Read June 12 edition - MacDill Thunderbolt

Vol. 38, No. 23
MatchUP
kickoff picnic
makes a big
splash - page 16
Friday, June 12, 2009
COMMENTARY
How ready is your team?
by Maj. Jay Alonzo
6th Maintenance Squadron commander
This past April the 6th Air Mobility Wing
updated the format of the Weekly Activity
Report to report twelve key readiness and
performance metrics to 18th Air Force. One
of these metrics is the Preventive Health Assessment and Individual Medical Readiness
(PIMR) rate. This rate measures the medical
deployment readiness by tracking immunization status, Duty Limiting Conditions (DLC),
and other medical information with a goal of
80 percent currency.
Take a moment and think about that goal.
The Air Force expects 80 percent of our force
to be medically ready all the time. That
means only 1 out of 5 can be injured our noncompliant with their medical care at any moment. Is this a tough goal to achieve? It can
be. Take a look at your duty section. How
many of your fellow Airmen are recovering
from an injury or need other time consuming medical or dental care? A broken bone or
dental surgery can easily take several weeks
to heal. After you subtract these individuals,
you can’t “afford” to have Airmen non-mission
ready for simple things like immunizations,
lab tests, or a short Physical Health Assessments (PHA). In small duty sections, as few
as one or two personnel could drop your unit
below the 80 percent goal.
Consider that medical is just one of the
limitations that prevent Airmen from being
deployment ready. AFI 10-403 contains a long
list of Deployment Availability (DAV) Codes.
Also consider that very few Air Force units
are 100 percent manned to begin with, and
it is easy to see how a unit’s PIMR rate and
other DAV limitations could prevent it from
being ready to execute its assigned mission.
To some extent, I view my unit and our
readiness like a sports team. To accomplish
our assigned mission we need X number of
players ready to take the field and all members must be qualified and proficient at their
position. However, unlike a sports team the
cost of the military losing are much higher
than a game or even a championship. Additionally, we do not aim for the narrow victory
of an extra point or one run. As a military,
our goal is to dominate our opponent and unquestionably win all battles. Since the cost
of losing and desire to win is so high, we cannot afford to play with anything less than our
complete All-star team.
As leaders and supervisors in an expeditionary Air Force, we should constantly monitor PIMR rates and make ensure the team is
always ready. We need to work with Airmen
to resolve DLCs and look hard at the easy
“kills” such as overdue PHA and immunizations. Additionally, you may need to make the
hard call of retention or retraining in the Air
Maj Jay Alonzo
Force in the unfortunate instance of a long
term health problem that prevents full participation.
An individual may have the best intentions
and give their best effort, but in many cases
what we need is their best performance without limitations. We are the best in the world
at what we do and our country expects us to
bring our “A” game every time we are called
upon.
ACTION LINE
The Action Line provides a two-way communication between the 6th Air Mobility Wing
commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or comments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636)
MacDill Thunderbolt
Publisher: Denise Palmer
Editor: Nick Stubbs
The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air
Force. This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized
publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military
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Display advertising or classified advertising information
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News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted
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call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at 828-4586. Email: [email protected].
Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to
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are considered for publication based on news value and timeliness.
Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity,
brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook
and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.
NEWS/FEATURES
Your T-bolt Today
NEWS/FEATURES: page 4
Air Force justice
NEWS/FEATURES: page 4
Fire Safety for summer
NEWS/FEATURES: page 5
Annual drinking water survey
READINESS: page 6
Flag Day
NEWS: page 8
Kids golf
FITNESS: page 12
Weight training for health
Photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks
Col. Dennis Beatty (left), 6th Medical Group commander, hands over command of the 6th Medical Operations Squadron to Lt. Col. Patrick Williams in the Officers Club June 4.
New MDOS commander weighs in
The Thunderbolt got the opportunity to ask
the new 6th Medical Operations Squadron commander, Lt. Col. Patrick Williams, some questions about what his leadership will bring and
his expectations of the Airmen he will lead.
1) What do you expect of the Airmen under
your command?
NEWS: page 18
Helping Hands anniversary
FEATURES: page 20
Diamond Sharp
COMMUNITY: page 24
Events, around MacDill
I expect them not to take military service
for granted. It is a privilege that is only afforded to a small percentage of our society and
we should be thankful for the opportunity to
serve and do our very best while doing so.
2) Who are your favorite leaders and role
models?
My parents are my role models and have
been all of my life. They instilled the values
in me that I hold today. I am lucky to have
them.
3) What does it mean to you to be the 6
MDOS commander?
It is humbling to be a commander in the finest Air Force on the Planet. I have had a lot of
really good commanders in the past who were
so committed to making their Airmen better
and helping them reach their goals and I look
forward to the opportunity to do the same.
4) When you hold your first commander’s
call what is the first thing you are going to tell
your Airmen?
I will tell the 6 MDOS that everyone’s job, no
matter who they are or what they do, is important. Every single thing we do affects someone
tangibly or intangibly and many times we may
not even realize it the impact we are having.
5) What are your thoughts about MacDill
and living in Tampa?
I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the
enthusiasm and professionalism of the Airmen
in every organization I have encountered since
arriving. I am excited about living in Tampa
and joining the great team here at MacDill!
NEWS/FEATURES
An awakening
by Airman Tiffany Spradlin
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE,
COCO BEACH, FL — My name is
Airman Tiffany Spradlin, and here
is my story. On April 2, I was convicted in a Special Court Martial
for marijuana use at Patrick AFB,
Florida. My punishment consisted
of reduction from E-4 to E-2, confinement for 30 days, and hard
labor for 30 days. I believe I was
a good Airman up to this point in
my career, but I threw it all away
by smoking marijuana. I can only
learn from my illegal conduct and
try to be a true wingman by helping other airmen from making the
same wrong decisions that I did.
I’m an accurate example that substantiates the seriousness of the
Uniform Code of Military Justice
and what may happen to you if
you compromise your core values
and violate the law that was estab-
April/May Article 15’s
lished to maintain good order and
discipline.
I recently completed my 30 days
of confinement and my 30 days of
hard labor. I want my fellow Airmen to know that my sentence is
not a joke; it is not “funny.” Thirty
days of confinement permits you
more time than you would ever
want to reflect on all your mistakes. The walls continue to close
in on you and you begin to miss everything more and more each day.
All the things you once enjoyed doing fade away through the feelings
of guilt and embarrassment. My
hard labor is the most excruciating
and time consuming labor I have
ever known. To begin understanding the details associated with
hard labor, imagine every dirty detail you have witnessed someone
else doing while you pointed and
said, “I’m glad that’s not me doing
On April 22 a technical sergeant from
the 6th Maintenance Squadron accepted an
Article 15 for making a False Official Statement regarding his physical fitness test. His
punishment consisted of a reduction to the
grade of staff sergeant and a reprimand.
On May 4 an airman first class from the
6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron accepted an Article 15 for being absent without
leave (AWOL) on two separate occasions and for being derelict in the
performance of his duties due to the underage possession of alcohol.
His punishment consisted of a suspended reduction to the grade of
Airman, forfeiture of $876.00 for one month and a reprimand.
On May 6 a master sergeant from United States Central Command
accepted an Article 15 for use of a controlled substance (prescription
medication). Her punishment consisted of a suspended reduction to
the grade of technical sergeant, and a reprimand.
On May 13 an Airman from the 6th Air Mobility Wing Staff accepted an Article 15 for failure to go to her appointed place of duty
and for being derelict in the performance of her duties due to the
underage consumption of alcohol. Her punishment consisted of a suspended reduction to the grade of airman basic, 5 days extra duty, and
a reprimand.
See AWAKENING, Page 22
Summer is for fireworks, makes fire safety top priority
by Staff Sgt. Stephen Pina
MacDill Fire Department fire inspector
It would be hard to imagine July 4th festivities in the United States without public displays of fireworks. But celebrations can become
tragic when someone is seriously injured by
consumer fireworks. Every year Americans look
“...exercise caution this year
when using fireworks around
vegetation.”
forward to summer vacations, camping, family
reunions, picnics, and the Fourth of July. The
fourth of July, however, also brings fires and
injuries due to fireworks. Annually just under
10,000 Americans are injured by fireworks. In
2007, 64 percent of fireworks injuries occurred
between June 22 and July 22.
If you decide to go camping or watch the local display please keep in mind that knowing
these few safety tips and instructions will help
everyone have a safe summer.
• The best way to enjoy fireworks is to visit
public fireworks displays put on by professionals who know how to safely handle fireworks.
• If you plan to use fireworks, make sure
they are legal in your area.
• Never light fireworks indoors or near dry
grass.
• Always have a bucket of water and/or a fire
extinguisher nearby. Know how to operate the
fire extinguisher properly. If you are camping,
follow the instructions of the campgrounds.
• Do not wear loose clothing while using fireworks.
• Stand several feet away from lit fireworks.
If a devise does not go off, do not stand over it
to investigate it. Put it out with water and dispose of it.
• Always read the directions and warning
labels on fireworks. If a devise is not marked
with the contents, direction and a warning label, do not light it.
• Supervise children around fireworks at all
times
• After the fireworks display, children should
never pick up fireworks that may be left over;
they may still be active.
Although Hillsborough County has lifted its
burn ban and it is legal to use fireworks, exercise caution this year when using fireworks
around vegetation. The most common thermal
burn injuries to children 14 and younger are
fireworks mishaps and approximately 58 percent of all fireworks related injuries are burns
to the hands, head, and eyes. If you have any
questions concerning fireworks please contact
the Fire Prevention office at 828-3630. Please
have a safe and joyous Fourth of July celebration.
NEWS
Annual Drinking Water
Quality Report Is Available
Courtesy 6th Civil Engineer Squadron and 6th Aeromedical Squadron
MacDill Air Force Base’s annual drinking water report is now available. The report, called a Consumer Confidence Report or CCR, provides information about drinking water quality on base. In addition,
because Madill AFB obtains all of its drinking water from the City of
Tampa, the report also provides information on the quality of water
that the city provides to us.
We are pleased to report that our water is safe to drink, and our
drinking water system meets state and federal standards. MacDill
AFB is committed to providing a safe and dependable supply of drinking water and wants all personnel to be informed about our water system and the quality of water delivered each day. The CCR includes this
information.
The CCR will be provided to all facility managers and mailed to all
units on base that purchased water from MacDill AFB during 2008.
The CCR is posted on the 6th Medical Group E.I.M SharePoint. A basewide e-mail was sent out to inform base personnel that the report has
been published and where they can find it on the web page. Personnel
without access to a computer or MacDill’s web page may obtain a copy
by calling the Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight at 827-9570.
If you have any questions regarding drinking water, please contact
Tech. Sgt Melody M. Bell, 6 AMDS/SGPB at 827-9570 or Rick Frahn, 6
CES/CEV at 828-0462.
NEWS/FEATURES
Flag Day history; the story behind the Stars and Stripes
Courtesy U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
That the flag of the United States
shall be of thirteen stripes
of alternate red and white,
with a union of thirteen stars
of white in a blue field,
representing the new constellation.
This was the resolution adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. The resolution was made following the report of a special
committee which had been assigned to suggest
the flag’s design.
A flag of this design was first carried into
battle on September 11, 1777, in the Battle of
the Brandywine. The American flag was first
saluted by foreign naval vessels on February
14, 1778, when the Ranger, bearing the Stars
and Stripes and under the command of Captain Paul Jones, arrived in a French port. The
flag first flew over a foreign territory in early
1778 at Nassau, Bahama Islands, where Americans captured a British fort.
Observance of the adoption of the flag was
not soon in coming, however. Although there
are many claims to the first official observance
of Flag Day, all but one took place more than
an entire century after the flag’s adoption in
1777.
The first claim was from a Hartford, Conn.,
celebration during the first summer of 1861.
In the late 1800s, schools all over the United
States held Flag Day programs to contribute
to the Americanization of immigrant children,
and the observance caught on with individual
communities.
The most recognized claim, however, comes
from New York. On June 14, 1889, Professor
George Bolch, principal of a free kindergarten
See FLAG DAY, Page 20
FEATURES
Kids getting their golf swings
grooved this summer – for free
by Nick Stubbs
Thunderbolt editor
“Get them while their young.
That’s the strategy for making
good, or even great golfers,” said
Lou Harris, director of golf at MacDill’s Bay Pines Golf Club.
Starting this week, a special
summer program for children began, offering free driving range
practice Tuesdays and Thursday’s
between noon and 1 p.m. until Aug.
22. Mr. Harris is hoping kids gravitate to the activity, which has been
limited to active duty, as his goal is
to make the game more enjoyable
by providing the skills needed to
achieve success.
“Our intention is to make it fun,
and the way you do that is providing the help they need to improve,”
he said. “It is absolutely easier
(teaching youngsters), because you
are starting them off on the right
path and they are not as set in
their ways.”
J.J. Martin, son of Col. Lawrence
Martin, is a good example of putty
in Mr. Harris’ hands.
“There it is; you have a common
problem,” Mr. Harris said, after
watching young J.J. drive a ball
down range. “You are transferring
your weight (rearward).”
Photo by Nick Stubbs
“It’s the most common mistake
he sees at the range,” said Mr. Jeff Martin, son of Col. Lawrence Martin, 6th Air Mobility Wing comHarris. “After the swing, the body mander prepares to send a ball down range during the free youth driving range session Tuesday. Kids can drive free Tuesdays and Thursdays
See GOLF, Page 10
between noon and 1 p.m. until Aug. 22.
golf
From Page 8
weight shifts back, sometimes so much the player loses balance and has to step back.” The idea
he said, is to keep the weight forward, following
through with the swing and leaning into it.
“Little things like that make a lot of difference,” said Mr. Harris.
J.J. nodded his head and teed up another
ball.
Kids, particularly boys, tend to want to crush
the ball on their drive, “trying to hit those houses over there,” Mr. Harris said, laughing at the
idea of a youngster who would have to best Tiger Woods’ best ever to even come close to the
housing units some 400 yards down range.
“We focus on hitting it straight,” he said.
“When you are hitting it straight, you know you
already are doing a lot of things right.”
Distance comes later.
J.J. and Brother Jeff have played golf in the
past, but say they want to get better at the
game.
“That’s the attitude to have,” said Mr. Harris.
“We have three instructors out here walking the
line to help, and some of the players who come
out don’t want to hear anything from us, but
others want to learn or call us over for some tips
on improving.”
Special summer youth specials are Saturday’s 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. between June 6 and Aug.
22 – Junior Golf Clinic for ages 8 through 17.
The cost is $3 per child and includes the use of
clubs.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon to 1 p.m.,
June 9 through Aug. 20, the free active duty golf
clinic will be open to children.
Tuesday through Friday, June 5 through Aug.
21, special open play rates for youths ages 8 to
17 will apply. A round including greens fees and
a pull cart will be $5, with junior rental clubs
provided free of charge if available. Children
may play unescorted if they have a certificate
showing completion of a junior golf camp or instruction. Youths with drivers licenses may rent
a golf cart, though they will have to pay cart
fees.
SPORTS/FITNESS
Weight training for fitness, health
by Senior Airman Tania Reid
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
Sticking to a workout plan in
the summer can be a challenge.
Being in the gym to avoid battling
the intense heat can cause some to
become weary. Doing the same elliptical workout followed by a circuit of the same weight machines
may prevent you from achieving
your fitness goals. If you’re not
getting positive results right away,
don’t get discouraged, here are
some changes you can make to get
results before the summer ends.
The Get Fit This Summer website recommends the following
workout tips to help jumpstart or
support any fitness plan.
Lift Heavier Weights
Switch up the weights every
time you work out. Challenge your
muscles with heavier weights than
what you’ve been using because
the body adapts quickly to stresses
placed on it. Trying different exercises or types of equipment will
produce change in the body.
Sometimes women fear lifting
heavier weights, concerned heavier weights will cause their muscles
to bulk up. This is simply not going
to happen. Building a little muscle
mass is a good thing. You’ll appear
leaner, firmer, and more toned--not bigger---and add great definition. Also, adding a few pounds of
muscle means a slight bump in
your metabolism: more calories
burned per day, even when you’re
resting. This will allow you to better maintain your weight loss over
time.
Add Interval Training to
Your Cardio Routine
Avoid following common practice. Resist gravitating toward a
single type of cardio equipment,
pressing start, and exercising for
See WEIGHTS, Page 26
Lots of freebies were available for family and friends who came out to enjoy a ba
day picnic. Giveaways were just one of the perks, along with good food, drink and
Master Sgt. Jerry Stevens, 6th Maintenance Operations Squadron, gets drenched during the “Wet Shirt” contest at the basewide barbecue for the MatchUP family fun day picnic.
MatchUP kicks off with bang
by Senior Airman Tania Reid
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
The MatchUP game is in full swing this summer and Team MacDill is certainly feeling the
itch. The competition kicked off with a 5k run at the fitness center June 3 and a base wide
family fun day at the beach June 5.
The day’s activities were organized by the 6th Force Support Squadron’s marketing department members who coordinated with both on and off base officials for the event.
In attendance at the MatchUP game were various off base sponsors. They were the Coca
Cola Company, Grow Financial, USAA federal credit union, Tyson foods and more. They offered prizes and surprises for the attendants as well as live band performances by “Lucky
Penny”.
Some of the activities and entertainment were provided by the base representatives such
as the First Sergeants Council with the “wet shirt” competition. This event gave any takers
an opportunity to hit a target which resulted in splashing water down on the 1st shirt in the
wet seat. The winner was the person with the most dunks and the prizes ranged from $50 to
$200.
Additionally the fun day had body art booths for temporary fun tattoos, Mike the magician,
water slides for the children and lots of refreshments.
The MatchUP game gives participants the chance to scratch and win $10,000 and many
more prizes throughout the summer. Anyone from Team MacDill can enter! For more information on where to get MatchUP game pieces log on to: www.macdillfss.com.
Kevin Roberts, son of First Lt. Michael Ro
ceives an airbrushed tattoo on his arm by ra
the base-wide barbecue for the MatchUP fa
plimentary food, game stations, water slide
the Magician, sponsor booths, and giveaway
First Lt. Eric Peterson, 6th Communications Squadron, plays a MatchUP game during the MatchUP picnic.
The games were not only fun, but
provided participants with a chance
to win prizes.
ase-wide barbecue for the MatchUP family fun
d games.
oberts, 6th Logistic Readiness Squadron, readio station WQYK FM’s Norm Bullock during
amily fun day picnic. The event included comes, live entertainment by “Lucky Penny,” Mike
ys.
Mike the magician makes balloon animals during the picnic, which was a hit with the kids, who
got to make request for their favorite animals.
NEWS/FEATURES
Operation Helping Hand
celebrates its fifth anniversary
Courtesy photo
Proudly celebrating the 5th Anniversary of Operation Helping Hand are
left to right, Brigadier General Arne Skjaerpe, Senior Norwegian Representative, US Central Command; Captain Robert J. Silah, USN, Retired,
President of the Tampa Chapter of MOAA and Chairman of Operation
Helping Hand; Major General Michael Diamond, US Army, Retired and
Mr. Stephen M. Lucas, Director of the James A. Haley VA Hospital.
Special to the Thunderbolt
contributions in order to help the
military patients, and, just as imIn May 2004, Operation Helping portant, their families.
Hand (Op HH) began as a special
Strong support also came from
project of the Tampa Chapter of the International Coalition which
the Military Officers Association consists of over sixty country repof America (MOAA). With a sud- resentatives at US Central Comden influx of wounded and injured mand at MacDill AFB.
military personnel from Iraq and
Captain Robert J. Silah, USN,
Afghanistan, and a large number Retired, Carrollwood, President of
coming to the James A. Haley VA the Tampa Chapter and Chairman
Hospital here in Tampa, it was evi- of Operation Helping Hand stated
dent that there was urgent need that over the next five years, Op
for our help.
HH continued to grow, and continAfter discussions with the medi- ued to provide support. Over 400
cal staff at the Hospital, and the active duty patients received our
approval of the Tampa MOAA help, along with about 650 family
Chapter Board of Directors, the members. $250,000 in cash and/or
Tampa Chapter started educat- checks has been directly provided
ing many civic groups and getting
See HELPING HAND, Page 22
Diamond Sharp
flag day
E-5 (IS2) David A. Solomon
Joint Intelligence Center, U.S. CENTCOM(JICCENT)
Job Title: Iranian Naval Intelligence Analyst
Home town: La Center, KY
Short-term goals: Be a good
husband and father; continually improve my physical
fitness; obtain my level 1
Crossfit Certification; produce timely and actionable
intelligence to support the
commander and deployed
warfighters..
Long-term goals: Finish
my Masters degree; apply
for Naval Officer Candidate
School; work in the Naval
Special Warfare community.
From Page 6
for the poor of New
York City, had his
school hold patriotic
ceremonies to observe
the anniversary of the
Flag Day resolution.
This initiative attracted attention from the
State Department of
Education, which arranged to have the day
observed in all public
schools thereafter.
Soon the state legislature passed a law
making it the responsibility of the state superintendent of public
schools to ensure that
schools hold observances for Lincoln ’s
Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day and Flag Day.
In 1897, the governor
of New York ordered
the displaying of the
flag over all public
buildings in the state,
an observance considered by some to be the
first official recognition of the anniversary of the adoption
of the flag outside of
schools.
Another
claim
comes from Philadelphia. In 1893, the
Society of Colonial
Dames succeeded in
getting a resolution
passed to have the
flag displayed on all
of the city’s public
buildings. Elizabeth
Duane Gillespie, a
direct descendant of
Benjamin Franklin
and the president of
the Colonial Dames
of Pennsylvania, that
same year tried to get
the city to call June
14 Flag Day. Resolutions by women were
not granted much notice, however, and it
was not until May 7,
1937, that Pennsylvania became the first
state to establish the
June 14 Flag Day as
a legal holiday. Flag
Day is a nationwide
observance today, but
Pennsylvania is the
only state that recognizes it as a legal holiday.
Bernard J. Cigrand,
a school teacher in
Waubeka, Wisconsin,
reportedly spent years
trying to get Congress
to declare June 14 as
a national holiday. Although his attempts
failed, the day was
widely observed. “Father of Flag Day” honors have been given
to William T. Kerr,
who was credited with
founding the American Flag Day Association in 1888 while still
a schoolboy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Both
President
Wilson, in 1916, and
President Coolidge,
in 1927, issued proclamations
asking
for June 14 to be observed as the National Flag Day. But
it wasn’t until August
3, 1949, that Congress
approved the national
observance, and President Harry Truman
signed it into law.
AWAKENING
From Page 4
that,” and then multiply that
by six days a week.
With all this in mind, I
would like all Airmen to learn
from my terrible choices and
obey the law. Also, I would
like all airmen to know that
the loyalty and desire to “fit
in” with your friends or negative influences from the past
or present, does not compare
to the honor of serving your
country honorably. I have
learned that lesson the hard
way, and I hope that if you are
feeling the pressures of your
friends to do the wrong thing,
really look inside yourself and
know who you are and where
you want your future to take
you. Please heed my story and
don’t make the same terrible
decisions that I did.
Airman Spradlin is currently entering the Return to
Duty Program at Lackland
AFB. The program is an intensive 6-month re-bluing process
designed for qualified Airmen
with court martial convictions. There are no guarantees
she will be allowed to re-enter
active duty service after she
completes the program. Drug
abuse is a mandatory basis
for discharge according to AFI
36-3208, Administrative Separation of Airmen, paragraph
5.54.
helping hand
From Page 18
to them, and $675,000
in in-kind material
and services.
Silah also states
now with the additional troops being
sent to Afghanistan,
and the probable in-
crease of hostilities,
Op HH will be standing by to support and
assist the wounded/
injured active duty
military patients and
their families as long
as necessary.
Op HH consists
of all volunteers and
many of the volunteers
have been with Op HH
for five years.
Working with Captain Silah on the Op
HH Executive Council
are Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Siegman, USAF, Retired,
Valrico, Treasurer;
Commander Stanley
J. Ewanowski, USN,
Retired, Tampa, Chief
Administrator and
Chief Warrant Officer Thomas E. South,
USA, Retired, Carrollwood, Special Projects.
Op HH is a 501(c)
(3) organization. Donations may be sent
to MOAA Operation
Helping Hand, PO
Box 6383, MacDill Air
Force Base, Fl 336080383.
NEWS/FEATURES
Office energy
checklist
Courtesy 6th Civil
Engineer Squadron
Did you know that
31 percent of all electricity in the United
States is used to run
commercial buildings?
This rate continues to rise as companies add new office
equipment. Energy
use for office equipment is expected to
rise by 500 percent in
the next decade. In a
small office, Energy
Star equipment can
save more than 3,500
kilowatt hours of electricity per year (about
$265 dollars at current energy prices).
Overall, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates
that the Energy Star
Office Equipment
program will save 21
billion kilowatt-hours
and 2.3 billion pounds
of carbon dioxide a
year -- the equivalent
of taking 807,000 cars
off the road.
Here is a simple
checklist of energy
conservation/efficiency measures to use at
the office.
Always use Compact
Fluorescent
Lights (CFLs) in desk
lamps as opposed to
incandescent lights
Switch off all unnecessary lights
Use natural lighting when possible
When working late,
use task lighting to
directly illuminate
work areas
Unplug equipment
that drains energy
even when not in use
(i.e. cell phone chargers, fans, coffeemakers, desktop printers,
radios, etc.)
If possible, turn off
your office equipment
and or computer monitors at the end of the
work day
Use efficient EN-
ERGY STAR® products
Close or tilt window
blinds to block direct
sunlight to reduce
cooling needs during
warm months
Photocopy only
what you need
Always use the
second side of paper,
either by printing
on both sides or using the blank side as
scrap paper
Collect your utility
bills. Separate electricity and fuel bills.
Target the biggest bill
for energy conservation remedies.
Carpool, bike, or
use mass transit
when commuting to
work
To save gas: drive
the speed limit, accelerate and decelerate
slower, and make sure
tires are pumped up
Use durable coffee
mugs instead of disposable cups
weights
From Page 12
45 minutes or more at a preselected level of intensity speed on the
treadmill, or resistance on the elliptical. As a result your body gets
used to the routine fast and sabotages the results altogether. The
result, your weight loss may slow or stop all together. Additionally,
this type of workout doesn’t encourage you to increase the intensity
as it becomes less challenging.
If you typically do a long (40 minutes or more), moderate-intensity cardio workout, consider high-intensity interval training.
Here you’ll alternate intervals of work at a high intensity---think
an 8 or 9 on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10---with moderate-intensity
“recovery” periods (about a 6). An example would be running on the
treadmill followed by brisk walking. While there’s no set formula, a
1:3 ratio of high-intensity work to recovery is a good place to start:
try alternating 30 seconds of work with 90 seconds of recovery for
20 minutes. Include a lower intensity warm-up and cool-down for
up to five minutes each, and you’ve got a 30-minute workout that
will shock your system into burning more calories than it would
with a longer, lower intensity routine.
Also as your workout intensifies don’t forget to hydrate. Water
cleanses the body and allows your body to function more efficiently.
Make sure you are drinking about 16 ounces every 30 minutes,
before, during, and after exercise. Some sports drinks such as PowerAde and Gatorade have special ingredients that help replenish
fluids to prevent dehydration. Equally important is breathing correctly. When exercising, there is a proper way to breath that will
allow adequate amounts of oxygen into the system and providing
better endurance. For example, marathon runners will tell you that
they use a rhythm when running that allows them to run longer
and healthier than normal breathing.
A fitness plan this summer doesn’t have to be a challenge. Alternate the weights used in your workout and the machines used
at the gym to see results. Additionally,don’t forget to hydrate and
practice proper breathing to allow sufficient oxygen to the body
and provide endurance.
Master Sgt. Mark Borosch
Senior Airman Tyler Jones from the 6th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, explains the detonation process to
the local news media June 9. The detonation was a coordinated effort
to destroy an inert AIM-9 missile found off the coast at Panama City by
a commercial fisherman and brought to MacDill for destruction. The
event put MacDill in the spotlight, attracting national media attention,
and local media covered the detonation on base this week.
Photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks
Members from Macdill AFB participate in the Matchup 5K kickoff run
June 3. Matchup is an Air Mobility Command sponsored for military
members, dependents and civilians to enter in a chance to win &10,000
cash and other prizes.