Page 2 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 6-3-16

2 June, 2016 COMMENTARY Thunderbolt
www.aerotechnews.com/lukeaf b http://www.luke.af.mil

PHONE NUMBERS Lt. has ‘Georgia on my mind’

Airman’s Attic ......................................................................... 623-856-6415 by 1st Lt. a national moment of silence and vited to go to Georgia to strengthen
Airman and Family Readiness Center ................................. 623-856-6550 Justin Lewis Ian Kelly, the U.S. ambassador to our national relations with the
Armed Forces Bank ............................................................... 623-535-9766 Georgia, ordered the embassy’s flag country. Our leaders believed that
Base Exchange Main Store ................................................... 623-935-2671 U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band to half-staff. American Airmen performing in
Base Taxi .................................................................................. 623-856-6866 person and on television before mil-
Beauty Shop ............................................................................ 623-536-1897 RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Ger- Kelly said that Kuljanishvili’s lions of Georgians could transcend
Chapel ...................................................................................... 623-856-6211 many — Republic of Georgia Army “bravery and sacrifice in support of language barriers, building on exist-
Chapel (after duty hours) ....................................................... 623-856-5600 Pvt. 1st Class Vasil Kulijanishvili international security symbolize the ing cooperation to enhance proven
Child Care Center ................................................................... 623-856-6338 was patrolling the perimeter of Ba- heroism and valor of Georgian sol- partnerships between the countries.
Clothing Sales ......................................................................... 623-856-6310 gram Air Base, Afghanistan, with diers who fight shoulder-to-shoulder
Club Five Six ........................................................................... 623-856-6446 his unit Sept. 22, 2015, as one of with U.S. Marines and Afghan gov- The Air Force has been using
Command Post ........................................................................ 623-856-5600 885 Georgian soldiers supporting ernment forces in Afghanistan — as music to build partnerships, reas-
Commissary ............................................................................ 623-935-3821 NATO’s Operation Resolute Support equals, friends and brothers.” sure allies and maintain military
Community Center ................................................................. 623-856-7152 when he was attacked and killed by traditions in Europe since the 1940s,
Computer IT service desk .................................................... DSN 945-2900 Taliban militants. I had just arrived to my new as- and to many of the band’s Airmen,
Crime Stop ............................................................................... 623-856-6666 signment at the U.S. Air Forces in serving as American ambassadors
Dental Clinic ............................................................................ 623-856-2273 The next day, Georgian Prime Europe Band at Ramstein Air Base,
Dermatology ............................................................................ 623-856-2273 Minister Irakli Garibashvili led Germany, when the band was in- See GEoRGIA, Page 23
Dining Hall .............................................................................. 623-856-6396
Dorm Management ................................................................ 623-856-7841 Mantra must be ‘People rst, mission always’
Education Center .................................................................... 623-856-7722
EMERGENCY ONLY ............................................................................ 911 by Senior Master Sgt. As I have moved up in the ranks, I realize the single
Equal Opportunity .................................................................. 623-856-7711 CLAUS PERIS biggest impact I can make to the mission and my unit is
Eye Clinic ................................................................................ 623-856-7965 to take care of my Airmen. This does not mean doing the
Falcon Dunes Golf Course .................................................... 623-535-9334 660th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron job for them, but giving them what they need to get the job
Family Health Clinic .............................................................. 623-856-2273 done. You don’t have to be their best friend, turn a blind
Family Housing ...................................................................... 623-388-3515 TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — If you’ve been eye to unprofessionalism or hook up your Airmen at the
Firestone Car Care .................................................................. 623-271-8104 around long enough, you’ve heard the phrase “Mission rst, expense of the mission.
Fitness Center .......................................................................... 623-856-6241 people always.”
Fire Station .............................................................................. 623-856-6641 It means providing the guidance, resources and, many
Flight Medicine ....................................................................... 623-856-2273 Today’s Airmen are busy. Whether its high ops tempo, times, the top cover to allow them to succeed. It means
Food Court ............................................................................... 623-935-2671 constant deployments or low manning, our Airmen are mentoring folks when they make mistakes, rewarding
Fort Tuthill ............................................................................... 623-856-3401 being asked to do more and more every day. Nothing is them when they excel, celebrating accomplishments in
Fraud, waste and abuse hotline ............................................. 623-856-6149 more important than accomplishing the mission — except public and addressing improvements in private. It means
Housing Assistance Sec ......................................................... 623-856-7643 for taking care of the people you supervise. treating people with respect and dignity while keeping the
Housing Facilities Sec ............................................................ 623-856-3007 bar high and supporting your Airmen as they accomplish
Housing Maintenance ............................................................ 623-935-2676 For me, the phrase should read, “People rst, mission something they never thought was within their reach. It
ID Cards ................................................................................... 623-856-7832 always.” Unfortunately, over the years I’ve seen supervi- means, in the end, to ensure your Airmen are better when
ITT ............................................................................................ 623-856-6000 sors at every level becoming more and more disconnected they leave the unit than when they came in.
Legal Assistance ..................................................................... 623-856-6901 with our Airmen. It’s time for us to re-engage, reconnect
Hobby shop ............................................................................. 623-856-6722 and interact with our people. If you are able to deliberately develop your Airmen this
Housing office ......................................................................... 623-856-7643 way, the mission will be accomplished.
Law enforcement desk ........................................................... 623-856-5970 Supervisory actions speak volumes. How you interact,
Legal assistance ....................................................................... 623-856-6901 communicate and recognize your people sets the founda- Leading the Airmen of today can be one of the most chal-
Library ...................................................................................... 623-856-7191 tion of your relationships. Do you recognize the Airmen’s lenging yet rewarding tasks. Today’s Airmen are noticeably
Lodging Office/Switchboard ................................................. 623-856-3941 accomplishments with an email or do you leave your desk, different than the Airmen who stepped off the bus with me
Maintenance Control Center ................................................. 623-856-5469 seek them out, look them in the eye, shake their hands and 22 years ago at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Today’s
Marine Corp ............................................................................ 623-856-2417 thank them in front of their peers? Face-to-face interaction Airmen are skilled multitaskers, agile decision makers
Marine Corp 24-hr Duty Desk .............................................. 602-421-5806 takes more time, but creates better relationships. and social networkers, eagerly cooperative and extremely
Marketing ................................................................................ 623-856-3245
Medical appointments ............................................................ 623-856-2273 As supervisors, we need to train our Airmen to become exible to change. They are hungry to learn and apply
Military Equal Opportunity ................................................... 623-856-7711 independent thinkers. Instead of a culture of conformity their knowledge and want nothing more than to be a part
Military pay ............................................................................. 623-856-7028 that older leaders struggle to maintain why not foster a of something bigger than themselves.
Navy Op Support Center ....................................................... 602-353-3008 climate that allows its members to use their experience
Office of Special Investigation .............................................. 623-856-6821 and knowledge to make decisions at appropriate levels? As present day leaders, we must take every measure to
Outdoor Recreation ................................................................ 623-856-6267 ensure we develop their full potential.
OB/GYN Clinic ...................................................................... 623-856-2273 Who knows better how to improve a product or process,
Optometrist .............................................................................. 623-856-2273 the technician with boots on the ground or the supervisor Mission sets vary across a wide array of career elds, but
Orthopedic Clinic .................................................................... 623-856-2273 that never leaves his desk? Good ideas have no rank; the the mission is and always will be there. The hard part is
Pass and registration ............................................................... 623-856-4880 newest Airman may have the solution to your problems. ensuring that our Airmen stick around and go the distance.
Patient advocate ...................................................................... 623-856-8968 Let’s refocus on our supervisory relationships with our
Pediatric Clinic ........................................................................ 623-856-2273 It could also lead to mistakes, but allow your people to Airmen, get involved, mentor and groom future leaders.
Pharmacy refill call-in ............................................................ 623-856-3969 fail from time to time. Good Airmen make mistakes; great “People rst, mission always” should be the new charge.
Photo services .......................................................................... 623-856-6168 supervisors see them through the process of learning and
Post Office ............................................................................... 623-935-1343 growth that comes from making mistakes. Courtesy of af.mil
Public Affairs ........................................................................... 623-856-6011
Recycling information ............................................................ 623-856-4749 Thunderbolt editorial sta Luke Air Force Base website and social media and is the source for articles and
Rodgers Travel ........................................................................ 623-856-6894 photos published in the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt editor is authorized to use
Safety ........................................................................................ 623-856-6941 Publisher .................................................... Aerotech News and Review photos and articles from other .mil or .gov websites.
Security forces ..........................................................................623-856-5970 Editor ........................................................................... Deborah Leuthold
Security incidents .................................................................... 623-856-7777 Designer .................................................................................Tinna Sellie Submission deadline is at noon the 15th day prior to the month of publication.
Service Calls CE Maint .......................................................... 623-856-7232 Contributions for the Thunderbolt can be made via email to 56FWPAThunderbolt@
Shoppette ................................................................................. 623-266-0040 Luke Air Force Base us.af.mil. The editor can be reached at 623-856-5998 or deborah.leuthold@us.af.mil.
Sick Call ................................................................................... 623-856-2273
Straight Talk Line ................................................................... 623-856-7064 Commander.......................................................... Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus The Thunderbolt uses material from the Armed Forces Information Service, Air
Sexual Assault Prevention/Response ................................... 623-856-4878 Public Affairs chief ................................................ Lt. Col. Matt Hasson Force News Service, AETC News Service and other sources. All advertising is han-
Telephone repair (Base) ......................................................... 623-856-4400 Public Affairs deputy chief .......................................... Kiley Dougherty dled by Aerotech News and Review. They can be reached by calling 480-307-1772.
Thrift store ............................................................................... 623-935-5782 Internal information.............................................. Staff Sgt. Staci Miller
Ticket/tour office ..................................................................... 623-856-6000 Contents of the Thunderbolt are not necessarily the official views of, or en-
(TMO) Household goods ...................................................... 623-856-6425 Editorial Information dorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense or the Department
(TMO) Passenger travel ......................................................... 623-856-7035 of the Air Force.
Transient alert .......................................................................... 623-856-6204 For past issues of the Thunderbolt, go to
Travel pay ................................................................................ 623-856-7028 www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb/ and click on PDF edition The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supple-
Vehicle maintenance ............................................................... 623-935-6576 The Thunderbolt is published by Aerotech News and Review, a private firm in no ments, does not constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by
Veterinary services .................................................................. 623-856-6354 way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the 56th the DOD, the DAF or Aerotech News and Review. Everything advertised in this
Lightning Gate VRC .............................................................. 623-856-4880 Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. This civilian enterprise Air Force news- publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard
South Gate VRC ..................................................................... 623-856-4768 paper is an authorized monthly publication for members of the U.S. military services. to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap,
Weather .................................................................................... 623-856-6805 The 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office prepares all editorial content for the political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. All
Wellness Center ...................................................................... 623-856-2273 photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated.
Youth Center ............................................................................ 623-856-7470