July 13, 2015 Coined by the commander Brig. Gen. James C. Johnson, Air Force Recruiting Service commander, coins Aric Almirola, the Air Force- sponsored No. 43 driver, at the NASCAR Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, July 5. Johnson swore in 30 Delayed Entry Program members from the 336th Recruiting Squadron before the race. For another photo, see Page 2. (U.S. Air Force photo) Decorations processing now initiated through vPC JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – through the vPC improves Airmen’s access to personnel Supervisors of active duty Airmen can now use the virtual processes. It also saves members time since it includes pre- Personnel Center via myPers to initiate and track decorations populated certificates and memorandums, online “Decor throughout the review and approval process. 6” forms, automatic updates to the Military Personnel Data “The online application allows for automated routing and System and automatic transfers to official records. approval, in addition to pre-populating certain personnel data A process for active duty evaluations was implemented in the forms,” said Christine Stingley, chief, Requirements in vPC in May. Senior raters are able to submit active duty and Testing Branch, Military Future Operations, Air Force evaluations and track the process through the myPers website Personnel Center. “vPC also allows for the electronic review on all officer and initial evaluations that closed out on or after and processing into a member’s record.” June 30 and for enlisted evaluations beginning with the July Active duty decorations will be initiated, processed and 31 senior master sergeant static closeout date. tracked through the vPC application dashboard. Initially, Video tutorials and user guides for commanders and automated processing will include the Meritorious Service supervisors are available on myPers at https://mypers. Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force af.mil/?source=GovD under the “I Would Like To” section. Achievement Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Combat Select the “View vPC Information” for tutorials and guides Readiness Medal and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service on using vPC. After reviewing instructions, Airmen can also Medal. visit the vPC Dashboard page. Adding automated decoration processing on myPers (Courtesy of Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 2 At Daytona Mike “T-Bone” Sikes, driver for the No. 43 show car hauler, leans in to tell Brig. Gen. James C. Johnson, Air Force Recruiting Service commander, about the car. Johnson swore in 30 Delayed Entry Program members from the 336th Recruiting Squadron before the NASCAR Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, July 5. (U.S. Air Force photo) AFRS announces second quarter award winners Congratulations to the second quarter production award Top Medical Corps Fully Qualified Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. winners for fiscal 2015: Michele Corning, 318th RCS Top MC Financial Assistance Program Recruiter: Master Top Production Superintendent: Senior Master Sgt. Frank Sgt. William Daniels, 318th RCS Staud, 337th Recruiting Squadron Top MC Health Professions Scholarship Program Top Health Professions Flight: 348th RCS A-Flight Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. Stephan Shinholt, 348th RCS Top HP Flight Chief: Master Sgt. Michael Ray, 348th RCS Top Dental Corps FQ Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. William Top HP Recruiter: Master Sgt. Timothy Bernau, 348th RCS Roskopf, 348th RCS Top Enlisted Accessions Flight: 319th RCS E-Flight Top DC HPSP Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. Stephan Shinholt, Top EA Flight Chief: Master Sgt. Matthew Davidson, 369th 348th RCS RCS Top Nurse Corps FQ Recruiter: Master Sgt. Eric Hart, Top EA Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. Clifford Roy, 331st RCS 342nd RCS Top Line Officer Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. Bryan Berrio, 345th Top NC HPSP Recruiter: Master Sgt. Eric Hart, 342nd RCS RCS Top Nurse Transition Program Recruiter: Staff Sgt. Patrick Top Support Flight: 364th RCS Gilroy Jr., 348th RCS Top Support (non-8R000): Tech. Sgt. Roberto Montalvo, Top Biomedical Service Corps Recruiter: Master Sgt. James 342nd RCS Aaron, 348th RCS Top Operations Flight: 337th RCS Top BSC HPSP Recruiter: Tech. Sgt. Daniel Brandt, 348th Top Training and Marketing Branch: 331st RCS RCS Top Support (8R000): Staff Sgt. Samantha Acosta, 314th Top Small Military Entrance Processing Station: Spokane, RCS Washington, 368th RCS Top Medical Service Corps Recruiter: Master Sgt. Stephanie Top Medium MEPS: Minneapolis, 343rd RCS Satinsky, 318th RCS Top Large MEPS: San Antonio, 341st RCS MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 3 Three join ranks of production superintendents Congratulations to Air Force Recruiting Service’s newest production superintendents. Their selection as both master recruiters and production superintendents signifies their expert level of knowledge, skill and competence in the recruiting profession. All three are senior master sergeant selectees. Haylee James, 369th Recruiting Group Heather Poff, 361st Recruiting Squadron Kevin Daigle, Headquarters AFRS Flight centric office opens in El Paso The 367th Recruiting Squadron celebrated the opening of its first flight centric office in El Paso, Texas, June 23. More than 50 local officials and influencers from the three major cities in the area – El Paso, and Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico – attended the ceremony. Speakers at the ceremony included Alamogordo’s Pro Tem Mayor Gregory Smith, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Vice President Terri Reed, and El Paso native Chief Master Sgt. Elva Shipp, 367th RCS superintendent. Master Sgt. Joseph Roberson, G-Flight chief, spoke to local media stations about the flight centric office concept. Pictured from left are: Staff Sgt. Maura Sturgeon; Terri Reed; Col. Dennis Tucker, 372nd Recruiting Group commander; Lt. Col. Lewis Harper Jr., 367th RCS commander; Gregory Smith; Chief Master Sgt. Elva Shipp; and Staff Sgt. Krystel Anderson. (U.S. Air Force photo) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 4 369th RCG change of command Brig. Gen. James C. Johnson, Air Force Recruiting Service commander, hands the guidon of the 369th Recruiting Group to its new commander, Col. Patricia A. Sergey, at Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, Texas, June 30. Sergey assumed command from Col. Robert Borja. (U.S. Air Force photo) 314th RCS change of command Airmen stand at attention during the change of command ceremony for the 314th Recruiting Squadron at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, New Jersey, June 25. From left are Col. Eric Espino, 360th Recruiting Group commander; Master Sgt. Mindy Caston, 314th RCS first sergeant; Lt. Col. Michael Fenimore, the former commander who retired; and Lt. Col. George Peasant III, the new commander. (U.S. Air Force photo) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 5 319th RCS change of command Col. Eric Espino, 360th Recruiting Group commander, passes the guidon to the new commander of the 319th Recruiting Squadron, Maj. Amy Goff, at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, June 23. Standing behind them is Master Sgt. Kevin Walker, the 319th RCS first sergeant. Goff assumed command from Lt. Col. Anthony Stroup. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jerry Saslav) 338th RCS change of command Lt. Col. Tameesha Coatney accepts the guidon for the 338th Recruiting Squadron from Col. Eric Espino, 360th Recruiting Group commander, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, June 30. Coatney assumed command of the 338th RCS from Lt. Col. Timothy Maxwell. (U.S. Air Force photo) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 6 Incentive flight Three Airmen from the 319th Recruiting Squadron joined 17 from the 66th Air Base Wing at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, for an incentive flight June 20. ABOVE – The Airmen from the 319th RCS were Staff Sgt. Samuel Harris, third from left; Senior Airman Christopher Stewart, fifth from left; and Tech. Sgt. Michael Brothwell, sixth from left. RIGHT – Airmen prepare for takeoff in a KC-135 Stratotanker. (U.S. Air Force photos) LEFT – The flight originated from Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, and included the refueling of a C-17 Globemaster III. (U.S. Air Force photo) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 7 iMatter gives AETC Airmen voice to share innovations By Capt. Jennifer Richard Operations program. According to rules of engagement Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs posted on the iMatter site, posts must be respectful and well-researched and not complaints or personal opinions. JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – Air “No idea is off limits,” said Charles Wyatt, master process Education and Training Command’s iMatter website gives owner for the AETC Air Force Smart Operations program, all command Total Force Airmen access to an AETC-specific “but this is not the Inspector General Complaint System.” tool for sharing innovation and improvement ideas. Once an idea is submitted, the ITO sends the idea to the The concept took hold based on Gen. Robin Rand, AETC appropriate functional area of responsibility to consider. commander, hearing ideas directly from Airmen during his Depending on the response from the functional, the ITO command site visits. staff may see if there is an opportunity to apply their AFSO “Air Education and Training Command has great Airmen skills in ways such as conducting additional research or doing great things every day,” Rand said. “I want every holding an AFSO event. For each idea, the exact process Airman in the command to know they have a voice to me differs depending on the scope of the recommendation or – 24/7. In addition to my AETC Commander Facebook page problem. and the AETC public website, iMatter helps accomplish this “We really do try, as much as reasonably possible, to goal by offering a venue to post innovative suggestions or implement submitters’ ideas, and we’d like to get the ideas.” entire process – from beginning to end – completed as iMatter allows AETC Airmen to post their suggestions for quickly as possible,” Wyatt said. “And just about every improving processes and procedures as well as their ideas step of the way, as a suggestion moves along the path, the on how to improve the command. Airmen provide their submitter gets notified and informed about the status of inputs via a simple, online form. Then, each submission the idea.” is reviewed by the AETC Innovation and Transformation ‘iMatter’ continued on Page 8 Office, which oversees the command’s Air Force Smart MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 8 On the road The AFRS Safety Office had its annual motorcycle pre-season brief and ride June 26. Pictured from left are Tech. Sgt. Daniel Acosta, Staff Sgt. Darby Larvenz, Master Sgt. Soren Pease, Staff Sgt. Kenneth Nowakowski, Master Sgt. Jermaine Goodman and Tech. Sgt. James Gill. The brief was kicked off by Col. Robert Trayers, chief of the AFRS Operations Division, who is also a rider. Goodman, AFRS ground safety manager, gave an update on motorcycle training requirements and traffic concerns. He encouraged members to search for escape routes to prevent the possibility of being rear-ended. This is due to the spike in distracted driver accidents on the public roadways. Lastly, Pease briefed hot weather riding and some new products on the market to keep riders cool under all the gear. The riders took a 50-mile journey to the Texas River Road and to lunch. (U.S. Air Force photo) ‘iMatter’ continued from Page 7 help complement existing Air Force programs and to focus on AETC-specific areas of innovation.” “Think about the power that 62,000 Airmen across To start using iMatter, Airmen can visit the site, https:// AETC can have,” said Maj. Alan Haedge, chief of command app10-eis.aetc.af.mil/imatter/SitePages/home.aspx, and policy and special programs for AETC. “There are tons access a variety of resources, including an iMatter User’s of folks out there with great, innovative ideas; hopefully Guide and instructional videos. Each iMatter site visitor they’ll take the time to put those ideas on the iMatter site. must use his/her Common Access Card (CAC) and select Commercial entities such as USAA and Starbucks actually the non-email CAC certificate in order to access the site. use similar tools and have had great success. In fact, USAA For non-CAC users or to find out more, contact the AETC has generated over 500 patents since 2010 with their Innovation and Transformation Office at AETC.AFSO21. respective innovation program. This program is intended to [email protected] MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 9 349th RCS reaches out to the community Members of the 349th Recruiting Squadron B-Flight and their Delayed Entry Program volunteered at Camp Farwesta near St. Joseph, Missouri, June 26, where they supported an event for 30 orphaned children. Staff Sgt. Haley Santos organized the event and personally paid for the food. All her flight mates showed up in support. ABOVE – Members of B-Flight help prepare food. Clockwise from front left are Staff Sgt. Travis Workman, a DEP member, Tech. Sgt. Matthew Russo, a DEP member, Staff Sgt. Michael Garcia and Staff Sgt. Mario Moreno. LEFT – Santos presents the camp director with a certificate of appreciation. (U.S. Air Force photos) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY Behind the Badge July 13, 2015 10 Celebrating independence The 314th Recruiting Squadron A-Flight and their Delayed Entry Program supported the Southampton 4th of July Parade in Southampton Township, Pennsylvania, July 4. A-Flight helped the Lower Southampton Veteran Advisory Council set up and tear down the flatbed truck which carried their float. Korean War Veteran John Martin rode on board, and they won the Most Patriotic Float Award. LEFT – Staff Sgt. Ralph Hall Gonzalez Jr. stands ready for color guard duty. ABOVE – From left are Ryan Bell, Shawnya Williams, Adam Mika, Edward Smith, Majeed Phillips, Sade Traylor, Elijah Simmons, Hyuk Roh, Jack Gidaro and Gonzalez. (U.S. Air Force photos) MISSION AIRMEN FAMILY