Fairchild Briefs Published Nov. 20, 2008 FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The following is a list of upcoming Fairchild events and education briefs. Highlighted Events: Dec. 1: Tops in Blue Tops in Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainment unit, is scheduled to perform at the Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights, Wash., Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public. Tops In Blue is a special unit comprised of 35 of the most talented vocalists, musicians, technicians and dancers in the Air Force. Dec. 3: Christmas Tree Lighting Santa Clause and the Micheal Anderson singers will make an apperance at the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the front gate Dec. 3. Refreshment are available at the Chapel following the ceremony. For more information contact the Deel Community Center 247-2619. Military Discount on Christmas Trees Country Christmas Trees will be located at Hayford Road and Highway 2 adjacent to Alton's Tires. This year, in appreciation of those who keep us safe, Country Christmas Trees is offering a 10 percent discount to all military families; 25 percent to all Iraq veterans, 10 percent to Airway Heights and Spokane police; 10 percent to firemen. Military Identification Card required. Upcoming Events: Nov. 19 - Jan. 1, 2009: Army National Guard Food Drive Washington Army National Guard storefront locations throughout the State will serve as drop-off points for non-perishable canned food items that will ultimately go to local food banks. The Spokane drop off point is the Army National Guard, 1402 "A" North Division St. For more information call 253-512-8330. Nov. 20 - Dec. 17: Squadron Holiday Card Contest Register at the Deel Community Center and receive materials from Self-Help to make your card. Holiday Cards will be on display from Dec. 9 - Jan. 5. Judging will take place Dec. 11 and winners will be announced Dec. 17 at the Wing Staff Meeting. The first place winner will receive $100, second place $50 and third place $25 in Services Bucks. Contact the Deel Community Center for more details at 247-2619. Nov. 21: Parents Night Out and Deployed Give Parents a Break The Youth Center and Child development Center are offering child-watching services Nov. 21 from 6:30 - 10:30 p.m. Care will be available for ages 6 weeks - 12 years. The cost is $15 for Parents Night Out and free for qualifying deployed spouses. Be sure to register by Nov. 19. For more information contact the Youth Center at 247-2403. Nov. 26 - Monthly Promotion Ceremony The 92nd Air Refueling Wing will be hosting the Team Fairchild Monthly Promotion Ceremony. Support our Airmen and help them celebrate their latest achievement at the Base Theater Nov. 26 at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 5 - Last day to register for youth basketball Registrations are currently being accepted until Dec. 5 for youth ages 3-12. Registration fees are $50 for ages 5-12 and $45 for ages 3-4 registering in Start Smart Basketball. A registration packet is required and a valid youth sports physical is mandatory. Physicals are valid for one year from the date of issue. Registration packets are available from the Youth Center, the Deel Community Center, and online at www.fafbservices.com, and must be submitted at the Youth Center by Dec. 5. For more information contact the Youth Center at 247-5601 or the Youth Sports Office at 247-9622. Dec. 14 - Children's Holiday Pancake Breakfast Club Fairchild is hosting a Children's Holiday Pancake Breakfast Dec. 14. from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Events include photo opportunities with Santa and holiday crafts. Cost is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 3-10. All children must be accompanied by an adult. The last day to register for this event is Dec. 5. For more information call 244-3622. Dec. 15 - Operation Cookie Drop The officer club and enlisted spouses club is creating the first wing wide cookie drive for the dorm residents this holiday season. Over 500 dozen cookies are needed. Cookie drop offs are accepted on the Dec. 8 - 14 at Club Fairchild or Dec. 15 at 6:00 a.m. at the Base Chapel. For more information call 879-8012 or 688-4151. Ongoing Notifications: Scholarships for Military Children program The Scholarships for Military Children program is celebrating its ninth year of outreach to the military community. Each year the program, which is supported through the military commissary system and administered by the Fisher House Foundation, awards hundreds of scholarships to qualified high school seniors planning to enroll in a four-year program of studies the following fall or to college students already enrolled in a four-year program. The application period for 2009 opened Nov. 3 and applications must be returned to any commissary by the close of business Feb. 18. Supervisor's Fatigue Countermeasures Course The Aerospace Physiology Training Flight, in conjunction with the Flight Medicine Clinic, is offering a one-hour Supervisor's Fatigue Countermeasures Course for all members of Team Fairchild Dec. 3. The class will be limited to the first 16 participants. To register contact Capt. Pete Sherman, Aerospace Physiology officer, at 247-5406. Gas Mask fit testing Bioenvironmental Engineering hours for gas mask fit testing are Mondays from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Be sure to bring your mask and eyeglass inserts. For fit testing under the Base Respiratory Protection Program, fill out Medical Evaluation Questionnaire, FAFB Form 227. Once you are cleared, fit testing and training is held the first and third Thursday of every month from 1:30 - 4 p.m. Do not smoke for two hours prior or eat or drink (except water) 30 minutes prior to a fit test. For appointments and other services call 247-2391. 92nd LRS mobility/weapons name change The 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron mobility/weapons has changed its name to Personal Protective Equipment. If you require personal protective equipment bags or weapons stop by Monday - Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. or Thursday from 8 a.m. - noon. For short-notice deployment requirements unit deployment managers can call 247-4930 or 247-2154 for appointments noon - 4 p.m. Thursdays. Webcams for deployed spouses The Airman & Family Readiness Center now has operational Web cameras in the Discovery Center. Family members can talk directly to loved ones in some deployed locations. Stop by from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. during the week or call the A&FRC at 247-2246 to schedule an appointment during after-hours use. They also have Web cameras to check out for home use. Readiness and deployment information is available for your family needs. Paintball at the Sports Range The Sports Range is open for paintball Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The supreme package deal includes helmet, mask, gun, all-day air and all-day play plus 500 paint balls for just $30. For more information call 247-5973. ALS Flight Chief needed Airman Leadership School is accepting flight chief applications. The flight chief is responsible for all aspects of operations; implementing policies, programs and procedures; and providing leadership, guidance and direction to the faculty support staff and students. The flight chief also supervises and/or evaluates a faculty of five and is responsible for training the faculty. He or she interfaces with Air Force and civic organizations to enhance support for enlisted professional military education, recruits and selects faculty; manages all resource programs including, manpower, money, equipment and facilities; and plans, manages, and hosts graduation ceremonies. For more information contact Master Sgt. Craig Johnson at 247-2499. Fairchild swim teams Be a part of one of the two Fairchild swim teams. Practices are held at the indoor pool; all levels of experience are welcome and swim all year. The Aqua Aviators Novice Swim Team meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4 - 5 p.m. Participants are 18 years and under. Cost per month is $30. The free Masters Swim Team meets Monday and Wednesday from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Participants are over the age of 18. Monthly swim meets are held if you are interested in participating. Contact Cherese McCoy at 247-2991 or stop by the pool during practice times for more information or to sign up. Brazilian Jujitsu every first and third Tuesday Brazilian Jujitsu lessons are available at the Survival Fitness Center every first and third Tuesday of the month from 4:30 - 6 p.m. Classes are $20 monthly and are available to members and dependents of Fairchild age 16 and older. For more information call Staff Sgt. Aaron Kuckovic at 247-2301 or Tech. Sgt. Gregory Karlis at 247-5394. Public Health walk-in hours for pre-deployers In an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the pre-deployment medical process, Public Health has established walk-in hours for medical processing of pre-deployers every Monday through Thursday from 7:30 - 11 a.m. Customers will continue to be seen outside of these hours Monday through Friday by appointment only. Appointments can be made in person or by calling 247-8486. Thrift Shop accepting consignments and donations The Thrift Shop is currently accepting consignments and donations for spring and summer clothing. Thrift Shop hours are: Mondays, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.; Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.; and the first Saturday of the month, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Call the Thrift Shop at 247-5913 for more information. Attention all Fairchild communication systems users The use of government communication systems such as, but not limited to, telephones, fax machines, computers, computer networks (including internet access), cellular phones, PDAs, Blackberrys and hand-held radios constitutes consent to monitoring. Also, please ensure that all government owned and issued telephones, fax machines, PDAs, Blackberrys, cell phones, hand held radios and standalone computers have an attached DD form 2056. For more information call David Brown at 247-4583. Education Briefs: Online CLEP/DANTES New CLEP/DANTES online preparation materials have been added to this site: http://snipurl.com/1mpnm . See 'testing' under Programs and Services for the latest test descriptions, open courses, video lectures, audio streamline, outlines and quizzes on multiple subjects. Community Colleges of Spokane Registration has begun for Fairchild Fall II Term classes. The college offers general education, computer and math classes. Web registration is not available for this term. Call 533-8937 or visit the base education center for more information. Park University ranked "Best Buy" A number of Park University distance learning and online programs were recently ranked "best buys" by the national editorial review team from GetEducated.com. Four concentrations within Park's Master of Public Affairs program - public management, nonprofit and community services management, disaster and emergency management, and management of information systems - were ranked fourth. Park was ranked only behind the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Troy University and the University of Texas system. In addition, Park's Master of Business Administration program was ranked 11th in distance learning and online M.B.A.s. The University was also ranked 23rd for its online bachelor degrees for business and management. Park received an honorable mention for its bachelor of science criminal justice administration online program and its bachelor of science social psychology online program. The "best buy" designation indicates that the program has been reviewed and judged to offer a high quality distance degree to a national audience at tuition rates well below the national average. Visit www.geteducated.com and go to the "Online Degree Rankings" to view the rankings and for more information. Park University - On-site and Internet classes for Spring I (Term III) will begin Jan. 12th. Registration is in progress for online classes and will begin Dec. 1. for onsite courses. Be sure to register early for Internet classes. More information may be found on the Park University web site at www.park.edu/fair or contact the Park University, Fairchild Campus Center at (509) 244-2020 or by e-mail at fair@park.edu. - Park no longer transfers in any History class as Humanities credit. History classes are given Social Science credit. However, students in older catalogs/audits will have history stay as humanities. Call the Fairchild Campus Center at 244-2020 for information. - The Park Student Success Center is a one-stop center where students, staff, faculty and other University constituents can phone or e-mail to have questions answered, receive help, and/or be directed to the appropriate resource. The PSSC goal is to provide excellent customer service in a timely and consistent manner, and it will serve all undergraduate online and extended Campus Center students from initial recruitment, through admissions, academic advising and graduation. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Central Standard Time. Contact the Center at (877) 505-1059, pssc@park.edu, or via fax at (816) 584-2150. - Fairchild Campus Center will be offering the Writing Competency Test (WCT) Dec. 2. Students should sign up at least two terms prior to taking EN306/CJ441/CJ450/SO306. A passing WCT score is a prerequisite to register for EN306/CJ441/CJ450/SO306 and also a graduation requirement. The WCT results will not be available until at least three weeks after test date. Failure to comply with this requirement could delay graduation because the requirement will not be waived. Call the Fairchild Campus Center at 244-2020 to schedule an appointment. Leadership Skills Class Develop your leadership skills through Force Development Education courses offered free of charge every month at the Base Education Center. FDE offers an opportunity for your personal growth with courses in career management, effective communication, productive relationships, giving effective feedback, understanding leadership growth and developing cooperative learning in training programs in the workplace. The class is open to all military and civilian personnel; however, some courses are limited to certain ranks. Contact Dennis Ottmar at 247-4209 or email dennis.ottmar@fairchild.af.mil with any questions about enrollment. Credit classes are offered by the Institute for Extended Learning and are accredited through and follow the curriculum adopted by and standards established by SFCC. Course offering: Cultural Diversity - This course involves understanding cultural diversity in the Air Force. It meets at the Base Education Center Nov. 24, 8 a.m. - noon; all Fairchild personnel are encouraged to attend. Interpersonal Relationships - This course involves creating relationships with others to allow a productive workplace. It meets at the Base Education Center Nov. 25, 8 - 10 a.m.; all Fairchild personnel are encouraged to attend.