8 The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky. Vol. XIX, No. 6 • June 7, 2003

123rd Airlift WingPublic Affairs OfficeKentucky Air National Guard1101 Grade LaneLouisville, KY 40213-2678

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

The following individuals have beenpromoted to the rank indicated

as members of theKentucky Air Guard

and reservistsof the United States Air Force:

Promotions, retirements & separations Kentucky Air National Guard

SENIOR AIRMAN (E-4)

•Stacy Bensing,123rd Airlift Wing•Rachel Cowley,

123rd Services Flt.•Angela Graham,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•William Lee,

123rd Services Flt.•Heather Marshall,123rd Services Flt.•Blaine Morgan III,123rd Services Flt.

The following individualshave separated from

the Kentucky Air Guard:

TECHNICAL SERGEANT (E-6)

•Joseph Felinski,123rd Aircraft Generation Sq.

•Matthew Skeens,123rd Aerial Port Sq.

STAFF SERGEANT (E-5)

•Monique Yuill,123rd Maintenance Sq.

•Alan Wade,123rd Logistics Sq.

•Kelley Blair,123rd Aerial Port Sq.

•Mark Blevins,165th Weather Flt.

•David Curl,123rd Maintenance Sq.

•Kelly Drescher,123rd Medical Sq.•James Fenwick,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•Margaret French,

123rd Mission Support Flt.

•Staff Sgt. Steven Bell.,123rd Security Forces Sq.

•Senior Airman Kevin Dean,123rd Security Forces Sq.

•Airman 1st ClassRichard Prewitt Jr.,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•Staff Sgt. William Robertson,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•Senior Airman Jesse Smith,123rd Aircraft Generation Sq.

•Staff Sgt. David Stephenson,165th Airlift Sq.

•Staff Sgt. Brent Ward,123rd Aircraft Generation Sq.

•Staff Sgt. Stephanie Wilding,123rd Services Flt.

•Capt. Timothy Welsh,165th Services Flt.

The following individualshave retired as members of the

Kentucky Air National Guard andreservists of the

United States Air Force:

•Staff Sgt. Dale Dummitt III,123rd Civil Engineers Sq.

50 Ky. airmen return from desert deploymentTroops arrive to cheering, flag-waving crowd of family and friends

By Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellCargo Courier Editor

More than 50 members of the KentuckyAir Guard returned home May 12 afterspending about 60 days at an undisclosedlocation in the Persian Gulf supporting Op-eration Iraqi Freedom and the Global Waron Terror.

The airmen, who had traveled 6,000miles in a mere four days, were greeting bya crowd of flag-waving, cheering familymembers and friends gathered near theflightline here.

The suntanned faces of the men andwomen who stepped off the C-130 Herculeswere all smiles as they met the crowd. Emo-tions ran high, with tears, kisses and hugspunctuating the homecoming moment.

Maj. Jason Arnold, a navigator in the165th Airlift Squadron, said his children

•Tech. Sgt. Larry Harlson,123rd Aerial Port Sq.

•Maj. Charles Mayfield,123rd Support Gp.

•Lt. Col. James Simpkins,165th Airlift Sq.

Tech. Sgt. Mark Rines/KyANG

Friends and family members of the Kentucky Air Guard’s returning troops gather bythe flightline here May 12 to greet them as they step off a Kentucky C-130 Hercules.The airmen had just completed a two-month deployment to an undisclosed locationin the Middle East. See DESERT RETURN, Page 4

love,” he said, laughing.Brig. Gen. Richard Ash, the

assistant adjutant general for air,said the Kentucky Air Guard isfortunate to have Grant as its statecommand chief.

“He’s the right person at the righttime and right place,” Ash said. “Inaddition to his intellect and abilityto quickly grasp complex issues, his‘people’ skills are outstanding.

“This position is key to ensuringthat the interests of the organizationand its membership can be balancedto achieve the mission.”

Mission accomplishment, thegeneral said, is about a compromisebetween the needs of the organiza-tion and the wants of its people.

“Grant will play a pivotal role atbetter finding that ideal balance,” Ashsaid.

GrantContinued from Page 6

Staff Sgt. Cherie Thurlby/USAF

IRAQTech. Sgt. Chris Bricking, a loadmaster inthe 165th Airlift Squadron, pulls the chalkfrom a Kentucky C-130 prior to departing

Baghdad International Airport on April 21.

The airport is a primary base of operationsfor U.S. troops, cargo and humanitarian

airlift for Operation Iraqi Freedom, themultinational coalition effort to liberate the

Iraqi people and the end the regime ofSaddam Hussein.

More than 350 members of KyANG remaindeployed at locations around the world in

support of the Global War on Terror.

INSIDE

2 7The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

L

JAG PERSPECTIVE AIR FORCE NEWS

Wing Commander..............................Col. Michael HardenWing Public Affairs Officer.....................Capt. Dale GreerEditor.............................................Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellStaff Writer......................................Staff Sgt. Mark Flener

This funded Air Force newspaper is an authorized pub-lished for members of the U.S. military services. Contentsof The Cargo Courier are not necessarily the official viewsof, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department ofDefense or the Air Force.

The editorial content is edited, prepared and providedby the public affairs office of the 123rd Airlift Wing, Ken-tucky Air National Guard, Louisville International Airport,Louisville, Ky. 40213-2678.

Our office is located in room 2118 of the Wing Head-quarters Building. Deadline for the next issue is July 1.

How to contact us:Phone: (502) 364-9431Fax: (502) 364-9676E-mail: amy.mundell@kyloui.ang.af.mil

An electronic version of the Cargo Courier is available at the Kentucky Air Guard’s Web site — www.kyloui.ang.af.mil

123rd Airlift Wing Editorial Staff

By Staff Sgt. C. Todd LopezAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON—A new program willhelp airmen honor those who are often theirbiggest supporters—their parents.

All uniformed airmen can now sign theirparents up to receive a new “P” lapel pin.The pins are about three-fourths of an inchsquare and feature a silver letter “P” cradledwithin the Air Force symbol.

A personalized letter to the parents fromSecretary of the Air Force James G. Roche

Airmen can now sign up to have a “P”pin sent to their parents. A personalizedletter from Secretary of the Air ForceJames G. Roche and Air Force Chief ofStaff Gen. John P. Jumper will accom-pany the pin and thank you letter.

‘P’ pin honors parents, bolsters supportand Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.Jumper will accompany the pins.

“We could not protect America’s freedomwithout the incredible people who are will-ing to carry on the Air Force tradition,” theletter reads.

“As the proud parents of one of those air-men, your support continues to be critical toour ongoing efforts and makes a real differ-ence to our country.”

The program “is a way to build and main-tain public support for the global war on ter-rorism,” said Brig. Gen. Edward Tonini, di-rector of Your Guardians of Freedom, thePentagon office responsible for the “P” pineffort.

“Demographically, the people most likelyto wear the pin with the greatest amount ofpride—to church, to Rotary Club meetingsor to the grocery store—are our parents.

“By wearing this pin, parents will let youknow of the pride they have in you,” Toninisaid.

“When they wear that pin out, their friendswill ask about it. Your parents will tell themabout you and your service, and how proudthey are of you.”

Those who would like their parents to re-ceive the “P” pin can sign up at the YourGuardians of Freedom Web site at http://www.yourguardiansoffreedom.com.

Signing up will require airmen to enterthe names and addresses of up to two par-ents or parental figures, Tonini said.

The program is voluntary and comes atno cost to those participating.

The distribution of the “P” pin and ac-companying letters is the second major ef-fort by the relatively new Your Guardiansof Freedom office.

The first was the “E” pin campaign,started in November 2002, in which pinsfeaturing an “E” and personalized letters aresent to the civilian employers of Air Na-tional guardsmen and reservists.

Both pin programs are contemporary ad-aptations of public support campaigns car-ried out during World War II.

The Your Guardians of Freedom programis designed to continue those traditions byensuring the continued support of Air Forceactivities by those who do not wear the blueuniform, but stand behind those who do,Tonini said.

“Your Guardians of Freedom is an out-reach program targeted at what we considerthe core constituencies that the Air Forcerequires to do its work,” Tonini said.

“If we are going to keep people in theAir Force … we need programs targeted attheir families … and their extended fami-lies.

“In the case of the Reserve and Guard,that also includes civilian employers.”

The “E” pin program is ongoing, and re-servists and guardsmen can still sign theiremployers up at the Your Guardians of Free-dom Web site.

“In the Air Force, we tend to use the term‘force multiplier,’” Tonini said. “These pro-grams aren’t force multipliers, but rather,support multipliers all around the country.”

Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez/USAF

Air Force eases Stop-Loss restrictions in MayAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON—Air Force personnel officials announcedMay 14 the release of more than half of the Air Forcespecialty codes restricted from retirement or separation May2 under the Stop-Loss program.

Following a review of operational requirements, 31 officerand 20 enlisted career fields were released from Stop-Loss,the officials said.

The officer career fields released are 11BX, 11EX, 11FX,11HX, 11KX, 12BX, 12EX, 12FX, 12KX, 12RX, 12TX,13BX, 13DXA, 13DXB, 32EX, 43EX, 43HX, 43TX, 44EX,44MX, 45AX, 45BX, 45SX, 46FX, 46MX, 46NXE, 46SX,48AX, 48GX, 48RX and 51JX.

The enlisted career fields released are 1C2XX, 1C4XX,1S0XX, 1T1XX, 3E000, 3E0X2, 3E4X1, 3E4X2, 3E5X1,3E7X1, 3E8X1, 3E9X1, 3H0X1, 3N0XX, 4A1XX, 4A2XX,4B0XX, 4E0XX, 4H0XX and 5J0X1.

The Air Force announced Stop-Loss, a Defense Departmentprogram designed to retain members of the armed forcesbeyond their established dates of separation or retirement, for99 specialties and deployed airmen March 13.

The move was aimed at ensuring personnel levels wereadequate to meet upcoming contingencies.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper pointed outthat service officials have always said they will useStop-Loss only as long as necessary to accomplish themission.

egal Readiness” is not aconcept that exists solelywithin the Judge AdvocateGeneral’s Department. Infact, it is something thattouches the life of every

airman on base.Legal readiness is the service the JAG

office provides to this Air National Guardunit. We work to prevent, overcome or miti-gate the adverse effects of legal problems thatmay stand in the way of mission accomplish-ment and individual duty performance.

We also pay special attention to prepar-ing airmen—and their families—for deploy-ment.

When we are successful, a critical com-ponent of the overall operational readinessof the unit is in place.

In preparation for the recent deployments,the JAG office prepared hundreds of willsand powers of attorney.

This contributed to legal readiness by pro-viding deploying members with a sense ofsecurity in knowing that they had these per-sonal affairs in order.

However, in the case of a married couple,the service member with a will makes uponly half the equation. To have an effectiveestate plan and ensure a protected future foryour children, each spouse needs a will.

Here’s why: A will is a document that di-rects how most of your property will be dis-tributed upon your death.

Whether they know it or not, every adultactually has a will. If you haven’t signed awill yourself, the state in which you residewill impose a one-size-fits-all will upon yourestate at your death.

So, if you die without a will, state law

determines who receives your assets. (Con-trary to popular belief, your spouse does notusually inherit everything.)

A will is the only way that you can choosea guardian for your minor children if theylose both parents. Without a will, a judge willdecide with whom your children live andwho will manage their inheritance.

If a married couple does not have chil-dren, or does not have children together, awill can make sure that each other’s share ofthe assets goes exactly where he or she wants.

We’ve heard lots of horror stories in theJAG office that illustrate these three points.

Horror Story No. 1: A husband with achild from a previous marriage knows thathis current spouse will do the right thing forhis child if something happens to him. Ac-cordingly, his will leaves everything to hiswife. When tragedy strikes, all of thehusband’s estate goes to his widow. Thewidow has no will and dies a short time later.Most states will not consider his child (herstepchild) to be her legal heir. Legally, anestranged brother is the widow’s next of kin.

Result: Her brother ends up inheriting thebulk of what the couple owned together andthe husband’s child is left in the cold.

Horror Story No. 2: Two children are or-phaned. Although their parents had a heart-felt agreement with their best friends thateach would take care of the other’s childrenif anything ever happened, they never for-mally designated them as guardians in theirwills. Both sets of grandparents are in theirlate sixties with various health problems.Beset by shock, guilt and grief, they eachinsist upon trying to gain custody and pro-ceed to fight it out in front of a judge.

Result: Children end up with guardians

not chosen by their parents and not well-suited to raise children.

Horror Story No. 3: Throughout theirmarriage, a childless couple has workedhard and acquired a fairly large estate. Bothhusband and wife come from very largefamilies; only the wife has a will. Upon herdeath, husband inherits all of wife’s assetsby the terms of her will. Husband dies later,still without a will of his own.

Result: All of the couple’s substantial es-tate goes only to the husband’s family;wife’s relatives inherit nothing.

The easiest way to avoid horror storieslike these is for everyone, including bothspouses, to have a valid, up-to-date will.

And, in support of overall Legal Readi-ness and as a show of support to all the de-pendent spouses in the unit, the legal officeis drafting wills for dependent spouses dur-ing the month of June.

There is no cost, but please plan to spendabout an hour with us.

Prior to your appointment, there are threedecisions you will need to make:

—Where you want your assets to passin the event of your death.

—Who you want to take care of your mi-nor children if they lose both parents.

—Who you want to serve as your execu-tor—the person who manages and distrib-utes the assets of your estate. It can be yourspouse but you should also have a secondchoice.

For more information or to schedule anappointment, contact the Legal FamilyReadiness Office at ext. 4647.

Maj. Allison Weber is a judge advocate inthe 123rd Airlift Wing.

Lack of ‘legal readiness’ can be a horror show

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003 3The Cargo Courier

June 7, 20036

KyANG NEWS

House backs troops

RIGHT: Kentucky Congress-woman Anne Northup wasamong the members of theHouse of Representatives

who visited the airmen.

Pictured from left to right are theKentucky Air Guard’s Tech. Sgt.

John Wardrip and Master Sgt.Scott Andrews, Capt. Ken Novak

of the 86th Provisional AirliftWing, Tech. Sgt. StephanieSlayton of the Kentucky Air

Guard, Woody and AnneNorthup, Lt. Col. Steve Bullard

of the 123rd Airlift Wing, andTech. Sgt. Maria Taylor and 1stLt. Michael Powell of the 86th.

TOP: Master Sgt. ScottAndrews of the 123rd AirliftWing Plans Office shakeshands with Dennis Hastert,speaker of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, as a congres-sional delegation visits deploy-ment sites overseas April 21.

LEFT: Hastert and other housemembers show their supportfor deployed troops engaged inthe Global War on Terror.

Photos courtesy ofMaster Sgt. Scott Andrews/

KyANG

Cargo Courier Staff Report

Members of the Kentucky Air Guard whoare called to active duty to in support of theGlobal War on Terror may seek credit pro-tection under a law passed to aid GIs in anearlier global war.

The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Actof 1940 protects military members from cer-tain legal obligations while they are activelyengaged in national defense.

Among the act’s chief provisions is itsability to reduce interest rates on debts in-curred before active-duty status, protectservicemembers and their families from evic-tion and delay civil court actions.

But it’s not automatic. For Guard mem-bers to take advantage of the act, the indi-vidual troop should notify his or her credi-tors of the active-duty status and intent toinvoke civil relief act rights.

Rights under the act include:—Limiting interest rates to 6 percent for

all debts incurred before the start of active-duty service. This provision includes inter-est rates on credit cards, mortgages and autoloans but does not apply to student loans.

—Protecting family members from evic-tion during times of active-duty service, re-gardless of whether the lease was signed be-fore or after activation. If the monthly leaseis $1,200 or less, a landlord must seek a courtorder to authorize an eviction.

—Prohibiting repossessions and foreclo-sures without court permission.

—Postponing civil lawsuits theservicemember is a direct party to, such asbankruptcy.

—Extending deadlines to file law suits byeliminating time served on active duty fromcalculating any statute of limitations.

—Protecting active-duty people fromtaxation by states other than by their state ofdomicile.

—Prohibiting creditors and insurancecompanies from making adverse credit re-ports, denying credit or taking adverse finan-cial action against a servicemember basedsolely on invocation of the act.

For more information, stop by the baselegal office or call ext. 4242.

Act may protectGuard memberson active duty

Master Sgt. Charles Simpson/KyANG

KyANG NEWS

Pantry opens after wing receives generous donations

Darlene Swanner encourages familymembers of deployed airmen to stop bythe Family Readiness Team pantry, whichis stocked with food and other items.

By Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellCargo Courier Editor

The wing’s Family Readiness Teamopened a pantry on base in May to providefood and personal-care items to the familiesof deployed KyANG troops.

So far, the pantry has been a resoundingsuccess thanks to the generosity of people inthe community, said team member DarleneSwanner.

In fact, the phone continues to ring, withpeople wanting to donate everything fromcanned goods to diapers.

The pantry was formed because area resi-dents initially had collected numerous itemsto send to troops overseas. However, therewas no way to ship items to the Persian Gulf.

“We told them we couldn’t help get it tothe troops either, but if they wanted help thefamilies, we’d take it off their hands,”Swanner said.

“Some of the deployed troops have billsand house payments that fit the budgets they

Grant selected as state HQ command chief

have when they work at their civilian jobs,and now their military pay is a lot less,”Swanner explained. “This can really hurt afamily financially.”

The pantry was something Swanner andPaula McLain, another Family ReadinessTeam member, had talked about for a longtime and hope to continue even after the de-ployments.

The store currently is full of food and per-sonal items such as cereal, pasta, juice,canned goods, diapers, shampoo and more.

“It’s well-stocked, and we would love tosee family members take advantage of it,”Swanner said.

“That’s what the community gave it to usfor. Please don’t wait until you are desper-ate to come and ask for help.”

The Pantry is open Mondays through Fri-days and Sundays of drill weekends from 9a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information on the pantry, con-tact Swanner or McLain at ext. 4647.

By Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellCargo Courier Editor

Being a member of the Kentucky AirGuard and a reservist in the Air Force comesas naturally as breathing for the new com-mand chief master sergeant in state headquar-ters.

To Mark Grant, it is simply a way of life—and has been since he left his small home-town in Adair County, Ky., to see the world.

Grant began his Air Force career as anadministration specialist at Lowry Air ForceBase, Colo., where his commander liked himso much he didn’t want him to leave.

“I was getting orders, but he just kept get-ting them cancelled,” the chief said.

Grant eventually left the Air Force, ven-tured out into the civilian work force andbegan going to college. He joined a reserveunit at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., andan ROTC unit at the University of NorthernColorado with dreams of flying.

He soon left and headed home to Kentuckywhen he discovered there were no pilot slotsat the university’s ROTC unit.

Grant then joined the ROTC unit at theUniversity of Louisville, but when he learned

that a medical condition wouldprevent him from flying, he leftROTC for good, continued hiseducation and joined the Ken-tucky Air National Guard.

Since then, his career soared.In 1988, just two years after

joining the unit, Grant was of-fered a full-time position in thewing’s finance office.

He eventually worked hisway through every position inthe section and then became theonly enlisted comptroller in theAir Guard and Air Force.

In his new position, Grantsaid his job is to ensure that en-listed troops are taken care of.

“I’m here for the bettermentof the troops while accomplish-ing the mission,” the chief said.

“It’s my responsibility to doeverything I can to enhance theway of life for enlisted troops in the Ken-tucky Air Guard.”

According to the chief, he will serve as aconduit between the state’s adjutant generaland the wing’s airmen.

“I’m dedicated to what the Air Forcestands for,” Grant said.

“My wife says the Air Force is my first

See GRANT, Back Page

Senior Master Sgt. Terry Lutz/KyANG

Chief Master Sgt. Mark Grant discusses preparationsfor drill weekend with 2nd Lt. Roxanne Westmorelandand Senior Master Sgt. Susan Sanders.

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003 54

KyANG homecoming

nearly tackled him as they ran to greethim.

“I think I’d forgotten what good-looking kids I had,” Arnold said. “Iwas extremely happy to see that theywere doing well. They had all gottenso much bigger.”

His family, the major said, are theones who made the biggest sacrificesduring his deployment.

“We train to do a certain job andare focused on doing that job, but ourfamilies are the ones who bare mostof the burden.

“They are left behind to fix the carand manage the hundreds of othertasks it takes to run a household allby themselves.”

Although Arnold said he hadmisgivings about leaving his familybehind, he also said he gained somevaluable experience while he wasgone.

“We flew a lot of different types ofmissions into a hostile environmentswith hostile weather. Often times theoperational demand would evenchange during the mission.

“We had to think on our feet andadapt and overcome. Most of all wehad to learn to be flexible because

LEFT: Members of the crowd hold signsand wave flags to welcome home morethan 50 airmen returning from the two-month deployment.

BELOW: Several hundred family mem-bers and friends gather at the flightlineawaiting the arrival of the wing’s C-130Hercules.

ABOVE: Maj. Gen. D. Allen Youngman, the commonwealth’sadjutant general, and Col. Michael Harden, commander ofthe 123rd Airlift Wing, welcome home Maj. Phil Millett, amember of the 165th Airlift Squadron.

LEFT: Kentucky Air Guard troops work to unload bags andequipment from the C-130 while returning airmen spend timewith their families and friends.

ABOVE: This special homecomingmessage conveys one family’s feelingsto their returning hero.

Continued from Front Page

Desert return

TOP LEFT: An American flag, held by Staff Sgt. JamesNalley of the 123rd Aircraft Generation Squadron, flies overthe Kentucky aircraft as it arrives from the Persian Gulfon May 12.

TOP RIGHT: One troop proudly carries the flag while Ken-tucky airmen walk from the aircraft to meet their familiesand friends.

ABOVE: Maj. Jason Arnold, a navigator in the 165th AirliftSquadron, spends time with his wife, Sherie, and their chil-dren during the homecoming reception in the wing’s main-tenance hangar.

the situation wasn’t quite theparadise we are accustomed to.”

During the missions, KyANGaircrews flew “anything and every-thing” into the theatre, Arnold said.

“Anything that can and will becarried, we carried it—trucks, ammo,MREs, special forces troops,humvees...”

While Arnold said he is happy tobe home, he also said he’d willinglyreturn to the Persian Gulf if calledupon to do so.

“I wouldn’t be anxious to leavemy family again, but it’s my duty.”

The desert environment at thedeployed location wasn’t too muchof a culture shock, Arnold noted.

He is a veteran of the first GulfWar and has been to the region anumber of times. He and his wifeeven lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,for two years.

Col. Michael Harden, commanderof the 123rd Airlift Wing, said he isdelighted to see the 50 Kentuckyairmen return home.

“I’m extremely proud of all thefolks who deployed to fight thiswar,” Harden said. “Their accom-plishments and dedication have beenoutstanding. Now we’re just waitingfor the safe return of the rest of ourpeople.”

About 350 KyANG personnelremain deployed around the world.

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Mark Rines/KyANG

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003 54

KyANG homecoming

nearly tackled him as they ran to greethim.

“I think I’d forgotten what good-looking kids I had,” Arnold said. “Iwas extremely happy to see that theywere doing well. They had all gottenso much bigger.”

His family, the major said, are theones who made the biggest sacrificesduring his deployment.

“We train to do a certain job andare focused on doing that job, but ourfamilies are the ones who bare mostof the burden.

“They are left behind to fix the carand manage the hundreds of othertasks it takes to run a household allby themselves.”

Although Arnold said he hadmisgivings about leaving his familybehind, he also said he gained somevaluable experience while he wasgone.

“We flew a lot of different types ofmissions into a hostile environmentswith hostile weather. Often times theoperational demand would evenchange during the mission.

“We had to think on our feet andadapt and overcome. Most of all wehad to learn to be flexible because

LEFT: Members of the crowd hold signsand wave flags to welcome home morethan 50 airmen returning from the two-month deployment.

BELOW: Several hundred family mem-bers and friends gather at the flightlineawaiting the arrival of the wing’s C-130Hercules.

ABOVE: Maj. Gen. D. Allen Youngman, the commonwealth’sadjutant general, and Col. Michael Harden, commander ofthe 123rd Airlift Wing, welcome home Maj. Phil Millett, amember of the 165th Airlift Squadron.

LEFT: Kentucky Air Guard troops work to unload bags andequipment from the C-130 while returning airmen spend timewith their families and friends.

ABOVE: This special homecomingmessage conveys one family’s feelingsto their returning hero.

Continued from Front Page

Desert return

TOP LEFT: An American flag, held by Staff Sgt. JamesNalley of the 123rd Aircraft Generation Squadron, flies overthe Kentucky aircraft as it arrives from the Persian Gulfon May 12.

TOP RIGHT: One troop proudly carries the flag while Ken-tucky airmen walk from the aircraft to meet their familiesand friends.

ABOVE: Maj. Jason Arnold, a navigator in the 165th AirliftSquadron, spends time with his wife, Sherie, and their chil-dren during the homecoming reception in the wing’s main-tenance hangar.

the situation wasn’t quite theparadise we are accustomed to.”

During the missions, KyANGaircrews flew “anything and every-thing” into the theatre, Arnold said.

“Anything that can and will becarried, we carried it—trucks, ammo,MREs, special forces troops,humvees...”

While Arnold said he is happy tobe home, he also said he’d willinglyreturn to the Persian Gulf if calledupon to do so.

“I wouldn’t be anxious to leavemy family again, but it’s my duty.”

The desert environment at thedeployed location wasn’t too muchof a culture shock, Arnold noted.

He is a veteran of the first GulfWar and has been to the region anumber of times. He and his wifeeven lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,for two years.

Col. Michael Harden, commanderof the 123rd Airlift Wing, said he isdelighted to see the 50 Kentuckyairmen return home.

“I’m extremely proud of all thefolks who deployed to fight thiswar,” Harden said. “Their accom-plishments and dedication have beenoutstanding. Now we’re just waitingfor the safe return of the rest of ourpeople.”

About 350 KyANG personnelremain deployed around the world.

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Mark Rines/KyANG

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003 3The Cargo Courier

June 7, 20036

KyANG NEWS

House backs troops

RIGHT: Kentucky Congress-woman Anne Northup wasamong the members of theHouse of Representatives

who visited the airmen.

Pictured from left to right are theKentucky Air Guard’s Tech. Sgt.

John Wardrip and Master Sgt.Scott Andrews, Capt. Ken Novak

of the 86th Provisional AirliftWing, Tech. Sgt. StephanieSlayton of the Kentucky Air

Guard, Woody and AnneNorthup, Lt. Col. Steve Bullard

of the 123rd Airlift Wing, andTech. Sgt. Maria Taylor and 1stLt. Michael Powell of the 86th.

TOP: Master Sgt. ScottAndrews of the 123rd AirliftWing Plans Office shakeshands with Dennis Hastert,speaker of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, as a congres-sional delegation visits deploy-ment sites overseas April 21.

LEFT: Hastert and other housemembers show their supportfor deployed troops engaged inthe Global War on Terror.

Photos courtesy ofMaster Sgt. Scott Andrews/

KyANG

Cargo Courier Staff Report

Members of the Kentucky Air Guard whoare called to active duty to in support of theGlobal War on Terror may seek credit pro-tection under a law passed to aid GIs in anearlier global war.

The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Actof 1940 protects military members from cer-tain legal obligations while they are activelyengaged in national defense.

Among the act’s chief provisions is itsability to reduce interest rates on debts in-curred before active-duty status, protectservicemembers and their families from evic-tion and delay civil court actions.

But it’s not automatic. For Guard mem-bers to take advantage of the act, the indi-vidual troop should notify his or her credi-tors of the active-duty status and intent toinvoke civil relief act rights.

Rights under the act include:—Limiting interest rates to 6 percent for

all debts incurred before the start of active-duty service. This provision includes inter-est rates on credit cards, mortgages and autoloans but does not apply to student loans.

—Protecting family members from evic-tion during times of active-duty service, re-gardless of whether the lease was signed be-fore or after activation. If the monthly leaseis $1,200 or less, a landlord must seek a courtorder to authorize an eviction.

—Prohibiting repossessions and foreclo-sures without court permission.

—Postponing civil lawsuits theservicemember is a direct party to, such asbankruptcy.

—Extending deadlines to file law suits byeliminating time served on active duty fromcalculating any statute of limitations.

—Protecting active-duty people fromtaxation by states other than by their state ofdomicile.

—Prohibiting creditors and insurancecompanies from making adverse credit re-ports, denying credit or taking adverse finan-cial action against a servicemember basedsolely on invocation of the act.

For more information, stop by the baselegal office or call ext. 4242.

Act may protectGuard memberson active duty

Master Sgt. Charles Simpson/KyANG

KyANG NEWS

Pantry opens after wing receives generous donations

Darlene Swanner encourages familymembers of deployed airmen to stop bythe Family Readiness Team pantry, whichis stocked with food and other items.

By Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellCargo Courier Editor

The wing’s Family Readiness Teamopened a pantry on base in May to providefood and personal-care items to the familiesof deployed KyANG troops.

So far, the pantry has been a resoundingsuccess thanks to the generosity of people inthe community, said team member DarleneSwanner.

In fact, the phone continues to ring, withpeople wanting to donate everything fromcanned goods to diapers.

The pantry was formed because area resi-dents initially had collected numerous itemsto send to troops overseas. However, therewas no way to ship items to the Persian Gulf.

“We told them we couldn’t help get it tothe troops either, but if they wanted help thefamilies, we’d take it off their hands,”Swanner said.

“Some of the deployed troops have billsand house payments that fit the budgets they

Grant selected as state HQ command chief

have when they work at their civilian jobs,and now their military pay is a lot less,”Swanner explained. “This can really hurt afamily financially.”

The pantry was something Swanner andPaula McLain, another Family ReadinessTeam member, had talked about for a longtime and hope to continue even after the de-ployments.

The store currently is full of food and per-sonal items such as cereal, pasta, juice,canned goods, diapers, shampoo and more.

“It’s well-stocked, and we would love tosee family members take advantage of it,”Swanner said.

“That’s what the community gave it to usfor. Please don’t wait until you are desper-ate to come and ask for help.”

The Pantry is open Mondays through Fri-days and Sundays of drill weekends from 9a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information on the pantry, con-tact Swanner or McLain at ext. 4647.

By Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellCargo Courier Editor

Being a member of the Kentucky AirGuard and a reservist in the Air Force comesas naturally as breathing for the new com-mand chief master sergeant in state headquar-ters.

To Mark Grant, it is simply a way of life—and has been since he left his small home-town in Adair County, Ky., to see the world.

Grant began his Air Force career as anadministration specialist at Lowry Air ForceBase, Colo., where his commander liked himso much he didn’t want him to leave.

“I was getting orders, but he just kept get-ting them cancelled,” the chief said.

Grant eventually left the Air Force, ven-tured out into the civilian work force andbegan going to college. He joined a reserveunit at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., andan ROTC unit at the University of NorthernColorado with dreams of flying.

He soon left and headed home to Kentuckywhen he discovered there were no pilot slotsat the university’s ROTC unit.

Grant then joined the ROTC unit at theUniversity of Louisville, but when he learned

that a medical condition wouldprevent him from flying, he leftROTC for good, continued hiseducation and joined the Ken-tucky Air National Guard.

Since then, his career soared.In 1988, just two years after

joining the unit, Grant was of-fered a full-time position in thewing’s finance office.

He eventually worked hisway through every position inthe section and then became theonly enlisted comptroller in theAir Guard and Air Force.

In his new position, Grantsaid his job is to ensure that en-listed troops are taken care of.

“I’m here for the bettermentof the troops while accomplish-ing the mission,” the chief said.

“It’s my responsibility to doeverything I can to enhance theway of life for enlisted troops in the Ken-tucky Air Guard.”

According to the chief, he will serve as aconduit between the state’s adjutant generaland the wing’s airmen.

“I’m dedicated to what the Air Forcestands for,” Grant said.

“My wife says the Air Force is my first

See GRANT, Back Page

Senior Master Sgt. Terry Lutz/KyANG

Chief Master Sgt. Mark Grant discusses preparationsfor drill weekend with 2nd Lt. Roxanne Westmorelandand Senior Master Sgt. Susan Sanders.

2 7The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

L

JAG PERSPECTIVE AIR FORCE NEWS

Wing Commander..............................Col. Michael HardenWing Public Affairs Officer.....................Capt. Dale GreerEditor.............................................Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellStaff Writer......................................Staff Sgt. Mark Flener

This funded Air Force newspaper is an authorized pub-lished for members of the U.S. military services. Contentsof The Cargo Courier are not necessarily the official viewsof, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department ofDefense or the Air Force.

The editorial content is edited, prepared and providedby the public affairs office of the 123rd Airlift Wing, Ken-tucky Air National Guard, Louisville International Airport,Louisville, Ky. 40213-2678.

Our office is located in room 2118 of the Wing Head-quarters Building. Deadline for the next issue is July 1.

How to contact us:Phone: (502) 364-9431Fax: (502) 364-9676E-mail: amy.mundell@kyloui.ang.af.mil

An electronic version of the Cargo Courier is available at the Kentucky Air Guard’s Web site — www.kyloui.ang.af.mil

123rd Airlift Wing Editorial Staff

By Staff Sgt. C. Todd LopezAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON—A new program willhelp airmen honor those who are often theirbiggest supporters—their parents.

All uniformed airmen can now sign theirparents up to receive a new “P” lapel pin.The pins are about three-fourths of an inchsquare and feature a silver letter “P” cradledwithin the Air Force symbol.

A personalized letter to the parents fromSecretary of the Air Force James G. Roche

Airmen can now sign up to have a “P”pin sent to their parents. A personalizedletter from Secretary of the Air ForceJames G. Roche and Air Force Chief ofStaff Gen. John P. Jumper will accom-pany the pin and thank you letter.

‘P’ pin honors parents, bolsters supportand Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.Jumper will accompany the pins.

“We could not protect America’s freedomwithout the incredible people who are will-ing to carry on the Air Force tradition,” theletter reads.

“As the proud parents of one of those air-men, your support continues to be critical toour ongoing efforts and makes a real differ-ence to our country.”

The program “is a way to build and main-tain public support for the global war on ter-rorism,” said Brig. Gen. Edward Tonini, di-rector of Your Guardians of Freedom, thePentagon office responsible for the “P” pineffort.

“Demographically, the people most likelyto wear the pin with the greatest amount ofpride—to church, to Rotary Club meetingsor to the grocery store—are our parents.

“By wearing this pin, parents will let youknow of the pride they have in you,” Toninisaid.

“When they wear that pin out, their friendswill ask about it. Your parents will tell themabout you and your service, and how proudthey are of you.”

Those who would like their parents to re-ceive the “P” pin can sign up at the YourGuardians of Freedom Web site at http://www.yourguardiansoffreedom.com.

Signing up will require airmen to enterthe names and addresses of up to two par-ents or parental figures, Tonini said.

The program is voluntary and comes atno cost to those participating.

The distribution of the “P” pin and ac-companying letters is the second major ef-fort by the relatively new Your Guardiansof Freedom office.

The first was the “E” pin campaign,started in November 2002, in which pinsfeaturing an “E” and personalized letters aresent to the civilian employers of Air Na-tional guardsmen and reservists.

Both pin programs are contemporary ad-aptations of public support campaigns car-ried out during World War II.

The Your Guardians of Freedom programis designed to continue those traditions byensuring the continued support of Air Forceactivities by those who do not wear the blueuniform, but stand behind those who do,Tonini said.

“Your Guardians of Freedom is an out-reach program targeted at what we considerthe core constituencies that the Air Forcerequires to do its work,” Tonini said.

“If we are going to keep people in theAir Force … we need programs targeted attheir families … and their extended fami-lies.

“In the case of the Reserve and Guard,that also includes civilian employers.”

The “E” pin program is ongoing, and re-servists and guardsmen can still sign theiremployers up at the Your Guardians of Free-dom Web site.

“In the Air Force, we tend to use the term‘force multiplier,’” Tonini said. “These pro-grams aren’t force multipliers, but rather,support multipliers all around the country.”

Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez/USAF

Air Force eases Stop-Loss restrictions in MayAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON—Air Force personnel officials announcedMay 14 the release of more than half of the Air Forcespecialty codes restricted from retirement or separation May2 under the Stop-Loss program.

Following a review of operational requirements, 31 officerand 20 enlisted career fields were released from Stop-Loss,the officials said.

The officer career fields released are 11BX, 11EX, 11FX,11HX, 11KX, 12BX, 12EX, 12FX, 12KX, 12RX, 12TX,13BX, 13DXA, 13DXB, 32EX, 43EX, 43HX, 43TX, 44EX,44MX, 45AX, 45BX, 45SX, 46FX, 46MX, 46NXE, 46SX,48AX, 48GX, 48RX and 51JX.

The enlisted career fields released are 1C2XX, 1C4XX,1S0XX, 1T1XX, 3E000, 3E0X2, 3E4X1, 3E4X2, 3E5X1,3E7X1, 3E8X1, 3E9X1, 3H0X1, 3N0XX, 4A1XX, 4A2XX,4B0XX, 4E0XX, 4H0XX and 5J0X1.

The Air Force announced Stop-Loss, a Defense Departmentprogram designed to retain members of the armed forcesbeyond their established dates of separation or retirement, for99 specialties and deployed airmen March 13.

The move was aimed at ensuring personnel levels wereadequate to meet upcoming contingencies.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper pointed outthat service officials have always said they will useStop-Loss only as long as necessary to accomplish themission.

egal Readiness” is not aconcept that exists solelywithin the Judge AdvocateGeneral’s Department. Infact, it is something thattouches the life of every

airman on base.Legal readiness is the service the JAG

office provides to this Air National Guardunit. We work to prevent, overcome or miti-gate the adverse effects of legal problems thatmay stand in the way of mission accomplish-ment and individual duty performance.

We also pay special attention to prepar-ing airmen—and their families—for deploy-ment.

When we are successful, a critical com-ponent of the overall operational readinessof the unit is in place.

In preparation for the recent deployments,the JAG office prepared hundreds of willsand powers of attorney.

This contributed to legal readiness by pro-viding deploying members with a sense ofsecurity in knowing that they had these per-sonal affairs in order.

However, in the case of a married couple,the service member with a will makes uponly half the equation. To have an effectiveestate plan and ensure a protected future foryour children, each spouse needs a will.

Here’s why: A will is a document that di-rects how most of your property will be dis-tributed upon your death.

Whether they know it or not, every adultactually has a will. If you haven’t signed awill yourself, the state in which you residewill impose a one-size-fits-all will upon yourestate at your death.

So, if you die without a will, state law

determines who receives your assets. (Con-trary to popular belief, your spouse does notusually inherit everything.)

A will is the only way that you can choosea guardian for your minor children if theylose both parents. Without a will, a judge willdecide with whom your children live andwho will manage their inheritance.

If a married couple does not have chil-dren, or does not have children together, awill can make sure that each other’s share ofthe assets goes exactly where he or she wants.

We’ve heard lots of horror stories in theJAG office that illustrate these three points.

Horror Story No. 1: A husband with achild from a previous marriage knows thathis current spouse will do the right thing forhis child if something happens to him. Ac-cordingly, his will leaves everything to hiswife. When tragedy strikes, all of thehusband’s estate goes to his widow. Thewidow has no will and dies a short time later.Most states will not consider his child (herstepchild) to be her legal heir. Legally, anestranged brother is the widow’s next of kin.

Result: Her brother ends up inheriting thebulk of what the couple owned together andthe husband’s child is left in the cold.

Horror Story No. 2: Two children are or-phaned. Although their parents had a heart-felt agreement with their best friends thateach would take care of the other’s childrenif anything ever happened, they never for-mally designated them as guardians in theirwills. Both sets of grandparents are in theirlate sixties with various health problems.Beset by shock, guilt and grief, they eachinsist upon trying to gain custody and pro-ceed to fight it out in front of a judge.

Result: Children end up with guardians

not chosen by their parents and not well-suited to raise children.

Horror Story No. 3: Throughout theirmarriage, a childless couple has workedhard and acquired a fairly large estate. Bothhusband and wife come from very largefamilies; only the wife has a will. Upon herdeath, husband inherits all of wife’s assetsby the terms of her will. Husband dies later,still without a will of his own.

Result: All of the couple’s substantial es-tate goes only to the husband’s family;wife’s relatives inherit nothing.

The easiest way to avoid horror storieslike these is for everyone, including bothspouses, to have a valid, up-to-date will.

And, in support of overall Legal Readi-ness and as a show of support to all the de-pendent spouses in the unit, the legal officeis drafting wills for dependent spouses dur-ing the month of June.

There is no cost, but please plan to spendabout an hour with us.

Prior to your appointment, there are threedecisions you will need to make:

—Where you want your assets to passin the event of your death.

—Who you want to take care of your mi-nor children if they lose both parents.

—Who you want to serve as your execu-tor—the person who manages and distrib-utes the assets of your estate. It can be yourspouse but you should also have a secondchoice.

For more information or to schedule anappointment, contact the Legal FamilyReadiness Office at ext. 4647.

Maj. Allison Weber is a judge advocate inthe 123rd Airlift Wing.

Lack of ‘legal readiness’ can be a horror show

8 The Cargo CourierJune 7, 2003

123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky. Vol. XIX, No. 6 • June 7, 2003

123rd Airlift WingPublic Affairs OfficeKentucky Air National Guard1101 Grade LaneLouisville, KY 40213-2678

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

The following individuals have beenpromoted to the rank indicated

as members of theKentucky Air Guard

and reservistsof the United States Air Force:

Promotions, retirements & separations Kentucky Air National Guard

SENIOR AIRMAN (E-4)

•Stacy Bensing,123rd Airlift Wing•Rachel Cowley,

123rd Services Flt.•Angela Graham,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•William Lee,

123rd Services Flt.•Heather Marshall,123rd Services Flt.•Blaine Morgan III,123rd Services Flt.

The following individualshave separated from

the Kentucky Air Guard:

TECHNICAL SERGEANT (E-6)

•Joseph Felinski,123rd Aircraft Generation Sq.

•Matthew Skeens,123rd Aerial Port Sq.

STAFF SERGEANT (E-5)

•Monique Yuill,123rd Maintenance Sq.

•Alan Wade,123rd Logistics Sq.

•Kelley Blair,123rd Aerial Port Sq.

•Mark Blevins,165th Weather Flt.

•David Curl,123rd Maintenance Sq.

•Kelly Drescher,123rd Medical Sq.•James Fenwick,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•Margaret French,

123rd Mission Support Flt.

•Staff Sgt. Steven Bell.,123rd Security Forces Sq.

•Senior Airman Kevin Dean,123rd Security Forces Sq.

•Airman 1st ClassRichard Prewitt Jr.,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•Staff Sgt. William Robertson,

123rd Maintenance Sq.•Senior Airman Jesse Smith,123rd Aircraft Generation Sq.

•Staff Sgt. David Stephenson,165th Airlift Sq.

•Staff Sgt. Brent Ward,123rd Aircraft Generation Sq.

•Staff Sgt. Stephanie Wilding,123rd Services Flt.

•Capt. Timothy Welsh,165th Services Flt.

The following individualshave retired as members of the

Kentucky Air National Guard andreservists of the

United States Air Force:

•Staff Sgt. Dale Dummitt III,123rd Civil Engineers Sq.

50 Ky. airmen return from desert deploymentTroops arrive to cheering, flag-waving crowd of family and friends

By Tech. Sgt. Amy MundellCargo Courier Editor

More than 50 members of the KentuckyAir Guard returned home May 12 afterspending about 60 days at an undisclosedlocation in the Persian Gulf supporting Op-eration Iraqi Freedom and the Global Waron Terror.

The airmen, who had traveled 6,000miles in a mere four days, were greeting bya crowd of flag-waving, cheering familymembers and friends gathered near theflightline here.

The suntanned faces of the men andwomen who stepped off the C-130 Herculeswere all smiles as they met the crowd. Emo-tions ran high, with tears, kisses and hugspunctuating the homecoming moment.

Maj. Jason Arnold, a navigator in the165th Airlift Squadron, said his children

•Tech. Sgt. Larry Harlson,123rd Aerial Port Sq.

•Maj. Charles Mayfield,123rd Support Gp.

•Lt. Col. James Simpkins,165th Airlift Sq.

Tech. Sgt. Mark Rines/KyANG

Friends and family members of the Kentucky Air Guard’s returning troops gather bythe flightline here May 12 to greet them as they step off a Kentucky C-130 Hercules.The airmen had just completed a two-month deployment to an undisclosed locationin the Middle East. See DESERT RETURN, Page 4

love,” he said, laughing.Brig. Gen. Richard Ash, the

assistant adjutant general for air,said the Kentucky Air Guard isfortunate to have Grant as its statecommand chief.

“He’s the right person at the righttime and right place,” Ash said. “Inaddition to his intellect and abilityto quickly grasp complex issues, his‘people’ skills are outstanding.

“This position is key to ensuringthat the interests of the organizationand its membership can be balancedto achieve the mission.”

Mission accomplishment, thegeneral said, is about a compromisebetween the needs of the organiza-tion and the wants of its people.

“Grant will play a pivotal role atbetter finding that ideal balance,” Ashsaid.

GrantContinued from Page 6

Staff Sgt. Cherie Thurlby/USAF

IRAQTech. Sgt. Chris Bricking, a loadmaster inthe 165th Airlift Squadron, pulls the chalkfrom a Kentucky C-130 prior to departing

Baghdad International Airport on April 21.

The airport is a primary base of operationsfor U.S. troops, cargo and humanitarian

airlift for Operation Iraqi Freedom, themultinational coalition effort to liberate the

Iraqi people and the end the regime ofSaddam Hussein.

More than 350 members of KyANG remaindeployed at locations around the world in

support of the Global War on Terror.

INSIDE