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7UDLQWKHZRUOG·VJUHDWHVW)DQG)ÀJKWHUSLORWV                                                                                            Dec. 4, 2015
                                                                                                                                                          Vol. 15, No. 45
 INSIDE Forging Sabre

STORIES
„ Legend at Luke, 3
„ Army CSTs share, 4
„ LEAD visits Luke, 6
„ Lightning Leadership, 7
„ Holiday chapel events, 22
FEATURE

                       Senior Airman James Hensley                                                                                                                                                                                         Senior Airman James Hensley

 MWDS SNIFF OUT TROUBLE                             F-15 Eagles from the 428th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, arrived Nov. 19 at Luke Air Force
                                                    Base. The Eagles came in support of the training exercise Forging Saber, an exercise involving the 428th FS, 425th FS and
                                       See Page 14  members of the Republic of Singapore armed forces. The exercise is Dec. 1 through 13.

INDEX                                               Det. 12 graduates last MRA class

Action line ............................. 2                     E\6HQLRU$LUPDQ                         For one newly graduated F-16 crew chief,        shared a few words with graduates and
Briefs..................................... 3                       *5$&(/((                          completing his training as part of the last        family members.
Spotlight ................................ 4                                                           graduating class was memorable.
Diversions ........................... 20                            56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs                                                        “I am proud of you and what you’ve ac-
Sports.................................. 23                                                               “It feels great to be a part of the last        complished up to this point,” Shinn said. “I
                                                       History was made when Detachment 12,            graduating class,” said Airman 1st Class           am proud of what you will do and become. I’m
QUOTE OF THE WEEK                                   372nd Training Squadron graduated its              Tery Miller, 372nd TRS F-16 crew chief.            honored and feel privileged to be on the same
                                                    last class of mission-ready Airmen at Luke         “Being that I came in with zero mechanical         team. So friends, family, fellow Airmen, and
   “Subordinates, who are given a                   Air Force Base.                                    experience, I feel very prepared because           crew chiefs, when you see an F-16 in the air,
vague objective and timeline, can                                                                      they taught me how to properly use tools           remember who put it there. While we all have
make or break a project by asking                      Since the MRA program’s conception in           and work on the aircraft.”                         GLIIHUHQWUROHVIRUIXOÀOOLQJWKLVSURIHVVLRQLW
questions that remove unknowns.                     1994, the combined total of students gradu-                                                           is the role of the crew chief to put that awe-
Subordinates are the experts and                    ated is 11,840.                                       Throughout the program, students learn          some combat capability into action. It is the
know the intricacies of what is being                                                                  how to service an aircraft tire, service           role of crew chief to deliver safe and reliable
asked.”                                                “Every F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief          RLO UHPRYH DQG UHSODFH K\GUDXOLF ÀOWHUV    aircraft to make it happen. It is the role of the
                                                    has gone through our program for the last          troubleshoot landing gear and more.                crew chief to get that jet overhead.”
                   Lt. Col. Jason Hokaj             21 years,” said Master Sgt. Paul Engram,
WK2SHUDWLRQV6XSSRUW6TXDGURQ                    372nd TRS, Det. 12 MRA NCO in charge.                 “It’s a pretty fast-paced course in that there     One F-16 crew chief instructor com-
                                                    “After graduation, the crew chiefs will be         are only three classroom days,” Engram said.       PHQWHGRQEHLQJDSDUWRIWKHÀQDOFODVVRI
WEATHER                                             going to bases around the world.”                  “One of the days is orientation then another       the program.
                                                                                                       is learning how to do liquid oxygen bottle
                 Today                                 Students begin their journey to become an       removal and lastly, graduation. Other than            “It’s a unique privilege to be able to help
                                                    F-16 crew chief after Basic Military Training      that, everything we do is hands-on.”               ÀQLVKRIIWKH05$SURJUDPKHUHDW/XNHµ
             72°/41°                                when they arrive at Sheppard AFB, Texas,
                                                    for technical school. Thereafter, they are sent       During the graduation ceremony, Lt. Col.                                   See GRADUATES, Page 13
                       Sunny                        to Luke to complete the rest of their training.    Kenneth Shinn, 372nd TRS commander,

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