Warrior of the Week: Staff Sgt. Mark Hedge

#TeamTravis, as we enter wildfire season you may have seen news reports about PG&E Public Safety Shutoffs. Public Safety Shutoffs are preemptive/deliberate power outages during high heat, low humidity and high wind periods where the fire risk due to a downed power line is high. Currently, Travis AFB has been categorized as a Tier 1 fire risk, which is the most unlikely tier to be de-energized due to fire risk and we are currently NOT expecting to be affected by a public safety power shutoff. Should we receive a notification from PG&E of a public safety power shutoff we will provide notifications via AdHoc (PLEASE make sure you've updated your information on the new system) and Balfour Beatty's "One Call Now" service. Informally, we will also post our Facebook and Twitter (@Travis60AMW) feeds. Thank you and #NoBounds!

"It hasn’t always been this easy. I grew up in small-town east Texas and enlisted in the United States Air Force when Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) was alive and well. For many years, I experienced a great deal of societal pressure to quell a fundamental part of myself in order to succeed. As a young Airman, I never felt completely relaxed, almost as if I had to keep looking over my shoulder, and the paranoia of losing my career–my livelihood–prohibited me from fully engaging with my new Air Force family. I don’t need to tell you about how deeply loneliness and feelings of alienation can affect a person. It ultimately led me to self-report suicidal ideations because I couldn’t find a way to reconcile being a service member and being gay. If it wasn’t for the few allies who believed I belonged in the our Air Force, despite my identity, I’m not sure where I’d be. Those leaders carried me through my turbulent, formative years until I was able to finally breathe. Though throughout that time I made my fair share of mistakes, and certainly gave my supervisor some unique challenges, I was gifted with the opportunity to show the Air Force my cards as an 11-month formal investigation into my sexual identity was terminated following the complete repeal of DADT. On September 20, 2011, I skipped throughout my building high-fiving everyone I saw without saying a word as to why. I have been high-fiving as many Airmen I can every September 20th since then. It’s my own special holiday. I had won… but what was I to do with myself now? The universe had given me a chance to become a whole new Airman and I decided that I wasn’t going to waste it. Since then, I’ve strived to be the best Airman I can be. I volunteered to serve as a Military Training Instructor, I’ve helped organize several military Pride month events, and I’ve sincerely tried to live up to our Core Values. The freedom to be who I am has given me the freedom to fly, fight, and win. I will never forget, nor be able to completely thank, all of the people who helped get me here. However, more importantly, I will never stop advocating for the importance of diversity and acceptance in our Air Force because I know what both sides of that spectrum can do to a person. Pride month isn’t about celebrating individual preferences. It’s about celebrating inclusiveness and how when we practice it, it makes us all better versions of ourselves. We are a mightier Air Force when we show our Pride." —Tech. Sgt. Shannon Ouimet-Amaro, 60th Air Mobility Wing executive assistant to the command chief #HumansOfTravis #LoveIsLove #Pride2019 #🏳️‍🌈

Travis leadership: Happy #NationalDoughnutDay, #TeamTravis! Can't wait to finally have that Dunkin' on base, huh? The rest of base:

Martinez-native Jake Larson was only 21 when he stormed Omaha Beach on #DDay. Back then, his unit had a motto: “To the last man.” Now, 75 years later, Jake is the last man—the last surviving member of that unit, and if becoming so has passed to him a single nugget of wisdom, it’s this: “Freedom isn’t free.” Read more about Jake’s revisiting of Omaha Beach in the article below.

The events of #DDay were a testament to the strength and resolve of this nation. For those who survived the invasion, Omaha Beach represents both a reminder of those they’ve lost and a promise to preserve their memory. With the help of virtual reality, join them as they recount the events of that fateful day. #BecauseOfThem

75 years ago, the U.S. military, along with other Allied nations, enacted one of the most ambitious amphibian assaults in history. Today, we celebrate the courage and sacrifice of the service members who invaded Normandy on #DDay, and whose actions still stand as one of the most impressive rebukes of evil in human memory. #BecauseOfThem

Sometimes the best part of the #TravisLife is what's (literally) beneath our feet! #NorthernCalifornia has a brilliant assortment of wildlife and flora—even right in your front yard. What makes the #TravisLife sweet for you? Show us in the comments!

A lot of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) readiness exercises start with a single "what if" question. In the case of #NorthernEdge, that question was "What if the Indo-Pacific were to suffer a crisis?" The answer involves about 10 million pounds of fuel 😳 Read more about it below!

Rapid global mobility wouldn't happen without these beautiful #TTails or the maintainers and crew that keep them in the air. Happy #TTailTuesday, Team Travis. #NoBounds #ProudToBeAMC #TeamTravis #FindAWayOrMakeOne #MilitaryLife #AirForce #Maintainer

A lot of things can fit into a C-5M Super Galaxy! That's why when Los Angeles Air Force Base, Home of Space and Missile Systems Center asked us if we could load the latest Advanced Extremely High Frequency - 5 satellite, we gladly obliged and shot this cool timelapse. #NoBounds For more info on the AEHF system, visit: https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/249024/advanced-extremely-high-frequency-system/ NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Happy Birthday to the man, the myth, the legend... Clint Eastwood turns 89 today! He served in the U.S. Army and at 21 years old he had a brush with death when the plane he was on went down off the California coast near Point Reyes National Seashore. Eastwood and the Captain made it the two to three miles to shore after the U.S. Navy AD-1 Skyraider crashed into the ocean.

#CaptionThis! From Military Fresh Network

#tbt to May 2014 when Travis got its first introduction to FRED. #DidYouKnow the cargo compartment of the C-5M is big enough to fit an eight-lane bowling alley? #TheMoreYouKnow #BougieButNotThatBougie #NoBounds

🎶 We just took a DNA test turns out we're 100%... America's finest mobility force 🎶 We can't carry as good a tune as Lizzo, but we can for sure carry whatever payload is needed at a moment's notice. #GoodAsHell #NoBounds

“Hopping.” It’s what bunnies do. Or, if you’re an enterprising DoD card-holder with aspirations of travel, it can be your way of checking out some of the world’s best vacation hotspots...for FREE! Check out the video below for some “hopping” pointers.

Exciting new changes are taking place within Phoenix Horizon, AMC's company grade officer leadership and force development program. Click on the link below to find out more. https://www.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1855452/amc-expands-junior-officer-force-development-program/fbclid/IwAR3L-VFvea218JaNQRsvwyQ3SwabuUesjhCoDRLNgDoiqwqXgKAvqW7N3Ww/

"Hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave." Today's #TTailTuesday is brought to you by these couple of outbound beauties. Show us your favorite T-tail photo in the comments! #NoBounds #ProudToBeAMC #LookingGood

Are you doing the #MurphChallenge today? Named for Lt. Michael Murphy who gave his life in the performance of his duties in Afghanistan, the “Murph” stands as the definitive physical tribute to those who’ve fought and died for our freedom here and overseas. If you are, comment the name of who you’re remembering this Memorial Day. #RememberTheFallen

As Memorial Day weekend begins, enjoy the cookouts, relaxation and hanging with family and friends, but be sure to take time to remember the heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice to make the moments we enjoy this weekend possible. #WeRemember #NeverForget

When we’re foot-stomping the same stuff we were foot-stomping seven years ago, you know it’s real. Today’s #fbf reminds you to hydrate, especially during these critical days of Summer. Check out the article for more tips on staying cool ahead of this season’s rising temperatures. #HydrateOrDie #TeamTravis

“Open up and say ‘ahhhh!’” Our C-5M Super Galaxies are more than #TeamTravis workhorses, they’re United States Air… https://t.co/lBXZlRCDQ6

RT @AirmanMagazine: That's what friends are for😎 A @usairforce KC-10 Extender crew from @Travis60AMW gave fuel to the @BlueAngels' F-18 Ho…

Happy Friday #TeamTravis #NoBounds #FridayVibes #USAF https://t.co/KgmueMh3yT

RT @US_TRANSCOM: Will it fit? Check out @USMC Marines working with @AirMobilityCmd Airmen from @Travis60AMW loading Marine vehicles at @MCI…

RT @AirMobilityCmd: #TankerThirst has no curfew. A C-17 Globemaster III lines up to gets some fresh #FreedomJuice from a KC-10 Extender ove…

#TeamTravis, @PGE4Me is conducting a power shut-off tomorrow at 4 a.m. in response to an increased risk of wildfir… https://t.co/qDOZIHva3t

The @USArmy & @USMC like making fun of #AirForcePT, but we don't see them breaking bench press world records... Con… https://t.co/bnjlN4yiC0

#DidYouKnow the tail height of a C-5M is over six stories tall? Which means if you're not capitalizing the "T" in y… https://t.co/AYjT347Dyx

RT @AirMobilityCmd: How about some #MondayMotivation? Nothing like the sound of freedom ringing from numerous C-130s, KC-135s, C-17s, and K…

RT @AirMobilityCmd: @usairforce Senior Airman Shaheem Osborne loads a C-17 Globemaster from the 60th Air Mobility Wing @Travis60AMW! They’r…

#ICYMI, CMSAF Kaleth O. Wright visited #TeamTravis this past week and had the chance to drop some truth bombs on us… https://t.co/AYTi5nShAF

.@cmsaf18 spoke with #TeamTravis today... “What are you doing each day to make your unit better?” https://t.co/QBED5beKrt

S/o to @JBLM_PAO for breaking through that Washington fog to bring the HEAT to #MobilityGuardian19 and snagging thi… https://t.co/lVZMfOg8sG

RT @AirMobilityCmd: #Mobilty #Airmen will move heaven and earth to keep America’s promises to its service members. Check out this story of…

RT @AFWERX: Check out this partnership between @Travis60AMW's Phoenix Spark Cell, 22nd Airlift Squadron, and @sketchbox3d, a #virtualrealit…

RT @AirForceMag: THIS JUST IN FROM #ASC19: @AirMobilityCmd this year is flying 15% more sorties than it did about three years ago—albeit wi…

RT @vacareporter: Travis maintains combat readiness https://t.co/szd62JEIKX

RT @KCRAdapper: "It brings out the blue in us... we bleed blue in the Air Force and it makes me proud to know the base is coming together."…

Good mooooorrnning, #TeamTravis! We don’t know about y’all, but #Thursday has never looked better. Have a great day… https://t.co/94QC2wfTG2

RT @vacareporter: A Travis Air Force Base KC-10 Extender is silhouetted the colors of the rising sun as crews prepare to take part in #Mobi…