The Hill Top Times from Hill Air Force Base, Utah • 34

Nov. 12.1998 Exercise exercise exercise What is a vet? Veterans continue service as everday heroes among us, deserve thanks of grateful nation the Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep. He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket palsied now and aggravatingly slow who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come. He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being a person ho offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs. He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ev er known.

So remember, each time you see someone ho has served our country, just lean over and say "Thank you." That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded. Two little words that mean a lot, "Thank you." Remember Nov. 1 1 is Veterans Day. "It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer who has given us freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and hose coffin is draped by the flag, ho allow the protestor to burn the flag." Chap. Denis Edward O'Brien U.S. Marine Corp Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged sear, a certain look in the eve. Others mav earn the ev idence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg.

or perhaps another sort of inner steel the soul 's ally forged in the refinery of adversity Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking. What is a He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel. He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel. She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing ev ery night for two solid years in Da Nang.

He is the prisoner of ar who ent aw ay one person and came back another or didn't come back at all. He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy. no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs. He is the parade-riding Legionnaire ho pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand. He is the career quartermaster who atches the ribbons and medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in the Tomb of photo by Senior Airman San Banda A 34th Fighter Squadron weapons load crew removes guidance controls from a bomb during the Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise held Nov.2-6.The 75th Air Base Wing joined the 388th Fighter Wing in the exercise to prepare for a combined Operational Readiness Inspection next year. Insignia ushers in new era of enlisted representation On a personal level, the distinctive change would allow us to master sergeant respon Command chief master sergeant title provides interservice recognition; increases visibility, distinction interface more easily with our sister service counterparts, each of whom have a distinctive title already. Our title of senior enlisted advisor did not connote a set of job responsibilities that was familiar to our counterparts. Today's total force concept more frequently provides us opportunities to interact with our Army. Navy.

Marine Corps and Coast Guard brethren so familiarity is key to facilitat sible for expressing the concerns of the 388th Fighter Wing enlisted men and women to our commander, and when warranted, elevate those concerns to the command chief master sergeants at 12th Air Force, and Air Combat Command. On rare occasion, I have had direct communication with our Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. In addition, I am exposed to a great deal of information on a variety of is stripe offers more advantages than just the title. It provides an immediate introduction; a name tag, stripe, and wing patch tells the whole story. It identifies me as a representative of more than 1,800 enlisted men and women a conduit that flows information in both directions.

Hopefully the men and women of the 388th Fighter Wing now have a better understanding of my role and will view me as a chief who has access to vast amounts of information and points of contact for referral. The stripe should be available around the first of the new year. Take advantage of this outward sign and keep me abreast of your concerns. 1 encourage open communication with supervisors and first sergeant as ell because they too need to stay informed. So, "what has changed?" Not our commitment, nor how we're referred to (chief), nor our responsibilities, nor our pay.

Just a new title and stripe that should pay big dividends of recognition for our sister services but more importantly those we represent everyday. By Chief Master Sgt.T.J. Love 388th FW Command Chief Matter Sergeant On Nov. 1 my duty title changed from senior enlisted advisor to command chief master sergeant as did every other senior enlisted advisor throughout the Air Force; thus beginning a new era of enlisted representation. But, what has changed? When Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) Eric Benken approached Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Mike Ryan, with the proposal to change the duty title and develop a distinctive stripe, he framed his rationale as being beneficial for us as a service.

The ing a smooth integration. General Ryan considered that rationale sufficiently compelling to immediately approve CMSAF Benken 's proposal. As a command chief master sergeant, I am extremely pleased with General Ryan's approval because in addition to joint service recognition, it benefits the people I represent. It identifies me as the chief sues ranging from local to Air Force levels. This includes late-breaking initiatives and hot topics concerning all Department of Defense forces.

Each TDY affords me the opportunity to discuss our policies, programs, and issues with other command chief master sergeants to ensure we are consistent. I also seize the opportunity to adopt their best practices. FIGHTER COUNTRY js published for people like FIGHTER COUNTRY First place, small commercial-enterprise newspaper 1997 Air Combat Command Media Contest mmmvm "naatgKaw Editorial Staff Col. Mike Hostage. Commander -Chief, Public Affairs Editor Capt.

James R. Wilson Staff Sgt. James A. Rush. Senior Airman Sara Airman Cindy Richards Name: Capt.

Joe Jezairian Job: Squadron Weapons Officer Unit: 42 1 st Fighter Squadron Hometown: San Diego, Calif. Family: wife, Kris Time in Service: 9 years Chief, Community Relations Staff Writer Fighter Coimm is a supplement to it Hilltop Times, published VlorVledu. Inc 1 private firm in no wav connected with the Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the Ogdea Air Logistics Center Public Affairs Office This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication tor members of the I' S. military services. Conient, of Fruiter Cumitn are not necessarily the official news of.

or endorsed bv the C.S. Government, the Dcpattment of Defense or the Department of the Air Force I'nless otherwise indicated all photos are I Air Force photos. Fighter Cmintn is edited, prepared and provided bv the Fishier Umg Public Affairs Office. Ave Suite 113. Hill AFFJ IT.

M05-50r Stutv submissions for Fighter Countn can be brought bv the office, e-mailed to paedfw jhillvvposhill at mil or faxed to Deadline tor submissions to Fighter Comm is no laier than Wednesday. am. eight days prior to publication For more mformation. call the public affaif. office at Hobbies: hikmg, camping, and skiing Most recent accomplishment: "I graduated from weapons school last December." What would I change at Hill Air Force Base: "I would give Hill Air Force Base jets higher priority for range air space.".