Disclaimer: Truckin On is an unofficial newsletter published every month in the interest of serving Air Force active duty, civilian and retired vehicle operations and

maintenance personnel. Articles submitted by its contributors are not to be considered official statements by the U.S. Air Force.

1 Apr 2014

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

From Soldier to Airman one mans journey: PG 1-3

Inside this issue:

AEMP Fleet Masters Awards

PG 3-4

AEMP Technician of the Year Award

PG 5-6

Driving & Cell Phones Dont Mix

PG 7

Mobsters Car Becomes Presidents Limo

PG 8

Veterans Job News PG 9

Elio is Here PG 9

Salute and Call Me Mister

PG 10

Hot Rods & Cool Cars PG 11

AF Jargon Past & Present

PG 12

Dedicated to the Men and Women of

AF Vehicle Operations & Maintenance Past, Present, and Future

Truckin onTruckin on

by Murray LaHue, Major, USAF (Ret)

The Army Years

At the ripe old age of 15, I was your

typical California delinquent - nothing

really major - just the usual petty stuff -

stealing hubcaps, siphoning gas from

parked cars, drinking any booze we could

get someone with a fake ID to buy for us,

etc.

I was running with a crowd that I came to

realize would end up getting me in deep

trouble. I thought that maybe some

regimentation in my life would help, so I

lied about my age.

Mom signed the papers and I enlisted in

the 223d Heavy Tank Co., 223d Infantry

Regiment, 40th Infantry Division,

California National Guard (El Monte) as a

"loader" on an M4 Tank. It had a 76mm

cannon and the shells I had to handle

were bigger than I was.

When the Korean affair popped, we were

told that there was an excellent chance

we would be mobilized" and go to Korea,

but we didn't put much faith in that

"hoo-ha."

Well, on 1 Sep 1950 it happened and we

became a part of the U.S. 6th Army.

We reported to the unit with all our gear

and they loaded us on chartered buses

and hauled us off to Camp Cooke

(north of Santa Barbara). It was later to

become Vandenberg AFB.

Editors Note: Its interesting to note

here that at this time Gen Hoyt

Vandenberg, for whom the future base

would be named, was the current Chief of

Staff of the Air Force.

Camp Cooke had been used to house

German POWs during "THE WAR" and

when WW II ended, they were

repatriated home. They just nailed up the

whole base, so we spent more time

making the place livable than training.

We were told that we'd have to fill up all

the division's vacancies with several

thousand draftees and then hit the road

to Korea with a stop-over in Sendai,

Japan, where we would get some new

tanks and more training.

Well, my poor old mom decided this was

not the route for her son to take, so she

wrote to my company commander and

told him that I was only 16 and asked that

he send me home - - which he did. I

received an honorable discharge under

minority conditions in January 1951. I got

credit for my couple of years of Army

service.

From Soldier to AirmanFrom Soldier to Airmanone mans journeyone mans journey

Continued on PG 2

Editors Note: We occasionally feature

a bio of a senior member. This month

Murray LaHue, Major, USAF (Ret) has

graciously agreed to share his story

with us. Major LaHue enlisted with the

Army in 1949 as a young private and,

after a break in service, transitioned to

a fledging USAF, eventually becoming

a transportation officer. I think youll

find his story interesting.

PFC Murray LaHue Sep 1950

From Soldier to AirmanFrom Soldier to Airmanone mans journeyone mans journey

1 Apr 2014

The Air Force Years

I went to school and messed around at menial jobs for a year;

then in 1952, I realized that I missed the military life so I went

down to the AF recruiter and "re-upped" in the Air Force. I went

in as "prior service" so I retained my Army rank of PFC. The AF

still called us that and we wore our Army uniforms - blues were

only being issued to new recruits. I asked to go to March AFB,

which was only 50 miles from my home got it!!

When I got there, they told me that the Air Force didn't have a

large need for tank crewmen, but since I had a year of typing in

high school, I could go in as a clerk typist. I was assigned to the

base personnel office as a flunky clerk until about 6 months

later, they told me there was a need for a "chief clerk" in the

transportation division at HQ 15AF (just at the other end of the

base). So away I went. Great job and I worked with some really

fine people. Really gained an interest in what we were doing, so

after being their clerk for a bit over a year, they asked me to

cross-train into the freight traffic specialty (60251). That was my

initiation into the field of TRANSPORTATION.......

I served there the rest of my 4-year tour, making staff

sergeant. Decided once again to try the civilian world so I left

the AF in Jan 56. Went to college and worked some. Again, the

call of the military roared in my ears, so 5 months and 28 days

after separation, I again re-upped in the AF. Kept my staff

stripes and asked for an assignment in USAFE got it !!

HOW SOME EVER - when I was finally given my assignment, it

turned out to be to Wheelus AB, Tripoli, Libya. They told me

that Wheelus belonged to USAFE. OH WELL.....

Arrived in July 1956. I was told that nobody else wanted the job

so I would be appointed as the NCOIC of commercial

transportation. I got loads of experience and eventually married

a lovely Italian girl who worked in the American Express Bank

on base.

Came back in 1959 and luckily was able to wangle my way back

into the transportation division at HQ 15AF. In 1961, I applied

for AF OCS and got a spot in the April-September class. Tough

program started 175 students and after 26 weeks, only 114

were commissioned (including me). I asked for pilot or navigator

training but got turned down because of my eyes. I became

a transportation officer and was assigned to Westover AFB, MA,

with an en route stop at Sheppard AFB, TX to attend the basic

transportation officer course at the AF Transportation School.

History Note: Air Force OTS began at Medina Annex near

Lackland AFB, Texas, in 1959. The first OTS class (60-A) was

composed of 89 trainees, including 11 women. Its predecessor, the Officer Candidates School, was established in 1942 in Miami

Beach. OCS moved to Lackland in 1944 and closed its doors

with its last graduation in June 1963 (AF fact sheet edited).

On to Westover to learn that I would be the new motor pool

officer, and for a while concurrently the vehicle maintenance

officer. My boss felt I should have a "fully qualified staff officer"

AFSC and got it through personnel, so there I was a 2LT with a

fully qualified staff transportation officer AFSC. BAD MOVE !!

We soon learned that there was a big shortage of my type in a

place nobody had ever heard of: Vietnam. So, I was one of the

first bunch who went to Nam PCS rather than TDY. I ended up

as the commander of Det. 3, 8th Aerial Port Sq at Pleiku Airfield

(in the central highlands).

Great job except for the lack of equipment and trained

troops. My equipment was a 1951 weapons carrier with a

front-mounted winch and some wooden Johnson ("DJ") bars

and nine troops only four of whom were actual "transporters".

The other five were air police, cooks, supply clerks, etc., who

were given a 4-week course in air freight and sent on over. But

we all busted tails and did a great job. I had just pinned on my

1LT bars en route and my boss was in Saigon, so it was a real

learning experience for a junior officer.

After my year (1963), I went to Walker AFB, NM as the TMO

but shortly after my arrival, the squadron commander had

serious medical problems and was air evacuated to Lackland

hospital. I was the new commander of a squadron supporting

one of the largest single-wing SAC bases, plus an air division

HQ and a missile WG. Talk about your lions den!!!

I lucked out and did a good job so instead of replacing me, they

kept my in the position. Along came BRAC and Walker was

slated for closure. I can't begin to tell you of the problems

involved in closing a complete base, including the movement of

all of our BUFF" and KC-l35 equipment and all of the hundreds

of crew members to several other SAC bases - all within a 60

day period.

When the shut-down was almost complete, I received orders to

go to Andersen AFB, Guam as the motor pool officer. I held that

job for about 4 months and was then told that I was now the

TMO, a job I held for the remainder of my stay on Guam.

I went back to the states to a job at HQ 2AF at Barksdale AFB,

LA. I was the head cheese of the vehicle operations and

maintenance branch of the transportation division. By this time I

was a captain. A really challenging job. After a couple of years

there, I applied for a teaching job at the transportation school at

Sheppard AFB got it!!

Attended instructor course and then went back to work as a

teacher in the officer courses, but not for long. The branch chief

was transferred and as I had just pinned on major's leafs, I was

the new branch boss.

Continued on PG 3

Continued from PG 1

2

Shortly after, we got a call from the transportation guy at HQ

USAF personnel assignments and I was told that sometime

within the next year I'd be getting an assignment. Sure enough,

about 8 months later the call came - I was going to go to Korea

as the chief of transportation for an air division - 13 month

tour. My family and I kicked it around and I decided to retire

with 22 years of service.

I started my civilian career in real estate but received a call from

Northrop Corp. They wanted a transportation manager for their

Saudi Arabia program ("Peace Hawk"). Out of sight job - lots of

perks. I stayed in Saudi for a few years and then went back, to

work as the vehicle maintenance manager for the aircraft

division in Hawthorne, CA; then the traffic manager at the

stealth division in Pico Rivera, CA; then as manager of the

transportation division at the Newberry Park division. I retired

from Northrop on l July 1990 and moved to Oregon.

Continued from PG 2

1 Apr 2014 USAF Well Represented at AEMP Fleet Masters AwardsUSAF Well Represented at AEMP Fleet Masters Awards

The Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) Announces 2014 Fleet Masters Awards

submitted by Greg Morris, CMSgt (Ret/2T3)

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., March 5, 2014

/PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The Association of Equipment

Management Professionals (AEMP) announced the 2014 Fleet

Masters awards.

These awards are announced annually during AEMP's Annual

Meeting and Conference and are awarded to fleet management

teams that demonstrate exceptional skill in meeting the unique

challenge of fielding cost-effective mixed equipment fleets.

The fleets were chosen in three categories based on estimated

replacement value (ERV). The 2014 Fleet Masters are:

Sarasota County Fleet Services

U.S. Air Force Europe & Africa

York County, Virginia

L-R: Chief (Ret) Ron Erwin & SMSgt Mike Montano (USAFE/Africa), Chief (Ret) Greg Morris & Ms. Marsha Reisinger (Sarasota County)

Continued on PG 4

1 Apr

3

From Soldier to AirmanFrom Soldier to Airmanone mans journeyone mans journey

Maj (Ret) Murray & Margherita LaHue 2013

1 Apr 2014 USAF Well Represented at AEMP Fleet Masters AwardsUSAF Well Represented at AEMP Fleet Masters Awards

Under $10-million ERV - Award Winner: York County

Vehicle Maintenance Division

Responsible for the acquisition, maintenance, repair and

disposal of a number of assets, the York County VMD, York

County Virginia, recovers costs through several innovative

methods such as a burdened labor rate, markup on the cost of

diesel and gasoline, a percentage markup on parts and a

percentage markup on vendor charges.

In 2013, the VMD overhauled and implemented a new fleet

information management system to help keep track of nearly

1,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment. A deadline for data

entry on all existing equipment was pegged at three months.

The web based system helped turn the division into a paperless

facility and runs detailed reports, schedules shop activities and

employees.

The York County VMD also added telematics devices to many

of its assets and implemented a new vehicle location program to

monitor employee productivity, reduce fuel use and increase

safety.

$10-million to $100 million ERV - Award Winner: Sarasota

County Fleet Services

Located on the Florida Gulf Coast, this fleet and it's technicians

cover 563 square miles with 810 licensed vehicles and 708

off-road assets. It saved county taxpayers some $180,000 a

year by outsourcing parts to NAPA/IBS in 2011 while

maintaining an 85 percent parts availability.

Each asset in the county's fleet receives at least two preventive

maintenance services annually, more if meter values are

exceeded. Its technicians have developed a PM checklist that

has reduced repair and maintenance costs by three percent

each of the last three years.

Sarasota shares it's fuel contract with many other municipalities,

gaining them economies of scale and providing additional reve-

nue of $360,000 a year. The fleet's comprehensive fuel site

maintenance program has eliminated environmental fines and

garnered clear inspection records for the last nine years.

The county fleet services division employees 23 technicians,

two of which have been awarded the AEMP Technician of the

Year.

Two of its technicians are also ASE Masters and EVT Masters

and the unit has maintained the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence

since 2003. The team provides 24/7 support and 30 minute

response times for all emergencies and service calls.

Greater than $100-million ERV - Award Winner: United

States Air Forces Europe and Africa

The Command Vehicles Branch of the U.S. Air Forces Europe,

based out of Ramstein Air Base in Germany handles 7,500

vehicles in 42 locations and 35 countries over two continents.

Fleet value estimated at $700-million.

The group faced a 37 percent cut in funding due to the

government sequester last year. The CMB met this challenge

with a vehicle parking plan that helped local fleet managers

evaluate the risks of parking as many non-mission-critical

vehicles as possible. Oil, lube and filter services were extended

except when mileage warranted. The CMB also meets the

federal government's energy efficiency mandates with hybrid

and electrical technology and alternative fuels.

Web enabled databases allow fleet managers to monitor and

manage assets in far flung locations and eliminate expensive,

time-consuming telephone calls to update reports. Lifecycle

costs are closely tracked as is maintenance information, job

orders, parts and labor.

Training plays a big role in the CVB, giving uniformed and

civilian technicians and managers the skills they need to meet

the mission at hand, increase productivity and keep costs in

line. Outsourcing is carefully evaluated to insure that it serves

the best interests of the military and only when no other military

means are available to do the job.

Technicians are trained in customer service by asking them to

reflect on the times they have received poor service and

situations where they have received good service and then

asking them to keep those lessons in mind when dealing with

every customer and request.

Note: 2015 Fleet Masters Application

The award was changed from one private and one public fleet

this year. There is no longer one award for private and public

fleets both competing for the same awards based on the

following criteria.

Criteria: The Fleet Masters Award is presented to exceptional

equipment professionals who excel in meeting the unique

challenges inherent in cost-effective, efficient and effective

management of fleets that combine on- and off-road equipment.

The Award is open to all construction equipment fleets. Three

Awards will be given based on estimated fleet replacement

value (ERV): less than $10 million ERV; $10 - $100 million ERV;

and more than $100 million ERV.

Additional info can be found at: http://www.aemp.org/

Continued from PG 3

4

1 Apr 2014 AEMP Selects 2014 Technician of the Year AEMP Selects 2014 Technician of the Year

Air Force Master Sergeant, Combat Veteran, Named AEMP Technician of the Year by Tom Jackson / Mar 2, 2014

It takes a lot to keep a big fleet running, even more so under

enemy fire and on two continents.

But Master Sgt. James C. Thomas III has proven himself adept

at all these challenges and was named as the 2014 Technician

of the Year by the Association of Equipment Management

Professionals. Thomas received the award today at the AEMPs

Technician of the Year luncheon, held in conjunction with the

associations annual conference in Las Vegas.

It has been quite a year for the Air Force veteran.

Lifesaving instincts

In the first six months of 2013 Thomas was responsible for

sustaining 970 vehicles and German Air Force assets at

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Click arrow to watch...

This on and off-road equipment was used in construction and

tactical operations over two states and 52,000 square miles.

During that time Thomass detailed knowledge of the equipment

and quick thinking helped save the life of a lost hiker in the

White Sands Missile Range area. A remotely piloted Predator

drone had been sent in a search-and-rescue mission to find the

injured hiker, but when the specialized refueling vehicle broke

down on its way to the Predator, it looked like the hiker, by then

suffering from dehydration, might not survive.

Thomas realized he didnt have time to drive out into the desert

and inspect the refueling vehicle himself and decided instead to

walk the operators through a series of diagnostic steps over the

phone. The fueling crew and Thomas were able to identify the

problem (a dislodged fuel sensor), fix it and refuel in time for the

Predator to get airborne again and find the hiker.

In May, Holloman AFB was faced with a critical tire shortage

due to manufacturer recalls. Rather than use pressure tactics or

find a new supplier, Thomas quarantined the affected vehicles

and worked around mission parameters to establish a priority

list with the existing vendor. By partnering with his tire vendor

and finessing the problem, Thomas coordinated 133

replacements in only nine days in a remote area and prevented

any interruptions to aviation training and coalition military

research missions.

Mission critical readiness

In the second half of the year, June through December, Thomas

was deployed to

Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, where he was the premier

technician and leader of an elite 17-man armored vehicle repair

hub for NATO quick reaction forces. By pre-stocking key parts

and working tirelessly to expedite repairs, his team was able to

maintain a 91-percent in-commission rate, which is almost

unheard of in harsh combat conditions.

Thomas also led a 35-man maintenance team charged with

repairing Special Operations Mine Resistant Ambush Protected

(MRAP) vehicles.

His crews lightning fast battle-damage repairs and

field-expedient customizations enabled Special Operations

soldiers to move quickly and decisively over severe terrain

challenges and capture 49 high-value Taliban targets.

Maintenance at war

During his Air Force career, Thomas has completed four

deployments including multiple tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Continued on PG 6

Thad Pirtle, of Traylor Brothers and the 2015 chairman of AEMP, with the 2014 Technician of the Year, Air Force Master Sgt. James C. Thomas III. Early in his career, Pirtle was the second recipient of the Technician of the Year award

5

1 Apr 2014 AEMP Selects 2014 Technician of the Year AEMP Selects 2014 Technician of the Year

Maintenance at war (continued)

These included challenging missions such as 10 long-distance

replenishment convoys up to 13 days each that covered 10,390

miles of some of the most dangerous roads in the world. For

these efforts, Thomas earned the Army Commendation and

Achievement Medals and Army Mechanic Badgequite a feat

for an Air Force guy.

The vehicles he maintained were also able to avoid breakdowns

outside the wire, thanks to his strict pre-convoy vehicle

preparations. The convoys under his care were safer and more

effective thanks to Thomass and his crews ability to perform

hasty recoveries and contingency repairs during enemy attacks

on coalition forces.

Hybrid safety

To keep the soldiers in his shop up to date on the latest

technology and improve safety and readiness, Thomas lobbied

for and was given permission to bring in the first hybrid vehicle

technology and training course given on a stateside Air Force

base. The course enabled him and 17 of his technicians to earn

certification in this complex field.

Using what he learned in the hybrid course, Thomas developed

a first responder training curriculum for emergency personnel on

base and helped them procure and maintain the equipment

needed to extract people from hybrid vehicles after an accident.

Saving fuel

Thomas was instrumental in installing and maintaining 625

FuelMaster automotive information and management modules

at Holloman AFB, which eliminated fuel misuse, inadvertent

diesel-gasoline fill ups and saved the base at least $9,000 in tax

and fuel system repairs annually.

On the fuel savings front he also initiated an idle-time policy for

base fleet vehicles, going so far as to program idle limitations

directly into the vehicles on-board electronic control systems.

This is expected to save the base $18,000 annually.

Repair triage

Put in charge of inspecting 32 MRAP vehicles ($17 million in

assets) to be returned to the United States for repairs, Thomas

technical knowledge and field experience enabled him to

designate most as repairable in-country and save the

Department of Defense more than $200,000 in transport

charges. He repaired many of them himself.

In 2007 Thomas was charged with leading a multi-service repair

team in some of the most remote areas of Afghanistan.

Embedded in a Provincial Reconstruction Team, Thomas fixed

numerous vehicle problems with only rudimentary tools and

used his welding skills to help repair Afghan community infra-

structure.

Root cause analysis

When faced with the a series of failures on dump truck bed weld

joints in 2011, Thomas used his research skills and root cause

analysis to get to the bottom of the problem. After identifying the

cause, Thomas developed a solutionbuttressing the forward

bed joints. Repairs to 70 of these trucks world-wide averted

several military construction project stoppages, which could

have incurred more than $3-million in construction delays.

Editors Note: The AEMP Technician of the Year program is

open to companies and fleets of all sizes, public and private.

You do not need to be a member to apply. For more information

visit: www.aemp.org/people/technician-of-the-year.

Congratulations to all 2014 AEMP award winners for an

outstanding job!

Air Force vehicle management was well represented, including

the county level in Sarasota, Florida, at AEMPs Fleet Masters

awards and Technician of the Year award.

Truckin On

Master Sgt. James C. Thomas III accepts his award for AEMP 2014 Technician of the Year in Las Vegas

6

Driving & Cell Phones Dont Mix

1 Apr 2014

Distracted driving: 'I never thought it could happen to me'

by Senior Airman Alexis Siekert, 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published March 06, 2014

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS)

We all think, "That'll never happen to me." We've all read the

statistics and heard the slogan, "Distracted driving is deadly

driving" on the American Forces Network. But be honest, are

you always as attentive as you should be? I'll admit it here, now,

that I'm not.

Yes, I've taken my eyes off the road to change the radio station,

check my hair in the mirror or rummage around my purse for my

lip balm. And one of those very same everyday actions in the

wrong moment changed my perspective on how I operate my

vehicle. On this particular morning, it all started with the simple

act of locating my ID card. Twenty seconds later, my car was on

an entirely different road after flipping twice over a barrier. The

fact that I can type these words now is a miracle that is not lost

on me. My car was totaled. The caved in roof was only part of

the damage, yet I was able to walk away.

On the morning of my crash, I had plenty of time to get to work. I

wasn't speeding, and my mind wasn't on anything other than the

drive. As I got closer to the gate, I grabbed my wallet out of my

pocket to get my ID. In the moment it took me to look down to

make sure I had the right card, I veered off the road.

My tires screeched as I slammed on the breaks trying to correct

my direction. I was traveling more than 40 mph when I narrowly

missed oncoming traffic, took out a deer-crossing sign and two

road markers before falling into the ditch. I don't remember the

first turn, but I knew I was upside down the second time when I

could feel my weight being fully supported by my seatbelt. You

could hear the shattering of my windows and metal on concrete

just before I finally came to a stop.

I was very fortunate to walk away without a scratch, bump or

bruise. I attribute most of this to German engineering, my

seatbelt and a lot of luck. But I'm very aware that those three

factors didn't cancel out the fact that what I did was wrong. I

could have killed myself or someone else.

Now a week later, I am still trying to wrap my head around those

few seconds before my crash. But beyond the shattered glass

and the sirens of the police and ambulatory services, I knew that

I had to change the way I measured risks because I can't count

on being this lucky a second time.

I owed it to myself after the crash to write this story - not as a

public affairs Airman merely meeting a weekly quota or as a

recent survivor of an accident such as this doing community

service awareness - but as a simple word of advice to my fellow

Airmen.

This isn't a preachy "Don't do this" message--just a hope that no

one reading this ever has to go through what I went through.

So, to help arm as many people as I can with a few tips so they

don't repeat my mistake, here is a list of suggestions to make

your car ride a safer experience:

1. Have your needed ID card or relevant papers out of your

pocket and easily accessible before you start your vehicle.

I've seen people struggle to fish out items from their back

pocket while still operating a vehicle at top speeds. Some

may even have to unbuckle their seatbelt to get something,

whereas mine saved my life.

2. Have a passenger change the radio or get the IDs from

other passengers in the car. In my car, the guy riding shot-

gun is the navigator and copilot who deals with the GPS

and changes the songs -- so long as they agree to the sta-

tions I want to listen to.

3. I may not have been on the phone, but I think of how it only

took one second of my eyes off the road to cause all this

damage; accepting a phone call or reading a text could be

just as dangerous.

4. If you forgot to do all of these things, at least wait until you

are stopped before performing anything distracting. If you

do get an important phone call or have to find something,

just pull over.

Whatever it is, it is not worth your life. These tips seem very

basic, but still I took a risk in skipping one or two, and part of my

morning routine included a visit to a hospital. Perhaps you're

like me and hadn't fully thought about these potential risks, but I

hope none of you repeat my mistake.

Editors Note: According to NHTSA, distracted driving is a

dangerous epidemic on America's roadways. In 2012 alone,

3,328 were killed in distracted driving crashes. See the following

website for a full report: http://www.distraction.gov/

The wreckage of one Airmans vehicle rests on the access road near the

Spangdahlem Main Gate after a distracted driving accident Feb 19, 2014.

Leadership from the 52nd Fighter Wing is working to eliminate the large number

of distracted driving incidents here. (U.S. air Force photo/Senior Airman Alexis

Siekert)

7

1 Apr 2014

Mobsters Car Becomes Presidents Limo

President Roosevelt Used to Ride Around in Al Capones Limousine submitted by George McElwain, CMSgt (Ret/472) source: http://forgottenhistoryblog.com/president-roosevelt-used-to-ride-around-in-al-capones-limousine/

Hours after Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Secret

Service found themselves in a bind. President Franklin D

Roosevelt was to give his infamy speech to Congress the next

day, and although the trip from the White House to Capitol Hill

was short, agents werent sure how to transport him safely.

The White House did already have a specially built limousine for

the president that he regularly used, it wasnt bulletproof, and

the Secret Service realized this could be a major problem now

that the country was at war. FDRs speech was to take place at

noon December 8th, and time was running out. They had to

procure an armored car, and fast.

Above: Al Capones armored Cadillac There was one slight

problem. US government rules at the time restricted the

purchase of any vehicle that cost more than $750 ($10,455 in

todays dollars). It was pretty obvious that they werent going to

get an armored car that cheap, and certainly not in less than a

day.

One Secret Service agent was a quick thinker. The federal

government did already have in its possession a car that just

might fit the bill: Al Capones, which had been sitting in a

Treasury Department parking lot ever since it had been seized

from the infamous mobster during the IRS tax evasion suit

years earlier.

Capones car was a sight to behold. It had been painted black

and green so as to look identical to Chicagos police cars at the

time.

It also had a specially installed siren and flashing lights hidden

behind the grille, along with a police scanner radio. To top it off,

the gangsters 1928 Cadillac 341A Town Sedan had 3,000

pounds of armor and inch-thick bulletproof windows. Mechanics

are said to have cleaned and checked each feature of the

Caddy well into the night of December 7th, to make sure that it

would run properly the next day for the Commander in Chief.

And run properly it did. The car apparently preformed perfectly

so perfectly that Roosevelt kept using it at least until his old car

could be fitted with identical features (and to this day,

Presidential limousines have flashing police lights hidden behind

their grilles).

Above: FDR in his limousine convertible, before and after bulletproof glass and armor was installed.

The old car was a 1939 Lincoln V12 Convertible built by Ford

(and affectionately nicknamed the Sunshine Special,

supposedly because FDR liked to enjoy the sun while riding

around with the top down hardly safe, although the use of

presidential convertibles was not eliminated until after JFKs

assassination).

Roosevelt was apparently so enamored with his convertible

however that he had it bullet-proofed. The Lincoln was now

undoubtedly worth more than $750, so the White House got

around the spending cap regulation by making a special

arrangement to lease it from Ford at the rate of $500 per year.

When he was told his cars origin (probably on December 8th as

he rode to Capitol Hill), Roosevelt reportedly quipped, I hope

Mr. Capone wont mind.

8

1 Apr 2014

veTerans job news

DMV Introduces Troops to Trucks Program

submitted by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)

Air Force News

from California Department of Motor Vehicles

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. The California

Department of Motor Vehicles is pleased to announce the

availability of a new program, Troops to Trucks, aimed at

streamlining the commercial driver license application process by

eliminating the road skills driving test requirement.

A commercial driver license is required in California to operate

large trucks and buses. To obtain a CDL, the applicant must be at

least 18 years of age and pass a commercial medical

examination, a vision examination, applicable knowledge (written)

tests, and the road skills driving test.

Under the Troops to Trucks program, CDL applicants will not

have to take the road skills driving test.

Recent state and federal law changes allow the DMV to waive

the road skills driving test for qualified military personnel (two or

more years of military, heavy truck driving experience) applying

for a California CDL.

For more details on this program or how to obtain a CDL, visit the

California DMV website at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/military/

troops_to_trucks.htm or http://www.dmv.ca.gov and search

keyword "troops."

Editors Comments: A number of states now support this

program. Check with your local DMV to see if your state

participates.

Elio is Here!Elio is Here!Elio is Here!

Look at whats being built at Shreveports old GM plant!

submitted by Greg Morris, CMSgt (Ret/2T3)

For more information go to www.eliomotors.com

9

Air Force warrant officers an extinct breed

submitted by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)

This subject is a departure from what we typically write about,

but I wanted to do the article for two reasons. One, the Air

Force no longer has warrant officers and I suspect there are

many among us, particularly younger active duty members, who

dont know they ever existed; theyre lost to history.

The second reason is because we transporters hold the

distinction of having the last warrant officer on active duty.

CWO4 James H. Long retired from the 438th Transportation

Squadron at McGuire AFB, NJ in 1980, and the Air Force said

good-bye to its last active duty warrant officer.

Brief History

The USAF inherited warrant officer ranks from the U.S. Army at

its inception in 1947, but their place in the Air Force structure

was never made clear.

When Congress authorized the creation of two new senior

enlisted ranks in 1958, Air Force officials privately concluded

that these two new "super grades" could fill all Air Force needs

then performed at the warrant officer level, although this was

not publicly acknowledged until years later.

The Air Force stopped appointing warrant officers in 1959, the

same year the first promotions were made to the new top

enlisted grade, Chief Master Sergeant.

Most of the existing Air Force warrant officers entered the

commissioned officer ranks during the 1960s, but tiny numbers

continued to exist for the next 21 years.

The last Air Force Reserve warrant officer, CWO4 Bobby F.

Barrow, retired in 1992 from Tyndall AFB, FL after more than

40 years of active and reserve duty. CWO Barrow was assigned

to what was then known as Air Force Civil Engineering Support

Agency (AFCESA), now the Air Force Civil Engineering Center

(AFCEC).

The W-5 grade was authorized by Congress for use by the Air

Force along with the other armed forces, but was never used.

Upon his retirement, Barrow was promoted to the honorary

rank of CWO5, the only person in the Air Force ever to hold

this grade. He died in April 2008.

Since then, the U.S. Air Force warrant officer ranks, while still

authorized by law, are not used.

Theres an article that details the history of warrant officers in

Air Force Magazine, Nov 1991, by Bruce Callander called, The

In-Betweeners. http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/

Pages/1991/November%201991/1191between.aspx

CWO-4 Bobby F. Barrow

Air Force Warrant Officer Insignia

WO1 CWO2 CWO3 CWO4 CWO5

SSALUTEALUTE ANDAND CCALLALL MMEE MMISTERISTER..

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General Robert E. Huyser, commander, Military Airlift Command,

congratulates CHIEF Warrant Officer James H. Long upon his

retirement. Long, who served more than 29 years with the armed forces,

is the last warrant officer in the US Air Force, 07/31/1980

(National Archives).

1 Apr 2014

Hot Rods & Cool CarsHot Rods & Cool Cars

1 Apr 2014

Velocity TVVelocity TVVelocity TV

submitted by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)

Ill readily admit that Im a late comer to this TV network. I

suspect many of you gearheads have already been watching

for a while. But for those who havent, find it on your local

listings and tune in. They feature everything from drag racing to

classic cars.

History

According to Wikipedia, The channel launched nationwide in

the United States on June 17, 2002 as Discovery HD Theater.

The channel was rebranded to HD Theater on September 22,

2007 because Discovery Communications launched HD

simulcasts of some of its other channels including Animal

Planet, Discovery Channel, Science and TLC.

Discovery Communications announced Velocity on April 14,

2011 then, on October 4, 2011, HD Theater was taken off the

air and Velocity began broadcasting with its focus on

programming involving high-end automobiles, sports shows,

and other male targeted programming.

Lineup

Here are just a few of the shows in the weekly lineup and a

synopsis of each one:

AmeriCarna

From the inception of American racing at the turn of 20th

century, to the Woody wagons that defined California culture in

the 50s and 60s, to the infamous drag strips of the 70s,

automotive history has left an indelible imprint on the American

experience.

AMERICARNA lifts the hood on legendary four-wheeled

treasures that continue to have a profound influence on our

cultural DNA. AMERICARNA is an all-access pass into

America's garage.

Graveyard Carz

Join the crew on Graveyard

Carz as they take wrecked

muscle cars and restore them

to assembly line condition.

Seriously, these cars need to

be completely resurrected.

They cant let these classics

go to the junkyard. Theres too much beauty and a quality

Detroit automobile to let them go to rust.

Overhaulin

Renowned design expert Chip Foose returns with

OVERHAULIN' -- featuring his most amazing and imaginative

automotive builds yet. The restoration projects feature

deserving individuals ranging from returning veterans to those

negatively impacted by the tough economy. Each altered auto

becomes a life-changing surprise for its unknowing owner.

Chasing Classic Cars

Hosted by renowned collector car archeologist, Wayne Carini,

CHASING CLASSIC CARS welcomes viewers into the elite

world of high-end car collection, as Wayne finds, buys, restores

and sells some of the finest and most unique vehicles ever

manufactured.

Check out the website for more on these shows and others:

http://www.velocity.com/

Click on the image above for a sample of AmeriCarna

11

aF jargon.pasT & presenT

1 Apr 2014

What did you say?

by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)

The military has its own unique language and each branch has

its own exclusive terms, acronyms, and slang. It even trickles

down to specific career fields. Familiar military terms such as

barracks, latrine, fatigues, and mess/chow hall are no longer in

regular use, at least not in the Air Force.

I like languages and history, so I was thinking about this and

tried to develop a list of these expressions as they apply to

vehicle operations and maintenance.

Furthermore, I wanted to focus on the ones that have evolved

over the years since I enlisted in the 1960s. In other words,

what terms/acronyms did we use back then that are no longer

part of the everyday Air Force vernacular, and what are these

terms/acronyms now?

There are a couple of references that cover this subject, one is

official and the other is not. The official publication is JP1-02,

Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and

Associated Terms. This is a joint publication and applies to all

DoD components.

The unofficial one is from Uncyclopedia at the following website:

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Air_Force_Slang. Some

of the terms/acronyms listed here are humorous and even

vulgar, but theyre real. Many have to do with aircraft specialties

while others cross career field boundaries. Its fun to scan

through it.

A few from this website jogged my memory, but most of the

terms/acronyms on my list are ones that I remember and used

regularly, although Im sure Ive only scratched the surface.

Note: Some of the current terms listed here have actually been

in use for years; thats why I didnt use the word new to

describe them.

Editors Note: As I said, this list is far from complete. If

anyone can add to it, please send me your terms/acronyms.

Well do a follow-up article if we receive sufficient input.

Old Term: General PurposeNo longer a work center; term

still in use, but describes class of vehicle. Note: Willys claims

to have coined the word jeep by slurring the initials GP

Current Term: Vehicle/Vehicular Equipment Maintenance

Old Term: Minor Maintenance No longer a work center;

term is still used, but describes a level of maintenance

Current Term: Customer Service Center (CSC)

Old Term: Serv-O-Plate

Current Term: VIL Key (Vehicle Identification Link)

Old Term: Motor Pool (informal)

Current Term: Vehicle Operations

Old Term: NORS Not Operationally Ready Supply

Current Term: MICAP Mission Impaired Capability

Awaiting Parts

Old Term: R & A Reports & Analysis

Old Term: MC & A Maintenance Control & Analysis

Current Term: VM & A Vehicle Management & Analysis

Note: Name changed with merger of fleet management

Old Term: Regulation

Current Term: Instruction

Changed in the early 90s with AF restructuring

Old Term: Salvage (informal)

Current Term: DRMO Defense Reutilization & Marketing

Office

Old Term: Transportation SQ Note: Prior to Oct 1956,

Transportation SQs were known as Motor Vehicle SQs

Current Term: Logistics Readiness SQ (LRS) Note:

Transportation officially merged with Supply in 2002

Old Term: TWX Pronounced TWIX. Acronym for

teletypewriter exchange.

Current Term: Message or Email

Old Terms: VDM, VDP, VOC Vehicle Deadlined for

Maintenance, Parts, and Vehicle Out of Commission

Current Terms: NMCM, NMCS, NMC Non Mission

Capable Maintenance, Supply, and Non Mission Capable

Note: Adopted aircraft terminology

Old Terms: VIMS and Short VIMS

Current Term: OLVIMS (definitely not new)

Old Term: WRAMAWarner Robins Air Materiel Area

Current Term: WR-ALCWarner Robins Air Logistics

Center

12