Page 10 - Aerotech News and Review, Oct. 20 2017

Civ-Mil group hosts installation dinner
by Diane Betzler
staff writer
It was a night filled with excite- ment and appreciation for one an- other as military personnel from Ed- wards Air Force Base gathered with Antelope V alley business communi- ty folks and local residents, Oct. 12, to celebrate the Edwards AFB Civil- ian Military Support Group’s Annual Installation of Officers Banquet.
Civ-Mil President Allen Hoff- man said the evening’s dinner and program was extra special because Civ-Mil was also hosting nationwide representatives of the Air Force Ma- teriel Command’s Community Liai- son Program.
“This is a great opportunity for CLP members to learn more about Edwards AFB, the Civ-Mil Group
and the strong bonds between the Greater Antelope Valley community and our Air Force and other military services, both domestic and interna- tional,” Hoffman said. He referred to the Civ-Mil group as “a relatively small, but mighty group of selfless individuals who have provided hun- dreds of thousands of dollars sup- porting Airmen as well as other ser- vice members and their families at Edwards for the past 27 years.
The event was held at the Univer- sity of Antelope Valley in Lancaster, Calif., and covered the installation of the Board of Directors and Of- ficers for the Class of 2020 and welcomed two new directors to the organization, Cathy Hart and Scott Cummings.
“Both Cathy and Scott bring tre- mendous records of community
Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds
Gen. Carl E. Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, swears in new Civ-Mil officers — (from left) Matt Winheim, Rhonda Nelson, Allen Hoffman and Dr. George “Bud” Reams — during Civ-Mils annual Installation Ceremony. The organization also hosted representatives from the Air Force Materiel Command’s Community Liaison Program.
Robert and Michelle Slade receive Civ-Mil’s Members of the Year award while Terry Landsiedel received the Unsung Hero Award from Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, commander of Air Force Material Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and Brig. Gen. Carl E. Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander at Edwards, for their outstanding support to the organization. Michelle said she receives far more blessings than she gives adding that the Airman’s Attic is a favorite project where Airman can shop for free, thanks to the Greater Antelope Valley’s generous donations.
Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds
involvement and volunteer experi- ences with them,” Hoffman said.
The organization also expressed good wishes to the two departing directors, Julie Swayze and Terry Landsiedel.
“Both Julie and Terry have been invaluable contributors to Civ-Mil, having been deeply involved with our Group’s various events through- out the several years,” Hoffman said. He thanked the outgoing directors for their service on the Board and said he sincerely hopes they remain engaged with the organization in the future.
Hoffman then introduced U.S. Air Force Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and members of the staff and guests from the Community Liai- son Program and welcomed them to Edwards AFB and the “Aerospace Valley.”
Brig. Gen. Carl E. Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, said his job at the banquet was an easy one.
“I’m here to say thank you to an amazing group of people,” the Schaefer said. The general said he was humbled by the talent that was assembled in the room. He paid spe- cial tribute to the Blue Eagles Honor Guard for opening the event by pre- senting the Colors
Schaefer then swore in the Instal- lation of Directors and the Re-instal- lation of Officers at the conclusion of the event.
The evening culminated with members, guests and Air Force per- sonnel joining together in song:
“Off we go into the wild blue yon- der, climbing high into the sun. Here they come zooming to meet our thun- der, at’em boys, give ‘er the gun!”
Allies in the sky over Edwards
by Kenji Thuloweit
Edwards AFB, Calif.
A Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport refueled a B-52 Strato- fortress from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in the skies over California this past Septem- ber.
The test sortie was conducted by members of the RAAF Air Warfare Centre Aircraft Re- search and Development Unit, 86 Wing and the 418th and 419th Flight Test Squadrons.
Air-to-air refueling of a B-52 significantly increases the air- craft’s range, making it capable of carrying heavy payloads fur- ther.
Tests with the B-52 are one part of the RAAF Air Warfare Centre’s Flight Test Program. The ongoing testing with the KC-30A is part of a Coalition Tanker Aerial Refueling Certi- fication effort. The first flight in the series of tests was Dec. 3, 2015, when the KC-30 refu- eled an Edwards F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The Australian KC-30 is a multi-role tanker transport based on the Airbus A330 commercial aircraft, which has been militarized, turned into a tanker, and has 270 passenger seats.
According to the RAAF, the Australian mili- tary operates five KC-30A MRTTs with two more joining the fleet in 2018. The KC-30A has a fuel capacity of more than 100 tons al- lowing it to fly up to 1800 kilometers from its home base and offload up to 50 tons of fuel for four hours.
Air Force photographs by Donald R. Allen
A Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport refuels an Edwards B-52 Stratofortress in the skies over California this past September.
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October 20, 2017