Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
Vol. 5, No. 33
Patriot Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!
Friday, September 12, 2014
Ombudsmen: Making a difference where it matters most
U.S. Air Force photo / Eric Sesit
Retired Rear Admiral Robert Besal (back row center), Capt. TImothy Sparks, Joint Base Charleston deputy commander and Naval Support Activity commanding officer (left) and Cmdr. David Tarwater, NSA executive officer (right), congratulate LowCountry Ombudsmen during the Ombudsman Appreciation luncheon Sept. 10, 2014, at the Redbank Club on Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The Ombudsmen in attendance included Jennifer Marsland, Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (seated), (left to right) Capt. Sparks; Donna Pappas, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Gallatin; Brooke Johnson, Naval Operation Support Center Charleston; Missy Geiser, Naval Health Clinic Charleston; Sharon Schmelling, Naval Consolidated Brig Charleston; Chelsea Crowell, Naval Support Activity Charleston; Rear Adm. Besal; Aimee Pereira, NSA; Beth Darius, Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit; Sandy Barker, NNPTC; Master Chief Petty Officer Joe Gardner, NSA command master chief; Joy Leftwich, NNPTC; Kimberly Walker, NNPTC and Cmdr. Tarwater. Not in attendance were John Monroe, Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic; Linda Stevens, Navy Munitions Command; Rachel Gentry, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston and Stephanie Johnson, NHCC. Ombudsmen are official representatives of the commanding officer and play a vital role in establishing and maintaining current and accurate communication between the command and its family members. The program was started in 1970 by Adm. E.R. Zumwalt, Jr., then Chief of Naval Operations, who issued one of his infamous Z-grams, Z-gram 24 which is represented in the official Ombudsman Seal which contains 24 stars. Ombudsman Appreciation Day is actually Sept. 14, but commands celebrate the event at any time during the month of September.
Vietnam vets lay wreath at JB Charleston
By Senior Airman Tom Brading Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
The Pleiku Air Base Association held a wreath laying ceremony Sept. 5, 2014, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., to honor the fallen service members stationed at the Pleiku Air Base in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The group meets annually to keep the memories of their fallen comrades alive. This year's ceremony, at JB Charleston, welcomed Lt. Col. Warren Brainard, 628th Air Base Wing Security Forces Squadron commander. "We're honored to have the heroes of Pleiku Air Base here with us today," said Brainard. "To the Pleiku veterans, we are truly standing on the shoulders of giants, and thank you for all your sacrifices." Brainard, along with Harry Beam, Pleiku ABA president, laid a ceremonial wreath at the base flag pole during the ceremony
which was attended by more than 70 members of the Pleiku ABA and their families. Tom Rushnock, Pleiku Air Base Association secretary, read the World War I-inspired poem, "In Flanders Fields" as a tribute to the fallen service members. "We are the dead," Rushnock read from the poem, referring to the fallen. "Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow. Loved, and were loved and now we lie in Flanders Field." For the men of Pleiku Air Base that are still missing in action, their "Flanders Field" remains the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The identified fallen service members were brought home to grieving families who never got a chance to see their loved ones again. A ceremonial bell tolled and echoed far into the distance as each fallen servicemember's name was read during the memorial. A member of the group placed a single carnation by the wreath after each name was called. The carnations represented the fallen members that never returned from Southeast Asia.
But, these were more than names; these were the friends and the brothers-in-arms of the survivors who could feel their presence and see their faces in today's military members. While looking back on the horrors of war this group endured, many of the veterans openly showed their emotions as they dealt with the painful memories and losses as tears fell from their faces, only to find solace in knowing the memory of their comrades was being kept alive, and their names were more than letters etched in granite. Names like Staff Sgt. Rodney Gott, who along with nine others, lost his life in the jungle-covered mountains of Laos after their EC47Q aircraft crashed. Names like Capt. Robert Middlebrooks, an Alabama native who lost his life after his A1E Skyraider crashed in the dark hours of Jan. 13, 1966. Names, more than 70, belonging to men of all ages and ranks, all honored equally and remembered for their sacrifice. See Vietnam Vets, Page 3
Navy Birthday Ball planned for Oct. 10
JB Charleston participates in Run For a Life during monthly 5K Fitness Challenge Run
INSIDE
U.S. Air Force photo / Staff Sgt. William O'Brien
AF BALL
Good times for one and all
Page 4
MOTORCYCLES Training requirements
Page 9
From Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
Guest speaker Gail Meminger Rush tells the heartbreaking story of her daughter’s suicide before the Run for A Life 5K Sept. 5, 2014, at Joint Base Charleston S.C. Rush’s daughter, Staff Sgt. Courtney Rush, who was stationed at JB Charleston, died by suicide Jan. 3, 2012. Rush talked to the group about resiliency, as well as suicide awareness and prevention. As part of Suicide Awareness Month, members of the Mental Health Clinic will host information booths at the Air Base Exchange, Sept. 12, 17 and 26 from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.; the Gaylord Dining Facility, Sept. 10, 15 and 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the Air Base Bowling Alley, Sept. 24 and 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the Air Base Fitness Center, Sept. 5, 8 and 22 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. They will also be making personal visits to some workstations around the installation. See more photos on Page 7.
AF Base Gate Closure
The Dorchester gate will be closed from 7:30 to 10 a.m. and the Rivers Gate will be closed from 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 13, for quarterly preventative maintenance.
The Naval Support Activity Charleston Association is proud to announce the date for this year’s U.S. Navy Birthday Ball. Celebrate the Navy’s 239th birthday at the annual U.S. Navy Birthday Ball Oct. 10, 2014, at the Marriott, 170 ce! Lockwood Blvd. in Charleston. Ticket prices are as follows: O4 and above - $45 E7 – O3 and civilians - $35 E6 and below - $25 Military Retirees – Retired pay grade The uniform for the event is Dinner Dress White Jacket for O4 and above, Dinner Dress White for O3 and below and Dinner Dress White Jacket optional for O3 and below. Civilian attire is formal and no covers or gloves Social hour and reception begins at 6 p.m., with dinner and the official program beginning at 7 p.m. After dinner, dance until midnight. For more information and to buy your tickets online, go to http://charlestonnavyball.org
WEEKEND WEATHER UPDATE for Joint Base Charleston, SC Afternoon T-Storms
Afternoon T-Storms Friday, Sept. 12
(80% precip)
High 91º Low 75º
Saturday, Sept. 13
(40% precip)
High 87º Low 74º
See Joint Base Charleston on Facebook! - Follow Discussions, Connect With Your Base! CYAN-AOOO
MAGENTA-OAOO
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BLACK 01/29/08
Scattered T-Storms Sunday, Sept. 14
(50% precip)
High 86º Low 74º