Week in Photos, Nov. 16, 2012

Filed under Air Force by on November 16, 2012 at 3:20 pm {2 comments}

By Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick
Air Force Public Affairs Agency

From remembering the fallen to honoring the deployed, this Week in Photos is nothing if not dignified.

PHOTO: Tech. Sgt. Sara Bauer and Staff Sgt. Felipe Mendoza help each other place flags above the graves of deceased U.S. military members at the Veterans Memorial Park, Bluffdale, Utah, Nov. 9, 2012. A group of volunteers from Hill Air Force Base helped the Memorial Park’s staff place flags by over 4,300 deceased U.S. military members’ graves. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tiffany DeNault)

What independence means to me

Filed under Air Force by on July 3, 2012 at 2:33 pm {12 comments}

By Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick
Air Force Public Affairs Agency

7/3/12 — In a few days, we, as Americans, will celebrate one of the most, if not the most, important date for the U.S. — our Independence Day.

As I figure out what I’ll be doing this Fourth of July, I also want to make sure I take the time to reflect on this most reverent of days.

What does Independence Day represent to me?

I mean, we’ve all been taught in school what led to our independence and how we achieved it, but what does it really stand for?

For me, Independence Day is more than just a day America gained its freedom. I learned from my Grandpa Randall, who loved to research our family heritage, that my family is deeply rooted in American soil.

The Randall side of the family emigrated from England on one of the first boats to the U.S. Our family is related to President Ulysses S. Grant, and one of our ancestors fought alongside President George Washington in Valley Forge. My family settled and fought for America’s independence, and for me, it’s pretty inspiring to know I have those roots.

However, that’s the beauty of being an American. It doesn’t matter if your roots are 236 years old or just a few days, we can all take pride in America and celebrate its independence.

One of the main reasons I joined the Air Force was to follow in my father’s footsteps and serve my country — to earn my place next to those who have served before.

While it’s not always fun or easy being in the military, I enjoy living the Air Force way of life. It’s truly amazing to know I’m a part of something bigger than myself.

For those times when life seems difficult, I think on my family and friends. Those are the people who get me through the hard days. Those are the faces I brought to mind while downrange recently. Those are the people whose lives I personally protect while in service to America, so that July 4th will always remain their Independence Day.

This Independence Day, I want to remember those who paid the sacrifice for America to gain her freedom. While we enjoy the company of our family and friends this Fourth of July, we should remember our nation was built on blood, sweat and tears.

Blood: The blood of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for America’s freedom, such as Army Private 1st Class James Arnold, who was killed in the Vietnam War. Though I didn’t personally know Arnold, as I reflect on the reason his name is on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., I am truly grateful and indebted to him for his sacrifice to this great country.

Sweat: The sweat of those who have worked hard to make America what it is today, such as the immigrants who toiled and labored to become citizens, or the settlers who moved west to create a life for themselves.

Tears: The tears of those who mourn for the ones lost to gain America’s freedom, such as the family of Capt. Francis Imlay, who recently paid the ultimate price during Operation Enduring Freedom. Again, I didn’t know Imlay, but I sympathize with his family and the families of the more than 6,000 military members who have died during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. I am thankful for all they gave to help keep America free.

So, enjoy the fireworks, enjoy the food, enjoy the company, but also remember to enjoy the independence and freedom we have and take the time to reflect on what those two words mean to you.

On this Independence Day, remember we have freedom at its finest, but not without a price.

Photo: The American Flag is flown over Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 9, 2011. The flag represents America’s freedom and the many military members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for U.S. independence. Americans will celebrate 236 years of freedom July 4, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick)

Importance of ‘Flag Day’

Filed under Air Force by on June 15, 2012 at 4:40 pm {3 comments}

 

 Airmen preform a flag raisingBy Retired Chief Master Sgt. Scott Hubbartt
51st Fighter Wing

Each year, Americans can enjoy four special days set aside specifically to honor our veterans and comrades in arms. Sadly, too many of us often overlook these opportunities to pay our respect and recognize the sacrifice and service of these individuals. These four days are intended to, in some small way, express the sentiments of a grateful nation. So what does it say of us when we forget, overlook, or simply brush aside the opportunity to honor the best among us?

I understand that today our lives are more complicated and busier than ever. We have so much going on in our lives these days; school getting out, visiting relatives, graduations, and any number of other competing priorities. I hope each of us were able to honor all our heroes last November on Veteran’s Day. But what about the other days?

It’s perhaps easy to seek and find forgiveness for not making it out to a veteran’s cemetery last Memorial Day Monday. After all, who of us is not grateful for a day off or for a chance to sleep in, fire up the grill, catch a new summer blockbuster, and recharge our batteries?

Beginning during the Civil War, and originally called Decoration Day, this special day, now called Memorial Day, was set aside to recognize the nation’s war dead by decorating their graves. In nearly every community in America you can find, in small and large cemeteries, the final resting place of our veterans. Additionally there are over 120 national cemeteries as well as at least 80 state and territorial veteran’s cemeteries. Somewhere near each of us rests a veteran hero who answered the call and paid the ultimate price. So, I ask you, how difficult is it really to pack up the kids and drive out to the local cemetery and pay our respect? Perhaps you did just that last Monday, and if you did I thank you. If not, do so soon. Our fallen brethren won’t mind a bit if you visit their marker any day of the year.

And what about Armed Forces Day? Who even knows what that is all about anyway? In 1950, President Harry S. Truman spearheaded efforts to set aside a single holiday when Americans could gather and collectively thank our military personnel for their service to the nation. Okay. I’ll grant that there is a generous outpouring of support and gratitude from most Americans that range from hanging yellow ribbons to bumper stickers and welcome home parades for returning troops. I understand.

Then there is that fourth special day, June 14th, set aside to honor another veteran – a faithful comrade who has accompanied each of us – every service member before us, to battlefields and stations in virtually every corner of the globe. For more than two centuries this veteran has always been there with us – always faithful and this vet is always ready for a parade. Our friend was there out at the cemetery last Monday when we were too busy. Not to fret, he was present and accounted for standing tall on Armed Forces Day as well. In fact our friend is always there, and in fact, often overlooked and taken for granted.

Of course I am speaking of Old Glory, our flag. Always faithful and decked out in full glorious parade dress uniform! Our friend has guided and comforted countless numbers of our comrades in arms through the best and the worst of times. No doubt each of us can recall an example of our friend being present which might evoke strong emotions in each of us – perhaps in a parade, at a funeral for a loved one, on the battlefield, on the tail of a plane, or over an embassy in a foreign land. Our friend is always there and loves to be on parade! So, I ask you, on June 14, on Flag Day, hoist Old Glory up, salute, and give our good friend the respect and recognition he deserves.

Photo: U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Royval, left, Master Sgt. Vince Muskiet and Master Sgt. Jeff Thornsberry raise the U.S. flag Feb. 27, 2012, at the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport, Ariz., while Master Sgt. James Mulcahey salutes. Even if the national anthem isn’t played, Airmen must stop and salute if they see this ceremony occurring on base and drivers must pull over and stop until it’s completed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Gabe Johnson)

Honoring our heroes

Filed under Air Force, Heroes by on May 24, 2012 at 9:15 am {2 comments}

By Maj. Gen. Darren W. McDew
Air Force District of Washington Commander

In the National Capital Region, you do not have to look far to find monuments honoring our heroic Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have paid the ultimate price in defense of our great Nation.

Maj. Gen. Darren W. McDew

This weekend, Americans will visit the memorials and cemeteries in Washington D.C. and throughout the U.S., as well as in Europe and the Pacific, to honor the hundreds of thousand fallen service members who have given their lives for our country and our freedom.

Many will remember grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles who served in World War I and World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the first Gulf War. Many more will pay tribute to husbands, wives, sons and daughters who recently lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Think about that … memorials and military cemeteries spread across this nation and throughout the world. The VA’s National Cemetery Administration maintains approximately 3.1 million gravesites at 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and U.S. territories, as well as in 33 “soldiers’ lots” and monument sites. The American Battle Monuments Commission manages 24 overseas military cemeteries, and 25 memorials, monuments and markers to honor those who served in World War I or World War II. The overseas locations memorialize more than 218,000 Americans with nearly 125,000 gravesites, and commemorate an additional 94,000 on “Tablets of the Missing.”

In Arlington National Cemetery, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment Soldiers (The Old Guard), U.S. Marine Corps Ceremonial and Guard Company Marines, U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guardsmen, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard members and U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard members will place more than 250,000 grave decorating flags. The flags will remain through Memorial Day.

The numbers are staggering, but they do not account for thousands more buried in state veterans’ cemeteries throughout the country.

The numbers also tell a story. These heroes hailed from every town and city in America. They came from every walk of life – young men and women straight out of high school and college to farmers, policemen, teachers, doctors, lawyers – you name it. Their ethnic backgrounds are equally as diverse. But they all had one thing in common – they served our nation during times of peace and war. They served as shields for America to keep war from reaching our front door. Unfortunately, too many lost their lives in foreign lands never to see their families again.

Today, we are faced with the grim reality that the number of fatalities since we began operations in Afghanistan and Iraq is up to more than 6,400. Every one of those losses is a loss to our nation, a loss to our military, and, most importantly, a loss to the families who grieve.

On this Memorial Day, at 3 p.m., wherever you are, I encourage you to pause and participate in the National Moment of Remembrance established by Congress. This is a moment of reflection and an opportunity to demonstrate our gratitude for our fallen warriors.

On Memorial Day and every day, let’s continue to make sure our heroes are never forgotten.

I thank you for your service and wish you a safe holiday weekend.

Remembering Arlington Airmen

Surviving rape: A mother’s perspective

Filed under Air Force by on May 17, 2012 at 3:42 pm {one comment}

Portrait of a sexual assault - The woman depicted is not the one mentioned in the articleBy Sharon Kingsley
Air Force Special Operations Command

It began with the phone ringing at 5 a.m., which is never a good time for a phone call.

It was my 18-year-old daughter sobbing, saying she was at the police station. I asked her what she had done (not my best parenting moment).

Then, she said she had been raped, and my heart stopped.

I told her that she was not a victim, and, by going to the police, she had taken her power back. I asked if she had been hurt as well, and she said no. She had to go because the police were going to take her to the hospital for a rape exam.

I wanted to wrap her in my arms, but she was in college at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., and I was in Springfield, Va., where we were stationed. My husband was TDY to Montgomery, Ala., so we were all spread out. I had to call my husband and let him know what had happened to our baby girl, a very hard thing for any dad to hear. He made arrangements to leave the conference he was attending, rent a car and drive to Tallahassee to help our daughter.

I talked to her several times that day and got most of the story from her. She had just started working at a coffee shop and bar across the street from the university. She had never been a waitress before, so she was making mistakes.

During her third day at work, her boss took “pity” and offered her a shot of alcohol to help her relax. Let me state again, she was only 18. She ended up drinking several shots during her shift and was pretty drunk by the time the bar closed.

Taking advantage, her boss raped her in a back room at the bar and then drove her home.

My daughter was distraught and didn’t know what to do. She went to a common room in her dorm that was empty and called her best friend, a boy who lived on the same floor of her dorm. He immediately rushed to her, and my daughter shared the whole story with him. Her friend urged her to report this to the police. They woke her roommates to let them know what had happened. My daughter just wanted to crawl into her bed and hide.

Her two roommates, while well-intentioned, hugged her and told her she didn’t have to go to the police.

But her best friend steadfastly insisted, “You have to go, and we will go with you and support you.”

That was a very long and hard day for my daughter. She called me to let me know what had happened. Children are often afraid to let their parents know about an assault, partly because they don’t want the parents to be disappointed in their behavior.

Just because my daughter drank too much doesn’t make her responsible for the rape.

She told the police her story; she went to the hospital and was thoroughly examined. She went back to her dorm room with her friends, and her dad met her there. We arranged for her to fly home with her father for four days. We all needed her home to take care of her and to see for ourselves that she was going to be okay. Then, my brave little girl returned to school and finished the semester.

The next year and a half was an emotional roller coaster. She did well in school initially but was an emotional wreck. She went to see a counselor, which helped her a lot.

However, she still had bad moments. In the beginning, she blamed herself. She felt guilty about drinking and losing control of the situation. My husband and I kept telling her we were proud of her and that she was smart and strong. It took her a long time to believe us. Eventually, she understood that what he did to her was wrong. “While I was stupid, he was criminal,” she told me.

At first, the legal process also contributed to her stress. She had to tell her account over and over again to the police, to the state attorney, to the counselor and in a deposition to the defense. After being scheduled four times, we finally went to trial after a year and a half. The trial lasted two days, and her attacker was found guilty and eventually sentenced to 15 years in jail.

After the trial was over, our beautiful, happy daughter was back! The stress of the legal process was worth it. It was a huge relief for her. Now, she has graduated college, has a career and a boyfriend she loves. She has been able to move past the events of five years ago, and lives a happy and fulfilled life.

In the years since this happened to my daughter, my eyes have been opened about how frequently assaults happen and, even more tragically, how frequently they are not reported. Women are ashamed, or afraid of not being believed, or not wanting to get someone into trouble. I know how hard it was for my daughter to tell anybody what had happened. She said, because she told her friend what happened, she had support to do what needed to be done. Once she had gone to the police, it was easier to tell us.

She told me that if she had not told anyone she would not have been able to get over it. After the rape first happened, she blamed herself. Her inner voice was telling her she was stupid, weak, wrong and bad. Between her friends, family and counselor, we were able to eventually drown out her negative inner voice and help her see herself as the strong, capable and smart woman that she is.

If someone you know tells you they were raped, help them report it to the proper authorities. If you are the loved one of someone who has been raped, support them, love them and help them realize that they are not victims. They can choose to take their power back by reporting what happened.

I think the main reason my daughter was able to heal from this is that she told someone.

Once she told her friend, he believed her. That gave her strength to tell her roommates; they believed her too. She was then, with her friends’ support, able to tell the police, and they believed her. She called her family, and we believed her. I believe that because the people that mattered to her believed her, she was able to take action against the attacker and heal from the rape.

If you have been raped, then tell someone you trust. You need love and support as you go through the process of reporting what happened.

My daughter felt guilty at first because she accepted so many drinks from her boss, but she eventually came to realize that he was at fault, because no one deserves to be raped. Ever.

For more information about reporting a sexual assault case, visit the Air Force Personnel Center’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator website.

(Editor’s note: Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs received permission from Brig. Gen. Michael and Sharon Kingsley’s daughter to publish her story.)

 

Photo: The woman depicted in this illustration isn’t the woman mentioned in this article. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Airman 1st Class Corey Hook)

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