Thursday, February 2, 2017

Thursday, February 2, 2017

COMMENTARY February marks the month of love. In February, many of us celebrate Valentine s Day, the day of amour, in the French vernacular. How would you recognize or define love? What are key healthy elements that are important in maintaining safe, respectful and nurturing relationships? Is it a once-a-year event for you or a lifestyle commitment? February also marks National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control cite dating violence as a public health problem. Among adult victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner, 22.4 percent of women and 15 percent of men first experienced some form of partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age. Approximately 9 percent of high school students report being hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the 12 months before being surveyed. Victims are often hesitant to speak out and seek help. How do we prevent dating violence before it starts? Teenagers are in their formative years of building healthy social relationships. Their way of interacting develops early and can carry over into adulthood, which is why it is important to promote healthy relationship skills early. Skills such as anger management, self-control, coping, effective and open communication are important. Additionally, addressing gender roles, expectations and cultural implications are necessary in building positive relationships. What is acceptable and what is not needs to be discussed on an on-going basis into adulthood. How we demonstrate love is critical. Upcoming events and community happenings that can help with this: Active Parenting of Teenagers - How to actively communicate with your teens and address difficult topics - Feb. 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the MacDill Area Resilience Center Teen Talk Chat Session - Empowerment and expecting respect from others to build healthy relationships - Feb. 6 3:30 p.m. -4:30 p.m. at the Youth Center H3 - It s All About Me healthy choices, healthy living and healthy generations - Feb.7 & March 7 at The MacDill Area Resilience Center Proclamation Signing by Hillsborough County commissioner Feb. 13, 3 p.m. at the Youth Center Orange Day - Wear something orange to show awareness of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month on Feb. 14. Commissary Love is Sweet give away goodies and resource booth Feb. 14th 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Expect Respect Summit 2017 and Art Contest with The Spring of Tampa Bay - Feb. 24 at The University Area Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd Street A. Tampa, Free Event 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Contact Family Advocacy with questions or more information at 827-9172. 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 email to macdillwingcommander@us.af.mil. Website: www.macdill.af.mil Facebook: www.facebook.com/ MacDillAirForceBase Instagram: macdill_afb Twitter: @macdill_afb 2 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

NEWS/FEATURES SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) The chief master sergeant of the Air Force discussed Air Mobility Command s contributions to the Air Force mission and the need to modernize the fleet during a visit here Jan. 18. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody acknowledged AMC s mission isn t just important to the Air Force, but also to combatant commanders, other U.S. agencies and U.S. allies around the globe. I m no stranger to this command and understand completely how integrated we are around the globe, Cody said. This command has a footprint with our mobility squadrons on all corners of the earth, and we have relationships with many of our partner nation countries. When you look at that global environment we have to be able to operate in, these relationships are critical. Cody focused on AMC Airmen, adding that in some locations, it s AMC Airmen who are the single point of presence, who maintain those relationships and connectivity. Having that relationship gives us access, and it gives us that ability to project globally in a way our nation needs us to, he said. We can t be the military we are, go the places we do, and have the effect we have globally without AMC or the Airmen that support this mission. Cody stated that while dedicated Airmen continue to maintain the current fleet of mobility aircraft, the need for modernizing mobility aircraft and programs is vital to the Air Force s continued success in projecting global airpower. The KC-46(A Pegasus) is absolutely critical to the future capability of our Air Force and for this command to be able to support combatant commanders, he said. It is a testament to our Air Force and our Airmen that we have been able to continue to operate the current aircraft, and that a 60-year-old airplane continues to give us that global access we have because of its refueling capability. (People) would like to think of the C-17 (Globemaster III) as a new aircraft it is 20-plus years old, and we ve put it through some pretty dynamic environments. It s essential that we continue to modernize this CODY, Page 14 As his bare feet touched the cold morning floor, a chill ran up his spine. Sitting up on the edge of his bed, he sighed. His eyes turned to the screaming alarm clock on the bedside table 4:15 a.m. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and taking a deep breath, Airman 1st Class PeeJay Jack, gathered himself both mentally and physically, stood up from his bed and began his morning just like any other. A quick two eggs over easy and a cup of coffee, made with love from his wife, followed by a morning shave and lacing up his combat boots were routine for him. It didn t require deep, analytical thought. He hardly had to think for these things to happen. With his brain set to auto pilot, Jack began his morning drive to Mac- Dill Air Force Base, where he is a vehicle maintainer with the 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron. The trip is an hour on one of the busiest and deadliest interstates in the country. Driving in the middle lane, he noticed a car in his rear-view mirror approaching quickly, weaving in and out of traffic. Typical for this particular interstate, he thought nothing of it. As the car went around Jack s driver side door, it lost traction with the road. A cloud of white smoke trailed the car as it tail whipped back and forth as the driver attempted to maintain control of his vehicle. Jack watched as the car veered off the road, down a ditch and into the foliage on the side of the road. He pulled over to the apron of the road and began walking toward the scene of the accident. As he approached the scene, he saw the light of an engine fire burning under the vehicle and heard a bystander scream, he s still in the car. RESCUE, Page 13 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, February 2, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 3

WEEK IN PHOTOS 4 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

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NEWS/FEATURES Incoming! Incoming! Incoming! Take cover! Take cover! Rang out over the airwaves. Seconds later shockwaves could be felt throughout the FOB (Forward Operating Base) and the smell of smoke and JP8 (Jet Propulsion fuel, type 8) filled the air. BDOC (Base Defense Control) this is ECP (Entry Control Point) One, Contact! Contact! The ECP has been breached; I repeat, the ECP has been breached. - Chief Master Sgt. James Zuehlke This is just one of the many scenarios that Citizen Airmen from the 927th Security Force Squadron (SFS), MacDill Air Force Base, faced during a weeklong training exercise held at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Starke, Fla., Jan. 9-13. The 73,000-acre Camp Blanding JTC has a robust history dating back to 1939 and has been well established as one of the nations leading combat training centers. During WWII more than 800,000 Soldiers received training at Camp Blanding prior to being forward deployed. The facilities here (Camp Blanding) are as realistic as you can get, said Maj. David Lydon, 927th SFS commander. This week s training scenario simulated a FOB with a small landing strip that was located in enemy territory. Upon arriving at the FOB, security forces members also known as defenders, immediately secured the area and set up defensive positions strategically located in and around the FOB. Throughout the week, the threats were non-stop; within minutes of the defenders arrival, opposing forces launched their first of many attacks. The intent was to keep these guys on their toes, hitting them numerous times throughout the day with a variety of different scenarios, said Chief Master Sgt. James Zuehlke, 927 SFS. DEFEMD, Page 13 6 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

NEWS/FEATURES Under normal circumstances, the typical American is under constant stress to perform at home and work. In our world, we don t deal with the typical American. Our patients come from all branches of military service, and are under tremendous amounts of stress as the wars rage all around the globe where 10, 12, and even 14-hour work days are the norm. Families are subjected to being apart for holidays, repetitive moves, temporary duty assignments and deployments, which bring stress to our patients unlike those seen in the civilian population. Proper sleep is imperative to help the body heal and recover. Armed with this knowledge, we need to be able to offer our patients a non-pharmaceutical option to help them get a good night s sleep. With the ever present concern of becoming addicted to habit-forming medication, it is our duty to try to offer options that take these medications out of play. Let s take a look at basic physiology. Throughout the day, our bodies respond to stress by releasing cortisol from our adrenal glands. Cortisol is responsible for raising blood sugar levels. Due to the constant and higher levels of stress our patients are under on a daily basis, their adrenals are overtaxed and become fatigued. This is where the problem begins. After our last meal for the day, our blood sugar levels initially spike, then slowly drop throughout the night as we sleep. Our body needs to find a way to keep our blood sugar levels up while we sleep, in order for our brain to continue to do its job and keep us alive, therefore the adrenal gland is targeted. When blood sugar levels drop to a certain level, the brain sends a signal to our adrenal glands to release cortisol, thus raising blood sugar levels to a steady level, keeping us asleep, so the brain can use its primary fuel source of glucose. Unfortunately for some people, due to their abnormally high stress levels, their adrenals are shot, and the cortisol they need to raise blood sugar levels is not available. So how does the adrenal gland react? Instead of releasing cortisol to raise blood sugar levels to a safe and operative level to keep us asleep, the adrenal glands release adrenaline, resulting in waking up from sleep with a racing heart, in an alert state. The constant up and down, disruptive sleep throughout the night leads to many of the health concerns we deal with on a daily basis. So what s the solution? Simple. For many people, besides finding ways to help them deal and eliminate their stress during the day, we can have them eat a protein rich meal with complex carbohydrates about an hour prior to going to bed. This should provide the necessary carbs to get them through the night without waking up and avoid their adrenals from releasing epinephrine in the middle of the night. If that does not work, simply try to eat a bite or two of a carbohydrate food such as a banana. This simple technique does not work for everyone, but at least feel comfortable knowing you tried a natural solution. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, February 2, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 7

A Montford Point Marine and World War II veteran, Pfc. Charles Robert Fountain, posthumously received the Congressional Gold Medal, Jan. 27 at MacDill Air Force Base. The medal was awarded to Fountain s daughter, Kim Fountaine, by Lt. Gen. William D. Beydler, commander of U.S. Marine Forces Central Command. Charles Fountain was part of the Montford Point Marines, a group of African-American Marines who swore to protect the U.S. during World War II. At their time of enlistment, these Marines were segregated and received their recruit training at Montford Point, near Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. From 1942-1949, approximately 20,000 African-American Marines were trained there. The impact of the Montford Point Marines goes well beyond the Marine Corps, and reaches much farther out than eastern North Carolina, said Beydler. It should be clear from what we ve seen and what we know that these Marines led a sweeping change of our nation. The Montford Point Marines were able to prove they were willing to fight for a country and a military, which at the time, didn t want them serving. These Marines carved their place in the history of the Corps, because they had to fight in order to fight, said U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Charles Jackson, an assistant security manager assigned to MARCENT. In battle, they would have to carry the wounded, the very ones who wanted them segregated, back to safety. However, in 1948, President Harry S. Truman abolished segregation in the armed forces, and one year later, Montford Point was deactivated. In 1965, a group of Montford Point Marines reunited, and established the Montford Point Marine Association, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve the legacy of the first black Marines to serve. The organization developed a creed that reads as follows: To promote and preserve the strong bonds of friendship born from shared adversities and to devote ourselves to the furtherance of these accomplishments to ensure more peaceful times. My father was so proud to be a Montford Point Marine, and he spoke about it often, said Fountaine. Thank you to everyone who made this happen, thank you to the Marine Corps, and Semper Fi. - U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Charles Jackson 8 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, February 2, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 9

NEWS/FEATURES What I m talkin about is a game - a game that can t be won, only played. Those words were spoken by Bagger Vance, the fictional character from the book, The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life. If true, and winning takes a backseat to play, then what the grounds crew of Mac- Dill s Bay Palms Golf Complex do every day may be the most important factor of all for MacDill golfers. Play, good play, depends on good greens and fairways, raked traps, grounds clear of debris and trees properly trimmed. When the last ball is holed on the 18th, no one should be able to blame a high score on the course, believes Sam Falletta, Bay Palms superintendent. Instead, they should be able to credit the grounds for low scores. - Sam Falletta on support received from the 6th Force Supports Squadron Falletta supervises 13 staffers who keep both courses on base in shape. During this time of year, he also has the enthusiastic support of several volunteers from the base FamCamp. They re great, said Falletta of the staff, many of whom have been working the job for years and genuinely care for the property. The volunteers are great, and they do everything from trimming trees to carpentry four to six months out of the year. Falletta has been on the job about a year and relishes the atmosphere compared to past courses he s managed. The golfers here have been a pleasure, he said. I enjoy coming here every day. There are a few more rules to follow and some additional paperwork due to the Air Force ownership, Falletta said, but after getting used to the drill, he s settled in and focused on creating the best golfing experience possible. The south course is the premier playing experience, but the north course has its appeal and can present a bigger challenge, Falletta said, adding that it s all a matter of taste. For Jim Boone and Don Warrick, regular golfers at Bay Palms, Falletta and his crew are doing a first-rate job. They guy s (Falletta) doing a great job, said Warrick. We thought the (previous superintendant) was doing a good job, and we worried when we heard a new guy was coming in and thought it would be hard to improve on what we had, but he did it. Boone said the south course is his preference, and he couldn t ask for a better playing experience. The south course is in fantastic shape, he said. Now, if we can only get the lazy golfers to fix their ball marks One of the workers under Falletta responsible for such praise is Tito Gonzalez. He s been on the job since 1982. He enjoys his work and it shows. I love it; it s what I do, he said, taking a break from mowing to speak. Working on an Air Force base also contributes to his job satisfaction. It makes me feel like I have a sense of purpose, and that I m serving a good cause, Gonzalez said. Falletta and his crew also get the support they need from MacDill. The grounds team is getting new mowers and a tractor to replace aging equipment. It makes the job easier with new equipment that you won t have to repair daily, said Falletta. It s good to have that kind of support to help us care for the property. There are many challenging aspects to the job, but keeping the putting greens true, and well, green, is one of the biggest. Falletta said he s gone to a relatively new grass for the greens called Paspalum. It s a sea grass species, and being salt resistant is ideal for MacDill due the surrounding Tampa Bay. It s working out great, Falletta said. Everyone likes the greens and maintenance is low in our environment. As we are still in the winter months and the slow growing season, the crew focuses on improving the look and play of the course, but spring is just around the corner and the task of mowing ramps up. We ll be getting a lot busier soon, and mowers will be running constantly, said Falletta. It s a big job to keep up with in the warmer months. But his crew will keep up, he said. Good play depends upon it. 10 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

NEWS/FEATURES MacDill Air Force Base offers two locations to get taxes done for free. Services are provided for active duty, retirees, spouses and dependents with proof of a valid military identification card at either of these offices. The Retiree Activities Office (RAO) Location: On base between the commissary and the Base Exchange Phone: 828-0248 Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. (closed on holidays) *Fridays are strictly active-duty tax days. Active duty members are given priority at the RAO. Services are provided on an appointment basis. However, walk-ins are welcome if there is open availability. Walk-ins will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis. The RAO will open up the phone lines for scheduling Jan. 16, and will be scheduling appointments for Jan. 30 and later. Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Location: Off base at HCC, Room BSSB 201, Brandon. Phone: 813-546-6217 - Please leave a message. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. (closed on holidays) The HCC tax center will start scheduling on Jan. 16 and tax preparation will begin Feb. 2. HCC welcomes walk-ins Tuesday through Thursday. Saturdays are appointments only. Calls will be returned within 24-hours. If no return call is received, please call again and leave another message. A map and the necessary paperwork will be emailed after an appointment is made. In addition to the normal W-2, 1099, and other financial forms, clients will need to bring their 1095C Affordable Care Act paperwork. Personnel should receive this paperwork from DFAS, which can be downloaded from the same site the income forms are obtained from. Seeking volunteers The HCC tax center is currently seeking volunteers for the 2017 tax season. No tax experienced required. The center is seeking multiple greeters and a scheduler. The greeters will meet the clients, check them in, and keep the order for the reviews. The scheduler will need computer access with Excel and email skills. The scheduler will return phone calls, schedule clients and send email confirmations. The hours are flexible and any day(s) of participation is/are welcome. Schedulers will work from home and greeters will be expected in person at HCC. If interested, please contact retired Col. Pete Ryner at 813-545-5807. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, February 2, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 11

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This not only tests their skills but it also instills confidence in their ability to respond to a threat. Base defense is just one of the many tasks the defenders must master before becoming deployment ready. Defenders must also be knowledgeable on troop and supply movements, self-aid buddy care, rules of engagement, and prisoner of war/detainee procedures. Security forces isn t just checking IDs at the gate, our job is to defend, said Senior Airman Justin Ryan, 927th SFS defender. I have deployed eight times and this is very realistic on what we could encounter downrange. The defenders training also included time at Camp Blanding JTC POW Camp. It simulated a realistic confinement installation that includes watchtowers, multi-level security perimeters, and holding cells for enemy combatants. It s very possible that we find ourselves in a situation where we capture and detain a prisoner; it s also not uncommon to be deployed to guard a prison, said Zuehlke. This training area (Camp Blanding) allows us to accomplish much of our required training in a single location. Jack ran down the ditch to the burning vehicle to find the driver unconscious and pinned under the steering wheel. The flames grew taller and started to completely engulf the front end of the vehicle before Jack could even open the buckled driver door. By the time he and another rescuer got the door open, the flames were pouring over the hood of the car. Jack reached into the vehicle to pull the man out. In that moment, the driver woke up to excruciating pain in his legs being pinned under the collapsed steering column. Jack tried to settle the man, but was quickly running out of time, as flames were now at his feet. In that moment, I knew he was in pain, but I had to get him out of there before it was too late, said Jack. So, I grabbed him by the wrists and threw him onto my back; I was trudging through the mud, and other bystanders were trying to guide me, and I slipped a little bit. I think when I slipped is when I was the most afraid, because here I am with this guy on my back trying to get away. I don t know if this car is going to blow up or not. A deputy saw Jack was clear of danger, he asked him to put the man down. When I put him down, I turned and looked at the vehicle and there were already flames coming out the back of the vehicle, Jack said. Like, the hatchback of his SUV was melted down. Mere seconds separated Jack s life-saving actions from being a horror story instead of a story of survival, but when asked about what he feels when he reflects on that morning, Jack doesn t think he did anything anyone else wouldn t do given the same circumstances. Everybody calls me a hero or his angel; it s just humanity. It s just one human helping out another one, said Jack. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time, and God put me there to help him out. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, February 2, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 13

fleet if we re going to maintain that global access. Cody was here to address attendees of the AMC s Chief s Leadership Course. He spoke to new chief master sergeants and chief master sergeant-selects about their new roles and responsibilities. It is always a great opportunity to congratulate the new chief-selects, and to use the opportunity to remind them about the importance of their senior enlisted leadership role, Cody said. Cody also discussed some of the issues he focused on during his tenure as the chief master sergeant of the Air Force with sequestration and force reductions challenging the enlisted force. We ve focused on a lot of things in the context of making sure Airmen are fully prepared to do the missions they are being asked to do, Cody said. That goes in line with deliberate development, whether through their professional military education or their training; trying to balance the demand signals on Airmen and airpower with the need to maintain and increase readiness has been a significant challenge for our Air Force. There is also a focus on helping Airmen develop a way to maintain healthy work and life balances. There is an insatiable demand for what Airmen bring to the fight and their readiness to do it shouldn t be understated by any means, he said. There s a lot of things to focus on, not the least of which is Airmen and their families, and what we asked them to do. We ve made significant efforts over the last four years, including efforts to reduce ancillary training and additional duties. 14 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT

COMMUNITY Surf s Edge Club Membership Breakfast from 6:30-9 a.m. Club members free; non-members: $7.95. Call 828-1466. SeaScapes Beach House Mardi Gras Friday Family Fun Night from 5-9 p.m. Wear white and fluorescent clothing, kids activities, face painting and tattoos, giveaways, DJ. Lots of beads. New Orleans buffet: red beans and rice, jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp po-boys and king cake. Adults: $15.99, kids meal: $2.99. Free sundaes for kids. Youth Center Pre-Teen & Teen Valentine s Dance. Pre-teens (ages 9-12) 6-9 p.m. Teens (ages 13-18) 9-12 p.m. DJ, music, drinks and snacks. School Age and Youth Center members: $7; non-members: $10. Base Theater Free movie. Keeping Up with the Joneses (PG-13) Doors open at 1:15 p.m. Movie starts at 2 p.m. MacDill Lanes & Family Fun Center Super Bowl Party. Doors open at noon. Kick-off at 6:30 p.m. Watch the game on the big screens. Door prizes. 50-cent bowling all day. Game-time buffet. Club members/ family members: free. Guest/nonmember: $7. Drink specials. Arts & Crafts Center Mason Jar Change Banks form 5-7 p.m. $15 for a set of 3. Need to increase your savings? Make every penny count with these chic change banks. Choose your jar, choose your colors, and then sit back and watch your savings grow. For all other faith groups or for any questions, please contact the Chapel by visiting http://www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel or calling 828-3621 Base Theater Free movie. Allied (R) Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Movie starts at 7 p.m. MACDILL THUNDERBOLT Thursday, February 2, 2017 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM 15

NEWS/FEATURES Life and work on a military base starts early, and to accommodate MacDill s parents, the Child Development Center (CDC) and School Age Progam facilities are now open a half-hour earlier. A trial to test interest, both facilities will open for drop-offs at 6 a.m. through April 21. If successful and enough parents partake of the earlier hours, it could become permanent, said Jane Cook, resource and referral specialist with the CDC. Cook said the trial mainly serves military parents who have early physical training to attend. That s one of the things we hear a lot, said Cook. People (parents who utilize the child-care services) say they can t go to early PT. The trial followed a survey done by the 6th Force Support marketing department. The survey showed enough interest to move forward with a trial, said Cook, who added that Col. Sergio Rios, 6th FSS commander, made the final decision to give the earlier hours a test. We don t know yet if it will become permanent, said Cook. It all depends on the response, The 6 a.m. opening time began Monday, and Cook was unable Tuesday to determine the level of participation, noting that some parents may not yet be aware of the change. school-age-care 16 WWW.MACDILLTHUNDERBOLT.COM Thursday, February 2, 2017 MACDILL THUNDERBOLT