Page 1 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, September 2019
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“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen†September 2019
Vol. 18, No. 9
INSIDE
StorIES
ï® Shirt’s job is Airmen, 3
ï® ALS grads, 4
ï® POW/MIA Remembrance, 5
ï® Quarterly awards, 5
ï® Suicide prevention, 6
ï® E-5 selects announced, 8
FEAtUrE
Airman 1st Class Kristine Legate
VET GETS 2ND PURPLE hEaRT
See page 10
Continue to get Luke’s latest Courtesy photo
news and information from
these sources: http://www. Luke one of three bases OK’d for shorts on flightline
aerotechnews.com/lukeafb/
Working any job on the flightline can fortable in the heat, without sacrificing “However, not all of the time is spent on
http://www.luke.af.mil be an arduous task, but scorching heat mission accomplishment. the flightline. It depends on the number of
and social media and thick humidity can easily raise the launches and recoveries, and the status of
temperature to triple digits along the long The idea originated from the 95th Air- the aircraft. But as you can imagine, when
Luke56thFW @LukeAFB strip of pavement before sunrise. craft Maintenance Unit deployment to Al it’s 100 to 115 degrees, any time spent crew-
Dhafra Air Base in southwest Asia, Salva- ing and fixing aircraft can be challenging
Date of publication Extreme heat during summer months dori said. The AMU was permitted to wear and difficult.â€
is a fact of life for Airmen at Luke Air shorts while they were deployed and upon
First Friday Force Base, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, return, Salvadori reached out for the local The change has been a long time coming.
and Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, said guidance authorizing Al Dhafra’s shorts to “People have been asking for shorts my
of the month Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Wiener, 56th integrate them at home station. entire enlistment,†said Staff Sgt. Kelson
Maintenance Group superintendent. Richmond, 310th Aircraft Maintenance
Submission deadline “After review, it was time to roll up my Unit, “and, probably many years before
Summertime ambient temperatures sleeves and get to work,†Salvadori said. I joined. Now that they’re approved, I
15th day of the month commonly reach 110 to 115 degrees at “It was a long journey, as with any time don’t see myself working one more hot
those bases. Add the heat from running you try to change something this drastic. summer day in coveralls.â€
prior to date of publication aircraft engines and reflective heat from But, when you peel the onion back, our fel- The Air Force is not authorizing shorts
asphalt and concrete, and flight line low aircraft maintenance contractors and for all Airmen and is instead leaving the
Veterans temperatures can reach 130 degrees, depot civilians have been wearing shorts decision up to base commanders, said
Wiener said. in the same industrial environment while Capt. Carrie Volpe, an Air Force spokes-
Tell us Your Story performing the same maintenance actions. man from the Pentagon, in a written
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees Chief Master Sgt. Brent Salvadori, So, why not Airmen?†statement.
All military branches are included 325th Maintenance Group superinten-
dent at Tyndall AFB, devised a way over “The average day for the maintain- Courtesy of af.mil
Email name, phone number and a the past 18 months to keep Airmen com- ers is between 9-10 hours,†Wiener said.
brief description of your service to
Go to www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
56fwpathunderbolt@us.af.mil or use your smartphone to connect to our website!
