Posted on 07/26/2006 10:32:21 PM PDT by SandRat
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, July 26, 2006 — Thunder Cove officially replaced Camp Justice as the new name of the Air Force housing area at the 40th Air Expeditionary Group in a renaming ceremony July 23. Col. Scott Vander Hamm, 40th Air Expeditionary Group commander, made the proclamation before unveiling a new sign with the Thunder Cove name leading into tent city.
A new name for Camp Justice has been in the works since a contest kicked off in late May for airmen to submit name suggestions. A prize package, including a backpack, two shirts, $50 Ship Store gift certificate, massage gift certificate, $10 calling card and two brunches at the Officer’s Club was offered as the prize to the winner.
Capt. Stephen Kinzer, finance manager for the group, won the package though he didn’t suggest the new name. No single airman actually came up with the final name, so the prize was raffled off at the end of the day.
‘We really are one team here. We work together well whether we’re in our offices, on the flightline or participating in sports.’
Lt. Col. Harry Foster, 40th AEG deputy commander
“We had 140 different suggestions submitted,” said Lt. Col. Harry Foster, 40th AEG deputy commander. “Several had ‘Thunder’ in them, and several had ‘Cove,’ but none put the two together.”
Foster said he, Vander Hamm and the Top Three Organization met to go over the suggested names. The group decided on Thunder Cove.
“Thunder describes what our aircraft do,” said Foster. “Cove, rather than camp, better describes the setting in which we live.”
The renaming ceremony was the third event of the day, which was named a group down day earlier in the week. The day started with a group photo in front of a KC-135 Stratotanker and B-1B Lancer aircraft. Then, a 5K race was held from Thunder Cove Pier to the PACAF Building and back, followed by the renaming ceremony.
After the name became official, all airmen were invited to a cookout at the Thunder Cove Pier. Volleyball, horseshoe, spades and tug-of-war tournaments took place throughout the day.
“This was the most successful deployed down day I’ve seen in 18 years,” said Foster. “I was most impressed with the sportsmanship.
“We really are one team here,” he continued. “We work together well whether we’re in our offices, on the flightline or participating in sports.”
Thunder Cove airmen will continue making B-1B missions from here successful because everyone is doing their part, said Foster. The name is new, but the airmen are the same professionals they have been throughout Air Expeditionary Force Rotation 1/2.
A Camp by any other name is still a camp
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