Hilltop Times – Hill Air Force Base Weekly Newspaper Since 1948

It was big laughs, smiles and fun as children sang and danced along with their favorite Sesame Street characters.

July 13-14 the USO held their Sesame Street Tour at Syracuse High School. The tour stars a new character, Katie who comes from a military family, who helps children connect with someone that feels like them.

During the show Katie learns that she will be moving away again and is sad because she will miss all her friends and is nervous to try to make friends in a new place.

In celebration of the Memorial Day weekend and the air show a special Warrior Call was held May 24 at the Landing.

The guest speaker was Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jay Hess, a former POW of the Vietnam War; he spent 5 years in the Hanoi Hilton; a prison that had been built by French colonists and was later used by North Vietnam for housing POWs.

Hess began his talk by recognizing those with whom he had served.

It was an out of this world experience for students at Cook elementary on Monday March 21, as 5th graders from local elementary schools joined together to participate in the first ever Utah Mission to Mars program.

Mission to Mars teaches students about space and engineering and it teaches teamwork as student teams prepare for and simulate going on a manned mission to the planet Mars to build colonies.

The program was originally created at the La Luz Academy at the Kirkland Air Force Base located in New Mexico.

The annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month luncheon was held Thursday, April 26, at The Landing. The speaker this year was Mary Lauterbach, the mother of a Marine who was murdered in 2007.

Lauterbach's talk focused on the story of her daughter's death and what changes could help save others' lives. She opened her talk by stating that she was not here to demean the Marines or any military branch but to share her daughter's story.

On Thursday, April 18, the Hill Air Force Base Chapel was the site for a ceremony for Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Speaker at the event was former U.S. ambassador to Mauritius and the Seychelles, John Price, whose family fled Nazi Germany when he was just five years old, and settled in New York in 1940.

During 1933-1945 more than 6 million people were murdered for racial and ethnic reasons. The Day of Remembrance is held to remember the victims of the holocaust and reflect on having respect for all people today.

It was an afternoon of fun, laughter and magic at the National Woman's History Month Luncheon hosted by the Women's Federal Program on March 22.

The speaker at the luncheon was Brad Barton, President of the Mountain West Chapter of the National Speaker Association. He is also an award-winning member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Barton's presentation, "Beyond Illusion: Your Life, Your Success," focused on how similar to magic, life is full of illusions and how these may affect your success.

National Women's History month starts next week and what better way to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of women then by participating in the events of the Hill's Federal Women's Program. The theme this year is "Your Life, You Success."

In honor of Women's History Month there will be various seminars starting March 12 and running through March 22, they are open to anyone with base access. And with various topics there is something for everyone.

A prayer breakfast was held at The Landing (formerly known as Club Hill) on Feb. 2 in conjunction with the National Prayer Breakfast which is held in Washington, D.C.

The guest speaker was Gen. (Ret.) Robert C. Oaks, a former commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and a former general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Oaks' remarks focused on how important prayer is to our country and in individual's daily lives.

It seems like you blink and the holidays are soon fast upon you and you find yourself rushing to get everything done in time. This year you might have to start rushing sooner if you want to get gifts to family members who are serving overseas by Christmas.

This year the deadlines to send mail have been moved to the first or second week of December depending on where they are stationed.

According to the United States Postal Service web site, the types of mailing deliveries and by what date they need to be postmarked to be received by Dec. 25:

The annual Disabilities Luncheon was held Thursday, Oct. 20, at Club Hill with the theme: "Ability is What Matters."

Several individuals were given the Persons with Disabilities Support Award. Those receiving the honor and related honors included: