Team Vance continues to shine Published Jan. 18, 2007 By Col Mike Callan 71st Flying Training Wing Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- Team Vance-you continue to shine! Let me begin by congratulating 22 of Team Vance's Senior Airmen to the NCO corps for their recent promotion selection to SSgt. The USAF averaged a promotion selection rate of 41percent BUT ours was at 48percent of our eligible population-WOW. Your hard work and commitment to excellence was identified by your supervisors and commanders and your potential for greater responsibility has now been recognized by our USAF-congratulations and we very much enjoyed celebrating this career accomplishment with you at the Vance Club on Wednesday afternoon. Next, yesterday's Medical Group change of command ceremony was great. We said goodbye to a Team Vance lifetime member (Col Jim Calhoun) and his family as they travel to Travis AFB, Calif. and tackle new challenges for our USAF. Jim, Pam, Nicole and Michael will be BIG TIME missed but we thank them for their dedication to making our Med Group the "best" in our USAF. Ann, Col Wade Johnson, Kathy and I were blessed to have you on the team-we wish the entire Calhoun family safe travels (especially on that Harley) and know you are always welcome at Vance AFB. We welcome Col Jim McCafferty and his wife Mary to the team and know your tour as the 71 Medical Group commander will be the highlight of your USAF career-please take time to welcome them to Vance AFB. Let me again thank ALL of you for your professionalism during Maj Gen Ellis's trip to our wonderful base last week. Col Johnson and I appreciate you "crossing the Ts and dotting the Is" for General Ellis and his wife Sydney, who were VERY impressed. A special thanks to Lt Janelle Feige, Suzette Yadali and our valued Dyncorp staff for their 24/7 support during this visit-it paid off and the base looked GREAT. We again are going to fly this Saturday to give hundreds of USAF ROTC cadets orientation rides in our T-37s. Hopefully the weather will cooperate, and they'll enjoy their rides without having too many "upset stomachs." I know they'll be impressed by our IPs, our maintenance personnel and our base to motivate them enough to continue doing great in college and join our USAF in the years to come. Finally, our weather continues to run the spectrum-thunderstorms, lightning and mega-rain followed by periods of extreme heat and wind. No matter what Mother Nature throws at us, let's stay vigilant. Keep hydrated, use sunscreen, stay inside when possible and watch out for your wingman. I continue to be impressed by your safe approach (both on and off duty) to everything you do BUT don't let down your guard. Be safe in ALL you do, fly safe on tomorrow's ROTC orientation rides and enjoy your weekend.