Travis Tailwind: Oct. 14, 2022

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TRAVIS AIRMAN IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

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Photos: Band of the Golden West performs at Presidio

Department of the Air Force wins 3 federal energy, water management awards

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

The Department of Energy’s Fed eral Energy Management Program recognized three De partment of the Air Force teams and multiple individuals with 2022 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards for their significant contributions to en ergy and water efficiency within the federal government.

“Congratulations to the win ners of this year’s FEMP Awards,” said Nancy Balkus, deputy assistant secretary for Environment, Safety and Infra structure. “These awards show case the dedication of our ener gy professionals who are creating cradle-to-grave resilience so that our installations are prepared to deliver energy and water when and where needed, and to protect the nation, its values, and its in terests.”

Keesler Air Force Base, Mis sissippi, won for its energy savings performance contract. The project, contracted through the Defense Logistics Agency in collaboration with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, advanc es installation resiliency, securi ty and renewable energy usage, and includes $69 million in guar anteed energy savings.

The ESPC includes a 1.5 megawatt solar photovoltaic

carport array, integration of sev eral different legacy control sys tems into a single cybersecure Energy Management Control System, optimized chilled water plants and lighting upgrades.

Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, won for its in novative energy conservation and resiliency project, which included the construction of a Nat ural Gas Take Station and a dependent 4.6 megawatt cogen eration plant. The cogeneration plant represents the single larg est energy resiliency improve ment ever made on Hanscom Air Force Base and provides more than $3 million a year in energy savings.

The Department of the Air Force Installation Energy Pro gram won for its mission-cen tric approach to improve the re silience of energy and water systems. In 2021, the program published its Installation Energy Strategic Plan, an living roadmap to bolster energy resilience for mission assurance. The resulting initiatives and projects, in cluding installation energy plans, energy resilience readiness ex ercises, and its water program, have helped the department re duce energy use intensity on its installations by nearly 32% from the fiscal year 2003 baseline, and to decrease water intensity by nearly 27% from the fiscal year 2007 baseline.

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Air Force EC historian helps secure two awards

U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — The U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Cen ter History and Heritage Office received the De partment of the Air Force’s Excellence in History Program Award for a Numbered Air Force, Cen ter or Laboratory for 2021.

The award recognizes the best primary or field command history office for outstanding his tory and heritage programs leadership that pro vided exemplary historical services to improve organizational effectiveness, esprit de corps and combat capability.

According to Thomas Lauria, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center historian, the center’s contributions included duties as an Air Mobili ty Command Functional Manager for the five en terprise historians at the wings under the center, bringing a defunct history program to an annu al reporting cycle by writing more than 40 years of history in just six years. The center also helped the 423d Training Squadron, 435th Train ing Squadron and 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group with their lineage and honors and em blem processes during their unit redesignations, squadron stand-ups and realignments.

Air Force historians are responsible for doc umenting and safekeeping the corporate mem ory of the unit they are assigned to. The main way they do this is through writing a comprehen sive annual history report capturing all the major events the unit experienced for that year.

Lauria has been in the U.S. Air Force History and Museums Program since 1999, and officially became the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center historian in 2016.

“I’ve always been interested in military his tory since I was young, mainly inspired by my grandfather’s experiences as a U.S. Army com bat engineer in the Pacific Theater during World

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War II,” Lauria said. “I never knew there were enlisted USAF historians until I was faced with possible retraining due to military personnel cuts in the late 1990s. While looking for a new job to cross-train into, I discovered the enlisted histori an AFSC. I applied, and the rest is history.”

The U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center His tory, 87th Air Base Wing, 621st Contingency Re sponse Wing, whose West Coast contingent is based at Travis Air Force Base, and 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing historians all played a vital role in Air Mobility Command winning the Excellence in Wartime or Contingency History Award.

“I feel very proud about both awards, but especially the Excellence in Wartime or

CONTENTS

Content published in Travis Tailwind is not necessarily the official view of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. The appearance of advertising in the publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the Daily Republic of the products or services advertised.

Those off base who wish to receive home delivery of Travis Tailwind may call 707-427-6975.

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ON THE COVER

U.S. Senior Airman Andrew Melis, 60th Security Forces Squadron military dog handler, poses for a photo with Aarapahoe, a military working dog, at Travis Air Force Base,

Chustine Minoda/U.S.

Courtesy photo

Thomas Lauria, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center historian, received the Department of the Air Force’s Excellence in History Program Award for a Numbered Air Force, Center or Laboratory for 2021.

Travis airman in right place at right time

Chustine Minoda 60TH AIR MOBILITY WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

VACAVILLE — On a cool Cal ifornia summer morning, re tired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Bridgette Fargo was walking her dog on their usual neighborhood route when every dog owner’s nightmare happened to her and her dog, Nemo.

While they were on their walk, an unleashed dog ag gressively attacked Nemo and wouldn’t let go of its bite. Far go rushed into panic and started screaming for help. She tried ev erything she could to make the other dog let go, but it was too strong.

“Many people came out of their homes to try and assist. However, no one was successful. Many cars drove by but did not stop. Understandably, because of the horrific scene,” Fargo said. “I was in a complete panic when Senior Airman Melis jumped out of his truck and rushed over to help.”

Senior Airman Andrew Me lis, 60th Security Forces Squad ron military working dog han dler, was coming home from the gym in Vacaville on the morning of the incident. As he was driving along the path where the attack happened; he saw people, vehi cles and some commotion.

“I pulled over and saw that a dog was being attacked by an other dog,” Melis said. “Training kicked in. As soon as I got out of the truck and got ahold of the unleashed dog, I knew right away what to do, on how to remove him. I did what we were taught in kennel school, and it let go im mediately.”

Melis controlled the un leashed dog, tried to calm it, and tend to its injuries until the own ers finally came out. After help ing Fargo file a police report, he drove her and Nemo home.

Fargo took Nemo to an emer gency veterinarian and the ca nine is in recovery. Both she and

Nemo were traumatized by what had happened and she believes Nemo could have been killed if it wasn’t for Melis’ quick reaction.

“He was in the right place at the right time. I have a strong be lief in a higher power than us, and he was absolutely placed there for a reason,” Fargo said.

“There were a lot of people there, but no one knew what to do. Melis had the skills that the Air Force taught him to react in an emergency.”

Melis recently completed the military working dog han dler’s course at the 341st Train ing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Its mission is to provide trained military work ing dogs and handlers for the Department of Defense, oth er government agencies and al lies through training, logistical, veterinary support and research and development for security ef forts worldwide.

“I just did what I was taught. When a dog doesn’t want to re lease on a bite, there are certain things that you do. I did one of those techniques, and it worked,”

Melis said. “I felt safe once it let go of Nemo. I started to calm the dog down and it didn’t look like it wanted to bite me.”

Fargo wanted to share her thoughts with dog owners since this experience left her feeling vulnerable during the attack.

“If you are a dog owner, al ways make sure that your dog is on leash when you go on a walk,” Fargo said. “If your dog is in the backyard, make sure that your gate is always securely closed and locked.”

Melis also provided advice for dog owners or people who want to become a dog owner.

“There is more to dogs than just feeding and picking up af ter them. There’s the psycholog ical part of owning a dog, under standing it, and understanding what it needs and wants,” Melis said. “If you really want to have a dog, make sure you’re willing to

put in the work.”

Fargo expressed multiple times how truly grateful she is for Melis.

“He is an incredible man. When he drove by, without hes itation, he jumped out of his ve hicle to assist,” Fargo said. “My family and I are forever grateful to him. If I could give the world to him, I would. He saved our family member.”

This incident occurred out side Travis Air Force Base. However, for information about the pet policy within base hous ing, call Travis Family Homes at 707-437-4571 or to report un leashed pets on base, call Security Forces at 707-424-2800.

Chustine Minoda/U.S. Air Force photos Bridgette Fargo, right, retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant, and Nemo, Bridgette’s dog, visit U.S. Senior Airman Andrew Melis, 60th Security Forces Squadron military dog handler, at Travis Air Force Base, Oct. 4. Melis saved the life of a veteran’s dog from a brutal dog attack in Vacaville, using techniques he learned from the 341st Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, military working dog handler’s course.

U.S. Senior Airman Andrew Melis, 60th Security Forces Squadron military dog handler, stands for a portrait at Travis Air Force Base, Sept. 30.

New

options for sexual harassment victims

Rebecca Ward

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) — Uniformed airmen and guard ians who experience sexual ha rassment now have the option to file a restricted or unrestricted report with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office to access advocacy services and supportive referrals.

This change now allows mem bers to seek support services for both sexual harassment and sex ual assault from one office.

Brig. Gen. Debra A. Lovette, Integrated Resilience director, said the new policy reflects the Department of the Air Force’s commitment to expanding sup port for victims, and strengthen ing a culture of respect, dignity and honor for all who serve.

“Sexual harassment does not reflect who we are as an orga nization and has no place in the military,” Lovette said. “For ser vice members victimized by this harmful behavior, it can be crip pling, preventing them from coming forward out of fear of further harassment or the per ceived lack of support from their leaders or co-workers. This new policy will allow service members to make a report confiden tially, if they choose, while still receiving support and care from their sexual assault response co ordinator or SAPR victim advo cate.”

The new policy, which took effect Sept. 30, expands servic es to Air Force military mem bers who are sexual harassment victims and implements fiscal year 2022 National Defense Au thorization Act and Independent Review Commission require ments. The Equal Opportunity Program will continue to process and track military sexual harassment complaints.

Under the new policy, mili tary members have two options for reporting sexual harassment

to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office:

Unrestricted Report – This reporting option allows a service member to report sexual harass ment to a Sexual Assault Pre vention office and Response or Sexual Assault Prevention and Response VA office and receive victim advocacy services from that office. This reporting op tion will result in the Sexual As sault Prevention and Response or Sexual Assault Prevention and Response VA notifying the victim’s commander and the in stallation Equal Opportunity of fice, who will initiate an inves tigation (or clarification report via Equal Opportunity complaint processes) of the sexual harass ment allegation(s).

Restricted Report – This re porting option allows a service member to confidentially re port sexual harassment to a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response or Sexual Assault Pre vention and Response VA office and receive victim advocacy ser vices from that office. This re porting option does not trigger an investigation or notification to the service member’s command or installation Equal Opportuni ty office unless there is written consent from the service mem ber or if there is a clear and pres ent risk to the health and safety to the service member or anoth er person, as determined by the servicing legal office.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response victim advocacy services for sexual harassment do not replace Military Equal Opportunity complaint process es. Military members may choose to make an unrestricted report with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response pro gram to receive victim advoca cy services such as crisis inter vention, safety assessments and counseling referrals, and they may also file a separate Military

Air Force develops dual-track ‘Civilians We Need’ career model

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) — The Department of the Air Force is unveiling a new civilian career talent man agement process designed to be more nimble in developing both civilian leaders as well as growing technical expertise/ competence.T

The new “Civilians We Need” career model and ac companying career roadmaps will help Air Force civilians plan their job experiences, ed ucation, training and leadership opportunities to meet their pro fessional goals.

The dual-track civilian ca reer model, which distinguishes

paths for both enterprise lead ers and functional experts, was created to enhance retention as well as to promote greater di versity.

“DAF civilians join the workforce from a variety of different sources, and it’s imper ative that we have a flexible framework to develop their ca reers,” said Alex Wagner, assis tant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Af fairs. “Some desire to become functional experts or leaders, and others desire to become enterprise leaders. The DAF needs and values both.”

The 2020 Racial Disparity Review and recent RAND study indicated that the Department of the Air Force has disparities

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in senior civilian positions start ing at the GS-13 level through the Senior Executive Service level. Factors such as expecta tions for geographic mobility and professional military edu cation involving mobility were seen as barriers to advance ment for certain races/ethnici ties and women.

The traditional enterprise leader track provides a broad base of development for those who aspire to enterprise lead ership positions such as Senior Executive Service. This track emphasizes depth and breadth of experience both within and beyond one’s primary function al area, geographic mobility,

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National Disability Employment Awareness Month mentoring panel set for October 17

Marisa Alia-Novobilski AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — The Air Force Materiel Command will host a Cross-Cultural Mentoring Panel in conjunction with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, at 11 a.m. Oct. 17. The virtual event, hosted on ZoomGov, is open to all uni formed and civilian airmen.

Brig. Gen. John R. Andrus, commander or the 711th Hu man Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, will host the event, which will fea ture panel representatives from across the Department of the Air Force. The event will highlight opportunities in mentorship and the workplace related to employ ment of individuals with disabil ities.

Panel members also include:

n David Frank, associate gen eral counsel for Civilian Person nel Policy, Department of the Air Force.

n Michelle West, contracting lead, Small Business Innovative Research/Small Business Tech nology Transfer at AFWERX, a technology directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory

and the innovation arm of the Air Force designed to accelerate agile and affordable capabili ty transitions by teaming innova tive technology developers with airmen and guardians.

n Courtney Morah, contracting officer, Small Business Inno vative Research/Small Business Technology Transfer, AFWERX.

This is one of eight mentoring events scheduled to occur during special observance months throughout 2022. The events are hosted by the Air Force Materi el Command Major Command Barrier Analysis Working Group champions and focus on issues related to the cohorts celebrat ed during the special observance period.

The link for the event will be sent to all Air Force Materiel Command personnel via internal communication channels.

Personnel can submit ques tions for the panelists prior to the event by emailing AFMC.A1DC. TrainingNeedsAssessments@ us.af.mil.

Additional information on Air Force Materiel Command men toring and upcoming events is available at https://www.afmc. af.mil/careers/AFMC-Mentor ing/.

Equal Opportunity complaint through the Equal Opportuni ty office.

The Air Force Unlawful

Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Harassment Hotline (888-231-4058) functions as a referral line to facilitate potential Equal Opportunity concerns or complaints to the appropriate in stallation for resolution. It is not set up to provide victim assis tance, advocacy or services.

Official discusses range of military family issues, resources

David Vergun

As a military spouse, finding the right balance in life is diffi cult with so many priorities to juggle, said C. Eddy Mentzer.

Mentzer, associate director, Military Community Support Programs, Military Community and Family Policy, spoke on an AUSA Military Family Forum.

Even if balance proves elu sive, it’s important to take ad vantage of the variety of military and civilian resources that are out there, he said.

“As a military spouse, my most trusted network is oth er military spouses,” he said. “They’re going to tell me what works and what doesn’t work.”

Throughout the Covid-19 pan demic, military spouses have shown they can successfully work in remote environments, Mentzer said.

Employment is one of the challenges for military spouses, he said.

A key to employment is speaking to potential employ ers, including within the military services, he said.

Spouses of Soldiers assigned to 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, take part in flights at Joint Base LewisMcChord, Wash., May 24 - 25.

There are currently ef forts underway within the De fense and State departments to address the problems of em ployment, particularly in areas where restrictions to employ ment exist, he said.

Another possible employment opportunity is fellowships for military spouses, he said.

“This is something that we’ve been working hard on for several

years to find the authority and the ability to place military spouses within corporate Amer ica with a paid stipend from the government,” Mentzer said.

Mentzer said he expects to see the first military spouses placed with corporate America by January.

Advanced certifications and licenses are also available for spouses, he said, encouraging

spouses to contact their installa tion family representative or go online to helpful sites like Mili tary OneSource. The Career Op portunities Program is another option where a spouse can con tact a career coach.

It’s important to keep grow ing personally and professional ly, as well as looking for opportu nities, he said.

Capt. Kyle Abraham/U.S. Army

Symposium research shapes future of warfighter health

Rebecca Hill MHS COMMUNICATIONS

During this year’s Military Health System Research Sym posium, a series of presenta tions highlighted critical military medical issues related to combat casualty care, operation al medicine, clinical and rehabil itative medicine, and infectious diseases.

While dozens of panels were held over the course of four days, a “scientific plenary” ses sion featured several of the most significant research focused on furthering the health care of ser vice members.

Trauma care on the battlefield and at home

The Military Health Sys tem Research Symposium

highlighted how research not only benefits our warfighters but offers solutions. Presenters gave high-level overviews of their re search, sharing insights and ad vancements that may improve care on and off the battlefield.

Dr. Edward Mazuchowski from Forensic Pathology Associ ates in Allentown, Pennsylvania, shared his research on “United States Military Fatalities during Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.”

Mazuchowski reiterated a now-known data point from the past 20 years of conflicts: One of the leading causes of casual ties are hemorrhages. The study of fatalities can guide preven tion and treatment efforts fo cusing on common and unique injuries and diseases. Find ings may help inform clinical

guidelines, training, require ments for equipment, and future research. His work aims to help develop more strategies focusing on all stages of prevention.

Dr. Michael Roy of the Uni formed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, discussed the “Evalu ation of U.S. Special Operations Personnel During Heavy Weap ons Training: the Investigating Training Associated Blast Pa thology (INVICTA) Study.”

Roy reviewed cases of chron ic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, in athletes with repet itive subconcussive exposures, and service members with re peated subconcussive blast ex posure. Findings indicated ser vice members suffer from blast effects, and research is guiding the development of protective

MHS Communications photo

U.S. Army Col. Jennifer Stowe, with the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory in Enterprise, Alabama, presented research on eye trauma and ophthalmic surgery at the Military Health System Research Symposium.

measures and methods to miti gate blast exposure.

Dr. Jason Sperry with the University of Pittsburgh, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pre sented his research on “Whole Blood is Associated with a Low er Independent Risk of Mortality and Improved Hemostasis: Re sults of a Multi-Center Prospec tive Observational Study of Pa tients in Hemorrhagic Shock.”

As hemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of battle field deaths, his research showed the benefits of whole blood re suscitation following injury in the civilian population. Find ings showed that patients who received whole blood had earli er cessation of bleeding and im proved 30-day mortality.

U.S. Army Col. Jennifer Stowe, with the U.S. Army Aero medical Research Laboratory in Enterprise, Alabama, presented research on “Forward Operating Base Expert Telemedicine Re source Utilizing Mobile Applica tion for Trauma.”

Her team conducted research focused on eye trauma and oph thalmic surgery interventions. With many service members be ing deployed to more remote lo cations, it was necessary to find a way to provide ophthalmic care to any posting. By utilizing telemedicine, medical personnel in remote areas were able to bet ter diagnose eye injuries in the field, which could mean the dif ference between diminished or loss of sight.

The future of pain management and mental health

As pain management and mental health are an ongoing fo cus for the Department of De fense, Military Health System Research Symposium present ers showcased research into pain and behavioral health care, as well as additional topics on various concerns for military medicine.

Lauren Walker from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, presented research on “Mental Health Diagnoses

and Suicide Attempts in Com bat-injured Service Members: A DOD/VA Retrospective Cohort Study.”

Her team found there were increased suicide attempts in those who were injured in com bat compared to those who had not deployed or had not suffered an injury during time in combat. They investigated the compari son between those who were re ceiving mental health care over those who were not, and the rates of attempts for suicide be tween the groups. Other factors such as alcohol usage, those with post-traumatic stress disorders, anxiety, depression, bipolar, and adjustment disorders factored into their research. Their re search continues, as they identi fy and adjust various factors in their study.

Dr. Dianne Flynn from Ma digan Army Medical Center, lo cated on Joint Base Lewis-Mc Chord, Washington, discussed “Predictors of Sustained

Response to Functional Restora tion in a Military Population with Chronic Pain.”

The Defense Department is prioritizing making access to interdisciplinary pain care, with several military hospitals estab lishing pain centers to focus on a broad spectrum of therapies, in cluding physical therapy, psy chology, yoga, and chiropractic care. By including areas such as cognitive, behavioral, and oth er therapies that can target pain, research suggested an increase in overall satisfaction with treat ment.

Dr. David Tate from the University of Utah School of Med icine, in Heber City, Utah, dis cussed his research on “White Matter Hyperintensities, Cog nitive Function, Comorbidities, Blood Biomarkers, and Mild TBI: A LIMBIC-CENC Multi center Study.”

Brain lesions usually occur in individuals over the age of fif ty, but research is showing that

those who suffer from mild trau matic brain injuries can have such lesions much earlier. Mem ory and cognitive tasks can di minish as lesions grow.

Dr. Leor Weinberger of Vx Biosciences in Oakland dis cussed the findings of their study, “Therapeutic Interfering Particles: A Novel, Intranasallyadministered, Single-dose Agent for the Treatment and Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.”

Their presentation highlight ed how virus mutation rates can prohibit effective vaccines for a wide array of viruses. Their re search continues, as they look for different therapeutic interfacing particles to help break the mutation cycle.

The scientific plenary in troduced new and ongoing re search. While the studies con tinue, the military medical community and warfighters are gaining valuable and life-saving techniques and technologies.

Price-Branson

American veteran and father of five dies fighting in Ukraine

The Washington Post

Dane Partridge, a U.S. veteran and former infantryman from Idaho, died this week in Ukraine after suffering injuries from a Russian attack earlier this month, his family told The Post late Wednesday. He was 34.

Partridge, who served as an infantryman in Iraq for 15 months from 2007 to 2009, suf fered critical injuries to his neck and brain stem on Oct. 3 when he was hit during a Russian tank at tack on his unit in Severodonetsk, a city in Luhansk, his family said, citing a doctor from a Ukrainian hospital. He was on life support until he died Tuesday.

A State Department spokes person confirmed the recent death of a U.S. citizen in Donbas without naming them.

There are no official pub lic numbers of U.S. volunteer fighters in Ukraine, or of those who have died there, though an

official at the Ukrainian Embas sy in Washington told The Post in March that about 4,000 had expressed interest in the newly formed International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. Partridge’s death follows that of Luke Lucyszyn and Bryan Young in July, Stephen D. Zabielski in May and Willy Cancel in April.

In the first six months of the war, Ukraine lost about 9,000 troops, with more than 7,000 missing, according to official Ukrainian statements, though the numbers could be higher.

Partridge wrote a will before buying a one-way ticket to Po land, where he signed up to fight in the legion in April. His sister, Jenny Corry of Idaho Falls, said he felt a spiritual calling to join.

“He felt strongly with almost every bone in his body that he needed to go and he needed to fight,” she said. “When he did

Helping You... Help Yourself

leave, it was emotional for me, because I just knew in my heart it would be the last time I saw him.”

Born in Germany in 1988 to a Red Cross aid worker and a mem ber of the U.S. Air Force, Par tridge became captivated by the idea of serving in the military from a young age. “All he knew growing up were flak jackets, M16s, guard dogs and seeing NATO exercises,” said his mother, Terri Hepworth. “That was his world, and it never left him.”

When he was 3, the family moved to Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma, and he grew up “in the dirt with his friends, play ing Army guy,” Corry said. They later moved to Rexburg, Ida ho, where he decided to join the Army shortly after graduating high school. His family mem bers remember him as the boy who packed extra gear on Boy Scout trips and tried to save stray dogs – even after he was bitten

and needed a rabies shot - and as a man with a talent for fixing cars and electronics.

After high school, Partridge served as a turret gunner and a driver of armored vehicles in Baghdad during the Iraq War, ac cording to Matt Reeves, one of his sergeants. Reeves recalled him as a young man with a “bit of a tem per” who quickly transformed into a “fine soldier” who would engage others in intellectual dis cussions about religion.

Partridge separated from the military in 2012 with the rank of private first class, according to his father, Dennis Partridge.

“I had never seen him hap pier than in Ukraine. He found his purpose not in the fighting so much as the saving,” his mother said, in between sobs. “Some times, with the civilian world, he just didn’t mesh.”

His family said they overcame their reservations and supported

Partridge’s decision to volunteer, saying that as members of the Mormon Church they understood his spiritual calling.

“He did what few of us are willing to do - he just packed up and went,” his father said. “He was always willing to help. He was a hard worker, and he cer tainly cared about his family.”

Partridge had decided to con tinue fighting even after he was wounded by shrapnel from a trip wire this summer. His wife and five children – who range from age 2 to 15 – were able to say goodbye via a video call while he was in a coma during his final week.

“He struggled in life, but once he got into the military, he found his element,” his mother said. “His call sign was ‘Bird’ – Dane Partridge, call sign ‘Bird.’ So when you see a bird, think of my son.”

Microsoft’s Army goggles left U.S. soldiers with nausea, headaches in test

Bloomberg

U.S. soldiers using Microsoft Corp.’s new goggles in their lat est field test suffered “missionaffecting physical impairments” including headaches, eyestrain and nausea, according to a sum mary of the exercise compiled by the Pentagon’s testing office.

More than 80% of those who experienced discomfort had symptoms after less than three hours using the customized ver sion of Microsoft’s HoloLens goggles, Nickolas Guertin, direc tor of Operation Test and Eval uation, said in a summary for Army and Defense Department officials. He said the system also is still experiencing too many failures of essential functions.

The problems found in the testing in May and June were outlined in a 79-page report this month. The Army marked it “Controlled Unclassified Infor mation” to prevent public distri bution, but Bloomberg News ob tained a summary.

Despite the device’s flaws, Guertin doesn’t deem it a lost cause. He recommended that the Army “prioritize improve ments” before widespread de ployment to reduce the “physi cal discomfort of users.” He said improvements are also needed to the goggle’s low-light sensors, display clarity, field of vision and poor reliability of some essential functions.

On the positive side: The

Historian

2

Contingency History Award,” Lauria said. “I was part of an amazing team that authored the AMC study on Operation Allies Refuge. I

latest model’s reliability has im proved for a key metric -- the mean time between failures that render the whole system inop erable, according to the report. Leaders and soldiers also report ed that the latest version “en hanced navigation and coordina tion of unit movements,” Guertin wrote.

Microsoft’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS, is expected to provide a “headsup display” for U.S. ground forc es, similar to those for fighter pilots. It would let commanders project information onto a visor in front of a soldier’s face and would include features such as night vision. The Army projects spending as much as $21.9 bil lion over a decade on the gog gles, spare parts and support services if all options are exer cised.

The test results will be close ly assessed by lawmakers as they decide whether to approve $424.2 million the Army pro posed to spend on the program this fiscal year. The House and Senate appropriations panels separately proposed deep cuts to the Army’s request pending the outcome of the testing.

One finding that may give members of Congress pause: Ac ceptance of the goggles by sol diers “remains low” and they and their leaders indicated they don’t “contribute to their ability to complete their mission.”

on Task Force Liberty here at Joint Base McGuire-DixLakehurst, New Jersey,

the other on AMC Raven utilization

the Afghan

be able

events that unfolded

ASSEMBLY OF GOD BAPTIST

Assembly Of God

MOUN T CA LVARY BA PTIST CHURCH

Dr. Claybon Lea, Jr. - Senior Pastor

Fairfield Campus 1735 Enterprise Drive, Bldg. 3 Fairfield, CA 94533

Sunday Worship Services 7:00am & 10:00 am Bible Study Tuesdays at 12 noon (virtual)

Suisun Campus

www.1agff.org

601 Whispering Bay Lane, Suisun City, CA 94585

707-425-1849 www.mcbcfs.org for more information Live Stream on:

First Baptist Church of Vacaville

The All Together Different Church

CATHOLIC

Holy Spirit Parish

1050 North Texas Street

Fair eld, CA 94533-0624

707-425-3138

www.holyspiritfair eld.org

Weekend Mass:

Saturday • 5:00 pm & 7:00 pm (Spanish) Sunday • 6:00am (Spanish), 7:30, 9:00, 10:30am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm (Spanish), 7:00pm (Spanish)

Daily: M-F • 7:00am & 9:00am

Davis Street, Vacaville 707-448-6209 www.fbcvv.com

Saturday • 9:00am; Tues & Fri • 7:00pm (Spanish); Wed • 7:00pm (English) OLPH Confessions in

English: Saturday • 3:00-4:30pm Spanish: Tues & Fri • 4:00pm-6:00pm

CHURCH OF CHRIST

CHURCH OF CHRIST

CHURCH of CHRIST Meetsat Rockville Cemetery Stone Chapel

4221 Suisun Valley Rd, Fairfield

9:00 a.m. Sunday Morning Bible Study

9:50 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship

5:30 p.m. Sunday Evening Bible Study

7:00 p.m. Wednesday Evening Bible Study

We welcome and encourage you to come and hear the good news of the gospel of Christ, and to learn about eternal salvation for all mankind that is offered through Jesus.

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Bring a heart and mind willing to hear God’s Word and to do His great will...

For more information or directions, please visit our website at www.rockvillecofc.com

LUTHERAN

Worship With Us…

Paul Baptist Church

1405 Kentucky Street Fair eld, CA 94533

Rev. Dr. Terry Long, Pastor Sunday Sunday School: 11:00 a.m.

Morning Worship Service: 12:00 p.m.

Children’s Church: 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday Prayer Meeting: 6:30-7:00 p.m.

Bible Study: 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Web Site: www.stpaulfair eld.org

stpaulbcfair

707-422-2003

SUNDAY

Sunday Morning Worship 10AM

WEDNESDAY

Career

and professional military education. The new functional expert/leader track is for developing functional experts and leaders with substantive technical expertise and institutional memory. This track encourages formal education at the master’s or doctoral degree level to prior itize depth of technical knowledge.

An Air Force-level roadmap rep resenting desired attributes has been

developed for each career track. These roadmaps serve as guides for career de cision making based on whether the em ployee seeks development designed to prepare for Department of the Air Force enterprise leadership roles or roles which provide deep functional expertise and se nior leadership within a given function al area.

Leaders understand that career aspi rations and personal circumstances may change, so these roadmaps were developed to also allow an individual to switch between the two career tracks at any giv en point in time.

“The career roadmaps have been de fined and establish expectations for ci vilian career development,” said Gwen dolyn DeFilippi, assistant deputy chief of staff for Manpower, Personnel and Ser vices. “Whether they are mobile and as pire to enterprise leader positions or whether they want to be the best function al expert that they can be, all civilians are valued – their contributions are valued –and we have laid out a development track for them.”

In addition to the Air Force-level ca reer roadmaps, career field managers will build career-field specific versions of

both roadmaps that will be available on MyVector at https://myvector.us.af.mil/ myvector/Home.

The roadmaps are another part of the Air Force’s “Growing Airmen of the Fu ture” initiative that will shape the force we need, both military and civilian, to face future challenges.

The “Civilians We Need” Model and career roadmaps have been codified in the DAF Manual 36-142, Civilian Career Field Management and Force Development, which now includes references to the Space Force and supersedes AF Man ual 36-606.

For advertising information about this director y, call Classifieds at 707-427-6973 or email: cgibbs@dailyrepublic.net

LUTHERAN

NAZARENE

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Bible-Based Expository Preaching Sunday Worship Services

& 10:45 AM

Pastor Jon Kile 192 Bella Vista Road, Vacaville 707-451-2026

school for all ages is provided during both services.

our

“To know Him, and to make Him known”

490 Brown Street Vacaville, CA 95688 707-446-8684

Sundays:

Sunday School (9:45 am) Worship Service (11:00 am) Fellowship Lunch (12:30 pm)

Thursdays: Prayer Meeting (7:00 pm) Bible studies throughout the week.

for

offered at www.vacavillefaith.org

other

Pastor Ben Smith www.vacavillebiblechurch.com office@vacavillebiblechurch.com

Vacaville

Church of Christ

401 Fir St., Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 448-5085

Minister: Elliott Williams

The Father’s House 4800 Horse Creek Drive Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 455-7790 www.tfh.org

Service Times Sunday: 9am & 11am Live Stream at tfhvacaville

Sunday Morning Bible Study 9:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 AM

Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 PM

Wed. Evening Bible Study 7:00 PM www.vacavillecofc.com

If you would like to take a free Bible correspondence course contact: Know Your Bible Program 401 Fir Street • Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 448-5085

UNITY

Band of the Golden West performs at Presidio Tunnel Tops

RIGHT: U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Cristina Urrutia,

FAR LEFT: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nathaniel McKay, USAF Band of the Golden West trumpeter, performs at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, San Francisco, Oct. 6.

LEFT: From left to right, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anna Gilpatrick, Airman 1st Class Natalie Angst and Staff Sgt. Alena Zidlicky, USAF Band of the Golden West vocalists, perform at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, San Francisco, Oct. 6.

Lan Kim/U.S. Air Force photos