Public safety for the children - page 12

22 Pages·2013·1.33 MB·English

Vol. 41, No. 21 Thursday, May 23, 2013
Community:
Public safety for the children
- page 12
Photo by Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro
Mike Anderson, Tampa Police Department master patrolman, mentors children from Tinker Elementary School on traffic safety, May 15 at Mac-
Dill Air Force Base. Each year, as part of National Police Officer Week, members from the 6th Security Forces Squadron and local police depart-
ments put on a show-and-tell depicting the different aspects involved in public safety.
COMMANDER’S CORNER
To the men and women of the mobility Air Forces
by Gen. Paul Selva behind. We try to make sense of it all. And
Air Mobility Command commander even as we comfort, we have to move on. Be-
cause every two and a half minutes another
We have been confronted with the tragic crew launches another aircraft from one dot
news of both aerial accidents and ground acci- on the globe to another, answering the nation’s
dents the past several months that have taken call. We have no choice but to continue. But
the lives of our fellow Airmen. Sometimes— that does not lessen the risk, or the grief, or
and all too often—we lose Airmen who started the sacrifice of those who have fallen.
the day facing a task that seemed routine, if Each morning I wake up and face a new day,
only because they perform those tasks with proud that I have the privilege of serving with
such extraordinary skill every day that the ex- you and humbled by the loss of the lives of
traordinary becomes routine. It is only when those Airmen who have left us much too soon
things go wrong that we notice just how he- We will redouble our efforts in their honor be-
roic routine tasks can be. Airmen perform in- cause they deserve nothing less. Because of
herently risky jobs in challenging situations them and because of you, I know we will con-
with such grace and skill every day that we tinue to answer our nation’s call. Through it
are stunned when the risk leads to accidental all, our thoughts and prayers remain with the
death and injury. families, friends and Wingmen dealing with
Grief-stricken, we rally around those left such tragic loss.
Gen. Paul Selva
6th Air Mobility Wing shout-outs
The 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs office would like to give dedication to her job as a broadcast journalist transcends directly
a shout-out to Senior Airman Laura Beckley for winning 2012 Air into the quality of her work, which bleeds blue and exemplifies the
Force Media Contest Television News Report of the Year. Beckley’s very essences of her technical expertise.
Be sure to visit the official 6th Air Mobility Wing website at www.macdill.af.mil
Commander’s vision
COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE
To view Col. Scott DeThomas’ re-
The Action Line provides two-way communication between the 6th Air marks on his vision for MacDill AFB,
Mobility Wing commander and the MacDill community. A 24-hour recording go to www.macdill.af.mil and then click
service is provided so personnel may submit questions, concerns or com- on “Col. DeThomas’ priorities, mission,
ments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or email macdillwingcom- and expectations video” in the upper
[email protected]. left corner.
MacDill Thunderbolt government, the Department of Defense, the Department of may be obtained by calling 259-7455.
the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted
Publisher: Bill Barker The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ- to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar
Editor: Nick Stubbs ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill
by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Thunderbolt staff at 828-2215. Email: [email protected].
Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to
the products or service advertised. appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after
The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspa- Everything advertised in this publication shall be made deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions
pers, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to are considered for publication based on news value and time-
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publication for distribution to members of the U.S. military physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit Every article and photograph is edited for accuracy, clarity,
services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. brevity, conformance with the “Associated Press Stylebook
not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Display advertising or classified advertising information and Libel Manual” and Air Force Instruction 35-101.
NEWS/FEATURES
Commentary
Your T-bolt Today
Can you hear me now? May is
Week in photos: page 4
better speech and hearing month!

Images around MacDill
by Maj. Courtney Harper
6th Aerospace Medical Squadron
News/Features: page 8
I am going to assume most of you reading
this article did not know that May is Better
Meet the commander
Speech and Hearing Month. With this in mind,
I am going to inform you about hearing loss,
News/Features: page 12 and more important, about hearing loss pre-
vention.
Community: Police Week I grew up with a profoundly deaf father. I re-
member how embarrassed I was of being seen
with him wearing his big clunky hearing aid
News/Features: page 21 and how strange he sounded when he spoke. I
am quite ashamed of how I once felt, but proud
Events, Chapel, more... of how he led me to a career I love.
My father’s hearing loss could not have been
prevented. It was caused by strong antibiotics
Correction
administered to him as an infant.
An error was published in the May 16
Most cases of hearing loss can be prevented.
Commander’s Corner. In reference to Col.
The most frequent cause of hearing loss is ex-
James Hodges engaging in physical train-
cessive noise.
ing with hundreds of his favorite Airmen, it
Growing up with a hearing impaired father,
should have read 6th Mission Support Group
Maj. Courtney Harper
Airmen. See COMMENTARY, Page 22
This was a difficult year for me shouldn’t leave her alone with the baby. What should I do?
- Proud Papa
Dear Wing Ma’am,
Dear Proud Papa,
My wife and I just had a healthy baby
The birth of your son may have triggered some strong feelings. One
boy.
feeling that many new moms don’t expect is depression. Unlike baby
We were excited prior to his birth. We
blues, which fade quickly, a longer-lasting form of depression may de-
took all the classes and got his baby room
velop called postpartum depression. PPD can make her feel sad, hope-
set up perfectly. Our family and friends
less and even worthless. It can impact the way she cares and bonds
have been so supportive. Things went pret-
with your baby boy. Any woman can get PPD in the months after giv-
ty smoothly during the birth, however, now
ing birth, having a miscarriage or after a stillbirth. Keep in mind that
she is not doing well.
postpartum depression is a complication of giving birth brought on
I understand it takes some time to fig-
by the changes in hormone levels that occur after pregnancy. It’s very
ure out how to balance parenthood in your life, but I can tell that over
important to get treatment for this type of depression. The sooner she
the last couple months she has been struggling. She is not bonding
gets treated, the sooner she will feel better and can enjoy life with your
with the baby. She seems depressed and is not herself. She‘s not eating
like she used to, definitely not sleeping and I’m starting to feel that I See Wing MA’AM, Page 6
Dear Wing Ma’am is written by Capt. Christy want to ask Wing Ma’am for advice, please send Not every question can be answered. This col-
Cruz, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Wing your questions to [email protected]. Let- umn seeks to educate readers and should not
Ma’am works as the Family Advocacy officer ters are kept anonymous. Rights are reserved be used as a substitute for seeking professional
and clinical therapist at MacDill AFB. If you to edit published letters for style and length. assistance.
WEEK IN PHOTOS
Photo by Senior Airman Adam Grant
Army Sgt. Andrew Nicholson, United States Central Command enlisted aide, plays bingo with
his daughter, Gabriel, and son, Andre, during the Youth Center Family Appreciation Night at
MacDill Air Force Base May 10. The event offered numerous games with prizes, a talent show
and dinner.
Photo by Senior Airman Adam Grant
(Above) Baron Gray, plays a game of “Connect
Four” during the annual Youth Center Family
Appreciation Night at MacDill Air Force Base,
May 10. The event was hosted by the youth
center staff to show appreciation for the fami-
lies of Team MacDill. (Left) Taylor McClelland
attempts to walk while wearing impaired vi-
sion goggles during a Teen Alcohol Awareness
seminar at MacDill Air Force Base, May 11.
Photo by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Kelly

HEALTH
Caring for children’s teeth lowing too much fluoride can cause unsightly white spotting of adult
teeth.
At first, a parent should brush the child’s teeth. At around 3 years old,
by Tech. Sgt. Marylyn Bergmann children may begin to brush their own teeth with assistance from a par-
6th Dental Squadron registered dental hygienist ent. Until children reach the age of 6 or 7, they will not have the motor
skills to maneuver the brush alone.
How early should tooth care start? Be thorough
By the time your baby has at least two teeth that touch each other, Using a circular motion, clean all surfaces of the teeth and gum line
usually around 6 months, their teeth need to be cleaned twice a day. with a toothbrush and toothpaste. If a dentist suggests it, have children
Parents often underestimate the importance of brushing baby teeth; chew “disclosing tablets” (after they have brushed) which dye plaque and
which sets the decay pattern for the adult mouth. In fact, about 25 per- highlight missed areas.
cent of 3-year-old children have tooth decay. Make sure to use floss once a day. Simple brushing only accounts for
Tools for the task cleaning 60 percent of the mouth; the other 40 percent is in between the
For a brighter future, use the right tools to brush children’s teeth. In- teeth, where most cavities start.
fants’ mouths are sensitive, so a cloth to rub the gums and teeth should Talk to a dentist for more information. If your child has not had a
be used. For toddlers and young children choose a brush with a small dental examination, schedule a well-baby checkup for their teeth. The
head and soft bristles. American Dental Association says that it is beneficial for the first dental
Use a tiny amount – about the size of a grain of rice – of toothpaste visit to occur within six months of the appearance of the first tooth, and
which does not contain fluoride until the child can spit it all out. Swal- no later than the child’s first birthday.
MA’AM
From Page 3
new baby boy. Support her in getting help. Some valuable resources in- she can get a referral to see an off-base mental health provider. Post-
clude the Family Advocacy Nurse (827-9172), Military Family Life Con- partum depression is NOT a character flaw or a weakness. It is a medi-
sultants (426-4145/731-6133), Military OneSource (1-800-342-9647) or cal condition that can be treated!

NEWS/FEATURES
Meet the new commander
Col. Brian N. Smith assumed command of
the 6th Operations Group May 14. He took time
out of his day to introduce himself to the Mac-
Dill Air Force Base community and answered a
few questions from the Thunderbolt:
Thunderbolt: What do you expect of the Air-
men under your command?
Smith: I expect the team to take care of the mis-
sion, take care of each other, and tell me what
I can do to help them accomplish both of those
priorities. Additionally, I expect my Airmen to
continue to set and complete both personal and
professional goals while helping their subordi-
nates and peers do the same.
Thunderbolt: Who are your favorite leaders
and role models and why?
Smith: I have too many to list them all, but I
am fortunate to call my father my greatest role
model. He was an orphan as a child, served
in the U.S. Navy during World War II, served
in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and
then served the U.S. Postal Service for almost
40 years. Through his life model I learned the
value of consistent, loyal and dedicated service
for something bigger than oneself. Photo by Senior Airman Shandresha Mitchell
Col. Brian Smith, the new 6th Operations Group commander, and his wife Sharla at a change of
Thunderbolt: What does it mean to you to be command ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, May 14.
the new commander?
Smith: I am excited and humbled at the same ing to tell your Airmen? Thunderbolt: What are your thoughts about
time. I’m excited about the opportunity to lead Smith: Communicate, communicate, communi- MacDill and living in Tampa?
and work with such great Airmen and their cate: Life is all about communication. Correct Smith: My family and I are no strangers to
amazing families. I’m humbled by the outpour- what is wrong: I will often intuitively know if Tampa and the area, having called this part of
ing of support which I intend to give right back something is not right and will do everything I Florida home for many years. Everyone talks
to those same Airmen and their families. can to correct it. Listen: I will always be ready about how great the weather is and the beaches
and willing to listen to things which I don’t know and the atmosphere, but it is the people, our
Thunderbolt: When you hold your first com- already. Try: I will never know everything I can families, our friends and our neighbors that
mander’s call, what is the first thing you are go- do to help, but that won’t stop me from trying. make this home.

BRIEFS
Critical Days of Summer Chapel. Resumes and sealed Family Fun Fitness Day
May 23 is the kick-off for bids are due May 24 by 3 p.m.. The MacDill Air Force Base
the critical days of summer. Selectees will need to submit commissary, in partnership
The MacDill Safety Office has to required background check. with the Exchange and Health
a goal of being “safe ‘n sound— Contact Master Sgt. Parsons and Wellness Center, will be
all year ‘round.” Work center at 828-3621 for more informa- hosting a Family Fun Fitness
briefs about numerous topics tion. Day May 23 through 25 from 9 Party time:
and driving under the influ- a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be u Make plans to get home safely.
ence will take place through- PCSing overseas with held inside of the commissary u Know your limit; stay in control.
out the summer from Memo- a pet? in warehouse number two. For u Look out for your friends.
rial Day to Labor Day. more information, contact Ro-
The veterinary clinic needs
handa Atkinson at 828-8916.
to evaluate your pet at least On the road:
Contract position open
six months before you change u Ensure you get plenty of rest before
The Base Chapel is seeking to to an overseas duty station. Test Pilot School
you drive; tired drivers are just as dan-
hire an audio/visual technician Some countries require ex- The next annual U.S. Air
gerous as drunken drivers.
who will support and assist tra shots, vaccinations and a Force test pilot school selec-
u Avoid driving between midnight and
in coordinating technology re- special tracking chip that the tion board will convene July
quirements for Chapel servic- veterinary clinic must sign off 23 through 26 at the Air Force 4 a.m.
es/programs (i.e. run projector, on before your pet can travel Personnel Center. The USAF u NEVER drink and drive.
sound board, recording equip- with you overseas. Do not wait TPS is the world’s preeminent
ment). Required to work flex- to have your pet checked out, fixed-wing test pilot school. The great outdoors:
ible hours, predominantly on because your pet will not be al- For more information, visit the u Wear the right gear.
weekends in support of Cha- lowed to travel with you. Call TPS website at https://www. u Know your limitations and stay with-
pel worship services. Applica- 828-3558 or 828-3559. edwards.af.mil/units/usaftps/
in them.
tion packet is available at the index.asp.