Vol. 3 No.

3 RAF Croughton, England February 9, 2007

A Few Broken Windows

Page 2
Snow Day
Page 3
Annual Award Winners Announced
Page 6, 7
Happenings
Page 10
2 February 9, 2007 Commanders Corner The Uplink

Time to fix a few broken windows

by Lt. Col. Jim Ryan
422 Air Base Squadron Commander
Now that the Superbowl is over and
we’re starting to see our daylight hours
grow in length, I start anticipating the
arrival of Spring. When it comes to
Spring, certain things come to mind
– among those are warmer weather,
baseball, flowers and spring cleaning.
And no, this won’t be a Commentary
about baseball.
As we at RAF Croughton begin
to come out of the winter months,
it’s time for us to focus our attention
towards spring cleaning our base.
There’s a theory in Law Enforce-
ment known as the “Broken Window
theory.”
The idea behind this theory is to
crack down on small offenses in order
to prevent more serious offenses. The
book Fixing Broken Windows: Restor-
ing Order and Reducing Crime in Our
Communities by George L. Kelling
and Catherine Coles describes the
theory with the following examples:
“Consider a building with a few
broken windows. If the windows
are not repaired, the tendency is for
vandals to break a few more windows.
Eventually, they may even break into
the building, and if it’s unoccupied,
perhaps become squatters or light fires
inside.
Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter
accumulates. Soon, more litter accu-
mulates. Eventually, people even start
leaving bags of trash from take-out the tour ended 30 minutes later and
restaurants there or breaking into they hadn’t identified a single piece of
cars.” paper. That’s the standard we’ve set
here at Croughton and now our focus
Probably the most successful needs to be “sustaining that standard”.
implementation of this theory was And standards take follow up.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York So how do we do that?
City. Mayor Giuliani applied this First and foremost, never walk by
theory after his 1993 election, and a problem. If you see a piece of trash
the results were startling. Between as you walk around, pick it up and
1993 and 1995: murder dropped 39%, deposit it in the nearest trash can. It
burglary dropped doesn’t take
25%, and car theft They were both much effort and
dropped 36%. In
an interview with impressed when the tour iftribute we all con-
our base
the Academy of ended 30 minutes later... will remain
Achievement, in trash free.
2003 Rudy Giuliani Second, look
summarized: around the exterior of your build-
“The idea of it is that you had to ings; has mud, dirt and moss built up
pay attention to small things, other- over the past few months? If so, get
wise they would get out of control and out those pressure washers now and
become much worse.” get those sidewalks and walls look-
The same approach they used in ing clean to start off the spring and
Law Enforcement can be used on our summer. Does some paint need to be
Base. refreshed? Head on down to Self Help
That’s the concept of “Sweating the and get that touch–up painting done
small stuff” we’ve established here at early.
Croughton over this past year. We’ve Last, be a considerate member of
made tremendous gains and have the Croughton Community: Don’t
“raised the bar” in terms of how we throw trash or cigarette butts on the
expect the base to look. ground, ensure you wipe the mud and
I recently had the opportunity to dirt of your shoes when entering facili-
give a Base tour to two distinguished ties and help us all keep Croughton a
visitors; before heading out on the great place to live and work.
tour, I challenged both of them to Let’s “maintain the excellence”
point out a piece of trash as we drove we’ve established here at RAF
around. Croughton. In short, let’s not tolerate
They were both impressed when any broken windows.

Cover: Snow Day fense or the Department of the Air Force.

Molly Stephey builds the beginnings of
a snowman January 24 in base housing
on RAF Croughton.
School bus delays gave children as
much as three hours of play time before
school, while base workers were given
two hours delayed reporting.
Photo by Tech Sgt Keith Houin.
Graphic by Tech Sgt Robert Ashley.
422nd Air Base Squadron
Lt. Col. Jim Ryan , Squadron Commander
Editorial Staff
Tech. Sgt. Keith Houin. Public Affairs NCO
Multimedia support is provided by
Tech. Sgt. Robert Ashley
This funded Air Force newspaper is an au-
thorized publication for members of the U.S.
military services overseas. The Uplink content is
not necessarily the official view of, or endorsed
by, the U.S. Government, the Department of De-
Content is edited, prepared and provided by
the RAF Croughton Public Affairs office. All
photographs are Air Force photographs unless
indicated.
Public Affairs can be reached at 422nd ABS/
PA, Unit 5855, APO, AE 09494, or DSN 236-
8468 or 01280708468; or e-mail 422abs.pa@
croughton.af.mil.
The submission deadline is close of business
the Thursday eight days prior to the desired pub-
lication date. All material is edited for accuracy,
brevity, clarity and conformity to regulations.
The Public Affairs office strives for accu-
racy. If an error is noticed, contact The Uplink
staff.
February 9, 2007 Feature The Uplink 3

Snow Day
An early morning snow January 24 turned into late reporting
for Team Croughton, and early morning play-time for base
children.
Kris Villarreal watches from the comfort of the house as the
children play in the snow on 5th Street (right). Kelly Blahut
takes a ride down the hill between Croughton American
School and the command section (below left). Seth Erdman
carries a sled back up the hill to have another go (below
right). Frosty makes a short appearance at the Stephey resi-
dence (bottom).

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Keith Houin

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert Ashley

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert Ashley

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Keith Houin

Background photo by Tech. Sgt. Keith Houin

4 February 9, 2007 News The Uplink

Every Airman an ambassador

by Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez
Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON (AFNEWS) -
Secretary of the Air Force Michael
W. Wynne spoke in front of a packed
house January 31 during his town hall
meeting at the Pentagon.
During the meeting, the secretary
discussed some of the issues facing the
Air Force today as well as its strengths
and his goals for 2007. One issue
included the ages of the Air Force’s
aircraft.
“When I reentered (the Air Force)
last year, the average age of our
equipment was 24 years old,” he said.
“That’s all of our fleet. Many of them
are essentially bumping up against age
limits.”
The secretary said aircraft like the F-
15 Eagle are now on flight restriction,
prohibited during training from going
above certain speeds because of
potential danger to the pilot. He also
said that type of restriction, due to the
age of the aircraft, is detrimental to Air
Force readiness.
“When you restrict that in peacetime,
you restrict training,” he said. “That
would be like training to be an Indy
500 racecar driver at 100 miles an hour,
knowing full well you will be going
175 miles an hour when you get on the
track. It is just not the same.”
Despite such restrictions, the
secretary told gathered Airmen their
Air Force was the best in the world.
“Why is your Air Force so great
then? Because you -- the maintainers
and sustainers of our Air Force -
- are performing magnificently,” he
said. “The performers, the sustainers,
and maintainers, are taking the old
equipment and making it relevant
today.”
The secretary said he realized that
Airmen could not continue to sustain
today’s ageing equipment indefinitely.
He said the service is making efforts
to recapitalize to ensure tomorrow’s
Airmen are equipped to fight any
enemy, anywhere, anytime.
“We are about making sure that
within our constrained resource set, we
are going to set our sights on bringing
(forward) this new and high technology
equipment, because that is what your
Air Force does,” he said.“We bring
high technology equipment and we
change the face of warfare.”
Also during the town hall meeting,
the secretary discussed his “goal
card” for 2007. Many of the goals are
a continuation of those he expressed
early on in his tenure: fostering mutual
respect and integrity; sustaining air,
space and cyberspace capabilities;
open, transparent business practices;
and fostering AFSO21 across the Air
Force. But this year, he has added a new
goal: “Every Airman an ambassador to
all we meet and serve.”
“It turns out, even in our community
in the United States, people look at us
as ambassadors of our Air Force,” the
secretary said.
Some Airmen may mistake those
in high visibility positions, like
Thunderbird pilots or wing commanders,
as being the only representatives of
the service. But actually, all Airmen
are ambassadors of the Air Force the
secretary said.
“The ambassadors for our Air
Force are us, every one of us,” he
said. “Without a doubt when we are at
Osan on a bike trip, at Kunsan taking a
tour, or at Misawa and a local is taking
us diving, they interact with us and
come away with a feeling about the
Air Force. They can come away with
good feelings or come away with bad
feelings. At the end of the day, it is
up to you. That is where I say: Every
Airman is an ambassador.”

National Prayer Breakfast February 14

This year’s National Prayer Breakfast will be held
February 14 at 7:30 a.m. in the Consolidated Club.
The guest speaker is Chaplain (Maj Gen ret.) Lorraine
Potter, former Chief of the Chaplain Service for the USAF.
Among a number of firsts, Chaplain Potter holds the
distinctive honor of being the first female in the Chaplain
Service. She was also the first female Command Chaplain
and the first female Chief of the Chaplain Service.
Chaplain Potter is from Rhode Island and an ordained minister
of the American Baptist Church. She was commissioned in
1973 and has served at every installation and command level
within the Department of Defense. Chaplain Potter retired in
June 2004.
Tickets are $5, call 236-8287 for more information.

Commander’s Action Line

The Commander’s Action Line is a direct line for comments
and suggestions to make RAF Croughton a better place to live and
work. It is also an avenue to address issues that have not been
resolved through the responsible agency or your chain of com-
mand.
Items of interest to all Croughton readers may be published in
The Uplink. If you leave your name and telephone number or e-
mail address, you will receive a reply.
Your contact information also provides a
means for us to get more information if need-
ed to work the issue
To submit an Action Line, call 236-8017
or e-mail 422abg.commanders.actionline@
croughton.af.mil. Col. D’Angelo
 February 9, 2007 Spotlight The Uplink 5

Spotlight On ...
Unit and job title: 422 CS / Satellite,
Wideband and Telemetry Journeyman

Time in service: 2 years & 5 months

Time on station: 1 year & 6 months

Family: No immediate family here

with him

Hobbies: Working out at the gym,

spending time with friends and eating
“Raquel’s” cooking!

Supervisor’s quote: A1C Garcia

has been a key component of both
his work center and our base!
His dedication to duty and
to the mission, “To provide
communications support to the war
fighters”, is evident in his day-to-
day operations.
He excels at all tasks and his
attention to detail is above reproach
and well above his pay grade.

Airman 1st Class

His involvements around the base
include generating participation in
the Club through publicity, liaison
between the British-American
Committee and the Airmen of the
base, liaison between the club
advisory council and the First
4 council, and numerous other
events that he’s lent his time and
organizational skills too! Every
event that he’s involved in he gives
110%! He truly set’s the standard
that others aspire to achieve!
How do you support the RAF
Croughton mission? I monitor/
troubleshoot satellite communication
links for the war fighters in support
of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and
Adriano Delgado-Garcia
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Basically, I provide the forward
deployed troops reach-back commu-
nications to the outside world; voice
for phone calls home, data for inter-
net and Video Telephone Conferenc-
ing.
If you could do one thing to improve
Croughton, what would it be? I
would improve upon the activities
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert Ashley
available at the base club. I think
this would increase morale for the
troops stationed here and make for a
more enjoyable tour
The Spotlight On ... is intended to
recognize technical sergeants and
below who epitomize what it means
to be a part of Team Croughton.
Submissions must be sent to PA by
squadron superintendents.
6 February 9, 2007 New

And the
winners
are... Company Grade Officer
Captain David Thompson
422 ABS

Airman NCO Senior

Senior Airman Kathrine Voirol Staff Sgt. Kyle Johnson Master Sgt.
422 CS 422 SFS 422

First Sergeant
Senior Master Sgt Rudolph Montez
422 ABG
ws The Uplink 7

The 422nd Air Base Group Annual

Award winners were announced
at the annual awards banquet
February 8th at the club.
The winners will now represent RAF
Croughton for the 501st Combat
Support Wing Annual Awards.

Field Grade Officer

Major Mynda Ohman
422 ABG

r NCO Civilian Cat 1 Civilian Cat 2

Jeanne Vogt Keith Herring Frederick Callahan
2 CS 422 SFS 422 SFS

Staff Sgt. Sophia Vargas

422 ABG
8 February 9, 2007 Sports/Fitness The Uplink

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert Ashley

To the Hoop
Gary Moore, SFS, goes to the air to get by RITC defenders January 31 during intramural basketball
play. SFS won the game 62-31. SFS is currently undefeated and leads the intramural league.

Sport Shorts
Winter Fitness
Survival Challenge
The Fitness Center is offering you
the help you need to get through the
winter months with the Winter Fit-
ness Survival Challenge. Sign up in
FitLinxx between now and March 31,
2007, reach the goal and burn 17,500
calories and win a Fitness T-Shirt (T-
shirt prizes available while quantities
last).
For more information call the Fit-
ness Center on DSN 236-8449.
Youth Flag Football Tourney
Players (ages 9-11) are needed to
represent RAF Croughton as we host
the Coventry Jets youth Flag football
team in a Flag Football extravaganza.
The event is scheduled for a kick off on
Saturday (March 10th) at 9 AM.
There will be a boys and girls team
which will field players between the
ages of 9 and 11. Teams will have a
coach who will hold a six day camp
to get the kids ready. All players will
need mouth guards and cleats. For par-
ticipation or more information contact
myself (ewatts711@yahoo.com) or Mr.
Elmore (joe.elmore@croughton.af.mil)
and we will be glad to help you.

Always Forward
Standards Take Every Person
 February 9, 2007 Lighter Side The Uplink 9

Making the Grade 2. Towel marking

3. Inventor Whitney
4. Head covering
5. Sayings that sets forth a general
by Capt. Tony Wickman truth
6. USAF officer rank
7. Acquire through merit
8. Secret plan or scheme
9. Charged particle
10. Rank and pay items
12. Most simple
15. Lotion ingredients
19. Ding
21. Santa helper
22. Playful trick or prank
24. Speech impediment
27. USAF education tool for enlisted
personnel to make rank
28. CJTF-___; located in Djibouti
30. Subgenre of hardcore punk mu-
sic
31. Former French coin
36. Bother
37. Company add-on?
38. Minor Prophet of the 7th century
b.c.
40. Against
41. Close by
42. Mistake
43. USAF O-1 and O-2
46. Obtain
47. Get rid of
48. USAF O-4s
50. ____ Twist
51. Title of address for USAF E-1 to
E-4
52. Actor Mineo
57. Smack That singer
58. AOL, for one
ACROSS 44. Cellular identifier 59. Has pains
1. Female identifier 45. Spry 61. Notre Dame great Parseghian
4. Witch 46. Jewel 64. Engine need
7. Saga 49. 1959 Nobel Prize winner Severo 65. Term for USAF E-5 or E-6
11. Upset 52. Practice fighting 66. Place
13. Summer beverage 53. Epoch
14. Hawaii greeting 54. Project Runway designer Her-
16. Largest continent zner
17. Bond writer Fleming 55. Commander’s region of control
18. President Reagan 56. ___ Mahal
20. USAF ranks of Staff, Technical 57. USN top ranks
or Master 60. Saturates
23. Fish egg 62. School Stonewall Jackson taught
24. ___ Abner at, in brief
25. Sea bird, var. 63. Long spans of time
26. X to Caesar 67. Actor Flynn
27. Top USAF enlisted rank 68. Snakelike fish
29. Satisfies 69. Yatzee need
32. Concorde jet, briefly 70. ___ Francisco
33. Indianapolis Colt safety 71. Dr.’s helpers
34. Stretch car 72. Abraham’s nephew
35. USAF officer rank DOWN
39. USAF officer rank 1. USAF enlisted rank
10 February 9, 2007 Happenings The Uplink

Boy Scouts Court of Honor

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Robert Ashley
RAF Croughton Boy Scout Troop 220 held their first Court
of Honor for 2007 on January 31 at the community center.
The boys were recognized for their achievements as indi-
viduals and as a Troop. Part of the fun was the year’s first
chili cook-off.
Sean Suppa post the colors (left). Senior Master Sgt. Ru-
dolph Montez, 422 ABG Fisrt Sergeant, scores a sample of
chili during the chili cook off portion of the night (right).

USAA $3,000 Project
CHEER Giveaway
HQ USAFE Services – Sembach
AB, Germany – More Exciting News!
From now through April 15 the Project
CHEER program will provide a great
opportunity compliment of USAA for
Airmen to win $3,000 cash!
USAA has partnered with USAFE
Services for the 2007 Project CHEER
program. They are supporting the pro-
gram with a generous cash donation as
well as providing a $3,000 cash prize
for an on-line drawing.
Participants go to www.projectcheer.
org/ site to fill out a questionnaire for
USAA then they are entered in the
drawing.
Questionnaire must be completed to
qualify for a chance to win. All infor-
mation is requested by USAA is secure
and a security certificate is on file with
HQ USAFE Services.
Drawing will take place between
April 15 and May 1 2007. USAA
will provide the winner with a $3,000
check.
The contest is open to all DoD ID
card holders aged 18 years and over.
Visit www.projectcheer.org/ now for
more information.
Tax Center Update
Tax season is underway. The base
Tax Center has available appointments
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The number of appointments available
is limited.If you cannot get an appoint-
ment there are other options.
Free IRS Programs. The IRS has a
Free File Program under Online Tools
at the IRS Website. Free File allows
taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross In-
come (AGI) of $52,000 or less in 2006
to e-file their federal tax returns for free.
In many cases, the same is true for state
returns. Visit their site for more infor-
mation. www.irs.gov
Military OneSource offers free tax
preparation software called “TaxCut
Basic Online.” This software is avail-
able to Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve
service members and their families.
http://www.militaryonesource.com
If you are not sure you can “go it
alone” and would like to attend a work-
shop, and get some assistance with e-
filing your taxes yourself, please phone
the legal office at 236-8652 and reserve
a spot. Workshops will be held Febru-
ary 13 from 9 to 10:30 am, and Febru-
ary 15 from 3 to 4:30 pm.
You will need to bring with you:
- Forms W-2, W-2G
- Forms 1099-INT, 1099-OID, bank
statements
-Forms 1099-MISC, records for
business or side job income and ex-
penses
-Records for your rental and royalty
property income and expenses
- Schedules K1
- Forms 1099-DIV
- Forms 1099-B, records with gain
or loss on sales of stocks or property
- Forms 1099-R, CSA 1099-R, CSF
1099-R
- Forms RRB-1099, RRB-1099-R
- Forms SSA-1099
- W-2Gs, records of other gambling
income
-Information on any other income
received in 2006
 February 9, 2007
Community Center/ITT
236-8706
Latin Dancing Classes
Get Fit in 2007 and Have Fun!!
Latin Dancing-Salsa, Samba, Cha
Cha, Rumba, Jive, Ballroom and many
more! The Community Center offers
the chance to learn dancing from an ex-
perienced tutor! Wednesday, 8-9 pm,
in the Community Center. Cost is £5
per class or £8 per couples (payable in
advance). For more information or to
sign-up contact the Community Center
on DSN 236-8706.
Chinese New Year
In London
The Community Center/ITT has a
trip to the Chinese New Year celebra-
tions in London February 18. Cost is
$25 for adults/$12.50 child. Chinese
New Year is the biggest festival of the
year in Chinese communities and to
mark ‘The Year of the Pig’ London’s
annual Chinese New Year parade and
festival will take place in London’s
Chinatown, Leicester Square and
Trafalgar Square. Transport departs
Croughton at 8 am, Caversfield at 8:20
am and Croughton at 7.30 am. Sign-up
with the Community Center.
St. Patrick’s Day Tour
The Community Center/ITT offers
the SunFun St Patrick’s Day – Dublin
Tour departing March 15. This is a 4
day tour costing £259 per person; in-
cludes 3 nights bed and breakfast, Sun-
Fun luxury coach, return HSS Ferry
crossing and an experienced tour lead-
er. Price is based on two adults shar-
ing a room (single supplement is £90).
This tour departs RAF Alconbury un-
less the minimum numbers are reached.
For more information or to sign-up call
DSN 236-8706 or stop by building
200.
Outdoor Recreation
236-8419
Brecon Beacons Southern
Horseshoe Walk
Join Outdoor Rec on Sunday Febru-
ary 18 to blow away some of those win-
ter cobwebs on one of the finest hikes
Happenings
in South Wales. It starts low down in
the deep forest of the Taf Fechan Forest
before rising from open moorland with
magnificent views of the peaks due to
be conquered. After a push to the sum-
mit of Craig Fan Ddu the walk follows
the edge of the ridge of the horseshoe
to the main summits of Pen Y Fan and
Corn Du rewarding you with fantastic
views over the valley some 2,000 ft be-
low. Cost for the trip is $35. Transport
will leave Outdoor Rec at 7 am. Call
Outdoor Rec\o sign-up.
Mountain Biking at
Cannock Chase
Join Outdoor Rec on Saturday Feb-
ruary 24 to enjoy a day mountain biking
at Cannock Chase. This is the smallest
main land Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty (AONB) in Britain. The terrain
consists of rolling hills covered with
lowland heaths and mixed forests cov-
ering approximately 25 square miles.
Cost for the trip is $40 and includes
bike rental or $30 with your own bike.
Transport will leave Outdoor Rec at 8
am (bikers arrive at 7.30 to load/rent
bikes). Call Outdoor Rec to sign-up.
Club
236-8476
Texas Hold’Em Tournament
The Club is holding the base level
tournament for the USAFE Project
CHEER Texas Hold’Em Tournament
on tonight and February 16. at 7 pm
Cost is FREE for Club Members/$5
Non-members. The base level winner
will compete in the USAFE Tourna-
ment at Sembach AB, GE March 17.
Only Club Members may advance to
the USAFE Tournament. For full de-
tails please call the Club.
Mongolian BBQ Night
The Club will hold its Mongolian
BBQ tonight, from 5 – 7 pm. Come on
out and why not stay for the Texas Hold
’Em tournament after?
Family Night
Family Night is February 15 from
5 – 7 pm. at the club. Bring out the
whole family and let us do the cooking
for you!
The Uplink 11
Valentine’s Day Dinner at the
Club
The Club will have a Valentine’s
Day Dinner February 14 at 6 pm. Cost
is $75 per couple for non-members and
$65 per couple for members. Dinner
consist of a starter, salad, choice of
Salmon or Filet Burgundy and dessert.
A carafe of wine is included in the cost.
This event is limited to 20 couples so
please make your reservation early!!
Reservations must be made by COB
February 12 by calling DSN 236-8140.
A La Cart Dining
A La Cart Dining is Friday February
16 from 5 – 7 pm.
Steak Fajitas/Quiz Night
February 23 from 5– 7 pm. Come
out and enjoy some Fajitas and take
part in the Quiz Night. Put those little
grey cells to work and impress every-
one with your knowledge!!
The Community Center has
a large range of Valentine’s
Day Gifts on sale. Orders are
being taken now for items to
be delivered on Wednesday
February 14 either on-base or
to Caversfield housing. Items
can also be pre-ordered to be
collected from the Commu-
nity Center on the day. For
more information call DSN
236-8706.