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7UDLQWKHZRUOG·VJUHDWHVW)DQG)ÀJKWHUSLORWV July 17, 2015
Vol. 15, No. 26
INSIDE First time at
Holloman
STORIES
Education benefits, 3 7KHWK)LJKWHU6TXDG-
ALS grads, 4
Why the PT test? 5 ron activation ceremony
Being frugal, not cheap, 6
944th ASTS Airman was Tuesday at Hollo-
saves lives, 7 man Air Force Base, New
FEATURE 0H[LFR%ULJ*HQ6FRWW
Senior Airman Leah Ferrante Pleus, 56th Fighter Wing
commander, sits on the
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out for the ceremony. This
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has been at Holloman.
Airman battles cancer, wins at life, Games
Senior Airman Devante Williams by Staff Sgt. LQ-XQH$WÀUVW.RUHQZDVXQVXUHZKHWKHU Samuel King Jr.
LUTHER MITCHELL Jr. KHTXDOLÀHGWRFRPSHWH
LIGHTNING LEADERSHIP GOLD Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Koren, 607th Air
See Page 12 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs “I was kind of like, ‘That’s weird, I’m not control Squadron ground radar systems
a wounded warrior, I just had cancer,’” he NCO-in-charge and an Air Force Wound-
INDEX He is a model of good health. His slim said. “But it turned out, because I had spent ed Warrior athlete, removes his arrows
frame and clean-cut looks exude a quiet a year in a patient squadron, I was eligible from a target at an archery practice ses-
Action line ............................. 2 FRQÀGHQFH ,QVLGH KLV RIÀFH WKH ZDOOV DUH to participate.” VLRQGXULQJWKH¿UVWGD\RIWKH'HSDUW-
Briefs..................................... 3 mostly bare except for a samurai sword PHQWRI'HIHQVH:DUULRU*DPHVWUDLQLQJ
Spotlight ................................ 4 that sits on the top shelf of his desk. It He attended an adaptive sports clinic, camp at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Diversions ........................... 20 UHSUHVHQWVKLVLQQHUZDUULRUDQGWKHÀJKW- where he learned the different featured 7KH¿YHGD\WUDLQLQJFDPSVHUYHGDV
Sports.................................. 23 ing spirit he has used to overcome the chal- sports and went on to compete and be their last practice session before the
lenges in his life. selected for the Air Force team. Koren :DUULRU*DPHV-XQHWKURXJK
QUOTE OF THE WEEK competed in the 800- and 1500-meter runs,
In 2009, after returning from his fourth recurve archery, recumbent cycling and was having trials in life, you are made stronger.”
“As leaders and managers we are deployment to Iraq, Tech. Sgt. Benjamin on the volleyball team. Koren has made many new friends and
charged with using our resources to the Koren, 607th Air Control Squadron ground
utmost of our abilities. As Airmen, we radar systems NCO-in-charge, was diag- Koren placed 8th in archery, which was benefited from talking to other warriors
have the responsibility to ensure our nosed with testicular cancer. He underwent the best out of the Air Force, and in the who have gone through similar experi-
ZRUNFHQWHUVDUHDVHIÀFLHQWDVSRVVLEOH surgery and radiation therapy, after which WRS ÀYH LQ ERWK WUDFN HYHQWV UXQQLQJ D ences. He is still recovering from some
As citizens, we are governed by laws to his cancer went into remission. Five years 2:24 in the 800-meter run and 5:28 in the of the negative effects of chemotherapy,
prevent waste. In order to preserve our later, while stationed at Yokota Air Base 1500-meter run. but he has returned to active duty. He
GHFOLQLQJUHVRXUFHVZHPXVWÀQGVROX- in Tokyo, Japan, Koren took a knee to the is looking forward to spending time with
tions, big or small, that will allow us to chest while doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He While attending the games, Koren also his wife and five children.
sustain inevitable and sudden losses.” thought he might have broken a rib, but helped warriors with medical group-related
what he discovered was far worse. activities, like MiCare. The DOD Warrior Games are designed
Master Sgt. James Castillo to introduce wounded, ill and injured
WK0LVVLRQ6XSSRUW*URXS “It turned out that my ribs were OK, but Since competing, Koren’s cancer has gone service members and veterans to adap-
the doctors saw a tumor in my chest wall into remission again, and his oncologist tive sports and encourage them to stay
WEATHER and wanted to get additional imaging to says he has a 60-to-70-percent chance to physically active when they return to
investigate, he said. “After performing a OLYH DQRWKHU ÀYH WR WHQ \HDUV +H GRHVQ·W their local communities.
Today &7VFDQDQG05,WKH\LGHQWLÀHGDWOHDVW let his diagnosis slow him down. He con-
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103°/82 Medical Center in Hawaii. A biopsy of one to his Airmen.
tumor revealed that it was the same cancer
Sunny I’d had before.” “From all he has been through to where
he is now, he has shown great persever-
With this devastating revelation, Koren ance,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Tharp, 607th
left Japan and was assigned to the patient ACS ground radar craftsman. “He still has
squadron at Luke Air Force Base to start a good attitude after everything and is even
12 weeks of chemotherapy. While waiting more determined.”
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Koren received an email to participate in From his hardships, Koren has learned
the Department of Defense Warriors Games a valuable life lesson.
“I think if you have everything easy in
life, when something comes down the road,
it’s harder to deal with,” he said. “I think by
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connect to our website!
