate warnings every six hours. If the eruption intensity or ash level increases, we update our warnings to ensure all DOD agencies have the most current information." These warnings keep flying units and commanders on top of changing conditions in active volcanic regions, where ash clouds from large eruptions can reach altitudes of 60,000 to 65,000 feet and cover several hundred square miles, Kramer said. The ash and debris from an active eruption can clog engine intakes and reduce visibility to next to zero. Because of this, current ash advisories are critical to all flying units operating in active volcanic regions. AFWA is now the backup for civilian flights in an area of responsibility that includes the continental United States southward through Central America and the Caribbean, to 10 degrees south in South America, and the U.S.-controlled oceanic flight information regions. In the event of a failure at the NOAA advisory center, located at the World Weather Building in Camp Spring, Md., the meteorological satellite applications branch will furnish text advisories and graphical ash plume forecast products via the National Weather Service's communications gateway center in Silver Springs, Md. This is not the only service agreement between AFWA and others, said Lt. Col. John Egentowich, chief of the global weather center division at AFWA. "We have numerous other arrangements, all of which are aimed at providing uninterrupted support in case of a long-lasting outage at one of the government forecasting agencies," Egentowich said. "These agreements highlight the interoperability between forecasting agencies and are a positive assurance of continuation of services for the country." 1220. Crows, Wizards have everything under control by Staff Sgt. Rome Baysmore 33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFPN) -- While many people await the arrival of the first F-22 Raptor wing, others don't mind hanging out with old friends. The old friends are the 33rd Fighter Wing's F-15C Eagles. Many of the wing's maintainers work daily on jets that are older than them and perhaps are the oldest F-15s in the active-duty inventory. "These are rapidly approaching their life expectancy," said Tech. Sgt. Mike Riess, 60th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Crows" crew chief, running his hand along the jet's fuselage. "The (gravitational forces) we put on the jets create a lot of stress on the wings, and now that stress is starting to take its toll because there are a lot of stress cracks." Aircraft and people from the wing, normally based at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., are deployed here for a Red Flag exercise. To fix the cracks and keep the jets flying, sheet-metal maintenance troops are called on to rivet new titanium plates, or "beef-up plates," over the weakened area of the airframe. Modern-day fighter aircraft have a life expectancy of about 8,000 flight hours. The wing maintains more than a few aircraft sitting around 6,200 hours, according to maintenance records. "Since these things are slowly going out of the Air Force inventory, parts are hard to find and expensive to repair," Riess said. "It also leaks a lot because the original tubing in it is so old and the metal is flexing. They're just getting old and worn out." Riess admits maintaining the F-15 is hard work, but seeing one take off with full afterburner still stirs something inside him -- especially the ones with the letters "EG" on the tails, the designator of the 33rd Fighter Wing. While wing people are busy maintaining and flying the old airframe, the 33rd Maintenance Squadron "Wizards" are keeping the 1968-era F100-PW-100 engines running -- more than 150 of them. "Getting engine parts out here on the flightline isn't a problem because we get what we need," said Chief Master Sgt. Roger Kato, 60th FS chief. "Getting the 'bits and pieces' in from depot to fix the engine modules in the backshop before the engines get out here takes awhile." That is not the only challenge the maintainers face. "The biggest problem we have out here is the 'old-fashioned way' we have to fix the engines," Kato said. "It takes a lot more man-hours to fix a 100 engine than the newer 200s because the old-style 100s don't have the digital electronic engine-control system the 200s have. On the 100 engine, you have to do the trim yourself unlike the 200s that do that by themselves." While the Fighting Crows and the Wizards are busy working their magic to manually tune-up engines and maintain the senior models of the world's premier air superiority fighter, they have got everything under control. "It's nothing we can't handle," Kato said. "But it just takes more time." (Courtesy of Air Combat Command News Service) 1214. Fitness training becomes mobile MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- Recently, fitness center specialists here benefited from a mobile technical training course called Fitness Fundamentals. Tech. Sgt. John Berardi, a fitness fundamentals instructor for the Services Academy at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, said it is a cost-effective method of training. "This course is required within six months of a person being assigned to a fitness center," Berardi said. "The savings of bringing a mobile technical training course to a base versus sending several people (temporary duty) -- and having to paying airline costs, lodging and per diem for two weeks -- is significant." Lackland's Services Academy teaches nearly 20 Fitness Fundamentals courses annually. A team of four instructors rotates to teach at bases worldwide. The field course is identical to the one taught at Lackland. It has 10 days of sports and fitness training including instruction on body anatomy and physiology, kineseiology (the study of muscle movement) and wellness. The course's objective: certifying fitness specialists in every aspect of helping people with sports programs, fitness assessments and profiles, proper and safe equipment usage, and quality customer service. Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Keaton said she enjoyed both the physical and mental challenges of the course. "The physical part was a good full-body workout, while the information portion was very interesting," said Keaton, who is a fitness specialist. "It makes me feel more comfortable answering questions about fitness equipment and general physical fitness." Tech. Sgt. Eric Harrison, noncommissioned officer in charge of plans and programs of Misawa's Potter Fitness Center, said, "The fitness specialists now have the tools and the knowledge to confidently give correct, accurate and safe information to our customers." Unlike private fitness trainers who charge for such services, Air Force fitness specialists do it for free. 1221. Driving down energy costs a sign of good business FORT LEE, Va. (AFPN) -- Faced with increased energy costs, military commissaries are changing the way they do business to keep their light bills in check. The Defense Commissary Agency, which operates 284 stores worldwide, is changing its management approach from a "budget culture" to a "cost culture," said DeCA Director Maj. Gen. Robert J. Courter Jr. "Changing the budget culture means not just acquiring and then spending some budgeted amount of money in the year acquired," he said. "Instead we look at all outputs and the costs of those outputs. Essentially, you must reduce your operating expenses and/or increase sales." The changing energy mindset comes as utility costs across the United States climb, especially in western states like California. DeCA's Western/Pacific Region reduced energy use by 3.4 percent in fiscal 1999, but costs rose by 3 percent. However, improved technology, energy management training and other programs helped blunt the impact of the increased costs. "If action hadn't been taken to train our personnel, or to use energy efficient design, construction and maintenance, the cost would have been much greater," said E. Carroll Shepherd III, DeCA's energy manager Recently, DeCA made lighting upgrades and installed energy efficient equipment in most of its California commissaries, Shepherd said. Sales area lighting has also been reduced by half, and since lighting represents about 22 percent of a commissary's electric power usage, this reduction could save more than $18,000 a month until lights are replaced with more efficient models. "Now, we are planning to survey lighting in those stores that have not had an energy efficiency upgrade," he said. While rising energy prices have mainly been concentrated on the West Coast, DeCA's energy conservation and cost control efforts apply to commissaries worldwide. "We're training employees to be vigilant in auditing and verifying utility bills, constructing energy-efficient commissaries and upgrading already existing commissaries with energy-efficient equipment," Shepherd said. DeCA's Eastern Region formed a utilities task force to research costs and produce savings, even insisting on installation of new electric and gas meters. Led by the Florida Zone 5 Manager Max Kraftchick, the team started by looking at each store's utility cost compared to stores of similar size and age. Operating under the premise, "You can't manage what you can't meter," Kraftchick's group focused on store meters, prompting a buzz of activity: Meter calibration or new meters where they were missing, broken, outdated or inaccurate, and using timers, shutting off lights at night and switching to energy-efficient bulbs all represented painless conservation and cost-saving initiatives, officials said. Billing procedures came under scrutiny as well. "In the majority of cases where we found problems," Shepherd said. "It was the installation's standard practice to estimate utility costs of its tenant units based on square footage of the facility." The utilities task force produced a one-time reimbursement to DeCA of $175,000, and a potential annual savings of at least $98,000 following utility bill corrections at two commissaries. At another store, a new meter showed immediate savings that may top $30,000 a year. The commissary at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is a good example of how energy conservation can also help host installations, Shepherd said. Store Director Ray Gardea and his staff were recognized by the base utility manager recently for the measurable impact of their efforts to reduce store lighting. Dave Abbott, base utility manager, said the calculations for metered electrical consumption of the commissary was down by 120,000 kilowatt hours during the three-months following implementation -- a savings of almost $6,000. As commissaries provide "a taste of home" for servicemembers stationed worldwide, energy conservation can sometimes become complicated. For most stores in the European Region, energy is procured from a local provider by the host installation under a "central buy." This arrangement takes advantage of lower costs for large volume purchases, and avoids a value-added tax of nearly 16 percent. Total costs are then divided among each of the installation tenants according to usage. This is straightforward unless you can not understand the bill. Overcoming the language barrier with the help of employees who speak the local language has resulted in promising cost savings. Close scrutiny found an inaccuracy in the factor applied to energy output at one commissary -- an annual savings of $250,000. DeCA's European Region is also testing a system which electronically monitors, troubleshoots and controls all energy consuming features of the commissary including lighting, refrigeration and heating and cooling systems. If the test is successful, the system will be implemented regionwide in conjunction with ongoing renovation and repair projects. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. 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