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7UDLQWKHZRUOG·VJUHDWHVW)DQG)ÀJKWHUSLORWV July 31, 2015
Vol. 15, No. 28
INSIDE Luke F-35s visit Columbus AFB
STORIES Airman 1st Class Daniel Lile A T-6 Texan II roars overhead
Talk $s before “I do,” 3
Neubauer retires, 4 as the pilots of two Luke Air
Security managers, 5
From enlisted to officer, 7 Force Base F-35 Lightning IIs
FSS cog in wheel, 11
FEATURE prepare to exit their aircraft
Senior Airman Marcy Copeland July 23 at Columbus Air Force
IN PLAIN SIGHT, BUT WHERE? Base, Mississippi. The pilots
See Page 12 are Capt. Nicholas Rallo, left,
INDEX 62nd Fighter Squadron, and
Action line ............................. 2 Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, 56th
Briefs..................................... 3
Spotlight ................................ 4 Fighter Wing commander.
Diversions ........................... 20
Sports.................................. 23 Pleus spoke to the media about
QUOTE OF THE WEEK the visit and later gave two
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“You should never try to navigate DERXWWKH)¶VFDSDELOLWLHV
any new endeavor alone. Once you
have done your research, you should He also served as the guest
have plenty of questions that need VSHDNHUIRUWKHEDVH¶VXQGHU-
to be answered. Seek out an expert.
There are so many knowledgeable graduate pilot training gradua-
people all around waiting for the op-
portunity to share their expertise. All tion ceremony that night. The
you have to do is ask.” DUULYDOPDUNVWKH)¶V¿UVW
Senior Master Sgt. Talisha Virges visit to Columbus AFB. The
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visit served to inform the local
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community on the role of the
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Gillespie Loop: Honors Airman who made ultimate sacrifice
6WRU\DQGSKRWRE\ was decommissioned after the mission at “At the time of master sergeant Gil-
Tech. Sgt. Bagram changed. lespie’s passing, I had just cross-trained
into POL [Petroleum, Oils and Lubri-
JOSEPH SWAFFORD “In 2008, just six months after Gillespie’s cants],” said Master Sgt. Jason Bowman,
GHDWKWKHIXHOVPDQDJHPHQWÁLJKWDW%D- 455th ELRS. “I remember witnessing the
455th Air Expeditionary Wing gram wanted to honor his memory due to impact that this senior NCO had on the
several members having worked for or with POL Airmen that served with him. In the
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — him,” said Chief Master Sgt. Troy Ferguson, days that followed, the support and love
The men and women of the 455th Air Ex- 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness for the men and women of the Luke AFB
peditionary Wing came together for a road Squadron fuels manager. “It was decided )XHOV0DQDJHPHQW)OLJKW²VSHFLÀFDOO\IRU
dedication ceremony to honor Master Sgt. that naming a street for him on Bagram Gillespie’s family – was overwhelming. It
Randy Gillespie, a fallen Airman who paid would serve as a long term memorial.” made me quickly realize that POL is not
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“The original Gillespie Way named for proud to be a part of.”
Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie was a career Gillespie was located on the east-side
fuels specialist who died July 9, 2007, from complex near a portable fuel farm,” said “Master sergeant Gillespie was a stand-
ZRXQGVVXVWDLQHG GXULQJ VPDOO DUPV ÀUH Ferguson. “The Defense Logistics Agency up Airman,” said Tech. Sgt. Amos Klein-
near Herat, Afghanistan. decided to put in permanent tanks due to wolterink, 455th ELRS. “It’s an honor to
the expanding mission at Bagram. This be here today, and to be able to recognize
He was teaching fuels procedures to Afghan resulted in the decommissioning of the him eight years later. I truly feel like I’m
forces at the time and demonstrated such care portable fuel farm and unfortunately Gil- standing on his shoulders every time I
for them that they called him “Brother,” said lespie Way was demolished in the process. WKLQN DERXW WKH VDFULÀFH KH PDGH 5DQG\
Chief Master Sgt. Mike Smith, Gillespie’s :HWKRXJKWLWZRXOGEHÀWWLQJWRUHGHGLFDWH had been in the Air Force 24 years when
supervisor at Luke Air Force Base. Gillespie Loop near the new complex on the he left Afghanistan in 2007. He could have
east side. We also wanted the road rededica- easily gotten a pass on the deployment, but
The 24-year Air Force veteran had vol- tion ceremony to occur on the anniversary he answered his nation’s call.”
unteered for one last deployment before of Gillespie’s death.”
retiring. “POL prides itself on being more than a
The ceremony gave Airmen who knew FDUHHU ÀHOG LW·V D IDPLO\µ )HUJXVRQ VDLG
“He knew his career was winding down,” KLP WLPH WR UHÁHFW RQ WKH LPSDFW KH KDV
Smith said. “He told me he wanted to do one PDGHRQWKHPDQGWKHFDUHHUÀHOG See GILLESPIE, Page 15
more thing to make a difference.”
This is the second road on base that
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Go to luke.af.mil for Luke Facebook link 8VH\RXUVPDUWSKRQHWR
connect to our website!
