Page 2 - March ARB Beacon 8-28-15

2 August 28, 2015 www.aerotechnews.com/marcharb
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BEACON
THE Johnson assumes command of 56th
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Aerial Port Squadron
452 AMW Public Affairs
QG6WUHHW%OGJ by Senior Airman Russell S. McMillan gistics Readiness Squadron, March ARB.
0DUFK$5%&$ 452 AMW public affairs
DPZSDZRUNÀRZ#XVDIPLO He has deployed in support of operations
The 56th Aerial Port Squadron held an As-
ID[ sumption of Command ceremony at the Cul- SOUTHERN WATCH, NORTHERN
SKRQH tural Resource Center here on Saturday, Aug.
22, 2015. WATCH, ALLIED FORCE, NOBLE EA-
COMMANDER
Col. Russell Muncy During the ceremony Col. Timothy McCoy, GLE, and ENDURING FREEDOM.
commander, 452nd Mission Support Group,
38%/,&$))$,562)),&(5 March Air Reserve Base, passed the guidon When it was Johnson’s turn to speak, he
Capt. Perry Covington to Maj. Mark E. Johnson, who accepted as the
new 56 APS commander. emphasized the challenges Airmen today
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Ms. Linda Welz “When we were looking for somebody to face on many fronts such as continued un-
take over the 56thAPS the list was pretty short,” rest in eastern Europe, issues in the pacific U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Russell S. McMillan
$0:(',725,$/67$)) McCoy explained when referring to Johnson’s
Senior Master Sgt. David Smith leadership attributes. “We [were] looking for and sequestration domestically. He also ex- Col. Timothy McCoy (left), commander, 452nd
Master Sgt. Megan Crusher somebody who is a leader, an innovator and
Staff Sgt. Tiffany Lindemann good tempered.” plained the resource he believed that would Mission Support Group, March Air Reserve
Staff Sgt. Heather Cozad Staley %DVHSDVVHVWKHJXLGRQWR0DM0DUN(
Senior Airman Russell McMillan McCoy also noted the diverse experi- overcome current and future trials. -RKQVRQFRPPDQGHUWK$HULDO3RUW6TXDG-
Senior Airman Joseph Dangidang ence Johnson acquired, with White House “Our most valuable asset in the Air URQ0DUFK$5%GXULQJ-RKQVRQ¶VDVVXPSWLRQ
6HQLRU$LUPDQ.HYLQ0LWWHUKRO]HU support missions, Army exercises and vari-
ous deployments. Force is…the Airmen who accomplish the of command ceremony at the Cultural Re-
7KH %HDFRQ LV SXEOLVKHG E\ mission,” Johnson said. “Those Airmen VRXUFH&HQWHUKHUHRQ$XJ-RKQ-
Aerotech News and Review. Aero- Johnson has served nearly 20 years in the
WHFKLVDSULYDWH¿UPLQQRZD\FRQ- military, including the California Air National are all of you.” VRQ¶VDSSRLQWPHQWDVFRPPDQGHURIWKHWK
nected with the U.S. Air Force, un- Guard and most recently with theAir Force Re-
der exclusive written contract with serve as the operations officer for the 452nd Lo- Johnson highlighted leadership as be- $36ZDVHIIHFWLYH$XJ
the 452nd Air Mobility Wing. This
civilian enterprise Air Force news- ing critical for accomplishing the core
paper is an authorized publication
for employees and members of missions of the U.S. Air Force: air and ing an environment of leadership and proper
U.S. military services, retirees and
family members. Contents are not space superiority, intelligence, surveillance and fiscal management.
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or endorsed by, the U.S. Govern- reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global “I am very confident that [Maj. Johnson] is
ment, the Department of Defense
or the Department of the Air Force. strike and command and control. He thanked the right officer at the right time for this job,”

The appearance of advertis- the Airmen in the audience for allowing him said McCoy.
ing in this newspaper, including
inserts or supplements, does not the opportunity to lead as their squadron com- Johnson’s appointment as commander of the
constitute endorsement of the
products or services by the De- mander and communicated his goal of foster- 56 APS was effective Aug. 12, 2015.
partment of Defense, the Depart-
ment of the Air Force or Aerotech Airman, Guardsman recognized as ‘heroes’in Paris
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by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Crane Their train arrived and it was time to depart U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Ryan Crane
Everything advertised in this Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe Amsterdam.
newspaper shall be made avail- and Air Forces Africa $LUPDQVW&ODVV6SHQFHU6WRQHULJKW
able for purchase, use or patron- “We had first class tickets,” Stone explained, Aleksander Skarlatos (center) and
age without regard to race, color, PARIS (AFNS) -- U.S. Ambassador to “but we just found a spot we liked somewhere Anthony Sadler pose for a photo in Paris
religion, sex, national origin, age, France, Jane D. Hartly, recognized Airman 1st else on the train.Turns out our wagon didn’t have $XJIROORZLQJDIRLOHGDWWDFN
marital status, physical handicap, Class Spencer Stone for his actions in saving Wi-Fi so we decided to use our first class tickets on a French train. Stone was on vacation
SROLWLFDO DI¿OLDWLRQ RU DQ\ RWKHU countless lives during a terrorist attack aboard a and moved to another wagon.” with his childhood friends, Skarlatos and
non-merit factor of the purchaser, train headed toward ParisAug. 21. Sadler, when an armed gunman entered
user or patron. After about an hour on the train they were WKHLUWUDLQFDUU\LQJDQDVVDXOWULÀHDKDQG-
“We often use the word hero, and in this case settled in somewhere in Belgium. gun and a box cutter. The three friends,
Editorial content is edited, pre- I know that word has never been more appropri- ZLWKWKHKHOSRID%ULWLVKSDVVHQJHUVXE-
pared and provided by the staff ate,” Hartley said. “I was asleep with my headphones on and GXHGWKHJXQPDQDIWHUKLVULÀHMDPPHG
of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing my friend, Alek, was sitting to the left of me and
3XEOLF$IIDLUV RI¿FH DW 0DUFK$LU “They are truly heroes. When most of us Anthony was sitting to my right across the aisle,” click, he feared that he would die.
5HVHUYH %DVH $OO SKRWRJUDSKV would run away, Spencer, Alek and Anthony Stone said. “I wake up and I see Alek moving “I heard the ‘click’ and thought, ‘whew! I’m
LQWKH%HDFRQDUH$LU)RUFHSKR- ran into the line of fire, saying ‘Let’s go.’Those around saying ‘Oh crap! Oh crap!’”
tos unless otherwise stated. For words changed the fate of many.” still here,’” he said.
advertising, contact Aerotech di- Skarlatos motioned to the gunman who en- Stone finally made contact with the gunman,
UHFWO\DW Stone and his two friends, Aleksander Skar- tered the cabin brandishing an AK-style assault
latos and Anthony Sadler, were on vacation and rifle. throwing his body into him. The two started
Aerotech News and Review headed fromAmsterdam to Paris when an armed grappling.
(DVW$YH.6XLWH man entered their cabin. “I kinda turn around and see the guy,” Stone
/DQFDVWHU&$ said, “and he’s got theAK, he’s trying to charge it. “I was feeling for the gun and couldn’t find
www.aerotechnews.com “It wasn’t a conscious decision,” Skarlatos, I just throw my headphones off and turn around it,” Stone said. “I felt it a couple times but he kept
an Army National Guard Soldier stationed in in my seat, get low and kinda look around.” taking it away. So I just put him in a rear naked
Oregon said. “We didn’t even have time to think choke to protect myself and my friend, Alek,
about it.We just acted.” At this point the gunman had passed Stone
and Skarlatos. It was at that moment their lives See HERO page 6
The trio had just spent the previous three days changed.
enjoying Amsterdam on their vacation. They
were excited to make it to Paris so they got up “Alek taps me on the shoulder and says ‘go
early and made their way to the train station. get ‘em!’and that’s when I got up and I sprinted
Their train wasn’t leaving for four hours so they at him,” he said.
killed time buying souvenirs and, according to
them, eating the best ice cream they ever had. “It was a long sprint. It felt like slow motion.”
They thought their vacation was off to a great “I heard him charge it (the assault rifle) a few
start. more times, and heard a ‘click.’ It still wasn’t
working.”
Stone explained that every time he heard a