Eldorado High graduate trains for world hotspots in Air Force school

Dick Benoit

Thursday, April 5, 2001 | 10:04 a.m.

Lawrence Dizon Jr. didn't believe he was in Oz, but he knew he wasn't in Kansas anymore.

He recently underwent training preparing him to do his job while in hotspots around the world.

Dizon, a 1994 Eldorado High School graduate, recently deployed from his home station at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., to the woods of northern New Jersey for two weeks of instruction at the Air Mobility Center's Phoenix Readiness Course.

Dizon, the son of Lawrence and Brenda Dizon of Las Vegas, is a ground radio communications technician for the Air Force and has been trained to set up communications networks where none exist. But at the Phoenix Readiness course, he was also called upon to set up field living facilities, guard convoys and guard himself from a variety of enemy and natural threats, all while doing his regular communications job.

During the course airmen are taught to perform their jobs in the face of weapons of mass destruction, enemy attacks, civilian riots and natural disasters.

"I'm not exposed to dangerous or austere conditions on a daily basis, so the training in New Jersey was important," said Dizon, who could find himself anywhere from Kosovo to Kuwait the next time his unit leaves for a real world emergency.

Nellis office honored

Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., recently named the Public Affairs Office at Nellis Air Force Base as the best large public affairs office in the command. Additionally, the command recognized Mike Estrada in the Nellis office as the best senior civilian public specialist in the command and 1st Lt. Allen Heritage as the best company grade officer in the command.

In brief

* Staff Sgt. Anthony Brothers, the son of Marie Fontenot of Las Vegas, has been decorated with the Army Commendation Medal.

The following Air Force personnel recently graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas:

* Airman Nestor Cruz, the son of Zenaida Cruz of Las Vegas, also earned his bachelor's degree in 2000 from New Era University, Quezon City, Philippines.

* Airman Misty Bourke is the niece of Maureen and Mark Zalaoras of Las Vegas.

* Airman Deana Stephens is the daughter of Dean Stephens of Las Vegas.

* Airman Michael Norris is the son of Mark Norris of Las Vegas.

During the six weeks of training, the airmen studied the Air Force mission, organization and customs and received special training in human relations.