Top Five Air Force Stories for Jan. 6, 2012

Today's stories include:

First Transit Center commander reflects on decade of change 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123284408

Air Force maintenance icon dies 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123285302

Air Force Year in Photos 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123285268

Rules restrict political activity by DOD personnel 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123285244

USO helps connect families through reading 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123285234



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America's Air Force... Integrity, Service, Excellence



First Transit Center commander reflects on decade of change

by Master Sgt. Cindy Dorfner
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan (AFNS) -- Even in his wildest dreams, he never could have envisioned what he started 10 years ago would turn into what he sees now. But when the Transit Center's first commander, then-Brig. Gen. Chris Kelly, landed on Runway 08 at the Manas International Airport on Dec. 16, 2001, he saw potential of what this place could, and should, become.

"To say that things are very different now would be an understatement," said the now-retired lieutenant general, who visited Kyrgyzstan recently to attend a ceremony recognizing the Transit Center's 10-year existence and the enduring partnership between the U.S. and the Kyrgyz Republic.

For example, the 1,500-acres that make up the Transit Center today was once a 33-acre area with only five buildings.

In the short months after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the installation was established as a hub for combat operations. Kelly's guidance was to create a wing that would eventually host five different types of aircraft: French Mirages, F-15Es and F/A-18s to support ground operations, and KC-135s and C-130s to provide aerial refueling and passenger and cargo transportation.

Upon arrival that winter day at Manas International Airport, Kelly and his team set about the task of building the support structures to enable the flying mission.

"I took a look around the airfield in order to understand the tasks my team would have to accomplish before we could begin operations," Kelly said. "With the help of many Kyrgyz partners, we were able to quickly prepare to accept aircraft and begin operations."

As the years passed, the purpose of the Transit Center has also evolved. The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing now hosts approximately 1,300 military personnel as well as nearly 900 U.S. and host-nation contractor personnel performing day-to-day operations in direct support of international efforts in Afghanistan. The wing's around-the-clock missions include aerial refueling, airlift, movement of troops to and from Afghanistan, and strengthening the partnership with the Kyrgyz Republic.

The partnership piece is something Kelly noted during his first meeting with the U.S. Embassy's Charge D'Affairs the day he arrived in country.

"Soon after our arrival, Ambassador John O'Keefe made it clear that he expected our U.S. and allied forces to play a role in supporting the local communities on a voluntary basis," he said. "I'll be the first person to tell you that that concept was not one of my primary focuses. But after some thought, I also knew that the ambassador was absolutely correct -- and I think the record of the past 10 years speaks for itself in this regard.

"From blackboards in Naryn to coats in Issyk-Kul to clinic and school renovations right here in the Bishkek area, more than 100 humanitarian projects in all, the Liberandos have delivered more than $4 million in assistance to the Kyrgyz people," Kelly said. "And it is not just brick-and-mortar help that have been delivered."

He noted that in the past year alone, Transit Center personnel have hosted or taken part in almost 80 security cooperation activities; volunteered more than 10,000 hours to community service; and partnered with the Ministries of Health, Education, Emergency Services, local mayors and school officials to identify and implement humanitarian assistance projects and community outreach programs.

During his visit, Kelly saw first-hand the results of the community support he once only envisioned. Stopping at the Razdolnoya Kindergarten, he saw the school's $295,000 renovations, including a new roof, floors, electrical and lighting systems and gymnasium, as well as an upgraded heating system.

Today, when talking with Kyrgyz citizens, many still refer to the Transit Center as Ganci Air Base -- a name his team first attached to the operations at Manas International Airport.

The general was in Manas for about three weeks when a couple of young officers approached him about naming the installation. He knew by their question that they had an unofficial name in mind: Ganci. The name was emblematic for the victims of the attacks on 9/11. Peter Ganci, the chief of the New York City Fire Department, died while attempting to rescue people during the terrorist attacks that day. Kelly thought the name was a great idea, but knew he needed the permission of Ganci's family. So, he tasked the officers with finding a connection and they did. Soon, Kelly called Ganci's brother, Dan, a colonel at Fort Hamilton Army Reserve Base in New York. Dan talked to Ganci's son, Pete Jr., who talked to his mom and she said yes. The rest, as they say, is history.

During his visit, Kelly also reflected on the enormity of the changes elsewhere on the airfield.

"The physical changes in the facilities that I have seen since my arrival are not only apparent, but somewhat hard to believe," Kelly said. "The 33-acre tent city that we erected on a snow-covered field is long gone. The area we called the 'compound' is nothing but a memory. Where once was an empty field, there is now a modern strategic parking ramp, large enough for more than a dozen cargo aircraft.

"In the next few months there will be even more dramatic improvements, including an upgraded runway and a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower and air traffic management system," he said. "These improvements will increase efficiency and safety for all air traffic in Kyrgyzstan."

While Kelly remarked about all that had changed, he found one important item remained unaffected by the passage of time.

"You don't have to be here long to know that something very, very special has endured," the general said. "A decade later, the people of the Kyrgyz Republic and the people of the United States know that along with our other coalition partners, we stand together against those who promote and participate in international terrorism. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a very noble cause."

Air Force maintenance icon dies

by Danny Monahan
377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- Retired Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez died Dec. 30 in Albuquerque, N.M., at age 79.

Throughout his 33-year career, Marquez is credited with revolutionizing the maintenance and logistics career field.

"In my many encounters with General Leo Marquez, he always lived up to his reputation as being one of those guys who just comes right at the issue," said Col. Walter Lindsley, the 498th Nuclear Systems Wing commander. "You could tell as you spoke with him that he was weighing your words, and he was thinking about the issues, and you were about to benefit from his sage advice.

"He was a man of action, a fighter, a patriot," Lindsley continued. "He loved the maintenance and logistics community, the Air Force and his country."

Today, an Air Force award bears his name. The Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award recognizes military and civil service aircraft, munitions and missile maintenance personnel who perform hands-on maintenance or manage a maintenance function.

"He is and will always be an icon in the maintenance and logistics community because of his ability to see the problem and cut right to the issue," said Lindsley, a Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award recipient. "He's responsible for the Air Force Combat Ammunition Center, our world-class munitions school, and had a hand in the very badge maintainers wear above their left pocket. We have an award named after him that is coveted by maintainers at all levels. His is a lasting legacy and a reminder of the difference one person can make."

The AFCOMAC building at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., was dedicated as the "Marquez Academic Hall" in his honor in 2011.

Marquez is also credited for being instrumental in keeping Kirtland Air Force Base operational after it had been placed on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission list in 1995. That year, the Kirtland AFB Retention Task Force said that without his time and professional expertise, the effort to keep Kirtland AFB from closing would not have been possible.

Marquez was born in Peralta, N.M., in 1932 and graduated from Belen High School in 1949. He entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant in November 1954 when he earned a commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduation from New Mexico State University. In 1978, NMSU named Marquez a distinguished alumnus.

Early in his Air Force career, he was an interceptor pilot, flying F-86s and F-102s. In 1962, Marquez became a maintenance officer and served in a variety of maintenance roles throughout the rest of his career, including as the maintenance control officer for the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing in Vietnam; the logistics project officer in the Directorate of Maintenance Engineering, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics; and as the director of maintenance engineering and supply, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics.

In August 1983, he was promoted to lieutenant general and became the deputy chief of staff for logistics and engineering at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., where he remained until his retirement in 1987.

Marquez's military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. He was selected as Air Force Logistics Command Systems Manager of the year in 1974. In 1977, Marquez was the recipient of the Air Force Association's Executive Management Award. In 2003 he was awarded the Logistics Officer Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
Upon his retirement from the Air Force, Marquez stayed active in New Mexico military affairs, serving on the Kirtland Partnership Committee and the New Mexico Military Base Planning Commission.

He is survived by his wife, Stella, five children and three grandchildren.

Air Force Year in Photos

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- A team of Air Force journalists and photographers selected the best photos from around the Air Force for the 2011 Air Force Year in Photos. 

These photos showcase Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America.

View the slideshow.


Rules restrict political activity by DOD personnel

by Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- With election activity steadily picking up, defense officials are in the process of issuing regular election-year guidance to remind military and Defense Department civilians that they're subject to rules regulating their involvement in political activities.

This issue -- one the department regularly addresses during election periods -- came to light earlier this week after an Army Reserve soldier in uniform appeared endorsing a political candidate.

Several sets of rules help to protect the integrity of the political process, DOD officials said. DOD Directive 1344.10 applies to members of the armed forces, whether they serve on active duty, as members of the reserve components not on active duty, as National Guard members in a nonfederal status, and military retirees.

In addition, the Hatch Act applies to federal civilian employees, and employees also are subject to widely published DOD guidance that discusses participation in political campaigns and elections.

These rules are designed to prevent military members' or federal civilian employees' participation in political activities that imply -- or even appear to imply -- official sponsorship, approval or endorsement, officials said. The concern, they explained, is that actual or perceived partisanship could undermine the legitimacy of the military profession and department.

That's not to imply, however, that military members and civilian employees can't participate in politics. In fact, DOD has a longstanding policy of encouraging members to carry out the obligations of citizenship, officials said. DOD encourages its military and civilian members to register to vote and vote as they choose, they said. Both groups can sign nominating petitions for candidates and express their personal opinions about candidates and issues.

However, officials emphasized, they can do so only if they don't act as -- or aren't perceived as -- representatives of the armed forces in carrying out these activities.

Beyond that, the list of dos and don'ts differs depending on whether the employee is a member of the armed forces, a career civil service employee, a political appointee or a member of the career Senior Executive Service, officials said.

Military members, for example, may attend political meetings or rallies only as spectators and not in uniform. They're not permitted to make public political speeches, serve in any official capacity in partisan groups or participate in partisan political campaigns or conventions.

They also are barred from engaging in any political activities while in uniform.

A combat engineer assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Company potentially violated these rules Jan. 3 when he stepped onto a stage at Ron Paul's headquarters in Ankeny, Iowa, during the Iowa Caucus to offer a personal endorsement. Although he was wearing his uniform, the soldier was not in an active status at the time, Army Maj. Angela Wallace, an Army Reserve spokeswoman, confirmed.

Wallace emphasized that the soldier "stands alone in his opinions regarding his political affiliation and beliefs, and his statements and beliefs in no way reflect that of the Army Reserve."

His chain of command is aware of the issue and is considering appropriate disciplinary action to take, she said.

Most civilian DOD employees, whose political activities are governed by the Hatch Act, are permitted to be active in and speak before political gatherings and serve as officers of political parties or partisan groups, officials said. These activities, however, cannot involve fundraising.

Civilian employees also are permitted to manage campaigns, distribute literature, write political articles or serve as a spokesperson for a party or candidate.

There are, however, exceptions to this, including but not limited to Senior Executive Service.

While the dos and don'ts concerning political activity may vary, the basic tenets hold true for all DOD employees.

The bottom line, officials said, is that they should steer clear of any activity that may be reasonably viewed as directly or indirectly associating DOD or the military with a partisan political activity, or that "is otherwise contrary to the spirit or intent" of the rules described.

USO helps connect families through reading

by Tech. Sgt. Vernon Cunningham
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Deployment can be hard on a family. It can be even harder for a service member who would normally read their children a good night story but are not around to do so. However, the Pat Tillman Memorial United Services Organization here offers a service to help close that gap.

The program is a cooperative effort between the USO and the federal non-profit organization United Through Reading. It allows overseas personnel to read to their loved ones back home through recorded video.

Cathe Ganley, the United Through Reading coordinator here, said the mission of the USO is to lift the spirit of the troops overseas or away from their family.

"One way we do that is by providing some of the comforts of home," she said. "Some of these comforts include free phone calls to home, free computers and free WiFi. With the United Through Reading Program, we record service members reading a book and send both the book and DVD home to the states so the children, mom, dad, grandma or whomever can read with them whenever they want."

USO patrons can bring their own book or choose from the selection provided. The USO has children's books for young readers and chapter books for older kids. They can read for up to 30 minutes while being recorded. Afterwards, USO personnel will package the book and disc and send them to the address provided by the service member.

Ganley said the Pat Tillman Memorial USO sends 60 to 100 packages to families in the U.S. every three days.

Master Sgt. Daniel Fish, deployed from the 623rd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, is a first-time user and took the opportunity to read to his two daughters.

"It's a little more personal than me just reading a book over the phone," Fish said. "My youngest daughter is in an accelerated reading program, so now I have a good reason to use the program and read with her. I know that my daughters will enjoy it."

Master Sgt. Santiago Belen, deployed from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, read to his son, Justin, and daughter, Gabrielle. He read one book in English and the second book in Spanish.

Belen has shipped DVDs through the United Through Reading program several times.

"It's another way which the USO has given us to reach out to our families back home," Belen said. "More than phones and more than letters. I and my family definitely appreciate it."