Staff Sgt. Brandon Feister, a weather forecaster with the 72nd Operations Support Squadron, delivered the seven-day forecast to the state of Oklahoma during a media day with KOKH Fox 25 meteorologist Marcy Novak. This was a partnership effort between Tinker Air Force Base and local media to share the history of the United States Air Force’s 72nd Birthday, which was Sept. 18. (U.S. Air Force photo/Nevardo Cayemitte)

Christian Tabak

Staff Writer 

As one of Tinker Air Force Base’s weather forecasters, Staff Sgt. Brandon Feister, is tasked with the important job of keeping the installation informed of current weather conditions, providing advisories in the case of inclement weather, briefing missions of weather conditions and more.

While Feister and the rest of Tinker’s weather forecasters are often out of sight, Feister had the unique chance of sharing his role on base with the community  by appearing on KOKH Fox25 to give the morning weather forecast in celebration of the Air Force’s 72nd birthday.

“I was nervous because this wasn’t anything I was used to, but it was great being able to be a part of this in recognition of the Air Force’s 72nd birthday,” Feister said.

Feister, who was assigned to Tinker in 2015 as part of the 72nd Operations Support Squadron, Weather Flight, said that he had chosen this post because of Oklahoma’s reputation for severe and unusual weather.

His and the other forecasters’ observations are what  provide the advisories and weather briefings that are sent out across Tinker to help protect the base’s assets in the face of inclement weather. 

One of the most significant roles Feister plays as a weather forecaster is keeping each aircraft that takes off from Tinker with a weather brief.  

“This part of their pre-flight checklist,” Feister said. “We provide them with a mission execution forecast, which we update regularly about every eight hours, and they’re required to call us to make sure that there have been no updates. Most of the time it’s no, but sometimes it might be something like there are thunderstorms en route or something like that.”

With the need to provide briefings for the 552nd Air Control Wing, the 507th Air Refueling Wing and Tinker’s own test flights, Feister said that he could be providing briefings for aircraft taking off right on base all the way to the other side of the world.

“It’s not just always, ‘Hey, I’m taking off from Tinker,’” Feister said. “It’ll be them taking off from someplace on the other side of the world to get to another place on the other side of the world, and they want us to give them the brief. Because they trust us and we know what their plane limitations are.”

Along with sharing  the significance of what it is he and his fellow forecasters are responsible each day, Feister added that it also gave him a new appreciation for what it is Oklahoma’s local forecasters do as part of their job.

“It’s tough because there was no teleprompter like you have for news anchors, it’s just going up there, keeping in mind the weather conditions and informing people about the weather on live TV,” Feister said.

The appearance was part of Tinker’s outreach to share the Air Force’s 72nd birthday, the theme of which has been Frontiers of Blue, and Tinker’s continuing impact on the local community. 

With Tinker already having such strong ties with local communities such as Midwest City and Oklahoma City, this media appearance was something that Col. Eddie Taylor, vice commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing, said strengthens those connections.

“I think this is particularly important in Oklahoma City due to the extreme weather that we experience for us to always be on the same page with local weather,” Taylor said. “To have our Tinker weather shop link up with Fox25 is a unique opportunity to share information and allow them to publicize what Tinker does and how we’re very much a city within a city, including our own weather shop and weather forecasters.”

Joining Feister on KOKH was Col. Linda Hoover, 72nd Mission Support Group Commander, who had a chance to share Tinker’s mission and the installation’s impact on the local community.

“We will celebrate the Air Force the entire year under the Frontiers of Blue, which is the 72nd theme,” Hoover said. “To continually promote what it is we do here at Tinker, especially on the Air Force’s birthday, is important to let the community know that we have the Air Force and warfighting capabilities we need, and we are continuously looking to our Airmen as the most valuable assets in providing innovation well past the 21st century.”

Beginning Oct. 2, the Tinker Take Off will transition from a weekly newspaper to a biweekly news-magazine. The new format will include sections on health, highlights from around Oklahoma and more, as well as a change toward a more visually appealing format. (Illustration/Tiffany English)

Tinker Take Off Staff

At the Tinker Take Off, we take pride in having provided Tinkerites with information they need, telling the Air Force’s story from inside the gates of Tinker Air Force Base for the past 77 years. 

Like all things, with time comes change — you will begin to see big changes happening in the TTO starting October 2.  

Readers will notice a redesign taking shape for a news-magazine format. We will present more visually pleasing content and in-depth feature coverage. This format change will also introduce brand new features such as Health Beat, a special area dedicated to health-related content; TTO Staff Picks, a fun listing of the TTO staff’s favorites or recommendations around Tinker or the local community; and Off Beat, a fun feature taking you to different locations around the OKC metro, as well as other places in Oklahoma. 

Another big change for the TTO beginning Oct. 2 is a new publication schedule. The TTO will change from being a weekly newspaper to a biweekly magazine, coming out every other Wednesday, instead of Fridays. 

Readers can still get the most up-to-date news by visiting the Tinker Air Force Base website at Tinker.af.mil, the TTO website at TinkerTakeOff.com or our Facebook page where news and information will still be posted regularly and timely. 

We will continue to provide readers with the crucial mission and base activity coverage they’ve come to expect, while also broadening our reporting horizons to bring special content from beyond the gates of Tinker.

We recognize we are a large part of the local community, so expect more information on places and things to see and experience throughout Oklahoma. We are excited about this change and look forward to hearing from you.

Todd Bayles, REACT Cell engineer lead, holds a B-52 battery vent tube created using additive manufacturing to put the aircraft, B-52H 60-0015, back in to service as there were no spare parts available. This small plastic part had the potential to keep two massive B-52 Stratofortress’ on the ground after completing depot level overhaul. See story for the surprising figure of how much it was costing the Air Force to keep the aircraft grounded and how much the part cost to solve the problem. (U.S. Air Force photo/Greg L. Davis)

Jacob McGuire

Staff Writer

When the U.S. Air Force calls, Tinker’s Reverse Engineering and Critical Tooling lab knows how to REACT.

A recent situation involving two Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses that are undergoing planned depot maintenance, is one of the latest examples of the REACT Laboratory, located in Bldg. 9001, helping to sustain Tinker and the Air Force’s mission. 

According to Kenneth Stotts, a contract engineer with the B-52 division, the problem started when two B-52s needed battery vent outlets, but when there were no bids to repair the aircraft despite multiple solicitations, the problem became even bigger. So he said they turned to the REACT lab, whose engineers provided a solution that potentially saved the Air Force millions of dollars. 

“We needed the parts immediately,” he said. “The aircraft had a limited amount of time to get out of depot maintenance.”

Todd Bayles, an engineer in the Reverse Engineering and Critical Tooling Lab, works on a computer-aided design (CAD) of a B-52 battery vent outlet. Two Boeing B-52 Stratofortress’ were in need of the parts in order to meet their depot maintenance deadline and REACT engineers were able to reverse engineer the parts to help the B-52 team deliver the aircraft on-time. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

One of the B-52s has a deadline of Sept. 23, and the other is Dec. 5. Stotts said one has already left the base, and the other will follow at some point. 

Stotts can thank Blake Grimwood, Todd Bayles and Kathy Cannon, the REACT engineers who took on the project, for ensuring those deadlines were met. 

“I was excited for the opportunity to be a part of the solution,” Grimwood said. “It was great to see all of us working together to remove roadblocks quickly enough to where the mission wasn’t negatively impacted.” 

The REACT engineers used their engineering capabilities to manufacture the battery vent part for the two aircraft – all for about $3,600. 

“Low quantity injection molded parts like this one are great applications for replacing with selective laser sintering printed parts at lower cost and quicker production,” Bayles said. 

Several state and military officials have visited the lab since it opened last year, including Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development Sean Kouplen, and Brent Kisling, Executive Director for the Department of Commerce, who toured the lab in May. 

Todd Bayles, REACT Cell engineer lead, holds a B-52 battery vent tube created using additive manufacturing to put the aircraft, B-52H 60-0015, back in to service as there were no spare parts available. This small plastic part had the potential to keep two massive B-52 Stratofortress’ on the ground after completing depot level overhaul. See story for the surprising figure of how much it was costing the Air Force to keep the aircraft grounded and how much the part cost to solve the problem. (U.S. Air Force photo/Greg L. Davis)

The lab, which provides for cutting-edge innovation that reduces cost and provides rapid solutions, uses additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, to minimize depot maintenance costs, produce rapid prototyping and design iteration, as well as performing dimensional verification and low volume tooling. 

For assistance with issues that relate to these sustainment challenges, REACT lab officials said to follow these steps: 

Identify a need or requirement, and then email 76CMXG.REACTTEAM@us.af.mil. 

Submit a request for quote (AFMC Form 501) to OC-ALC/OB RFQ Workflow OC-ALC.OB.RFQ@us.af.mil and approve the returned work estimate and statement of work. 

The lab will take care of the rest. 

Once approved, the REACT lab will initiate a pre-production plan to establish funding. Lastly, the lab will initiate work and track progress toward meeting customer requirements.

Look for a sampling of personal favorites every month from the Tinker Take Off staff, everything ranging from Tinker resources to local getaways around our great state.

In this issue, we share our five must-experience OKC Downtown destinations for Tinkerites looking to get the most out of the Oklahoma Experience.

Myriad Botanical Gardens
Downtown Oklahoma City

Myriad Botanical Gardens

This issue’s featured Off Beat location, the 17-acre urban park contains unique gardens and the famed Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. With a variety of classes, events and more, there’s something for everyone.

• Outdoor gardens: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day; Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Outdoor gardens: free; Tropical Conservatory: $8 for adults, $7 for students age 13-19 and $5 for students age 5-12

• oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com

• Dog park on premises

Wheeler Park

Wheeler District

Centered around the iconic Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel, the Wheeler District is a great area to get a pulse on the direction OKC is trending, while enjoying the scenic Oklahoma River from atop a historic ferris wheel.

• The ferris wheel is open 4-11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 9 p.m. on Sundays

• $6 for a single ride, $10 for a full day and free for children 3 and under

• wheelerdistrict.com/ferris-wheel/

• Free ride tickets for furry friends

Factory Obscura

Factory Obscura

Factory Obscura is a top destination in OKC for its colorful, immersive art exhibits. This art collective features interactive and cutting-edge art installations from a variety of artists ranging from popular local talents to high-profile figures.

• 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5p.m. Sundays

• $15 for adults, $12 for children 4-12 and no cost for children 3 and under

• factoryobscura.com/

Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

There is no single experience in OKC that provides a look into what has become known as the Oklahoma Standard quite like the National Memorial and Museum. Dedicated to the lives lost and those impacted by the 1995 OKC Bombing, the Memorial is an experience like no other, honoring a tragic event that became a formative moment in the contemporary development of OKC.

• 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays

• $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, military members and students, and free for children under 5

• oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

OKC Underground
Downtown Oklahoma City

OKC Underground

A literal hidden gem of OKC, the Underground of OKC spans 20 city blocks filled with stores, restaurants and art exhibits highlighting some of the more unique aspects of Oklahoma and its residents. An entrance to the Underground can be found in Liberty Square, with many more hidden entrances scattered throughout downtown.

• 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday

• Free, with costs varying from business to business

• downtownokc.com/underground

Senior leaders sign their pledge cards for the Combined Federal Campaign, which kicked off Oct. 1and runs until Nov. 22. The CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, promoting philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused and cost-efficient. Bottom row from left, Col. Keven Coyle, 552nd Air Control Wing vice commander; Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing commander; Col. Miles Heaslip, 507th Air Refueling Wing commander; top row from left, Col. Linda Hoover, 72nd Mission Support Group commander; Dave Fralish, 72nd ABW Communications Directorate acting director; Col. David Woodley, Air Force Flight Standards Agency commander, Bill Ward, 72nd ABW Civil Engineering Directorate acting director; Col. Jennifer Trinkle, 72nd Medical Group commander and Col. Jerome McLin, 448th Supply Chain Management Wing IMA to the director. For more information about the CFC and how to donate, contact Chaplain Capt. Okechukwu Nwaneri at 734-5482 or email okechukwu.nwaneri@us.af.mil. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jillian Coleman)

2nd Lt. Ashlyn K. Paulson

72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Time zones couldn’t stop the 552nd Air Control Wing from visiting the Royal Australian Air Force in September 2019.

An E-3G Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft of the 552nd Air Control Wing, 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron, joins the Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft in September 2019, Williamtown, Australia. The AWACS joined the RAAF to work on mission integration and partnership of similar airframes in response to the E-7A AEWC visiting the 552nd ACW in 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo/2d Lt Ashlyn K. Paulson)

The 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron represented the 552nd ACW and traveled to RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia, to integrate and train with the RAAF to reciprocate a visit to Tinker Air Force Base in 2018.

While the 552nd ACW operates the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System, the RAAF operates the E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft. These two aircraft are similar in nature, but the E-3 has a rotating radar, while the E-7 has a stationary radar plate.

“The Wedgetail and the E-3 have very similar platforms but the Wedgetail is a newer version,” said Flight Lieutenant Ryan Anderson, an E-7A pilot with the RAAF. “The more advanced sensor eliminates onboard technicians for day to day operations and allows for data to be collected with higher accuracy and fidelity. “

During their week-long visit, the 960th AACS and RAAF had the opportunity to conduct a joint flying mission.

“This flight was monumental because we were able to train in the electronic spectrum with international partners. Typically this experience isn’t available unless we are being threatened in a real life event,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Doyle, a member of the 965th AACS and the mission crew commander for the flight. “Gaining this knowledge in a training environment ensures we are better prepared for a real event.”

Other events included aircraft capabilities briefings for both the E-3 Sentry and E-7 Wedgetail, mission planning, static displays of each aircraft, discussions with both maintenance teams and debrief after the flight.

Australia was one stop during the AWACS world tour to display Global Reach capability. Other locations included Alaska and Hawaii.

“This visit would not have been possible without the U.S. Pacific Air Forces support and assistance,” said Col. Alain Poisson, commander of the 552nd ACW. “We look forward to continuing to build continuity and experience supporting Combatant Commander objectives in multiple theaters worldwide.”

Both Air Forces had many key takeaways and lessons learned following the integration, ensuring the partnership between both is unified and prepared for future exercises, operations or any other mission that may require international support.

Megan Prather

Staff Writer

Since its inception 13 years ago, the employee-driven Voluntary Protection Program has been the lead safety program for Tinker Air Force Base and the Air Force Sustainment Center.

VPP is an Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiative that promotes worksite safety and health through hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis, training and cooperation.

“The importance of VPP is that it’s a safety program that actually provides rights to employees so employees can actually drive the program for mutual benefit amongst them,” 72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek said. “They have ownership and they have rights.”

Carl Dahms, Tinker Air Force Base Union President said VPP has been an enhancement of Tinker’s safety management system.

Carl Dahms, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 916, and Col. Paul Filcek, shake hands after signing an agreement for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program Sept. 6. AFGE Local 916 represents over 9,000 bargaining unit employees of Tinker Air Force Base who are empowered to employ the standards of VPP to keep their workplaces safe and hazard-free. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

“One of the things that made the program work was the willingness of leadership to buy into the program. It took several years to build that culture change, but we’ve been successful in most areas in achieving our status as far as safety goes,” Dahms said. “With all the different partners, leadership, the employees, the union and OSHA, it’s been a team effort to actually change the culture and save the Air Force a lot of money on injuries and time off.”

To participate in VPP, employers submit an application to OSHA and complete an onsite evaluation by a team of safety and health professionals with union support. VPP participants are reevaluated every 3-5 years in order to ensure they are maintaining the safety standards of the program.

“It was a hard sell at the beginning because the employees thought this was just another initiative that was going to be around for a couple months and then gone,” Dahms said. “VPP is not a program that’s pushed down from the top. It’s intended to be a grassroots program and that’s what it takes to achieve the culture change that we did with this program, was involving the people on the floor.”

VPP empowers TiAFSC employees to take action in reporting incidents and acknowledging hazards in their work area. Supervisors will document the various hazards reported by an employee and track the process of fixing it.

“For years it was standard to walk by and pretend it’s not there,” Dahms said.  “Now the culture is reporting these things to supervisors and documenting them on an employee involvement board which highlights that problem and shows where they are in the process to fixing that problem.”

There are three different programs under VPP including demonstration, merit and star status. In order for a worksite to achieve star status, employees and employers must demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety and health hazards through the development, implementation and continuous improvement of their safety and health management system.

“The star status is nice, it’s a little bit of recognition, but the biggest thing that should be highlighted with this program are the culture changes that have happened, not only with employees, but with management all the way up,” Dahms said. “Without that culture change we wouldn’t have any stars out there.”

Tinker isn’t the only AFB that has found success with the program.  Union president at Hill Air Force Base, Troy Tingey, says the program has given employees the power to truly engage in how safety impacts their everyday lives at work.

“Every time an employee has a concern with a safety matter it’s taken to the right force, the VPP group, and they’re obligated and committed to get back with those employees within hours to address the concern, whereas if they address it with the safety office sometimes it can take days,” Tingey said. “I encourage people to support it and give their 100%. We want our people to want to come to work, and we want them to be safe when they go home.”

Robins AFB union president Marion Williams said he believes that the coming year will be a successful one for their program.

“With the support of our senior leadership, we have been able to enter into memorandums of agreements that allow us to energize our VPP base to reach our diverse organizations,” Williams said. “I feel FY 2020 will be the year the Robins Family truly shines in the VPP community.”

He said they plan to continue employee driven programs such as Fostering Leadership, a program which involves employees recognizing their peers for things such as safety or outstanding leadership. This also includes a monthly event in which senior leadership along with union leadership visit the worksites of the award recipients to speak more on VPP.

“Our new growth is driving us to be better, stronger and smarter,” Williams said. “By implementing VPP and embedding the thought process into our family members, it will pave the way to our next milestone of excellence.”

Christian Tabak

Staff Writer

Work on the first leg of the new KC-46A Pegasus’ maintenance depot, the single-largest construction project to hit Tinker Air Force Base since the 1940s, is progressing ahead of the official ribbon-cutting scheduled for Oct. 18.

The segment of the campus that will be unveiled later this month represents the first portion of a massive project that is expected to run through fiscal year 2029. The new 156-acre maintenance campus will eventually boast 14 hangars, single-bay and double-bay, with facilities to handle maintenance, repair and modification operations. (U.S. Air Force photos/Kelly White)

The new 156-acre maintenance campus will eventually boast 14 hangars, single-bay and double-bay, with facilities to handle maintenance, repair and modification operations. The campus will also feature a system integration laboratory and new taxiway as well as a substantial area remaining for future expansion.

“Since the birth and initial growth of Tinker AFB in the World War II era, nothing is bigger from a military construction perspective than the KC-46A campus,” said Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing commander. “This campus will enable the global projection of air power for the next generation and generations to come.”

The new 156-acre maintenance campus will eventually boast 14 hangars, single-bay and double-bay, with facilities to handle maintenance, repair and modification operations. The segment of the campus that will be unveiled later this month represents the first portion of a massive project that is expected to run through fiscal year 2029. (U.S. Air Force photos/Kelly White)

The segment of the campus that will be unveiled later this month represents the first portion of a massive project that is expected to run through fiscal year 2029. “Work began on the campus in July 2016 and has progressed steadily despite several delays and minor complications,” said Mark Harbaugh, the 72nd Civil Engineering Squadron’s project manager.

The first hangar, which Harbaugh describes as a plane garage compared to the other facilities, will allow crews to do basic maintenance work. The second project, the two-bay hangar, is around 85% complete and will allow crews to perform maintenance, corrosion control processes and fuel cell work, thanks to blast-resistant infrastructure and a major heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

The next leg of the construction project will begin in fiscal year 2020 and will include two additional two-bay hangars, one capable of performing the same fuel cell work, as well as a fuel system that will allow for the KC-46A to have the integrity of its fuel processes checked, and the other for basic aircraft maintenance. A three-bay hangar is scheduled for fiscal year 2021.

In fiscal year 2023, Harbaugh said he anticipates constructing the final two-bay depot maintenance hangar and another corrosion control single-bay hangar. The campus’ 14th and final hangar is expected to be added as a single-bay hangar in fiscal year 2027.

A 3D rendering of a single-bay maintenance dock at the new KC-46A campus on Tinker Air Force Base illustrates a KC-46A refueling tanker being brought in for maintenance. While the ribbon cutting for the campus will be held Oct. 18, the first KC-46A will not arrive for maintenance until June 2020. (Courtesy digital rendering)

“This whole complex will allow them to perform any level of work on the KC-46A, whether it’s just to check the oil and kick the tires or a complete strip it down and rebuild it,” Harbaugh said.

The area that now houses the KC-46A campus was an abandoned rail yard purchased from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. in a joint effort by the Air Force, city of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County for $44 million.

Mr. Bill Ward, acting deputy base civil engineer of the 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate, said several potential sites for the campus were evaluated by the Air Force, but after extensive review the rail yard was selected because it was a suitable site for the campus’ needs.

He added that, because the railyard separated two major portions of the Tinker installation, utilizing the area for the campus would also increase the base’s security connecting those disjointed segments.

In addition, Harbaugh said the rail yard’s location was beneficial since it included an off-base entry point that saved construction teams and supply lines the task of entering the worksite via Tinker’s commercial gate.

The KC-46A is the first phase of a three-stage effort to replace the U.S. Air Force’s aging tanker fleet. The aircraft features more refueling capacity and enhanced capabilities for cargo and aero medical evacuation, with the manufacturing and engineering contact being awarded to Boeing.

According to Boeing, the Pegasus boasts 62,000 pounds of thrust with a wingspan of 156 feet, a 165-foot-10-inch fuselage length and a height of 52 feet and 10 inches. Its maximum cargo capacity is 212,299 pounds.

The aircraft is fitted with a flush-mounted, air-to-air refueling receptacle capable of accepting fuel at 1,200 gallons per minute and also includes a digital fly-by-wire boom capable of offloading fuel at 1,200 gallons per minute. Additionally, it features a centerline drogue system and removable wing air refuelling pods that each can offload fuel at 400 gallons per minute.

“It’s going to have an impact for Tinker, the Air Force and
the community for decades to come,” Ward said. “It’s something we’re pretty excited about because it’s a new aircraft, it’s a new capability for the Air Force and we’re a part of that. Very few Air Force civil engineering groups get to contribute to something on this scale.”

The Air Force has agreed to purchase 179 KC-46As in order to replace the KC-135 stratotankers, which have been in service since 1957, by 2028. Ward said the 14-hangar facility will be sufficient for the fleet, but the potential for expansion has been taken into consideration with renewed discussion on the possibility of the Air Force moving forward with plans to introduce the KC-Y and KC-Z.

“The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex remains the Air Force’s largest depot and, with the addition of the KC-46A added to increasing legacy system requirements, it will continue to remain the Air Force’s largest depot for the foreseeable future,” Filcek said.

Christian Tabak

Staff Writer

It was on Oct. 16, 1962, that photographs were revealed to the administration of President John F. Kennedy that the Soviet Union was constructing sites for long- and short-range nuclear missiles in Cuba.

This revelation sparked what would become known as the Cuban Missile Crisis and represented some of the darkest hours in the tense relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The Navy sent 180 ships to the Caribbean as a part of a blockade of Cuba while the B-52 bomber force, armed with atomic weapons, was ordered to stay in the air in the event of war.

38th Engineering Squadron Director Carroll Dobbs stands in front of the table where the 746th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron would coordinate tactical communication in the command room of Bldg. 4029 at Tinker Air Force Base’s 38th Cybersecurity Engineering Installation. During the 13-day crisis that began on Oct. 16, 1962, Bldg. 4029 served as the Combat Control Center that directed military air traffic in the southern United States. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Kelly White)

While all attention was focused on the small island just 110 miles from Florida’s coast, Strategic Air Command assets were dispersed to civilian landing fields around the country in case of an attack and military installations across the nation were in a state of readiness for a potential nuclear war.

One of the installations that played a significant role in the conflict was the Oklahoma City Air Force Station, a separate installation at the time of the Crisis, but now home to the 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group.

Bldg. 4029 on the installation was the location of the Combat Control Station, where all military air traffic for the southern United States was directed out of the building’s command room.

“There would’ve been colonels lined up at telephones with hotlines to different places,” said Carroll Dobbs, 38th Engineering Squadron director. “You can just imagine them manning the phones, with them mapping out movements on the board much like they do with the crisis action center we have on base now.”

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the station was operated by the 746th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, who worked to direct much of the strategic air traffic related to the crisis by means of what they called the “cab” located in the middle of the Combat Control Center.

A Plexiglass planning table surrounded on three sides by Plexiglass walls, the cab, was where the 746th ACWS manually tracked aircraft movement using grease-pencils and aircraft silhouettes. The base also housed the 32nd Air Division, one of the bomber squadrons tasked with preparing a defense strategy to receive any incoming offensive aircraft and missiles in the event of a Cuban attack on the United States, according to Dobbs.

Despite its significance, the role played by Bldg. 4029 and the 746th ACWS are details that remain relatively unknown on base, even among the members of the 38th CEIG. The control room that previously served as one of the primary communication centers for the missile crisis is now associated with engineering projects and training sessions, according to Dobbs.

“When I started here in 1978, there was no mention of the Cuban Missile Crisis in relation to the command room,” Dobbs said. “At that time this was, and still is, the headquarters of the Engineering and Installation community. They had a squadron that tracked projects around the world and at that time this was the southern communications area, which tracked construction projects at air force bases all around the world.”

To ensure the historic role played here is not lost to history, a physical timeline is being created that will highlight historically significant moments in the history of Bldg. 4029 and the installation, including the work done there during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“It’s sad that knowledge of this building has kind of gone by the wayside,” said Jenell Conley, management analyst with the 38th Operations Support Squadron and point of contact for the installation’s historical information. “Something like this would let more people know what happened here.”

Megan Prather

Staff Writer

The Tinker Air Force Base class of 2019 Honorary Commanders returned to Tinker last week for another day of familiarization with the goings-on of Tinker and some immersion into military life.

During this particular visit, the group received a day of combat immersion, starting with a first-hand look at the training and partnering between Tinker and the public sector as well as the versatility and mission of Tinker Air Force Base Security Forces.

Honorary Commanders were given a combat immersion Oct. 1. They had the opportunity to shoot a taser at a paper target, watch combatives, dress in chemical gear and go through a deployment line. From left, Col. Ralph Taylor, 72nd Air Base Wing vice commander; Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, chief of the Osage Nation; Allyson Carson, Leadership Oklahoma membership director; Leo Portman, attorney with GableGotwals; Sherry Jordan, executive director of Edmond Chamber of Commerce; Ronnie Freeman, partner with Premier Solution Partners; Christine Martin, communications director with Cox Communications; Todd Stone, Oklahoma City councilman for Ward 4; Shauna Smith, owner of Ahh Shoot! Photography; and Lt. Col. Ty Mayfield, 72nd Security Forces Squadron commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Lt. Col. Tyrell Mayfield, commander of the 72nd Security Forces Squadron, began the honorary commanders immersion with a rundown on the basic operations for the 422 military personnel, 12 civilian and 25 civilian police officers that make up Tinker’s Security Forces.

“It takes a huge amount of manpower to protect and defend the installation, so we have a lot of initial entry Airmen in our squadron,” Mayfield said.

“We’re joint in that we work very closely with the Navy. Here on Tinker Air Force Base there’s an entire Navy ramp and there’s a Master of Arms program and they’re integrated into our security posture, so we’re coordinating daily with them and we also have our civilian police officers who are integrated into our squadron.”

To continue the Security Forces immersion, a weapons display was put out for honorary commanders to view in the Security Forces North Training Bay followed by a Taser and combative demonstration. During the demonstration the group learned how to utilize a Taser and had the opportunity to practice what they learned on a training target.

Following the combat demonstration, the honorary commanders also received a military working dog demonstration, with one of the group members having the opportunity to jump into the bite suit.

In the afternoon, the group stopped by Civil Engineering for chemical briefing and CBRN course overview. After the overview they learned how to put on individual protective equipment, including a mask/carrier, CPO and boots, and completed an exercise.

To end the day, honorary commanders had the chance to see the training Airmen go through prior to deployment in order to provide a better understanding of the deployment process.

The Honorary Commanders Program lasts one year as a collaboration between community and Tinker AFB leaders with a goal of strengthening relationships and communication between off-base and military leadership.

Megan Prather

Staff Writer

Sen. Jim Inhofe and acting Secretary of the Air Force, Matthew Donovan, made a visit to Tinker Air Force Base on Oct. 1 to get a first-hand look at base housing problems.

Base leadership, the Air Force Civil Engineering Center and Balfour Beatty Communities have been working through these issues at Tinker AFB as the Air Force as a whole works to provide safe, quality housing to families.

Isaul Garcia, a resident construction manager with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, shows the space in which it was discovered that a subcontractor of Balfour Beatty Communities failed to install fire protection paneling in 77 units of Tinker base housing to Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe and Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan. Inhofe and Donovan, along with the Honorable John Henderson, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, toured base housing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Oct. 1 to learn more about continuing issues concerning mold, fire protection paneling and disturbed asbestos. Inhofe, Donovan and Henderson, along with 72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek, addressed the way forward to solving these issues with Balfour Beatty Communities in a press conference today. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

The visit comes after recent reports of unregulated maintenance on floors containing asbestos and the discovery of 77 homes violating fire codes.

Oklahoma Senator and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee James Inhofe listens to Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan during a press conference on Oct. 1 at Tinker Air Force Base addressing the Air Force’s decision to move forward with a 90-day accountability plan for Balfour Beatty Communities after touring several homes affected by continuing issues such as mold, disturbed asbestos or a lack of fire protection paneling. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Inhofe toured housing with members of Tinker leadership and has given BBC 90 days to enact a plan for significant changes for their privatized housing on Tinker AFB.

“Privatized housing, it’s a good idea and when that first happened I thought things were going to work. We looked at contracts, we looked at what kind of segregated problems could come up from it, not realizing that it was caving in on us,” Inhofe said. “This is not an indictment on privatized housing. I think that can work and work successfully and we’re doing it in other parts of the government.”

Part of the initial correction plan has included bi-monthly town hall meetings to discuss base housing. Another town hall was held by base leadership and BBC management on Oct. 3 in the Tinker Auditorium to provide base residents an update on the improvements being made regarding these issues.

“It’s going to take all of us to get to a 90-day commitment timeline because the residents have to continue to demand what they need to demand, to keep their families safe. They need to communicate that effectively to BBC,” Col. Paul Filcek, commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing, said. “We have not seen enough significant progress from BBC. BBC will admit that, but let’s not confuse that with lack of engagement and effort on behalf of local BBC.”

Since the last housing update during a town hall in July, 292 duplex homes were inspected for deficiencies in the houses’ common walls and 77 are currently under construction to fix these issues with an expected completion date sometime in the beginning of December.

Most recently, 20 homes in the McNarney Manor neighborhood were discovered to have had latent asbestos disturbed without notifying residents and without protective precautions. All 20 homes were tested and cleaned within seven days, and all tests returned negative for asbestos.

“They need to seize the opportunity to right the ship,” Filcek said. “I have to tell you that if we do not correct this in the next 90 days alongside BBC, it will mean families have continued to suffer that much longer. Our goal is a solution that fixes it for families.”

BBC leadership also participated in the housing events this week, and describe recent updates including a $1.1 million asphalt, sidewalk and gutter repair project that is 75% complete, LED light conversion throughout the community which is 85% complete, a $2.5 million improvement project for McNarney Manor which will include roof replacements, exterior painting, HVAC updates and siding replacement that is 65% complete and tree removal and replacement throughout the community which is 50% complete.

Filcek strongly emphasized the need for all families to enroll in the Resident Portal to ensure all work orders are in the system, stressing the importance of communicating all maintenance requests and housing issues with BBC immediately.  He provided residents with other outlets in which to express concerns or complaints including a recently founded Commander’s Resident Council. The council, comprised of 12 resident volunteers, meets with Filcek monthly or as needed in order to bring their concerns to the forefront.

Military housing residents are also encouraged to view the BBC Resident Bill of Rights at tinkerafbhomes.com. The bill includes resident rights from well-maintained and comfortable homes to convenient methods of communication with BBC.

If any residents experience health and safety issues in base housing they should contact BBC’s local management or maintenance team without delay and should keep all records of communications regarding the issues. Residents can also reach out to their chain of command. An additional option is to contact the Military Housing Office and file a claim. If there is still no resolution after contacting MHO, residents should contact the USAF Housing Call Center at      1-800-482-6431.

1-2-3 Magic: A four-part class for parents of children 2-6 years old. An effective program teaching a simple and gentle-but-firm approach to managing the behavior of all children. Learn how to discourage negative behavior and encourage positive behavior. For more information or to enroll, call 582-6604.
Above the Belt Class: Every Monday, 11:05-11:45 a.m. This free class works on tone, sculpt and building strong lean muscles. A variety of equipment will be used including your own body resistance. Information: Fitness Center 3705, Bldg. 3705, 734-4664.
Active Parenting of Teens: A series of classes for parents with teens. Learn to establish mutual respect and cooperation, decrease power struggles, mold values and help them make positive choices. For more information or to enroll, call 582-6604.
Baby Basics: A four-session evening class for new and expecting parents. Topics include infant health care; labor and delivery; coping with crying; how to budget for a baby; baby/child safety; breastfeeding; infant nutrition; bathing and swaddling your baby; postpartum depression and more. Held quarterly. For more information or to enroll, call 582-6604.
Basic Auto Maintenance: This course is required to be certified at Tinker Auto Hobby. Thursdays, 3:45 p.m. Individual times can be arranged as necessary. Information: Auto Hobby, Bldg. 6002, 734-5616.
Better Body. Better Life: Eight-week eating/weight management program meets once per week for one hour. Designed to help those seeking to lose and maintain weight and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Participants will identify personal goals, understand behavior change and learn nutrition while working to achieve their personal goals. Minimum of six classes must be completed to receive a Form 108 certificate.
Bootcamp Fitness: Mondays, 6:15-7:15 a.m. This adrenaline-pumping cardio and strength session couples plyometrics with high volume resistance training for an aerobic workout to challenge any fitness level. Information: Gerrity Fitness Center, Bldg. 6004, 734-5607.

to overcome gym intimidation and barriers to being physically active. For more information, call 582-6817.
Performance Run: Interactive eight-week program meets two days a week for one hour and is designed to improve running technique and performance. The course will review running fundamentals and  implement a progressive running program. Workout attire and running shoes required. Contact your UFPM to enroll.
Personal Goal Setting for a Healthy Lifestyle: Discuss health-related goals, how good and bad habits can affect reaching goals and learn goal-keeping tips. Information: Civilian Health Promotions Services, 582-6817.
Pilates at 3705: Free Wednesdays, 11:05-11:45 a.m. Information: Fitness Center 3705, Bldg. 3705, 734-4664.
Pilates at Gerrity: Free Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-7 p.m. Information: Gerrity Fitness Center, Bldg. 6004, 734-5607.
Portion Distortion: In this Civilian Health Promotions Class, participants discuss how the amount of food people eat has changed over time and how eating bigger portion sizes affects their health. Information: 582-6817.
Power Pump: Free Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:15-10:15 a.m. Information: Gerrity Fitness Center, Bldg. 6004, 734-5607.
Power to Change: Weekly sessions conducted over a five-week period designed to provide women domestic violence education in a group setting. Themes include an overview of domestic violence and the effects it has on oneself and other family members. Self-esteem, recovery, healthy relationships, boundaries and more are discussed. For more information or to enroll, call 582-6604.
Pre-Deployment: Tuesdays, 8-10 a.m.; Fridays, 1-3 p.m. The Airman & Family Readiness Center provides individual and group briefings to ensure military members and their families have completed necessary preparations for deployment. Information: A&FRC Bldg. 6001, 739-2747.
Pregnancy Resource Briefing: A monthly workshop focused on the expecting parent’s needs. Topics include: New Parent Support Program; nutrition during pregnancy; maternal dental care; Tricare enrollment for baby; fitness info and guidance during pregnancy; and SIDS prevention. Held 9:30-11:30 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month at the Tinker Medical Clinic. For more information or to enroll, call 582-6604.
PREP Class: A valuable four-part course teaching dating, engaged or married couples essential skills: effective communication; to work as a team; to solve problems; manage conflict; and preserve and enhance love, commitment and friendship. Start having fun again! For more information or to enroll, call 582-6604.
Pre-Separation: Every Wednesday, 1:30-4 p.m. Mandatory counseling ensures active duty separating service members are made aware of the transition services and benefits available to them. Information: Airman & Family Readiness Center, Bldg. 6001, 739-2747.
Reintegration Briefing: Every Thursday, 8-10 a.m. The Airman & Family Readiness Center provides group briefings ensuring military members and their families have necessary information for a smooth reunion. Tapes and handouts available for all on tips for a successful reunion. Information: A&FRC, Bldg. 6001, 739-2747.
Résumé Writing Workshop: Participants will learn valuable information on private industry résumé writing techniques, formats and guidelines, cover letters and more. The second half of the workshop goes into more detail on federal résumés. For more information, call the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 739-2747.
Rhythm Kids/Playgroup: A weekly gathering of joyful movement and music experience for parents and  kids under 5 years old. Singing, dancing, parachute play and loads of active fun! Parents are encouraged to stay for Playgroup following Rhythm Kids. Alternate weeks of Story Time on Thursdays, 10-11 a.m. at Tinker AFB Homes Community Center (attend without enrolling). For more information, call 582-6604.
Senior Day Bowling: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seniors (ages 55 and up) can bowl for $1.25 a game. Information: Tinker Lanes, Bldg. 5703, 734-3484.
Simple Strategies to Manage Stress: This class will review three stress management techniques (focusing, calming and balanced living practices) so participants leave feeling more empowered to manage their stress. For more information, call CHPS at 582-6817.
Smooth Move: PCSing soon? This is one class you can’t miss. Learn how to make your move as smooth as possible whether you are going to the next state or overseas. For more information, call the A&FRC at 739-2747.
Spin Class: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at noon. This free class is a fun way to get a great workout. Information: Fitness Center 3705, Bldg. 3705, 734-4664.
Story Time at the Tinker Library: Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. join story time at the Tinker Library. Information: Tinker Library, Bldg. 5702, 734-2626.
Story Time/Playgroup: Join us for stories, then relax at Playgroup. For parents and  kids under 5 years old. Alternate weeks of Rhythm Kids on Thursdays, 10-11 a.m. at Tinker AFB Homes Community Center (attend without enrolling). For more information, call 582-6604.
Strength and Conditioning: 11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at Bldg. 216 Fitness Annex, free strength and conditioning classes. For more information and to sign up for the class, call 734-2163.
Tinker Family Orientation: Base in-processing briefings (A&FRC, Commander, Chief, Housing, Education, Legal, IG, EFMP, SLO, EO, Readiness, Safety, Marketing, MFLC, Chapel, etc.) for active duty personnel and families newly assigned to Tinker AFB. For more information, call 739-2747. For Navy members, this is coordinated by the administrative section.
Tinker Lanes Dollar Mondays: $1 games and $1 shoe rentals. Information: Tinker Lanes, Bldg. 5703, 734-3484.
Tobacco Treatment Individual Consults: Create a quit plan, discuss tobacco-use triggers and coping strategies. Consults are 30 minutes. Call 734-5506 to schedule.
Transition GPS: Mandatory course for all Armed Forces separating members. Topics include VA Benefits, GI Bill, Tricare, employment, résumé writing, interview skills, budget and TMO. Spouses encouraged, but must pre-register. For details, call  739-2747.
VA Career Track 2-Day Class: The Career Technical Training Track is designed to assist you in:
• Defining technical career goals
• Identifying required credentials
• Finding career technical training opportunities
• Identifying local Veteran resources
• Utilizing your VA education benefits
Participants must complete the Core GPS program to attend this class. For more information, call 739-2747.
Walking for Your Health, the Basics: Learn the reasons you should walk for exercise and tips for sticking with it. For more information, call CHPS at 582-6817.
Yoga: Free Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3-4 p.m. Use gentle movements to improve flexibility, balance, strength and posture. May incorporate basic poses for various yoga styles. Information: Gerrity Fitness Center, Bldg. 6004, 734-5607.
Zumba: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4-5 p.m. With free Zumba fitness classes, you can lose yourself in the music and find yourself in shape. Zumba dance workout classes feature exotic rhythms and high-energy Latin and international beats. Information: Gerrity Fitness Center, Bldg. 6004, 734-5607.

Christian Tabak

Staff Writer

After two years of cost-effective modernization of its energy infrastructure, Tinker Air Force Base dropped from first to fourth place in Air Force energy consumption.

It’s been almost four years since Tinker began looking at ways to reduce its status as the highest energy consuming installation in the Air Force and since then the base has made remarkable strides in modernizing key areas of its energy infrastructure, according to OC-ALC Energy Manager Joseph Cecrle.

A construction worker works in the demolition site of Boiler #1 in Bldg. 3001. The original boilers were initially installed around 1942, making them the same age as Tinker itself. By removing these boilers and installing new energy-efficient machines, Tinker is reducing its energy consumption for the future. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

“This project is the largest energy-savings performance project the Air Force has pursued,” Cecrle said. “We are doing state-of-the-art repairs and one of our goals with this program is bringing these buildings to state-of-the-art capability and operations.”

The joint project began in 2017 as part of a $243 million contract with Honeywell to modernize the infrastructure of more than 50 structures on base. The contract, the largest energy-saving performance contract in Air Force history, has been projected to reduce energy consumption by 23% and save the base an average of $20 million in energy and operational costs each year.

So far, Cecrle said the contract is meeting the anticipated energy-saving goals as projected and in some areas exceeded them. Overall, during the course of the contract’s 21-year lifetime, it is anticipated it will save Tinker more than $626 million in operational and energy costs.

Several new air compressors have been installed in Bldg. 3001. The compressors modulate with demand, reducing load and requiring less maintenance over time. The computerized system shows how the compressors “communicate” by turning off and on as needed and can also track its own energy usage. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

The joint project includes Honeywell, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy. One of the most significant measures of the contract has been the incorporation of Honeywell’s Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) building management system that manages and controls heating, cooling and metering equipment.

Through an intuitive program, Honeywell’s EBI system allows for the monitoring of equipment and energy sources throughout the entire base. Users can see exactly which machines are operating and choose to power them off, reduce energy consumption if the option is available and see basic maintenance details.

“This has been a game-changer in terms of monitoring systems across base,” Cecrle said. “It’s still a new system we are adapting to and integrating more systems on, but this will allow us to see what is going on in real-time and making energy saving decisions quickly.”

Along with the EBI, other measures for cost-reduction have included replacing the lighting in Building 3001 with energy-efficient lightbulbs; transforming processes that require steam heating to electric heating; the replacement and modernization of boilers and water coolers; and replacing the motors for some equipment with energy-efficient motors that operators can choose to operate at different power levels based on the needs of the operation.

“We’ve already seen some substantial cost reduction in key areas and much of it has been through basic modernization,” Cecrle said. “Even something as basic as introducing cost-effective lighting is a significant energy reducing measure on base when you have the second and third largest buildings under the Department of Defense, Bldg. 9001 and Bldg. 3001.”

The project is currently almost 90% completed and will impact more than 50 structures across Tinker. With such progress made in a short amount of time, Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing commander, said that Tinker is setting a standard in cost-effective modernization.

“This is the kind of innovative and cost-effective work that we celebrate at Tinker,” Filcek said. “I see modernizing our energy infrastructure as a critical component of modernizing our combat readiness, and the work done through OC-ALC has truly impacted that in a major way.”

While one great state, Oklahoma also contains many nations. The region is the home of 39 Tribal Nations and for Native American Heritage Month our staff has suggestions for Native American Heritage sites to visit to immerse yourself in Oklahoma’s vast history and culture.

Native American Heritage sites to visit

Sequoyah’s Cabin

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and a designated National Literary Landmark, Sequoyah’s Cabin in Sallisaw allows visitors to explore where the creator of Cherokee written language lived. Sequoyah constructed the cabin himself in 1829 and lived there through 1844 and now, as a museum, it’s filled with relics and documents from his early life on display for visitors.

Tues-Sat: 10 a.m-4 p.m.

Adults: $5; Students: $3; Children under 5: Free

www.visitcherokeenation.com/attractions/sequoyahs-cabin-museum

Chickasaw Cultural Center

Sprawling across 109 acres, the Chickasaw Cultural Center located in Sulphur captures the essence of Chickasaw culture through interactive exhibits, artifacts and architecture. The cultural center is one of the largest and most extensive tribal centers in the country boasting Smithsonian-quality facilities. A notable exhibit for visitors is the Chickasha Inchokka’ Traditional Village, a recreation of a historical Chickasaw Village. On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can be immersed in a ‘living village’ illustrating 18th century Chickasaw life and walk away with an unforgettable experience.

Mon.-Sat.: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun.: 12-5 p.m.

Adults: $7; Military: $6; Children 12 and under: Free

www.chickasawculturalcenter.com/

Five Civilized Tribes Museum

The Five Civilized Tribes Museum located in Muskogee and housed in the historic Union Indian Agency building has a mission of preserving the art, history and culture of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee Seminole and Muskogee (Creek) tribes through aquisiton. The museum is filled with artifacts and pieces of fine art from renowned Native American artists such as Benjamin Harjo Jr. and Bill and Tracy Rabbit.

Mon.-Fri.: 10 a.m.-5p.m.; Sat.: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Adults $4; Seniors 62 and over $3; Students $2

www.fivetribes.org

Comanche National Museum

Located about 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, the Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center in Lawton holds an extensive collection of art and artifacts to help form a better understanding and appreciation for Comanche history. Permanent exhibits include a history exhibit about the early lives of the Comanche people to the transition period of the Reservation Era, a military exhibit that recounts the history of the 17 Comanche men who served as Code Talkers during World War II as well as other Twentieth-century warriors and a religion exhibit that explores the role the Native American Church plays in Comanche culture. You also won’t want to miss their award-winning interactive exhibit that takes visitors on a Comanche buffalo hunt.

Mon.-Fri.: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat.: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Admission is free

www.comanchemuseum.com/

Oklahoma Historical Society

Located in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Historical Society holds an extensive collection of Native American art and artifacts. The research center located inside of the museum also houses the American Indian Records, which includes more than 3.5 million documents representing 66 tribes. Some of these documents, including the Foreman Transcripts and the Dawes Commissions Records, can be viewed through microfilm at the museum and online at okhistory.org/research.

Mon-Sat: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Adults: $7; Military and dependents w/ID: Free; Children under five: Free

www.okhistory.org/

Christian Tabak

The Tinker Inter-Tribal Council hosted a luncheon at the Tinker Chapel Nov. 6 as part of Native American Heritage Month. Lena Nells served as the guest speaker at the luncheon. Nells, of Cheyenne/Arapaho, Kickapoo and Navajo descent, is an Army veteran and is currently the Cheyenne/Arapaho Honor/Color Guard Commander and works with the Language and Culture Department with the Cheyenne/Arapaho Tribes Office. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Staff Writer

The Tinker Inter-Tribal Council hosted Cheyenne and Arapaho Honor Guard commander, Lena Nells, to reflect on her experience as a Native American servicemember and her cultural heritage for the Council’s Lunch and Learn Nov. 6 in the Tinker Chapel.

The event was hosted as part of the Council’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month and Nells’ presentation reflected the month’s theme of “Building Strength Through Understanding” by focusing on the work she has done to promote awareness for Native American contributions to the armed forces.

“The Native American community has the highest per capita rate of servicemembers,” Nells said. “Something I would like to note is that we are the original people to fight and die for this country, and we continue with that patriotism today. We are proud Americans as well as Native Americans.”

Nells, a full-blood native American of Cheyenne and Arapaho, Kickapoo and Navajo descent, is an Army veteran and currently works with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe’s Office of Veteran Affairs in Concho, working in the Language and Culture Department as the Arapaho Projects Manager.

Her presentation expanded on the cultural background of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and the historical context that ultimately brought them, and other Native American tribes, to Oklahoma through a series of renegotiated and broken treaties.

She discussed how there are several points in American history that continue to misrepresent key conflicts between the Native American tribes and the U.S. military as battles instead of massacres, and clarified that she and others were working to create a dialogue on these events.

Speaking on the significance of appreciation months at Tinker, Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing commander, said that while there is no appreciation month for a demographic fundamentally more important than another, there were some that had a more significant tie to Oklahoma and that Native American Heritage Month represented one of those instances.

“That tie is tight and I think it is tight because nobody can say they have had the level of sacrifice and have exhibited a full-on patriotism any more than the Native American tribes,” said Filcek.

Megan Prather

Staff Writer

Editor’s note: to read the in-depth version of this story, visit Tinkertakeoff.com.

The Vietnam War was a long conflict beginning in 1955 and ending in 1975 that centered around the United State’s mission to subvert the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Throughout the conflict, the Republic of South Vietnam Arm Force (VN) and American military forces worked together to thwart the North Vietnamese Army (NVA).

Suk Le was a commander in the Vietnam Airborne, fighting alongside American soldiers during the Vietnam War. After the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, he boarded Navy ship HQ-402, escaping the North Vietnamese and headed to the United States where he made Oklahoma his home. Le now works in the 76th Maintenance Wing here at Tinker Air Force Base. (Courtesy photo)

Suc Le has worked in the 76th Metrology Calibration Flight at Tinker Air Force Base for the past 17 years, but he remembers his days in the VN Airborne Division as clear as if they were yesterday.

Le enlisted in the military after he finished high school in 1971, going to officer school to become a platoon leader. After completing his training, he joined the Airborne Division in 1972. The U.S. Military formed Task Force Advisors called “Team 162” from the 82nd Airborne Division that provided advisors for VN elite Airborne Division. However, a few months after Le joined the Airborne Division, American troops withdrew.

“I spent most of my time in the military on the battle front lines or in the hospital for treated the wounds,” Le said  “I was wounded four times. Once got shot that broke my left arm. Two other times was by mortar shell that hit everywhere in my body, and the last one I had in 1974 was in my head. A lot of my Brothers in arm got killed in action.”

The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnam took over the South during the Fall of Saigon.

Suk Le, 76th Maturity Calibration Flight, right, stands next to one of his Airborne Unit Advisors for Team 162 during the Vietnam War, Col. Paul Devries, outside of Washington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. (Courtesy photo)

“At that time my unit was on the front line and we were the last line of defense for the capital,” Le said.

He said that morning April 30, 1975, his unit, armed with two American M-48 tanks, was informed that the NVA was heading to their capital with a column of Soviet made T-54 tanks. Although the American tanks were able to take out one of the T-54s, and a soldier at his left blow up other T-54 with M-72. The NVA was prepared with an entire column of tanks heading straight into Saigon and they keep shooting at us with the machine guns from T-54 Tanks.

“I looked back and saw my commander get in the jeep and head back to the other side of the Saigon  river, so I told my guys to get out the fox-holes and run,” Le said.

At about 10:30 a.m., Le heard a radio message from newly formed VN Arm Force Commander  informing us to lay down their weapons, and cease fight to avoid the bloodshed.

“At that time I had about 60 men under my command and [was] trying to contact my commander, then I heard from people who ran away from others fighting zone, they said that when the NVA coming, they first to kill the Airborne, the second is Northern people and then Catholic people. I knew we were going to be killed. At that point, I lost contact with my commanders, and I didn’t know what to do.”

Le, still in his military uniform, walked until he found a naval shipyard containing a disabled ship attempting to leave the country with more than 1,000 civilians on board. The Navy mechanics attempting to fix it. They managed to get one of the engines running that afternoon and they set sail to ocean looking for freedom, at that time NVA already controlled of Saigon.

He joined with the people on the ship and asked for an extra pair of clothes and threw his uniform into the river, keeping only his handgun and boots.

Eventually, they made it to Subic Bay, Philippines then refugee camp at Guam Island then Ft. Chaffee in Arkansas where they stayed for a couple of months to go through paperwork and processing. After getting a sponsor from Oklahoma City and leaving Ft. Chaffee, Le relocated to Oklahoma City in Sept. 1975.

However, it was only this past October that another chapter of the Vietnam War was closed with the interment of the remains of 81 Airborne soldiers that were shot down in a mission in late 1965 along with a crew members of 4 American Air Force C-123 plane. Due to the lack of a flight manifest and the Hanoi government refusing to take the remains to properly bury them in Vietnam, they had been stored in a military facility in Hawaii for the past 33 years.

“They’re soldiers without a country,” Le said.

On Oct. 26, 2019, those soldiers received their proper interment during a ceremony at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park in Westminster, California, which has a large Vietnamese-American population. Hundreds gathered for the ceremony in California and a ceremony honoring the 81 Airborne and 4 American crews was held at Vietnamese American Memorial Monument in Military Park in Oklahoma City that day as well.

“I planned to go to California to attend the interment, but my flights was cancelled, So I had the opportunity to join the ceremony here in Oklahoma City,” Le said.  “People felt pride. We feel lucky and very happy to get our comrades in arms final rest in the USA.”

Brandon Columbus and Jesus Corona, 76th Maintenance Support Group, brief the business impact of a water jet stripper during a cost-effective readiness meeting Oct. 23. Several innovations were presented from each group within the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, with briefers highlighting the monetary savings of their projects. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Megan Prather

Staff Writer

Tricare Open Season began Nov. 11 and a town hall was held in the Tinker Event Center on Nov. 5 to answer questions about enrolling, as well as recent changes being made to the Air Force medical system.

Open Season is a time for all eligible non-active duty service members to enroll in or change their Tricare Prime or Tricare Select health care plans by visiting milConnect. Through Dec. 9, eligible members can also sign up for dental and vision coverage under FEDVIP.

Retirees, retiree family members and active duty family members also have a limited opportunity to enroll with a Primary Care Manager off base while keeping Prime benefits. This can be done by visiting Patient Administration or airforcemedicine.af.mil.

Col. Jennifer Trinkle, 72nd Medical Group commander, informs participants of recent changes to the Air Force medical system during a town hall held on Nov. 5 in the Tinker Event Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Prather)

“This year, across the three services, we had the biggest medical reform in the Air Force probably in the last 30 years,” said Col. Jennifer Trinkle, 72nd Medical Group commander. “It came about from a congressional mandate that we increase standardization across the board with the Army, Navy and Air Force on how we deliver care.”

For patients, this means any Army, Air Force or Navy health care facility they walk into will be exactly the same. This mandate also dictates that the Defense Health Agency provide the oversight of budgetary and policy control for health care benefits, pharmacy, the laboratory and radiology.

Trinkle said that if you walk into the clinic on base you’ll notice a few changes. One of these changes is the re-designation of the second floor as the Operational Medical Readiness Squadron to handle all active duty care.

“By doing this the Air Force is streamlining the care that we’re giving to our active duty members,” Trinkle said. “One of our biggest jobs on this base is to make sure every Airman is ready to walk out that door and go to war so by doing this and realigning our personnel in clinic we’re streamlining that care.”

The first floor has also been re-designated as the Health Care Operations Squadron and will now deal with all Benefit Care. This also means that the Family Health Clinic on the first floor will now only see dependents and retirees.

Another change through DHA mandates that the clinic cannot be closed for more than three consecutive days.

“Under DHA we’ll have an acute care clinic for the patients that are enrolled in our facility. On Family Days we will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and you can book an appointment by calling the Nurse Advice Line,” Trinkle said.

DHA also launched Tricare online, tricareonline.com, a website where patients can make appointments, refill prescriptions, contact the Nurse Advice Line, review health records and send secure messages to their primary care team.

In order to continue to provide transparency and promote patient engagement, Tricare town halls will continue to be held quarterly. A Coffee with the Commander event will also be held once a month in the lobby of the Med Group. During this time, Col. Trinkle and members of her staff will be available to answer any questions beneficiaries may have. The next Coffee with the Commander will be held 9:30-11 a.m. on Nov. 22.

Megan Prather

Staff Writer 

For the 28th year in a row, Tinker Air Force Base has held its Clothe-the-Children event as a perfect start to the Christmas season.  

On Friday, Dec. 6, Tinker volunteers from the Commercial Derivative Aircraft Division  under Air Force Materiel Command were paired with children from kindergarten through 8th grade in the Mid-Del area to go shopping for new winter clothes at the JCPenney department store in Midwest City.

“This is my second time doing this event and it’s one of the best events in my Air Force career I’ve ever been a part of,” said Laine Rupper, CDAD deputy division chief. “One of the things I’ve realized over the last year is how much time and effort is put into this one event. There are meetings every month, there are six major fundraisers, but there are also small fundraisers all year long for this one event.”

Thanks to all of the fundraisers and donations received from members of the Tinker community in 2019, each child received a gift card with $175 to spend on new shoes, coats and anything else they may need.

Michelle Wiggs with the Legacy Tanker Division dashed through the store with holiday music blasting from her phone and the child she was shopping with smiling by her side.  She has been volunteering with Clothe-the-Children for the past four years and said it’s definitely her favorite part of the holidays.

 “This is the best part of the year. I enjoy giving back to the community and the children bless me more than I could ever bless them,” she said. “I’m a former teacher and social worker, so I recognize the importance of this and how many kids benefit from these kinds of activities.”

Tinker volunteers aren’t the only ones who look forward to the event each year. Sales associates with JCPenney volunteer for a shift two hours before the store generally opens so that the children and volunteers can have the whole store to themselves to shop. Janie Black has been participating in the event since she started working at this particular JCPenney.

“It’s been about 15 years that I’ve done this program and I love it every single year. It just warms me up,” Black said.

Megan Tenbrink, program manager with Air Force Life Cycle Materiel Command and this year’s event organizer, said that more than $6,500 was spent on the 34 children during this year’s event.

“We have a Comradery, Leadership and Service Committee within the division and we’re the ones who plan the events,” Tenbrink said. “This is my first Clothe-the-Children and I was just so excited to see how happy the kids were going to be. I had meetings with the school district and they said they look forward to it all year, so I was just excited to see the smiles on the children’s faces.”

Megan Prather

Staff Writer
For the 28th year in a row, Tinker Air Force Base has held its Clothe-the-Children event as a perfect start to the Christmas season.
On Dec. 6, Tinker volunteers from the Commercial Derivative Aircraft Division under Air Force Materiel Command, were paired with children from kindergarten through 8th grade in the Mid-Del area to go shopping for new winter clothes at the JCPenney department store in Midwest City.

“This is my second time doing this event and it’s one of the best events in my Air Force career I’ve ever been a part of,” said Laine Rupper, CDAD deputy division chief. “One of the things I’ve realized over the last year is how much time and effort is put into this one event. There are meetings every month, there are six major fundraisers, but there are also small fundraisers all year long for this one event.”
Thanks to all of the fundraisers and donations received from members of the Tinker community in 2019, each child received a gift card with $175 to spend on new shoes, coats and anything else they needed.
Michelle Wiggs with the Legacy Tanker Division said she dashed through the store with holiday music blasting from her phone and the child she was shopping with smiling by her side. She has been volunteering with Clothe-the-Children for the past four years and said it’s definitely her favorite part of the holidays.
“This is the best part of the year. I enjoy giving back to the community and the children bless me more than I could ever bless them,” she said. “I’m a former teacher and social worker, so I recognize the importance of this and how many kids benefit from these kinds of activities.”
Tinker volunteers aren’t the only ones who look forward to the event each year. Sales associates with JCPenney volunteer for a shift two hours before the store generally opens so that the children and volunteers can have the whole store to themselves to shop.
Megan Tenbrink, program manager with Air Force Life Cycle Materiel Command and this year’s event organizer, said that more than $6,500 was spent on the 34 children during this year’s event.
“We have a Comradery, Leadership and Service Committee within the division and we’re the ones who plan the events,” Tenbrink said. “This is my first Clothe-the-Children and I was just so excited to see how happy the kids were going to be. I had meetings with the school district and they said they look forward to it all year.”