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
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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-
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