European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 27, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 272007 stars and stripes 3j3whmmb5j Page 3 14th fighter Squadron Halfway Home by Jennifer h Svan stars and stripes Misawa air base Japan its just past the Halfway Point for the More than 400 airmen deployed to Iraq to support the 14th fighter Squadron in his latest weekly phone re cording it col Chuek Toplikar 14th expeditionary fighter Squadron commander said time is flying by and we Are definitely in the Groove last week was a slow week for weapons employment Toplikar said however we have done Many shows of Force in support of the ground Force operations throughout Baghdad and the Aberdeen shiite pilgrimage be tween Iskandarian and Karbala we always get great feedback from the army when we do these Low passes and it is very Reward ing to know that we Are so effective in queuing violence by just being there he said Toplikar who records an unclassified message from Balad air base Iraq every week for people at Misawa tried to assuage concerns about mortar and rocket attacks on the base several weeks ago the base underwent an intense mortar at tack during which a Misawa maintainer was slightly injured when a mortar hit his billeting pod Toplikar said the base gets attacked an average of twice a Day but due to our systems and procedures As Well As the inaccuracy and poor Quality of the enemy weaponry losses of life or injuries Are rare and damage is usually minimal one goal the Squadron has be fore coming Home later this Spring is to upgrade its facilities Toplikar noted aspiring artists Are painting some of the con Crete barriers a Grill pit and Pic Nic tables were recently added to the Central operations Quad and new furniture is on the Way top Likar said some of our airmen will most certainly be Here again in the future he said to listen to Toplikar latest re cording Call Dan 315 2261400 email Jennifer h Svan at correction in a March 25 Story about a pet food recall the associated press relying on information from the food and drug administration reported erroneously the recall had been expanded to All 95 brands of the cuts and Gravy style dog and cat food by menu foods regardless of when they were produced the company said sat urday Tike recall applies Only to making War easier to Bear Squadron thanks leg Killin students for letters to Iraq by Megan Mccloskey stars and stripes Camp Foster Okinawa wiggles sprang from second graders when they were shown the picture Are was the stuffed Bear they had sent to Iraq decked out in night vision goggles and sit Ting in the cockpit of a plane along with other students at leg Kirin elementary school the second graders had sent homemade cards to a Kade abased aircrew deployed to Iraq and on Friday they met their pen pals we got your letters while we were out there and it really meant alot to us capt Rob Bingham told the class the mc130p combat Shadow Pilot and seven others on the Crew from Kadenas 17th operations Squadron flew re Supply and refuelling missions out of Balad Iraq they deployed the Day after thanksgiving and returned about a week and a half ago Courtesy of capt Adam Taylor Crystal a stuffed Bear sent by dec Killin elementary students was decked out in night vision goggles in Iraq their classes would be interested in sending Well wishes Diane Lamarr said her second Grade classes Over the years have written to president Bush without getting a response so they were ecstatic to receive a reply from the airmen i  not write Back Bingham said the Crew took an american Flag on a Mission with them Christmas Day and sent it to the school along with a letter of thanks for the cards which the airmen have kept this int always an easy Job but knowing that people like you Are behind us makes it All feel worthwhile Bing Ham wrote in the letter i cried i was so touched Lamarr said the Flag now is framed in a Shadow Box at the schools in trance my wife told me people cried at the letter Bingham said i didst realize it would have such an Impact on Friday the aircrew went to All the classes that sent them cards which were i Dividu Megan and stripes tech sgt Chris Neufeld gives dec Killin elementary student Hannah Barker a High five Friday Bingham is married to the schools nurse ally addressed to each of the airmen they an Elssy Bingham who asked the teachers if swered questions like can you see out your win Dow when youre Fly ing and did you get at tacked and talked about their jobs it was neat to see them in per son Bing Ham said of the Stu dents first it Mike Shahen said they also got letters from a school in Phoenix whose students sent mail to the unit they were augmenting in Iraq but the ones from Kirin were More personal they live Here on the Island and Are a part of the same Community he said tech sgt Chris Neufeld said when the cards were delivered it was like a special mail Call with Bingham handing out letters to each Guy they would sit around joking about what the kids wrote to them it was definitely funny because of the things Young kids say Neufeld said one girl wrote that zebras were her favor Ite animal and asked if there were any in Iraq Shahen said another wrote please dont die it makes you laugh and gets a smile on your face Neufeld said we needed that Down there sometimes email Megan Mccloskey at the aircrew of Kadena air base Okinawa 17th special operations Squadron with whom dec Killin elementary school students corresponded pose in Iraq with Crystal a stuffed Bear sent to them by the students Courtesy of capt Adam Taylor Ursoi shows off latest in planning capabilities by Erik Slavin stars and stripes Camp Henry South Korea when 6000 service members show up by air and sea within a few weeks planning will be the Dif Ference Between a successful exer Cise and an International incident it May not be As glamorous As storming the beaches or blasting Range targets but servicemen Bers say real world events have proven the importance of person Nel planning and the Peninsulas three joint reception centers staff members on the Peninsula and at higher Headquarters held first planning meeting for the upcoming reception staging Onward movement and integration exercise 10 months ago said it col Dave Scofield joint person Nel Section Deputy of plans and operations the planning extended Down to every service member involved in the exercise for the first time each service member could log on to the us forces Korea web site and enter his or her i processing information when he or she arrived at one of the reception centers work ers could pull up data instantly arc workers said it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to process 100 ser i remembers with the new system in place a vast improvement Over past exercises the old Way it would take Dou ble the time than it does now said sgt Jannette Mccoy of the Cali fornia army National guard who received service members in two previous ulchin focus Lens exercises service members also use the web to Complete a 16module briefing that includes policies on everything from drinking and sex Ual harassment policy to korean culture and customs while service members fill out paper copies of their essential in formation As a backup possessing that Advance web information enables the arcs to move Large num Bers to their sponsor units even quicker than in the past most service members Fly into Inchon International Airport near Seoul on commercial planes then take buses provided by the 25th transportation company even with All of those plans in place there Are times when Large groups show up at unexpected times that could mean a relatively Small group of personnel work ers must coordinate movement t r m for foal Eagle quickly and harmoniously As possible you get this Rush of adrenaline or whatever you need to stand up and get the Job done said the Camp Henry arcs Marine Cpl Raymond Gate from Camp Pendle ton Calif the joint personnel sections take care of unexpected units with contingency plans for buses extra tents and other necessities Scofield said this is customer service and no matter what the question is you try to answer it said maj Nick Mullen operations officer for joint personnel Section plans and operations after a 12hour flight in Many cases youre the first Friendly american face folks on the Peninsula see arc workers also Are the last to pack up after out processing All service members Mullen said Manning arcs Are soldiers from the California army National guards 49th personnel service battalion Active duty soldiers from the 2nd infantry division and other South Korea based units airmen from Osan and Kun san a bases and marines and sailors from Pacific command and stateside besides ensuring that missions go off As planned getting person Nel accountability right at exercises like Ursoi also is excellent train ing for those who May end up working in combat zones you cant have a loss of accountability Mullen said if one Soldier is lost in wartime its significant they could wind up on Al Nazeera email Erik Slavin at