Page 1 - March ARB Beacon 6-19-15

Vol. 80, No. 24
NEWS BRIEFS
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
FESTIVAL
*The March Commissary,
Fitness Center and Base
Exchange are partnering to
present a Healthy Lifestyle
Festival from July 1-3. There
will be a free BBQ at the
commissary between 11 a.m.
and 2 p.m. daily, as well as
healthy food demonstrations
and samples. Holly the calf
will be the star at the com-
missary’s free petting zoo
Friday only, from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. They will also sponsor
a watermelon-eating contest
at 1 p.m., Friday, July 3.
*The Base Exchange will
feature sports-related ap-
parel and athletic shoes as
well as items such as fitness
monitors. There will also
be items to help you cook
healthier, like BBQ grills.
*The Fitness Center will
offer fitness demonstrations
on July 1, for Core & More,
fitness bands, fitness ball,
spin, as well as sponsor some
giveaways that day.
COMMISSARY NEEDS
STOCKERS
The March Commissary is
looking for vendor stockers
to work between the hours
of 6:30 p.m. and 1 a.m.
nightly. The pay varies for
each vendor. Weekend work
is a requirement. No expe-
rience. On-the-job training
provided. Sign up at the ID
desk or email your phone
number to HYPERLINK
“ m a i l t o : c y n d y. f u l t s @ d e c a . the Association in 2004, when he
mil” cyndy.fults@deca.mil
for a phone interview with
the hiring official.
RIDE A BIKE ON
UTAS
Outdoor Recreation, in
conjunction with the Fitness
See BRIEFS page 3
March Air Reserve Base, California
452nd Air Mobility Wing crew
experiences 71st Anniversary of D-Day
by Master Sgt. Megan Crusher
452 AMW public affairs
Amid hundreds of children and
adults waiving and taking photos
through a fence at the small airport, next generation forgets, it’s done,
a C-17 Globemaster III aircrew
from March Air Reserve Base was
welcomed to Cherbourg, France,
to fulfill their mission of bringing
more than 100 Army paratroopers
home after their participation in
the 71st D-Day remembrance cer-
emonies held throughout Norman-
dy, France, Festivities in the region Base, S.C. He referred Dennebouy
began May 24, with the majority
of events occurring between June
3-8 and the final ceremony honor-
ing the Air Force’s 358th Fighter
Group, concluding July 11.
More than 300 paratroopers
participated in static line jumps
and were featured in various cer-
emonies and parades during the
week-long celebration in France.
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Her-
bert Bailey flew with the C-17
crew on invitational travel author-
ity because of his close ties to the
Association Picauville Se Souvi-
ent, which translates to Picauville
Remembers, where Bailey is an
honorary member.
“Picauville is pretty much an
epicenter of combat in terms of
the airborne and the airborne inva-
sion,” he said.
Five military aircraft crashed
in the area and the society created
a memorial to honor the memory
and sacrifice of the service mem-
bers who perished.
Bailey became involved with
met Denis Dennebouy, founder
and president of Picauville Re-
members. They quickly became
friends and Bailey was amazed at
how pure the Association was in
its intent to preserve the memory
of what transpired so many years
ago, he said.
“Their whole being in this soci-
ety is to perpetuate the liberation,
the war and the people who died to
the children so the children don’t
forget,” Bailey said. “Once the
nobody else is going to remember
and that’s the significance of the
name, Picauville Remembers.”
Years after they met, Den-
nebouy requested a flyover from
Bailey who was an Air Reserve
Technician at Charleston Air Force
to MarchARB and in 2007, a C-17
from March flew over Normandy
to commemorate the 63rd anniver-
sary of the invasion.
Lt. Cols. Keith Guillotte and
Mike Fick were two who piloted
those flyovers. They were excited
to be able to fly this mission back
to France, interact with a thankful
community and re-connect with
old friends, Guillotte said.
During the short time the
crew was in France they attend-
ed a parade in Sainte-Mere-
Eglise, featuring U.S., French
and German service members,
where the mayor personally
thanked the U.S. military.
“We are overjoyed to express
and re-express our gratitude,”
the mayor said. “Their sacrifice
was monumental. Many of their
friends gave their lives. It was not
in vain. The mission was accom-
plished, and all we can say to them
is thank you.”
The mayor’s gratitude was evi-
dent throughout the short visit, as
locales and others approached Sol-
diers and Airmen to say thanks.
Marla Coloma, who lives in
Spain and whose mother was
American, shook the hands of
U.S. service members and thanked
them for their service. Her grand-
mother was a U.S. military nurse
during the war and Coloma was
Friday, June 19, 2015
U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Megan Crusher
The Association Picauville Se Souvient’s memorial lists the
units and names of paratroopers and crews of the C-47 Sky-
train jets that were lost more than 70 years ago. The Picauville
Remembers group tries to locate families whenever an item
from the war turns up with a name or serial number on it so
they can return they item.
dressed in her grandmother’s uni- some of the sites, and the hospital-
form. She said she and her hus- ity of the French people has been
band travel to France every year to wonderful,” he said.
honor her grandmother, remember
those who sacrificed their lives and After the whirlwind tour of the
thank service members for their area, the French treated the Ameri-
contribution to freedom. cans to dinner and a ceremony to
thank Bailey and the entire aircrew
Sgt. First Class Mike Lewis, for their service, and for spending
paratrooper, 82nd Airborne Divi- the day experiencing the events
sion, participated in D-Day events and historical sites.
for the first time in his 18-year ca-
reer as a paratrooper, and said he Before leaving, Guillotte
was amazed at the welcome and thanked the society on behalf of
support the French people had for the March crew for making them
the U.S. military. feel so welcomed, and Bailey pre-
sented Dennebouy with a framed
“Never in my life, have I ever lithograph, drawn by Bailey, as a
had to turn down so many drinks,” token of appreciation for his im-
he said. “They were so grateful.” pact in preserving the past for fu-
ture generations.
After the parade the aircrew
was driven to Picauville to meet “Our thanks from us, for his
members of Picauville Remem- efforts to perpetuate the memo-
bers. During the drive they were ries of people he never knew,
taken to several points of interest but who died so they could
in the area, including the memo- have the freedom to live like
rial to the Battle of La Fiere, the they used to and still do now,”
Picauville Memorial, and the road Bailey said. “You have indeed
named after famed paratrooper, chosen the right name for your
Cpl. Jack Schlegal. society. I will never forget.”
“This is probably the best trip (Read more about the Special
I’ve ever been on,” said Lt. Col. Operations Forces commemora-
Andres Hau, commander, 729th tive high-altitude, low-opening
Airlift Squadron.As a history buff, jump over Mont Saint-Michele,
it’s been amazing to be able to see France, at www.af.mil.)