HAVE YOU READ YOUR KA TODAY?
April 8, 2016
Volume 40, number 14
KMC steps up, supports AF family by Senior Airman Larissa Greatwood 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs An order to depart Turkey was given to U.S. military family members March 29 due to security concerns, which led many people through Ramstein. Through this transition, members of the KMC have stepped in to provide support to fellow military families in their time of need. Various agencies in the community offered temporary lodging, transportation, medical care, child care, school enrollment and other essentials needed. “There are a lot of great things going on here,” said Michele Dresel, Airman and Family Readiness Center director. “Through other similar hard times, we’ve learned what small details may be overlooked, and we’ve been able to learn from that and make improvements for this situation to ensure we don’t miss anything.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Sara Keller
Lt. Gen. Timothy M. Ray, 3rd Air Force commander, welcomes the first group of Air Force families to Ramstein after the ordered departure of dependents of service members and Department of Defense civilian personnel currently stationed in Turkey March 30. The removal of dependents is to ensure the safety and security of military families. The decision was intended to mitigate the risk to DOD elements and personnel, including family members, within the authorities and means of the command, while ensuring the combat effectiveness of U.S. forces and mission support to operations in Turkey.
“The families have each been assigned their own first sergeant to assist with anything they could possibly need, and we’re working side
by side with him,” Dresel continued. “He assigned each family a sponsor to help them along the way to ensure the smoothest transition possible.”
Units came together to provide resources to families in order to make them as comfortable and stress-free as possible.
“We’re taking care of the families by enabling and facilitating base access,” said Staff Sgt. Bethany Wright, 86th Security Forces Squadron reports and analysis NCO. “By doing this, we’re alleviating the added stress of checking in every time they want to come back on base.” Team Ramstein has been working tirelessly all week to refine processes and come together as an Air Force family during this time of need. “It’s spectacular how, once the word got out that families were (ordered to leave) Turkey, people have stepped up in droves,” said Brig. Gen. Jon T. Thomas, 86th Airlift Wing commander. “It’s been individuals; it’s been organizations. The commissary stayed open late so families could do a little shopping before going to their temporary lodging facilities. It’s all across the community here, how generous and warmhearted people, Airmen and Soldiers have been, and that’s exactly what we would hope for.”
Defense employees the ability to complete official travel in support of missions by granting them access to allotted money. In addition to granting DOD employees access to necessary funding, utilizing and requiring the use of the GTCC allows agency program coordinators to view and track charges as they are made on accounts. “This is particularly useful when members do not have access (to moni-
Tip of the Week April is the Month of the Military Child. Send us your favorite photo of your child. For details, see Take Note brief on Page 4.
Ramstein Airmen train for honor, Page 6
tor their accounts),” Smith said. Unless otherwise exempt, all DOD personnel are required to use the GTCC for all authorized expenses related to official government travel, which includes permanent changes of station and temporary duty assignments. Not only does this allow APCs to track charges made by individual See GTCC, Page 3
LIFESTYLES
To generate and employ air mobility, enable theater and strategic airpower, and operate key Air Force power projection platforms, the 86th Airlift Wing often has to send Airmen to various locations throughout Europe. With that travel, Airmen are often tasked to manage some aspect of the funding. But what happens when an
Airman doesn’t have the funding in place? That’s where the Government Travel Charge Card program comes into play. “Many new Airmen and civilians do not have credit when entering the Air Force, and this program aids in that respect,” said 2nd Lt. Helen Smith, 86th Comptroller Squadron Financial Services flight commander. The GTCC program provides both military and civilian Department of
FEATURES
by Staff Sgt. Timothy Moore 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
NEWS
GTCC enables mission, delinquencies hinder it
Core Values Coaching empowers 86th AW leaders, Page 8
Freinsheim celebrates blossom fest, Page 15