55TH WING BIRTHDAY BALL 2009

Birthday Ball Invitation ( including meal selection and directions )	Tales of the 55th
Master of Ceremonies Dave Webber	Keynote Speaker LtGen (Retired) Walter E. Buchanan
Qwest Center, Omaha Map and Directions	Lodging Info Hilton    ***   Offutt AFB (402-294-3671)

The 55th Wing will hold its 31th annual Birthday Ball, Saturday, March 28, 2009 at the Qwest Center Omaha.  The gala event is open to all active duty ranks, retirees, and by invitation to community leaders. The Ball is the Wing’s largest annual formal social function. The event will be hosted by BrigGen James Jones, 55th Wing Commander, and his wife, Heidi. The Birthday Ball was originated by then-Colonel (now, BrigGen-Retired) Regis F. A. Urschler, commander of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, in January 1979. His idea was to connect the wing’s history and heritage to the active duty personnel and missions. That tradition continues even today. The Ball celebrates the 68th anniversary of the unit from its roots in the activation of the 55th Pursuit Group at Hamilton Field, CA, in January 1941, for World War II. Then its heritage through the 55th Reconnaissance Group, which stood up at MacDill Field, FL, in Strategic Air Command in February 1947; the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing from 1950 to 1992, at Barksdale AFB, LA, Ramey AFB, PR, Forbes AFB, KS, and Offutt AFB, NE; and up to the present. This year’s theme is “Heritage, Culture, Values” recognizing the heritage of the Wing and the men and women who perform the many and varied missions the Wing executes worldwide in support of both peacetime and in the war on terrorism. Major John Francolini of the 55th Maintenance Group leads the Ball Committee made up of personnel from a cross section of the Wing's Units The guest speaker will be Lt.Gen. (Retired) Walter E. Buchanan, former 9th Air Force Commander. Dave Webber, sports personality from WOW-TV in Omaha, will again act as the master of ceremonies for the event. Other items on the program include appropriate military ceremonies; induction of new members into the 55th Wing Hall of Fame; presentation of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW) Association Award for Excellence; and the traditional cutting of the birthday cake by the senior ranking member in attendance, and the youngest member of the Wing. There will be dancing after the ceremonies to wind up the evening. The Association donates $1000 each year to help defray the costs for lower ranking airmen. Bill Ernst and Max Moore represent the Association on the Ball committee. There is a tie-in with the Hilton Hotel just across the street from the Qwest. For reservations for Friday or Saturday, call 402-998-3400, mention the 55th Wing Annual Birthday Ball to get the event rate of $119 (plus taxes). To get the special rate, reservations must be made not later than March 6. Or, do the generic reservations and claim government rate and it goes for $99 (plus taxes).   “Tales of the 55th,” the tenth edition of an additional event associated with the Ball, takes place at 1630 (doors open at 1500) Friday, March 27th, in the CMSgt James M. McCoy Airmen Leadership School. Veterans of various periods of the Wing’s history will relate their personal experiences. The event is tri-sponsored by the 55th SRW Association, the Strategic Roost of the Association of Old Crows, and the Order of Dadaelians, and coordinated and emceed by Jim Thomas, president of the 55th Association. It is well attended by the senior wing staff and active duty troops, and has grown in each of the years it has been presented. This event is a must for out-of-towners who come to attend the Ball. It is informal and light refreshments will be available. A $3 donation at the door is requested.

Master of Ceremonies : Dave Webber                           Title: Sports Director                         WOWT Channel 6, Omaha One of the most familiar faces and voices in the Omaha community is that of  Sports Director Dave Webber. In demand as a speaker, emcee, and genial host, he's been a popular television figure in the area since 1978.  Dave started his broadcast career as a disc jockey for KLNG Radio,  and has also performed professionally as a folk singer. He joined KFAB Radio  in 1970 then moved to Sioux City in 1973 to cover sports news for KMEG-TV.  He returned to Omaha in 1977 to do the same for KMTV. After serving in the U.S. Air Force (he was a SAC Elite Guard) , Dave attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  He was born in Evanston, Illinois, is married with three children, David, Marcie, and Joel,  and enjoys singing, acting, and golf. Dave has been Sports Director for WOWT since 1978. He thinks sports reporting  is "fun", and that sense of fun comes through when he anchors the sports on the Channel 6 News at 6 and 10PM.

LIEUTENANT GENERAL WALTER E. BUCHANAN III Retired April 1, 2006.   Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan III is Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. The command comprises four wings in the eastern United States and four direct reporting units, with more than 350 aircraft and 24,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. He is also responsible for the operational readiness of 18 9th Air Force-gained National Guard and Air Force Reserve units comprising the Air Reserve component.  As the Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command, the general is responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 27-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa. General Buchanan, commissioned through the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1972, earned his pilot wings in August 1973 at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and began his flying career as a T-38 instructor pilot at Columbus AFB, Miss. In subsequent assignments he was assigned to Germany, Iceland, the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he served in numerous operational, command and staff positions. The general has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and joint task force levels, and was the Commander of Air Force Recruiting Service. His staff tours include assignments to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Headquarters Air Force, the Joint Staff, and as Deputy Director of Allied Command Europe Reaction Force Air Staff, NATO.  Prior to assuming his current duties, General Buchanan served as Deputy Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command, and the Commander of Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.  He conducted the day-to-day execution of air operations in support of the war in Afghanistan and enforcement of the southern no-fly zone over Iraq. As the Deputy Commander of Air Force Forces in Southwest Asia, he was responsible for the bed-down and provisioning of aircraft and Airmen in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom and remained the DCOMAFFOR throughout the major combat operations phase, playing a key role in the day-to-day planning and execution of airpower operations. During his two-and-a-half years as Combined Forces Air Component Commander and Commander of Air Force Forces, USCENTCOM, he was responsible for planning and executing airpower operations in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility. He provided airlift; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; search and rescue; and close air support for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom as well as Combined/Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.  The general is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flight hours. EDUCATION 1972 Bachelor of Science degree in life science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1978 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1979 Master's degree in management, Troy State University 1984 Distinguished graduate, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 1992 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 1997 Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 2001 National Security Leadership Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y. ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 1972 - August 1973, student pilot, Sheppard AFB, Texas 2. September 1973 - December 1973, T-38 instructor pilot training, Randolph AFB, Texas 3. January 1974 - September 1976, T-38 instructor pilot, 50th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss. 4. February 1977 - December 1979, OV-10 forward air controller and flight examiner, 704th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Sembach Air Base, West Germany 5. March 1980 - September 1980, F-4 pilot training, 308th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Homestead AFB, Fla. 6. October 1980 - June 1983, F-4 instructor pilot and flight commander, 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. 7. June 1983 - May 1984, flight commander and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Keflavik Naval Station, Iceland 8. June 1984 - June 1985, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 9. June 1985 - November 1987, action officer and Chief, Joint Doctrine Division, Headquarters TAC, Langley AFB, Va. 10. December 1987 - December 1988, AT-38 lead-in fighter training instructor pilot and operations officer, 433rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M. 11. December 1988 - October 1990, Commander, 436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M. 12. October 1990 - July 1991, Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations, 479th Tactical Training Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. 13. August 1991 - June 1992, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 14. July 1992 - April 1993, Commander, 48th Support Group, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England 15. April 1993 - June 1994, Vice Commander, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England 16. June 1994 - September 1995, Chief, Joint Operations Division, U.S. European Command and U.S. Central Command Branch, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 17. September 1995 - April 1996, Deputy for Current Plans, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 18. May 1996 - September 1997, Commander and Director, Air Force Recruiting Service, Randolph AFB, Texas 19. October 1997 - December 1998, Deputy Director, Allied Command Europe Reaction Force Air Staff, NATO, Kalkar, Germany 20. December 1998 - August 2000, Commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 21. September 2000 - October 2000, special assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 22. November 2000 - April 2002, Director of Operations and Training, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 23. April 2002 - July 2002, Commander, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, and Commander, 9th Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force Southwest Asia, U.S. Central Command, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Deputy Combined Forces Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command 24. July 2002 - May 2003, Deputy Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command; Commander, Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia; and Vice Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, U.S. Central Command, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia 25. August 2003 - April 2006, Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 3,800 Aircraft flown: F-15C/D/E, F-4, OV-10, AT-38B and T-38 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 7, 1972 First Lieutenant June 7, 1974 Captain June 7, 1976 Major Oct. 1, 1983 Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1986 Colonel Dec. 1, 1991 Brigadier General April 1, 1997 Major General July 1, 2000 Lieutenant General Oct. 1, 2003 (Current as of February 2006)

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