Newspaper Page Text
♦ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2008
6A
Robins AFB evaluator earns STEP to master sergeant
Special to the Journal
According to a release,
Tech. Sgt. Antonio Knowlton,
an evaluator flight engineer
with the 16th Airborne
Command and Control
Squadron was promoted to
the rank of master sergeant
through the 2008 Stripes for
Exceptional Performers, or
STEP program.
Col. Domenick Eanniello,
the 116th Air Control Wing
vice commander, Knowlton
and several members of his
squadron were called to an
impromptu video teleconfer
ence meeting with Gen. John
D.W. Corley, Air Combat
Command commander, to
discuss current and future
operations tempo and dwell
rate of flight engineers. The
meeting was all a ruse to get
the squadron and Knowlton
in the conference room for
the promotion.
After the meeting kicked
HEARING
From page tA
step closer to 2020 becoming
a taxing authority.”
“I certainly have no
problem with 2020 mak
ing an input like anyone
in Houston County ... And
when it comes down to it, I
have complete confidence in
(Houston County Emergency
Management Director) Chief
(Jimmy) Williams’ ability to
decide which system is the
best and in this commis
sion.
“But I do believe ... And
the question following,
assuming referendum is
passed, what will be the pro
cedure following. I’m sure
studies and all of that (will
Man arrested in case of student trip theft
Restitution to be divided among victims
Special to the Journal
According to a release,
Dean Rustin, the tour
operator who was charged
with theft in the cancella
tion of the 2001 Washington
D.C. Honor Students trip
by Houston County’s gift
ed schoolchildren has been
arrested. As a result of his
arrest, the final restitution
in this case, said District
Attorney Kelly Burke, is
being processed and will
be mailed to the victims in
accordance with the proce
dures outlined by letter.
“I’ve always said that the
government is like an ele
phant,” Burke said. “We may
be slow, but when we catch
the bad guy, we’ll stomp
him. Such is the case as it
involves Dean Rustin, the
tour operator who defraud
ed Houston County parents
in 2001 over the cancellation
of the Washington D.C. trip
after the horrific events of
Sept. 11.”
Burke added residents
may recall that there was an
agreement by the majority of
victims that if Rustin paid a
50 percent refund of the trip
expenses that there would
be no further prosecution
of him. There were offers of
other trips, but wisely the
group universally declined
to do that and instead just
opted for the 50 percent
refund, said Burke. Rustin
made the first of two pay
ments of $16,500, but never
made the final payment, he
added.
“Since he defaulted on
that obligation, we proceed
ed with the indictment and
attempted arraignment, only
we were unable to locate Mr.
Rustin. We have been look
ing for him ever since.
“It is surprisingly hard to
find somebody who doesn’t
get in trouble. As recently as
November, 2007, I obtained
an ‘Accurint’ search of Mr.
Rustin which showed a
Tampa, Fla., address, but
the sheriff there was unable
to locate him. Fortunately,
as fate would have it, he
became embroiled in a dis
pute that got the police
called in the Atlanta area
where he was visiting some
family members, at which
time Mr. Rustin was arrest
off, Knowlton was asked by
Eanniello to come forward
and brief Corley on the dwell
rate.
“How in the world did I
get chosen to brief the four
star,” Knowlton said, “when
I was surrounded by more
senior engineers that would
do a better job then I could
representing the JSTARS
FE corps. Then I thought,
I will just dazzle him with
takeoff and landing data
information.”
Corley asked Knowlton
several questions before
informing him he had been
promoted to the rank’ of
master sergeant through the
STEP program. Knowlton
was surprised, elated and
thankful for the promotion.
“I would like to thank all
of my commanders, senior
leaders and mentors who
all have had a positive influ
ence on my career,” he said.
“Without their support I
be done).
The question is: Does the
public lose its input into the
system?”
Commissioner Chairman
Ned Sanders’ answer was
that he was sure they were
going to have some engi
neering done it. (Note: He
added as he’s done before
that the process would start
immediately. The county
would use its money and
then get reimbursed later
when the tax money begins
to come in.)
They in turn, Sanders said,
would recommend the sys
tem or combination of sys
tems they believe will give
the best coverage and the
highest degree of certainty.
“The we, this board of
commissioners,” he said,
ed on our outstanding bench
warrant.”
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would not have not be able to
accomplish the things stated
in the ceremony today.”
“This is a great day for
the 116th Air Control Wing,
ACC only had two stripes
to hand out and Knowlton
received one of the two. It
speaks highly of his career
accomplishments and pro
fessionalism and also to his
superiors who gave him the
tools needed to excel” said
Eanniello.
The Air Force releases a
limited number of slots for
the STEP program, Usually
less than 200 Air Force-wide.
The slots are then distrib
uted to the various major
commands, usually to the
wings.
There are generally only
two STEP allocations given
to each wing per year. These
are used to promote out
standing individuals that
go above and beyond their
duty.
“would come up with the
one that best suits the pur
pose. Then run that by the
cities (Perry, Centerville and
Warner Robins) as they’re a
partner in this. Not back to
2020.”
“This board will have the
final authority but in coordi
nation with the cities.”
Some of the other actions
the commissioners approved:
■ A Special Exemption
for Wilbur Drake to estab
lish a mobile welding ser
vice from his home. The vote
was unanimous but there
was some opposition to it
from one resident, Maurice
Braswell.
“Right off the bat I want
Mr. Drake to know I have
nothing against him doing
a business,” he said. “But
this case is back on the front
burner, Burke continued,
“I am pleased to say that
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Contributed
Robins Air Force Base 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron Evaluator Flight
Engineer Antonio Knowlton, center, recently earned a STEP promotion to master ser
geant.
by the very nature of this
thing,” he told the commis
sioners. “You are violating
the code you set down. I
don’t believe the Appeals
Commission has read this
or they would not have
approved this thing.
“There is nothing to pre
vent Mr. Drake from doing
his work at home. So there
fore, you should deny this
thing based on code.”
Commissioner Jay Walker,
and later Sanders, both said
they thought it was built
into the agreement and
Chief Building Inspector
Tim Andrews confirmed
that, saying they were pro
hibited from operating a
business “where he’s going
to generate traffic (into the
neighborhood), noise, et
‘the check is in the mail.’ In
order to get out of jail, Mr.
Rustin’s family paid the
See CASE, page 10A
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cetera.”
Braswell stood his ground
by saying there was nothing
to stop him from doing a
quarter of his work at home.
And that indeed confirmed
by Andrews.
■ Another Special
Exemption, this one to
Tiffiny Nguyen and to oper
ate a monogramming busi
ness from her home.
■ A request from the City
of Perry to annex just over 25
acres off Bear Branch Road.
The origin of the request
is from Sandbed Baptist
Church, Inc. The proposed
use if for a church building.
■ A grant in the amount
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of $7,500 from the Resource
Development Committee
of the Council of Juvenile
Court Judges of Georgia for
the “purchase of services for
the juvenile offenders pro
gram.”
■ A request from the City
of Warner Robins to annex a
little less than an acre - Lot
1A on Oasis Avenue - into
the city.
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