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Greetings Eagle Chapter Members and Friends!
This Saturday, we begin our eleventh season washing the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. The photo below shows the first class of volunteers who started this annual tradition back in 2006.
Chief Master Sergeant (Ret) Gary Jones (3d from left) who then lived in the DC area but now resides in Charleston SC travels north twice a year to participate in this event.
For more information on this week-end's wall wash, please see the article below. In addition, I've uploaded the chapter newsletter which will show all of the names of the folks shown above.
Sadly, the newsletter also is the issue where we attended the group burial of Technical Sergeant Jason Norton and Staff Sergeant Brian McElroy two SF Airmen who were killed in action in Iraq. Brigadier General Robert Holmes was the top cop. Photos of him and the formation of SF from Bolling, Andrews and HQ USAF are also shown in this edition.
See the complete Jun-July 2006 chapter newsletter at this link.
Come on out and join us for our first wash of the year! Hope to see you on Saturday to continue this Eagle Chapter tradition.
Thank-you for your continuing support.
Very respectfully,
Lee
Elia C. (Lee) Chambers
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Eagle Chapter
Air Force Security Forces Association
We published our previous chapter newsletter on February 22, 2017.
Eagle Chapter membership is free to all Air Force Security Forces Association members who work or live in DC, DE, MD, VA and WV. Join us.
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Eagle Chapter's First Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Wall Wash is Saturday April 29th
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One of the best part of our wall wash is the support of our Boy Scout Troop and their family members. Bob Sherouse has confirmed! They will be out in force.
We start at 6:30AM on Saturday. We are always, repeat always done by 8:00AM. So there will be plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your Saturday in Washington DC.
We'll have a brief registration that the National Park Service requires. Once that is done, we have a small devotional service and we're off. Before we leave, please pose for our class photo.
Thank-you especially to Chief Jones who travels up from Charleston South Carolina to join us. He also provides some interesting statics about the men and women who are inscribed on the wall. Please come to join us.
Contact Karl or me for more information.
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"If Bunker Hill 10 is still standing, we can find it."
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For years, there were rumors about a mass grave where insurgent Vietnamese fighters who had attacked the base during the Tet Offensive January 31, 1968 were buried. Then someone contacted Pete Piazza. As you know, Pete assumed the defender battle leadership to repel the attackers once Captain Maisey had died leading his troops. Pete said, "Contact Marty." If post Bunker Hill 10 was still in place, Marty knew he could help the Vietnam government recover the bodies of their fallen fighters. Since Marty plans to tell his story to AF Security Forces Association in a future publication, that's all I'm going to give you about his helping the Vietnamese to recover the graves of their fallen fighters. The Vietnamese gave him a tactical briefing of the plan to attack the base with 2000 fighters. He has some great stories to tell and more information. Stay tuned for a future Security Forces Magazine article. Marty thanks for sharing.
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Eagle Chapter's 20th Anniversary Luncheons - Need Your Help!
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In the photo at left, Eagle Chairman, Lee Chambers, provides the Eagle Chapter coin to Lieutenant General Stayce Harris, the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters US Air Force.
General Harris has graciously made her calendar available to us for the month of October (except for the final week) to schedule our chapter at the Pentagon in Washington DC where she will be one of several speakers to help us commemorate the 20th Anniversary of our Air Force Security Forces.
On October 31, 1997, the Air Force Security Police combined the security, law enforcement and combat arms, training and maintenance functions to become the Air Force Security Forces that we know and love today.
"The primary purpose of the change is to provide a highly trained, rapidly deployable force protection asset capable of worldwide mobility -- a defense force for the AEFs, according to [Chief Master Sergeant Daryl] Janicki. "However," he added, "security forces retain home-station force protection responsibilities."
Our plan is to have three Security Force celebrations - one each at Dover, Langley and the Pentagon to help our units recognize this achievement.
Eagle Member, Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Janicki is keeping his calendar flexible to make a good effort to attend each chapter luncheon and make himself available. Other speakers have been invited. We'll provide updates in the weeks ahead.
With your financial support, these luncheons will feature a key note speaker, local leadership including local SF speakers, a 20th Anniversary SF cake cutting, mementos and free attendance for all SF (Air National Guard, Reserve, and active duty) in uniform, plus a bigger donation to the SF booster clubs and key spouse clubs.
This is our time! With your financial support, we can make this a memorable event for units at each location. The intent is to have chapter luncheons at Dover and Langley in advance of the Pentagon luncheon.
I look forward to receiving your ideas to make this a memorable event at each location.
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NLEOM's Candlelight Vigil Will Recognize Two SF Airmen
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Above Airman Kcey E Ruiz and Senior Airman Nathan C. Sartain died in a C130J aircraft crash.
During Police Week, HQ USAF Director of Security Forces will participate in recognizing two SF Airmen whose names will be formally recognized at the annual Candlelight Vigil, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
As of this writing, Col Frank Howard will represent Brig Gen Tullos at the VIP Candlelight Vigil Service on May 13. Mr. Dave Beecroft, the former Deputy Director Security Forces, has retired.
Concerned of Police Survivors and/NLEOM have mailed all of the invitational packages to families and supporters for this year's Police Week/Candlelight Vigil. If you feel like you should have received one and have not for the Ruiz/Sartain recognition, let me know I can follow up.
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Shout Out to Trudy!
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I saw this bouquet. Trudy was hospitalized just before Easter. I was sold.
This would brighten her day!
Trudy Hannah is recovering from an illness. Trudy, as you know, makes all of our wreaths and as you also know the month of May is one of the peak seasons for us to lay wreaths. So I sent these to her to help brighten her day as she continues to recover. Thanks Trudy - she informs me that she has made our wreaths and they are waiting for us. Please join me in wishing her a speedy recovery. |
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Eagle Chapter Board Meeting - May 3
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| Our next chapter board meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 3 at 8:00PM. Eagle Chapter Board Meetings are open to members and significant others who would like to participate. We hold our chapter board meetings on the first Wednesday of the month at 8PM via conference call. Contact the Eagle Chapter Secretary, Chris Walker, for more information. |
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Wall Wash Questions
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I received an email from Kim Incontrera, a member of the Rolling Thunder. This might be helpful to others:
Dear sir, I'm a member of Rolling Thunder NY2 in Staten Island NY.
How I can sign up to help wash the wall with my group.
Kim, the National Rolling Thunder organization has days reserved to wash the wall. I'll send you the schedule and the National Park Service Point of contact who can give you the latest details about your group.
Do I need to sign up before hand for additional days? Please let me know I would love to be a part of this.
No ma'am, you do not need to sign up before hand, as an individual. Groups apply for dates in January of each year. The National Park Service ultimately decides which organizations will get which dates. Some organizations like Rolling Thunder get first dibs on their dates because they've been washing the wall since the inception of the program. The schedule also has your organization's point of contact. You can wash with them or you can wash with us. We'll be happy to have you join us on any of our dates.
Safe travels....
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STRATCOM Issues Guidance on UAV Threats - Air Force Magazine Daily Report - April 5
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| US Strategic Command this month released guidance to security forces and the country's nuclear bases on how to respond to threats from small drones, following the trend of adversaries using the off-the-shelf devices in battle in the Middle East. STRATCOM chief Gen. John Hyten, testifying Tuesday at the Senate Armed Services Committee, said his specific, classified guidance will give defenders steps to take if they see a small device, such as a quadcopter, either directly threatening or surveilling a nuclear facility. So a "young marine at King's Bay or an airman at F.E. Warren doesn't have to worry about 'What should I be doing?'" Hyten said. He said there have been recent incidents with the small devices flying near nuclear facilities, but so far they have been incidental. However, he is concerned after seeing ISIS using weaponized devices to target Iraqi forces in Mosul, and that those "same kind of UAVs could be employed against our weapons storage facilities." |
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In closing, I'm very excited to be engaged with aircraft again!
The pictures above are especially for Rachel who kids me about my selfies.
This is the ultimate - aerial selfies!
I'm now a drone/UAV pilot. Above left, I'm flying the drone near my deck. In the photo at right, the drone is set to loiter about 30 feet or so above the school basketball court while my 15 year old son and I play basketball. How awesome is this?
Some very interesting bits of information about my new hobby:
2. Due to it's weight, I have registered it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It has a unique FAA-assigned number that the FAA provided on a label that I have fixed to the craft.
3. My drone is a six prop hexacopter vice quad copter which is the most common. The copter itself will access up to 12 satellites - the hand controller is an android (phone) controller that may access another 12 satellites.
4. The FAA limits the flight height to 400 feet through the software. At 400 feet, I can fly above helicopters that fly in and out of the local airport. Buzzards fly at about 150 to 200 feet.
5. Before I fly, I run the FAA's B4UFly app. It interrogates me on my flight plan (how high am I flying, how far am I flying, how long will I be flying). It also tells me that I'm flying in restricted air space. It's all restricted air space in the DC area but there are controls. The app notifies the FAA by providing my response to the interrogation.
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The coolest thing - buzzards will fly near me - I guess thinking that I found something yummy to eat - then once they get within hearing range they'll fly away.
So cool.
7. The funniest thing - hovering the drone above the basketball court at the local middle school while my son and I play basketball. I set the drone to record while we play. Amazing how I move around the court like Fred Sanford of Sanford and Son! The moves are gone!!!
8. How many times have I crashed? You have to try real hard; but very possible. My UAV has an obstacle avoidance sensor. if the buzzards fly too close, they'll activate it (my controller vibrates and sends me visual warning). I must disable obstacle avoidance to land the craft or if I run it too close to the end of the battery life, it'll disable obstacle avoidance, drop the landing gear and land itself. So I've had many small crashes (helps if the wind speed is below 12 MPH) and only one catastrophic crash. I'm on my second drone.
Again, in closing, we have a lot planned this year! Please make this your year to join us. Feel free to contact me at any time for questions or more information. I hope to see you at the Wall Wash on Saturday - Remember we start at 0630 and we're always, always done by 8AM.
Thanks for your continuing support. I look forward to your eager support in funding our 20th Anniversary Luncheons.
Very best regards,
Lee
Elia C. (Lee) Chambers
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Eagle Chapter Air Force Security Forces Association
P. O. Box 10501
Burke, VA 22009-0501
You can donate by clicking at this link. Go to our website and scroll to the bottom of any page. Click on the "Donate" button. Eagle Chapter is a 501(c)(19) Veterans Services Not for Profit Organization.
Please consider Eagle Chapter in your tax-free donation support. Again, you can click on the "Donate" button on
any chapter web page to donate via PayPal or send your donation to our P O Box at the address below.
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