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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2002)
Page A3 August 21,2002 Air Guard Commander con tin u ed tage o f the things you have control o v er,” Dean said. “Som etim es that m eans not going to a party.” D ean has logged over 4,000 hours Hying m ilitary aircraft and has earned many aw ards and decorations. He said flying je ts is exhilarating, but also a tricky business. “W e’re so focused on our m is sions,” he explained. “H alf a second in our business can m ean the d iffer ence betw een life and death.” The F - 15 is a single-pilot airplane. The je t’s fliers are said to possess a "perishable skill.” The profession is very tough, but Dean says, "T here’s a lot o f team w ork and cam araderie." Dean often talks to youth, inspired by his story, that w ant to becom e p ilo ts th e m se lv e s, but are o v e r w helm ed with the perceived com plex ity o f the job. “You've got a hundred buttons in the je t’s cockpit, but yo u 're looking from the outside in. There will be train ing. O ne step at a time, that’s what I tell kids, as you learn, it all comes together.” Col. Garry Dean stands next to an Air National Guard fighter jet. Sept. 11 Tested Portland Fighter Pilots con tin u ed fro m F ront path. A discrepancy betw een the pilot and air traffic controllers proved to be the problem . T he pas senger je t w as escorted to a safe landing by the Portland-based F- 15 ’ s in V ancou ver B.C. But the range o f the air w in g ’s m ission extends w orldw ide. P residential orders have d e ployed local pilots m ore than once to the M iddle East. The wing w as fired on by enem y a rtille ry as p a rt o f ‘S o u th ern Every other group has been compensated for the wrongs done against them. Africans in America — we are the only ones who haven’t. —jakiMungai fro m F ront Integrity is also essential to the p rocess. " Be truthful and honest,” D ean ad- vises asp in n g pilots, “I’d be scared if I cheated.” For a tough flying pilot and w ell- respected base com m ander. D ean re m ains approachable. He flashes a friendly sm ile with ease, and m ain tains a positive sense o f hum or. He is a m an that has happily found him self and his identity through service to the community. A self-described C hristian, D ean says that helping people is his per sonal goal. "This is what I’m supposed to be doing. I feel that spiritually," Dean said. D ea n 's schedule is hectic. In ad d i tion to base duties over 8 days a m onth. D ean tallies 14 days a month as a pilot for Delta Airlines, flying first officer on a M D -11. T o achieve this level o f success, D ean says it is im portant to get o ut side the com fort zone. "D oing things you d o n ’t necessarily w ant to do, th a t’s w here real grow th takes place,” he said. "W hat you put into it is w hat you get out o f it.” the g u ard ’s highest rank. “ Increasing the diversity o f the unit w ill m ake us stronger,” Dean said. He said the guard is also trying to take the lead w ith m ore w om en in com m and positions. “N obody here w ill pull you dow n,” D ean s a id ." H ere, we will tell you, you can do it. If y o u ’re willing to make the sacrifice, we will m ake you successful. “W hat I have isn’t for me, it’s for sharing w ith people," D ean adds, “I feel I w as put here for a reason.” W atch,’ patrolling the no fly zone ov er southern Iraq. D ean described the m ission as “ju s t a part o f the business.” T he base com m ander says the core and strength o f the N ational G uard lies in being “com m unity b a se d ” . H e says to d a y ’s guard is not the closed-door society o f the 50s, 60s, and 70s. H e said the m ilitary service is becom ing m ore diverse, citing Lt. G en. D aniel Jam es III, an A frican A m erican com m ander w ho holds Slavery Compensation Called Long Overdue con tin u ed fro m F ront METRO AUTO WHOLESALE TH E FINANCING SPECIALIST” Metro Auto Wholesale 7238 SE Foster Rd. Portland, OR 97206 (503) 317-3049 V built this country o ff the free labor o f our ances to rs.” T he reparations m ovem ent has gained m om en tum in the past year. E arlier this year, a group o f slave descendants Jaki M ungai o f Philadelphia cal led the rally “a dream th a t’s starting to com e true.” “Every other group has been com pensated for sued three com panies, claim ing the com panies— the w rongs done against them. Africans in America or their corporate predecessors — unjustly prof — w e are the only ones w ho h av en ’t,” said ited from slavery. T he R eparations C oordinating C om m ittee, M ungai, w ho heard about the rally on the radio and decided to jo in in. w hich includes m any prom inent attorneys and Ken M cDouall o f Durham, N.C., one o f a hand scholars, is w orking on a separate law suit against ful o f w hites at the rally, said the reparations issue the federal governm ent. “cuts to the core o f the history o f injustice o f T hose at the rally said it w as tim e for action. America.” “T hey ow e us. I w ant ju stice,” said A ntoinette “A m erica likes to pretend there are equal rights H arrell-M iller, w ho drove 19 hours from New for everyone but look at the history o f black O rleans with her husband D ennis to attend. “They people,” M cD ouall said. State Fair Displays September 11 Wreckage Gnarled metal provides context to terrorist attacks (A P ) — V isitors at the O regon State Fair in firefighters G ert Z outendijk o f the Lake O sw ego Salem will have an opportunity to touch w reckage Fire D epartm ent and Bob H am m er, a retired m em from the W orld T rade C enter and Pentagon at a ber o f the Salem Fire D epartm ent, to pick up the hands-on m em orial put together by several local salvaged steel. fire districts. In the w eeks since their return, O 'N e il and A m ass o f m etal gnarled by heat and destruc Hammer, along with Ron Rosgen o f Marion County tion is the m em orial ’ s centerpiece, to be m ounted Fire D istrict No. 1, have been w elding, grinding, on a trailer for better m obility. A dditional features cutting and shaping the w reckage at a shop o ut include art w ork and rem ovable display panels side Salem. providing context to the w reckage and the nam es o f all o f the victim s. " So where's the free? “T here are no projects that are as em otional as this,” H am m er said. It's at Washington Mutual. Where free checking means exactly that. No hidden fees or service Lt. Bill O 'N e il o f the M arion C ounty Fire D is A fter the fair, the m em orial is scheduled to be charges. No required minimum balance. No mandatory minimum deposit. No fee for cancelled trict No. 1 spearheaded the effort to m ake the displayed in Portland at Lloyd Center mall for a few checks. Free access to tellers and customer service telephone lines. Free 24/7 access to your account m em orial, raising about $10,000 in cash and in- w eeks. E ventually it will be on perm anent display kind donations. at the firefighters Regional T raining Facility in “People w ill be able to touch the w reckage, but Brooks. they w o n ’t be able to w alk aw ay w ith it," O ’Neil The firefighters were granted right s to the Ground said. “T h e y ’ll be able to see it from all angles and Zero wreckage after agreeing to the conditions that see all the pieces." the material not be used for personal profit or in a He drove cross-country in June w ith fellow manner that is disrespectful, O 'N eil said. I at our ATM's. Even a free VISA check card. So if you've been wondering where's the free in your so- called "free" checking account, come to Washington Mutual. Were where it's at. For the location nearest to you call 1 8 0 0 788 70 0 0 Q Washington M utual W here free checkin g really m eans free. FDIC Insured 1
