Hilltop Times – Hill Air Force Base Weekly Newspaper Since 1948

The base's third annual "See Me, Save Me" motorcycle safety campaign is set to begin with a motorcycle ride on Wednesday, June 13. The campaign aims to encourage motor vehicle operators to be on the lookout for motorcycles on the road.

"Motorists aren't used to seeing motorcycles on the road during the winter months, but with warmer weather more and more motorcyclists are taking to the roads and people need to start looking specifically for motorcycles when driving," said Allan Woods from Hill's safety office.

Small business is really big business for Utah's largest single-site employer. That was the takeaway from Hill Air Force Base's small business awards ceremony held Oct. 25.

During the event, several hundred people gathered to recognize base organizations, employees and small business contractors for their outstanding support during the past year.

The wait is almost over for the opening of the new Child Development Center.

Construction of a new $10.3 million Child Development Center on base is projected to be finished in December and officially opened in February 2012.

"There are 261 children currently enrolled at the existing CDC," said Toni Hansen, Chief of Airman and Family Services. "The new facility will have a capacity for about 256 more children, which means those on the waiting list and others interested in on-base childcare can begin enrollment."

Who can use the CDC?

A ceremony to showcase the closure of one era and the beginning of another for Hill AFB's military family housing will take place at 2 p.m. on March 9.

Base officials along with Boyer Hill Military Housing will mark the event with the demolition of the last of two remaining 1960s-vintage homes located at 3210 Liberty St. in the base's Capehart housing area.

The event will be followed by an open house featuring the newest generation of on-base homes available for military members and their families.

After a rigorous 12-day evaluation, Team Hill received its Operational Readiness Inspection results on Monday. 

Inspectors from Air Force Materiel Command and Air Combat Command were here Oct. 28 through Nov. 8 to evaluate the base on its ability to deploy, respond to contingency situations, and survive and operate in a wartime environment.

It's been several years in the making, but the $1.4 billion privately funded aerospace research park planned for construction on Hill Air Force Base's west side is set to begin on the first building.

A deal signed last week between private developer Sunset Ridge Development Partners and Northrop Grumman could allow ground breaking to begin as early as October.

More than 130 golfers gathered for the 11th annual Commander's Cup Golf Tournament at Hill's Hubbard Memorial Golf Course on Tuesday.

The tournament, which is sponsored each year by the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah, benefits the Hill Aerospace Museum, and tournament organizers said this year's event was as successful as ever.

Lighting flashed across northern Utah last week when the Air Force announced it selected Hill Air Force Base as a "preferred alternative" for operational basing of the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter.

If selected, the 388th Fighter Wing and 419th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB could expect to be the first operational units in the Air Force to fly the fighter as early as 2013.

Hill's "How Low Can We Go" energy saving campaign was a success, according to officials from 75th Civil Engineer Squadron energy management office.

The energy saving initiative, which was implemented over the July 4 holiday break, asked base employees to ensure all unnecessary energy-using equipment was turned off or unplugged before leaving for the extended weekend.

"Comparing this year's usage to previous Independence Day holiday weekends it was apparent Team Hill stepped up to the plate," said Dave Abbott, the base's utility manager.

Going green isn't just a fad; it's a way of life.