Truckin on

Dedicated to the Men and Women

of
AF Vehicle Operations & Maintenance Past, Present, and Future

1 Aug 2015

Special Points of Interest:

Airman passes on knowledge to

CAP cadets: PG 1-2

Joint VOps training at Barksdale:

PG 3

Airman passes on knowledge to

Civil Air Patrol cadets
By Airman 1st Class Zackary A. Henry, 18th Wing Public Affairs / July 04, 2015

Inside this issue:

From Battlefield to Boneyard

PG 4 - 5

Government Fleet Top News

PG 5

HDT Trucking Info

PG 6

Automotive Fleet

PG 6

Truck Yeah! . Jalopnik

PG 7

Los Angeles Daily News

Transportation

PG 8

The Science of MPG

PG 9 -10

Rusted Treasures

PG 11

Strategic Air Command

PG 12
Senior Airman Chance Sheek (right), an 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operator,
teaches a young cadet in the Civil Air Patrol how to use a compass on Kadena Air Base, Japan,
June 26, 2015. Sheek is now a first lieutenant in the CAP and is held responsible for ground
emergency training such as search and rescue. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Zackary A.
Henry)

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- (This feature is part of the " Through
Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman,
highlighting their Air Force story.)
As a first lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol on Kadena Air Base, Chance Sheek is an
emergency services training officer, communications officer, and he oversees all of
the cadet training. But during the weekday, he is a senior airman assigned to the
18th Logistics Readiness Squadron working as a vehicle operations vehicle
operator.
Chance first became interested in the Civil Air Patrol when he was 15 years old with
hopes to one day learn how to fly a plane. Shortly after joining, he set out on a
ground search and rescue mission and his interest in flying quickly changed.

Visit: www.spiritof45.org

"The Civil Air Patrol's ground emergency team conducts over 85 percent of all
search and rescue missions in the continental U.S.," said Todd McLain, the Kadena
Civil Air Patrol leader. "Those missions include things like downed aircraft and lost
hikers, but they also have a hand in disaster relief and support missions as well as
homeland security with the border control."
Continued on PG 2

Disclaimer: Truckin On is an unofficial newsletter published every month in the interest of serving Air Force active duty, civilian and retired vehicle operations
and maintenance personnel. Articles submitted by its contributors are not to be considered official statements by the U.S. Air Force.

Airman passes on knowledge to

Civil Air Patrol cadets
"I just had to realize that I wasn't the first to fail training for
pararescue and I will not be the last," Sheek said. "It's the
moments after that I feel are the most important. I gave up once
and it was a wake-up call."
Upon completion of his technical training, Sheek went on to his
first duty station at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Shortly
after arriving, he rejoined the CAP. As an active-duty service
member, Sheek was immediately promoted into the adult officer
ranks.
As an officer in the CAP, it was Sheek's responsibility to guide
the cadets. He is able to take from his past experience and life
lessons to better teach them.

Senior Airman Chance Sheek, an 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron

vehicle operations vehicle operator, stands next to forklifts he works with
every day on Kadena Air Base, Japan, June 29, 2015. During the week,
Sheek does anything from driving around distinguished visitors to
loading trucks, but as a member of the Civil Air Patrol, he leads cadets
through search and rescue exercises and teaches them skills like using
compasses, land navigation, radio usage and basic medical skills (U.S. Air
Force photo/Airman 1st Class Zackary A. Henry)

While stationed at Altus, Sheek found a way to use the skills

and ambition he learned from pararescue and used that passion
to receive his emergency ground team leader certification. As
part of his certification, Sheek had to perform multiple search
and rescue tactics and basic first aid, such as wound dressing
and splints.

"I chose emergency services because it was fun," Sheek said.

"In a small unit, carrying some gear with a few other volunteers
Sheek stayed an active member of CAP up until he learned that and at such a young age, I could help save a life. I don't think
a few friends in his flight were going to an Air Force Pararescue there is a better feeling."
Orientation Course. It peaked Sheek's interest and after Just a short year later, Sheek received orders to Kadena Air
investigating, he decided he wanted to become an Air Force Base, Japan, as a vehicle operator. After arriving, he quickly
pararescueman.
discovered there was an overseas CAP unit and joined as soon
as he could.
Within one month Sheek had spoken with a recruiter, taken all
necessary tests for special operations, and signed his Sheek uses those skills from pararescue training to lead cadets
through search and rescue exercises and teaches the cadets
enlistment contract.
skills like using compasses, land navigation, radio usage and
A couple of months later, after graduating high school, Sheek
basic medical skills.
graduated basic military training and went on to begin his
pararescueman training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Since joining the CAP unit at Kadena AB, Sheek earned a
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for his work with
Texas.
the CAP and as a lifeguard at a local pool.
After pushing his mind and body through four of the most
"I believe a part of why he is doing so well in the Air Force (are)
intense weeks of his life, Sheek had self-eliminated.
the skills and lessons he learned as a CAP cadet," McLain said.
"If you want to know a terrible feeling, look at your team and tell
"He is a very good leader, loves to get involved and hands-on,
them you quit," Sheek said. "Even though they are sucking it up,
and he has a wealth of knowledge. It's what makes him a hard
you look at them and you're just like, 'I am done, I can't handle
worker."
anymore.'"
Sheek said his time in the CAP program is nowhere near its
After self-eliminating, Sheek became a student waiting
end; it has been a lifelong passion for him and he plans on
retraining, but he didn't take this time off. While awaiting his
continuing to give back to the program that has helped him out
reclassification, Sheek became a black rope for a drill team and
so much through his life and career as an Airman.
went on to lead the team in competition as well.
"It's really great getting to pass on your knowledge," Sheek said.
After receiving his reclassification instructions, Sheek went on to
"You pass on that experience and you get to see a young quiet
his next technical training for vehicle operations at Fort Leonard
cadet who was too shy to even speak at first, start testing for
Wood, Missouri. While there, he again stepped up to another
rank, passing physical training tests, and taking (the) lead on
leadership position and became a yellow rope, earning two
programs, it's extremely rewarding."
letters of acknowledgement.
2

Joint Vehicle Ops Training at Barksdale

Reservists ride alongside Vehicle Ops Airmen

by Airman 1st Class Curt Beach
2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
6/18/2015 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Five
reserve Airmen assigned to the 403rd Logistics Readiness
Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, came to
Barksdale for real-world training with 2nd LRS vehicle operations
Airmen here June 1-15.

Tech. Sgt. James Baggott, 403rd Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle

control officer from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and Staff Sgt. John
McCaw, 2nd LRS vehicle operator, secure a wheel of a pickup truck on
Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 12, 2015. When P5 deployment tempos
begin October 1, 2015, 2nd LRS is anticipating a significant manpower
loss, so it's critical to have capable, experienced people ready to ensure
the mission moves forward. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Curt
Beach)

This annual, two-week tour arms the reservists with necessary

skills and knowledge on vehicles and equipment their home
station doesn't have available.
Working together with Barksdale Airmen, they received training
on vehicle recovery, wreckers, towing vehicles, tractor trailers
and documenting cargo operations.
"The goal is to see how we assimilate with the total force," said
Capt. Fiona Pham, 2nd LRS deployment and distribution flight
commander. "This tour gets the reservists important training they
need and lets us know what we need to have in place for
back-filling."
Tech. Sgt. James Baggott, 403rd Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle
control officer from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., secures a pickup truck to
a 20-ton wrecker on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 12, 2015. Baggott
was one of five reserve Airmen to come to Barksdale for two weeks as part
of an annual tour for training with the 2nd LRS vehicle operations Airmen.
(U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Curt Beach)

When P5 deployment tempos begin October 1, 2nd LRS is

anticipating a significant manpower loss, so it's critical to have
capable, experienced people ready to fill the gaps.

"When these deployments kick off, the [B-52s] will be staying,

people will be going, but the mission must go on," said Pham.
"We know there will be guys like these who will be ready to hit
"We've received the opportunity to do a lot of hands-on training the ground running."
here," said Staff Sgt. John Simmons, 403rd LRS safety
representative.
Editors Note: I reprinted this article as it was written,
"Some of the things the active duty Airmen do on a daily basis
are things we only get to do once a month. It's the kind of
training you hope to get on an annual tour. We need to be
deployment-ready at all times, and this tour helps us to be at that
level."

and in its entirety; however, it has been reformatted

due to space limitations. To view the original story, and
one additional photo, see: Reservists.

Unit trains to dispose of America's military In an effort to show this little known but clearly in demand unit, a
demonstration of just what the disposition team does was
leftovers
by Chuck Carlson
Battle Creek Enquirer / June 18, 2015

opened to the media Thursday morning at the Battle Creek Air

National Guard Base.
In fact, a new group of volunteers was being put through its
paces, charged with breaking down a collection of equipment
they might face anywhere in the world the team is deployed.
"This is their final training," said Lt. Col. Tim Bunnell, who has
been assigned to the unit for 31/2 years.

Civilian and military personal rack up shredded ammunition cans at the Air
National Guard Base in Battle Creek Thursday. (Photo: Al Lassen/For the
Enquirer)

It's called a Mine Resistance Ambush Protected vehicle more Lawrence McNinch, exercise site chief, explains the process of cutting up
commonly known as an MRAP in the pantheon of endless a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle Thursday. (Photo: Al Lassen/
For the Enquirer)
military acronyms and it's a fearsome piece of machinery.
Designed and built to withstand the improvised explosive
devices that hounded American soldiers in the early years of the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they were so successful that the
Department of Defense ordered thousands of them.

Bunnell said the trainees spent two weeks in Battle Creek, one
working the technical side of disposal and the other the more
practical side where they can use torches and other gear to
actually cut up equipment.

Then the wars, as they always must, wound down, and

America's military no longer needed the MRAP.
"They cost $600,000 to $700,000 each and we ordered a ton of
them," said Jake Joy, spokesman for Defense Logistics Agency
Disposition Services based at the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal
Center. "Now we have more than we need and a lot of them
have been cut up. It's more cost-effective than bringing them
back."
Indeed, when conflicts around the world that involve America
end, somebody has to clean up what remains, and that's what
the disposition service, made up of both civilian and military
volunteers, do.
"From paper clips to war ships, we dispose of it for the military,"
said Mike Cannon, a retired Air Force colonel who has been
Military personnel cuts a portion of a military vehicle apart as part of the
director of the agency since November.
Disposition Services project Thursday at the Air National Guard Base in

And that includes the MRAPs, which can be reduced to 16 by Battle Creek. (Photo: Al Lassen/For the Enquirer)
16-foot chunks of metal in eight hours by an experienced
two-man crew.

Continued on PG 5
4

Continued from PG 4

Unit trains to dispose of America's military In fact, on the base's flight line, an array of objects that needed
to be cut up included old computers and monitors, several sets
leftovers
of washers and dryers and several exercise bikes.
Cannon said the bikes might seem an innocuous enough item to
leave behind in a conflict zone.
"But bad guys in Afghanistan or Iraq could use the timers from
the bikes for bombs, so it must be removed and destroyed," said
Cannon, who added the unit does not deal with classified
paperwork or radioactive material. "Those are the little things
you don't think about."
But, as was made all-too clear recently, even this unit
understands that danger lurks everywhere.
Krissie Davis, an Alabama native and a civilian disposition unit
member, was killed June 8 during an indirect fire attack on
Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Another was wounded.
"It's not without its hazards," said Cannon, who said currently 18
Civilian and military personal throw used ammunition cans into the grinder civilians and 25 military members are deployed around the
as part of the Disposition Services project at the Air National Guard Base in world, and others are awaiting their assignments.
Battle Creek Thursday. (Photo: Al Lassen/For the Enquirer)

That includes Clair Correa, a California native who has been

The disposition service team, which consists of 450 volunteers training in Battle Creek.
both civilian and military and can be deployed anywhere in
"I love providing the help that's needed," said Correa, who said
the world to clean up and cart away whatever the United States
she will likely deploy next year to either Afghanistan, Iraq or
military no longer needs. And the military uses a lot of stuff.
Kuwait. "Whatever they bring in, we have to take out and I like
Joy said the goal is to find as many places to sell or give away that."
used equipment as possible. But in the end, millions of tons of
used material is turned into scrap metal and sold. "We don't
leave anything behind," he said.
H e wle t t-P ac ka r d Co mpa n y

managing public sector

vehicles & equipment

The Struggle to Find Good Technicians

June 2015, Government Fleet - Cover Story

by Thi Dao
Many fleet managers say one of the biggest challenges is in finding
qualified technicians for their operation. Public fleet maintenance is
not a well-known profession, and unfortunately, for those who do
know about it, its not known as a well-paid profession. What it
does offer, however, is stability and benefits. Or, at least, thats
what most people think.

Photo courtesy of iStockPhoto.com

However, in a survey of public sector technicians, some are saying

the public sector is not the secure environment it used to be.see
full story at: Technicians.
5

Articles contributed by Dan Berlenbach, CMSgt (Ret/2T1)

The SuperTruck team was organized into eight different
workstreams, each emphasizing different areas of the vehicle,
including engine, aerodynamics, powertrain integration, energy
management, parasitic losses, weight reduction, waste heat
recovery and hybrid, according to Derek Rotz, principal
investigator for DTNAs SuperTruck project. Each workstream
was given explicit efficiency goals to meet, so that the overall
SuperTruck would reach or exceed the 50% goal.

With a 115% freight efficiency improvement and 12.2 mpg, the DTNA
team had to pull out all the stops to turn its goals into realities. Photos:
Stephane Babcock

Daimler's SuperTruck Revealed

Each of these global Daimler teams focused its energies on

getting the most out of its platform to create a truck that would
not only meet the DOEs expectations, but drive right past
them. The teams started off spending a considerable amount of
time using computational tools for analysis and detailed 3-D
modeling. According to Rotz, this made the preliminary stages
faster and more cost effective than building and testing
prototype vehicles.

They investigated several innovative and unconventional

concepts, and we took integration to an entirely new level,
by Stephane Babcock
Rotz says. The vehicle was essentially proven out in the
When Daimler Trucks North America set to work meeting the digital world before physical prototypes were built, which gave
U.S. Department of Energys SuperTruck program goal of a us an increased sense of confidence that the target on the final
50% improvement in freight efficiency, it started off with a clean SuperTruck would be met.
sheet actually, eight of them.
Editors Note: This article is abbreviated due to space
limitations.see full story at: SuperTruck.
June 2015, TruckingInfo.com - Feature

The car and truck fleet and leasing

management magazine

Video: Video Tech Improves Visibility Around

Trucks

The system uses a wireless camera attached to the front of the

truck to generate a live video image on the rear of the truck.
Samsung has tested the system in Argentina, which has many
two-lane roads.
The system is designed to give drivers a better view when
deciding whether to pass a big commercial truck, Samsung
said.
Though the prototype truck is no longer operational, the
company is pleased that preliminary tests verified that the
technology works.

The next step is to perform the corresponding tests in order to

comply with the existing national protocols and obtain the
necessary permits and approvals, according to the blog. For
Samsung Safety Truck Tested in Argentina
Samsung recently tested video-based safety technology that this, Samsung is working together with safe driving NGOs and
allows drivers behind a semi-trailer truck to see whats ahead the government.
of the truck, according to a company blog.
June 23, 2015

. JALOPNIK
It Just Got A Lot Easier To Own a Surplus Military Hummer
6/23/15

Andrew P Collins

GovPlanet has been auctioning off surplus military Hummers to

the masses for months now, but buyers were hard-pressed to
get them road legal. Starting now, all these trucks will be sold
with SF97; a form you can take to the DMV to get a regular
title and license plates.
Military
Surplus
$10,000

Literally hundreds of retired Humvees, Hummers, HMMWVs or

whatever you want to call them are auctioned off every month
from storage facilities all over the country. Which is cool, but
the stipulation that they be kept for off-road use only makes
them an even bigger pain in the ass to own than a Hummer is
Will Finally Sell You a inherently.
Humvee Starting At Nevertheless, people seem to be buying them in droves. The
more that hit the market, the further prices seem to be getting
December 17, 2014 the pushed down.

Starting
general public will able to buy trucks
Just a few months ago bids were starting at $10,000 and
from a surplus of "asRead more

soaring up over $30,000 pretty quickly. This weeks Hummer

Here's What People Paid For auction starts the bidding at $7,500. If you want to see where
the First Publicly Sold Surplus they end up, check out the listings right here.
Humvees

But this weeks round will be the first to be sold with SF97;

The first-ever public auction of 25

which is quite simply the United States Government Certificate
legit, real-deal, US military Humvees
to Obtain Title to a Vehicle. GovPlanets reps have assured me
is done, and a frenzy ofRead more

that one of these slips will be issued with every surplus

Update: Heres what GovPlanet (a marketplace of IronPlanet Hummer sold through their auctions and it should make it a lot
which sells all kinds of amazing stuff) has to say exactly:
easier to get these things registered and get license plates.
By deciding to issue SF97s on the Humvees, it allows
owners to acquire the proof of ownership document from
their local DMV, which in this case is a title to the vehicle.
Previously, Humvee buyers had a bill of sale, but not a way
to obtain a title. Going forward, Humvees bought on
GovPlanet will have an SF97. In addition, for people who
have already bought, they are eligible to request an SF97
from GovPlanet.

Surplus vehicles sold through GovPlanet are typically given to

buyers with an off-road title that basically asserts who the
owner is but precludes it from street use. With an SF97, you
should be able to get a regular-old title for that new-to-you
Hummer just like any other car. Ergo, drive it on the street.
Of course we all know nothings easy when it comes to the
DMV but another form from the government cant hurt your
odds. Right?
7

Los Angeles Daily News

TRANSPORTATION
Fear of longer commutes puts pressure on U.S.
cities to act

That prediction has opened a growing divide between cities

such as L.A. that have been making huge investments in new
transit options and other regions that have been unable or
unwilling to get ahead of the crisis, including the fast-growing
South and Southwest.
In some of the nations oldest cities in the Northeast and
Midwest, urban planners dont have to deal with an expanding
population, but they are hampered by the need to repair roads
and rails when they would rather build new futures for
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Cleveland or Detroit, to
name just a few.

In this Wednesday, May 6, 2015 photo, traffic slowly moves along the 110
Freeway during afternoon rush hour in downtown Los Angeles. Within 30
years, the Department of Transportation projects, drivers will have to
tolerate stop-and-go conditions or slow traffic for some period of each
day on more than a third of U.S. highways. AP Photo Jae C. Hong

The issue extends beyond big cities. Americans living in more

sparsely populated areas are affected every time they head to
cities for ball games, business, shopping or air travel. Within 30
years, the Department of Transportation projects, drivers will
have to tolerate stop-and-go conditions or slow traffic for some
period of each day on more than a third of U.S. highways.

by Joan Lowy and Justin Pritchard, The Associated Press

To avoid this slow-motion catastrophe, the nation would have to

act decisively and soon. Expanding mass transit or building
new freeways takes years, even when money flows freely,
which is rarely the case these days.

Posted: 06/28/15

Avoiding past mistakes

At 4:35 a.m. each weekday, Stan Paul drives out of his

Southern California suburb with 10 passengers in a van,
headed to his job as an undergraduate counselor at UCLA.
Some 80 miles and 90 minutes later, the vanpoolers finally
arrive to start their workday.

In many fast-growing metro areas, transportation officials are

trying to avoid becoming the next L.A., Houston or Atlanta
places struggling to undo previous decisions that led to
mind-numbing, time-wasting, fuel-burning traffic jams.

On the return trip, Los Angeles infamously snarled traffic often

stretches their afternoon commute to three hours. Since Paul
joined in 2001, he has spent roughly 1 years aboard the van
pool and traveled far enough to complete a round trip to the
moon.

Faced with traffic congestion so notorious that it has become a

cultural touchstone in movies and comedy repertoires, L.A. has
embarked on a transportation building binge funded largely by a
sales tax voters passed in 2008.

New rail lines are extending to Beverly Hills, the airport and
other places that havent had such service in decades.
These super commuters, they dont just give you a days Regional officials call the $14 billion being spent on transit and
work, he said. They give you their lives.
new freeway lanes the nations largest public-works project.
Transportation experts say Pauls long journey offers a warning In some ways, the building boom harkens back to the regions
for the future, when traffic rivaling a major holiday might past. Until the rise of the automobile, the city offered an
extensive network of streetcars. The current rail renaissance is
someday be the norm for many more Americans.
If we dont change, in 2045, the transportation system that possible because planners preserved old rights of way, allowing
powered our rise as a nation will instead slow us down, the them to build new lines where old tracks had been ripped out or
Department of Transportation said in a report earlier this year buried under concrete decades ago.
Similar challenges loom over the Atlanta metro region, where
population growth by 2040 is expected to result in a daily
average congestion speed of 18.8 mph about 10 mph slower
than today. The cost of wasted time and fuel will more than
The projections were based on a population increase of 70 triple, from $874 per capita to $2,945, according to the U.S.
million people and a 45 percent increase in the nations volume Transportation Department.
Note: See full story and related article at: Transportation.
of freight.
titled Beyond Traffic. Transit systems will be so backed up
that riders will wonder not just when they will get to work, but if
they will get there at all, the report said. At the airports, and on
the highway, every day will be like Thanksgiving is today.

The Science of MPG

Five properties of physics that affect your gas mileage
July 3rd, 2015 by Louise Lerner in Technology / Energy & Green Tech

Credit: John Moreno/Argonne National Laboratory

So in summer, the EPA restricts how many short-chain

Physics is inescapable. It's everywhere, making your molecules can be in the blend, and your mileage increases
Frisbees fly, your toilets flush and your pasta water boil at because there's more energy in the gasoline overall.
a lower temperature at altitude. We've harnessed these Unfortunately, it also makes the gas slightly more expensive.
forces, along with chemistry and engineering, to build a 2) Friction
marvelous contraption called a carbut many of the same Scientists at Argonne's sister national lab, Oak Ridge, tested
properties that allow you to fly along the freeway also affect cars' fuel economy at speeds over 50 miles per hour. For each
how much gas mileage you get out of your car. We talked extra 10 mph over, you lose a little over 12 percent of your miles
to Argonne transportation engineer Steve Ciatti to explore per gallon. That increases as you go faster. Going from 70 to 80
some of the forces at work in your engine when it's on the mph costs you 15 percent, not 12.
road.
Depending on the make of your car, it could be more or less.
1) Vapor pressure
Some cars dropped as much as 25 percent.
In summer, gasoline companies produce a blend of gas with "If you're driving at a steady velocity, all the power you're using
lower vapor pressure, which basically means it is less likely to is going into overcoming friction," Ciatti explained. "That
evaporate. Liquids evaporate more quickly when it's hot, so in equation increases by a power of three as you increase speed.
order to prevent the gasoline vapor from contributing to summer So keeping the car going at 80 mph is using eight times the
smog and ozone pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection power you'd be using at 40 mph."
Agency orders companies to change the formula.
The faster you go, the more gas you'll need to move the car
The reformulated gas is cleaner and gets slightly better mileage over the same distance.
for your car. Why? Gas is made up of a mix of moleculesall in
the same family, but some short and some long. You get energy 3) Drag coefficient
by breaking the molecules apart. Short ones, like butane, have The drag coefficient of your car is basically measuring how
less energy, and they cost less (so it makes sense that a easily air goes around it. "You want as little frontal surface area
company would want to add more of them). The part the EPA as possible. If the car is a box, that's bad," Ciatti said. (You can
cares about is that short molecules also evaporate more easily, see the coefficients of various shapes in the sidebar).
contributing to pollution.
Continued on PG 10
9

The Science of MPG

Continued from PG 9

Five properties of physics that affect your gas

mileage
You can demonstrate this effect yourself, Ciatti said, when you
hold your arm out the window while you're driving on the
highway. If you lay your hand flat, parallel to the ground, the
force isn't too bad. But if you hold your palm out, facing front,
exposing more surface area to the direction of travel, the force is
much stronger. That's the difference drag coefficient makes.
Automakers today pay close attention to drag coefficient,
designing cars so that air slips easily around them. Choosing a
car with an aerodynamic frontcompared with a boxier make
will mean its gas mileage tends to be better.

As a result, personal vehicles are engineered to balance all

these factorssafety, efficiency, ride quality, durabilityfor
everyday use.
You have some control over rolling resistance by inflating or
deflating your tires. The manufacturer's recommendation takes
performance, efficiency and ride handling into account; keeping
your tires within that range will increase your gas mileage, Ciatti
said.
Bonus! Air temperature
By far the biggest difference that air temperature makes is
whether it makes you turn on the air conditioning, Ciatti said.

"The A/C is a power guzzler," Ciatti said. "Evaporating and

condensing, which is what's going on in air conditioning, is
horrifically power intensive." Yes, it's worse than opening the
4) Momentum
windows. Because the windows are on the sides of the car, they
Weighing from 1,800 pounds (Smart Cars) up to 5,000 pounds don't change the shape of the front of the car, which is what
and more (SUVs), cars have a huge amount of mass, which you makes by far the largest difference in wind resistance. But you
can use for good or ill. It takes a lot of power to get an object of do drain engine power by running the A/C.
that mass moving, but once it does, you can use the momentum
to coastespecially during city driving, with frequent stops and "Sometimes I'll turn the A/C off for a minute if I know I'll need to
make a sudden acceleration, like a left-hand turn at the end of a
starts.
light, because you can absolutely feel the difference in the
"One of the worst things you as a driver can do for your mileage amount of power you can get from the engine," Ciatti said.
is jam on the gas as soon as the light turns green," Ciatti said.
"The harder you accelerate, the more power you need, and that Why is cooling a car so much more power-intensive than
all goes to waste as soon as you hit the next red light." A savvier heating it? Engines make heat as a byproduct anyway, so the
driver eases off the gas and relies on momentum to carry the heat is "free"just blow air past the engine coolant.
car forward, especially if there's a red light coming up a block Where the rubber hits the road
ahead.
The term physics properties makes it sound inevitable, but
"Dampening those jackrabbit starts will significantly improve "driver behavior is a huge, huge factor in how good your gas
your fuel efficiency," he said.
mileage is," Ciatti said. "Jackrabbit starts, driving at extremely
high speeds on the highwaythose are the best ways to burn a
5) Rolling resistance
lot of gas."
Remember when we said that if you're driving at a steady
speed, most of the energy you're using is going to counteract That enormous variation due to driving styles is why, when
friction? The tires are where that happens, and how much power Argonne engineers and researchers test vehicles at the
it takes is dictated by a property called rolling resistance. laboratory, they use a computer to drive the car.
Essentially, the softer the tire is, the more effort it will take to They set the vehicle up on a dynamometer, which is essentially
push it across a surface.
a treadmill for cars, and run it while they measure everything
Why don't our cars have solid, hard tires, if that would be better from emissions to battery life in hybrids. "This lets us control all
for gas mileage? Harder tires are more efficient, but they the variables we possibly can," Ciatti said, "and driver behavior
provide less braking force, especially in rain and snow (because is a big one."
there's less friction) and they don't absorb shock as well.

Provided by Argonne National Laboratory

That's why your back might be sore after a ride in a

performance car, Ciatti said; the tires on sports cars are built
harder so that they can turn more crisply, but without that
cushion, the ride quality is rougher.

10

Harvey's Fords, a collection of old, rusted Fords near Tallahassee, Florida, fall somewhere between junk and art. The cars, placed there by farmer Pat
Harvey, are lined up in chronological order by model. (Tom Driggers)

Vintage Fords Abandoned Along Side of Highway

(PHOTOS)
by Michele Berger / Published Oct 10, 2014 / weather.com

For Driggers, 66, taking photos of beautiful subjects like these

trucks presents a nice break from his day job, though the day he
went to take these photos the weather didnt really cooperate. It
was awfully bright and sunny. I was kind of hoping for a cloudy
day, he said. Cloudy days make a much better photographic
day if youre not including the sky in your photo. It was hot. It
was real bright sunshine. The contrast is a bit higher than I
would like.

Just south of Tallahassee, Florida, an unlikely bit of Americana

an ode to the heyday of American dominance as an auto
manufacturer sits along the side of a highway: A graveyard of
rusted-out Fords. Its a favorite subject for amateur
photographer Tom Driggers.
Weather has clearly affected these vehicles, too. Rust happens
Theyre old and rusty and so many people have nostalgic when iron oxidizes, reacting to both oxygen in the air and water.
memories of some of the older vehicles. Im old enough now The reaction needs both oxygen and water present, writes
that I remember the vehicles from the 40s and 50s, Driggers, Brian Clegg for the Royal Society of Chemistry. Either of these
a public defender in Georgia, told weather.com. They make on its own will not produce much rusting. It also doesnt stop
fascinating subjects. His collection of photos of the cars, called the metal below from yielding to further oxidation, he continues.
So the metal beneath the rust layer will continue to be attacked
Harveys Fords, is in the slideshow above.
The moniker comes from the trucks owner, Pat Harvey. by oxygen and water and continue to rust, leaving corrosion to
According to Atlas Obscura, Harveys farm, passed down work its way through the whole piece of metal over time.
through the generations like some of the trucks, sits nearby. Many of Harveys Fords have succumbed to the elements, with
Harvey lined up the Fords by model year just to see what they broken windows on the outside and plants growing on the
inside. Some have also succumbed to petty theft, with radiators
looked like in the correct order.
For Harvey, theyre filled with family memories, he told local stolen, as well as the cars emblems and some of their chrome.
A sign has popped up origins unknown in front of one of
Thats the one I took my drivers test in, and got my drivers the trucks: May They Rust in Peace, it reads. Lets hope
license, he said, about a 1959 model. One of the station they can.
wagons he used to pick up dates.
See more of these amazing photos at: Vintage Fords
television station WFSU in 2012.

11

Memories of a SAC Trained Killer

Of all these, I dreaded MSET inspections most. They were

essentially task evaluations. As a buck sergeant at McConnell, I
by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3)
was tasked with rebuilding a 2-barrel carburetor on an R-5
The Strategic Air Command (SAC) has been dead for 23 refueler. The task involved completely disassembling the
years. If Im not mistaken, June 1, 1992 is when the Air Force carburetor and installing a new kit while the inspector watched
reorganized and effectively killed SAC. Its hard to imagine over my shoulder with a clipboard in hand.
someone retiring without having served when SAC existed, but
I came to a point during this process where I had to install the
such is the case today.
main body gasket. I laid it on the carburetor upside down and
This article, however, is not about the pros and cons of the immediately realized my error. Without any prompting, I flipped
reorganization. I have my opinion about it, but its really not it over and continued the task...mistake one .
important here. Instead, I thought I would share some of my
experiences and observations as a vehicle mechanic in SAC. Then on final assembly I failed to cross-tighten the screws.
Instead, I incorrectly followed the screw pattern one after the
Im sure many of you SAC vets have similar remembrances.
other.mistake two . I was given an unsatisfactory mark for
SAC is a legend and it seems to grow with the passing of time. the task. However, I soon regained my self-esteem. After the
It had a fabled commander in its early days and Hollywood even inspector left, I installed the carburetor on the truck and, with a
made a movie about it, a fact, I believe, that no other MAJCOM few minor adjustments, the engine ran perfectly.
can claim.
CAFIs were, in my opinion, ridiculous. An inspector actually
I never had the privilege of serving on the SAC staff, IG team, or came into our refueling maintenance shop wearing white gloves
even at Offutt for that matter. I was, however, stationed at four and checked for dustin a maintenance shop! I remember
SAC bases during the Cold WarMcConnell, Loring, Minot, seeing him run his fingers over the top of a door frame and then
and Beale.
check his glove for dirt. Luckily, we were forewarned and had
Although not quite as bad as rumor would have it, SAC wasnt cleaned our shop thoroughly, including the door frames.
known for its garden spots. A lot of their bases were northern Despite all the chicken s inspections, I liked SAC. There was
tier and if you didnt like cold weather and remote locations, no gray area; we knew exactly what we needed to do and how
winters could be depressing.
to do it. I dont recall ever asking anyone to interpret a SAC
Some people (like my boss at Minot) loved it and volunteered
for consecutive 5-year controlled tours. I always thought it was
amusing upon receiving orders that someone would inevitably
say, I hear the fishing is great.

supplement for me.

It was also interesting going to the missile sites near Minot and
servicing the liquid nitrogen trailers. After completing the job, we
would take our paperwork to the OIC who worked in the
underground control center. Security would escort us through
the blast doors and down the elevator shaft next to the missile
silo. We could see the missile as we descended to the control
center.exciting stuff.

The command was also well known for supplementing Air Force
regulations, which is what they were called before they became
instructions. The basic regulation contained white pages and
the SAC supplement was yellow, and usually thicker than the
basic. It was much more important to memorize the supplement. The Cold War ended in December 1991 and I retired 2 years
There was, after all, the Air Force way and the SAC way.
later. Loring (closest CONUS base to the old Soviet Union) was
Inspections were another thing for which SAC was renowned. deactivated in 1994. The mission at these former SAC bases
Nearly everyone knows about the infamous, no-notice ORIs in has changed somewhat as well. The SR-71 no longer flies from
which the SAC IG team seemed to literally drop out of the sky. Beale or anywhere else; it was retired in 1999. As an Air
Incidentally, thats not stretching the truth too far. What I Combat Command asset, Beale has added Global Hawk to its
remember most about SAC inspections, however, is the sheer inventory. Minot falls under Air Force Global Strike Command
number of them.
and McConnell is an Air Mobility Command base.
In addition to ORIs, we had SAC IGs, Staff Assistance Visits
(SAV), Maintenance Standardization Evaluation Team (MSET)
inspections, and the Commanders Annual Facilities Inspections
(CAFI). I might have even missed a few.

Im not sure I would have admitted it while I was freezing my

butt off on Lorings flightline or running away from a tornado at
Minot, but Im glad I did my time in SAC. Like the welcome sign
over Minots main gate says, Only the Best Come North.
12