2006 UTA Schedule
No drill in January
9-12 February Phase II ORE (4 Days)
4-5 March
1-2 April
4-7 May Phase II ORE (4 Days)
3-4 June
No drill in July
5-6 August
9-10 September
12-15 October Phase II ORE (4 Days)
4-5 November
30 November - 3 December Phase II ORI (4 Days)
All 129th RQW members will be on military status during any ORE or ORI.
Technicians are authorized Military Leave (code LM), Annual Leave (code LA),
Comp Time Taken (code CT), or Leave Without Pay (code KA) to maintain
military status for ORE’s and ORI’s.
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Board Elections - Officers
March 2006
An election for the three Board Corporation Officers - President, Vice
President, and Secretary-Treasurer - is scheduled for 2006. The AHA
Corporation Bylaws proscribes that Officers are elected in even number years
(2006) and Directors are elected in odd number years (2007).
The AHA President, Jay Craddock, appointed an Election Committee composed of
Director Steve James; the Secretary-Treasurer, John Ruppel; and association
member at large, LTC Jim Rommelfanger. The committee will be responsible for
gathering nominations, distributing, collecting, and counting the ballots.
The newly elected Officers will be announced at the Association's annual
meeting, the Annual Old Timers Lunch, scheduled for Wednesday, March 22,
2006, at the Castro Valley Loyal Order of Moose Hall, 20835 Rutledge Road,
Castro Valley, CA 94546.
Any AHA member in good standing may serve as an Officer. Individuals
interested in serving as an Officer should complete the form included in
this issue. Return the completed form (or a reasonable facsimile) no later
than January 20, 2006, to:
Col. John L. Ruppel, Jr. (Ret.)
6718 Zerillo Drive
Riverbank, CA 95367-2122
Nominations must be received by January 20, 2006, to be valid. All
nominations will be included on the ballot. Ballots, a self-addressed
stamped postcard, will be mailed to all members, with information regarding
the Old Timers Luncheon, no later than February 10, 2006. There is no
write-in provision. Ballots must be returned no later than March 17, 2006,
to be valid. The nominees with the highest number of votes for each office
will be declared Officers, and will be announced and begin their two-year
term at the Old Timers Luncheon
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The Prez Sez
The President's Column
Lt Col Jesse Craddock (Ret.)
With Thanksgiving
concluded, we now look forward to the holiday season. We are approaching the
end of another year. The year 2005 marks the 129th’s 50th anniversary. The
Wing is publishing a special Rescue West to commemorate the date. The
Association is considering developing a 50th anniversary commemorative coin.
Sunday, November 3, the Wing celebrated Troop Appreciation Day, welcoming
home Wing personnel who participated in the AEF deployment. Congresswoman
Anna Eshoo and MG William Wade, the new TAG, honored the Wing’s AEF and
Katrina service. The Wing was credited with 21 AEF combat saves and an
additional 210 saves for Katrina raising the credited saves to 550.
The September Newsletter contained a report on the Association’s deployment
bag project. Lynda Fawcett, at the Wing’s request, assembled an additional
eighty bags. The Association distributed 200 bags to Wing personnel
participating in the AEF and Katrina rescue operation. Board members
attending the Troop Appreciation event received numerous appreciative
statements from individual deployed Wing members.
We have lost two old friends whose service dates back to Hayward and the
original 144th. Joe Rodricks and Board Director Don Delucchi have left us.
Joe was a comrade and personal friend who will be missed, but not forgotten.
Don was part of the original 129th AHA organizing committee and an original
Association Director. He organized the mercantile store, procured the items
offered to the membership, and made the Travis trek to have the Association
jackets embroidered. Don’s support, advice, and dedication were integral to
the Association’s growth. Don was a friend, colleague, and comrade who will
be missed. The mercantile store will, as a tribute to Don, continue to be
known as “Dondi’s Mercantile Store”. The Newsletter contains memorial pieces
on Joe and Don.
SMSgt Paul Wilkins, a veteran Wing supply member, passed away after a long
illness. The Newsletter contains a memorial.
The Board selected Lt Col Steve James to fill the vacant Board Director’s
seat. Steve served as the 129th Rescue Squadron Commander prior to retiring.
He provided the Newsletter an introductory biography.
The Association will conduct a March Officers’ election. The Newsletter
contains election procedures information and a nomination form. The
Association utilizes a self-nominating procedure. All nominees’ names will
appear on the ballot. This is your opportunity to participate in the
Association’s management.
We are already planning our annual Old Timers Luncheon which is scheduled
for Wednesday, March 22, 2006. The next Newsletter will have full details.
I want to wish all Members a Happy Holiday Season and thank you for your
support in 2005.
Jay
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MXS Change of Command
 Lt.
Col. Cindy Kepple turns over the 129th Maintenance Squadron command flag to
Master Sgt. Christopher Underwood, who passed it on to the new Commander,
Maj. Charles Pratt, at the MXS Change of Command ceremony in the hangar Nov.
6. Lt. Col. Kepple leaves the 129th after 19 years of distinguished service
in a variety of posts. Maj. Pratt comes to us from the 144th Fighter Wing at
Fresno. Lt. Col. Jerry Gallmeister, Maintenance Group Commander, observes
the ceremony.
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Larson, 129th Communications Flight
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Nomination of Officers
Have some good ideas about things the 129th AHA should do?
Want to make changes in the way things are done?
Want to be more involved in the day-to-day operations of the 129th AHA?
Then nominate yourself to become an Officer of the Association!
Any member in good standing (that means your dues are paid)
can run for and be elected to the Board of Directors.
Officers are elected in even years (2006).
Directors at large are elected in odd years (2007).
Now is your chance!
Let your voice be heard!
Choose to become involved!
So Click this link and complete,
print, sign and mail the Nominations form
Nominations form Must be received no later than January 20, 2006.
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 SMSgt
Paul F. Wilkins
08 December 1948 – 08 November 2005
Paul Frederick Wilkins, a Fremont resident for 35 years, died November 8,
2005, at his home. He was 56.
Born December 8, 1948, in Alameda, Paul joined the Air Force in 1971, and
after training at Lackland and Lowry, he and wife Becky were sent to Minot,
North Dakota where the saying was that “only the best go north.” They
returned to California in 1972, where Paul left active duty for the
California Air National Guard stationed in Hayward. He joined them as a
civil servant in 1974. In 1984 he became an AGR, and remained in that status
until his death. Paul had a distinguished career with the Guard and achieved
the rank of Senior Master Sergeant in the supply field. He was honored with
a 21-gun salute at the time of burial.
Paul enjoyed bowling for the ANG and bike riding at Harbor Bay Isle, but his
real love was watching baseball games and, later, San Jose Sharks hockey
games. He followed the Giants from the time they came to the Bay Area in
1958 and attended all A’s World Series games. He was in the stadium the
night of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Paul visited many ballparks,
including Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, but his biggest thrill was going to
the Baseball Hall of Fame this past May. He and Becky had many wonderful
trips to such places as Hawaii, Alaska, Vancouver, a snowy visit to the
Grand Canyon, and many enjoyable visits to Portland and the Oregon coast.
Paul was truly an old-fashioned gentleman who opened doors and gave up his
seat for others. He was a wonderful host and made countless guests
comfortable in his home. His kindness will be missed by friends,
acquaintances, coworkers, and anyone lucky enough to come near him.
Paul is survived by Becky, his wife of 35 years; his daughter, Kareasa, of
San Francisco; and his sister, Linda Bramante, of Alameda.
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 SMSgt
Don Delucchi
By Col William E. Ignatow (Ret)
On October 9, 2005, the Guard Family said goodbye to one of its most
supportive members. SMSgt Don Delucchi (Ret) fought a long, hard battle with
cancer, never losing his spirit, despite many setbacks. He leaves his wife
Marg, son Larry, and daughter Donna.
I first met Don in the spring of 1972. I was a traditional Guardsman and Don
was the Training Technician at the 129th. It turned out that we shared a
common interest in duck hunting. That fall we went on our first duck hunt
together at his Father-in-law’s “private club” in Los Banos. While I was
truly honored and excited about the prospects of hunting on a private club,
I was also nervous. Always having been a “refuge duck hunter”, this amounted
to taking the blue collar beer drinker to the stock broker’s private club
for lunch. Although we only shot one duck and that day, and the private club
could be more adequately described as a flooded cow field with a shack on
it, this first hunt spawned a friendship that would find Don and me in a
duck blind together, each weekend, all winter, for the next 32 years. Don
loved to hunt, whether it was ducks, doves, or pheasants. Whenever I would
call to ask if he was interested, all he wanted to know was where we would
meet.
Over the years, Don and I had many disagreements, but none when we were
hunting. They were mostly about my inability to properly maintain AF Form
623s on the Airmen that I was responsible for (this of course was “Properly
- According to Delucchi”….) All those who were in the 129th back then know
what I mean. Trying to explain to Don that I was confident that those Airmen
had the requisite skills necessary to perform certain tasks meant nothing if
I couldn’t show that it was clearly documented in the AF 623. My argument
that I was too busy training to have to stop and write it all down never did
go over very well, and anyone who ever got into a loud conversation with Don
would quickly realize they were woefully out-gunned (but back then, I was
dumb enough to try….).
Then there were the dogs. Don’s love, next to his wonderful wife Marg, was
his dogs - Mingo, Duke and Rose. We hunted with all of them over the years.
They were wonderful hunting dogs. Wonderful hunting dogs, to those that
don’t know, means they are great hunters in the field, but at home are just
a little more obnoxious than the sounds your not so favorite Uncle makes
when he falls asleep in the easy chair after Thanksgiving dinner. But you
still find some way to love them, even when their feed bill exceeds your
whole family’s in the middle of the summer. I gave Don his current dog,
Rose, who was with Don at the end, and I’m sure is being a comfort to Marg
now. I don’t know how many pictures Marg has sent me over the years of Rose
curled up in Don’s lap, both sound asleep.
Don was sometimes critical of how the Guard was being run, as we all are
from time to time. But Don never let his critical views get in the way of
his passion for staying involved with the 129th. The positions he has had
over the years with the AHA were time consuming and at times frustrating,
but Don always believed that the best way to make things better was not to
talk about it, but to get involved and do something. Don was a doer.
Not a week goes by where I don’t catch myself half way through the telephone
dialing sequence, calling my friend Don. It’s winter now and it just doesn’t
feel right, not sitting in a duck blind next to my friend. Don and I shared
a lot of stories and secrets over the years, and we were good about not ever
revealing these to others. But as I finish this, I will let one out. I know
my friend, that even in Heaven, you still can’t hit a dove flying from right
to left. We have said goodbye to a wonderful husband, father, grandfather,
and friend.
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Col Joseph W. Rodricks
Col Joseph W. Rodricks has recently passed away. Col Rodricks served in the
Air National Guard for over 20 years. He was the DCM and flew C-47s out of
Fresno. He transferred to the 349th Air Reserve Wing at Hamilton Air Force
base prior to retiring.
Joe was a supervisor at the Alameda Naval Air Station for over 30 years.
Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia. His son, Rion, lives in
Idaho.
The picture of Col Rodricks was taken in Boise, Idaho, sometime in 1953.
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 129th
Rescue Wing
2005
Outstanding Airman of the Year
Senior Airman James Sanderson
129th Security Forces Squadron
Tech Sergeant Ericka Anderson
129th Medical Group
Senior Master Sergeant Nora Lemmon
561st Air Force Band
Master Sergeant Byron Yerzy
561st Air Force Band
OAY Banquet and Awards
This year’s Outstanding Airman of the Year awards banquet will be hosted by
the 144th Fighter Wing on Saturday, Jan. 21 in Fresno. This is the biggest
and best gathering of the year for the California Air National Guard. It’s a
fun time and a chance to meet other Airmen from around the state. Talk to
your 1st Sgt. or Chief for tickets and details. Come and support the 129th,
and show pride and enthusiasm in our wing!
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 Lt
Col Steven L. James
The Newest Member of the Board
Steven James is co-founder and directs
the operations and marketing efforts for Background Profiles. Steven's
background in information services began in 1983 while joining Chilton
Corporation in their mortgage credit reporting division. Upon Chilton's
acquisition by TRW in 1989, Steven held the position of Area General Manager
in their Denver based central processing center, overseeing sales, marketing
and operations for the Southwest region. He accepted the role of Regional
Sales Manager for TRW Real Estate Loan Services, directing multiple product
sales for the Northwest region. In 1990, Steven left TRW-RELS to co-found
Lenders Information Systems (now Background Profiles) where he directs the
operations, quality control and finance departments. Steven holds a BS in
Business Management from the University of Nebraska, Kearney, and is a
graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College. He was a
command pilot and squadron commander for the 129th Rescue Squadron, Moffett
Federal Airfield, CA., and held numerous command and staff positions in both
the U.S. Army and U.S. A.F. through out his military career. He retired in
October 2000 as a Lt. Colonel with the U.S.A.F. (CA ANG).
CERTIFICATE & RATINGS HELD:
• Commercial Pilot
1. Rotorcraft – Helicopter
2. Instrument – Helicopter
U.S. Air Force (CA ANG)
• Commander, 129th Rescue Squadron 1997 – 2000
• Director of Operations, 129th Rescue Squadron 1995 – 1997
• Flight Commander HH-60 Section, 129th Rescue Squadron 1993 – 1995
U.S. Army (Most current ARNG)
• Staff Officer, 3/140th Avn Bn, Lathrop, CA (CH-47 Chinook Helicopter)
• Commander, C Co, 2/135th Avn, Aurora, CO (AH-1 Attack Helicopter)
AERONAUTICAL RATINGS:
• USAF Command Pilot 28 Jan 98
• USAF Senior Pilot 30 Apr 91
• US Army Pilot in Command 10 Jun 85
• Pilot 28 Jan 83
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Group and Squadron
Commanders
Do you know your chain of command?
There have been many changes in the wing structure and leadership.
Here are the Group and Squadron Commanders. Do you know
your chain of command?
Ops Group CC:
Col. Mark Sheehy
Air Operations Officer:
Lt. Col. Steve Spillane
129th Ops CC:
Maj. Tom Roberts
130th Ops CC:
Lt. Col. John O’Neill
131st Ops CC:
Capt. Jeff Borg
Maintenance Group CC: Lt. Col. Gerry
Gallmeister
Maintenance CC:
Maj. Charles Pratt
AMXS CC:
Maj. James Henderson
MOF CC:
Capt. Mike Sampognaro
MSG CC:
Lt. Col. Danner (deployed)
While deployed
acting MSG CC:
Lt. Col. Tim Kelley
acting MSG Director:
Lt. Col. Angela Alexander
CES Flt CC:
Maj. Richard Maddox
LRS CC:
Lt. Col. David Jaurique
SFS CC:
Capt. Tom Venable
Services Flt CC:
Capt. John Tran
Mission Support Flt CC: Capt. Roxanne Stern
Comm Flt CC:
Capt. Garrick Yokoe
Medical Group CC:
Lt. Col. Lori Marion
561st Band CC:
Lt. Vu Nguyen
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New to the Gang
Our Newest Members
MSgt George Rodrigues
Welcome !
Do you know someone who has been affiliated with the 129th
RQW or its predecessor organizations - and is not a member of the
Association? Let's get them signed up!
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Final Flyby
In Memoriam
We bid farewell to our members who have departed on their
final journey.
SMSgt Don Delucchi
SMSgt Paul Wilkins
COL Joe Rodricks
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Notes and
Updates from Military.com
REQUEST TUITION ASSISTANCE ONLINE
Airmen can now request financial support for their college education through
the tuition assistance feature on the Air Force's virtual education center.
The center helps active-duty, Guard and reserve Airmen pursue their off-duty
education from a computer. Air Force Tuition Assistance is capped at $250
per semester hour -- $166 per quarter. Along with tuition assistance, Airmen
can use the Website to check their Community College of the Air Force
progress, request transcript and civilian course conversion tables, distance
learning information, DANTES and CLEP test results and more. The Air Force
Virtual Education Center link is available through the Air Force Portal at
www.my.af.mil To learn more about education benefits visit the Education
Benefits for Military Service webpage at Military.com
TRICARE VS. MEDICARE PART D
Tricare-for-life beneficiaries are encouraged to weigh the facts before
deciding whether to sign on to the new Medicare part D plan. Coverage under
the new prescription drug plan begins Jan. 1 and is open to anyone already
enrolled in Medicare. However in most cases, there's no added value for
Tricare beneficiaries to buy the new Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Tricare generally pays as much or more than a standard Medicare prescription
plan. In addition, there's no cost for prescription drugs received at
military treatment facilities, officials noted. Tricare offers Medicare Part
D educational and enrollment information to help eligible Tricare
beneficiaries which plan is best for them. This information is posted on the
Tricare Medicare Part D webpage and Medicare website or by calling (800)
MEDICARE (633-4227). The enrollment period for the prescription drug
coverage plan continues through May 15. After that, eligible beneficiaries
will have an annual window between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31 to sign up.
MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM ENTERS NEW ERA
The Department of Defense has launched of AHLTA, a global electronic health
record system, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda last week.
AHLTA is the largest, most significant electronic health record system of
its kind with the potential to serve more than nine million service members,
retirees and their families worldwide. When fully implemented, about 60,000
military healthcare professionals at DoD medical facilities in the United
States, and 11 other countries will use this electronic health record
system. Beneficiaries' health records will be available around the clock and
around the world, available to healthcare providers, and protected from loss
and unauthorized access. Full deployment of the system in DoD's 800 clinics
and 70 hospitals will be complete by December 2006. More information on
AHLTA can be found on their Website.
REVAMPED AIR FORCE PORTAL
The Air Force Portal is now more user-friendly and effective. The portal
gives Airmen the ability to accomplish anything from like ordering
replacement parts to processing, the forms when they go on leave. In
addition, the portal has a new color scheme and an upgraded search engine.
Users can customize the portal so they can have the information and links
they use on a regular basis always in the same location. The Air Force
Portal also features an instant messenger system, which allows for real-time
chat between people who are collaborating on a project or just keeping in
touch. To find out more about the improvements follow the links on the main
page, downloadable instruction files and or watch the video. To access the
Air Force Portal, visit http://www.my.af.mil/faf/FAF/fafHome.jsp
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AFA News
CRSC APPROVAL RATE HITS 68 PERCENT
It's not a sure thing, but an approval rating of 68 percent should make it
worth the short time it takes to apply for tax-free Combat Related Special
Compensation (CRSC). The 68 percent rate is the figure derived by the CRSC
staff at the Air Force Personnel Center, basing it on the approximately
21,000 applications submitted since June of 2003.
Those who have been approved for 10 percent or more, are, or will be,
reaping the benefits of additional tax-free compensation ranging from $108
to $2,249 per month for 100 percent combat-related disabilities, according
to Kathy Garfield, CRSC Processing chief. The basic qualifications, Ms.
Garfield explained, are:
• Be retired with 20 (or more) years of active duty or retired at age 60
from the Guard or Reserve;
• Be receiving military retired pay;
• Have a compensable VA disability of 10 percent or higher and military
retired pay is being offset to receive the VA disability compensation (VA
Waiver).
"Disabilities from injuries or illnesses incurred during armed conflict, due
to exposure to Agent Orange, combat training, aircrew duties, simulated war
exercises, parachuting, munitions demolition, instrumentalities of war,
etc., potentially qualify for compensation," said Ms. Garfield. She
emphasized the word potentially since not all injuries and illnesses will
qualify, although they may have the ring of combat-relatedness to them. "In
case of a retiree's uncertainty, submit a claim, Ms. Garfield said. "Let the
CRSC staff make the determination."
Retired members thinking they meet the criteria should complete an
application, make copies of required documents and mail the package to HQ
AFPC/DPPDC (CRSC), 550 C Street West, Suite 6, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4708.
The CRSC team needs copies of the DD 214 or retirement order as well as VA
rating decisions addressing the disabilities claimed and any other available
documentation. Retired members who do not have their rating decision letters
should make that known when submitting the application. The CRSC staff will
work with the VA to obtain rating decisions.
For more information and an application, call the CRSC staff at (210)
565-1600 or the AFPC Contact Center at (800) 616-3775). Questions and a
request for an application may also be sent by E-mail to
AFPC.DPPDC.AFCRSC@randolph.af.mil. Also, information and applications
are available online at
http://www.dod.mil/prhome/mppcrsc.html.
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Are You
Missing in Action?
Dead Letter Department
Have you moved recently - or not so recently? Do we have your
correct mail and e-mail addresses & phone number? Please let us know when you move.
The newsletter is mailed out with a request for address correction.
The post office does not forward the newsletter to you. They return it to us - and charge
us 37¢. Then we update your file, put your newsletter in an envelope, put a
37¢ stamp on
the packet, and mail it out to you. Total additional cost to the association is""" nearly
$1.00 per returned newsletter.
Please take a moment to remember the
129th AHA when you notify your correspondents of your new address. A
member
information form is included in every issue.
Col. John L.
Ruppel, Jr. (Ret.)
6718 Zerillo Drive
Riverbank, CA 95367-2122
E-mail: J-L.RUPPEL@WORLDNET.ATT.NET
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