Mckenna Hyer (left) watches Mary Haas use her flint to send sparks flying into a pile of tinder at a 4-H Club event.


Creating sparks in children's minds about outdoor activities
Catherine McNally, Hilltop Times staff
Flames lit up the excitement in children's eyes as members of the Military 4-H Outdoor Recreation Club, a part of the Youth Programs on base, learned how to create fire using flint and tinder Feb. 27. The club's first activity was held at Wetland Discovery Point in Kaysville as children learned basic survival skills for the outdoors and played a game where they pretended to be stranded on an... Read more


Commentary: Hill Views: With spring approaching, what are you looking forward to doing most?
Melissa WinnReceptionist at the Airman and Family Readiness Center" I am looking most forward to being warm and going swimming again." 2nd Lt. Lucas Bohannan75th Air Base Wing Readiness Officer in Charge"As spring approaches, I'm looking forward to hitting the track outside again." Staff Sgt. Jorge Flores75th ABW administrative assistant to installation commander"Barbecuing and spending time with... Read more


Year of the Air Force Family: Families gather at library for activity, 'Love Always'
Catherine McNally, Hilltop Times staff
Here at Hill Air Force Base, the library isn't just for reading. It's also a place to gather with others who are waiting for the day when their spouse or parent returns home from deployment. On Feb. 24, the library sponsored its first get-together for the families of deployed troops. The event, "Love Always," featured activities and refreshments for both kids and adults. "I thought it was a good... Read more
Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., activities as captured in a photo taken in January. (U.S. Air Force)


CALT gives leadership skills, military experience
Lee Anne Hensley, Hilltop Times correspondent
Department of Defense civilians who have wondered what it would be like to live the military experience for a short time can now satisfy that curiosity through a new leadership program initiated recently by the Air Force chief of staff. Air Force civilian employees are eligible to attend the Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training program, or CALT, to increase a focus on career... Read more
A formation two-high is formed when the ball is thrown in from the sidelines in a line out.


Hill staff sergeant headed to Air Force Rugby Mini Camp
Mary Lou Gorny, Hilltop Times editor
In a sport which resembles a cross between soccer and football and injects some of the intensity and scrappiness of wrestling, rugby takes hardy athletes. Hill's Staff Sgt. Dustin Ballingham, line recruiter for the 419th Fighter Wing, is no exception. The staff sergeant is soon heading off to the Air Force Rugby Mini Camp at Savannah, Ga., held March 9-15, including a St. Paddy's Day Tournament... Read more


Wingman Advocates and reaching out
Mary Lou Gorny, Hilltop Times editor
Wingman Advocates and the Wingman concept are an important part of the efforts at Hill Air Force Base to carry the message of reaching out to others. The Wingman concept carries the weight of historical Air Force culture as the one who has your back -- the person who flies with you and supports you in your mission. Rita Roybal, Wingman Advocate Program Manager, said that what makes the Wingman... Read more
OO-ALC Exec Director Mark Johnson gives Salome Thomas-EL a special installation Air Force coin. (Kim Cook/U.S. Air Force)


Transformation Symposium crowd hears compelling keynote address
Mary Lou Gorny, Hilltop Times editor
"Team work is the dream work — you’ve got to work as a team before you can make a dream happen,” said Salome Thomas-EL (pronounced Sal-ohmThomas-ell) at the Transformation Symposium held in the Base Theater on March 1. Those in attendance got a rare treat as the nationally acclaimed educator, or Principal EL, as he is most often called at the magnet school where he now works, talked about the... Read more
Cable showhost Jim Burnworth talks at the Western Extreme symposium at Club Hill Feb. 25. (Todd Cromar/U.S. Air Force)


Western Extreme host: Enjoy hunting experience
Catherine McNally, Hilltop Times staff
The inside of Club Hill's ballroom was a sea of camo -- both hunting and military -- as hunting enthusiasts eagerly awaited the appearance of Jim Burnworth of "Western Extreme," Keith Mark of "MacMillan River Adventures" and Ray Bunney of "Adventures Abroad." The symposium held Feb. 25 began with Burnworth, Mark and Bunney all sharing stories about their hunting experiences in North America and... Read more


Vaccine could protect against cervical cancer
Shari Lopatin, TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Cancer prevention comes in many forms: a healthy lifestyle, vaccines and routine screenings. All involve your ability to make healthy choices, but TriCare makes those choices even easier by covering a vaccine that protects against cervical cancer, as well as routine screenings for early detection. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 99 percent of cervical cancers are related to... Read more
Chaplain (Brig Gen) David Cyr, AF Deputy Chief of Chaplains, speaks at the Hill National Prayer Breakfast. (Alex R. LLoyd)


Chaplain Cyr: Our turn on the watch
Catherine McNally, Hilltop Times staff
"We need to pray more than ever before," Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) David Cyr, the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, said during this year's National Prayer Breakfast at Hill Air Force Base. "If you think about the needs of our nation, our globe -- we as individuals, we need God's divine intervention in our lives." As approximately 200 people gathered in Club Hill's ballroom on Feb. 24, Chaplain... Read more