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The Commander’s Action Line is a direct linefor comments, questions, complaints and suggestionson how to make Air Force Recruiting Service a bet-ter place to work.

All action lines will be answered personally byme or my staff while protecting the identity of theindividual as best as possible. Although the actionline is always available, the best way to resolve prob-lems is through your chain of command.

If concerns still cannot be resolved, please callthe action line at (210) 565-4678, or e-mail atafrsactionline@rs.af.mil. Items of general interestmay be printed in the Recruiter magazine.

Brig. Gen. Dutch RemkesCommander

Editorial staffCommander

Brig. Gen. Dutch Remkes

Chief, Public AffairsLt. Col. R. Steven Murray

SuperintendentMaster Sgt. Bob Blauser

EditorMaster Sgt. Dan Elkins

This funded Air Force magazine is anauthorized publication for members of theU.S. military services. Contents of theRecruiter are not necessarily the officialview of, nor endorsed by, the U.S.government, the Department of Defense,or the Department of the Air Force. The editorial content is edited, prepared,and provided by the public affairs office ofAir Force Recruiting Service, Randolph AirForce Base, Texas. All photos are AirForce photos unless otherwise indicated. Articles and photos submitted forpublication in the Recruiter must bereceived by the editor no later than the firstday of the month preceding publication. Correspondence should be addressed toAFRS/PA, 550 D STREET WEST STE 1,ATTN: EDITOR, RANDOLPH AFB, TX78150-4527. Phone numbers arecommercial (210) 565-4678, DSN 665-4678 or e-mail afrshqpa@rs.af.mil.

January 2006 Vol. 52 No. 1

cover

Officials at Basic Military Train-ing have implemented changesin curriculum that brings the train-ing more in line with the service’sAir Expeditionary Force concept.For more on those changes, seePages 8-9. (Photo by RobbinCresswell)

Recruiter SpotlightTech. Sgt. Brian Cotter

Job: Officer Training SchoolrecruiterSquadron: 319th RecruitingSquadronDuty station: Westbrook, MaineHometown: Bangor, MaineTime in the Air Force: 13 yearsTime in AFRS: Seven yearsPrior career field: TransportationWhat inspires you to do whatyou do? To be a great dad to my3-year-old sonWhat are your personal andcareer goals? My personal goalis to get my master’s degree. Mycareer goal is to make chief.What hints can you give toothers about recruiting? Tell thetruth no matter how brutal, and be honest with yourself and your appli-cants – they will thank you for it. Always be yourself.What is the best advice you have ever received? Remember thatthere is always somebody that has it worse than you do so be gratefulfor what you have.What is your personal motto? Accept that I will make mistakes andthen learn from them.What do you consider your greatest achievement? Professionally,winning the gold badge in 2001 as an enlisted accessions recruiter;personally, the birth of my son.What do you believe young men and women look for in the AirForce? I believe that most see the Air Force as an opportunity to dosomething other than go to college. They see it as an opportunity foradventure and a way to set themselves up for college after the AirForce.

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TAKE NOTE

Recruiter magazineEffective this month, Recruiter

magazine is being published as aquarterly publication.

The change is due to the loss oftwo personnel authorizations thisfiscal year at the Air Force Re-cruiting Service Public AffairsOffice.

Public affairs officials saidmembers of AFRS will continue toreceive news and informationthrough various channels toinclude their chain of command,electronic mail and AFRSXTRAnet.

Award winnersAir Force Recruiting Service

officials announced in Decemberthe command’s top personnelmanagers of the year.

The winners include SeniorAirman Jacob Sheppard, 372ndRecruiting Group; Tech. Sgt. BradIncrocci, 347th Recruiting Squad-ron; Master Sgt. Audrey Jolivette,369th RCG; Master Sgt. KeithCox, 330th RCS; and Capt. TanyaRapone, 314th RCS.

The individuals competed

against others in their respectivecategories in job performance,community involvement andsignificant self-improvement. TheAFRS winners go on to competeat the Air Education and TrainingCommand level.

PME graduates

The following members re-cently completed Air Forceprofessional military education.Senior NCO AcademyMaster Sgt. Jackie Foster, 339th RCS

NCO AcademyTech. Sgt. Bryan Whitley, 337th RCSTech. Sgt. C. Berdinner, 362nd RCSTech. Sgt. T. Handler, 362nd RCSTech. Sgt. Mark Wildes, 345th RCSTech. Sgt. Jeffrey Colvin, 345th RCSTech. Sgt. James House, 345th RCSTech. Sgt. Joseph Minor, 347th RCSTech. Sgt. Ed Weaver, 336th RCS

Airman Leadership SchoolSenior Airman Gary Miller, 313th RCSSenior Airman Madelyn Waychoff, AFRS

NSPS delayThe Department of Defense is

delaying implementation of thenew National Security PersonnelSystem until Feb. 1, acting Deputy

Defense Secretary Gordon En-gland said.

“This is a win for DOD, it’s awin for our employees, and it’s awin for our nation,” he said.

Several unions recently filed alawsuit challenging some aspectsof NSPS regulations, Mr. Englandsaid. However, DoD, OPM, theJustice Department and the unionsinvolved in the lawsuit announcedan agreement in November.

“While the lawsuit is in process,we have all agreed that DOD willcontinue the training on NSPS andwill continue collaboration withthem on implementation details,”Mr. England said.

NSPS is part of DefenseSecretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’sprogram to transform the wayDOD does business to better meetthe challenges of the 21st century.The new program, in developmentsince 2003, will replace thecurrent general-schedule personnelranking system with broad paybands. Employees are evaluatedfor performance in duties directlytied to departmental missions.Under NSPS, that pay-for-perfor-

Recruiting school graduatesThe following Airmen graduated from recruit-

ing school in November.

Staff Sgt. Mark Adams........................ 337th RCSStaff Sgt. John Bowerman ................. 344th RCSSenior Airman Douglas Chambers .... 349th RCSSenior Airman Kevin Crump............... 367th RCSStaff Sgt. Joshua Denniston ............... 343rd RCSStaff Sgt. Troy Henderson .................. 361st RCSTech. Sgt. Douglas Host ................... 342nd RCSTech. Sgt. David Jacobson ............... 342nd RCSStaff Sgt. Erin Keller-Singleton ........... 330th RCSSenior Airman Kirk Little ..................... 317th RCSTech. Sgt. David Molina ..................... 369th RCSStaff Sgt. Jeremy Montgomery ........... 367th RCSTech. Sgt. Joseph Ross .................... 332nd RCSStaff Sgt. Dina Scardera .................... 317th RCSStaff Sgt. Kevin Walker ...................... 349th RCS

Senior Airman James Weltin .............. 333rd RCSStaff Sgt. DeJuan Wilkins ................... 317th RCSSenior Airman Judian Anthony-Brown 333rd RCSStaff Sgt. Scott Borlinghaus ............... 367th RCSSenior Airman Dalford Corley ............ 348th RCSStaff Sgt. Justin Dietz ........................ 342nd RCSSenior Airman Chase Funke .............. 338th RCSTech. Sgt. Robert Fuzi ....................... 339th RCSSenior Airman Suzanne Martin .......... 341st RCSStaff Sgt. Lucasey Howe .................... 345th RCSSenior Airman Randy Owens Jr. ....... 332nd RCSSenior Airman Sari Pietz .................... 318th RCSTech. Sgt. James Reed ...................... 344th RCSTech. Sgt. John Roy ........................... 361st RCSStaff Sgt. Sean Smedley .................... 318th RCSStaff Sgt. George Staley ..................... 368th RCSStaff Sgt. Keith Thomas ..................... 343rd RCSStaff Sgt. Raul Villarreal ..................... 341st RCS

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December PromotionsColonel

Daniel Woolever ............. AFRS

Lieutenant ColonelAnthony Secrist ...... 337th RCS

CaptainChristopher Anglin .. 360th RCG

First LieutenantChristopher Richards ..... AFRS

Chief Master SergeantDuane Buchi .......... 349th RCS

Senior Master SergeantRobert Giordano .... 360th RCG

Master SergeantChristopher Aaby ... 361st RCSKenneth Adamczyk 318th RCSJohn Ayres ............. 311th RCSRichard Ball ............ 331st RCSRussell Benigno ..... 333rd RCSLonnie Crawford ..... 344th RCS

Gerald Cross .............. 341st RCSRobert Dixon .............. 336th RCSShawn Forman ........... 314th RCSJames Herrick ............ 331st RCSWilliam House ............ 314th RCSSonia Kilgore .............. 343rd RCSMichael Lane ............. 362nd RCSDavid Lewis ................ 349th RCSScott Malpass ............ 344th RCSDeanna Manske ......... 361st RCSM. Martinez-Yarovikov 367th RCSCraig Miller ................. 367th RCSRudy Morales ............. 341st RCSClifford Mosley .......... 342nd RCSJoseph Myers ............. 331st RCSBryan Oplinger ........... 341st RCSJoseph Sullivan .......... 337th RCSLaTonya Williams ....... 368th RCS

Technical SergeantJeremy Arntz .............. 343rd RCSMichael Asdel ............. 314th RCSKyle Baker .................. 348th RCSDavid Bradbury .......... 330th RCSWilliam Brown ............ 367th RCS

Shane Clark ........... 318th RCSJeremy Dickey ...... 332nd RCSJoshua Evans ........ 364th RCSTracy Flores ........... 319th RCSBradford Gardner ........... AFRSCasey Hagen ......... 314th RCSDavid Jackson........ 361st RCSJames Kilgore ........ 348th RCSMichael King ......... 332nd RCSJeremy Lemaire ..... 347th RCSVictor McHenry ...... 311th RCSRichard Nixon ........ 367th RCSRobert Parent ......... 337th RCSShawn Sweet ......... 333th RCSRyan Ulrich ............ 342st RCSLouis Urban III ........ 339th RCSStann Widmer ....... 362nd RCS

Staff SergeantJason Crawford ...... 348th RCSNoel Gonzalez ....... 367th RCSMarguerite Laney ... 341st RCSEdward Malone ...... 338th RCS

mance system replaces old civilservice rules that rewarded em-ployees for length of service ratherthan performance.

ScholarshipsApplications for the “Scholar-

ships for Military Children”program are being acceptedthrough Feb. 22.

In its sixth year of rewardingacademic excellence, applicationsfor the 2006 scholarship programare available at any commissaryworldwide, online at the MilitaryScholar Web site or through a linkat www.commissaries.com.Information is also available onthe Military Scholar Web site atwww.militaryscholar.org.

Applications have to be turnedin at a commissary by Feb. 22. Atleast one $1,500 scholarship willbe awarded at every commissarylocation with qualified applicants.

The program is open to unmarriedchildren under the age of 21 ofactive-duty personnel, Reserve,Guard and retired military. Eligi-bility is determined using theDEERS database. Applicationsmay be turned in for those up toage 23 if enrolled in school.

Since its inception in 2000, theSFMC program has awarded$1,500 college scholarships tonearly 2,500 military children.

TSP 2006 changesEffective in 2006, civilian and

military employees are no longersubject to a percentage limit on theamount they may contribute to aregular Thrift Savings Planaccount.

They may contribute the fullamount allowed by the InternalRevenue Service annual electivedeferral limit, which is $15,000 for2006.

“TSP is a long-term retirementsavings plan, which everyoneshould consider,” said JanetThomas, a human resourcesspecialist at the Air Force Person-nel Center here. “It’s a greatsupplement to military and civilianretirement plans.”

Investing in TSP is not limitedto stocks. People can choose safergovernment securities or invest inthe new Lifecycle Funds.

TSP offers investors the chancefor lower taxes each year theycontribute while not having to paytaxes on earnings until they reachretirement. Open seasons wereeliminated July 1, 2005, soemployees may start, change,stop or resume TSP contributionsat any time, with few exceptions.

Information on TSP as well asinvestment funds available can befound on the TSP Web site atwww.tsp.gov.

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NEWS

Officials from Headquarters AirForce Recruiting Service sharedwith several squadrons thecommand’s selections for topperformance during annual awardsbanquets that took place through-out the country in October andNovember.

“The individuals and unitsearning these awards have madesignificant contributions to therecruiting mission over the lastfiscal year. Facing a very challeng-

Top Superintendent ......... Senior Master Sgt. Scott Haskins, 311th RCSTop Overall Squadron ........................................................... 368th RCSTop Squadron Enlisted Accessions Programs ....................... 337th RCSTop Squadron Officer Accessions Programs ......................... 368th RCSAFRS Commander’s Award of Excellence ............................ 338th RCSThe Carol DiBattiste Most Improved Squadron ..................... 349th RCSTop Squadron Safety Award .................................................. 336th RCSTop Support NCO (8R000) ..... Staff Sgt. Christina Granozio, 317th RCSTop Support NCO (non-8R000) .... Staff Sgt. Marelise Wood, 331st RCSSpouse of the Year ..................................... Kimberly Wright, 345th RCSTop Recruiter .......................... Master Sgt. Ronnie Spencer, 314th RCSLangley Spirit Award ....................................... Loretta Kisiel, 367th RCSTop EA Recruiter ............................. Tech. Sgt. Carrie Rios, 362nd RCSTop HP Recruiter ................. Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Adamczyk, 318th RCSTop Line Officer Recruiter ..............Staff Sgt. Amanda Vincent, 368 RCSTop EA Flight Chief ........................... Master Sgt. Scott Stoy, 318th RCSTop OA Flight Chief ....... Master Sgt. Charles Katzenberger, 349th RCSTop Rookie Recruiter .................. Master Sgt. George Mayo, 341st RCSTop Squadron Training Branch .............................................. 364th RCSTop Squadron Operations Flight ............................................ 343rd RCSTop Squadron Support Flight ................................................. 314th RCSTop Squadron Marketing Branch .......................................... 342nd RCSTop OA Flight ......................................................................... 368th RCSTop EA Flight ........................................................... A Flight, 311th RCSTop MEPS – small category ................................... 368th RCS SpokaneTop MEPS – medium category ............................. 332nd RCS NashvilleTop MEPS – large category ................................ 362nd RCS San Diego

ing year due to force shaping, theykept their eyes on the target –finding tomorrow’s qualityAirmen,” said Brig. Gen. DutchRemkes, AFRS commander.“They represent the best of what ittakes to be in this business. Takethe time to congratulate them, butmore importantly, learn fromthem.”

The fiscal 2005 AFRS annualaward winners include the follow-ing:

AFRS names itstop performers

Thirty-two recruiters arewearing new hardware on theiruniforms following the awardof the master recruiter badge.

Commonly referred to as thegold badge, recruiters wererecognized for their perfor-mance against competitioncriteria established by AirForce Recruiting Serviceheadquarters and their squad-rons. Each of the 28 recruitingsquadrons and four groupsselects a gold badge winner.

The fiscal 2005 gold badgerecruiters include:372nd Recruiting GroupStaff Sgt. Andrew Gill III, 361st RCSTech. Sgt. Carrie Rios, 362nd RCSTech. Sgt. F. Gawaran, 364th RCSTech. Sgt. Brian Worth, 367th RCSMaster Sgt. Steven Schmidt, 367th RCSTech. Sgt. Frankie Mach, 368th RCSMaster Sgt. Earl Edwards, 369th RCSStaff Sgt. Alex Pirmann, 342nd RCS

367th Recruiting GroupStaff Sgt. P. Combellick, 330th RCSTech. Sgt. James Bell, 330th RCSTech. Sgt. Arnold Goins, 331st RCSTech. Sgt. Victoria Ferrell, 332nd RCSTech. Sgt. Russell Benigno, 333rd RCSStaff Sgt. Robert Thomas, 336th RCSStaff Sgt. Bradley Wilson, 338th RCSStaff Sgt. Gregory Lamb, 339th RCS

369th Recruiting GroupMaster Sgt. C. Lipphardt, 341st RCSStaff Sgt. Jeffrey Stock, 343rd RCSStaff Sgt. Jason Rodriguez, 344th RCSTech. Sgt. Jerry Bunch, 345th RCSTech. Sgt. Andrew Cramm, 347th RCSTech. Sgt. Wildon Scrivner, 348th RCSMaster Sgt. Eric Cooper, 349th RCSStaff Sgt. Steven Gifford, 349th RCS

360th Recruiting GroupMaster Sgt. Richard Franko, 311th RCSStaff Sgt. Thomas Mullins, 313th RCSMaster Sgt. Ronnie Spencer, 314th RCSStaff Sgt. Jennifer Johnson, 317th RCSMaster Sgt. Gerri Miller, 318th RCSTech. Sgt. K. Adamczyk, 318th RCSSenior Airman Gabriel Rosa, 319th RCSMaster Sgt. Jimmie Spears, 337th RCS

32 achievegold badge

6 Recruiter

by Master Sgt. Mitch GettleAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON (AFPN) – Therealities of the world have changeddramatically since the creation ofthe Air Force in 1947 and continueto change almost daily.

With these changes in mind, AirForce leaders released a newmission statement Dec. 7 thatdefines the current and futuredirection of the Air Force.

“Today, our world is fast paced,constantly shifting and filled witha wide range of challenges,”Secretary of the Air Force MichaelW. Wynne and Air Force Chief ofStaff Gen. T. Michael Moseleywrote in a joint Letter to Airmen.“Our mission is our guidingcompass, and now more than everwe need it to be clear and precise.”

The mission statement definesthe “where and what” the AirForce accomplishes on a dailybasis:

The mission of the United StatesAir Force is to deliver sovereign

options for the defense of theUnited States of America and itsglobal interests – to fly and fightin Air, Space, and Cyberspace.

The statement includes two newconcepts, “sovereign options” and“cyberspace,” which the secretaryand chief defined.

They said having sovereignoptions is the essence of being asuperpower.

“Our task is to provide thepresident, combatant commanders,and our nation with an array ofoptions ... options that are notlimited by the tyranny of distance,the urgency of time, or thestrength of our enemy’s defenses,”they said.

“With one hand the Air Forcecan deliver humanitarian assis-tance to the farthest reaches of theglobe, while with the other handwe can destroy a target anywherein the world.”

Cyberspace includes networksecurity, data transmission and thesharing of information.

“We have quite a few of our

Mission statement reflects changeAirmen dedicated to cyberspace ...from security awareness, makingsure the networks can’t be pen-etrated, as well as figuring outcountermeasures,” SecretaryWynne said. “The Air Force is anatural leader in the cyber worldand we thought it would be best torecognize that talent.”

Adversaries of the United Stateswill use any method or venuenecessary to contest America, andit is an Airman’s calling to domi-nate air, space and cyberspace, theleaders said.

“If we can decisively andconsistently control these com-mons, then we will deter countlessconflicts,” they said. “If ourenemies underestimate our re-solve, then we will fly, fight, anddestroy them.”

Using past air power pioneersas examples of understanding themission, they said, “The AirForce’s mission statement hasevolved over time, but it does notchange the nature of who we areor what we do.”

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The Air Force Uniform Boardestablished an Oct. 1, 2006,mandatory wear date of thephysical training uniform for unitfitness activities.

The PT uniform was an initia-tive established by the Air Forcechief of staff following a call formore stringent physical trainingrequirements to meet the needs ofmission readiness. The new unisexuniform can be worn off-the-shelf,requiring no modifications. Itconsists of a T-shirt, a pair ofshorts and a two-piece nylonrunning suit. With the exception ofthe grey T-shirt, the entire en-semble is navy blue.

The board also released addi-tional guidance for Airmenwearing the uniform for personalworkouts. Airmen wearing the PTuniform must adhere to thefollowing guidelines:– T-shirts may be worn out ortucked in– Jackets may be zipped, unzippedand worn with civilian clothes– Black or navy blue leggings orstretch shorts may be worn underthe uniform shorts– White socks of any length andsmall conservative trademarks areauthorized– Any athletic shoes may be worn– Safety items such as reflectivebelts, camelbacks and fanny packsare authorized– Hats or knit caps are authorizedprovided they meet military imagerequirements– Headphones are authorized– Bandanas and other similar headscarves are not authorized unlessAirmen have a medical waiver– Saluting is not required

Officials added that all Airmenmust comply with tattoo and

jewelry standards as stated in AirForce Instruction 36-2903, Dressand Personal Appearance of AirForce Personnel.

Further guidance added byofficials now allows femaleAirmen exercising in the PTuniform to wear their hair free ofpins or other accessories normallyrequired to meet uniform stan-dards. Also, there is no mandatedmaternity uniform while partici-pating in formations or unitactivities.

The Air Force created the PTuniform to support unit cohesionand present a professional, stan-dardized image, said boardofficials.

Total cost for the new uniformis around $125. Enlisted Airmenwere given an increase in theiryearly clothing allowance topurchase the uniform, those inbasic military training are beingissued the gear, and officers willbe required to purchase theuniform with their own funds.Uniform items are available forsale in military clothing salesstores.

Commanders will determinewhat uniform items Airmen willwear during unit fitness events.

The uniform board is workingon optional items including a long-sleeve shirt, sweatshirt and anotherstyle of running shorts.

AF sets PT uniform wear date

by Master Sgt. Efrain GonzalezThe new physical training uniform becomes mandatory wear for unit fit-ness activities Oct. 1, 2006.

NEWS

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By Master Sgt. Daniel ElkinsAir Force Recruiting Service

Changes in the Basic Military Training curriculumare bringing to the forefront a fundamental conceptcentral to Air Force mission success – train how youfight.

For the past six years, Airmen have been success-fully accomplishing operations around the globeunder the concept of the Air Expeditionary Force.The AEF concept was developed to organize, train,equip and deploy forces for contingency operationswhile remaining ready to meet national crises. AEFalso helps create a mindset and culture that embracesthe unique characteristics of air and space power –range, speed, flexibility and precision.

Developing that mindset in Airmen now begins assoon as trainees enter the gate at Lackland Air ForceBase, Texas. Recruits arriving for BMT now learn acurriculum designed to mirror an AEF cycle in hopesof instilling a warrior posture, said officials from the737th Training Group at Lackland.

“Changes were made to meet requirements estab-lished by the 20th Basic Military Training ReviewCommittee so that we can do a better job instilling awarrior ethos,” said Col. Gina Grosso, 737th TRGcommander. She added the review took into consider-ation feedback received by command chiefs at themajor commands as well as the chief master sergeantof the Air Force during their visits with Airmenconducting contingency operations.

The first few weeks of BMT are dedicated todeveloping basic expeditionary skills that allowtrainees to organize, train and prepare for a mock

Curriculum changesinstill warrior mindset

deployment. Gone are hours spent meticulouslyfolding, measuring and ironing T-shirts. Instead,trainees are learning to roll their shirts and otherclothing as they would in preparing to deploy.

Beginning in the spring, officials said trainees willreceive a training weapon during the first week ofBMT. The weapon is identical to an M-16 rifle, onlyit will have a blue stock and grip and a no operational

BMT: back to

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firing pin. Trainees will be expected to becomeskilled at the use of the weapon as well as be respon-sible for securing the weapon throughout the rest oftheir time at basic training.

The changes have also led to the elimination ofWarrior Week. Trainees receive part of the trainingoriginally covered in Week 5 during their first twoweeks at BMT. The curriculum replaced Warrior

Week with field training and moved it to the fourthweek.

“War skills are just one component of a corecompetency for an Airman,” said Colonel Grosso.“Although war skills will remain a critical aspect oftraining, we wanted to move away from the percep-tion that we’re warriors for one week. There are otherskills vital to what we bring to the fight and being acompetent Airman.”

Field training is intended to mirror the AEFdeployment process, complete with mobility line anddeployment briefings. Upon completion of process-ing, trainees will qualify on the M-16 at the range andthen “deploy” to a forward location for instruction inbasic field security. They then depart for their finaldestination where over the next six days of fieldtraining they will put to practice what they’velearned.

Following field training, reconstitution returnstrainees to their dormitories where the instructionnow shifts to “airmanship” over the final two weeks.Instructors will cover traditional subjects such ashistory and customs and courtesies, but are nowplacing greater emphasis on such topics as sexualassault prevention and reporting and suicide preven-tion.

Colonel Grosso said the changes to curriculum arebeing reviewed as part of a formal validation processfor a period of at least six months.

In order to better prepare Airmen for the expedi-tionary nature of the Air Force, officials at BMTsuccessfully implemented the changes in curriculumin November. However, they are seeking to extendtraining by five days to further develop those skills.BMT and Air Education and Training Commandofficials are working closely together to dedicatefunding for the initiative, but the extension of trainingis not expected to take effect until 2008, officialssaid.

o the basics

by Robbin Cresswell

NEWS

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By Master Sgt. Daniel ElkinsAir Force Recruiting Service

Recruiters play a critical rolebeginning this month as the AirForce Science Fair Program kicksoff to support and encourage theachievements of America’s youthin science, math and engineering.

“The program accomplishesthree goals,” said RuthSensabaugh, program manager. “Itdemonstrates Air Force interest inyouth to the community, it recog-nizes and encourages students whoare conducting research in areas ofinterest to the Air Force, and itacquaints students with careerpossibilities by providing AirForce visibility to potential futurescientists and engineers.”

Managed by the Air ForceResearch Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio,Ms. Sensabaugh is responsible forcoordinating support for 332science fairs over the next fivemonths in the United States andPuerto Rico. She’s been workingwith each of the 28 squadrons inAir Force Recruiting Service.

“Both the squadron POC andrecruiter are a crucial part of asuccessful and smooth fair sea-son,” the program manager said.

The Science Fair Program ismanaged at the squadron head-quarters typically by the publicaffairs or marketing NCO, who isresponsible for coordinating withflight chiefs to identify recruiterswho will support the individualscience fairs. Squadrons are thefocal point for receiving materialsthat include awards, points ofcontact, instructions, checklistsand surveys. Those packages,earmarked for specific fairs, arebeing mailed to squadrons at thebeginning of this month. Thesquadron, in turn, forwards thescience fair materials to theassigned recruiters.

After recruiters receive thematerials, Ms. Sensabaugh sug-gests their first action should be tocontact the fair director immedi-ately to make sure they have thecorrect date and location. Feed-back received by the AFRL fromscience fair directors each yearidentifies no contact by recruitersor a no-show at the fair as themost common complaints.

The next step, according toStaff Sgt. John House, publicaffairs NCO for the 341st Recruit-ing Squadron, is for recruiters tocoordinate the dates and times forjudging with volunteers.

“Because many of the projectsrequire an understanding of thesciences for judging purposes, thebest sources for assistance are civilengineers at a nearby base orstudents at an ROTC detachment,”he said.

Following the fair, Ms.Sensabaugh recommends recruit-ers or judges attend any formalpresentations to award students orprovide the awards to fair directorsfor presentation. Any unusedawards should be returned toAFRL.

With the proper support,recruiters can benefit immenselyfrom science fairs, she said. Theprogram manager pointed out thatalthough military members maynot actively recruit at these fairs,they often answer questionsstudents might have about qualifi-cations as well as providinginterested students business cardsto set up an appointment at a laterdate.

Recruiters play key role inAFRL Science Fair Program

“The program ... acquaints studentswith career possibilities by providingAir Force visibility to potential future

scientists and engineers.”Ruth Sensabaugh

10 Recruiter

Recruiter 11

by Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (AFPN) — Recruits enteringtoday’s military are head and shoulders above theircontemporaries, a top Pentagon official said.

Myths that imply otherwise reflect the Vietnam-era— not today’s — military, said Bill Carr, actingdeputy undersecretary of defense for military person-nel policy.

“They are clearly a cut above America,” he said.Mr. Carr bristles when he hears unfounded charges

that the men and women entering the military are lesseducated, less affluent or less likely than other 18- to24-year-olds to have alternatives to military service.

Rather, a combination of volunteerism and com-mitment to service is prompting young people toenlist, he said, noting that a measure of shrewdnessplays into their decision.

“They are planning their future and consideringwhat part we can play in it,” he said.

Mr. Carr likes to think of himself as a “mythbuster,” helping break stereotypes he said are flat-outwrong and cheat servicemembers of the pride they’veearned and deserve.

He gave examples of those myths and set therecord straight for each one.

Myth 1: Military recruits are less educated andhave fewer work alternatives than other youngAmericans.

In fact, military recruits are far better educatedthan the general youth population, Mr. Carr said.More than 90 percent of recruits have a high schooldiploma, compared to about 75 percent of the U.S.youth population.

That’s an important issue to the military, he said,because a traditional high school diploma is thesingle best indicator of a recruit’s “stick-to-it-ness”and likelihood of successfully adjusting to militaryservice. The military has exceeded the 90-percentbenchmark for recruits with high school diplomasevery year since 1983, Mr. Carr said.

Myth 2: The military tends to attract people withlower aptitudes.

Recruits actually have much higher average

aptitudes than the general youth population, Mr. Carrsaid. In fiscal 2005, 67 percent of recruits scoredabove the 60th percentile on the Armed ServicesVocational Aptitude Battery, which is designed so theaverage young person will score 50 percent, he said.

But high achievement on the test isn’t new, hesaid. Sixty percent of new enlistees have scored at orabove the 50 percentile — the military’s benchmarkfor recruits — every year since 1985.

Myth 3: The military attracts a disproportionatenumber of poor or underprivileged youth.

In reality, military recruits mirror the U.S. popula-tion and are solidly middle class, Mr. Carr said. Hecited a recent Heritage Foundation report that showsmost recruits come from middle-class families, ratherthan poorer or wealthier ones.

Patterns in recent years reinforce this trend,showing a slight dip in recruits from lower socioeco-nomic groups and a slight increase from upper-classgroups, he said.

Myth 4: A disproportionate number of recruitscome from urban areas.

Inner cities are actually the most underrepresentedarea among new recruits, Mr. Carr said. Both subur-ban and rural areas are overrepresented, he said.

Myth 5: The military isn’t geographically repre-sentative of America.

The southern part of the United States generatesthe most recruits, 41 percent, but also has the biggestyouth population from which to draw, 36 percent, Mr.Carr said. Twenty-four percent of recruits come fromnorth-central regions, which have 23 percent of theyouth population. The west, with 24 percent of thenation’s youth, contributes 21 percent of the newenlistees. And the northeast, with 18 percent of theyouth population, provides 14 percent of new re-cruits.

Clearing up misconceptions about military recruitspaints a truer picture of the young men and womenjoining the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps,and the capabilities they bring to their respectiveservices, Mr. Carr said.

It also reinforces what military leaders haverecognized all along: “There’s enormous talent intheir midst,” he said.

Pentagon official debunksmyths about military recruits

NEWS

12 Recruiter

The U.S. Air Force Air Demon-stration Squadron, the“Thunderbirds,” has announced its2006 air show schedule.

The team, based at Nellis AirForce Base, Nev., is scheduled toperform more than 65 publicshows in 29 states.

The U.S. demonstration squad-ron is an Air Combat Commandunit composed of eight pilots —including six demonstration pilots— four support officers, fourcivilians and about 110 enlistedAirmen performing in more than29 Air Force specialties.

The 2006 demonstration seasonincludes the first female demon-stration pilot in the 52-year history

of the Thunderbirds. Capt. NicoleMalachowski joins the team as thefirst female demonstration pilot onany U.S. military high perfor-mance jet team.

Air Force Recruiting Serviceofficials said recruiters cancapitalize from a team visit byworking closely with air showorganizers to plan such events asschool or media visits and DEPswear-in ceremonies.

“As with any aerial demonstra-tion team, the Thunderbirds offerrecruiters an excellent opportunityto interact with their communitiesby making contact with peoplewho have a genuine interest in theAir Force mission,” said Staff Sgt.

Marti Ribeiro, NCOIC of commu-nity outreach for HeadquartersAFRS. “Although air shows are agreat awareness tool attracting aregional audience, they also serveas an excellent recruiting sourcefor generating leads from the localarea.”

A Thunderbirds aerial demon-stration is a mix of formationflying and solo routines. The pilotsperform approximately 40 maneu-vers in a demonstration. The entireshow, including ground and air,runs about one hour.

The air show season lasts fromMarch to November with thewinter months used to train newmembers.

Thunderbirds release schedule

12 Recruiter

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NEWS

March25-26 — Fort Smith, Ark.

April1-2 — Punta Gorda, Fla.8 — Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.9 — Columbus AFB, Miss.22-23 — Tyndall AFB, Fla.29-30 — March Air Reserve Base,Calif.

May6-7 — Langley AFB, Va.13-14 — Robins AFB, Ga.20 — Altus AFB, Okla.21 — Dyess AFB, Texas27 — Cannon AFB, N.M.

June3-4 — Beale AFB, Calif.

September2-4 — Gary, Ind.9-10 — McConnell AFB, Kan.15-17 — Reno, Nev.23-24 — Rockford, Ill.30 — Ft. Worth, Texas

October1 — Ft. Worth, Texas7-8 — Patuxent River, Md.14 — Arlington, Va.15 — Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.21-22 — Houston28-29 — Edwards AFB, Calif.

November4-5 — Lackland AFB, Texas11-12 — Nellis AFB, Nev.

10-11 — Hill AFB, Utah17-18 — Joint Air Reserve BaseWillow Grove, Pa.24-25 — North Kingstown, R.I.

July1 — Kirtland AFB, N.M.3-4 — Battle Creek, Mich.8-9 — Duluth, Minn.15-16 — Milwaukee22 — Grand Forks AFB, N.D.23 — Casper, Wyo.26 — Cheyenne, Wyo.29-30 — Fairchild AFB, Wash.

August12-13 — Scott AFB, Ill.19-20 — Burlington, Vt.23 — Atlantic City, N.J.26-27 — Greenfield, Ind.

2006 Thunderbirds Schedule

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14 Recruiter

Waterloo High School students speak with a member of the Air ForceHonor Guard Drill Team prior to a performance (at right).

By Tech. Sgt. Joel Langton345th Recruiting Squadron

Like an all-star basketballplayer who is known as a triplethreat, the Air Force Honor GuardDrill Team put up the samecredentials during a Decembervisit to Illinois and Missouri forthe 345th Recruiting Squadron.

“Our zone was a lot bluer afterthey left than before they arrived,”said Lt. Col. Ann Pinc, 345th RCScommander. “There are schoolsthat we had a tough time gettinginto last year, but since the drillteam performed there this year, thedoors are now wide open to ourrecruiters to visit.”

Colonel Pinc said the schoolvisits were multi-purpose —recruiters generated leads and theensuing media coverage raised theAir Force presence in localcommunities.

“The school visit and perfor-mance is nice, but we hear aboutthe drill team visit throughout theyear, thanks to the fact that wehave a newspaper and television

station (present) at just aboutevery visit,” said Master Sgt.Craig Ploessl, 345th RCS E Flightchief. “The drill team is able todraw the media, and it seems likeevery member is a great Air Forcespokesperson, due to their mediatraining.”

But like that basketball all-star,the team is more than just EArecruiting. It also made time for astop at the St. Louis Children’sHospital.

“It really raised the visibility ofthe Air Force nurse and doctorrecruiting efforts,” said MasterSgt. Leslie Bramlett, an officeraccessions recruiter. “The teamwas there to perform for thechildren, but it generated a lot ofgood will among those doctors andnurses that we’re trying to (reach),and some of them saw the AirForce as a much more viableopportunity simply thanks to thecompassion shown by the teammembers.”

During the four-day visit, theteam performed at Scott Air ForceBase, Ill.; St. Louis Children’s

345th RCS capitalizes on visitby AF honor guard drill team

Hospital; the St. Louis Shootout,the nation’s largest single-day highschool basketball tournament; andsix high schools. It was a schedulegenerating nearly 150 leads, amassive media impact and immea-surable good will.

The team said it was a winningvisit as well. “This is great for myteam because it just wants thechance to perform wherever itcan,” said Master Sgt. JacobPullin, Honor team superintendent.

Something any basketball fanwill recognize as a slam dunk.

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by Staff Sgt. David McCarrisonLed by Master Sgt. Jacob Pullin, above, the Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team performs forstudents at Waterloo High School in Waterloo, Ill.

AROUND AFRS

16 Recruiter

AFRS/PA550 D Street West Ste 1Randolph AFB TX 78150-4527

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LAS VEGAS NVPERMIT #583

Jan. 6-7Albuquerque, N.M.Lafayette, La.

Jan. 13 -14Worcester, MainePhiladelphia, Pa.Pensacola, Fla.

Jan. 14-15Milwaukee, Wis.

Jan. 20-21Auburn Hills, Mich.Minneapolis, M.N.Rapid City, S.D.

Jan. 27-28Pittsburgh, Pa.Fresno, Calif.

Feb. 10-11Tacoma, Wash.Cincinnati, OhioKansas City, Mo.

Feb. 10-12Pikeville, Ky.

Feb. 17-18Knoxville, Tenn.

Feb. 18-19Dallas, Texas

Feb. 24-25Little Rock, Ark.Wilkes Barre, Pa.

March 3-4Greenville, S.C.

March 10-11Nampa, IDBaton Rouge, La.

March 17-18Birmingham, Ala.Corpus Christi, Texas

March 24-25Columbia, S.C.University Park, Pa.

March 31 - April 1Tupelo, Miss.

2006 Air Force Presence At FMX