WEBVTT 00:04.150 --> 00:05.389 Good morning . 00:16.940 --> 00:18.940 It's June . It's it feels like June 00:18.940 --> 00:17.479 right now . Yeah , it feels like now . 00:17.489 --> 00:19.433 The first landed . I actually have 00:19.433 --> 00:21.656 grown to love the mayflies . Because of 00:21.656 --> 00:22.767 what it signifies , 00:30.069 --> 00:32.630 I think they're super cute so I can see 00:32.630 --> 00:33.889 it . Look at them . 00:37.860 --> 00:40.027 I thought they would be like very like 00:40.027 --> 00:42.249 praying mantis , but they have a little 00:42.249 --> 00:43.749 bit of character to them . 00:49.259 --> 00:52.340 Yeah , yeah , um . Yeah 00:54.630 --> 00:57.610 Um , my son calls them derpy looking . 01:03.299 --> 01:06.410 Yeah , they only live for like 24 hours 01:06.410 --> 01:07.410 or something like 01:07.410 --> 01:11.410 24 hours 01:11.410 --> 01:12.688 they're they're that's 01:12.688 --> 01:18.220 gross . 01:18.919 --> 01:22.800 So yeah , so it's June , uh , we've , I 01:22.800 --> 01:25.022 don't know since last drill . You and I 01:25.022 --> 01:27.133 were away at a PA conference . It was 01:27.133 --> 01:29.819 coming right off of the major 01:29.819 --> 01:32.900 announcement for the wing that our 01:32.900 --> 01:35.178 fighter mission is being reconstituted , 01:35.178 --> 01:37.178 which everyone knows now , but it's 01:37.178 --> 01:39.289 still , it's it's a huge deal and you 01:39.289 --> 01:41.233 and I haven't had a chance to talk 01:41.233 --> 01:43.400 about it . And kind of give the behind 01:43.400 --> 01:45.567 the scenes look at that . We haven't . 01:46.370 --> 01:49.519 It was amazing . I remember that . 01:51.480 --> 01:54.660 Thinking , wow , this was like a 01:54.660 --> 01:58.309 pinnacle . It was for the 01:58.309 --> 02:01.980 production . Unlike normal wing 02:01.980 --> 02:04.169 productions was out of our hands , 02:04.180 --> 02:06.419 essentially . For public affairs , 02:06.459 --> 02:09.580 handling events is one of our major 02:09.580 --> 02:12.500 tasks . And when the president comes , 02:12.699 --> 02:14.643 this is , it's probably one of the 02:14.643 --> 02:15.643 easiest . Right , 02:24.630 --> 02:26.630 because everything comes in . I was 02:26.630 --> 02:26.500 just sort of there as a consultant , 02:26.750 --> 02:30.720 like , OK . And then , but we were very 02:30.720 --> 02:34.600 sure you were very adamant that we were 02:34.600 --> 02:36.990 able to preserve a piece of the visit . 02:37.809 --> 02:41.679 Oh yeah immortality . Yes . So the 02:41.679 --> 02:45.470 day that we recorded the tasing , we 02:45.759 --> 02:49.110 rushed from there to go to a meeting . 02:49.750 --> 02:51.472 With the White House staff and 02:51.472 --> 02:53.583 everybody here , the first meeting to 02:53.583 --> 02:55.528 start planning for the president's 02:55.528 --> 02:57.583 visit . That's right . And uh yeah , 02:57.583 --> 02:59.580 from that point on , we were just 02:59.580 --> 03:01.750 advocating the guest book be signed . 03:01.949 --> 03:03.949 After the event , after everybody's 03:03.949 --> 03:06.190 filtering out and leaving , we rushed 03:06.190 --> 03:08.412 to the green room to try and secure the 03:08.412 --> 03:10.910 book and the Secret Service gentleman 03:10.910 --> 03:13.077 who was in there brought us the book . 03:13.077 --> 03:16.100 Oh , you brought it , OK . We got it . 03:19.500 --> 03:21.389 You and I were in the back of the 03:21.389 --> 03:23.722 hangar . We opened it . We're like , oh , 03:23.722 --> 03:23.720 we got to see this , we got to see . 03:26.300 --> 03:29.259 Yeah , that's , that's it right there . 03:29.550 --> 03:32.279 And typically our , our high level DB 03:32.279 --> 03:35.240 visits are limited to stepping off the 03:35.240 --> 03:37.360 plane , getting in the limo , and 03:37.360 --> 03:39.360 leaving base . So this is the first 03:39.360 --> 03:41.249 time here that since I've been at 03:41.249 --> 03:43.559 Selfridge that we heard hail to the 03:43.559 --> 03:45.720 chief . Since you and I have been at 03:45.720 --> 03:47.609 the wing , we had President Trump 03:47.759 --> 03:49.926 before . Uh , we had President Biden , 03:49.949 --> 03:52.005 we had Vice President Pence , we had 03:52.005 --> 03:54.060 Vice President Harris . This was the 03:54.060 --> 03:56.619 first visit visit , so it's a big deal , 03:56.789 --> 03:59.179 and my favorite part of the day was the 03:59.179 --> 04:01.350 reaction when he made the announcement 04:01.350 --> 04:03.239 because you could tell there were 04:03.239 --> 04:05.294 people in the crowd that didn't know 04:05.294 --> 04:07.517 what the announcement was going to be , 04:07.517 --> 04:09.739 and it was like a shocking moment . And 04:09.739 --> 04:11.850 there's a few , and I'll , here's the 04:11.850 --> 04:13.739 clip right here of him making the 04:13.739 --> 04:15.794 announcement without the audio . You 04:15.794 --> 04:17.906 could see the look coming across some 04:17.906 --> 04:20.128 people's faces like what ? And that was 04:20.128 --> 04:23.089 a , a cathartic moment . Then we went 04:23.089 --> 04:25.145 right into a drill weekend . We went 04:25.145 --> 04:28.940 right into May drill and our tag along 04:28.940 --> 04:31.649 with our wing commander , uh , had town 04:31.649 --> 04:33.649 halls . So all of you have probably 04:33.649 --> 04:35.705 attended one of those sessions . And 04:35.705 --> 04:37.927 then throughout the month it was , uh , 04:37.927 --> 04:40.038 you know . Posturing for our upcoming 04:40.038 --> 04:42.149 deployments and then we had a holiday 04:42.149 --> 04:43.816 weekend and the wing normally 04:43.816 --> 04:45.927 participates just as we did this year 04:45.927 --> 04:48.038 in various Memorial Day events around 04:48.038 --> 04:50.994 the area . So it wasn't just our top 04:50.994 --> 04:53.315 three speaking . We actually had quite 04:53.315 --> 04:55.464 a few folks go out into the community 04:55.464 --> 04:57.520 and speak on behalf of the Air Force 04:57.520 --> 05:01.114 and Self . It's senior NCOs , CGOs 05:01.114 --> 05:04.595 really just an array of folks going out 05:04.595 --> 05:07.549 to the various towns , parades and Um , 05:07.630 --> 05:09.797 you know , paying homage . Uh , what's 05:09.797 --> 05:12.074 happening this drill ? What's going on ? 05:12.074 --> 05:14.186 Well , I think drill is focused a lot 05:14.186 --> 05:16.019 on , uh , doing the training and 05:16.019 --> 05:19.059 preparing for getting all of the airmen 05:19.059 --> 05:20.948 going out the door on the various 05:20.948 --> 05:23.115 deployments we have this year . That's 05:23.115 --> 05:26.019 right . Focusing on mobile bags , LRS , 05:26.399 --> 05:28.677 both the passengers and equipment , uh , 05:28.677 --> 05:30.779 getting them out the door . Also , 05:30.959 --> 05:33.181 we've been working with military family 05:33.181 --> 05:35.348 readiness , who have been spending the 05:35.348 --> 05:37.779 better part of the last year working to 05:37.829 --> 05:39.980 To improve the way that they 05:39.980 --> 05:42.091 communicate information to members of 05:42.091 --> 05:44.660 the wing and at Selfridge . Um , and 05:44.660 --> 05:46.827 right now with deployments coming up , 05:46.827 --> 05:48.938 there's obviously a lot of deployment 05:48.938 --> 05:51.299 resources and family resources that 05:51.299 --> 05:53.188 they want to share and get out to 05:53.188 --> 05:55.188 everyone . So we've been working to 05:55.188 --> 05:58.010 help improve um the information that 05:58.140 --> 06:00.362 they have available through the app and 06:00.362 --> 06:02.380 the website . So go ahead , we're 06:02.380 --> 06:05.019 really proud of it . Check it out and 06:05.019 --> 06:07.130 feel free to give us your feedback if 06:07.130 --> 06:09.241 there's anything that you want to see 06:09.241 --> 06:12.140 more of on that website , and the link 06:12.140 --> 06:15.339 is right here . And that's a huge part 06:15.339 --> 06:18.239 of the deployment process for the wing , 06:18.549 --> 06:21.390 especially when things don't go as 06:21.390 --> 06:23.501 scheduled , giving families the peace 06:23.501 --> 06:25.723 of mind that , you know , they're taken 06:25.723 --> 06:28.399 care of here on this end and that their 06:28.399 --> 06:31.269 spouse or parent is also going to be 06:31.269 --> 06:33.549 taken care of on the other side . When 06:33.549 --> 06:36.269 we're getting people out the door and 06:36.269 --> 06:38.325 getting them back home from not only 06:38.325 --> 06:41.190 deployments , but large scale exercises , 06:41.350 --> 06:44.929 TDYs , all that . I feel like we don't 06:44.929 --> 06:46.929 give enough praise to the folks who 06:46.929 --> 06:49.410 work at medical because they're there 06:49.410 --> 06:51.521 to see us off . They're there to give 06:51.521 --> 06:53.489 us the late night pre-deployment 06:53.489 --> 06:56.049 briefings to tell us what to beware of , 06:56.209 --> 06:58.529 what plants to avoid , what animals to 06:58.529 --> 07:01.220 avoid . Um , and all those tips . But 07:01.220 --> 07:03.387 then I remember when we came back from 07:03.387 --> 07:06.260 Air Defender in 23 , we landed at 3 07:06.260 --> 07:09.140 a.m. a.m. and Sergeant Faulkner and 07:09.140 --> 07:11.307 Sergeant Salazar standing there like , 07:11.459 --> 07:15.019 welcome home . They were there because 07:15.019 --> 07:17.510 we had to do the blood draw out of 07:17.510 --> 07:20.980 country for over 30 days . They are 07:20.989 --> 07:23.100 always on it . They're always there . 07:23.100 --> 07:25.156 You guys are awesome . Thank you for 07:25.156 --> 07:27.378 taking care of us . Going back a little 07:27.378 --> 07:29.910 bit during COVID , we did the Michigan 07:29.910 --> 07:33.309 Strong flyover and you and I both 07:33.309 --> 07:36.589 needed medical help because we flew in 07:36.589 --> 07:40.429 the boom pod over Michigan for like 07:40.429 --> 07:43.799 2 or 3 hours and We were 07:45.170 --> 07:47.281 dealing with the motion sickness like 07:47.281 --> 07:49.392 the shade of green and Ramos came out 07:49.392 --> 07:47.850 and that's a fly on the flights when we 07:47.850 --> 07:48.850 came back and 08:01.269 --> 08:03.380 because that was a training mission , 08:04.119 --> 08:08.089 they did like 8 touch and go , and 08:08.089 --> 08:10.422 you see that and it looks fairly simple , 08:11.049 --> 08:13.382 but you don't , when you're a passenger , 08:13.529 --> 08:15.640 a part of that and you're in the back 08:15.640 --> 08:17.473 and then it's just like . Yeah , 08:17.473 --> 08:19.529 there's a lot of inertia . You do it 08:19.529 --> 08:21.529 over again . I think the 4th time I 08:21.529 --> 08:23.640 looked at you , I'm like I can't take 08:23.640 --> 08:22.769 this anymore . We didn't nobody 08:30.010 --> 08:32.121 threw up and uh we lived to tell them 08:32.121 --> 08:31.690 and you didn't throw up . I give you a 08:31.690 --> 08:33.801 lot of credit for that . I had like 3 08:33.801 --> 08:35.912 Dramamine in my system . I was like . 08:36.729 --> 08:38.340 And so Yeah , good stomach . 08:42.109 --> 08:44.276 So along with all of that , you know , 08:44.276 --> 08:46.442 deployment business , uh , will also , 08:46.442 --> 08:48.553 of course , be our , you know , ready 08:48.553 --> 08:50.665 airman training for later deployments 08:50.665 --> 08:52.887 coming on during and after the summer . 08:52.887 --> 08:55.053 And , uh , yeah , just generally , you 08:55.053 --> 08:57.165 know , being ready for the fight . So 08:57.165 --> 08:58.998 then moving uh beyond this drill 08:58.998 --> 09:01.400 weekend , the site activation task 09:01.400 --> 09:03.950 force , SATAF is going to be visiting 09:04.239 --> 09:06.406 and what , what's there ? What's their 09:06.406 --> 09:08.628 purpose ? What is it that they're going 09:08.628 --> 09:11.669 to be ? According to my notes , SATA is 09:12.080 --> 09:14.830 gonna come in to have the initial 09:14.830 --> 09:17.559 conversations with us about uh how we 09:17.559 --> 09:19.940 can support the arrival of the F-15 EX 09:19.940 --> 09:22.559 when that happens in a few years , and 09:22.559 --> 09:24.615 they're just going to be focusing on 09:24.615 --> 09:26.726 infrastructure , personnel training . 09:26.770 --> 09:29.619 And you know , just all the general 09:29.619 --> 09:31.675 things we need to do to get prepared 09:31.675 --> 09:35.210 for that alongside the KC 46 Pegasus 09:35.210 --> 09:37.859 transition . So we have a lot . We are 09:37.859 --> 09:40.081 still , we're going to continue to be a 09:40.081 --> 09:42.081 unicorn in the Air National Guard . 09:42.081 --> 09:44.248 That's right . Uh , speaking of , have 09:44.248 --> 09:46.581 you seen the progress of the new hanger ? 09:46.609 --> 09:48.831 It's like really coming together pretty 09:48.831 --> 09:51.289 cool . It's taking shape now . Oh , 09:51.609 --> 09:54.320 like the super . I totally forgot about 09:54.320 --> 09:56.376 that . Yeah , it looks really cool . 09:56.376 --> 09:59.320 And here's a photo of its progress . 09:59.890 --> 10:01.668 It's coming together . It was a 10:01.668 --> 10:03.969 skeleton for months now and now it's 10:03.969 --> 10:06.302 starting to take shape . Wow . You know , 10:06.409 --> 10:08.520 I noticed too , like the last time we 10:08.520 --> 10:10.520 were at Alpena , they're building a 10:10.520 --> 10:13.849 massive . Their hanger is enormous . it 10:13.849 --> 10:16.071 looks like a stadium . I think it looks 10:16.071 --> 10:18.570 bigger there just because it's bigger 10:18.570 --> 10:20.737 than everything else on the line . And 10:20.737 --> 10:22.681 if you're used to staying in those 10:22.681 --> 10:25.014 buildings right next to the flight line , 10:25.014 --> 10:27.729 it just is towering over . It's crazy . 10:28.549 --> 10:31.309 I heard a rumor . That you're going to 10:31.309 --> 10:34.510 be the MC for the 2025 pass review at 10:34.510 --> 10:36.969 Camp Grayling . And that's coming up in 10:36.969 --> 10:39.619 a couple of weeks . It is no rumor . 10:39.750 --> 10:42.059 It's uh next week , yes . 10:44.179 --> 10:46.290 That's a big audience . So how do you 10:46.290 --> 10:48.512 feel ? Are you nervous ? Yeah , I think 10:48.512 --> 10:51.859 it's fine . I will be sing like crazy 10:53.090 --> 10:56.039 in the graying humidity , but , but no , 10:56.109 --> 10:57.998 it's gonna be a cool event . It's 10:57.998 --> 11:00.053 always really cool to see the entire 11:00.053 --> 11:01.831 Michigan National Guard like in 11:01.831 --> 11:03.942 formation and then they do the parade 11:03.942 --> 11:06.109 and then the the governor will speak , 11:06.109 --> 11:08.989 the tag will speak , and the day before 11:08.989 --> 11:10.656 they're actually gonna have a 11:10.656 --> 11:13.260 professional development . Offering for 11:13.260 --> 11:16.020 members of the 127th that are going to 11:16.020 --> 11:18.619 attend the passion review . So it's 11:18.619 --> 11:20.730 like a , you get a two day TDY out of 11:20.730 --> 11:22.675 it . I don't know if they're still 11:22.675 --> 11:24.897 taking volunteers for it or not , but . 11:24.897 --> 11:26.786 I know they were pushing for full 11:26.786 --> 11:29.159 participation , as many as possible 11:29.159 --> 11:31.200 because we really are usually 11:31.200 --> 11:33.679 underrepresented . So it'll be all 11:33.679 --> 11:35.623 right . It'll be great . So that's 11:35.623 --> 11:37.735 happening and then uh we're back here 11:37.735 --> 11:40.630 in August . Yeah , we have July . July , 11:41.000 --> 11:44.880 so we tend to . Usually , yeah , so , 11:45.250 --> 11:47.361 uh , we'll be back at drill in August 11:47.361 --> 11:49.609 and then September we have our cry . 11:49.650 --> 11:51.890 What does CR stand for ? Well , I will 11:51.890 --> 11:54.409 tell you after I just throw in there 11:54.409 --> 11:56.242 that right after August drill is 11:56.242 --> 11:58.559 Northern strike . That is right . Yeah , 11:58.690 --> 12:01.049 so 2 weeks right butted up against 12:01.049 --> 12:03.760 August drill up in northern Michigan , 12:03.950 --> 12:07.799 Nadwick , Camp Grayling , Alpena , CRTC 12:07.799 --> 12:10.609 be hosting all the things . I will be 12:10.609 --> 12:13.210 here supporting you for that because 12:13.210 --> 12:16.650 I'll be yeah I'll be there for a few 12:16.650 --> 12:19.919 days . Um , and then , yeah , cry 12:21.140 --> 12:23.196 and cry with the September stand for 12:23.196 --> 12:26.020 combat readiness inspection used to be 12:26.020 --> 12:29.530 the ORI , now known as the CRI . 12:31.020 --> 12:34.119 Yeah , we've done several ORIs . We 12:34.119 --> 12:36.286 have in Alpena , this one will be here 12:36.286 --> 12:39.359 at home , correct ? Yes , OK . So it'll 12:39.359 --> 12:42.239 be a 3 day drill 1213 and 14 September . 12:43.119 --> 12:46.380 So a lot of trainings . So if you're 12:46.380 --> 12:49.520 not deploying in the next 4 months . 12:50.179 --> 12:52.179 You're gonna be training , which is 12:52.179 --> 12:54.179 good . You're gonna be training for 12:54.179 --> 12:56.512 deployment , which is what we always do , 12:56.512 --> 12:58.457 right ? That's , yeah , that's the 12:58.457 --> 13:02.239 point , right ? We stand ready . All 13:02.239 --> 13:04.239 right , have a great drill . Have a 13:04.239 --> 13:06.489 good one . Enjoy . Be safe . Bye bye .