Commander’s Commentary, pg. 2 //2017 Year in Rreview, pg. 4-5// AF announces continuation rates, pg. 6//189th participates in Puerto Rico Relief, pg. 9

189th Airlift Wing

WARRIORVol. 20 No. 12 December 2017 Arkansas Air National Guard Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.

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By Col. Thomas D. Crimmins189th Airlift Wing Commander

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Publication Staff

Col. Thomas D. Crimmins189th Airlift Wing

Commander

Maj. Allison StephensPublic Affairs Officer

Tech Sgt. Jessica ConditPublic Affairs Superintendent

Senior Airman Kayla K. EdwardsEditor

This un-funded Air Force newsletter is an authorized elec-tronic publication for members of the 189th Airlift Wing, their families, retirees and community leaders. Contents of the War-rior are not necessar-ily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, Department of De-fense, or the Depart-ment of the Air Force. All photographs are property of the U.S. Air Force unless oth-erwise indicated.The editorial content

is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Of-fice of the 189th Air-lift Wing, 112 MSgt. Dan Wassom Road, Little Rock AFB, AR 72099-4802, DSN 731-6068, commer-cial 501-987-6068. Call or email to be added to the distribu-tion list.

Tis The Season...Most will follow with “to be jolly,” but you can

also insert various obligations we all struggle to juggle during the holiday season: Hosting family. Traveling out of town. Completing training. Meeting mission requirements. Buying gifts. Making payments. Eating decadent food. Remaining cheerful and positive. Having fun. Staying safe. As we enter the busy holiday season, I hope you can truly enjoy the wonderment that seemed to come so easily during our childhood at this time of year. Now, during our adulthood with increased responsibilities, let’s remember to go back to basics. Make a list of your priorities that can guide you during this hectic period. Talk with your supervisors and the Airmen you supervise, so we all know what’s going on in each other’s lives. When you find Airmen who are stressed, help them out. If you don’t know where to get help, engage your supervisor, First Sergeant, Chief, or Commander. We are a family, and no family is stronger than what I’ve seen so far in the 189th Airlift Wing and the Arkansas Air National Guard! So, what exactly have I seen in the last six months since taking command? In short, the absolute BEST mission-focused Airmen in my 27 years of uniformed service! Don’t believe me? Here’s what others outside our wing have recognized:

• The BEST Operations Group (Grey Tail Category) in 19 AF and AETC • The BEST performing Cyber Graduates from CSVC in FY17 (11% better than their peers) • The BEST Emergency Management Airmen for Exercise Global Dragon • The BEST SFS NCO in the ANG; also at HAF/A4S! • The BEST Aviation Resource Management NCO in the ANG • The BEST wing to host the Guard/Reserve C-130H Test Detachment

The list above is not all-inclusive, but serves as a

small slice of the amazing work being accomplished in the 189th AW. We will continue to identify and recognize our top performers as we close out the year. I am humbled and honored to serve as your Wing Commander. We will continue to tell our story—so our local community, civic leaders, ANG, and USAF understand what the 189th AW brings to the fight and can resource us properly. Our wing is Ready, Relevant, and Credible. In that spirit, you can expect updated guidance, initiatives, and commander’s intent to keep us focused as we enter the New Year.Have fun and stay safe.

On December 13, 2017, we celebrate the 381st Birthday of the National Guard. The National Guard has been serving and protecting our fellow

citizens since 1636. From “alert and muster” in 1637, to the creation of the “Minuteman” in 1645 as our nation’s first “rapid response force,” and through every major conflict in our history, we have relied on, and continue to rely on, the service of our National Guard. This year marks the 100th Anniversary of U.S. entry into World War I. The National Guard provided the bulk of the initial U.S. forces through the summer of 1918, and was the vanguard of the American might that broke the stalemate and turned the War in Allied favor. Over 100,000 Guardsmen were killed or wounded. The war was also the birth of the National Guard in its modern form; as a dual-use force, indispensable both at home and overseas. Today, the National Guard is an operational partner, integrated with the active Army and Air Force, in meeting the sustained demands of our Nation’s security and our local communities. Our Soldiers and Airmen actively serve at home, and overseas. Since 9/11, Guard members have deployed over 850,000 times, and today we have, on average, over 30,000 Guardsmen mobilized around the world in support of our warfighting commanders. Although our Guard has evolved alongside our country, and our security environment has changed, our organizing principle of part-time Citizen Soldier and Airman remains constant as the core of our strength, and the foundation of who we are. This generation’s Minutemen, as an indispensable Operational Force, continue to defend our Nation, and respond in the community during times of crisis. We will be Always Ready ...Always There!

Happy Birthday, National Guard!

Sincerely,

Joseph L. LengyelGeneral, U.S. Air ForceChief, National Guard Bureau

From the Desk of Gen. Lengyel

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2017 was a quite a year for the 189th Airlift Wing! Our wing saw a great deal of challenges, successes, changes, and events that significantly impacted the Airmen of the 189th and our local and national communities. This year, the 189th witnessed the passing of the guidon to a new wing commander. In the spring, our airmen lent a helping hand to their neighbors who were affected by heavy rainfall and flooding in Northeast Arkansas. When Hurricanes Harvey and Irma devastated Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, the 189th responded by sending aircraft, airmen, and supplies to aid in relief and recovery efforts. This year, the 189th hosted more than 10 community relations tours, including the civic leader programs Leadership Arkansas, Leadership Greater Little Rock, and Conway Area Leadership Institute. Business owners and influencers from around the state got an in-depth look at the work that our citizen airmen do to support the state and federal mission. The 189th also saw changes in its mission focus. While we watched the first C-130H AMP plane leave our fleet, we also witnessed the graduation of our nation’s newest cyber defenders, as the 189th stood up the Cyber Operations Detachment. As we set our sights on the new year, take a look at some of the things that happened this year and remember some of the great achievements of our wingmen in 2017. To see more photos from 2017, check out our Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143420223@N04/

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Air Force announces continuation pay ratesSecretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Office

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force leaders recently announced the Air Force’s continuation pay rates which are part of the new Blended Retirement System. Continuation pay is a way to encourage Airmen covered by BRS to remain in the Air Force since it will be possible to leave with some retirement benefit prior to 20 years of service. The system is a blend of a 20-year retirement and contribution plan that allows service members to contribute to a Thrift Savings Plan account that is transferable after separation from the military. “Continuation pay is a one-time direct cash payout, like a retention bonus,” said Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, deputy chief of staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services. “Members will receive continuation pay at 12 years of service in return for

a commitment of four years of service.” For active duty Airmen the payment rate is 2.5, times monthly basic pay. For the Reserve component Airmen to include, Guardsmen and Reserve, the payment rate is 0.5 times monthly basic pay, as if on active duty. For Reserve component Airmen on active Guard and Reserve orders, the payment rate is 2.5 times monthly basic pay. The rates and parameters for paying CP will remain in effect until changed. “Modernizing the current retirement system into the BRS will ensure that the vast majority of uniformed service members receive a portable government retirement benefit,” said Daniel Sitterly, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. “It will help make the uniformed

services more attractive to new generations of American citizens by providing a retirement annuity with options on how to shape their retirement benefit.” The BRS was enacted into law in the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, and will go into effect Jan. 1, 2018. All currently serving members are grandfathered into the current military retirement system. However, those with fewer than 12 years of service as of Dec. 31, 2017, or Air Force Reserve component members with fewer than 4,320 retirement points may choose to “opt in” to the BRS during the designated opt-in period from Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2018.

For more information about the BRS please visit MyPers.

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Mentors come in many forms, whether they’re coworkers, supervisors or even friends, they provide personal and professional advice that can impact someone for the rest of their lives. Airman Trevor Armentrout, 700th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, often receives guidance through one of his mentors, his father, Col. Jeffrey Armentrout, 302nd Airlift Wing vice commander. The father-and-son duo were recently assigned as students at the 714th Training Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, to attend the C-130 Center of Excellence. Jeffrey trained to become a C-130H pilot while

Trevor trained to be a loadmaster. “(Being at the schoolhouse) was a treat for me and his mother,” Jeffrey said. “We enjoyed some fun recreational excursions together and caught up with Trevor on all his Air Force training experiences.” Before attending the technical school, the colonel spent 10 years on active duty as a C-5 Galaxy pilot. In 2000, he transitioned to the Reserves, where he has served for 17 years. “In the Reserves, I’ve had to spend a lot of time away from my family,” Jeffrey said. “Every month I had to leave the house and disappear

somewhere for a few days. When I was home, I focused on the things we could do together when we had the time. Both my boys were in the Boy Scouts, so I invested a lot of time doing that with them. I have the fondest memories of those experiences.” It was during those times and throughout his son’s childhood, the colonel passed down family values to his son. “He gave me a good life and I want to provide that for my children, someday,” said Trevor. “He raised me to want to be willing to help others. My father also made sure I knew I had to earn my way in life, so I want my

children to know that too.” In addition to helping others and working hard, Trevor felt the need to serve his country. “Since my dad served in the Air Force, I thought I would serve my country too, but not in the same way he did,” Trevor said. “And then I thought, ‘why not go to school and join the military?’” The choice to join the Reserves came at the recommendation of his father, as a way to serve and attend school. Now that he has had some time in the Air Force, Trevor respects and understands what his See Schoolhouse, pg. 9

Schoolhouse unites father, son for C-130 missionBy Senior Airman Mercedes Taylor19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Col. Jeffrey Armentrout, left, 302nd Airlift Wing vice commander at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and his son, Airman Trevor Armentrout, 700th Airlift Squadron loadmaster at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., recently attended the Center of Excellence, a C-130 school house at Little Rock AFB, Ark., at the same time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mercedes Taylor

father does even more. “Whether he saw it or not, I always thought his job was important,” he said. “I always understood that, but going into the Air Force gave me an understanding of all he does. I understood why he would have to leave every so often, because he was supporting us and our country.” Growing up with a father in the Air Force influenced Trevor to enlist and create his own career path, much to the delight of his parents. “(His mother and I) are proud of his decision to serve,” Jeffrey said. “The Air Force has been a big part of our life and I know he will benefit from the experience. I’m hopeful that the Air Force chief of staff focus on revitalizing the squadron will improve Trevor’s overall experience so that he continues a long and rewarding career.” Although their time together was brief and they returned to their separate bases, the Armentrouts will serve together in the Air Force in the C-130H legacy, taking their values passed along to them through generations.

Schoolhouse, cont’d pg. 8189th AW participates in PR relief

efforts

Above: Staff Sgt. Aisha Bullock, a public health technician with the 189th Airlift Wing Arkansas Air National Guard, loads water into an SUV, Nov. 18, 2017, in Añasco, Puerto Rico. The Foundation of Puerto Rico reached over 500 homes and 1500 individuals during this mission. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez) Below: Airmen from the 189th Logistics Readiness Squadron prepare to unload a C-17 assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing after it lands in Puerto Rico on October 19, 2017. The C-17 carried supplies intended for residents of the local area who were affected by the devastating rain and winds of Hurricane Irma in September. (Courtesy photo)

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Rank and Name: Master Sgt. Russell MearsUnit: 189th Security Forces SquadronHometown: Hot Springs, ARJob Title/Position: Training NCOICGuard Status: TechnicianCivilian Employment: N/ATime in Service: 17 years

Hobbies: Horses, SportsCore Value: Service Before Self. MSgt. Mears shoulders many duties but serving as the training NCOIC is the most vital and demanding responsiblity in the security forces career field. He sacrifices much of his personal time to get the job done.

Warrior of the Month: Master Sgt. Russell Mears PROMOTIONS

Congratulations promotees and PME graduates on reaching the next level in the Air National Guard. Your dedication and service to the Arkansas Air

National Guard did not go unnoticed! Keep up the good work!

To Technical SergeantNicholas Massie, 189th AMXS

Ellen Pratt, 189th OGAmanda Young, 189th OSS

To Senior AirmanDestinie King, 189th MDG

PME GRADUATESAirman Leadership School

Shane EdwardsCharles Jones

Noncommissioned Officer AcademyTech. Sgt. Brad Burl

Tech. Sgt. Andrew Stoll

Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy

Master Sgt. Jeffrey Sharpmack

To Staff SergeantKacy Cross, 189th FSS

Amanda Gordon, 189th MDGDanishia Houston, 189th OGKenneth Martin, 189th FSS

To MajorThomas Bradford, 154th TRSJoshua Shaudys, 154th TRS

To Chief Master SergeantChad Cooley, 154th TRS

DeeDee Glodowski, 189th FSS

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Editor’s note: The publishing date for the Warrior newsletter has been adjusted to reflect the coming month rather than the previous month. This will allow the wing to address special observances and awareness months ahead of time. Please send submissions and ideas to: jessica.m.condit.mil@mail.mil