Page 2 - Desert Lightning News 7-17-15

2 July 17, 2015 Desert Lightning News

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PT exemptions for new AF mothers to increase

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs or more (delivery, miscarriage, etc.). The service does not anticipate
significant mission or readiness impacts associated with extending
WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The six-month deferment for female this action.
Airmen to accomplish their fitness assessments following childbirth
will be increased to 12 months to align with recent changes to the “Like many other programs announced earlier this year, such as
deployment deferments, Air Force officials announced July 14. the Career Intermission Program, we recognize the potential reten-
tion benefits associated with providing our female Airmen options
The deployment deferment policy, as part of the Air Force’s 2015 that allow them to serve and support their family without having to
Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, increases the deferment from de- choose one over the other,” James said.
ployment, short tour or dependent-restricted assignment, and tem-
porary duty to one year, unless waived by the service member. Air Force Guidance Memorandums will be available detailing the
changes to both policies in the coming weeks.
“The goal is to alleviate the strain on some of our talented Air-
men who choose to leave the Air Force as they struggle to balance The Air Force continues to research opportunities, in conjunction
deployments and family issues, and this is especially true soon after with the Department of Defense, to extend the maternity and conva-
childbirth,” said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. lescent leave period, similar to the recent changes announced by the
Secretary of the Navy.
The one-year deferment applies to female Airmen who
gave birth on or after the effective date of March 6, 2015, Airmen currently receive six weeks (42 days) of maternity leave,
to provide predictability with minimal disruption to Airmen in line with the Department of Defense policy. By direction of the
and the deployment process. president, federal agencies can advance up to six weeks of paid sick
leave to federal employees with a new child.
As dwell times for deployment, permanent change of station and
TDY increase, so too will the exemption from the current fitness as- “We want to make sure we develop an equitable policy that sup-
sessment for female Airmen following pregnancies lasting 20 weeks ports all of our Airmen and also maintains the ability to execute our
mission,” James said.

NEWS Fuel systems repair hangar officially opens

Airman1stClassChrisDrzazgowski

355th Fighter Wing public affairs

The 355th Component Main- (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Chris Drzazgowski)
tenance Squadron’s joint fuel cell
repair hangar ribbon cutting cer- U.S. Air Force Airmen tour the Component Maintenance Squadron’s Joint fuel cell repair hangar after its ribbon cutting ceremony at
emony was held July 13. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, July 13. The facility was constructed to improve efficiency within the joint fuel cell, leading to the reduc-
tion in man hours and operating costs.
The facility was constructed
to improve efficiency within the button and everything we need el, diagnose, then defuel it to a separate generator, according
joint fuel cell leading to the re- rolls out from the ceiling above put into our hangar for repair,” to Newman.
duction in man hours and oper- the aircraft.” Newman said. “This feature
ating costs. will save us hundreds of man The Airmen of the aircraft fuel
The facility encompasses hours annually.” systems section have been ready
The new hangar is Air Com- 29,000 square feet and is capable to begin working in their new lo-
bat Command’s largest aircraft of housing one C-130 Hercules, Another addition to the build- cation since the beginning of its
fuel systems repair section. It or either two A-10 Thunder- ing that was not available to the construction in April 2013.
supports eight aircraft mainte- bolts or HH-60 Pavehawks. It is repair section’s previous loca-
nance units which service assets equipped with three overhead tion, is its own aircraft power “If I was a brand new Air-
with a combined worth of over stations to allow the repair sec- unit. The wall-mounted unit man who was assigned here, I’d
$3.3 billion. tion to work on multiple fuel has an output of 115 volts and get a sense of pride after seeing
tanks at a time. 400 hertz to supply power to the the brand new building,” New-
The structure is comprised systems of the aircraft in need of man said. “I’d think to myself
of many state of the art features “We can refuel and defuel repair. This allows the repair sec- ‘Wow, stepping into The Blue
which contribute to the fuel sys- in our own hangar as opposed tion to diagnose problems with- was worth it.’ I think it will create
tem repair section’s effort to be to assembling a tow team to out having to put in a request for a sense of pride among the Air-
self-sufficient. bring the aircraft out to refu- men who work here.”

“We no longer have to make
trips to maintenance to get what
we need,” said Tech. Sgt. Rich-
ard Newman, 355th CMS assis-
tant fuel systems section chief.
“Whether it’s air hoses, respira-
tor hoses or lights, everything is
built into the ceiling of the han-
gar. Now we just have to walk
to the side of the hangar, push a