Airman's artistic side brings humor to RAF Mildenhall with new comic strip

  • Published
  • By Geoff Janes
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office will begin posting a comic strip called Box D Blues on the RAF Mildenhall public Web site May 29. 

The strip, created by Staff Sgt. Austin May, will be directly tied to RAF Mildenhall and touch on subjects that affect everyone. Some will have a serious tone, while others will take a lighthearted or satirical look at some of the rules everyone must follow. 

"One of my personal military heroes is Bill Mauldin," he said. "Mauldin drew military comics for his fellow Soldiers in World War II, and really did great things for morale. I can only dream of following in his footsteps." 

The strip will offer another way to get information to Team Mildenhall. 

"The idea behind the strips is to present command messages in a humorous way, and to give people another reason to check out the base Web site," Capt. Sharon Branick, 100th ARW Public Affairs Office director, said. "We would like to get everyone involved with the process too. We will be accepting story line ideas for the strip, and the ones with the widest appeal will be worked into the rotation." 

Captain Branick added that comic strips have been used in base news products for years. 

"By adding the strip to our Web site, we hope to entice more people to visit the site, which is the number one source for news about the people and mission at RAF Mildenhall," she said. 

Sergeant May has been doing his own comic - Air Force Blues - on his personal Web site for two years. The public affairs specialist and non-commissioned officer in charge of the internal information division said he is excited about creating storylines Team Mildenhall will enjoy, and hopes folks on base will throw their ideas his way. 

"Being in Public Affairs lets me see many different aspects of day-to-day life at RAF Mildenhall," he said. "But the ones who really know what's funny out on the line and in the shops are the people who spend every day there. The comics, while exaggerated, are based on a real base with a real mission, and I hope to include everyone at one point or another." 

The new strip will be available from any computer worldwide. To view the comics, simply click on the Box D Blues tab on the RAF Mildenhall Public Web site and then click on the most recent hyperlink. Comics will be loaded as .jpeg files, so remember to click on the Download HiRes button for optimum viewing. The comic will also appear in The Force magazine.

Editor's Note: Do you have the Blues? Those wishing to submit ideas for Box D Blues should send them to the 100th ARW Public Affairs Office at 100ARW.PA@mildenhall.af.mil or by phone at DSN 238-3385.