Days without a DUI: 44Last DUI: 78th SFS— courtesy 78th Security Forces

THINK SAFETY

To request a ride, call222-0013, 335-5218, 335-5238 or 335-5236.

— Visit us online at www.robins.af.mil/library/rev.asp —

November 26, 2008 Vol. 53 No. 47

WEATHERTHETWO-MINUTEREV

THURSDAY

61/35

FRIDAY

68/47

WEDNESDAY

67/42

OUTREACH

Smoking cessationRobins offers class tohelp smokers kick thehabit, 4A

HEALTH

Troops toTeachersDOD offers secondcareer for military mem-bers as teachers, 3A

CAREER

Airmen’s dinner

Robins dorm residentsget an early Thanksgivingtreat, 5A

Safety reminderAll residents on base

must abide by theGeorgia state lawswhen it comes toschool buses. Pleaseremember to stop -- inboth directions -- when

a school bus is loadingor unloading children.If bus lights are flashingyellow or red, driversmust stop and be cau-tious of children.Failure to abide couldresult in a citation.

GeneralHoffmanassumes leadershipof AFMC

U.S. Air Force photo by SUE SAPPRyan Underwood and Sierra Sheward work together on a cornucopia cookie in Beverly Crawford's pre-kindergarten class at Robins Elementary Nov. 19.The class dressed as pilgrims and Native Americans to learn about Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

BY JOHN SCAGGSAir Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

Gen. DonHoffman assumedthe top positionfor the Air Forcemajor commandresponsible for thetechnology, acqui-sition, test andsustainment of theservice’s currentand future weaponsystems during aceremony hereNov. 21.

G e n e r a lHoffman took thereins of Air ForceMateriel Command from Gen. BruceCarlson during a change of command heldat the National Museum of the U.S. AirForce. General Carlson, who had served asthe commander of AFMC since August2005, is retiring after 37 years of service.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. NortonSchwartz presided over the change of com-mand and began by highlighting GeneralCarlson’s unwavering leadership in estab-lishing a vision known to everyone inAFMC: war-winning capabilities — ontime, on cost.

“Bruce, you can be confident thatAFMC successfully delivers war-winningexpeditionary capabilities to the warfight-er,” General Schwartz said. “Your work isgoing to pay wonderful dividends for yearsto come.

“You leave a legacy of excellence andyou were a friend to all Airmen,” GeneralSchwartz continued. “We wish you andVicki the very best.”

Gen. DonHoffman

AFMC commander

see HOFFMAN, 2A

General Peyer: Thanksgiving a time to reflect on life’s blessingsIn the autumn of

1621, the pilgrims ofPlymouth Colony cel-ebrated the firstThanksgiving. It wasa time for the settlersof this newly discov-ered land to rejoice inall they had accom-plished after a year ofparticularly cruelhardship.

The founders ofour nation set asidethree entire days tocelebrate their sur-vival. The pilgrimshad experienced andlearned much to get them through thedifficulties of life in a strange newenvironment. With knowledgegleaned from natives of the land, theyhad adapted to a new land. Poweredby an unending faith, they hadendured. Their successes and progressunder primitive circumstances gavethem reason to believe they could pre-vail over any future challenges.

Indeed, they hadmuch to be thankfulfor.

Given the historyof this holiday – thestory of a peoplethankful just to bealive — a questioneasily comes to mind.How would today’sAmerica respond tothe challenges ofsuch a rugged situa-tion as our forebearsfaced?

Well, I happen tohave an optimisticviewpoint. I firmly

believe American people have alwaysbeen at their very best when confront-ed with difficulties. I’m certain theold axiom, “When the going getstough, the tough get going,” is a thor-oughly American attribute. That’swhy I’m confident we as a peoplewould make it through the sternest ofhardships and come out not onlystrong, but just as thankful.

Those who would question ourability to rise above tough times likelywonder if we’ve become too soft;overly satisfied in the modern com-forts available to so many in this landof plenty. But I truly believe that, putto the test, Americans would emulatethe example set by our country’s set-tlers. And my positivism in our socie-ty, in our people, remains unshaken nomatter what the future may bring. Yes,despite news of bailouts, bankruptciesand economic downturns, I remainoptimistic that America will prevail.

I know we mustn’t take our goodstanding for granted. I realize thingscan get complicated in a hurry. I donot doubt that even the strongestnation on earth could be visited byhardship once again.

Yet it is those blessings I am sothankful for on this holiday that feedmy confidence. Thanksgiving is agreat time to remember the timelessattributes that have always made ournation great. As a people, we’ve for-ever possessed a winning and patriot-ic spirit; the will to not only survive

and succeed, but to flourish and thrivein the face of adversity. The fires ofAmerican effort and dedication havealways burned hotter when our nationand our fellow countrymen are mostin need. These are among the shiningqualities exhibited throughout our his-tory – noble characteristics that linkgeneration to generation ofAmericans.

I know those remarkable qualitiesare alive and well and among us still.

I know this because thousandsupon thousands of brave men andwomen continue to deploy far fromtheir homes and loved ones in serviceto our country. Like those pilgrimswho founded this land, these valiantwarriors have put their lives on theline for our nation’s freedom and abetter life and future for allAmericans. We’re all proud of themfor answering our nation’s call. I knowwe will all send prayers of thanksgiv-ing this holiday for them and the fam-ilies they have left behind.

My confidence in our nation’sfuture is further bolstered by the mem-

bers of this incredible installation. Iam personally thankful on this day forthe privilege of leading Team Robins,a group with an astounding 65-plusyear history of patriotic support thatmatches the greatness of the nation wedefend. Your continued dedicationand excellence are much appreciated.

We can be thankful for every bless-ing that is ours on this special occa-sion. The love of family and friends.The enjoyment of plentiful food andwarmth of shelter. The privileges ofliving in a nation where freedom andliberty abound.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I urgeyou all to take a moment to reflectupon and count our blessings asAmericans, and to strengthen yourresolve to meet any and all challengesahead. And by all means, rest andenjoy the day, and come back to ussafely next week.

Brian and I wish you all a safe andhappy Thanksgiving and a terrific hol-iday season. — Commentary by Maj.Gen. Polly Peyer, Warner Robins AirLogistics Center commander

Maj. Gen. Polly PeyerWarner Robins Air Logistics

Center commander

HAPPYTHANKSGIVING!

2A The Robins Rev-Up November 26, 2008

What are youmost

thankful forthis year?

“That my family, while Iwas deployed, was safeand sound. That's directlydue to my wife.”

Tech. Sgt. Matthew Land54th CBCS

“My family, having ajob in this economy andbeing able to pursue myeducation program.”

Jessica WilsonEducation and Training

Office

Staff Sgt. DevinJacobs

78th ABW Chapel

Charity Smith578th CBSS

“My family.”

Carole Smith578th CBSS

“Being with my familyespecially those I haven'tseen throughout the yearand the good food.”

“My family. They're agreat blessing to me.”

General Carlson, who assumedcommand of AFMC in August 2005,told the crowd that he considered it anhonor to serve and learn from such adiverse and talented group of people.

“During my tenure as AFMC com-mander, it was a privilege to servealongside people who were unified inpurpose and in decision,” Generalsaid. “It’s a remarkable opportunityfor a commander when you have agroup of people like that around you.The men and women of AFMCunderstand the mission, comprehendthe goals and work hard to ensure theyare accomplished. God bless each ofyou for your service and God bless theU.S. Air Force.”

General Schwartz emphasizedAFMC’s vital role in the Air Force’snational security capability and addedthat he is confident General Hoffmanwill lead the command to acquisitionand sustainment excellence.

“So much of the Air Force’s suc-cess hinges on leadership,” GeneralSchwartz said. “General Hoffman willlead a command whose work will becritically important to our Air Forceand this nation in the years ahead.”

General Hoffman thanked GeneralSchwartz and Air Force SecretaryMichael Donley for their faith in hisability to lead AFMC and then statedhe was looking forward to workingalongside AFMC’s Airmen, civiliansand contractors.

“I’m honored to join this team,”General Hoffman said. “Together, wewill continue to produce a product andprovide services for our warfighters

that will dissuade and deter those whowish us harm. Your efforts help keepthis nation safe.”

Prior to the change of command,General Hoffman received his fourthstar during a brief promotion ceremo-ny. After serving as the MilitaryDeputy, Office of the AssistantSecretary of the Air Force forAcquisition at the Pentagon for thepast three years, General Hoffmanbecomes the seventh AFMC com-mander since AFMC stood up on July1, 1992. He will now lead a workforce currently numbering about74,000 people and manage an annualbudget of about $59 billion.

During an interview preceding thechange of command, GeneralHoffman praised AFMC’s work force.

“The job that the people in AFMCare doing day-to-day plays a criticalrole in keeping our nation safe andsecure,” General Hoffman said.“While this command is unique in thatcivilians comprise about 70 percent ofthe work force, it does not matter ifsomeone is a blue suiter or a blue col-lar worker ... we’re all part of the sameAir Force team. I want everyone inAFMC to understand their connectionto our mission.

General Hoffman acknowledgedthat one of his challenges will involvepersonnel issues.

“We have experience gaps withinsome career fields,” he said. “We needto positively motivate people to con-tinue their service in AFMC. As acommander, I can help by creating ahealthy work environment. I wantpeople to wake up in the morning andlook forward to going to workbecause they enjoy being there andbecause they believe that their work is

important and valued. Sustainment of the Air Force’s

aging aircraft is another key issue. “We can indefinitely maintain the

fleet through AFMC’s three depots,”General Hoffman said. “The realquestion is at what price do we contin-ue to sustain our aging fleet? Take theKC-135 for example. AFMC ischanging major structural elementssuch as wing and fuselage skins,engines and landing gear on that air-craft. We’re approaching the pointwhere replacement parts make upmore of the aircraft than original com-ponents.

“There is a cost to those replace-ment parts and to the man-hoursinvolved in completing the work,” hecontinued. “The situation our depotsface is similar to a geriatric hospitalthat cares for older patients. The hos-pital staff becomes more skilled in‘sustaining’ the patients but each timethe patients return to the hospital, theyare sicker and require more difficult‘sustaining’ by the staff.

That analogy supports the ongoingcall by Air Force officials to recapital-ize the service’s fleet and incorporatenew technologies.

“Even though we replace parts andkeep the current fleet flying, we’restill bound by outdated technology,”the general said. “We’re replacing tra-ditional rivets and dealing with corro-sion problems. One reason we buynew weapon systems is because theyare built with newer technology, likecomposites, that requires less man-hours and less money to sustain themthan the older weapon systems.

Another topic of interest forGeneral Hoffman involves AFMC’sNuclear Weapons Center and how it

interfaces with the Air Force’s recent-ly announced Global StrikeCommand as well as the newly creat-ed Air Staff directorate, which wasaligned as A10 on the staff and offi-cially called the Strategic Deterrence

and Nuclear Integration Office.“Global Strike Command has the

operators ... they will conduct day-to-day nuclear operations on our flightlines and at our ICBM bases” GeneralHoffman said.

HOFFMANContinued from 1A

U.S. Air Force photo by BEN STRASSER In the time-honored military tradition signifying assumption of command, AirForce Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz (left) passes the Air Force MaterielCommand guidon, or unit flag, to Gen. Donald Hoffman. General Hoffmanassumed command of AFMC Nov. 21 in a standing-room only ceremony at theNational Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,Ohio. The event was attended by a host of Air Force senior leaders.

CONGRATULATIONS

Thanks to the energyconservation efforts ofTeam Robins members,electricity use decreased by8.6 percent ($15,754 costavoidance) in October 2008compared to October 2007.

November 26, 2008 The Robins Rev-Up 3A

GIFT WRAPPING AT THEBASE EXCHANGE

Free gift wrapping will beavailable at the BaseExchange Saturday from 9a.m. 8 p.m., Dec. 17 from 1to 8 p.m. and Dec. 18 1 to8:30 p.m. Donations will beaccepted. Proceeds will gotowards the 78th Air BaseWing Dining Out, a wingsponsored event.

NEW TURN LANE The right turn lane from

Watson Boulevard on toRobins Parkway will beclosed now through Dec.23.

The closure is to constructa new asphalt turn lane. Onlythe turn lane will be closed.Traffic will still be able toturn right from WatsonBoulevard on to RobinsParkway. For more informa-tion call Russell Thornburyat 327-8937.

BASE CHRISTMAS TREELIGHTING

Team Robins is invited tothe annual base Christmastree lighting Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.on the Chapel lawn. Theevent will feature the RobinsElementary School Chorusand a guest appearance bySanta Claus. See relatedphotos on page 6A.

IN BRIEF

BY WAYNE CRENSHAWwayne.crenshaw.ctr@robins.af.mil

After 27 years in the AirForce, it might seem like adifficult adjustment to gofrom leading Airmen to lead-ing eighth graders, but forChris Shumway, the sameprinciples apply.

“It’s really a lot like deal-ing with Airmen,” Mr.Shumway said in describinghis job teaching math atFeagin Mill Middle School.“It’s like dealing with any-one. You just treat them withrespect and expect them totreat each other with respect.Once you lay that founda-tion, things go prettysmoothly.”

After retiring in 2006from his job in the 5thCombat CommunicationsSquadron here, he set hissights on becoming ateacher. He had earned abachelor’s degree during histime in the Air Force,although he had no educa-tion classes. The GeorgiaTeacher AlternativePreparation Program, how-ever, allows people with acollege degree to get intoteaching and earn a teachingcertificate while they teach.

Through the GeorgiaTroops to Teachers program,Mr. Shumway was able toget financial assistance to gethis teaching certificate dur-ing his first year at FeaginMill. He is now in his secondyear of teaching and is fullycertified. He is a mentor forthe Troops to Teachers pro-gram, advising other militarymembers on moving into acareer in education.

“He’s a great example ofwhat our program is allabout,” said Bill Kirkland,program manager for

Georgia Troops to Teachers.Mr. Kirkland gives a sem-

inar on base once per monthon the Troops to Teachersprogram, usually drawingfour or five people, but hismost recent program on Nov.14 drew 10. One of thosewas Tech Sgt. YvetteBlanton. With 20 years in theAir Force, she plans to enterteaching after she retires inMarch. She plans to teach inBleckley County, where sheresides and has four childrenin school. Her enjoyment incoaching recreation soccer ispart of the reason she wantsto work with children.

“I just love kids,” she said.“I know they have theirmoments, but if you can makea difference in one of theirlives, it’s a rewarding job. I’mnot in it for the money.”

She plans to get her feetwet by doing some substituteteaching while she com-pletes her bachelor’s degree.

Mr. Shumway substitutedbefore entering teaching full-time, and highly recom-mends it to anyone consider-ing a teaching career, whichhe admits is not for every-one.

“That will really let youknow whether it is for you ornot,” he said. “If you cansurvive as a substitute thenyou really have it made.”

Mr. Shumway said he wasnervous on his first day as ateacher, but he said he wasn’tafraid for the same reason hewasn’t afraid when hedeployed to Operation IraqiFreedom to help build an airbase: preparation.

“I think the preparationwe did ahead of time makesit not scary,” he said. “Whenyou are trained and preparedyou feel confident.”

He felt even more confi-dent going into his secondyear of teaching, not onlybecause of the teaching certi-

fication classes he took dur-ing his first year.

“Just having that year ofexperience is like night andday this year,” he said.

Tim Helms, assistantsuperintendent of humanresources for the HoustonCounty school system, saidhe has worked with a num-ber of veterans who havebecome teachers. The expe-rience has been so positive,he said, that veterans whoapply for teaching jobs inHouston County have a legup on other applicants.

“They are very success-ful,” he said. “They bringthose qualities - the ideasand concepts - that the mili-tary is all about. The ones Ihave been associated withhave made great transitions.”

Troops to Teachers is anational program, which isimportant because it requiresa three-year commitment toteach, Mr. Kirkland said.

That means anyone whoenters the program inGeorgia but then relocates toanother state can finish thecommitment in any otherstate.

The program offers up to$5,000 for tuition assistancein certification training, plusup to $10,000 in bonusmoney for teaching in a“high needs” school, whichis defined by the povertylevel. There is a $10,000limit in the total payout forboth tuition and bonusmoney.

The tuition assistance isthe focus of the Troops toTeachers program, Mr.Kirkland said. Finding a jobis strictly up to the partici-pant. Six school systems inGeorgia, mostly in the metroAtlanta area, have a little orno poverty so the Troops toTeachers program does notprovide assistance for any-one planning to teach inthose schools. No schoolsystem is Middle Georgia isrestricted for the program,and most Middle Georgiaschools would make the par-ticipant eligible for thebonus money.

Anyone who wants tolearn more about the pro-gram can visit the GeorgiaTroops to Teachers Web siteat www.tttga.net. The Website also has a schedule forthe seminars that Mr.Kirkland gives at Robins.Anyone with six years in themilitary or 10 years as areservist is eligible for theprogram. Generally a bache-lor’s degree is also required,but there are exceptions forthose who want to teachvocational careers, such asmechanics, who have yearsof experience in thosecareers.

DOD program turns troops into teachers

U.S. Air Force photo by SUE SAPPEighth-grade student Caribe Polk gets some assistance from Chris Shumway, math teacher, atFeagin Mill Middle School Nov. 7. Mr. Shumway entered the education profession through theTroops to Teacher Program.

The photo on the frontpage of the Nov. 21 Rev-Upwas misidentified. The photowas of Senior Master Sgt.Scott Leach, HeadquartersAir Force MaterielCommand first sergeant, low-ering the organization’sguidon to allow Gen. BruceCarlson, then AFMC com-mander, to add the Air ForceOrganizational ExcellenceAward. The Robins Rev-upregrets the error.

CORRECTION

4A The Robins Rev-Up November 26, 2008

BY HOLLY L. BIRCHFIELDholly.birchfield@robins.af.mil

With the holidays upon us,food is likely to be abound inthe work areas and at festivi-ties around the base.

Before people at Robinscan serve up their favoritehomemade or even store-bought edible goodies, theyare advised to contact the foodsafety experts in the 78thAerospace Medicine Squad-ron’s Public Health Flight tomake sure the food is safe toeat.

Pat Tooley, lead health spe-cialist in the 78th AMDS, saidgetting the word out aboutfood safety is important.

“A lot of times, people willbring a vendor on the baseduring the holidays withoutcontacting us and it’s extreme-ly important that we’re awareof who’s bringing anything onthis base to sell as far as fooditems,” she said.

Mrs. Tooley said her flightmust be involved in theprocess of serving and sellingfood on base from the verybeginning.

Master Sgt. VarnellSimpson, NCOIC of FoodSafety in 78th AMDS, saidprotecting people from foodborne illnesses is one of herteam’s main areas of concern.

Sergeant Simpson saidpeople must come through the78th AMDS as well as the78th Force SupportSquadron’s Services Branchbefore providing food forpublic consumption and thatincludes the work area.

“You always want to knowwhere the food source camefrom,” she said. “You don’twant to have an event andhave unidentified food there,so we always stress to labelthe food so you know whobrought what and food does-n’t just show up to yourevent.”

Sergeant Simpson said

food safety includes knowingfood’s origin, cooking andstoring food at proper temper-atures, and proper sanitationwhen handling and storingfood.

Robins operates its FoodSafety Program under theguidance of Air ForceInstruction 48-116, FoodSafety Program, and AFI 48-101, Aerospace MedicalOperations, as well as theFood and DrugAdministration’s food code.

Sergeant Simpson saidRobins’ food safety profes-sionals teach the four basics tofood safety.

People should clean theirhands thoroughly beforepreparing food and ensure thefood preparation area is sani-tized, Sergeant Simpson said.

Separating cooked fromraw foods and ensuring prop-er temperatures during heat-ing and chilling of food arealso a must, Sergeant Simpsonsaid.

Cold foods should be keptat 40 degrees or less, and heat-

ed foods should be kept at 135degrees or higher.

These are just a few of thefacts Sergeant Simpson andothers, like Fred Brown, anenvironmental technician inthe 78th AMDS, teach people.

Mr. Brown ensures every-one who is going to sell orprepare food on Robins isaware of the ins and outs offood safety.

“I’m the one who normallygives the training to the indi-viduals and gives the approvalfor having these functions,”he said. “They have to comethrough me before they comethrough Services.”

Mr. Brown said the traininghe provides and approval offood preparation and foodservice helps to limit the serv-ing of potentially hazardousfoods in temporary settings.

The mandatory trainingMr. Brown conducts advisespeople to not do the foodpreparation and storage prac-tices they often do at home.

“Basically, we try to makesure they don’t do things they

do at home,” he said. “We doa lot of things at home that areimproper, like thawing ourfood improperly.”

Mr. Brown said food mustbe thawed through cooking,submerging it in cold, runningwater, or by setting it in therefrigerator for a few days.

Ensuring proper internaltemperature of foods is anoth-er area Mr. Brown teaches.

People who are going tosell or handle food must betrained and receive a signedletter to provide as proof ofthe training, Mr. Brown said.

In addition to ensuringindividuals have the properfood safety knowledge, Mr.Brown and others in the pro-gram conduct periodic inspec-tions of more than 65 eatingestablishments on Robins andalso investigate customercomplaints involving foodsold on base.

“We’re not out to embar-rass or hurt anyone,” Mr.Brown said. “We’re here tohelp and promote a healthyenvironment.”

78th AMDS’ Public Health Flight ensures Robins food is safe

U.S. Air Force photo by SUE SAPPFred Brown checks the temperature on hot items to make sure they are 135 degrees or higher inthe kitchen of Taco Johns in the Base Exchange food court.

FIT FOR EATING

BY WAYNE CRENSHAWwayne.crenshaw.ctr@robins.af.mil

Maj. Sherry Moore didn’tknow when she set the date toteach her first smoking cessa-tion class that it was animportant day for smokerswanting to quit.

She learned after schedul-ing the class that it fell onNov. 20, which was the GreatAmerican Smokeout. It’s thesecond biggest day of theyear, next to New Year’s, forsmokers trying to snuff outbutts for good.

It apparently had animpact on participation, as 20people signed up. She origi-nally expected about a dozen.

Major Moore has neversmoked, but she spent 28years as a nurse where shehad many occasions to wit-ness the suffering caused bysmoking. She also had agrandmother who died oflung cancer, which she saidwas as a result of her grandfa-ther’s second-hand smokebecause her grandmothernever smoked.

“I’m very passionate, see-ing some of the damage it hascaused, both professionallyand in my family,” she said.

One of the persons whoshowed up for the class wasTech. Sgt. Paul Phinisee, asmoker for 20 years. He hastried unsuccessfully to quit

before but he said this time hehas made up his mind to do it.

“I’m at the point wheremy body is sending me littlesignals,” he said.

He said a major reason hewants to quit, repeated byothers in the class, is theincreasing emphasis the AirForce puts on physical fit-ness.

The class includes fourweekly sessions heldWednesdays at 11 a.m. Anewseries starts each month.

Maj. Moore said it’s rec-ommended to start with thefirst class and attend all foursessions, but if anyone does-n’t want to wait for the nextseries to start they can comeand she can fill them in on theprevious sessions.

The classes are free andavailable to all base employ-ees, although only militarypersonnel can get freeChantix, a prescription drugthat blocks the pleasurableaspect of nicotine in the brain.Civilian employees can getfree nicotine patches.

Anyone who wants toattend the classes can registerby calling the Health andWellness Center at 327-8480.

The program is based onthe American CancerSociety’s Freshstart program.For more information visitthe ACS Web site atwww.cancer.org.

Smoking cessationclass helps TeamRobins kick butts

U.S. Air Force photo by SUE SAPMaj. Sherry Moore teaches a smoking cessation class Nov. 20 atthe Robins Health and Wellness Center.

November 26, 2008 The Robins Rev-Up 5A

RED KETTLE DRIVEThe 2008 Robins Red

Kettle drive kicked off Nov. 21and runs thru Dec. 23.

Robins is sponsoring eightkettles at seven locationsthroughout the Warner Robinsarea. Robins volunteers areworking to raise funds that willdirectly impact the lives ofthose in our community.Volunteers from the base areworking to help the SalvationArmy Chapter reach its goal ofraising $100,000 to help morethan 450 local families withmore than 1,000 children undersponsorship by the localSalvation Army.

Following this year’s eventthere will be an appreciationluncheon and presentation ofthe first ever Warner RobinsAir Logistics Center comman-der’s Red Kettle Trophy to theunit with the highest participa-tion impact. For more informa-tion or to volunteer, call Capt.Bill Ott at 327-7108.

AAFES HOLIDAY HOURSNov. 27 — Shoppette/Class

Six 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All otherAAFES facilities will beclosed.

Main BX hours:Nov. 28 — 4 a.m. to 9 p.m.Nov. 29 — 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 30 — 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.All other facilities will have

regular hours of operation.

IN BRIEF

A taste of home for the holidays

U.S. Air Force photo by SUE SAPPKellie Donaldson, Robins Officers’ Spouses Club member, serves Senior Airman Micalea Rameysweet potatoes at the Airmen Ministry Center Nov. 18. The turkey dinner with all the trimmings wasa collaboration between the ROSC and the Robins Chapel to bring Thanksgiving to Airmen in thedorms. According to Chaplain (Capt.) Joshua Payne, a total of 140 meals were served.

Commander’s Action LineHOW TO CONTACT USRobins Office of Public Affairs620 Ninth Street., Bldg. 905Robins AFB, GA 31098(478) 926-2137 DSN 468-2137Fax (478) 926-9597

EDITORIAL STAFFCOMMANDERCol. Warren Berry

PUBLIC AFFAIRS Faye Banks-Anderson

CHIEF OF INTERNALINFORMATION Capt. Sequoiya Lawsonsequoiya.lawson@robins.af.mil(478) 222-0802

EDITORKendahl Johnsonkendahl.johnson@robins.af.mil(478) 222-0804

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lanorris Askewlanorris.askew@robins.af.mil (478) 222-0806

STAFF WRITERSHolly L. Birchfieldholly.birchfield@robins.af.mil (478) 222-0810

Wayne Crenshawwayne.crenshaw.ctr@robins.af.mil (478) 222-0807

PHOTOGRAPHERSue Sappsue.sapp@robins.af.mil (478) 222-0805

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Editorial content is edited, pre-pared and provided by the Office ofPublic Affairs at Robins Air ForceBase, Ga. All photographs are AirForce photographs unless otherwiseindicated. Stories and briefs must besubmitted as a Word document.They may not exceed two pages,double spaced. They must be typedusing the Times New Roman font,12-point type, with 1-inch margins. Allsubmissions will be edited to con-form to Associated Press style.Submission does not guarantee pub-lication.

Submissions must be receivedby 4 p.m. the Monday prior to therequested Friday publication. Theyshould be e-mailed to kendahl.john-son@robins.af.mil. Submissionsshould be of broad interest to thebase populace. If there are furtherquestions, call Kendahl Johnson at(478) 222-0804.

DELIVERYThe Robins Rev-Up is pub-

lished 50 times a year on Fridays,except when a holiday occurs dur-ing the middle or latter part of theweek and the first and last Fridaysof the year. To report deliveryissues, call Kendahl Johnson at(478) 222-0804.

ADVERTISINGFor advertising information, call

The Telegraph advertising depart-ment at (478) 923-6432.

CLASSIFIEDSTo place a classified ad, call

The Telegraph at (478) 744-4234.

ONLINE To read articles online, visit

www.robins.af.mil/library/rev.asp

The Robins Rev-Up is published byThe Telegraph, a private firm in noway connected with the U.S. AirForce, under exclusive written con-tract with Robins Air Force Base,Ga., of the Air Force MaterielCommand. This commercial enterprise Air Forcenewspaper is an authorized publica-tion for members of the U.S. militaryservices. Contents of the RobinsRev-Up are not necessarily the offi-cial views of or endorsed by, theU.S. government, Department ofDefense, or Department of the AirForce. The appearance of advertis-ing in this publication, includinginserts or supplements, does notconstitute endorsement by theDepartment of Defense, Departmentof the Air Force, or The Telegraph, ofthe products or services advertised.Everything advertised in this publica-tion shall be made available for pur-chase, use, or patronage withoutregard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, marital status,physical or mental handicap, politicalaffiliation, or any other non-merit fac-tor of the purchaser, user or patron.

CommentaryThe Action Line is an open-door pro-

gram for Team Robins personnel to givekudos, ask questions or suggest ways tomake Robins a better place to work andlive.

The most efficient and effective way toresolve a problem or complaint is todirectly contact the organization responsi-ble. This gives the organization a chanceto help you, as well as a chance toimprove their processes.

Please include your name and a wayof reaching you so we can provide a directresponse. Anonymous action lines will notbe processed. Discourteous or disre-spectful submissions will not beprocessed.

Action Line items of general interest tothe Robins community will be printed inthe Robins Rev-Up.

To contact the Action Line:Call 926-2886 or for the quickest

response, e-mail action.line@robins.af.mil.

PHONE NUMBERSSecurity Forces 327-3445Services 926-5491Equal Opportunity 926-2131Employee Relations 926-5802 Military Pay 926-3777 IDEA 926-2536 Base hospital 327-7850 Civil engineering 926-5657 Public Affairs 926-2137 Safety Office 926-6271 Fraud, Waste, Abuse 926-2393 Housing Office 926-3776Chaplain 926-2821

Col. Warren Berry78th Air Base Wing,

commander https://wwwmil.robins.af.mil/actionline.htm

“ Our American warriors sacrifice much in service to our great country. Our wounded warriorsand their families sacrifice even more. As a nation, we made a pledge to our servicemembers- you take care of us and we will take care of you. It is our solemn duty to keep this promise.”

– Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley

6A The Robins Rev-Up November 26, 2008

MakingseasonsbrightBase Chapel gets ready forannual tree lighting Dec. 3

U.S. Air Force photos by SUE SAPPBill Bandy, 78th Civil Engineer Squadron exterior electric shopworker, puts one of 40 strings of Christmas lights on the RobinsChapel tree from a bucket truck Nov. 20.

Below, Donnie Evans, 78th CES exterior electric shop employee,lines up strings of lights to be placed on the chapel tree.

The Creek Indians are thetribe most closely associatedwith the landscape of MiddleGeorgia and Robins AirForce Base. But how didthey get their name? Was itbecause they liked to livealong the many rivers andcreeks of Georgia, as somehave speculated? Or is thereanother reason nearly lost tohistory?

Ironically, the Southeast-ern Indian tribes that weknow today, including theCreek, Cherokee, Choctaw,and Chickasaw, came intobeing because of a series ofepidemics that swept theregion about 450 years ago.Spanish, French, and Britishexplorers and colonists wereunintentional carriers of dis-eases like smallpox, influen-za, measles, and the bubonicplague – diseases for whichNative Americans had noimmunities.

Historians now estimatethat at least 75 percent ofSoutheastern Indians diedduring these epidemics,which ravaged the colonialSouth and swept away themound-builder civilization.

As whole societies col-lapsed, many traditions werelost forever and the complexpolitical systems of the dayhad to be abandoned. Whatemerged were much smaller,more democratic societiesmade up of individuals frommany different groups.Some of these groups sur-vived largely intact, while

others were able to preserveonly a few customs, such aslanguages and pottery styles.

This was the situation asEuropean colonists began tosettle the Southeast justbefore and after the year1600. Over the next century,whole tribes sometimes van-ished or were absorbed byother tribes. Others success-fully played the Europeansagainst each other andbecame regional power bro-kers. No Indians were moresuccessful at this than thosewho lived in central andsouthern Georgia andAlabama, and who came tobe called the Creek Indians.

When the Spanish andBritish first encounteredthem in the late 1600s, manyof the ancestors of today’sCreek Indians lived alongthe banks of theChattahoochee River, andspoke either the Muscogeeor the Hitchiti dialects of theMuskogean language.

As the Spanish expandedtheir mission system, theydemanded that the Indiansconvert to Catholicism, sub-mit to their flag and king, andsettle down to be missionlaborers. The Indians refusedto abide by the Spanishdemands, and consequently,several of their towns alongthe Chattahoochee wereburnt to the ground.

By 1690, at least 11 townsalong the river were aban-doned and the inhabitants hadrelocated to Middle Georgia

WHAT’S IN A NAMERobins archaeologist explains the origin of the name Creek Indian

along the banks of Ochese, orHickory Leaf, Creek. Thiscreek was named by theBritish for an Indian tribe thathad lived there for centuries.The Spanish called it the Riode Uchisi.

Here, amongst theseOchese Creek towns, Britishtraders from South Carolinasoon set up shop. Unlike theSpanish, the British did notdemand that the Indianschange their way of life. TheBritish simply wanted to finda market for European-manu-factured goods. In exchange,

they asked the Indians to pro-vide them with deerskins andIndian slaves. The Indiansmuch preferred having ready-made goods and keeping theirtraditional ways, so theyembraced the British as allies.

Soon the British were call-ing these Indians the OcheseCreek Indians, even thougheach Indian town actually hadits own name. Because of theimportance of these towns tothe British, Ochese Creekbecame known simply as“The Creek,” as if there wasno other creek in existence.

The name Ochese soon disap-peared (except among theseIndians), and now we call theIndians who once lived therethe Creek Indians.

During the 1830s, most ofGeorgia’s Indians were relo-cated to Indian Territory(Oklahoma) on the CreekTrail of Tears. Today some ofthem have become part of theCreek (Muscogee) Nation inOklahoma, others areSeminoles in Florida orOklahoma, and still others arescattered between Alabama,Florida, Louisiana, andTexas. The names they wentby when they lived alongOchese Creek, and the namessome prefer to use today,include the Achito, Coweta,Kasita, Kialegee, Kolomi,Okmulgee, Sawokli, andTaskigi.

And just where was thisOchese Creek that was onceso famous that it becameknown only as “The Creek?”It was actually an earliername for a major MiddleGeorgia river – a river thatflows from Lake Jacksondown through Macon, contin-ues east of Robins, throughdowntown Hawkinsville, andeventually out into theAtlantic Ocean. Of course,you know it better today byanother name – the OcmulgeeRiver. Only now you alsoknow how the Creek Indiansgot their name.

–This commentary waswritten by StephenHammack, archaeologist.

U.S. Air Force file photo by SUE SAPPStephen Hammack is the Robins on-site archaeologist.

A Thanksgiving buffet will beheld at Horizons Nov. 27 from 11a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The traditionalturkey dinner with all the trimmings,including salad and dessert bar, willbe served. Reservations are requiredfor parties over 10 people. Cost formembers is $12.95, guests $14.95and children three – 10 years old,$7.95. Open to all ranks and grades.For more information call Horizons at926-2670.

All active-duty and retired mili-tary members and their familiesare invited to a traditionalThanksgiving meal at Wynn DiningFacility. The meal will be served byRobin leadership from 11 a.m. to 2p.m. Nov. 27 for Airmen and Airmenwith families and guests and retireeswith families. The evening meal forAirmen only will be served from 2 to4 p.m. Enjoy steamship round, roastturkey and baked ham, cornbreaddressing, rice pilaf and mashed pota-toes, peas, green beans, cream cornand more holiday fare. For moreinformation call the dining facility at926-6596.

The 78th Force SupportSquadron is in partnership withthe commissary in collectingcanned goods and non-perishableitems to make holiday gift baskets forfamilies in need now – Dec. 19.Ready-made Kraft holiday foodboxes are available at the commis-sary to purchase and place in adonation box. Boxes cost $16.49.To learn how you can help please callthe community center at 926-2105.

First Friday will not be held Dec.5 due to holiday parties at theHeritage Club. For more informationcall Horizons at 926-2670.

Football Frenzy is featured everySunday. Watch all the play-by-playNFL football action on the HeritageClub multiple television screens andthree new high definition plasma tele-visions with satellite. Doors open atnoon with a chance to win a trip toTampa Bay for Super Bowl 2009, oneof two regular season games and abonus drawing for $5,000 in gift cer-tificates. An Atlanta Falcon ticket willbe given away every week prior toeach home game. For more informa-tion call 926-2670.

Learn exciting skills starting Dec.1 in the community center. Pianoclasses starting Dec. 1 (four weeks)from 7 – 8 p.m., cost $65 per person;salsa and belly dancing on Dec. 2, 9,16 and 23 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. forsalsa and belly dancing from 6:30 –7:30 p.m., cost $40 per person whenyou register for one class, get theother for free. Hip Hop classes are

held Dec. 3, 10 and 17 from 5 – 6p.m. for $35 per person. All classesneed to be paid in advance. Formore information call the communitycenter at 926-2105.

Anyone interested in trying outfor the Air Force Cross Country orAir Force Wrestling teams mustsubmit an AF Form 303 to KennyPorter by Dec. 10 for Cross Countryand Dec. 17 for Wrestling. Any fur-ther information, please contact Mr.Porter at 926-2128 or email at ken-neth.porter@robins.af.mil.

The Smith Community Centerwill host a Beautiful Bag contestDec. 19. A variety of materials canbe used to decorate the bags. Bringyour bags by the community centerby Dec. 12. Judging will be conduct-ed Dec. 19 with certificates and acamera awarded to the winners.Decorated bags will then be used tomake the holiday food baskets to bedistributed to families in the Robinscommunity. For more information callthe community center at 926-2105.

ONGOINGChild care requests are being

accepted for school-age childrento attend the Robins school-age pro-gram during the December break forHouston County Schools. Care willbe offered Dec. 22 – Jan. 5 from 6:30a.m. – 6 p.m. at the youth center forchildren five – 12 years old. Theweekly rate will be charged. The rateis based on total family income.Please use the online child carerequest form located atwww.robinsservices.com to apply.

Contact Vera Keasley at 926-6741for more information.

Dance classes are now beingoffered on Tuesdays for $40 amonth. Classes for three – fouryears old are held from 3:30 to 4:30p.m. (ballet/tap), five – eight years oldfrom 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (ballet/tap) and13 years and older from 5:30 to 6:30p.m. (dance energy class). For moreinformation call the youth center at926-2110.

Tickets are available for homegames to see the Atlanta Thrashers,cost $21 - $93 and Atlanta Hawks,cost $15 - $85. Prices vary based onticket location. For more informationcall ITT at 926-2945.

The Child Development CentersEast and West have openings forages six weeks through 5 years old.Both centers are accredited by theNational Association for theEducation of Young Children andoffer full time care. Hourly care isavailable at CDC West. For moreinformation call CDC East or West at926-5805 or 926-3080.

A Fantasy in Lights/CallawayGardens trip will be held Dec. 22 inPine Mountain, Ga. Cost is $45 perperson, $65 for one parent and childand $75 for couples. Meet at outdoorrecreation at 2 p.m. for departure at2:15 p.m. Van will return around mid-night. A minimum of 10 people isrequired for outdoor recreation tohost this trip. Register by Dec. 10 atoutdoor recreation, Bldg. 914. Formore information call 926-4001.

the list

CHAPEL SERVICES

26 27 28 29 30 1 2WED THURS FRI SAT SUN MON TUE

CatholicCatholic masses are at the chapel each Saturday

at 5:30 p.m., Sunday at 9:30 a.m., on Holy Days ofObligation at noon and 5 p.m. vigil the day before,and Monday through Friday at noon. The Sacramentof Reconciliation is Saturday from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m.

Islamic Islamic Friday Prayer (Jumuah) is Fridays at 2

p.m. in the chapel annex rooms 1 and 2.

JewishJewish service is Fridays at 6:15 p.m. at the

Macon synagogue.

Orthodox ChristianSt. Innocent Orthodox Church service is at the

chapel on the second Tuesday of each month at 5p.m.

Protestant The traditional service meets Sunday in the

Chapel at 11 a.m. featuring hymns, anthems, congre-gational prayers and readings. Contemporary servicemeets at 6 p.m. in the Chapel sanctuary, singing thelatest praise and worship music. The gospel servicemeets at 8 a.m. at the Chapel, praising God withinspirational music. Religious education meets inBldg. 905 at 9:30 a.m.

78th FSS BRIEFS

78th FSS PHONE DIRECTORY

Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-5491Community Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2105Outdoor Rec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-4001Arts & Crafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-5282Horizons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2670 Heritage Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-7625 Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327-8761 HAWC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327-8480 Fitness Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2128 Fitness Center Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2128 Youth Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2110 ITT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2945 Bowling Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-2112 Pine Oaks G.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-4103Pizza Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .926-0188Additional information on Services

events and activities can be found in The Edge and at

www.robinsservices.com

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS1. Network protocol used to transfer

data from one CPU to another4. Lunch menu item7. Greek letter10. Russian mountain12. MAJCOM Japan bases are

assigned14. Jam15. Current USFJ/13 DOWN com-

mander16. Line segments joining a circle’s

center with any circumference point17. Column18. Japan base home to 374 AW20. F-16 Fighting ___; jet assigned to

35 FW in Japan22. ___ Jima; Japanese island24. Pig’s pen25. Plus26. Japanese base home to18. WG29. Article30. Penny pincher31. Also33. Baseball stat36. Small particles37. Quiet38. The Wright ___; first military air-

plane40. Japanese currency41. Epoch42. F-15; jet assigned to 18 WG in

Japan43. Round, edible seed of a widely

cultivated legume45. MC-130P ____ Shadow; plane

assigned to 18 WG in Japan47. Car club50. Everything51. Drone52. Japan base home to 35 FW54. Col John F. ___ III; current 374

AW commander59. Make corrections60. Agenda64. What you say when you get it65. Place to sit66. Wear away67. Shakespeare villain

68. Mil. ID69. Tokyo, formerly70. Part of DOD

DOWN1. Operation Urgent ___; Grenada op2. Group of three persons or things3. Fill up4. Sheep sound5. TV model, perhaps6. ___ Chi; Chinese martial arts7. ____ Kane; Susan Lucci on All My

Children8. MC-130 Combat ____; plane

assigned to 18 WG9. Correct11. Zodiac sign12. Giant shrimp13. NAF covering Japan bases14. North of the Border sporting org.19. Rows21. Affirmative23. Breakfast food24. Abdomen26. Actress Hudson27. Cosmetics outlet28. Rep opponent30. Orate32. ____ House33. Latvian capital34. Waist band35. Anger38. _____ fatale39. Scientist’s workplace43. Animal’s hand44. Excite46. Small weight47. _ Fine ___; Blake Edwards come-

dy48. General’s helpers49. Description of a person of

Japanese descent53. Phone co.55. Nintendo game system56. Son of Isaac and Rebekah57. Appendages58. Juan Ponce de ___; Spanish

explorer61. Mining goal62. Place to find 43 ACROSS63. Altar words

By Capt. Tony WickmanUSAFE Public Affairs

SOLUTION

Welcome to Japan

Tickets: $4 adult; $2 children (11 years old andyounger. For more information, call the base theater at926-2919

NOV. 29 — 2 P.M.THE EXPRESS

RATED PG

Based on the interac-tive video game, MaxPayne tells the story ofa maverick cop deter-mined to track downthose responsible forthe murder of his fami-ly and partner. Hell-bent on revenge, hisobsessive investiga-tion takes him on anightmare journey intoa dark underworld.

Based on a true storyof football hero ErnieDavis, the first African-American to win theHeisman Trophy, andhis fight for equality andrespect forever changedthe face of Americansports. Raised inpoverty, Davis hurdledsocial and economicobstacles to becomeone of the greatestrunning backs in col-lege football history.

Whether you love himor hate him, there is noquestion that George W.Bush is one of the mostcontroversial public fig-ures in recent memory.W takes viewersthrough Bush's eventfullife, his struggles and tri-umphs and how hefound both his wife andhis faith, and of coursethe critical days leadingup to his decision toinvade Iraq.

NOW PLAYING

NOV. 28 — 7:30 P.M.MAX PAYNE

RATED PG-13

November 26, 2008 The Robins Rev-Up 7A

The Great American Smokeout

Courtesy photo illustrationThe Great American Smokeout walk is scheduled for Dec. 5 starting at 11 a.m. Meet at the Health and Wellness Center. For more informationcall 926-2128.

DONATE YOUR LEAVE

NOV. 29W

RATED PG-13

Employee-relations specialists at 926-5307 or 926-5802 have infor-mation and instructions concerning requests to receive or donateannual leave. To have an approved leave recipient printed in theRobins Rev-Up, wings should send information to Lanorris Askew at:lanorris.askew@robins.af.mil.

Submissions run for two weeks. The following person has beenapproved as a leave recipient: Jerry Morningstar, 78th ABW/SE.POC is Richard Thomas at 926-6643.

8A The Robins Rev-Up November 26, 2008

Courtesy photoMembers of the Air Force Office of Special Investigation’s Detachment 105, Robins’ First Sergeant’s

Council and Network 56 met with the teachers and students of Houston County High School's Family andConsumer Sciences and Family Career Community Leaders of America to receive more than 170Christmas packages which will be forwarded to Robins’ deployed Airmen throughout the AOR. This is thesecond year AFOSI has partnered with the school project which is taught by Nelda Clay and Jane Cooper.

“Last year we had returning Robins Airmen who were recipients of some of the Christmas packagescome to the school and personally thank the students for their efforts and let them know how great it wasto receive gifts from home,” said supervisory special agent Michael Douglas.

The individually wrapped boxes are filled with books, magazines, toiletries, holiday treats and otheritems and are packed by each student as part of their school project. The students hold fundraisers orpersonally purchase the package items in order to give the deployed Airmen a taste of home during theholidays.

Special delivery: Local high school sendscare packages to Robins’ deployed Airmen

Eight musicians from theBand of the U.S. Air ForceReserve are scheduled toentertain service membersoverseas as part of a 60-daydeployment to SouthwestAsia beginning Dec. 2. Thistour marks the third deploy-ment for the band in the pasttwo years.

“We're thrilled to share thegift of music with ourdeployed troops,” said Maj.Donald Schofield, band com-mander. "We're bringing ataste of home to the men andwomen who are deployedoverseas for the holidays.”

A brass quintet, bagpiperand vocalist, performingunder the name Mojave dur-ing the deployment, will per-form music ranging fromrock, pop, R&B and classicrock.

“Our service members aremaking extraordinary sacri-fices while serving in Iraq,Afghanistan and other remoteareas throughout the world,and spreading patriotismthrough music is one way wecan give back and show themour appreciation,” said SeniorMaster Sgt. Debra Jamison,regional band superintendent.

The Band of the U.S. AirForce Reserve consists of 50full-time professional musi-cians assigned to Air ForceReserve Command, RobinsAir Force Base, Ga. Theband travels more than10,000 miles and performsover 400 concerts throughoutGeorgia, Florida, Tennessee,Alabama, and Mississippi.

More information on theBand of the Air ForceReserve can be found atht tp: / /www.usafreserve-band.af.mil.

–Courtesy Air ForceReserve Command.

U.S. Air Force photo by SUE SAPPMajor Chad Steffey, commander of the Band of the United States Air Force Reserve, conducts theband during their annual holiday concert for the local community Dec. 13 at the Museum ofAviation.

Band of the U.S. Air ForceReserve deploys overseas

BY AFMC CONTRACTING OFFICE

The Government Purchase Card programcontributes to Air Force daily operations bystreamlining business processes, freeing upresources to meet other critical needs. AirForce Materiel Command conducts over500,000 transactions for a total of about $360million annually via the GPC.

Unfortunately, there are occasions of mis-use of the GPC. AFMC is taking positive stepsto address these problems by strengtheningsurveillance procedures, increasing their fre-quency, and stressing appropriate use of theGPC and actions when misuse occurs.

To emphasize adherence to GPC policyand procedures, Gen. Bruce Carlson, AFMCcommander, released a corrective action poli-cy in December 2007 stating “Commandersand directors at all levels must ensure theintegrity of the GPC process is maintained.This starts by eliminating violations throughconsistent, fair and firm disciplinary actionswhere warranted.”

General Carlson also recently completed avideo for all GPC program participants andcommanders in which he stated “the AFMCstandard is zero GPC violations.” The video isavailable at https://www.afmc-mil3.wpafb.af.mil/ video/gpc.wmv.

Surveillance and audits have significantlyincreased, revealing not only willful negli-gence, but some serious criminal offenses. Anexample is the Oct. 9 sentencing of two for-mer employees at Robins. These former GPC

holders for a maintenance unit were foundguilty in federal court of defrauding the gov-ernment of more than $370,000. One personwas sentenced to 41 months incarcerationwhile the other was sentenced to 24 months.They must pay restitution totaling more than$100,000.

The two men used their GPCs to order per-sonal items and conspired with a contractor toorder items that were never delivered to thebase. They also received gifts from two con-tractors involved in the conspiracy. For theirrole, each contractor received 18-month sen-tences and $375,000 in restitution.

While this case involved clear transgres-sions, AFMC officials say all card holdersneed to be aware of less obvious violationsthat compromise the integrity of the purchasecard system.

According to Mike Cook, the AFMC gov-ernment purchase card program coordinator,GPC users need to keep in mind that they mustnot split a purchase to keep a transaction underthe allowed limit of $3,000.

“Additionally, they must always pur-chase from authorized companies,” Mr.Cook said. “All items bought must be nec-essary for the mission of the cardholder’sorganization.”

To learn more about GPC regulations andwhat constitutes as a violation, users can readAir Force document, AFI 64-117 or visit theAFMC GPC website at, https://www.afmc-mil.wpafb.af.mil/HQ-AFMC/PK/pkp/pkpa/gpc.htm.

AFMC aims for adherence to GPC policies