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8 June, 2016 NEWS Thunderbolt
www.aerotechnews.com/lukeaf b http://www.luke.af.mil
Colorado England Romania South Korea
The Air Force’s GPS recently registered Twelve F-22 Raptors The 37th Airlift Squadron from Defending the men and
its most accurate signal yet, according from the 95th Fighter Ramstein Air Base, Germany, kicked women of Osan Air Base is
to the Aerospace Corporation, which has Squadron and about off exercise Carpathian Summer 2016 one challenge to the 51st Se-
been monitoring the data since 2002 and 220 Airmen from Tyndall in May at Otopeni Air Base. The 11- curity Forces Squadron, but
works with the 2nd Space Operations Air Force Base, Florida, day, off-station training is a bilateral defending an entire country is
Squadron. Using the numbers from a net- completed a month-long exercise to enhance interoperability quite another. To bring a force
work of GPS tracking stations, Aerospace deployment May 8 to and readiness with Romania by con- multiplier to the table, the 51st
analysts calculated the signal-in-space Royal Air Force Laken- ducting combined air operations. SFS defenders trained with
accuracy of GPS to 14.9 inches. heath. This historic de- South Korean army special
ployment was the larg- operations forces during a
est Raptor deployment training scenario May 11.
in Europe to date and is
part of their Global Re-
sponse Force training.
AF vocalist mom sings at son’s graduation
Story by Staff Sgt. Courtesy photo “The Air Force was something he always
STACI MILLER wanted to do,” Baker said. “We were both
Master Sgt. Anne Baker, soprano vocalist with the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, wearing blue all these years and didn’t
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs and her birth son, 1st Lt. John Lorbiecki spend the day together prior to attending know it. My father was an Air Force pilot
the 310th Fighter Squadron Pilot B-Course graduation ceremony, May 20, at Luke in the 50s, so John had it in his blood.”
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Arizona — Air Force Base, Ariz. Baker came to Luke to sing the national anthem for Lorbiecki’s
Master Sgt. Anne Baker, soprano vocalist graduation. Lorbiecki and Baker met face-to-face in
with the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, October 2010. They have stayed in close
sang the national anthem for her birth her,” he said. “My parent’s amazing support began serving in the Wisconsin Air National contact ever since.
son’s pilot graduation May 20 at Luke Air meant a lot to me. It was a surreal moment, Guard with the 115th Fighter Wing based
Force Base. especially because I didn’t expect it.” at Truax Field in Madison, Wisconsin. She “We met, and it was like we had known
began by serving as a vocalist in the U.S. each other our whole lives,” Baker said.
1st Lt. John Lorbiecki was adopted short- As the two talked and compared life Air Force Band of Mid-America at Scott Air “His whole family has been so welcoming.”
ly after birth by John and Patti Lorbiecki of stories, they were surprised to nd both Force Base in Belleville, Illinois.
Hubertus, Wisconsin. In 2007, at the age of chose to make a career in the Air Force. He When Baker received the phone call
21, he initiated an Internet-based adoption from the 310th FS requesting her to sing
search in hopes of nding his birth mother. the national anthem for this ceremony, she
was thrilled.
“I always had a natural curiosity about
my birth parents that anyone would have “It’s a special honor and privilege for me
in the same situation,” Lorbieki said. “Those to be part of this ceremony at one the most
questions typically evoke a wide variety pivotal times in John’s career, and also to
of emotions. However, even before I met have the blessing from his family and his
her, I still respected her for making the commander to participate,” Baker said.
courageous decision to give someone who
desperately wanted to parent a child the The moment also meant a lot to Lor-
opportunity.” biecki.
Three years later, Baker stumbled onto “I was able to have my adoptive parents
then Tech. Sgt. Lorbiecki’s adoption page, and my birth mother in the same room
which contained his contact information. during the most important graduation
ceremony of my life,” he said. “Profession-
“There wasn’t a day that went by I didn’t ally, getting to this day was always my true
think about meeting him,” she said. “Once goal. I look at it as a celebration of mak-
I came across his page, I knew I needed to ing it happen when others thought it was
get permission from mom and dad before impossible. Friday night was a very simple
going any further. I gave them a call and event but it was signi cant for both of us.”
they were so welcoming to the idea.”
Despite time, distance and different
Moments later, Baker was speaking to directions in life, both have ended up in
her birth son on the phone for the rst time. a similar place. They are ful lling their
lifelong dreams in the Air Force, and they
“Out of nowhere I got a phone call from get to do it together.
