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| SM Rainville (L) and SM Fogle (R) receiving their Level 1 ribbons from Capt Hayes (C). |
A very warm welcome to our two newest members, Carlo Chung and Paul Rainville, who both joined Squadron 188 in July!
Summer is clearly a busy period for Squadron 188. Once again, over the last couple of months, members volunteered a lot of precious time to participate in missions and events and to invest energy to renew ratings and continue their professional development. Congratulations – and thank you – to everyone.
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| Squadron members celebrating our squadron's second Unit Citation Award with a toast. |
Missions
In August/September we were called for missions in California, Texas (hurricane Harvey) and Florida (sort of)...unfortunately, we were only able to actually help out with those in California!
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| Capt Stevulak talking about the ELT mission at Oakland airport. |
- 14-Jul EPIRB mission @ Crockett, with Maj Blank (MP) and Maj Michelogiannakis (MO) participating
- 7-Aug ELT mission @ KOAK, with Maj DeFord (IC), Capt Brown (MRO), Capt Coreas (UDF), Capt Stevulak (MO), 1st Lt Chavez, and 1st Lt Roberts (UDF) participating.
According to Capt Stevulak, the ELT was reported by incoming aircraft to Oakland airport. “We launched flight from Livermore with pilot Chris Suter. We received permission from Oakland tower to fly over runways. Clouds covered the area, so using the Becker and GPS, we determined signal was somewhere north of the runways. I radioed information to ground team and returned back to Livermore.”
This has to be one of our quickest finds: total flight time was 0.6 hrs! Congratulations to Capt Coreas, Capt Stevulak, Lt Chavez and Lt Roberts for earning a Find!
- 19-Aug ELT/EPIRB mission @ North Bay, with Capt Eichelberger (MP), Capt Hayes (UDF), Capt Stevulak (MO), 1st Lt Chavez (UDF), 1st Lt Fall (UDF) and 2d Lt Roudnev (UDF) participating
- 27-Aug ELT/Overdue Aircraft mission @ E16 with Capt Hayes participating as LSC (this mission was cancelled before launch)
- 29-Aug ELT at "HWD" – this mission was reassigned to FL Wing due to mistaken airport code HWO) – with Maj Luneau (UDF) and 2d Lt Campbell (UDF) participating
- CAP-USAF/TXWG DR mission to support Hurricane Harvey efforts, with Capt Hayes (Resources), 1st Lt Choate, 1st Lt Hollerbach and 1st Lt Kraus responding to the call from CAWG and making themselves available, but ultimately not being deployed
Events
- 7-9 Jul Mission Aircrew School @ KBFL, with Lt Col Tinnirello (PIO), Maj Blank (IP) Maj DeFord (IC2-T), Maj Ironfield (IP), Maj Johnson/C (OSC), Maj Johnson/K (AOBD), Maj Luneau (IP); Capt Brown (MP-T), Cap Eichelberger (PUL); 1st Lt Devine (MO-T), 1st Lt Hollerbach (MP-T, PIO), 1st Lt Roberts (MS); 2d Lt Baldwin (MO-T), 2d Lt Booth (MP-T), 2d Lt Campbell (MRO, MSA, MO-T), 2d Lt Roudnev (MO-T) participating
- 9-15 Jul NESA (National Emergency Services Academy, in Indiana), with Maj DeFord (Advanced MP training), Capt Brown (MP-T) and 1st Lt Hollerbach (MP-T)
- 13-Jul Group 2 G1000 IFR class @ KOAK, led by Maj Michelogiannakis
- 27-Jul DoD COMEX 17-3 @ KOAK, with Capt Hayes, 1st Lt Devine, 1st Lt Roberts and 2d Lt Campbell participating
- 29-Jul Glider rebuild @ Byron, with Maj Luneau, Capt Hayes, 2d Lt Roudnev and SM Sharma participating
- 30-31 Jul Brian Lloyd [Project Amelia Earhart] landed KOAK on his around the world trip and was met by Lt Col Tinnirello and SM Sharma and given a tour of the squadron
According to Lt Col Tinnirello, “on Monday July 31, Brian Lloyd landed at the Oakland airport, North field, to complete the 80th anniversary of the attempted flight to go around the world by Amelia Earhart. The last leg from Hawaii to Oakland took him about 14 hrs. Waiting for his arrival late in the evening were a mere five people! Senior member Sharma, two other pilots from an Oakland flight club, his girlfriend from Texas and myself. After the long trip from Hawaii, Brian was very hungry, so I took him and his girlfriend to a restaurant for some dinner and finally to the Motel where they had reservations. The next day, Brian came to visit our squadron building and had the opportunity to visit Amelia Earhart’s room, where Amelia used to stay every time she came to Oakland to start some historic flight.”
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| Squadron 188's flag with two streamers - representing our squadron's second Unit Citation Award! |
- 1-Aug Squadron 188’s Change of Command Ceremony was held @ KOAK, with Capt Hayes assuming command from Capt Rivas
- 2-Aug AE Camp @ KEDW, with Maj Fridell serving as PO & O-Ride Coordinator
- 5-6 Aug Mountain Flying Clinic @ KAUN, with Maj Blank (IP), Maj DeFord (Student), Maj Ironfield (IP), Capt Brown (AOBD) and 1st Lt Hollerbach (PIO) participating
- 8-Aug UDF training @ KOAK led by 1st Lt Chavez [Instructor], with 2d Lt Campbell and SM Sharma participating as students
- 15-Aug SUI @ KOAK with the squadron represented by Capt Hayes
- 21-Aug Partial solar eclipse, with the following squadron members traveling to remote destinations to view this astrological event: Maj Blank:Oregon, Maj DeFord: Idaho, 1st Lt Spears: Oregon, and 1st Lt Roberts: Oregon
According to 1st Lt Spears, "the location was Farewell Bend State Recreation Area, Huntington Oregon near Boise ID, right in the Snake River. Going to the eclipse was an amazing experience. Although I had done a lot of reading ahead of time and thought I knew what to expect, seeing the eclipse in real life, with the black spot with a bright corona in a noon-time darkness with sunset all around was one of the truly awe-inspiring moments I will remember for the rest of my life."
- 26-Aug National Check Pilot Standardization Course @ KCCR, with Maj Blank, Maj Ironfield, aj Luneau, Maj Michelogiannakis, Capt Gast participating as in the course, and 1st Lt Kraus renewing his F91
- 24-28 Aug WMAO Duty, with Maj DeFord, Maj Johnson/C and Capt Hayes supporting this important duty
- 29-Aug 5th Tuesday @ KOAK – 25 members showed up for the cookout!
- 30-Aug ALCO/OES Tabletop Exercise: Interdependent Critical Infrastructure Impacts & Information-Sharing for Response and Initial Recovery @ ALCO/Dublin, with Capt Hayes and 1st Lt Chavez participating in this multi-agency event
Renewed/New ES Ratings
Congratulations to the following members for renewing and/or achieving new ES ratings in July/August:
- Maj Blank: renewed AOBD after a long absence; appointed FRO
- Maj Johnson/K renewed AOBD
- Maj Ironfield renewed AOBD
- Maj Luneau: newly appointed Mission Check Pilot
- Capt Hayes renewed AP
- Capt Stevulak renewed AP
- 1st Lt Devine completed MRO and MO
- 1st Lt Hollerbach renewed PIO
- 1st Lt Kraus renewed F91
- 2d Lt Baldwin completed MO
- 2d Lt Booth passed his F91 check ride: new Mission Pilot - congratulations, Lt Booth! Our squadron now has 10 of California Wing's MPs!
- 2d Lt Campbell completed MRO, MSA and MO
- 2d Lt Roudnev completed MO
- SM Rainville completed ICUT
Professional Development
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| Lt Devine (C) - promoted to 1st Lt and receiving his epaulets from Lt Col Glenn (L) and Capt Hayes (R) |
- Capt Brown: Completed SENIOR level in Safety specialty track
- Capt Gast: Completed TECHNICIAN level in Standards & Evaluation specialty track
- 1st Lt Choate: Senior Pilot (1000hrs)
- 1st Lt Devine credited with completion of TECHNICIAN level in Cadet Programs specialty track from cadet service
- 1st Lt Hollerbach: Completed SENIOR level in Public Affairs specialty track
- 2d Lt Zherebnenkov: Completed TECHNICIAN level in History Specialty Track
- SM Fogle completed Level I
- SM Rainville completed Level I
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| Maj Fridel requesting volunteers to help cadets with Emergency Services and Urban Direction Finding training. |
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| Capt Brown (L) receiving the Grover C Loening Award from Capt Hayes (R) |
Awards & Promotions
Congratulations to the following members for earning awards and promotions these past couple of months:
- Maj DeFord: Cadet Specialty Activity Ribbon: 5th Award (for participation in NESA)
- Capt Brown: Level III Grover C Loening Award; Cadet Specialty Activity Ribbon: 2nd Award (for participation in NESA); and CD Ribbon
- 1st Lt Devine: Leadership Award for first Technician Level; and promoted to 1st Lt (from June)
- 1st Lt Hollerbach: Achievement Award (for her work on the February 2017 AP DREX) and Cadet Specialty Activity Ribbon (for participation in NESA)
- SM Fogle: Membership Ribbon for completion of Level I
- SM Mello: Membership Ribbon for completion of Level I
- SM Rainville: Membership Ribbon for completion of Level I
- Capt Matthew Gast: Glider assistance.
"On Saturday Sept 9, there will be Orientation Rides (O Rides) for cadets. Help from Seniors is required to fill the several positions to conduct a Safe and fund operation. Also, at the same time O Rides can take place with powered aircraft. [From the editor: since I'm slow in posting this blog, a blog of the glider event was already posted earlier this month!)
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| 1st Lt Devine (L) and 2d Lt Baldwin (C)) serving sparkling cider for the toast. |
On Saturday, Sept 16, I will conduct flight instruction. This can be also a lot of fun and record the training in your flightlog. For both dates we can use help with transporting cadets, glider ground handling and log keeping."
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| 2d Lt Baldwin discussing this month's safety topic. |
- 12 Sep "Cold Water Survival" talk @ KOAK 7pm Dr Thomas Nuckton
- 16 Sep AEX 3D Printing, ADS-B @ KOAK – see 1st Lt Spears for more information; this is an all-day Saturday class
- 19 Sep FAA FAASTeam Seminar: Off-field landings – see Maj Michelogiannakis for more information
- 24 Sep Hayward Open House
- 30 Sep CARDA requalification @ KOAK
- 7 Oct Livermore Open House
- 21-22 Oct possible SAREX at LVK
Safety Update
2d Lt Baldwin: Head on a swivel
