Monthly Archives: June 2009

Cindy Sue (Wilbanks) Smith went home to be with the Lord on June 28, 2009. Cindy was born on November 3, 1954. She married Tony R. Smith on October 31, 1974 in Midland, TX. She was a beautician in Delta Jct. since 1992. She worked at Tropical Creations, and was the owner of Mane Event and also worked at the barber shop on Fort Greely.

She is survived by her husband Tony R. Smith of Delta Junction, Alaska and 3 sons: Jeremy R. Smith of Soldotna, Alaska, Brant C. Smith of Anchorage, Alaska and Casey L. Smith of Fairbanks, Alaska.

Funeral and burial services will be in Mount Pleasant, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that a contribution be made to Olivia’s House for Assisted Living in Fairbanks. A Wells Fargo account has been set up in Cindy’s name. Please contact Margaret Gearhart. All proceeds will be given to Olivia’s House.

Cards and letters can be sent to: Tony Smith, PO Box 206, Delta Jct. AK 99737

The winner of last week’s mystery photo is Denise Wilhelm

We had 31 correct entries last week.

Denise will receive a gift certificate from the Buffalo Center Diner courtesy of Ed and Ann Richards.

Thank you for each one that submitted their entry, along with your mailing address. Please remember to include your mailing address with each entry. DNW will not accept entries without mailing addresses. We do not store your address from week to week.

The photo is part of the sign that is located in the diner behind the counter.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Arrival time for the more than 85 soldiers from 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry advance party has changed. Pick-up time at the gate has changed to 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Officials expect the group to arrive at Eielson Air Force Base. Wednesday. After in processing at Eielson, they will be bussed to Fort Wainwright to be reunited with their families.

The unit left Fort Wainwright last summer. The main body of the unit will return in early July.

Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Miller
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

6/26/2009 — EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – Exercise Northern Edge 2009, the largest biannual military training event in Alaska, came to a close June 26 after 11 successful days of multi-service interaction at numerous locations throughout the state.

This exercise, which involved almost 200 aircraft, provided nearly 9,000 service members from all branches of the military the opportunity to train together on, above and afloat in Alaska’s massive training areas. In addition to the permanent personnel already here, almost 2,000 personnel deployed to Alaska from the United States, Japan and South Korea while another 5,000 were stationed aboard an aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Alaska.

“This exercise was designed to train participants in a joint environment, which is an essential element of preparation for combat,” said Air Force Brigadier Gen. Mark W. Graper, 354th Fighter Wing commander. “It allows the service members to practice tactics, techniques and procedures which need to be synchronized between the different branches of the military.”
Across the board, better command, control, communication and understanding between each service were some of the most important practices sharpened during the event in order to develop better interoperable plans for the future.

According to Air Force Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, commanding general of Alaskan Command and 11th Air Force, being able to train here each year is valuable because there are more than 65,000 square miles of available training space over land, and 120,000 when including the Gulf of Alaska. This space includes Alaska’s Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, Gulf of Alaska restricted air space, and an in-transit corridor connecting military training air space and live-fire training ranges.

“Northern Edge is the premier exercise conducted within the Pacific Command’s area of responsibility,” said Atkins. “It lets our joint warfighters learn about each other.”

Learning about each other, and the way the varying services operate is very important, according to Air Force Maj. Lyle Dawley, Northern Edge exercise control team chief.

“Communication can be a big challenge,” he said. “We don’t always speak the same language whether we are on the ground or in the air.”

Realistic scenarios were employed during the exercise so each unit could get the most out of the training, particularly in the areas of defensive counter-air, close-air support, air interdiction of marine targets and personnel recovery missions.

Many of the air-borne scenarios required pilots to stay in the air for long periods of time, and the Alaska National Guard’s 168th Air Refueling Squadron was there to make that happen. The Eielson-based squadron flies KC-135 refuelers.

“It’s like these guys are pulling into a full-service flying gas station,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Tim Trefts, the squadron’s wing plans officer. “This gets our fighter pilots deeper into enemy lines and cuts down on the time it takes to get air support to guys on the ground.”

In another exercise scenario, members of a West Coast based Navy SEAL team trained with Fort Wainwright’s Army Task Force 49, conducting security missions and insertions from CH-47D Chinooks in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. They also practiced river crossing techniques in Phelan Creek with instructors from the Northern Warfare Training Center.

“The water was pretty cold and the current was fast, but our guys weren’t afraid to get in there and go to work,” said one senior SEAL team member. “The training that we are learning here is invaluable. We are always looking for ways to improve skills; Northern Edge 09 gives us an opportunity to do that.”

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, which consists of the USS John C. Stennis, Carrier Air Wing 9 and USS Antietam, was stationed in the Gulf of Alaska for its portion of the exercise. The carrier was the chief asset of the naval component commander in the exercise scenario, as well as providing airpower when necessary, according to a pre-exercise statement made by Navy Capt. Joseph Kuzmick, Stennis commanding officer.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni supported the exercise at Eielson Air Force Base with various components of personnel including Marines and sailors with Marine Aircraft Group 12 headquarters, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, and augments from Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron such as the Provost Marshal’s Office and Public Affairs. Additional Marines also supported from Marine Air Control Squadron 4 out of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. Also from Futenma, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 operated at Elmendorf Air Force Base. In all, approximately 290 Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force participated.

“Northern Edge is MAG-12’s best opportunity to get together with the Navy and Air Force to practice advanced tactics in missions that are similar to what we would have to do here in the Pacific area of operations,” said Lt. Col. James Walker, MAG-12 operations officer. “We work with large forces here, 50 to 60 aircraft at a time, and that’s not something we get to do on a daily basis. So, this is a good opportunity for MAG-12 to train in a tactical environment.”

Some, but not all, of the other units which supported Exercise Northern Edge out of Eielson AFB included B-52H Stratofortresses from Barksdale AFB, La., F-15 Strike Eagles from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, F-16 Fighting Falcons from Misawa Air Base, Japan, and Eielson’s F-16 Aggressors. Exercise Northern Edge is just one in a series of Pacific Command sponsored exercises that helps forces prepare to respond to potential future crises in the Asia Pacific region.

Frequent visitors to Alaska’s interior, a male, white winged crossbill drops in for a quick “cone to go” allowing the photographer a snapshot. Image by Dwight Phillips

6,331 pounds of food is being distributed!

We sure could use some help! Would anyone be interested in helping Alpha Omega with food box distribution?

Stop by or call 895-4143 to see how you can help!

EIELSON AFB, Alaska — An Air Force combat controller from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron, based at Kadena Air Base, Japan, uses a compass to help direct pilots to their correct targets. During this mission June 23, 2009, several combat controllers called in strikes from a pair of F-15 fighter jets which dropped Mark-82 500-pound bombs on Fort Wainwright’s Range 2205. The training mission was part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009, which is an exercise designed to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region. (United States Air Force photo/1st. Lt. John Callahan) -

EIELSON AFB, Alaska — An Air Force combat controller uses a laser range finder, which helps him direct pilots to their correct targets. During this training mission June 23, 2009, several combat controllers called in strikes from a pair of F-15 fighter jets who dropped Mark-82 500-pound bombs on Fort Wainwright’s Range 2205. The training mission was part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009, which is an exercise designed to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region. (United States Air Force photo/1st. Lt. John Callahan.)

by 1st Lt. John Callahan
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

6/25/2009 – EIELSON AFB, Alaska –Air Force combat controllers are a rare breed: an elite group of specialists who accompany U.S. ground troops – usually small teams of special operations forces – to serve as a liaison between those forces and the air support they rely on.
Each combat controller is a fully qualified air traffic control expert, able to manage the complex air operations above a combat zone or remote airfield. Many also qualify as Joint Terminal Attack Control experts, coordinating air strikes, reconnaissance and other forms of air support on behalf of the ground troops they accompany.

“It definitely takes a special kind of person to do this,” said Capt. Garrett (last name withheld for security reasons), commander of a small team of combat controllers with the 320th Special Tactics Squadron. Based at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Garrett’s team is in Alaska participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2009.

“The typical combat controller is your classic ‘Type A’ personality,” he explained, listing off some of the things the Air Force looks for in a recruit. “Absolute self-confidence, to the point where they are not afraid to make mistakes. A ‘never quit’ attitude. And, bottom line, you really need to be an athlete. This job is just so physical. You look around at this career field, and it’s all a bunch of high-school and college wrestlers and swimmers.”

“That’s right,” agreed Airman 1st Class John, the team’s junior member. “In fact, that’s how I got into this field. I grew up playing a lot of soccer and basketball. At some point, a recruiter who had seen me play, I think, came up to me and said, ‘Hey, have you ever considered Special Forces?’ Until that point, I would have said ‘Me? Special Forces?’”

Ultimately, Capt. Garrett and Airman 1st Class John agreed, it is mental and emotional toughness that sets the combat controller apart. Every combat controller is the survivor of an incredibly grueling training and selection “pipeline,” similar to that endured by the better-known Navy SEALS, Air Force pararescuers and other special operations units. The entire process, Airman 1st Class John said, is designed to try to convince participants to quit.

“The instructors will always give you an easy out,” he said. “And they never let you know exactly how much work you have ahead of you or when you’ll be done. In other words, they won’t say, ‘We’ll be training tonight until 2100 hours.’ Instead, they’ll just say, ‘All right, let’s go.’ Or they’ll tell your team something like, “Push this Humvee up the hill. When you’re done, do it again, and keep doing it.” For all you know, you’ll be working all day and night. And that does happen!”

Once a combat controller graduates training, his unique blend of skills places him in high demand.

“We travel and train so much, sometimes it seems like we’re hardly ever actually at our base,” said Airman 1st Class John.

Captain Garrett said his team members were eager to put their training to good use. In fact, the prospect of a difficult and dangerous assignment to a combat zone was one of the things that attracted him to the life of a combat controller.

“Let’s face it – we do a lot of cool stuff,” he said. “Jumps, diving, travel … we love what we do.”
A combat controller’s roots lie in the U.S. Army’s old Pathfinder Corps, a group of WWII paratroopers trained to drop into an assault zone in advance of the main force, identifying drop zones and guiding in gliders and troop transport planes.

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska — A B-52H Stratofortress takes off from Eielson AFB during NORTHERN EDGE 2009, June 23. NE09 is one in a series of U.S. Pacific Command exercises that prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the region. The B-52 is assigned to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

by Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – An F-22 Raptor receives fuel from a KC-135 flown by pilots from the 168th Air Refueling Squadron stationed at Eielson Air Force Base during an aerial refueling mission June 19.. The mission was part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009, which prepares joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region. During the mission, both F-22 and F-15 fighter jets received fuel. (United States Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes)

Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska –Air National Guardsmen from the 168th Air Refueling Squadron here conducted a four-hour in-flight refueling mission Friday, June 19, as part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009.

During the mission, Airmen from the 168th honed their aerial refueling skills by topping off F-15 and F-22 fighter jets to keep them in the fight longer.
“It’s like these guys are pulling into a full-service flying gas station,” said Lt. Col. Tim Trefts, the squadron’s wing plans officer. “This gets our fighter pilots deeper into enemy lines and cuts down on the time it takes to get air support to guys on the ground.”

As demonstrated by this mission, it is not uncommon for aerial refueling flights to last several hours and for the crew to transfer more than 75 thousand pounds of fuel to almost a dozen aircraft, added Trefts.

Refueling aircraft while in the air is anything but easy. The aircraft receiving fuel moves to within 30 feet of the tanker, and the pilot holds his aircraft steady. A boom operator, laying on his or her stomach in a refueling pod underneath the back of the tanker, uses a joystick to move the tip of the boom into the waiting aircraft’s fuel slot. The process takes about seven minutes for each aircraft after the pilot begins approaching the tanker, although that time varies if the boom operator has trouble connecting the boom and if the aircraft needs a larger than average load of fuel.

Exercises like NE09 give the 168th pilots and crew the opportunity to practice performing long-range missions, due to the large amount of available air space in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.

The 168th Air Refueling Squadron was founded in 1942 as the 437th Bombardment Squadron and is now a part of the 168th Air Refueling Wing stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
Since first developed by the Army Air Corps in the late 1920’s, aerial refueling has provided America’s air assets the critical ability to refuel in mid-flight. This allows for on-call air support and allows aircraft to take off with a greater payload. It also keeps air-mobile command posts in the air longer and allows for quicker air evacuations.

EIELSON AFB, Alaska — Lance Cpl. Justin Moore, MWSS-171 bulk fuel specialist, extends the hose from an R-11 fuel truck over to a jet for fueling on the flightline here June 19. Moore is participating as part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009.(U.S. Marine Corps photo/Staff Sgt. Andrew Miller)

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Miller
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

Bulk Fuel
June 19, 2009

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, AK –Pacific Command’s Exercise Northern Edge 2009 is allowing more than 200 aircraft the opportunity to train in nearly 120,000 square miles of airspace above interior Alaska and the Gulf of Alaska, June 15-26.

With the numerous aircraft in the air and massive amounts of mileage to cover during the 11-day exercise, one of the most important support billets the pilots have covering their six is the bulk fuel specialist.

“We’ve pumped nearly a half million gallons of jet fuel per day during the first week of this exercise,” said Senior Airman Derick Bowers, a bulk fuel specialist with the 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron here at Eielson Air Force Base. “Without us, pilots are pedestrians.”
Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, currently has Marines cross training and working side-by-side with the Air Force to ensure the pilots are taken care of as expediently and safely as possible.

“There is a little bit of a communication barrier, but it is good to see how other services work,” said Lance Cpl. Justin Moore, MWSS-171 bulk fuel specialist. “It helps diversify my skill set by knowing how to fuel F-16s and F-15s and working with the different forces.”

Because of the differences in lingo, aircraft and overall work atmosphere, the Marines are well-versed before being sent out on the flightline alone.

“We’ve shown them where the fuel points are on the aircraft, as well as trained them on the paperwork, local forms and Air Force forms and fuel receipts,” said Bowers. “Without proper training, lots of expensive equipment can get broken.”

Bowers has served as Moore’s ride-along for the duration of the exercise’s first week.
During the first couple of days the Marines merely shadow the Airmen, watching how they operate on the flightline. For the next three to four days the Marines drive and operate the R-11 fuel trucks with close supervision from their instructors. Next week, which is the final week of the exercise, will be totally different.

“Next week I’ll be all by myself,” Moore said eagerly, knowing this is what he’s been trained for and doing at Iwakuni for quite sometime now, but nevertheless ready to put to work his new skills he’s learned from his Air Force counterparts.

Bowers reiterated his confidence in the Marines’ abilities for next week’s changes, stating that they have adapted and caught on well to the way the Air Force does things.

Of the nearly 9,000 total service members participating in Exercise Northern Edge this year, approximately 290 are Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Although the exercise is headquartered out of Elmendorf Air Force Base, activities are taking place across the training grounds of Alaska in order to better prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region.

Exercise Northern Edge is Pacific Command’s premier joint training exercise.

The winner of last week’s mystery photo is Tanya Akimenko

We had 16 correct entries last week.

Tanya will receive a gift certificate from the Buffalo Center Drive In courtesy of John and Linda Sloan.

Thank you for each one that submitted their entry, along with your mailing address. Please remember to include your mailing address with each entry. DNW will not accept entries without mailing addresses. We do not store your address from week to week.

The photo is part of the Hair Doctor, owned by Sherry Decker on the Alaska Highway.

28th Annual Salcha Country Fair

Celebrating Alaska’s 50th year of Statehood “A Golden Jubilee”

Each year the Deltana Fair holds a raffle with multiple items as prizes. The drawings are usually every 15 minutes are so during the thee-day fair. The timing, of course, depends on having a great number of prizes to give away. The winning tickets for the larger prizes are drawn on the large stage (sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank – thank you!) during the closing moments of the fair – 5 pm on Sunday, August 2.

Winners are posted near the Deltana Fair booth during the fair – and will be reported in the Delta Wind and on the fair’s website, http://www.deltanafair.com/ as soon as possible after the fair.

There are several critical volunteer positions that are vacant, some due to changing commitments – so the Deltana Fair needs you! Please call fair manager Judy Sowell to find out what positions are open and how you can help.

If you have an item you’d like to donate as a raffle prize, contact either raffle manager Lynn Robertson or fair manager Judy Sowell at 895-3247 – or email info@deltanafair.com to let them know.

Deltana Fair Association, Inc.
Board of Directors meets July 2

The board of directors of the Deltana Fair Association, Inc. will meet today, Thursday, July 2, at 5:30 pm in the main Exhibit Hall at the Deltana Fairgrounds on Nistler Road.

Visit www.deltanafair.com for a membership application and more!

All members of the Deltana Fair Association are welcome to attend board meetings.

The Delta Farm Bureau will be hosting their annual farm tour on Tuesday, July 14th.

The first stop will be at the historic Mead Farm on Clearwater Road. Local historians Irene Mead and Judy Ferguson will talk about the farm’s early years as well as the rodeos once held there. Judy’s book, Blue Hills, Alaska’s Promised Land will be available for sale during lunch.

The next stop will be at Dennis and Cleo Green’s where you will be able to see and learn about the reindeer.

Lunch will be at the Clearwater Lodge. Yak burgers will be featured menu item. Baked beans, potato salad and a sundae bar will also be served. Lunch is included in the tour price.

After lunch, the tour continues with a visit to Northern Lights dairy farm owned by Don and Lois Lintleman. You will see the milk processing plant as well a be able to visit the dairy barn to see the cows.

The tour ends with a visit to Windy Valley Hay Producers on Hanson Road. The farm was originally built in the 1970’s by Austin and Edith Walker and is now operated by their son, Robert. Robert is the Delta-Salcha Soil and Water Conservation Service’s “Outstanding Co-operator of the Year” in 2008 for his environmentally sound farming practices.

The registration fee is $40.00 which includes lunch. The bus leaves promptly at 9:00 A.M. at the Jarvis Office Building at Mile 1420.5 Alaska Highway. Please arrive about 15 – 20 minutes early. Tour participants must pre-pay before July 10th. Payment may be made using PayPal. Go to the Alaska Farm Bureau’s website at http://akfb.fb.org. On the left side is the link “FB Payments”. If you are not signed up with PayPal, it will walk you right through. Or, you may send a check with the names of those attending to the Delta Farm Bureau PO Box 760 Delta Junction, AK 99737. Please call 895-4752 if you have any questions.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Operators from a west-coast based Navy SEAL team participated in infiltration and exfiltration training as part of Northern Edge 2009 June 15, 2009. Army Task Force 49, 1-52 Aviation Regiment, B company, transported the SEALS in CH-47D “Chinook” helicopters, performing two-wheel landings atop mountainous terrain in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. Exercise Northern Edge is a training exercise designed to promote and improve interoperability. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo/Lance Cpl. Ryan Rholes)

Navy SEALS, TF-49 pilots conduct joint training during NE 09 Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Thirteen operators from a west-coast based SEAL team performed final checks on their equipment as a one-minute warning bell rang shrilly throughout the hull of the CH-47D “Chinook.”

After descending steeply, the helicopter’s back ramp dropped, and the SEAL team sprinted from the Chinook with their weapons up, setting up security as the helicopter lifted out of its two-wheel landing and began circling in the air before landing again to repeat the procedure.

The SEAL team worked with Army pilots from Task Force 49, 1-52 Aviation Battalion, B Company, also known as the “Sugar Bears,” in a training evolution designed to promote and develop interoperability between the two branches. The exercise was part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009, which is one of a series of U.S. Pacific Command exercises that prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region.

Because Fort Wainwright’s Striker brigade is currently in Iraq, the pilots aboard the Chinook used this evolution to practice troop transportation and dropping troops while using a two-wheel landing.

“Troops transportation is a large part of what we do, but something we have not been able to train for lately,” said Capt. Thomas Pierce, a Chinook pilot with Sugar Bears. “Having these guys in the back added an element of realism unattainable with our ground units currently deployed.”
Landing on two wheels allows pilots to drop troops in confined spaces that do not allow for conventional landings, added Pierce. Pilots use this technique often when landing in mountainous terrain and on roof tops.

Although the training evolution provided a good training opportunity for the Army pilots, they were not the only ones who gained from the experience.

“We rarely get the chance to work with the Chinooks, so this is a good chance to familiarize ourselves with the airframe, and how to get on it and off it quickly,” said Darrin, a SEAL who’s rank and last name are withheld to protect his identity. “We use this airframe to get us to the fight and to get us out.”

The pilots inserted the SEAL s at three different locations. At each location, the SEAL team practiced exiting the aircraft quickly, establishing security and properly reboarding the aircraft while maintaining a security element. This evolution is one of several the SEAL team will participate in while attending NE09.

by Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

6/18/2009 – EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – A west-coast based SEAL team continued their training during NORTHERN EDGE 2009 with the help from the Northern Warfare Training Center here June 17.

The SEAL team learned and practiced several river crossing techniques to prepare them for overseas contingency operations.

“The training that we are learning here is invaluable,” said a senior SEAL member. “We are always looking ways to improve skills; NORTHERN EDGE 09 gives us an opportunity to do that.”

The training was conducted at Phelan Creek, flowing with freezing glacier water and silt that can add unnecessary weight if an individual is in the water for too long.

“The water was pretty cold and the current was fast,” said the SEAL member, “but our guys weren’t afraid to get in there and go to work.”

NWTC instructors provided demonstrations and hands-on training on how to cross waters ranging from low to high flowing, and short to long distances.

The opportunity not only gave them a chance to learn valuable training, it also gave them a chance to see what they can improve on.

“The instructors from the NWTC showed us some excellent techniques that our guys will use in the future,” he said. “We’re happy to have a new asset in our skill set.”

SSgt Andrew W. Miller
Exercise Northern Edge 2009

June 16, 2009
Headline 1: Iwakuni gets knee deep in Northern Edge 2009
Headline 2: Exercise Northern Edge 2009 kicks into high gear
Headline 3: Iwakuni trains with brothers in land of rising sun

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, AK –Exercise Northern Edge 2009 officially kicked off June 15 at numerous locations throughout Alaska, the land of the midnight sun.

Participants from all branches of the military are training together in order to hone their tactics, techniques and procedures associated with defensive counter-air, close-air support, air interdiction of marine targets and personnel recovery missions.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is supporting the evolution at Eielson Air Force Base with various components of personnel including Marines and sailors with Marine Aircraft Group 12 headquarters, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 , Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, and augmentees from Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron such as the Provost Marshal’s Office and Public Affairs. Additional Marines are also supporting from Marine Air Control Squadron 4 out of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. Also from Futenma, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 is operating at Elmendorf Air Force Base. In all, approximatley 290 Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force are participating.

“Northern Edge is MAG-12’s best opportunity to get together with the Navy and Air Force to practice advanced tactics in missions that are similar to what we would have to do here in the Pacific area of operations,” said Lt. Col. James Walker, MAG-12 operations officer. “We work with large forces here, 50 to 60 aircraft at a time, and that’s not something we get to do on a daily basis. So, this is a good opportunity for MAG-12 to train in a tactical enviornment.”

Although the event is headquartered out of Elmendorf Air Force Base, activities are taking place across the massive training grounds of Alaska in order to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region.

According to Air Force Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, commanding general of Alaskan Command and 11th Air Force, being able to train here is valuable because there are more than more than 65,000 square miles of available training space over land, and 120,000 when including the Gulf of Alaska. This space includes Alaska’s Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, Gulf of Alaska restricted air space, and an in-transit corridor connecting military training air space and live-fire training ranges.

“Northern Edge is the premier exercise conducted within the Pacific Command’s area of responsibility,” said Atkins. “It lets our joint warfighters learn about each other.”

Learning about each other, and the way the varying services operate is very important according to Air Force Maj. Lyle Dawley, Northern Edge exercise control team chief.

“Communication can be a big challenge,” he said. “We don’t always speak the same language whether we are on the ground or in the air.”

That is something he said he hopes service members can learn from and take away from this exercise considering there are almost 5,000 service members participating in the exercise aboard ships in the Gulf of Alaska and approximatley 2,000 who are here from other bases and stations across the United States, Japan and Korea.

Exercise Northern Edge is an 11-day exercise and is scheduled to conclude here June 26.

There will be open gym for anyone in the Delta area on every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30pm-9:00pm at the elementary school.

If there are any question contact Coach Boom at 803-3356.

BEWARE OF CONFERENCE PITCHES IN ALASKA
Consumers beware; StoresOnline, Inc. has BBB’s lowest rating.

Anchorage, Alaska – June 19, 2009 – Your Better Business Bureau is warning Alaska consumers to be cautious concerning StoresOnline, Inc. who is planning conferences in the area and has troubled consumers in the past.

Orem, Utah based StoresOnline, Inc. has BBB’s lowest rating, an F, for the number of complaints filed against the business and government actions against the business. Consumers filed 707 complaints with your BBB in the past 36 months.

In 2008 alone, government actions were taken against this business in five different states. The most recent government action BBB is aware of occurred on March 16, 2009, when the California Attorney General’s Office announced an agreement with StoresOnline in response to allegations that the company falsely promised consumers that they could get rich by selling merchandise over the internet.

Currently, Alaska consumers are receiving “free” tickets in the mail for the following StoresOnline, Inc. conferences:
- Thursday, June 25 at Kenai Merit Inn in Kenai.
- Friday, June 26 at Hilton Anchorage in Anchorage.
- Saturday, June 27 at William A. Egan Center in Anchorage.

StoresOnline, Inc. often advertises their conferences as free. The company markets “e-services” to those intending to do business on the Internet. Consumers normally receive an invitation for the conference in the mail offering a free meal and gift. Following the conference, attendees are often urged to sign up for a one-day workshop which requires a fee. According to BBB’s Reliability Report, this company has received complaints concerning information provided at workshops, the refund policy, customer service, and optional coaching services provided by a separate company.

Advice for Consumers:

Consumers who plan to attend any free seminars or workshops should be aware that promoters often use high-pressure sales pitches that require consumers to buy now or risk missing the opportunity. Consumers sometimes have to pay high costs for information that is often available elsewhere for little or no money. Individuals interested in home-based or internet businesses need to consider all aspects and costs of starting and operating a business.

Red flags that may signal a questionable seminar promoter:
· The offer is advertised as being time sensitive.
· The promoters hype the program but provide little detail.
· The representatives are reluctant to answer questions and give evasive answers.
· Local business people or experts are not endorsing the program.
· Little time is given to read a lengthy contract.
· Promoters will not provide the number of people participating in the program who have achieved the program’s claims and are unwilling to provide earning claims in writing.
· Promoters claim laws regulating the sales of business opportunities don’t apply to them.

Under the Federal Trade Commission Cooling-Off Rule, consumers who spend more than $25 and regret making a purchase can get a full refund, if they made the purchase from a location the seller was renting on a temporary or short-term basis (such as a hotel), and they make the request in writing within 3 days of the sale. For details visit www.ftc.gov.

Taking the time to research a company prior to making a purchase can help consumers avoid becoming a victim of a scam. Get a company’s BBB Reliability Report at www.bbb.org. Most legitimate seminar businesses are willing to provide descriptions of their programs before a purchase is made. Read all contracts carefully before signing anything and get all promises or claims in writing. Make sure you understand any cancellation policies or guarantees before making a purchase.

The Delta Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting the annual 4th of July Celebration.

They have mixed it up a bit this year and have added a kid’s carnival. There will be carnival games such as Jumbo Bowling, Jumbo Darts, Pin the beard on Uncle Sam, Body Boppers, Bounce House and much much more.

There will be traditional family games such as Sack Race, Egg Race, Water Balloon Toss, Egg Toss, as well as Volleyball, prizes will be awarded for carnival events as well as most family games!

The Friends of Delta Agriculture will be sponsoring the 2nd in a series of three Lumberjack Challenges starting at 12:00.

The Farmers Market is open all day long as well as vendor’s tables from around the area. There are still vendor tables available for $10.00 please contact Dani at 895-5068 to reserve your table.

Local DJ Chris Brady from Brady Karaoke and Live Sound will be spinnin’ disks all day long. He will also be hosting Karaoke sessions throughout the day! Keep your eyes peeled on the Delta Wind, the Delta News Web and Local Bulliten Boards for a schedule of events!

The day will kick off at 11:30 A.M with the Ft. Greely Color Guard presenting the colors and Heather Stossmeister singing the National Anthem.

So head out to the Farmers Market area located behind the Sullivan Roadhouse and the Buffalo Center Drive-In, for a day of fun for the whole family. For more information about this event please contact Dani Markham at 895-5068 or 322-8367

Hi folks,

I am sorry about the calendar issues we are temporarily experiencing. We had to do a major upgrade to the calendar and since doing that on Wednesday, June 17, we are finding the little glitches in the system.

I hope to have to back up and running by this evening. If each one who has events on the calendar would check your entries this evening sometime, and make sure they are listed with the corrected times, that would be an awesome help to our community, so they don’t show up at an event that had the wrong time on it.

Sorry for the inconvenience, we are workly on resolving the issues ASAP.
Sincere apologies,
Pam

Cinde Stamm-Wear, Tina Kezer, and Michele Trainor have come up with a flower basket contest.

I need to make contact with Rhea Hansen.

Anyone having contact information please call Deborah Snyder, 803-3115, or let her know I need to speak with her.

Thank you,
Deborah Snyder

The D.J. Saddle Tramps annual riding clinic with Margaret Mendoza July 7 – July 21.

Margaret will be providing individual and group lessons at the Stinkin’ Akers arena here in Delta Junction by appointment only. Margaret’s love for horses began at an early age with her show career starting in 1954, that took her from the west to the east coast attending many shows over the years. With at adventurous spirit in 1963 Margaret began giving private lessons in Alaska, California, Ohio and Oregon. She has also judged in the previous states for 4-H, American Miniature Association, mule and donkey shows, open shows, OHSET (Oregon High School Equestrian Team) zone meets and state finals. Margaret has worked with large multiple of breeds including Appaloosas, Arabians, Donkeys, Mules, Paints, Quarter Horses and Warmbloods just to name a few, in many disciplines including Equitation, Dressage, Jumping, Pleasure, Three-day Eventing and Western Dressage. Margaret holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with an endorsement in Special Education from preprimary through grade 12, was mentored by an Olympic medalist, holds a Pacific Northwest Judges Card along with many others. Margaret is wonderful teaching the newest beginners to the incredibly advanced equestrians so please dont hesitate to join us for the fun!

Please Call Now and Reserve Your Lesson Time!

Margaret is also willing to do evening classes for those who have to work late.
Individual lessons ~ $30 per hour
Group Lessons $25 per person per hour

EIA must be provided before unloading your horse.

Please email or call 895-2284 for your spot today!

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – The Fairbanks public is invited to the second of two June post-wide yard sales June 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Post residents will sell from their homes in the housing areas, or from booths at the Lemon Lot at Neely and Meridian, across from the Post Office.

Military retirees, civilian employees at Fort Wainwright and military families who live off post may secure spaces at the Lemon Lot. Tables are not provided.

A sign will indicate a special lane for yard-sale visitors. Visitors should tell the gate guards they are here for the yard sale, and must show proof of insurance, valid driver’s license and vehicle registration. The gate guards will give each visitor a post pass for that day and a map. The pass should be kept on the dashboard in the front window of the vehicle.

There is no need to stop at the visitors’ center. Military police will strictly enforce speed limits in all areas.

For more information, call 353-6612.

BBB Unfolds Common Scams on Classified Advertising Web Sites

Anchorage, Alaska – June 17, 2009 – Many consumers rely on classified advertising Web sites to find jobs, places to live, and other products or services. These sites foster mainly friendly and trusting online transactions. Most users adhere to and respect the terms and policies; unfortunately, these sites are also subject to great abuse by scam artists.

Sites like Craigslist allow independent parties to anonymously post online advertisements; meanwhile, most sites hold no liability if a transaction goes awry.

With billions of transactions facilitated, satisfied consumers are the majority; far outweighing the number of scam victims and disgruntled customers. To reduce incidences of fraud, consumers should recognize the most common scams found on these sites:

Bogus Opportunities: The crook pretends to be a legitimate employer, landlord or property manager as an elaborate lure to steal the applicant’s money or identity. It typically starts with a misleading advertisement, which does not match the job description or the available property. Con artists use forged ads and falsified application forms to try to coerce applicants into divulging personal information, such as bank account or Social Security numbers. In rental fraud situations, they even collect the victim’s deposit or first month’s rent.

Overpayment Scams: The “prospective buyer” responds to the ad and sends a check or money order in the mail. The amount on the check over-pays for the cost of the item. Then there are instructions to wire the difference back to him/her, or to a third party. The check or money order is probably fraudulent or counterfeit, costing the victim the amount wired and the insufficient fund fees from the bank.

False Certifications: Looking for payment protection? The fraudster sends an official looking e-mail that appears to come from the staff of Craigslist, Angie’s List or BBB, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, or providing payment services. In actuality, none of these sources will ever send e-mails soliciting a role in the transaction.

Your Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington provides advice for online shoppers:

Be careful with anonymous online transactions. When doing business on a site you trust, don’t necessarily trust the ads you see from third parties. On many sites, advertisers do not have to pay a fee or fill out an application to browse, post an ad, or initiate an online transaction.

Verify legitimacy. Visit www.bbb.org to check out a BBB Reliability Report.

It is best to deal locally. Be on guard for bids or inquiries from potential buyers from far away, perhaps even in another country.

Be sure to thoroughly review all disclaimers and policies prior to doing business. Do not provide sensitive, personal information until the legitimacy of the opportunity has been verified. If you do not want the company to sell or redistribute your information, double-check their Web site’s privacy policy.

Exercise extreme caution when applying for any online opportunity. Research the company and ask for references prior to submitting an application. On a resume, it is normal to provide your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Never provide your Social Security number, Driver’s License number, or credit card and bank account numbers on a resume. Use discretion: Only fill out home rental applications in person after you have physically toured the interior and exterior of the property.

Steer clear of overly enticing deals. It is a warning sign when prices are too low or far below market value. Look out for those who claim that they can “guarantee your transaction.”

Avoid wiring payments through Western Union, Money Gram or another wire service. Be extremely skeptical of sellers who demand that funds be wired or transferred to an account or a third party business source outside of the sale. Beware if you receive a payment that is higher than the cost of the item; evade any request where the remaining funds need to be wired or transferred back to the “buyer” or to a third party business associate, shipping agent, or online escrow service.

Keep in mind that payment options may be limited since most sellers can not process credit card payments. Never give out your bank account number or other confidential financial information to an unknown source.

Take precautions to protect yourself. Since many online transactions are completed in person—such as a direct cash/merchandise exchange—always meet in a public place and don’t go alone. If a local buyer or seller is unwilling to complete the transaction in person, it may be a warning sign.

Come celebrate summer solstice with anything that floats on the Clearwater River. June 20, Saturday 7:00 P.M. meet at Clearwater Camp Ground and float down river to the Tanana bridge.

For questions contact Rick Lindberg at 907-529-9155