Thursday, April 19, 2018

Transcription

1 Thursday, April 19, 2018

2 NEWS/FEATURES Cataracts affect about 25 million Americans and occur when an individual s natural lens becomes cloudy over time. They can cause blurry or cloudy vision, dim vision, and/or glare and halos at night. They can also lead to a significant decrease in a person s ability to perform activities of daily living in a safe manner. The solution for this problem is cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure which typically takes less than 20 minutes. During this operation, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). There are several different classes of IOLs to choose from and your eye surgeon can help you decide on the most appropriate lens for you. Here are some ideas to consider as a starting point: Cost: Medicare and TRICARE cover the cost of the traditional monofocal intraocular lens, but most insurance companies do not cover any of the premium IOLs. The monofocal lenses provide the highest quality of image, but at only one distance. Most patients who choose this option desire to be able to see well with no glasses at distance and wear glasses for reading and computer distances. Intermediate vision: If you spend much of your day participating in intermediate distance activities, such as working on a computer, your eye surgeon may recommend using different strength monofocal lenses for monovision. This is where one eye sees well at distance and the other eye sees well up close. This may be a good option for many, but may not be ideal for those who require perfect vision out of both eyes. Independence from glasses: The newer premium IOLs include multifocal lenses which give patients a range of vision from distance to near. These can reduce or even eliminate the need for glasses or contacts altogether. These lenses are much more expensive and are not typically covered by insurance. Night driving: If you frequently drive at night, the multifocal lens may not be the best option for you. The multifocal lenses, especially the higher power ones, can induce glare and halos around lights. Most people adapt to these symptoms, but if you frequently drive at night, you may want to consider a monofocal lens. Astigmatism: Astigmatism is a problem where the front surface of the eye (the cornea) is shaped more like a football than a basketball. This leads to the image formed on the film of the eye (the retina) being out of focus without glasses or contacts. If you have moderate to severe astigmatism, there are IOLs that may correct much or all of the astigmatism, enabling you to have much more clear vision. Patients with significant astigmatism are very happy with these astigmatism correcting IOLs. However, these IOLs are considered premium IOLs and are not typically covered by insurance companies either. The MacDill AFB Clinic has two eye surgeons committed to providing the best possible eye care to active duty, their dependents, and retirees. We have the very best diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and all of our patients have access to whatever IOL the surgeon and patient feel would be most appropriate, regardless of whether it is a standard IOL or a premium IOL at no cost to the patient. We pride ourselves in our excellent visual outcomes and do everything in our power to give you the best possible experience. Please feel free to call the clinic for more information, including how to set up a cataract evaluation, at COMMANDER S ACTION LINE The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. Personnel may submit questions, concerns or comments via to macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil. Website: Facebook: MacDillAirForceBase Instagram: macdill_afb 2 Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

3 NEWS/FEATURES Airmen from MacDill Air Force Base participated in a Major Accident Response Exercise April 10 to train and prepare in the event of an aircraft crash. The exercise started with Airmen from the 6th Civil Engineer Squadron responding to a call about an accident on the flightline. Within one minute of receiving the call, fire protection Airmen arrived on scene and began putting out the controlled fires. The Airmen gained control of the scene and continued with a table-top discussion on what steps would be taken to maintain the safety of base personnel. The table-top portion of the exercise included discussions about what part different organizations would play during a real world scenario, said Senior Master Sgt. Jason Resler, a wing inspection planner assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron. Some of those different organizations and their parts include bioenvironmental taking samples around the crash site, the Crash Damaged or Disabled Aircraft Recovery (CD- DAR) team treating the site to mitigate composite threats, and the search and recovery team recovering any remains. See EXERCISE, Page 16 He began his Air Force career as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape specialist an Airman trained to survive and operate in all conditions and teach others to do the same. Second lieutenant Roger Zehr, now an officer in charge of operations intelligence with the 6th Operations Support Squadron, spent years honing his skills, overcoming obstacles, and learning to thrive in any situation; however, nothing prepared him for a diagnosis his son received during his time stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California in I was tasked with a temporary duty assignment to teach the SERE 7-level career development course at Fairchild Air Force Base, when my son Alexander started showing some symptoms, said Zehr. Throughout his life, my son never really got sick, but he started complaining about pain in his legs. Zehr was joined by his wife Nelcy and his son while temporarily assigned to Fairchild AFB. The pain in Alexander s legs raised concerns, but it was when his body temperature read 105 degrees that Zehr knew something was terribly wrong. See AFAF, Page 19 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 19,

4 WEEK IN PHOTOS 4 Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

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6 NEWS/FEATURES From bombers to fighters to tankers, I ve seen a great deal in my 77 years. I was born out of efforts to improve the U.S. Army Air Corps in late 1938 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlined a program to expand air services. This, along with increasing fear of Nazi U-Boats attacking merchant ships in the Gulf of Mexico after the eruption of World War II in 1939, paved the way for my inception as Southeast Air Base in Tampa, Florida. I was formally dedicated April 16, 1941, after being renamed MacDill Field in honor of Col. Leslie MacDill, a respected pilot and aviation pioneer. Shortly after the U.S. Air Force was established in 1947, I officially became known as Mac- Dill Air Force Base. My first mission was to provide air defense to the Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, until the U.S. entered World War II. From then, my primary mission became the training of Airmen to fly and operate bombardment aircraft such as the See CELEBRATING 77, Page Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

7 NEWS/FEATURES Airmen assigned to the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management flight are undergoing a warehouse transition, which began in March, and is slated to be completed mid-ma at MacDill Air Force Base. More than 13,000 inventory items worth approximately $111 million were moved from Hangar 2 to the Building 49 warehouse over a twoweek period. These items ranged from uniform items and equipment, to aircraft parts and deployment kits. Due to the eight additional KC-135 Stratotankers gained by MacDill, more space was needed for the maintainers in the hangar, said Master Sgt. Donovan Bryan, the asset management section chief assigned to the 6th LRS. Additionally, the move to Building 49 gives us around 58,000 square feet of space to operate in. Capt. Jeffrey Allen, the 6th LRS materiel management flight commander, remarked how impressed he was with the success of the move. See LRS 77, Page 14 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 19,

8 We are excited to host the Tampa Bay AirFest 18! Bring your friends and family to experience Air Power. While you are out here, we hope you keep security in mind, because we will. Please visit our website to review the prohibited items list and the FAQs tab located on the right side of the page: macdill.af.mil/airfest-2018/. We also ask that you remain vigilant during your visit and report suspicious activity by calling our local Eagle Eyes hotline at Remember, you can make a difference. Watch. Report. Protect. 8 Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

9 NEWS/FEATURES We have now completed a very satisfactory tax program for all of you. We will be looking for volunteers to help us next year. Tax services are provided to both active duty and retiree personnel. The next tax school will be the first week of January We are also looking for volunteers who would like to help as retiree affairs counselors. If interested, please contact us at or just drop by our office, which is right next to the Macdill commissary. We have so many new retirees that will need help. In the last five years, the retiree community has doubled. This office will continue to provide any needed assistance to all those that need help problem solving. Our office is supervised by the main office at Randolph AFB, in San Antonio. There are 102 Retiree Affairs Offices throughout the world, all under the main office, which is part of the Military Personnel Office. If you missed our Retiree Appreciation Day in February, we will hold another next February on Saturday, instead of Thursday. We will notify you with specifics once this is finalized in July. You may have also noticed that some of your prescription prices increased after January. You might want to use our military Script program, which delivers directly to your home. They can be reached at (877) Remember that there will be an air show here on May 12 and 13. The Navy Blue Angels will be headlining the event. Go to the AirFest website at af.mil/airfest-2018/ for more information. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 19,

10 Beginning April 11, MacDill Air Force Base was host to a three-day base tour for more than 30 Air Mobility Command civic leaders throughout various AMC communities. Our civic leaders are critical to what we do in AMC and they help us become a part of the community, said Maj. Gen. Sam C. Barrett, director of operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Civic leaders are integral to supporting our Airmen, our resources, understanding our mission, and not to mention, they help our Airmen feel welcomed within the community. During the visit, civic leaders had a packed itinerary; visiting Airmen throughout base that make MacDill s mission happen. The tour began on the water with the 6th Security Forces Squadron s Marine Patrol Unit and the Joint Communications Support Element. Guests were given a tour of the restricted coastal area surrounding MacDill, as well as a quick briefing about the typical duties of Marine Patrol. This led them to wrapping up their evening by the water at SeaScapes. The next couple of days took the civics on MacDill s flightline, through U.S. Central Command, around the Joint Communications Support Element, and to a STEAM demonstration with Hillsborough County students. I knew MacDill was going to be a beautiful base, but I had no idea it was going to be like this, chuckled Dana Lancellotti, a civic leader out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The STEAM demonstration was so fascinating and so timely, as there is already so much of that happening within our communities back home. It s such a perfect way to look at the future, and that s the AMC way of looking at things: together as a team, always looking forward, and being innovative. During the STEAM demo, the civic leaders got to spend time with students learning about various projects they have built. I think being able to work STEAM into school systems and influence kids is more than a recruitment effort, it s about inspiring the kids to open their minds to see past the typical career paths placed in front of them! Lancellotti said. You feel there s this hope for the future when you get to speak to kids that are excited and energized about this project they built with their own hands. As the excitement of STEAM settled, the civic leaders began to wrap up their tour. With these types of tours, the civic leaders walk away with a much richer and deeper understanding of our mission sets, the complexity of what we do, the vastness of the mission, but more importantly, they walk away knowing that we have quality Airmen that are motivated and talented and the civics get to see how critical their support is, said Barrett. On the final morning, the civic leaders received a mentoring breakfast from Barrett and Chief Master Sgt. Larry C. Williams, Jr. the command chief, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Barrett and Williams expanded on why the civic leader program is critical to the mission of the Air Force. There are so many great things to learn by touring different bases, said Lancellotti. We learn from each other and keep trying to pull more people into the civic leader program because it is important to us to keep expanding the knowledge and awareness. It s a life-changing experience to be an Air Mobility Command civic leader Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, April 19,

11 During the moving process, no one was injured, nothing was lost or damaged and we maintained 100 percent accountability, said Allen. My three priorities were safety, accountability and performing everything correctly with no rush. More than 30 Airmen from three different career fields came together to make this move a phenomenal success; they deserve all the credit for doing an incredible job. With more room to operate with, the inventory belonging to materiel management is more accessible while in a central location inside Building 49 s warehouse. Throughout the planning process, we were looking to find the most efficient way to help customers get parts, said Bryan. Our aircraft require parts for routine maintenance, as do other Air Force installations around the world who request items from us, so our new location will only increase our capabilities. While finishing touches are made to the new location, supply Airmen continue to meet demand without issue Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

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13 B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-26 Marauder. I housed as many as 15,000 troops during this time. Following the end of the war, I was reassigned to the Strategic Air Command where I caught my first glimpse of the air refueling world. However, by 1960, I faced an uncertain future as the Department of Defense announced the phase out of certain bomber aircraft, slating my gates to permanently close. Although the aircraft were deactivated, my value as a staging area and my capabilities for strategic deterrence were highlighted during possible hostilities with Cuba, which resulted in my gates remaining open. With the bombers phased out, I was once again reassigned; this time under the Tactical Air Command in 1963, which brought the F-4 Phantoms and later the F-16 Fighting Falcons to Tampa. I remained a fighter base for almost 30 years, training about half of all F-16 pilots in the Air Force at the time. In 1991, I once again faced uncertainty when a shift in military strategy led to a halt of flying operations on my runway. Because of this, I had until 1993 to transfer my fleet of F-16s to my brother Luke in Arizona. I was given a second chance at life in 1994 when the Air Mobility Command gave me the 6th Air Base Wing with the primary mission of providing support services to U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and the growing number of mission partners. I was also given the opportunity to provide further evidence of the effectiveness of my location during Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, where I served as the primary staging facility. Mission success in Haiti emphasized the value I offer, which led to me being chosen as the site for a KC-135 Stratotanker air-refueling mission and later a C-37 Gulfstream airlift support mission, which gave me my current designation as the 6th Air Mobility Wing. I currently execute air refueling, airlift and contingency response missions for U.S. and allied forces around the world as MacDill Air Force Base, along with nearly 20,000 service members. For my birthday, I want to celebrate all of you the men and women who serve. Thank you to those who have supported my many missions throughout the past 77 years. Happy birthday Team MacDill! 14 Thursday, April 19, 2018 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

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15 The CDDAR team s primary job is to ensure the scene is safe and document the scene while looking for aircraft pieces and other miscellaneous items. As soon as the CDDAR team has finished the search and recovery team comes in to mark and recover remains. Our job would be to respond to an aircraft mishap or mass fatality incident occurring on and off base, said Master Sgt. David Bushnell, 6th Force Support Squadron services sustainment superintendent. We have a properly trained, manned and equipped search and recovery team at all times. The table-top exercise also had Airmen working in the Crisis Action Team and the Emergency Operations Center. The EOC and CAT are vital in ensuring the installation s mission continues before, during and after an incident at the strategic level, said Resler. Their main objectives during this exercise were to review and discuss all applicable checklists related to an aircraft mishap. Through combined efforts MacDill maintains the ability to respond to a major accident with precision and professionalism if called to do so. It s important for us to be prepared to respond to any real world scenario, said Resler. It is better for us to be prepared and not need to execute, than need to execute and not be prepared.

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17 COMMUNITY Gladiator Assault Challenge From 7-10 a.m. at the official PT track. Teams of two or four test their endurance, speed, strength and ability with a 3-mile relay, barricade run, Army crawl, sledge hammer swing and more. Sign up at the Fitness Center front desk. Call MacDill Lanes 4th Annual Adult/Child Doubles Tournament from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. one Adult and one Child (ages 5-16) per team, three-game Baker Format tournament. Adult odd / Child even frames. $10 entry fee due on tournament day. Shoes included in entry fee. Winning team receives 1st Place Plaque. Call Base Theater Free movie: Paddington 2 (PG). Doors open at 1:15 p.m. Movie starts at 2 p.m. Overflow parking available in the SOCOM parking garage. MacDill Council for Educational Excellence From 4-5 p.m. at Tinker K-8 School s Media Center. Parents of military-connected students in grades K-12 and enrolled in Hillsborough County public schools are invited to the MacDill Council for Educational Excellence. Call Nelly Richards at or Venetia Waters at Admin Professionals Day Special Rickenbacker s and Box Office Bistro specials, in honor of Admin Day. Club members who bring one admin personnel from their team and dine will receive a discounted meal rate and a free meal for their guest. No more than one admin guest. Not to exceed $10. For all other faith groups or for any questions, please contact the Chapel by visiting or calling

18 We took him straight to a hospital in Seattle to find out what was happening, recalled Zehr. After the news we received while there, I never returned to Fairchild to teach the course, my leadership told me they would take care of it. Alexander was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that usually affects the adrenal glands. This diagnosis was followed by a statistic, stating Alex had a 40 percent survival rate. Once I heard the statistic, I was filled with so much anger, said Zehr. I didn t want to hear a number, I wanted a solution. I wanted the best for my son, so I began doing research of my own. Through his research, Zehr discovered one of the best doctors for treating neuroblastoma in the world was located at Benioff Children s Hospital in San Francisco. There, Alexander underwent two years of cancer treatments, ranging from chemotherapy and surgeries to radiation and full bone marrow transplants. At first, we felt alone, but during all this my leadership at Beale was helping out behind the scenes, said Zehr. We were staying in a hotel and we had no way of paying for it, or the treatments, but our Air Force family came together and helped with the Air Force Assistance Fund. Through the AFAF, Zehr was able to focus on his son s recovery and not on his finances. His leadership had it under control, and everything would be resolved when Zehr returned. Zehr was placed on TDY status throughout the two years of treatment. His leadership required Zehr to check in occasionally, but Beale was only two hours away. It was incredible knowing how much support we had from them, said Zehr. That was when I realized how important the Air Force family is, and how our branch of service takes care of its own. During the treatment process, Zehr realized that his career as a SERE specialist had the possibility of ending before he wanted to and before Alexander fully recovered. It was likely that I would reach my high year of tenure, and be forced to retire, but I didn t want to get out, said Zehr. I decided to commission, so I could continue to serve and give back to the organization that gave so much to me and my family. There was also the scenario of Alex having additional issues in the future, but if I m retired, how would I help him? However, just three days after graduating Officer Training School as a second lieutenant, Zehr flew straight to San Francisco to meet his wife and see his son ring the bell at Benioff, stating that he was officially cancer free, Nov. 4, Prior to marrying Roger, I never had any contact with the military, no one in my family served, said Nelcy Rivera, Zehr s wife and Alex s mother. But now, the military is everything. Just seeing how much they did for us makes me extremely grateful for the AFAF and their support kept our family together through Alexander s entire treatment. Since Alex s treatments are over, Zehr and his wife are working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, to help others who go through the same pain. Zehr also cannot stress the importance of the AFAF enough. I firmly believe that the AFAF empowered my leadership to do all the amazing things they did, said Zehr. Without it, I m sure they would ve found a way to help, but the assistance fund made it so much easier to help my family. Any size donation to the cause makes a huge impact to another Airman, just as it did for me. For more information about the AFAF, go to

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