Page 1 - March ARB Beacon 7-2-15

Vol. 80, No. 26
NEWS BRIEFS
BEACON OMMISSION
The June 26, 2015 newsbrief
on page one, “Healthy Lifestyle
Festival,” falsely indicated Holly
the calf will be at the commissary’s
free petting zoo all three days. She
will only be there Friday, July 3.
CCAF GRADUATION
CEREMONY
Please join us in celebration
as the next group of Community
College of the Air Force graduates
receive their diplomas. The event
will be at the Cultural Resource
Center on base on July 12, 2015 at
10 a.m. Uniform of the day.
FOURTH COMBAT
CAMERA TO
INACTIVATE JULY 11
March Air Reserve Base’s 4th
Combat Camera Squadron is
scheduled to inactivate at a cer-
emony held in Hangar 452 on July
11, 2015 at 10 a.m. Team March
members are invited to attend the
ceremony and congratulate them
on a job well done.
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 experience. On-
the-job training provided. Sign up
at the ID desk or email your phone
number to cyndy.fults@deca.mil
for a phone interview with the hir-
ing official.
FREE BASEBALL,
MILITARY MONDAYS
Are you a Military Member or
do you know one? The Lake El-
sinore Storm, baseball affiliate of
the San Diego Padres, proudly of-
fers 4 FREE tickets every Monday
for military personnel as a huge
thank you for your service. Every
valid (current or retiree) military
See BRIEFS page 3
March Air Reserve Base, California
Air Force JROTC cadets graduate Summer
Leadership School
by Megan Crusher
452 AMW/public affairs
Fifty Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets from
Rancho Verde High School and Arlington High School graduated
from a two week summer leadership school, in the Cultural Resource
Center, at March Air Reserve Base, June 26.
(Ret.) Capt. Jeffrey Stein, JROTC instructor, from Rancho Verde
High School, gave a special thanks to (Ret.) Col. Nancy Driscoll,
chief of public health flight, 452nd bio-environmental, for organiz-
ing the event. He also thanked all the personnel at March ARB who
helped create, “another great leadership school,” he said.
The program has been a fixture at the base for more than a dozen
years. It is designed to enhance students’ preexisting knowledge of
the Air Force, introduce them to new opportunities and foster team-
work among the cadets.
The group visited the new firing range, KC-135, C-17, F-16
and Reaper static aircraft, maintenance shops, explosive ordnance
disposal, aircrew flight equipment, the Museum and a special ob-
stacle course developed by the March Field Fire Emergency Ser-
vices.
“The Fire Department was a big hit,” Driscoll said. “They thought
it was really cool and had a great time.”
Cadets Jacob Caldwell and Jonathan Torres both agreed the ob-
stacle course was their favorite part of the program, especially ma-
neuvering around in the confined spaces portion, each said.
Cadet Isaac Garcia also spoke highly of the obstacle course, stat-
ing his favorite part was trying to squeeze through the tight spaces,
despite the difficulty, he said.
“It was nerve-wracking, but I got through it and it gave me
more confidence,” Garcia said.
Building confidence was another benefit of the program. Part of
building that confidence was instilling the importance of dress and
appearance standards and discipline.
Master Sgt. Darryl Willingham, training flight NCO, 452nd blue
eagles honor guard, inspected each cadet on proper wear of the uni-
form and Cadet Alejandra Felix stood out among the cadets in her
dress and appearance.
Willingham also held a drill competition, where he gave drill com-
Airmen attend second annual Norton-March reunion
by Senior Airman Russell S. McMillan
452 AMW public affairs
Approximately 60 current and retired Airmen and their fami-
lies attended the second annual Norton-March Aircrew Asso-
ciation reunion here, June 20. Association members traveled to
March Air Reserve Base from all over the U.S. to reconnect with
past Airmen, participate in a base tour and attend various social
activities.
“It originally started about 20-30 years ago over small bar-
Thursday, July 2, 2015
U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Crusher
Air Force JROTC cadets from Rancho Verde High School in
Moreno Valley and Arlington High School in Riverside, gradu-
ate from a two week Summer Leadership School, held at
March Air Reserve Base, June 26. The cadets were exposed
to an array of activities and various missions of the base, to
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ment and ribbons for maneuvering through an obstacle course
and graduating the program.
mands to the group, eliminating those who failed to comply properly
until only one cadet was left standing.
Cadet Christian Villalobos was the last cadet standing after the
drill competition. He and Felix were both recognized in front of
their peers and family during the graduation ceremony.
Maj. Adam Walker, pilot, 336th refueling squadron, was the guest
speaker during the graduation ceremony and prior to handing out
certificates, he congratulated them on their accomplishments and en-
couraged every student to focus on where they wanted to be years
down the road.
“What is important is that you have focus and a goal in mind for
what you want to do in your life,” Walker said.
After graduating, Garcia summed up his experience by empha-
sizing how much he was going to miss everyone and how much he
enjoyed the program.
“Even though I just met them these last two weeks, it feels like a
lifetime; it’s been a big family, he said. “This has been an experience
of a lifetime.”
becue gatherings,” said event organizer and retired Master Sgt.
Tom Block, as he referred to how large the reunion has become.
Airmen from Norton Air Force Base continued to keep in
touch after the base was selected for base realignment and even-
tual closure in 1994, Block said. Aircraft and equipment were
transferred to March Air Force Base until it too was selected for
realignment and officially became March ARB, April 1, 1996.
The intent of the reunion is to bring together all the aircrew
and support personnel that flew out of Norton AFB and March
See REUNION page 6