Page 3 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, May 2019

Thunderbolt news http://www.luke.af.mil
A&FRC keeps Airmen resilient, fit to fight
May 2019 3 Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt
IN BRIEF
Veteran Student Hiring Expo
Military veterans and the skills they bring from their time in service are a benefit to any organization. Dedicated, precise and dependable, these men and women are in increasingly high demand across the modern workforce. The Veteran Student Hiring Expo is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16 at Gateway Central City Campus, Community Room, 1245 E. Buckeye Road, Phoenix, 85034. For more information, go to events.pipelineaz.com.
Track meet
The 56th Force Support Squadron Bryant Fitness Center is featuring a track meet May 18. Participants must sign up. For more information, call Jemia Fournier-Allen at 623-856-6241.
Travco has a new number
Luke AFB’s Travel Management Company (Travco) has a new phone number and email address for individuals arrang- ing official travel. Travco can now be reached at 855-896-7939 or via email Luke@Travco.TV. The ITT office phone number remains the same at 623-535-1555 for leisure travel and tickets. For more information, call the TMO Passenger Travel section at 623-856-7035.
Asian American & Pacific Islander Month
events
• May 6: 11:30 until food runs out, Taste of Asia at the Luke AFB Chapel.
• May 23: 6:30 a.m. golf tournament at Falcon Dunes Golf Course, 14100 W. Northern Ave., Waddell. Entry fee is $45 per person and includes green fees, cart rental, range balls and lunch.
• May 30: 11:30 to 1 p.m. Luncheon at Club Five Six. The food is free with an 80-person limit. RSVP by May 17. For more information, or to RSVP, call Master Sgt. Troy Swenson at 623-856-5567.
Military appreciation breakfast
The Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military and Veterans Affairs Committee is featuring a military appreciation break- fast at 7:30 a.m. May 8 at Glendale Civil Center at 59th Avenue and Glendale Avenue. For more information, go to glendaleaz- chamber.org/militaryappreciation. For more information, call Harry Bailey at 623-846-7483.
Korean War veterans
The West Valley Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Associa- tion of Arizona invite Korean War and Korea Defense veterans to the monthly meetings held at 2 p.m. the second Friday of the month September through June at the Peoria community Center, 8335 W. Jefferson, Peoria, AZ 85345. The next meeting is May 10. For more information, call Cathy McDaniel at 602- 218-8562 or email cmcdani137@aol.com.
Gate traffic
Incoming traffic builds to long lines for those trying to get on base in the mornings at South Gate. Using an alternative gate that is much less traveled may mean driving a little further but can save time and frustration. Gates are subject to closure due to FPCON changes, holidays and wing down days. For more information, call Master Sgt. Sean Hooper at 623-856-6293. Gate hours:
• South Gate - Open 24 hours, 365 days a year
• North Gate - 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. to inbound traffic,
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. to outbound traffic • Lightning Gate - 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Kachina Gate - 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Arizona Winds concert band
Arizona Winds concert band is conducted by retired Lt. Col. Rich Shelton. Arizona Winds is featuring a free concert for those in the Luke AFB community. “High Adventure” is May 19 at Cactus High School, 6330 W. Greenway Rd., Glendale, AZ. For more information, go to azwinds.com.
Toastmasters on base
Toastmasters meets noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays in the Quiet Study Room in the Luke Air Force Base Library. Improve communication and leadership skills through prepared and impromptu speaking. The cost is $20 to join and semiannual dues of $45. For more information, call Lynne Nutter at 623- 856-9838 or 602-740-6124.
Airman 1st Class Zoie Cox
Patrol ...
Airman 1st Class Abigail Biever, 56th Security Forces Squadron team member, converses with a defender in the vehicle inspec- tion pit April 11 at South Gate at Luke Air Force Base. The 56th SFS provides information and personnel security, resource protection, reports and analysis, confinement, conducts investiga- tions and manages the wing anti- terrorism program.
by Senior Airman CALEB WORPEL
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The Airman & Family Readiness Center is the service organization and focal point for Air Force family mat- ters. Serving all single and married active-duty, Defense Department civilian personnel and their eligible family members, to include Guard and Reserve, other eligible uniformed members, partner nation Airmen and mili- tary retirees, the Luke Air Force Base A&FRC works to ensure service members and their families hit the ground running wherever they land.
The A&FRC’s mission is to provide Airmen with targeted family support and services contributing to mission readiness, resiliency and the well-being of the Air Force community.
“The Airman and Family Readiness Center has roughly thirteen programs under our umbrella,” said Teresa Carrillo, A&FRC community readiness consul- tant. “With these programs and services, we try to do anything that we can to support our community, leaders and families to better help and support them with their continued service while in the military.”
The A&FRC services are not limited to Air Force families, Carrillo said. The staff is comprised of a vari- ety of representatives capable of providing insight and helping manage multiple aspects of service members’ lives, whether they’re married with children, divorced or single, active-duty or retired.
“The A&FRC is one of the first places a family or service member should go when leaving and arriving to a new base,” Carrillo said. “We can provide assistance if a service member is changing stations, if they decide to separate from the military or if they are retiring in the near future. If they are coming, going, or staying - we can help.”
James McCarty Jr., A&FRC flight chief, explained that peace of mind is an important aspect of Airmen’s
lives and the A&FRC is ready and willing to help in any way possible for them to achieve this.
“The rigors of military life can be tough for the person serving and their family equally,” McCarty said. “We have programs, services and, most importantly, people willing to guide Airmen in any direction of life they may need help with.”
McCarty described the A&FRC as a stepping stone for Airmen to utilize services which will better render them successful both in and out uniform.
“Whether you need and use the information we can provide or you end up providing it to someone else, having the knowledge of where to go and who to talk to is never a bad tool to have,” McCarty said. “Our staff is passionate about the work we do and a lot of times we have walked in Airmen’s shoes. We understand that maintaining focus and remaining mentally and emotionally fit to fight is important. That is why we are here.”
Both Carrillo and McCarty said Airmen and fami- lies new to Luke can visit the A&FRC to find useful programs which will enable them to become involved with the base, utilize family support groups or to get information to help them acclimate to the local area.
Some popular programs and services the A&FRC has available includes:
• Air Force aid society
• Relocation assistance
• Air Force Families Forever
• Personal finance readiness
• Casualty assistance
• Personal and work life readiness
• Transition assistance
• Voting assistance
For more information and a more comprehensive list
of available services and programs, call 623-856-6550, follow ‘Luke A&FRC’ on Facebook or visit the A&FRC in person 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Bldg. 1113.
THUNDERBOLT ALMANAC
Fiscal 2018 graduates
21st FS (calendar year).................................. 8 61st FS .......................................................... 13 62nd FS......................................................... 28 63rd FS ......................................................... 12 69th FS ........................................................... 0 309th FS ....................................................... 30 310th FS ....................................................... 10
425th FS (calendar year) ............................... 0 550th FS ...................................................... 30 56th TRS ........................................................ 7 607th ACS.................................................. 113 372nd TRS, Det. 12 ................................... 590 944th OG, Det. 2 ............................................ 6 54th Training Squadron ............................ 38
Hours flown F-35 9,232.90
Sorties flown 6,330 6,239
F-16 8,125.5
(As of April 25, 2019)
T-Bolts
Deployed around the world.
114 Luke Airmen are deployed to 14 locations