Thursday, June 5, 2003 Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Vol. 47 No. 21

“Best in Air Force Space Command – 2002”

Inside This Issue: Blotter ... 9 Straight Talk Line 556-9154At Your Service ... 12

Photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Sharp

Courtesy photo

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 20032 From the top

Published by Gowdy Printcraft, 22 N. Sierra Madre, Colorado Springs, 80903, a private firm in no way con-

nected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the 21st Space Wing. This commercial enterprise

Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services.

Contents of the Space Observer are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government,

the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force.

The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorse-

ment by DOD, the Department of the Air Force, or Gowdy Printcraft, of the products or services advertised. Everything

advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, reli-

gion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of

the purchaser, user or patron.

Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the 21st Space Wing Public Affairs Office, 775 Loring

Ave., Suite 218, Peterson AFB, Colo., 80914-1294. All photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indi-

cated.

The Space Observer is published every Thursday. For advertising inquiries, call Gowdy Printcraft, (719) 634-

1593. Employees of Peterson Air Force Base who want to place a free classified advertisement should call 556-5241.

Articles for the Space Observer should be submitted to the 21st SW/PAI, Attn: Space Observer, 775 Loring

Ave., Ste. 218, Peterson AFB, Colo., 80914-1294 or e-mail space.observer@peterson.af.mil. Deadline for submission

is 4:30 p.m. the Tuesday one week before publication. All articles, copy and announcements submitted will be edited

to conform to AFI Series 35 and the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. For details, call the editor at (719)

556-4351 or DSN 834-4351.

21st Space Wing CommanderBrig. Gen. Duane Deal

Chief of Public Affairs1st Lt. Mike Andrews

Editorial StaffNCOIC Internal Information

Tech. Sgt. Michael Phillips

EditorStaff Sgt. Shane Sharp

Staff WriterStaff Sgt. Melanie Epperson

Layout and DesignKara Magana

A Momentin Time

� June 5, 1920 – An appropriationsbill limited the Air Service to landbases.� June 6, 1944 – D-Day. The AlliedExpeditionary Force lands inNormandy, France during Word War II.� June 8, 1953 – At Luke Air ForceBase, Ariz., the U.S. Air ForceThunderbirds, officially designated the3600th Air Demonstration Flight, per-form for the first time.� June 8, 1995 – U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot Capt. Scott O'Grady is rescuedby U.S. Marines after being shot downsix days earlier by Bosnian Serbs overBosnia (the former Yugoslavia).� June 10, 1989 – Capt. JacquelineS. Parker became the first female pilotto graduate from U.S. Air Force TestPilot School.

Submitting Action LinesThe Action Line is your direct link to the 21st Space

Wing Commander – use it wisely! Try to resolve problems atthe lowest level possible — with the person or activity, andthen follow the chain of command.

Though it’s not required, we ask that you leave yourname and phone number so we can get back to you for clar-ifications, or if your response isn’t printed. If you can’t getsatisfactory results, call 556-7777. Or you can fax yourquestion to 556-7848.

Another cable guy?QUESTION: Can something be done about

the cable or DSL Internet services in base housing?The current configuration has the cable hanging offthe roof of the house and master bedroom wall.Americable also has turned off Channel 4. IsAdelphia ever going to get a contract with PetersonAir Force Base to provide cable service and cableInternet service? I've heard rumors concerningthis. I would like to attend a base housing residents’meeting to discuss this issue (if I can be contactedwhen the next one will be held).

ANSWER: Your observation about the cableshanging off the walls is a major concern. This discrep-ancy is due in part to a previous renovation project thatoccurred several years ago. Currently, there is a pend-ing project to fix those affected housing units; howev-er, it is awaiting funding commitment. Regarding yourcable service with Americable, there was a recentchange removing Channel 4 due to rising program-ming costs. For any further questions about your serv-

ice or maintenance issues call the Americable on-baseoffice at 597-0873. As for digital cable, broadband,and high-speed Internet availability, these are subjectsof the approved franchise agreements that are in placefor Americable and Adelphia. Contracting solicited forbid to Adelphia and Americable for the base servicecontract. The current plan is to have digital service tobase facilities by Oct. 1.

However, this does not yet include military fam-ily housing residents. Adelphia has begun coordinatingwith the base civil engineer to obtain base access andreal estate licenses authorizing them to begin solicitinghousing residents and installation of their infrastruc-ture, including cable on base. Anticipating the comple-tion of the pending actions, housing occupants couldbe offered the services by October.

Though the next Military Family Housing meet-ing is not currently scheduled, please feel free to con-tact Sherry Albin at 556-7946 for information regard-ing this next meeting. If you have further questions,please call Tech. Sgt. Lemuel Campbell at 556-5782.

Doing the can-canQUESTION: Who is responsible for emptying

the trash can next to the bus stop on Ent – behindthe Base Exchange and in front of the dorms? Thetrash can has been full for a couple of weeks now,and it really looks tacky especially when the wind isblowing. Thanks.

ANSWER: Thank you for bringing this issue toour attention. The base uses a refuse contractor, WasteManagement, Inc., to remove the trash on a recurring

basis. For the trash can at the bus stop in particular,this service is performed twice a week, on Tuesdaysand Fridays. We will monitor the levels of this can andif it overfills on a regular basis, we will add anothercan to that location. Thanks again for helping to keepPeterson Air Force Base a beautiful place to live andwork. If you need additional information, please con-tact Ivah Dillon at 556-1479.

Smokin' discourtesyQUESTION: Can something be done about

the smoking problem in front of the doorway inBuilding 1284? People are smoking inside the door-way. They are flicking their ashes into the waterfountain, and into the floor. It is getting prettynasty. the smoke is coming into the building, and Iam allergic to smoke. To my understanding, theyare supposed to be further away from the building,and the flicking of the ashes into the water fountainjust isn't cool. Thanks.

ANSWER: The Customer Service section of theCivil Enginer Squadron contacted the facility mangerof Building 1284 and reminded him of the properguidelines to establish a smoking area for this build-ing. Thanks again in helping keeping the work envi-ronment on Peterson AFB a better and healthier placeto be. We also urge all building managers to take heedand periodically ensure their facility meets require-ments--non-smokers' rights take precedence atPeterson. For further information, contact Master Sgt.Mark Barner, 21st CES Customer ServiceSuperintendent, at 556-4220.

Action Lines

Peterson Air Force Base Notable NumbersThe following base agencies listed below can be

contacted directly at area code 719:� Action Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-7777� Base Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596-7270� Chaplain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4442� Civil Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4030� Commissary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-7765� Dental Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-1333� Fire Department (Emergency) . . . . . . . . . . . . 911� Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline . . . . . . 556-2100� Housing Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4455� Inspector General complaints . . . . . . . . 556-6309� Military/Civilian/Travel Pay . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4770� Military Equal Opportunity . . . . . . 556-7657/7693� Nurse Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-887-4111� Optometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-1065� Air Force OSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4022� Public Affairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-5185� Safety Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-8001� Security Forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4000� Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4882� Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4307� TriCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264-5000� Base Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-7321

By Brig. Gen. Duane Deal21st Space Wing Commander

Editor's note: This is the second in a series ofarticles on the Columbia Accident InvestigationBoard.

Within two days of gathering the ColumbiaAccident Investigation Board at Barksdale Air ForceBase, we were in agreement Barksdale would not beour permanent location. We debated whetherWashington would be the best location because of itsproximity to NASA Headquarters, or whetherKennedy Space Center would be best because of itsshuttle integration responsibilities. We decided uponHouston and to be near Johnson Space Center, as that'swhere the Space Shuttle Program office is located withits major shuttle engineering offices. However, it soon

became apparent that while Houston would be“home,” it would only be our launching base, forNASA has dozens of other locales involved in theshuttle program – from its own centers to its manyvendors.

To assure both our real and perceived independ-ence from NASA, we secured a vacant office facilitynear JSC, hired temporary employees to providemuch-needed administrative assistance, and expandedthe board from our original eight members to 13. Atthe same time, we began expanding our support staff,bringing in members of academia, a few members for-merly with NASA, and military experts – many ofeach group having a first name of “Dr.” With our sup-port staff, our ranks swelled to as many as 120 tem-porarily serving to help us piece together the many,

–– See CAIB, Page 13

Columbia's Calling, Part II:

‘Home’ becomes Houston – and beyond

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 2003 3Newswww.peterson.af.mil

By Staff Sgt. A.J. BoskerAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON – The Air Force isestablishing two transitional air and spaceexpeditionary forces, blue and silver, to putthe deployment schedule back on track byMarch 2004, and to bring home deployed air-men as quickly as possible.

“We envision these two 120-day rota-tions filling the requirements of combatantcommanders through spring, when we canonce again implement the normal steady-state AEF rotation,” said Maj. Gen. TimothyA. Peppe, Special Assistant for AEF mattersat the Pentagon. “Additionally, we can expectsome aircraft, aircrew, and associated main-tenance rotations outside these two transi-tional AEFs as we attempt to get them backto the normal schedule next spring.”

The blue AEF will be on call to fulfillmission requirements between July andNovember, Peppe said. Silver will be on callfrom November through March.

“The magnitude of the various combat-ant commanders’ continuing requirementsthroughout the world will dictate the numberof airmen that we will have to deploy,” hesaid.

According to the general, airmen inAEFs 9/10 and 1/2 who were identified tosupport Operation Iraqi Freedom but did notdeploy will likely be the most vulnerable todeploy with the blue or silver AEFs.

“Ideally, as we go through the process(of matching people to these AEFs), thosethat have been home the longest from a pre-vious deployment will be matched to deployfirst,” he said. “There may be some excep-tions, but I certainly hope not many. We willstart with AEFs 9 and 10 and reach forward,as needed, to fill requirements.”

Airmen selected to support the blueAEF can expect to be notified of theirdeployment vulnerability over the next fewweeks, he said.

“Most of the major command deploy-ment taskings will be made by June 10, andairmen should receive their notificationssoon after,” he said. “However, if a (majorcommand) cannot fill a particular tasking,

the AEF Center (at Langley Air Force Base,Va.) will have to source it to another (majorcommand), which may delay some individualnotifications.”

These transitional AEFs will allow theAir Force to get currently deployed airmenback home to their families, he said.

The combatant commanders arealready releasing forces that were deployed,but those forces may need to remain in the-ater until the Air Force can fill those require-ments and get enough assets in theater tobring them home, he explained.

“We would like to rotate people homemore quickly, but the bottom line is that ittakes time to make this happen,” Peppe said.“But we are working the issue as hard and asfast as we can.”

“Airmen need to understand that theAEF is operating ‘as advertised,’” he said. “Itwas designed, from the start, to ‘flex,’ as nec-essary, to meet the widest range of combatantcommander requirements. A transition peri-od like the one we are experiencing now isnormal as we move from one AEF operatingenvironment – crisis action – to another –steady state.”

“Since its beginning, I think the AEFhas been a great success,” he said. “I don’tbelieve it was ever designed to handle a situ-ation the size of the one we just had, but Ithink it worked well. We were able to use it totimely ... identify people to meet the combat-ant commanders’ requirements.”

The Air Force was initially tasked todeploy approximately 120,000 active-duty,Guard and Reserve airmen, nearly a quarterof the service’s military people, to supportoperations in Iraq, Peppe said.

“However, we only needed to deployapproximately 50,000,” he explained. “Thatfeat is a testament to the awesome work ofour people, and the AEF that was flexibleenough to adapt to mission requirements andfill them as needed.”

Although Air Force leaders want air-men to be reunited with their families asquickly as possible, the service still mustmeet the needs of the combatant command-ers to continue supporting operationsthroughout the world, he said.

Blue, silver AEFs get rotations back on track

Split disbursementnow mandatory for all military travelers

By Christie Bond21st Space Wing Public Affairs

The Peterson Air Force Base Commissaryawarded scholarships to three military children May28 at the 21st Space Wing headquarters building.

Jonathan Clyde, Brianna Schneider, and JosephVeres were each presented with a $1,500 scholarshipsponsored by the Defense Commissary Agency andFisher House.

The “Scholarships for Military ChildrenProgram” was created in recognition of the contribu-tions of military families to the readiness of the fight-ing force and to celebrate the role of the commissaryin the military family community.

The Fisher House program provides “a homeaway from home” for families experiencing a person-al medical crisis and is one of the premier quality oflife organizations supporting military families.

The scholarships began in 2001, and havegrown steadily.

“The Peterson commissary awarded two schol-

arships last year and three this year. We almost dou-bled the number of applicants last year, and I think it’sgoing to continue to grow,” said Lea Twigg, PetersonCommissary Store Director.

Graduating high school seniors, as well as stu-dents currently enrolled in a four-year program, wereeligible to apply. All applicants had to be unmarriedchildren of active duty, reserve, guard or retired mili-tary member. A minimum 3.0 grade point average,demonstration of community involvement, and anessay on “How being a military dependent has affect-ed my educational goals” were among the require-ments for consideration.

The Defense Commissary Agency’s goal is forevery commissary to award a scholarship of at least$1,500 annually. One scholarship is awarded at everycommissary location where qualified applications arereceived. More than one scholarship per commissarymay be available, based on response and funding.The scholarships are funded through outside sponsorcontributions. In total, 540 scholarships were award-ed in 2003 through the DeCA program.

DeCA awards scholarships to military children

Photo by Robb LingleyLeft to right: Lea Twigg, Peterson Commissary StoreDirector, Carol Schneider, Brianna Schneider,scholarship recipient, and Col. Diann Latham, 21stSpace Wing Vice Commander, gather for a photoduring the scholarship presentation.

By Staff Sgt. A.J. BoskerAir Force Print News

WASHINGTON — All military travelers must now selectthe split disbursement option on their travel voucher claims todirectly pay their government travel card expenses, according tofinance officials.

Split disbursement requires travelers to tally up their GTCexpenses, and authorize enough funds to be sent automatically toBank of America to pay their charges, said Michael G. Weber, AirForce Travel Card Program Manager at the Pentagon. Any remain-ing settlement will be sent to the traveler’s personal account.

“Although this change was mandated by the 2003 NationalDefense Authorization Act to reduce the number of delinquenttravel card accounts, split disbursement really is a win-win foreveryone,” Weber said.

“It simplifies the payment process for travelers, gets the banktheir money more quickly, and reduces the number of delinquentaccounts,” he said.

Nearly half of all Air Force travelers already use split dis-bursement on a regular basis when filing their vouchers because itsimplifies the process for them, Weber said.

“Airmen no longer have to wait for their travel money to becredited to their personal accounts before they can mail a check tothe bank,” he said. “It saves them the cost of a stamp or a trip to abank, and gets the money to the bank within two or three days.”

By having all travelers pay off their travel card bills automat-ically, the Air Force should see a decrease in the number of delin-quent accounts, he said. If a traveler charges more to their GTCthan they were authorized, they still must select split disbursementand also reimburse the bank any additional charges.

“Selecting split disbursement on a travel voucher, whetherdone manually or on an automated travel system, is easy andrequires only a few clicks of the mouse or one block to be checkedon a form,” Weber said.

Supervisors and approving officials are required to verifytravelers selected split disbursement before signing off on anyvoucher, he said.

“If split disbursement is not selected on a voucher, it will bereturned to the traveler to be redone,” he said. “This may delay theprocessing of the claim and, potentially, put the traveler’s GTCaccount into a past-due status.”

Though split disbursement is not yet mandatory for civilianemployees, Weber encouraged them to take advantage of its time-saving benefit.

For more information, Air Force travelers can contact theirfinance office or unit travel card program manager.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 20034 News

A project to straighten Marksheffel Road at the intersection of U.S. Highway 24 begins Tuesday. Inthe initial phase of the project, scheduled to last approximately eight weeks, Marksheffel Road,south of Highway 24, will be closed. Traffic currently using the south leg of Marksheffel Road willbe detoured through the Highway 94/Highway 24 intersection.

Photo by Diane Vulcan

21st MSS changes hands

Lt. Col. Russell Porter, 21st Mission SupportGroup Deputy Commander, passes the 21stMission Support Squadron guidon to Maj.Phlecia R. Bursey, the new 21st MSSCommander, as Chief Master Sgt. Brian Gauthier,21st MSS First Sergeant, looks on.The change ofcommand ceremony took place at the Officers’Club May 29.

Straightening Marksheffel Road

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 2003 5

www.peterson.af.mil News

Most Air Force civilian employees are now eligi-ble to contribute to a flexible spending account, whichallows money to be set aside tax-free for certainhealth-care and eligible dependent-care expenses.

An open season enrollment period began May 23and runs through June 20. The effective date forDepartment of Defense employees is Sept. 1. Onlyexpenses incurred September through December arereimbursable.

Flexible Spending Account is a new employeebenefit allowing federal employees to set aside dollars,on a pre-tax basis, for many common expenses notcovered by the Federal Employees Health Benefit pro-gram or any other source, said Janet Thomas, humanresources specialist here.

“With an FSA, you can reduce your taxes andincrease your take-home pay while paying for servicesyou’d have to pay for anyway,” she said.

The Office of Personnel Management awardedthe contract to SHPS, Inc., to administer the FSA pro-gram for federal employees. There are two types ofFSA accounts:

Health Care FSAs – may be used to pay forhealth care expenses of employees and their depend-ents not reimbursed by health insurance or any othersource and not claimed on the participant’s income taxreturn. Expenses include deductibles, co-insuranceand insurance co-payments, as well as services notgenerally covered like dental care, orthodontic treat-ment, hearing aids, physician-directed weight-lossprograms, and laser eye correction. To participate, fed-eral civilian employees must be eligible to enroll in theFEHB program.

Dependent Care FSAs – may be used to pay foreligible dependent care expenses when such care isnecessary to enable the employee and spouse to work,

or allow the spouse to attend school full time. Expensescan be paid for the care of children under age 13 andadults who qualify as dependents. Temporary employ-ees with no fixed work schedule whose tour of duty issix months or less are not eligible.

Employees can enroll directly with the contractadministrator at www.fsafeds.com or toll-free at (877)372-3337 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, week-days. After the initial open season, employees willneed to choose wheather or not to participate in theFSA during the open season each year.

Program information is available from the con-tract administrator and Office of PersonnelManagements FSA web site at www.opm.gov/-insure/pretax/fsa/index.asp.

Currently, retirees and military personnel are noteligible for either program. (Courtesy of Air ForcePersonnel Center)

Civilian employees eligible for Flexible Spending Accounts

The Department of DefenseMilitary Health System converted toitemized billing recently to streamlinethe process for billing uniformed servic-es beneficiaries, third-party payers, andpersons not eligible for TriCare for out-patient care received at military treat-ment facilities. The new billingapproach does not change access to carefor TriCare beneficiaries. It does, how-ever, change the way those who haveother health insurance are billed for out-patient care received at a military treat-ment facility.

Previously, outpatient bills werecalculated using an all-inclusive or “sin-gle rate” per visit. The single rate cov-ered not only the provider’s fees but alsofees for laboratory, radiology, and phar-macy services received during an outpa-tient visit. Under itemized billing, eachoutpatient service or treatment provided

is clearly annotated on the claim form(billing statement for non-DoDpatients), along with all associatedcharges. In addition to the itemization ofcharges for services received during anoutpatient visit, military treatment facil-ities are now also able to bill third-partypayers for prescriptions filled fromorders received from physicians withinthe military treatment facility.

Beneficiaries who have otherhealth insurance and receive care at amilitary treatment facility can nowreceive an explanation of benefits, a billthat clearly identifies the health careservices received and their associatedcosts. DoD benefits from the collec-tions received can be put towardresources to support medical servicesand other patient-related initiatives atmilitary treatment facilities.

Third-party payers also receive a

benefit. Claims submitted by DoD arenow similar to claims submitted bycivilian providers, which creates assur-ance for payers third-party paymentsmade to DoD mirror established indus-try practices. In addition, bills submit-ted by a DoD facility will also helpmembers meet their annual deductibles.

Patients cannot be charged adeductible or co-payment for carereceived through the military facility.The government absorbs these costs.Therefore, claims filed by the govern-ment for care a patient received maycount toward meeting your deductible.This may result in a savings to patientswho later seek civilian medical care.

While the DoD’s initial effortshave focused exclusively on outpatientcare, plans are underway to convertbilling practices for inpatient care toitemized billing later this year.

Beneficiaries who have questionsor concerns about an itemized bill orbenefits can contact their regional man-aged care support contract claims,processor or TriCare service center rep-resentative.

A list of local and regional toll-free telephone numbers is available onthe TriCare Web site atwww.tricare.osd.mil/regionalinfo/.Additionally, beneficiaries and third-party payers may contact the 10thMedical Group\Third Party CollectionsOffice at the Air Force AcademyHospital at (719) 333-5757.

General DoD medical billinginformation is available by e-mail to theDoD Uniform Business Office atubo@tma.osd.mil or by calling (866)STI-4UBO (866) 784-4826.

(Article courtesy of the 10thMedical Group)

Itemized billing streamlines outpatient care payments

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 20036 News

The great Thule ‘Funraiser’By Chaplain (Capt.) Joel Hampton821st Air Base Group

It began innocently enough. Every month, the Thule Air Base

Chapel collects a special offering in itsProtestant Worship Service. For thepast year, worshipers have given allmonies received on the third Sunday ofeach month to a charitable cause out-side the Thule Defense Area. Donationshave benefitted Second Harvest FoodBank, Church World Service (forfamine relief), Wycliffe BibleTranslators, and others. Total donationsare usually between $50 and $100.

Like all great efforts of compas-sion and charity, this one began with agood idea and picked up speed on itsway to the goal. Chaplain (Capt.) JimParrish, Pastor of the ProtestantWorship Service at Thule, decided toopen up the May 2003 special offeringto the entire base community.

The offering was to go to theChildren’s Program at Rigshospitalet,the National Hospital in Copenhagen,the capital city of Denmark. Hoping togive something more than the usual $50to $100 donation, advertisements ran ontelevision and via e-mail. Initially, a fewsmall donations trickled in.

Then, it got interesting.Capt. Gregory Marty, 821st Air

Base Group Executive Officer and pop-ular co-host of the “Greg Brady Show”(along with Capt. Brady Vaira) onThule’s one and only radio station,decided to take a day of leave and holda radiothon to raise money for the cause.

Their goal was an ambitious $100.Once Marty was on the air, thefun(d)raiser took on a life of its own.

“Calls poured in from all over thebase: from Air Force members, Danishand Greenlandic contractors, andAmerican contractors,” said Marty.“There were challenge donations andcounter-challenges as well as attemptsto buy air-time for the favorite music ofparticular contributors. Some people

made donations to keep certain songsfrom being played.”

Guest spots were made in theradiothon for local celebrities stoppingby to donate in person. Even SeniorAirman Annalisa Hernandez caught thefever. The Chaplain Assistant orderedpizza for Marty and his merry band ofguests, and even got some prime timeair time herself.

Though the radiothon ended at 3

p.m., donors were undaunted. The lastdonation was received nearly 72 hourslater from one of the Greenlandic clubs.When the final tally was taken,$1,621.21 had been collected. The effortraised as much fun as funds and high-lighted the generous spirit of TeamThule. Every dollar will go toRigshospitalet for use in their efforts tobring hope and healing to the childrenthere.

Courtesy photoCapt. Gregory A. Marty (left), 821st Air Base Group Executive Officer, and co-host of Thule’s “Greg Brady” Radio Show,sits in the broadcast booth with Senior Airman Fred White, 821st Services Squadron. Marty took over the station fora day, hosting a Team Thule radiothon that raised more than $1,600 for the Children’s Program at Copenhagen’sNational Hospital, “Rigshospitalet.”

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 2003 7

www.peterson.af.mil News

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLO. – Asparade caps flew and the Thunderbirds soared over-head, the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2003 added974 names to the list of academy alumni at graduationceremonies here May 28.

Guest speakers were Secretary of the Air ForceDr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen.John P. Jumper.

The new Air Force second lieutenants will reportto a variety of assignments, including 540 to pilottraining and 40 to navigator training. Eighteen willattend medical, nursing, or dental school. Thirty-fivewill enter into space and missile operations, 46 into

developmental engineering, 30 into civil engineering,41 into intelligence, 45 into communications-comput-ers, and 32 into acquisitions.

Others will go immediately to other nonratedassignments Air Force-wide. In addition, six graduatesaccepted commissions in other military services. Fourwent to the Army, one to the Navy, and one to theMarine Corps.

The class also boasted 100 distinguished gradu-ates, 62 cadets earning academic distinction, 59 earn-ing military distinction and 62 earning athletic distinc-tion.

(Courtesy of Air Force Print News)

By Denver BolsterDirector of Retiree Activities Office

The annual Retiree Appreciation Dayand Information Fair is scheduled for June 14at the Air Force Academy’s Arnold Hall.

Hosted by the 21st Space Wing, all mil-itary retirees, spouses, and survivors from allbranches of military service are highlyencouraged to attend. The keynote speakerwill be Lt. Gen. Robert C. Hinson, ViceCommander of Air Force Space Command.He will discuss the command’s role andresponsibilities. The morning program startsat 9 a.m., with coffee and doughnuts providedbeginning at 8 a.m. The program includes:retired Maj. Gen. Dick Murray, President ofthe National Association for UniformedServices, who will discuss current retireeissues and concerns. Dave McCloy, a localexpert on Tricare, will give an overview of theprogram’s current reorganization.

The annual information fair will be big-ger and more informative than in years past.Various base agencies, veterans’ groups, andretiree organizations provide pamphlets andother handouts, answer questions, and pro-vide vital information not always readilyavailable. Retirees can get their military IDcard and DEERS registration updated at theAcademy Community Center, open especial-ly for Retiree Day.

Parking in the vicinity of Arnold Hall isvery limited. Therefore, the main parking forthis event will be at the Academy AthleticField House, northeast of Arnold Hall.Shuttle bus services to and from Arnold Hallbegin at 7 a.m.

For more information on RetireeAppreciation Day, call 556-7153.

Retiree AppreciationDay set for June 14

Cadets of the AirForce AcademyClass of 2003celebrate atgraduation cere-monies at FalconStadium May 28as the Air ForceThunderbirds flyoverhead. The974 studentsmarked theacademy’s 45thg r a d u a t i n gclass.

Academy graduates 45th classPhoto by Danny Myers

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 20038 News Briefs

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN COLORADO SPRINGS

An original copy of the Declaration ofIndependence will be on display through Wednesday atthe Penrose Public Library, 20 North Cascade Ave., indowntown Colorado Springs. The “Declaration ofIndependence Road Trip” takes the rare copy on a 3.5year tour to 25 cities across the nation. It is the onlycopy on traveling exhibit. Admission is free.

OFFICE CLOSUREThe Joint Personal Property Shipping Office is

closed from 7:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesday for training. Foremergencies only, call 554-9224.

EDUCATION OFFICE CLOSUREThe Peterson Education Office is closed from

noon-4 p.m. Friday to participate in the CommunityCollege of the Air Force Graduation ceremony.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER HAS CHILDCARE OPENINGS

The base Child Development Centers haveimmediate openings for children who are ages 6 weeksto 6 months, 12 to 24 months, and 3 to 5 years. Theopenings exist at the CDC Main for the infants, and atthe CDC Main and Annex for the older age children.For information on placing your child in the CDC, call

Heather Roberts at 556-7460.

AIR FORCE CLUBS SCHOLARSHIPSAir Force Clubs are offering $25,000 in scholar-

ship money to club members or their family members.There are six scholarships awarded, with the top prize

of $6,000 for higher education costs. Scholarships willbe awarded based on a 500-word essay entitled “AirForce Clubs – Help Us Make Members First.” Entriesmust be submitted to the base Services commander ordirector by July 15. Entry forms are available online atwww-p.afsv.af.mil/Clubs/Scholarship.htm.

2003 ADVANCE CHILD TAX CREDIT PAYMENT INCREASES

For 2003, the Child Tax Credit increased from$600 per child to a maximum of $1,000 per child.Advance payments of up to $400 per qualified childwill be mailed out this summer to eligible taxpayers.Beginning the last week of July, eligible taxpayers whoclaimed the Child Tax Credit on their 2002 tax returnswill automatically receive this advance payment. Formore information, contact the Peterson Tax Center at556-5213.

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY BEGINSFALL ENROLLMENT

Webster University begins registration for the fallterm on June 16. For more information contact Leslie

Edmonds at 574-7562.

COMBAT ZONE TAX RELIEFBeginning Jan. 1, 2003 and ending Oct. 30, 2003

(unless circumstances warrant otherwise), Turkey andIsrael (as well as the water areas of the EasternMediterranean that lie east of 30 degrees EastLongitude) in direct support of Operation IraqiFreedom, have been designated combat zones. Certainorders prepared after May 1, 2003 must contain ascripted eligibility statement. Active duty pay received

while stationed in a combat zone, re-enlistment bonus-es received from re-enlistments that took place in acombat zone, and monetary awards received fromIDEAs submitted while in a combat zone, are exemptfrom federal income tax. Personnel meeting the eligi-bility criteria should contact their finance unit toensure pay accounts are accurately updated with theappropriate tax exclusions. For more information, callthe Peterson Tax Center, at 556-5213.

WOMEN ON WEIGHTSSign up for a new class, Women on Weights,

from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday at the Peterson Health andWellness Center. The class is for women who may beintimidated by the weight room and want to learn touse the weights correctly. This class is offered in theevening to accommodate busy schedules. Call 556-6141 for information.

NETWORK CONTROL CENTER RIBBONCUTTING

The 21st Space Communications Squadron willhold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday infront of Building 1038 to recognize the capabilities ofthe newly established Network Control Center.

PARENT-TEEN DRIVING SEMINARA two-hour Parent-Teen Driving Seminar begins

at 5:30 p.m. June 18 in the R.P. Lee Youth Center train-ing room. The presentation includes instruction ondriving laws and licensing. The seminar is free, butseating is limited to 60 persons. Make reservations byJune 17. Call the Auto Skills Center at 556-4881 forinformation, or to register.

Protestant Worship Services:Liturgical Service, 8:15 a.m.

Traditional General Protestant Service, 11 a.m.Gospel Service, 12:30 p.m.

CatholicWeekday Mass, 11:35 a.m. (except Monday)

Saturdays, 5 p.m.Sundays, 9:30 a.m.

Reconciliation Saturdays, 4 p.m.

**For more information - Call the chapel at 556-4442 for

available chapel programs.

Chapel Schedule

The following real-life events with real individu-als from around the Peterson Complex are to informyou of crimes, accidents, and events occurring on base.The following entries are from hundreds recorded inthe Peterson Police Blotter:

**Editor’s note: Although the Space Observerstaff may make light of some blotter entries, the intentis to call attention to our security and law enforcementconcerns. However, rest assured, our professionalSecurity Forces treat each incident seriously.FAULTY FIRE ALARM - May 22

The Base Fire Department notified SecurityForces that they were responding to a fire alarmactivation at Base Operations, and requestedassistance with and traffic control. The Fire Chiefdetermined the reason for the alarm was a mal-function in a fire panel, and terminated theresponse.FOUND PROPERTY – ID AND ACCESS CARDS -May 22

A military family member turned in a restrict-ed area badge, an ID card, and two SensitiveCompartmented Information Facility ID cards thathad been found in the Thrift Store parking lot toSecurity Forces. After attempts to contact theowner, the property was secured in the SecurityForces’ Found Property Locker.LOUSE LIFTS LAUNDRY - May 22

A military member reported to SecurityForces that a sweater and a pair of jeans, valuedat $93, were missing from the laundry room ofDormitory 1270. She placed her clothes in adryer, and returned approximately 60 minuteslater. As she began folding her laundry, she real-ized that the items were missing.EAGLE EYES – SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUAL - May 22

Security Forces at the North Gate spotted acivilian entering the installation on foot throughthe closed outbound lane. The individual failed toheed when challenged. Patrols responded andapprehended the gate-galloping goon. The do-dostated that his identification was in his vehicle offthe installation. The Colorado Springs PoliceDepartment responded, and escorted the ambleroff the installation.UNSECURED FACILITY - May 22

During routine patrol, Security Forces foundthe main door at the 302nd Airlift Wing MissionSupport Squadron unsecured. Security Forcesand the facility custodian conducted an interiorsearch of the facility, and found everything in order.INTERSECTION INTERCEPTION - May 23

A civilian employee reported to SecurityForces that she had been involved in a minorvehicle accident at the intersection of StewartAvenue and Paine Street. A military member wasdriving her yellow Mercury Cougar northeast on

Paine Street, when her Cougar was clipped by aCadillac attempting to make a left hand turn out ofthe parking lot of Five-Star Bank onto Paine. TheCaddie’s contusions consisted of a dislocatedfront driver’s side bumper, and a lacerated leftheadlight. Damage to the Cougar consisted ofdents to the left rear wheel well and rear fender,and multiple scrapes. The Cadillac driver wascited for improper left turn, causing a minor vehi-cle accident.MEDICAL RESPONSE #1 - May 24

Security Forces, the Fire Department, andAmerican Medical Response Services respondedto the Commissary, where a military family mem-ber had suffered a possible broken leg. AMRtransported the individual to Evans Army Hospitalat Fort Carson for further treatment.HARASSING HOOLIGAN - May 24

Security Forces responded to SelfridgeStreet, near the Youth Center, where a militaryfamily member reported possibly harassingbehavior. She stated that a military member hadbeen harassing her children and several others atthe Youth Center. Another military family memberalso called Security Forces stating the individualhad also harassed her son. On two separateoccasions, the boys were approached by the mil-itary member. The individual was contacted, andasked to report to the Security Forces for ques-tioning.SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY - May 25

Security Forces, the Fire Department,CSPD, and AMR responded to a vehicle accidentat the intersection of Stewart Avenue and AirportRoad. A military family member was driving at ahigh rate of speed, and lost control of her vehicledue to wet conditions, causing the vehicle strikethe curb, and roll over. The punctured Pontiac,which had suffered disabling damage, was towedto a local dealership. The individual refused treat-ment from AMR. CSPD assumed investigation ofaccident due to driver’s civilian status. CSPDissued summonses for careless driving, and fail-ing to use reasonable and prudent speed.SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR - May 25

A military member notified Security Forcesthat the El Paso County Sheriff was following amilitary member for suspicious behavior uponentering the installation. Sheriff’s deputies madecontact with the individual, and determined thateverything was in order. He was released, andreturned to his residence.NOISY NEIGHBORS - May 25

Security Forces responded to Dormitory1164, where several military members reportedloud music coming from one of the rooms.Security Forces contacted the deafening dudes,briefed them on loud noise policies, and remind-ed them how to spell c-o-u-r-t-e-s-y.SLOSHED SUSPECT - May 25

Security Forces at the West Gate detained amilitary member when officers detected a smell ofalcohol. Field Sobriety Measures exhibitedenough clues to determine probable cause to

detain the lit locomoter for suspicion of DrivingUnder the Influence. He refused a breath test todetermine his blood alcohol content, and wasissued a base driving revocation letter. Thestewed steerer was released to the custody of hisFirst Sergeant.PLAY BALL? - May 25

Security Forces responded to a report ofvandalism at a base housing residence. A militarymember reported his garage door had four base-ball-size holes.VERBAL ALTERCATION - May 26

Security Forces responded to Dormitory590, where a military member reported a verbalaltercation involving several individuals was tak-ing place. Several patrols responded. The sopra-nos were briefed to clean up the litter they hadaccumulated, to clean up their act at the sametime, and to return to their residences.MEDICAL RESPONSE #2 - May 27

Security Forces, the Fire Department, andAMR responded to Softball Field No. 1, where amilitary member was complaining of a kneeinjury. AMR transported the individual toMemorial Hospital for further treatment.SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE - May 28

A military member notified Security Forcesof an unattended blue and white cooler on thewest side or the 21st Space Wing Headquartersfacility. Security Forces arrived on scene andsecured the area. Patrols determined the pack-age to not be a threat.UNRULY CUSTOMER - May 28

Security Forces and CSPD responded to theVisitors Center, to a report of a hostile customer.CSPD arrived and issued the mouthy ma’amsummonses for Trespassing on Private Propertyand Failure to Desist or Disperse.PEDESTRIAN PURSUIT? - May 28

A civilian employee reported to SecurityForces that, when she was in the Paine Streetcrosswalk near the Child Development Center, ablack SUV was approaching from approximately75 feet away. By the time she reached the halfwaypoint in the road, the vehicle had to swerve toavoid hitting her. She was able to acquire alicense plate number.BACK AND BONK - May 28

Security Forces responded to a minor vehi-cle accident where a military member in a blueChevy S-10 pickup backed into a white Tahoe.The pickup suffered scratches to the rear bumper,and a broken license plate light. The big ol’ Tahoereceived a dent to the brush guard.ALARMING TRENDS CONTINUE:

In addition to these entries, there continue tobe too many illegitimate alarm activations onbase. Among those noted by Security Forces thisweek was one involving yet another door that washeld open (when will they ever learn?), and twopeople not using proper procedures when enter-ing or exiting facilities. There were also reports oftwo malfunctioning alarms.

** If you have any information on a crime, reportit to Security Forces at 556-4000.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 2003 9

www.peterson.af.mil

And that’s just the beginning.Once you enlist, you’ll also receive a good starting salary with regular payraises, tax-free housing and food allowances. Not to mention opportunitiesfor higher education and full retirement benefits after 20 years of service.Visit our Web site at AIRFORCE.COM or call 1-800-423-USAF.

News

CROSS INTO THE BLUE

WELCOME TO THE AIR FORCEWELCOME TO THE AIR FORCEWELCOME TO THE AIR FORCE

Room to growYouth center renovations add space and possibilitiesBy Staff Sgt. Shane Sharp21st Space Wing Public Affairs

Team Pete’s kids have more roomand more options after base youth pro-grams moved into the recently renovatedR.P. Lee Youth Center last month.

The $6.3 million project is receiv-ing some welcome attention.

“With the new facilities and moreprograms, we are seeing kids come in

that wouldn’t come in before,” said Jane-Marie Kopycinski, Youth CenterDirector. “Before, we didn’t really havethe space to offer programs that we havenow.”

The new 34,000 square-foot facili-ties added more than just space to theyouth center.

“We’re able to offer more to thebase population than we ever have,” saidKopycinski. “One of the best improve-

ments is that now we have dedicatedspace for teens and dedicated space forpre-teens. It’s great because it gives usthe opportunity to bring in a populationof kids that we wouldn’t typically seeparticipating here.”

In addition to the teen and pre-teenareas, 60 spaces were added for school-age programs (children who require carebefore and after school and during thesummer). Instructional classrooms werealso added for classes such as karate andballet. A video and music room givespatrons a chance to watch movies, listento music, or kick back and play videogames. Children can also play games orsearch the internet in the Youth Center’snew computer lab.

The list of add-ons also includes a

full-size gymnasium, which put a smileon the face of Youth Center SportsDirector Les Stewart.

“It gives us the opportunity to offermore programs and opens up a widevariety of options as to what we can dofor the base community,” said Stewart.“Parents like it too, because now wehave bleachers. Before, they had to standalong the wall in order to watch gamesin the old gym.”

The new gym, locker rooms, andoutdoor basketball court help diversifyyouth sports.

“Having a brand new gym with alocker room gives us the ability to incor-porate physical fitness into the before-and after-school programs,” saidStewart. “It really opens up a lot of

doors for youth sports.”With the new facilities, the possi-

bilities seem endless for youth programsat Peterson.

“There are no boundaries now,”said Stewart. “This has been a long timecoming. With the staff, youth, parents,and community, we’re going to grow byleaps and bounds.”

“We’re going to move into new andmore innovative programs working withestablished youth programs such asNational 4-H and Boys and Girls Clubof America,” said Kopycinski. “We’realso looking to get more military kidswho live off base to participate in ourprograms. We’ve already seen anincrease since we moved into the newfacility.”

Photos by Staff Sgt. Shane Sharp

Children gather around the foosball table, waiting for a turn,in one of the many new rooms added on to the Youth Centerfor daytime programs such as summer camp.

Brittany Powers (right) takes her turn during a game of SkipBo with ReAnna Batiste (center) and Youth Center Counselor Amanda Kropog. Whitley Williams (left) and Damaris Kirkland try to figure out who won their game of Connect-4. The girls are partici-pating in the summer camp program at the newly renovated Youth Center.

Summer sports campsCamp Date AgesBaseball July 14-17 6-18

Archery June 23-26 6-18July 14-18July 28-31

Tennis June 23-27 6-18July 14-18July 28-31

Golf June 23-27 6-18July 7-11Aug. 4-8

M.L.S. July 7-10 5-18July 21-24

N.F.L. Aug. 4-7 5-18

Adventure July 24-26 7-12(ropes, fishing, camping, cooking)

Cheerleading July 28-31 7-14

Volleyball July 14-17 7-14Space is limited in all camps. Call YouthSports at 556-5242 to sign up, and for moreinformation.

Youth Center programs

School Age Program(Before and after school/summer camp)- DoD certified- Accredited by the National School Age CareAlliance- Weekly care offered for children ages 5-12- Hours of operation are 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

Teen and pre-teen programs- Affiliated with Boys and Girls Club ofAmerica- Associated with National 4-H- Keystone and Torch Club, a leadership pro-gram that focuses on community service,leadership development, education andcareer exploration, and social recreation

By Tech. Sgt. Michael Phillips21st Space Wing Public Affairs

For those who feel like summer is fast approaching,it might just be time to head into the great outdoors for acamping or weekend adventure trip. Outdoor Recreationhas everything you’ll need to make it happen.

“We have equipment for just about any kind of tripyou can think of,” said Randall Greenfield, OutdoorRecreation Director.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experiencedcamper, Outdoor Recreation has the gear you’ll need.

Outdoor Recreation not only has theequipment for base members to ven-

ture into the outdoors, theyalso offer guided trips.

“We offer privategroup trips,” saidGreenfield. “People cancontact us and we can setup a guided trip, tailored

especially for theirgroup.”

“Whitewater raft-ing trips on the Arkansas

River are going on eachweekend,” he

added.“ W e

also offerinstructionalcourses on avariety ofsubjects ,”

Greenf ie ldsaid. “Everything from all-terrain vehicle training, to mapand compass skills, to kayaking and SCUBA, we have aclass to teach you what you need to know.”

For more information on trips or instructional class-es, or to sign up, call Outdoor Recreation at 556-4867.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 200312

A T Y O U R

S E R V I C EThis Week

Friday� Deployed Spouses Social, 10a.m., in the atrium of the MissionSupport Facility.� 10K Mountain Bike Ride,11:30 a.m. at the Fitness Center.Call 556-1515 for information.

Saturday� Whitewater rafting on theArkansas River, every weekend,with Outdoor Recreation.� Thunder Alley, beginning at8:30 p.m., every Saturday, at theBowling Center.

Sunday� The Bowling Center is closedSundays and Mondays throughthe summer.

Monday� Lifeguard class for ages 15 andolder, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, at the Aquatics Center.Call 556-4608 for information.

Tuesday� Bundles for Babies, 1-3 p.m.in Building 350, Room 1016.This class offered is every othermonth for pregnant USAF activeduty members and spouses.Eligible personnel receive a spe-cial gift, compliments of HQ AirForce Aid.

Wednesday� Outdoor Recreation, theCommunity Activities Center,the Aquatics Center, the EnlistedClub, and Readiness will beclosed as employees supportSports and Field Day.� Money Smart, 11 a.m.-12:30p.m. in Building 350, Room1016. � This week's family buffet is allyou can eat chicken, 5-7 p.m., atthe Enlisted Club.� Mongolian Barbecue, 6-8p.m., at the Officers' Club. Call556-4181 for information.

Helpful Numbers� Family Advocacy 556-8943� Education Center 556-4064� Library 556-7462� Community Center 556-7671� Aquatics Center 556-4608� Fitness Center 556-4462� Officers' Club 556-4181� Enlisted Club 556-4194� Youth Center 556-7220� Family Support 556-6141� Red Cross 556-9201

Packing it in

ARAGON DINING FACILITY MENUSaturday

Brunch:Creole Shrimp

Savory Baked ChickenSwedish Meatballs

AsparagusCreamed Corn

SquashBaked Potatoes

Noodles Jefferson

SundayBrunch:

Cantonese SpareribsMustard ChickenOven-Fried FishBroccoli Combo

County Style TomatoesPeas

Macaroni and CheeseBoiled Egg Noodles

Sweet Potatoes

Lunch:Baked Stuff Fish

Pot RoastRoast Loin of

PorkCauliflower

ComboGreen Beans w/

MushroomsOven-Browned

PotatoesSteamed Rice

Dinner:Chili Mac

Southern FriedChicken

Beef CannelloniFrench-Style

PeasGlazed Carrots

Mashed PotatoesSquash

MondayLunch:

Salmon CakesTeriyaki ChickenVeal ParmesanFried Cabbage

SuccotashParsley Buttered

PotatoesFilipino Rice

Dinner:Country Captain

ChickenTurkey A La King

MeatloafMustard GreensOkra and Tomato

GumboSteamed Rice

Mashed Potatoes

TuesdayLunch:

SauerbratenGrilled BratwurstJaegerschnitzel

(Veal)Cauliflower

Harvard BeetsSpinach SaladPotatoes Au

GratinSauerkraut

Dinner:BarbequedSpareribs

Lemon HerbedChicken

Stuffed PorkChops

CauliflowerCombo

Mexican CornSteamed Rice

ScallopedPotatoes

Wednesday

TodayLunch:

Liver with OnionsOrange Spiced Pork

ChopTempura Fried Fish

BroccoliPeas and Carrots

Steamed RiceRissole Potatoes

Dinner:Pepper SteakMr. Z's Baked

ChickenGinger Pot RoastMixed Vegetables

Green BeansSteamed Rice

Mashed Potatoes

Lunch:Beef Corn Pie

Seafood NewburgVeal Paprika Steaks

Mustard GreensHarvard Beets

PotatoesPea and Pepper Rice

Dinner:Yankee Pot RoastSimmered Corned

BeefPineapple Chicken

Fried CabbageCarrots

Mashed PotatoesBlack-Eyed Peas

Friday

Outdoor equipment listEquipment $ Per – Day Weekend Week

Air mattress - twin 2 3 8Air mattress - full 3 5 12Hand pump .50 1 3Air pump - electric 2 4 10Sleeping bag 7 10 15Sleeping pad 1 2 4Fold-up cot 3 5 12Backpack 3 5 12Day pack 2 4 10Hatchet 1 2 5Tent heater 2 4 10Ice chest - medium 2 4 8Water jug - 3 gallon 1 2 5Water jug - 5 gallon 2 4 8Stove - 1 burner 2 3 8Stove - 2 burner 3 6 12Lantern - electric 1 2 5Camp table - roll up 2 4 10Folding camp chairs 1 2 5Tent - 3-4 person 10 15 35Tent - 5-6 person 12 20 40Small charcoal grill 2 4 10Towable grill - medium 2 4 10Towable grill - large 1 2 5Canopy - 15 foot x15 foot 30 40 50Canoe - 17 foot 15 25 50Canoe trailer 15 25 50Fun yak - ducky 25 40 100Wet suit - complete 5 8 25Life jacket 2 4 10Dry bag 2 4 10Mountain bike 15 25 50Child bike seat 2 3 8

For a complete listing of items available, pick up anEquipment Issue and Price List at Outdoor Recreation,Building 675.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 2003 13

www.peterson.af.mil Commentary

many pieces of the accident puzzle.Those 120, however, are only the oneswe could truly quantify, for we have thefull resources of thousands of membersof the Department of Defense, universi-ties and colleges throughout the nation,federal laboratories, and corporationsvolunteering to step forward and help.Added to that, we also have the substan-tial resources of NASA and its owninvestigative efforts to assist us as need-ed. Thus, our 120 people are but the tipof a huge iceberg of capable and willingprofessionals stepping forward to helpsolve the mystery.

Over the coming months, like it ornot, we were transformed into airport,rental car, and hotel aficionados. Boardmembers traveled to more than 15 loca-tions in search of answers. As the mosttraveled board member to date, so far Ihave been on 17 trips to six locations –other than Houston – in pursuit of factsand interviews. The travel experiencehas twice included the comfort of aNASA Gulfstream corporate jet, butmostly has involved airline "cattle carcommuter craft" as we made our way to

relatively remote locations.Despite the bag-dragging and

never-ending stream of motels, rentalcars, and airport food, the end game hasproven incredibly interesting: Touchingand crawling around the three remainingshuttle orbiters; ascending the launchpad gantry; flying the shuttle simulator;observing shuttle component inspectionand fabrication processes; helping tocraft test regimens to prove our theoriesof the disaster's cause; and the soberingaspect of participating as the accidentdebris was collected, catalogued, andanalyzed.

Perhaps the most gratifying yetchallenging portion of being a BoardMember and investigator lay in theinterviews. Having the opportunity toconduct the most interviews – 72 of 230to date conducted by the Board – I'veinterfaced with everyone from contrac-tors’ line technicians to senior manage-ment. While it’s challenging to buildindividual rapport and repeatedly delveinto sensitive areas, it’s also arguably themost rewarding aspect of the investiga-tion. Why? Interviewing such a broadrange of people from multiple locationsclearly nailed home how dedicated

everyone involved in the space programis, how personally they all took the lossof the Columbia and its crew, and howeveryone involved wants to correct

everything they can so the shuttle cansafely launch again.

Next up in the series is “Meetingthe press.”

–– CAIB, From Page 2

NASA Photos by Rick StilesLeft to right: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Johnny Wolfe, Alex Adams of Marshall SpaceFlight Center in Huntsville, Hal Simoneaux of the Michoud Assembly Facilityin New Orleans, Brig. Gen. Duane Deal, and Lt. Col. Larry Butkus review doc-uments related to the interior of the space shuttle's external tank, one ofwhich is in the background under construction. Inset: Deal, Butkus, and Wolfeobserve as an external tank is moved into a bay for Board-directed testing.

SPACE OBSERVERThursday, June 5, 200314

Top 3 smitesCGOC 12-7By Master Sgt. Ty Foster21st Space Wing Public Affairs

The Pikes Peak Top 3 stymied the Peterson AirForce Base Company Grade Officers Council 12-7 inhead-to-head softball competition at Field No. 3 hereFriday afternoon.

The two groups got together for the game and apizza picnic to “get the summer kicked off in the rightdirection,” said Mike Venus, CGOC member and eventorganizer.

The thunder rolling in the distance didn’t deterthe teams as they took the field issuing each other vol-ley after volley of age-related heckles.

The softball savvy senior noncommissioned offi-cers made short work of the CGOs, holding them hit-less in the top of the first.

Top 3 player Greg Fedorenchick couldn’t let thezero for three at bat go without chiding his opponents.

“Oh-one, oh-two, oh-three – we just scored acaptain,” he quipped.

The Top 3 let the thunder roll when TimRademacher’s homer capped a 5-0 lead in the firstinning.

In the top of the second inning, Mike Andrews’triple put the CGOs on the board 5-2.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Top 3 upped

the ante with a six-run rally, taking the score to 11-2.Play stalled for the better part of two innings

until the CGOs unleashed their pent-up energy in thetop of the sixth with a five-run streak that took thescore to its final 12-7 tally.

The game, according to Top 3 President TimMurphy, offered a valuable lesson to his youthfulopponents.

“Old age and treachery triumph over youth andexuberance every time,” he said.

Photo by Master Sgt. Ty FosterTim Rademacher, Pikes Peak Top 3, takes a cut at the ball as Marc Snoddy, catcher for the CompanyGrade Officers Council team, hunkers down behind the plate during their softball game on Field No. 3Friday. The seasoned seniors topped their youthful opponents 12-7.

Sports