Vol. 41, No. 7 Thursday, February 14, 2013

A walk to remember - page 12

Photo by Airman 1st Class David Tracy

Sixteen Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Fla., march along Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa, as part of the last leg of a 450-mile journey, Feb. 8. The march was to honor five Air Commandos who were killed in 2012.

While on a mission in support of a combatant commander, the crew of SPAR 29 noticed a crack developing in the outer windshield pane over the Pacific Ocean at 41,000 feet. The crew demonstrated excellent coordination to address the emergency and to keep their passengers on schedule.

Once the aircraft was safe, the crew’s communication system opera-tor called ahead to Kadena Air Base, Japan, to have an MC-130 ready to transport their passenger to the next destination. Finally, the crew

reached back to the 310th Airlift Squadron operations center to have a maintenance recovery team dispatched immediately from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii to replace their broken windshield and continue the mission.

A job well done to Lt. Col. Tom Anderson, Maj. Larry Needham, Mas-ter Sgt. Nicholas Gomez, Tech. Sgt. In Jae Kim, Tech. Sgt. Amy Ste-phens and Senior Airman Abbey Wallace--your team effort ensured un-interrupted 5-Star service to the 4-Stars.

6th Air Mobility Wing shout-outs

by Col. James C. Hodges6th Mission Support Group commander

Nearly 22 years ago when I was a young second lieutenant just out of the Air Force Academy, another lieutenant welcomed me to the squadron. After getting me settled into the unit, the lieutenant later presented me with an “opportunity to excel.”

That lieutenant was moving to another job and wanted to hand off the additional duty of being the squadron safety officer. The lieuten-ant said it was no big deal, the squadron safety program was in good shape, and it basically just needed to have the paperwork updated.

Oh, and by the way, he said, there is an an-nual safety inspection coming up. Good luck with that.

Being a brand new lieutenant, I took what she said at face value. I walked around the

various sections of the civil engineer squadron and saw that the paperwork appeared to be in pretty good shape. However, once the annual inspection began, the inspector, a technical sergeant from wing safety, soon had a different assessment of the civil engineer squadron.

Being a unit that does many industrial operations that can cut, smash, shock, burn, explode and accidentally hurt its members in many ways, the wing safety inspector expected a higher level of assurance that the civil engi-neer squadron would keep its members safe.

The unit’s program was “paper deep” and needed a lot more hard work and attention to turn the culture into one that valued safety.

About halfway through the scheduled in-spection, the chief of wing safety and the Civil Engineer Squadron commander had a meeting and determined that they would pause the in-

COMMANDER’S CORNER

MacDill ThunderboltPublisher: Bill BarkerEditor: Nick Stubbs

The MacDill Thunderbolt is published by Sunbelt Newspa-pers, 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 services on MacDill. Contents of the MacDill Thunderbolt are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S.

government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the 6th Air Mobility Wing.

The appearance of advertising in this publication, includ-ing inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing or Sunbelt Newspapers, Inc., of the products or service advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.

Display advertising or classified advertising information

may be obtained by calling 259-7455. News items for the MacDill Thunderbolt can be submitted

to the 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office, 8208 Hangar Loop Dr., suite 14, MacDill AFB, FL 33621, or call the MacDill Thunderbolt staff at 828-2215. Email: thunder.bolt@us.af.mil.

Deadline for article submissions is noon, Thursdays to appear in the next week’s publication. Articles received after deadline may be considered for future use. All submissions are considered for publication based on news value and time-liness.

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.

COMMANDER’S ACTION LINE

The Action Line provides 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 com-ments. Call the Action Line at 828-INFO (4636) or email macdillwingcom-mander@us.af.mil.

Safely Taking Care of Your Airmen – ‘Opportunities to Excel’

To view Col. Scott DeThomas’ re-marks on his vision for MacDill AFB, go to www.macdill.af.mil and then click on “Col. DeThomas’ priorities, mission, and expectations video” in the upper left corner.

Commander’s vision

Col. James C. HodgesSee CORNER, Page 18

Your T-bolt Today

News/Features: page 8 A lifetime of dedication

NEWS/FEATURES

Community: page 21

Events, Chapel, more...

News/Features: page 4

The week in photos

Briefs: page 14

News to know

‘There I was...’

by Master Sgt. Jaimie Miller6th Operations Squadron deputy airfield manager

There I was, on a plane to Southwest Asia for a six-month deployment. When it was over, it ended up being one of the

most rewarding deployments thus far.During my deployment I filled a functional

manager position at Air Space & Air Field Op-eration Division. I maintained oversight for five airfields in the area of responsibility with approximately 60 military and civilian airfield management personnel. This was the first time I held such a position.

I learned so much, from reviewing Letters Master Sgt. Jaimie Miller

Settlement of estate

News/Features: page 16 Know your fire extinguishers

News/Features: page 12 A walk to remember

Col. Kirby Watson of the Joint Com-munications Support Element regrets to announce the death of Lt. Col. Michael Dawson, formerly assigned to the Joint Communications Support Element. Maj. Edward Taylor has been appointed as the summary court officer to handle the disposition of personal property of Dawson. Anyone indebted to or having a claim against the estate of Dawson should contact Taylor at 813-828-0668 or edward.taylor@jcse.mil.

News/Features: page 20 6th AMW history

A real learning experience

See ‘THERE I WAS...’, Page 17

Courtesy photo

Social interaction key pillar of resiliencyPart III of IVby Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro6th Air Mobility Wing

There are roughly 7 billion people in the world, 314 million in the United States, and more than 329,000 in our U.S. Air Force.

With so many people working and living in proximity to one another, it goes without saying that social resilience is an essential element of healthy functioning.

From the dawn of mankind, our adaptive hu-man nature and ability to interact socially have transformed us into diversely unique individu-als, further solidifying our ability to adjust to changing group dynamics.

As we know, wolves hunt in packs and lions in groups. By doing so they are able to bring down prey that would have been nearly impossible to conquer independently. Us as humans tend to adopt a similar concept, yet, one of a more evolved nature.

Although working in teams is common, often times we interact with others only when the situation dictates, isolating others when they are not needed. This type of thinking is passive-destructive and only hinders our ability to fully function in society.

Ideally, a socially resilient culture would be comprised of people whose expertise and back-grounds are vastly diverse.

Take sports for example; how successful

would a baseball team be if their line-up con-sisted of only pitchers? Lackluster to say the least. You need dissimilar specialties.

John Cacioppo, director of the Center for Cog-nitive and Social Neuroscience and author of Human Nature and the Need for Social Connec-tion, found that “Socially resilient individuals value diverse perspectives and recognize that many tasks require coordination among persons with differing backgrounds, values, and priori-ties.”

In layman’s terms, get out there, meet people, enjoy cultural differences, and share experienc-es. You will become more well-rounded and pro-ficient in your daily endeavors.

We are truly blessed to be Americans and because of the freedoms bestowed, we have the privilege of living among so many different eth-nicities, religions, backgrounds and interests.

See RESILIENCY, Page 6

Photo by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Kelly

NEWS/FEATURES

Senior Master Sgt. David Cox, 6th Com-munications Squad-ron operations flight chief, with Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Parmer, 6th Mainte-nance Group super-intendant.

Senior Master Sgt. Johnny Grassi, 6th Dental Squadron superintendent, is present-ed a plaque by Col. Scott DeThomas, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Robin Brooks, 6th Medical Group superintendent, during the Chief’s Induction Ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 8.

Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Parmer, 6th Maintenance Group superintendant, plac-es a commemorative medallion around Senior Master Sgt. David McClelland, 6th Medical Support Squadron superin-tendent.

Chief Master Sgt. Terri Scholin, 6th Medical Group clini-cal laboratory flight chief, and retired Chief Master Sgt. Michael Murray, cut the cake. The cake cutting is a symbolic part of the ceremo-ny, representing the past and the pres-ent. Chief Murray was one of the first Airmen to be pro-moted to the rank of Chief Master Sgt. in 1959.

Senior Master Sgt. Dana Hughes, Special Operations Command superintendent, and her daughter, Whitney Hughes, walk through the sabers during the Chief Mas-ter Sgt. Induction ceremony.

Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Cruzmu-noz, 6th Contracting Squadron super-intendent, receives a plaque during the Chief’s Induction Ceremony at MacDill.

Photos by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-KellyMeet Team MacDill’s new chiefs

Those who embrace social interaction and rec-ognize the advantages of groups made up of di-verse individuals often respond more adaptively to unforeseen problems and challenges, making daily tasks easier to accomplish.

Like the other three pillars of wellness, social resiliency starts with you!

“Social resiliency cannot be encapsulated into a simple, do this, do that mentality,” notes U.S. Air Force Capt. Jeremy Pallas, licensed clinical social worker at MacDill Air Force Base. “How-ever, by intentionally engaging in altruistic or pleasurable social activities, you will discover the benefits of getting out of the house and grow-ing from those around you.”

One of the best ways of accomplishing this and to ease your way into a more interactive life-style is by joining groups, such as sports teams, cooking classes or crafting groups.

Subconsciously, by joining these pleasurable groups you are targeting your psychological well-being, releasing endorphins and increasing serotonin levels, which positively balance your mood.

Have you ever heard of the saying, “too much of a good thing can be a bad thing?” Well, that can definitely be the case with social resiliency.

We have all worked with “that guy,” whose such a flamboyant extravert that nobody wants to be around him.

Smothering people through too much social interaction can be abrasive and deter them from wanting to be around you. Be sure not to overdo it.

Likewise, if you avoid interaction and con-frontation, this too will likely discourage people from interacting with you.

No matter what level your social resilience is on, there is always room for improvement or pre-ventative maintenance. Even if you think your resiliency is top notch, do not hesitate to call your local helping agencies for a brief refresher.

Remember, the folks at your mental health of-fice, family advocacy, base chapel, Health and Wellness Center and Airman & Family Readi-ness Center are available to get you active, boost your confidence and bolster your personal resil-iency.

Information from the U.S. Air Force resiliency program, the Mayo Foundation for Education and Medical Research, and the American Psy-chological Association was used as source mate-rial for this article.

RESILIENCYFrom Page 3

Courtesy of MacDill Exchange

When she began working for the Army and Air Force Exchange Ser-vice, Lyndon B. Johnson was the president and a gallon of gas cost just 34 cents.

Mary Suter, Exchange food service foreman, started her career in 1967 at Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. and has spent the last 46 years serving generations of service members.

“Serving those who protect our freedom is extremely rewarding,” said Suter. “It hasn’t felt like a job to me – it’s more of an honor and a privilege to have been able do this for so long.”

Suter began her Exchange career as a food service worker. Over the next 46 years, she also had stints as general clerk, food activity fore-man and food acting foreman.

While the jobs may have changed over the years, Suter’s dedication and devotion to the troops has never wavered.

“Thinking back on the past 46 years reminds me of what an honor it has been to serve those that serve,” said Suter. “Energy prices may go up and politicians change, but waking up and going to work alongside the best customers in the world, 2013 is just as exciting as it was my first day on the job.”

Courtesy photo

Nicola Carter (right), Army and Air Force Exchange main store general manager, presents Mary Suter, AAFES food service foreman, a quar-terly award.

MacDill Base Exchange employee devotes lifetime to serving NEWS/FEATURES

Settlement of EstateLt. Col. Collin Gilbert, commander of the 6th Logistics Readiness

Squadron, regrets to announce the death of Staff Sgt. Emily Clay-burn, formerly assigned to the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron. 1st Lt. Melvin Boothe has been appointed as the summary court officer to handle the disposition of personal property of Clayburn. Anyone indebted to or having a claim against the estate of Clayburn should contact Boothe at 813-828-8135 or melvin.boothe@us.af.mil.

by Susan Haley, RD, LD/NHealth & Wellness Center Health Promotion Dieti-tian

Energy drinks and their smaller compan-ions, energy shots, are flying off the shelves in our commissaries and Exchanges, with sales in 2011, for energy shots alone exceeded $10 mil-lion.

That’s big bucks! Are the benefits equally as big?

These products promise to improve perfor-mance, concentration, reaction time and vigi-lance. These are all good things for our mili-tary warriors. However, in the last eight years, these beverages have been linked to at least 18 fatalities. These deaths have recently prompted the Federal Drug Agency to investigate energy drinks.

Energy drinks are flavored beverages con-

taining high amounts of caffeine. They fre-quently also contain sugar, B-vitamins and small amounts of amino acids, which do little to provide the stimulating “energy” effect that is desired. The total amount of caffeine in an energy drink varies from 80 to 500 mg. Your average 5-ounce cup of coffee has 100 mg and the average 12-ounce cola has 50 mg. Children should not consume energy drinks as there are no studies that show a safe level of consump-tion for caffeine in this age group.

Many of our military members consume these drinks to stay awake during long duty days. While it is clear caffeine has some posi-tive effects, a study conducted by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research raises some concerns. This study showed that troops who consumed more than three energy drinks per day were more likely to get less than four hours of sleep at night and were more likely to ad-mit they nodded off during briefings or while on guard duty. This suggests that excess caf-feine consumption may have unintended con-sequences. Lack of high quality sleep could im-

pair performance in a military setting and lead to poor judgment, memory loss and mission er-rors.

Airmen also use energy drinks to replace sports beverages. Energy drinks are not for-mulated to be used as a sports beverage. They often have high concentrations of sugar which can cause stomach upset during physical activ-ity and they do not replace electrolytes. In fact, they provide very little high quality energy or fuel.

Energy drinks and shots are often used to improve performance. According to over 70 studies, there is research that supports this claim to some extent. Approximately 225 mg of caffeine one hour before exercise may improve performance for endurance exercise lasting longer than 20 minutes. There is less benefit for shorter exercise sessions and no additional benefit for large amounts of caffeine.

Energy drinks combined with alcohol have also become popular. This can be a deadly com-

Energy drinks, too much can clip your wings

HEALTH/FITNESS

See DRINKS, Page 22

by Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

Sixteen Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Fla. took part in a 450-mile, six- day ruck-march in honor of five fallen Air Commandos.

Among the marchers were four teams, which included mem-bers from the 319th Special Operations Squadron, the 34th SOS, the 18th Flight Test Squadron, and the 25th Intelligence Squadron.

The Commandos’ six-day journey began on the Emerald Gulf Coast and concluded at MacDill Air Force Base’s U.S. Special Operations Command fallen hero memorial, where stories were told, tears were shed and fallen comrades were remembered.

As the Commandos neared MacDill, a motorcade of Patriot Guard Riders and over 60 community members lined up to pay respect and thank the group for their sacrifices.

The march was a special event, “very moving, very emo-tional,” commented ruck marcher Master Sgt. John Hickman, 18th FTS first sergeant. “It’s not about us (the Air Commando marchers); it’s about those that made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Upon their arrival at the memorial, the commandos were greeted by Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Trask, U.S. Special Operations Command director of force structure, requirements, resources and strategic assessments, who remarked on their noble efforts and selfless actions.

After comments were made, the Air Commandos gathered together, walked over to the wall of fallen heroes, knelt down, placed a rose and spoke to their fallen brothers and sisters.

Amongst the Commandos paying tribute was Hickman, who slowly walked the memorial’s semicircle.

“I’ve seen seven names so far that I’ve known,” he com-mented, showing the grim reality of combat and how much the march really meant.

This year’s march was in memory of the five Air Force Com-mandos who died last year —Lt. Col. John D. Loftis, 866th Air Expeditionary Squadron; Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 319th SOS; Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 34th SOS; 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 34th SOS; and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 25th IS

As the Commandos paid tribute at the memorial’s wall of heroes, onlookers silently held each other, drawn in by the emo-tional event.

The Hurlburt Field remembrance marchers left behind a unique ambiance, one that exemplified the Special Operation memorial creed:

To honor the selfless service and sacrifice of the men and women of the United States Special Operations Command and its assigned forces; to honor, promote, and preserve our na-tion’s illustrious special operations heritage by recognizing the achievements, service, and sacrifice of the individuals, units, and other special operations organizations that contributed to our legacy; and, to recognize patriotic citizens who form our

450-miles to remember

Photo by Senior Airman Adam Grant

Sixteen Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Fla., kneel for a moment of silence upon completion of a 450-mile march at MacDill Air Force Base, Feb. 8.

Photo by Airman 1st Class David Tracy

Air Commandos from Hurlburt Field, Fla. march toward the United States Special Operations Command Memorial at MacDill AFB.

Photo by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise

An Airman who was part of the march carries a rose given to him by a Patriot Guard Rider.

Photo by Senior Airman Adam Grant

Sixteen Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Fla., kneel for a moment of silence upon completion of a 450-mile march at MacDill Air Force Base, Feb. 8.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro

Maj. Mitchell Sherman, 1st Special Operations Wing Air Commando, mourns the loss of fallen heroes at the U.S. Special Operations Command memorial wall at MacDill AFB.

Washington’s Birthday hoursIn observation of Washington’s Birthday, the

MacDill commissary will have reduced hours and will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 18.

Air Force Assistance FundThe Air Force Assistance Fund campaign

will run from Feb. 4 through March 15. The AFAF campaign is an annual, on-the-job fund raising appeal conducted among Air Force per-sonnel for the benefit of Air Force personnel. AFAF campaign contributions provide finan-cial support to four AFAF affiliates. They are the Air Force Village, the Air Force Aid Society, the Air Force Enlisted Village and the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation. Contact Maj. Justin Sandholm or Capt. Chris Wiley at 827-9137 or 828-7376 for more information.

Scholarship for dependents The 2013 Fisher House Scholarships for Mil-

itary Children Program is available through Feb. 22. The application can be downloaded from www.militaryscholar.org. Scholarship awards will be based on funds available; howev-er, the anticipated individual awards amount is at least $1,500. Children of active duty, reserve, guard, or retired military personnel may apply. Applications should be returned to the commis-sary customer service or secretary office no lat-er than Feb. 22. For more information, contact the scholarship managers at 856-616-9311 or militaryscholar@scholarshipmanagers.com.

Daddy-daughter danceThe base chapel will host a daughter-father

dance from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Surf ’s Edge Club on Feb. 22. For more information or to register contact the chapel at 828-3621.

Tax assistanceThe Retiree Activities Office at MacDill Air

Force Base and the Brandon Airman & Fam-ily Readiness Center satellite office offer free tax assistance services to active duty members, military retirees and their families. Services are available on a walk-in basis five days a week at the RAO on MacDill and by appoint-ment only at the Brandon A&FRC. Call the RAO at 813-828-4555 and the Brandon A&FRC at 813-655-9281 for more information or for an appointment.

BRIEFS

See BRIEFS, Page 20

Courtesy of the MacDill Fire Department

Fires can begin in many different ways, burning many different materi-als. That’s why different types of fire extinguishers are available. An extin-guisher made for electrical fires, for example, may have no effect whatso-ever on a wood fire. To best protect your home and family, it is not enough to have a fire extinguisher available; it is necessary to have the right kind of extinguisher available. You may well want to keep different types of extinguishers in different parts of the house.

There are five general classes of fire extinguishers. Only the first

three apply to typical residential purposes. The classes are:

u Class A: for ordinary combustibles (paper, wood, cloth) u Class B: for flammable liquids (gasoline, grease, oil) u Class C: for electrical equipment (appliances, tools) u Class D: for combustible metals (most often found in factories) u Class K: for cooking combustibles (vegetable and animal oils and

fats; most often found in commercial kitchens) Every fire extinguisher should have the class or classes of fires it is

intended to extinguish clearly marked on the container.Be sure to choose an extinguisher suited for the type of fire you can

expect in that particular location. Better yet, look for extinguishers rated for use in more than one type of fire. Kitchen fire extinguishers are often classified as “B-C,” while extinguishers intended for living areas and garages are “A-B-C.”

In addition to the letters indicating class of fire, fire extinguishers have numbers before the letters. The higher the number, the bigger the

NEWS/FEATURESKnow your fire extinguishers

See EXTINGUISHER, Page 22

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez

of Procedure to validating manning and going to multiple locations in Afghanistan to accom-plish airfield assessments. I ensured safe con-ditions were met to accommodate the one mil-lion service members in combat operations.

Not only did I get to travel around Afghani-stan on different airframes, but being able to see the operations first hand was eye opening and fulfilling. I had the opportunity to meet with fellow airfield management personnel

who put their lives at risk every day. Being able to provide my airfield management ex-pertise and help solve their problems made my deployment incredible.

The greatest opportunity was having the privilege of working alongside our British co-alition partners. I was tasked to conduct an airfield survey in Afghanistan. This survey was needed to determine the airfield condition and support capabilities to accommodate Air

Mobility Command aircraft. To see how the Royal Air Force worked and to build a rapport with them was extremely beneficial.

Along with the above highlights, I met some really outstanding folks. It was definitely net-working at its best. Leaving was a bitter-sweet moment - saying goodbye to all my great co-workers and friends, while at the same time being happy to return to my family and co-workers here. I’m very thankful for the deploy-

‘THERE I WAS...’From Page 3

spection, aggressively address the safety prob-lems in the unit, and then re-inspect the unit. The Commander, understanding my situation, laid out clear expectations. He also provided me with a superstar technical sergeant that had knowledge and credibility with the shops that do hazardous industrial operations.

We undertook an immediate surge to im-prove the squadron’s safety program and to start the cultural change right away.

After a lot of hard work, overcoming the attitudes of “we’ve never done it that way,” “I know what the regulation says, but that’s too cumbersome,” and investing some needed resources, the Wing Safety inspector came back through the squadron with a fine-toothed comb.

Much to his surprise, we had taken the squadron from its marginal safety status and made real improvements. People were now tak-ing pride in how their sections met or exceeded the safety standards. When all was said and done the safety program was recognized as the

best in Air Mobility Command. Fortunately, this happy ending came to be

because the Wing Safety inspector dug beneath the surface and highlighted some concerning trends. Luckily, it didn’t take a significant safe-ty incident or an accident to get the squadron’s attention. This situation taught me a few very valuable lessons.

First, safely conducting our operations that can be inherently dangerous is paramount in taking care of our Airmen. Taking care of our Airmen means pushing them to go beyond what’s easy and doing what’s necessary, for their own good, even though it might not be popular at the time.

When the Airmen see that they have achieved a higher standard, they take pride in that accomplishment and the new standard becomes the norm.

Second, don’t accept things at face value. Asking the hard questions and digging into is-sues below the surface level often enables us to find problem areas and make sure we take

care of our Airmen. The technical sergeant from Wing Safety knew the right questions to ask and the right places to look to see if what was being said on the surface matched how things really were. If you are inexperienced or are in a position where you are unfamiliar with the operations under your stewardship, ask for opinions from outside experts. Their perspectives can help your understanding and help the unit improve.

Finally, find star performers, challenge them to meet high expectations, empower them, and oversee them as they lead the organization to new levels of excellence. Luckily, I learned these lessons as a young officer. That other lieutenant who gave me the “opportunity to excel” may have seemingly cast off a difficult additional duty at just the right time prior to an annual inspection. However, for me, it was a true blessing in disguise where I re-ally did have an opportunity to excel and I learned some key lessons that have helped me throughout my career.

CORNERFrom Page 2

Bounce Back SeriesThe 6 AMW Chapel staff will be hosting a single’s re-

treat March 22-24. It will be at the Christian Retreat Center in Bradenton, Fla. It will begin at 7 p.m. on March 22 and will end around noon on March 24.

Call 828-3621 to RSVP for these events. Current cha-pel activities can also be found at www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel.

MilPDS temporary shutdownThe Military Personnel Data System will be unavail-

able from March 4-27. There will be a delay in non-critical pay, but pay ac-

tions held during the migration will be retroactive to the effective date. Base pay and entitlements will not be af-fected. Promotions will not be effected, but personnel with promotion dates during this time will not see their rank updated until the system goes live again.

Testing dates will not be effected. For questions and concerns, please contact MacDill’s military personnel flight at 828-2005.

MacDill CaresStudents from Tinker Elementary School will get the

opportunity to experience what their parents go through during the deployment process during the MacDill Con-tingency and Readiness Education event Feb. 26.

Multiple agencies have united to bring MacDill CAREs together. The event will be spearheaded by the Airman & Family Readiness Center. The event is intended to help ease the stress and fear associated with a deployment and allow children to see the support they and their par-ents receive during these changes.

Students will be taken through the four stages of de-ployment, from the initial recall to the reintegration pro-cess.

BRIEFSFrom Page 14

MACDILL COMMUNITYEVENTS

FridayBoomers Bar & Grill

Friday Bash! 3-7 p.m. Bar snacks & drink specials! Guaran-teed $100 club card drawing, Bar Bingo - $1,000 jackpot, and DJ!

Surf’s Edge ClubMembership Dinner from 5-8:30

p.m. AF Club Members: FREE. Non-members: $16.95.

SaturdaySeascapes Beach House

Beach on Fire from 3-9 p.m. Sassy Saturdays – Live band, drink specials, complimentary hors d’oeuvres served at 3 p.m.

Youth CenterValentine’s Dance – Pre-teens

6-9 p.m. Teens 9 p.m. - 12 a.m. Cost: $10 for members and $15 for non-members.

MondaySeaScapes Beach House

President’s Day Celebration from 4-9 p.m. Everyone Welcome! Food & Drink Specials!

WednesdayArts & Crafts Center

Canvas & “Cocktails” from 4-6 p.m. Cost: $10 per person or Free for Single Airman. Call 828-4413 to sign up.

ThursdayAirman & Family Readiness Center (MacDill)

Terrific Toddlers from 9-11 a.m. Help! My baby is not a baby any-more! Wondering what to do with your toddler? This fun and inter-active parenting class is designed for parents of 1-3 year olds and will cover toddler developmen-tal milestones, positive discipline techniques and handling temper tantrums!

Protestant servicesSunday - 11 a.m. - Contemporary ServiceSunday - 9:30 a.m. - FamCamp Service

Islamic servicesFriday - 1:30 p.m. - Muslim Prayer Service

Catholic servicesSaturday - 5:30 p.m. - Mass

Sunday - 9:30 a.m. - Mass

Call the chapel at 828-3621 for more information or visit the chapel web siteat http://www.macdill.af.mil/macdillchapel.

CHAPEL SCHEDULE

Retired general officers and flag officers and 6th Air Mobility Wing leadership pose for a group photo during the Annual Retired General Officers and Flag Officers Sum-mit at MacDill Air Force Base, Feb. 12.

Photo by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise

bination as people believe that energy drinks make the alcohol less po-tent. That is not true, and blood alcohol levels increase the same as if there was no energy drink in the mix. So while they think they’re not impaired, they’re getting just as drunk.

Why are these products associated with fatalities? An 8-ounce serv-ing of an energy drink seems innocuous. With only 80 to 100 mg of caf-feine, and the 210 mg of caffeine in an energy shot doesn’t seem too bad. However, these products are marketed to adolescents and young adults as energy boosters and weight loss enhancers. In that age group,

the mentality is often, “If one is good, then 10 are better!” Death can oc-cur when individuals combine 500 mg of caffeine, dehydration (from a very intense workout), and excessive heat or a heart condition. That is a recipe for disaster.

So what’s the bottom line? Energy drinks and energy shots are an expensive source of concentrated caffeine. As with everything in life, you should consume them in moderation. Don’t mix with alcohol. Don’t use for hydration. Don’t consume when pregnant and limit consumption in children. Anything else can be deadly.

DRINKSFrom Page 10

size of fire the extinguisher can handle. A 10-B:C extinguisher, for ex-ample, can handle a 25-square-foot fire and is ideal for most kitchens and living areas. A larger capacity would be suitable for a garage.

Keep one fire extinguisher on each level of the house. In addition, consider keeping one extinguisher made specifically for use in the kitchen and one for the garage or workshop. Mount fire extinguishers 4-5 ft. above floor level, near an exit or other escape route.

Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure the fire extinguisher is mounted or stored in a clearly visible and easily ac-

cessible location. Check the pressure gauge regularly and shake the canister regularly to keep the contents properly mixed and ready for immediate use.

A fire extinguisher is great for dealing with a fire threat you already know about, but it is probably more important that you be alerted as soon as possible to impending dangers not yet discovered. That’s where smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors come in handy.

For any question please contact the fire prevention office at 828-4236 or 828-3630.

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