Hilltop Times – Hill Air Force Base Weekly Newspaper Since 1948

Recently, about 100 reservists and family members were treated to a getaway at Cliff Lodge in Snowbird with free hotel, food and daycare courtesy of the Air Force Reserve Command.

The 419th Fighter Wing's first-ever Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event was part of a congressionally directed program that aims to combat the stresses of the deployment process by providing information, support and outreach services to reservists and their families.

Workshops with a wide range of topics were offered, including a relationship workshop for dealing with marriage issues before and after

This year's Employer Appreciation Day is set for June 5. Reservists are encouraged to invite their civilian employers to the annual event, where they'll meet wing leadership, tour work areas and get a taste of the wing's mission. Employers can also look forward to learning more about the F-16 Fighting Falcon during an up-close, interactive tour in the hangar, among other activities.

The local Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve organization will also provide briefings aimed at educating attendees on the support they provide and laws that protect both employers and reservists.

Three Airmen from the 419th Force Support Squadron have won Air Force-level awards for excellence in their career fields for 2009.

Education and Training Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Master Sgt. Marites Ramoneda-Thomas, chief of 419th Education and Training, briefed more than 200 Airmen in a proactive push for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. She successfully managed the Community College of the Air Force program, which included 67 graduates and 70 degrees in the wing -- the highest rate in Air Force Reserve Command.

Five reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing who returned Feb. 26 from a month-long deployment to Haiti said their homecoming was "bittersweet."

They and 10 other Air Force Reservists from the 67th Aerial Port Squadron helped restore airfield operations at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.

Team Hill: 419th Promotions

419th Security Forces Squadron:
Tech. Sgt. Jason Allen, Tech. Sgt. Travis Payne, Tech. Sgt. Paul Turner, Tech. Sgt. Nathaniel Yeaman

67th Aerial Port Squadron:
Staff Sgt. Kristin Schmidt, Senior Airman Dustin Murray

419th Medical Squadron:
Chief Master Sgt. Richelle Gaiter, Master Sgt. Jason Reininger

419th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron:
Tech. Sgt. Joshua Rich, Staff Sgt. Nathan Nelson

419th Mission Support Group:
Tech. Sgt.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- In the days following the massive earthquake that recently surged through Haiti, concerned U.S. citizens watched news footage of crumbled homes, heartbroken widows and half-buried bodies -- all from the safety of their sofas.

Other citizens -- Citizen Airmen -- headed straight to the scene of destruction, eager to offer help and hope.

On Jan.

At some time in their lives, most people have experienced financial stress. To help, the 419th Fighter Wing's Family Readiness office is sponsoring a class entitled "Financial Readiness for Today and Tomorrow." The class will be held Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the 419th Mission Support Group conference room on the second floor of Building 180.

Delight Dehorty, 419th Family Readiness office, will teach the class. She has 13 years of financial experience.

The 419th Fighter Wing's Outstanding Airman of the Year awards banquet will be Feb. 6 at the Ogden Eccles Center. The awards banquet is one avenue to thank and recognize some of the wing's top performers. This year's guest speaker will be Maj. Gen. Martin Mazick, Vice Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command.

Airmen may contact their first sergeant to sign up to attend. Some donated tickets are available, so if finances are an issue, Airmen should let their first sergeants know.

Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.

By excelling in his career and volunteering in the local community, Senior Airman Scott Gatewood, chief of Customer Service in the 419th Military Personnel Flight, is the epitome of service before self.

Aside from his full-time duties in the MPF, Gatewood coaches a junior hockey team, volunteers for the 419th Operation Diamond Heart program, and serves as a volunteer firefighter for the South Weber Fire Department.

"I have never worked with anyone as dedicated as he is," said Senior Master Sgt. Tray Carpenter, 419th MPF superintendent.

419th Mission Support Force:Master Sgt. Richard Keele419th Medical Squadron:Master Sgt. Miranda Mills, Tech. Sgt. Clayton Harper419th Civil Engineer Squadron: Master Sgt. Frank Owens, Master Sgt. James Robinson, Tech. Sgt. James Thomas, Staff Sgt. Ryan Garff, Senior Airman Michael Moulton, Airman 1st Class Naythen Cloward419th Fighter Wing:Tech. Sgt. William Roe419th Maintenance Squadron: