The Fort Warren Express
The Fort Warren Express The Newsletter of Ft. Warren Flight No. 54 Order of Daedalians P.O. Box 9647 F.E. Warren AFB, WY 82003 May 2016
Volume XXXIV, Issue 05
Flight Captain- John Mitchell, Vice Flight Captain –Jeremy Schaad, Adjutant –Dick Larsen, Vice Adjutant – Paul Stenback Treasurer – Fred Drake, Vice Treasurer Bill Holgerson, Chaplain – John Denham, Asst Chaplain – Con Bratton Provost Marshall – Ray Livermont, Vice Provost Marshall – Dennis Cook This is a private organization. It is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and it has no governmental status.
2016 Officers
Flight Captain’s Corner I found Col Lyman’s presentation about the upcoming commercial pilot shortage to be more than informative. The prediction that 26,000 new airline pilots will be needed during the same period that many current pilots will reach retirement age is stunning. Low salaries no longer seem to be a factor. We all need to keep in mind the effects of this shortage on our military. Active duty pilots are leaving the service because of multiple lengthy deployments along with increased optempo. The reason for this concern is that, while the size of the military has decreased, the frequency of operations has dramatically increased. Aviation units also comprise a disproportionate share of deployments to combat zones. In the reserve components, losing full-time staffing and traditional Guardsmen are tied to increased demand for lucrative airline jobs. Finally, many hopeful military pilots are being directed into UAS career paths. Thanks to Rich Burger, Mike Smith, and Gary Moore for being on our Cadet Flight Indoctrination Program (CFIP) scholarship Selection Board. Let’s hope we receive some first-rate applications and help steer a cadet towards a career as a military pilot. -John Mitchell
Next Meeting 10 May 2016 at 1130 “MAFFS Duty in ANG WY” Location: ANG Dining Facility $13.00 RSVP to: Steve Foster 307-638-2120 or [email protected] SPECIAL NOTE: Please let Steve know if you are coming OR NOT. This will keep him from trying to call you for your status. Last meeting 22 members signed up, 18 attended.
The Meeting The meeting was called to order by Flight Captain John Mitchell at the Air National Guard Dining Facility. Eighteen members and one guest attended the meeting. Following the Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and the toasts, we enjoyed a tasty meal of a ham steak served by the Air National Guard’s senior enlisted personnel. A big thanks to all who helped. The “Duty Not Involving Meetings (DNIM) report was given by Steve Foster and included a report about Keller Gleason who is recovering from being ill on Easter. We wish all those on the list a quick recovery.
The Presentation: “Status of the Wyoming Guard” Flight Captain John Mitchell introduced the presenter: Col Paul Lyman, Commander of the 153rd Airlift Wing WYANG, standing in for MG Reiner, the State Adjutant General. The WY Air National Guard C-130 aircraft are getting upgraded as Congress turned down a request for them to get C-130 J models. They plan to get upgraded engines, 8 bladed props and upgraded avionics with glass cockpits. The upgrades will be $30 million each. Of course, the ultimate fix would be new C-130J aircraft. The loss of an active duty sister unit, the 30th, caused a net loss of four aircraft. The Air Guard has 129 personnel going on deployment during the summer months for 6 months. The dining facility is officially closed due to deployments, however, they have agreed to feed us during this time. The Air Guard does plan to have the traditional open house and Air show with the Thunderbirds during the July Frontier Days. The Wyoming Army National Guard is in the process of two deployments, each for one year: B/2-300 Field Artillery is at Fort Bliss for 2 months, training for deployment to Afghanistan. B/777th Aviation Support Battalion is undergoing pre-deployment training in Guernsey before deploying to Kuwait in June. A command aviation company with four Blackhawks is standing up. This is at the cost of one forward support medical section of 3 Blackhawks in the Medevac unit. The move is due to current regulations restricting flights in medevac aircraft to only training or actual medevac missions.
Col Lyman gave a short history of his career. He is a ROTC graduate from the University of Northern Colorado. He was an active duty navigator for 10 years in F-111 and F-15E as well as a Guard C-130 navigator for 18 years. He’s been a civilian airline pilot for 16 years and a CFI. He has flown for Jet Blue for 12 years, as a Captain on A-320 for 9 years. Col Lyman is now on leave for 2 years as the Commander of the 153rd Wing. He then gave a presentation on the critical pilot shortages coming in the next 5 to 10 years. This is affecting the Guard as well as the airlines. The causes include the 1500 hour requirements for copilots, the age 60/65 retirements. Many flight schools have shut down causing a void in the pool of future pilots. The recent raises for airline pilots is and will hurt the Guard recruiting for pilots with experience. A question and answer period was held at the conclusion. Officer reports A motion to charge $13.00 for our lunches at the Air National Guard facility was approved. $12.00 will go to the Guard and $1.00 for our treasury. We currently have $8528.25 in our treasury. A conversation about our limiting associate members in our flight by-laws ensued. Associate membership is currently set at 5 according to our Flight by-laws. Vice Adjutant, Paul Stenback will have a rewrite for the flight to review for the next meeting. The Flight Adjutant, asked if everyone was receiving the monthly newsletter, The Express. Everyone indicated they were receiving it.
The Flight Historian, Dave McCracken reported that the funeral service for Orville Baker, who passed away last October, will be at 1100, 16 April at the Methodist Church in downtown Cheyenne. Dave also reported the Trails End Club on Warren AFB has completed their remodeling project and our items will be put back on the wall soon. Scholarship chairman, Mike Smith, informed the flight the AFJROTC at East High School will not have anyone recommended for the Daedalian Medal this year. The Army JROTC at Central High School will have a recommendation this year. We know from previous correspondence there will not be a scholarship recipient for UW this year. The Flight discussed and approved our first CFIP program. It was decided we will have one recommendation this year. The CFIP committee will be coordinator, Rich Burger, with assistance from Mike Smith and Gary Moore. We are estimating $2400.00 to allow for a maximum of 15 flying hours. The local flight school is giving us a 10% discount. The following must happen for the program to be a success: Flight school must have adequate insurance to meet Daedalian national requirements. JROTC staff will promote scholarship to best qualified and motivated cadets. Applications will be reviewed by CFIP Selection Board. Applicants must write an essay about why they want to be a military pilot. Parents must approve. Applicant must pass FAA Class 3 medical, including requirements to fly military aircraft (vision, height, etc.).
Flight Captain, John Mitchell urged everyone to consider sending some money to National during their fund drive May 3rd. The Flight Captain has instigated a new email address for the Flight Captain. He is in hopes this will help with continuity for future Flight Captains. The address is [email protected]. Please use this for future Daedalian correspondence with John Mitchell. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give direction, not criticism, and try to remind them of yesterday’s wisdom that still applies today.
Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.
Dick Larsen Flight 54 Adjutant
Volume XXXIV, Issue 05
Flight Captain- John Mitchell, Vice Flight Captain –Jeremy Schaad, Adjutant –Dick Larsen, Vice Adjutant – Paul Stenback Treasurer – Fred Drake, Vice Treasurer Bill Holgerson, Chaplain – John Denham, Asst Chaplain – Con Bratton Provost Marshall – Ray Livermont, Vice Provost Marshall – Dennis Cook This is a private organization. It is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and it has no governmental status.
2016 Officers
Flight Captain’s Corner I found Col Lyman’s presentation about the upcoming commercial pilot shortage to be more than informative. The prediction that 26,000 new airline pilots will be needed during the same period that many current pilots will reach retirement age is stunning. Low salaries no longer seem to be a factor. We all need to keep in mind the effects of this shortage on our military. Active duty pilots are leaving the service because of multiple lengthy deployments along with increased optempo. The reason for this concern is that, while the size of the military has decreased, the frequency of operations has dramatically increased. Aviation units also comprise a disproportionate share of deployments to combat zones. In the reserve components, losing full-time staffing and traditional Guardsmen are tied to increased demand for lucrative airline jobs. Finally, many hopeful military pilots are being directed into UAS career paths. Thanks to Rich Burger, Mike Smith, and Gary Moore for being on our Cadet Flight Indoctrination Program (CFIP) scholarship Selection Board. Let’s hope we receive some first-rate applications and help steer a cadet towards a career as a military pilot. -John Mitchell
Next Meeting 10 May 2016 at 1130 “MAFFS Duty in ANG WY” Location: ANG Dining Facility $13.00 RSVP to: Steve Foster 307-638-2120 or [email protected] SPECIAL NOTE: Please let Steve know if you are coming OR NOT. This will keep him from trying to call you for your status. Last meeting 22 members signed up, 18 attended.
The Meeting The meeting was called to order by Flight Captain John Mitchell at the Air National Guard Dining Facility. Eighteen members and one guest attended the meeting. Following the Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and the toasts, we enjoyed a tasty meal of a ham steak served by the Air National Guard’s senior enlisted personnel. A big thanks to all who helped. The “Duty Not Involving Meetings (DNIM) report was given by Steve Foster and included a report about Keller Gleason who is recovering from being ill on Easter. We wish all those on the list a quick recovery.
The Presentation: “Status of the Wyoming Guard” Flight Captain John Mitchell introduced the presenter: Col Paul Lyman, Commander of the 153rd Airlift Wing WYANG, standing in for MG Reiner, the State Adjutant General. The WY Air National Guard C-130 aircraft are getting upgraded as Congress turned down a request for them to get C-130 J models. They plan to get upgraded engines, 8 bladed props and upgraded avionics with glass cockpits. The upgrades will be $30 million each. Of course, the ultimate fix would be new C-130J aircraft. The loss of an active duty sister unit, the 30th, caused a net loss of four aircraft. The Air Guard has 129 personnel going on deployment during the summer months for 6 months. The dining facility is officially closed due to deployments, however, they have agreed to feed us during this time. The Air Guard does plan to have the traditional open house and Air show with the Thunderbirds during the July Frontier Days. The Wyoming Army National Guard is in the process of two deployments, each for one year: B/2-300 Field Artillery is at Fort Bliss for 2 months, training for deployment to Afghanistan. B/777th Aviation Support Battalion is undergoing pre-deployment training in Guernsey before deploying to Kuwait in June. A command aviation company with four Blackhawks is standing up. This is at the cost of one forward support medical section of 3 Blackhawks in the Medevac unit. The move is due to current regulations restricting flights in medevac aircraft to only training or actual medevac missions.
Col Lyman gave a short history of his career. He is a ROTC graduate from the University of Northern Colorado. He was an active duty navigator for 10 years in F-111 and F-15E as well as a Guard C-130 navigator for 18 years. He’s been a civilian airline pilot for 16 years and a CFI. He has flown for Jet Blue for 12 years, as a Captain on A-320 for 9 years. Col Lyman is now on leave for 2 years as the Commander of the 153rd Wing. He then gave a presentation on the critical pilot shortages coming in the next 5 to 10 years. This is affecting the Guard as well as the airlines. The causes include the 1500 hour requirements for copilots, the age 60/65 retirements. Many flight schools have shut down causing a void in the pool of future pilots. The recent raises for airline pilots is and will hurt the Guard recruiting for pilots with experience. A question and answer period was held at the conclusion. Officer reports A motion to charge $13.00 for our lunches at the Air National Guard facility was approved. $12.00 will go to the Guard and $1.00 for our treasury. We currently have $8528.25 in our treasury. A conversation about our limiting associate members in our flight by-laws ensued. Associate membership is currently set at 5 according to our Flight by-laws. Vice Adjutant, Paul Stenback will have a rewrite for the flight to review for the next meeting. The Flight Adjutant, asked if everyone was receiving the monthly newsletter, The Express. Everyone indicated they were receiving it.
The Flight Historian, Dave McCracken reported that the funeral service for Orville Baker, who passed away last October, will be at 1100, 16 April at the Methodist Church in downtown Cheyenne. Dave also reported the Trails End Club on Warren AFB has completed their remodeling project and our items will be put back on the wall soon. Scholarship chairman, Mike Smith, informed the flight the AFJROTC at East High School will not have anyone recommended for the Daedalian Medal this year. The Army JROTC at Central High School will have a recommendation this year. We know from previous correspondence there will not be a scholarship recipient for UW this year. The Flight discussed and approved our first CFIP program. It was decided we will have one recommendation this year. The CFIP committee will be coordinator, Rich Burger, with assistance from Mike Smith and Gary Moore. We are estimating $2400.00 to allow for a maximum of 15 flying hours. The local flight school is giving us a 10% discount. The following must happen for the program to be a success: Flight school must have adequate insurance to meet Daedalian national requirements. JROTC staff will promote scholarship to best qualified and motivated cadets. Applications will be reviewed by CFIP Selection Board. Applicants must write an essay about why they want to be a military pilot. Parents must approve. Applicant must pass FAA Class 3 medical, including requirements to fly military aircraft (vision, height, etc.).
Flight Captain, John Mitchell urged everyone to consider sending some money to National during their fund drive May 3rd. The Flight Captain has instigated a new email address for the Flight Captain. He is in hopes this will help with continuity for future Flight Captains. The address is [email protected]. Please use this for future Daedalian correspondence with John Mitchell. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give direction, not criticism, and try to remind them of yesterday’s wisdom that still applies today.
Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.
Dick Larsen Flight 54 Adjutant
