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Show 2 n;::top September 2,- - 1 w 999 Si to Q) by Mary Galbraith -- learning is one of the most effective training techniques in the electronics field and a recently comHands-o- n educational high-tec- h e, up-clos- opportunities. The training facility is the newest addition to the Technical Training Branch. Room 4 in Bldg. o 250 has been transformed into a hands-on- , center. TIUB has a track record of helping about 120 students spend approximately 4,700 hours improving their skills through educational training. Because of transitioning workload, the number of students will jump to at least 200 and the number of hours the lab is used is expected to increase 200 percent. "If s a training center that base employees who work in electronics throughout the base will use...anybody that has an electronic background that needs training, will come here," said Marty Bender, technical training chief. "If you go through start to finish the course is roughly that need it 580 hours. In order to get people trained for the electrical work thaf s coming on the base with the the lab needed new workload and the past workload to be remodeled." state-of-the-a- organizations seeking to emulate the Hill training site. e One of the instructors of the a colonel the module is Stan Stevens who gave guided tour of the finished lab. "If s an environment where if s very quiet," said Stevens. "They have to do a lot of concentrating and I use all these visual aids on the wall to teach. We have our plan of instruc-tion.- .. and I give handouts to my students to take home." Stevens demonstrated how learning techniques are improved when students are allowed to work on equipment instead of listening to lectures. Scherbinske was particularly interested in the circuit boards available to students. "Every circuit on this board is a different concept After they go through the concepts, the board throws in faults that make the circuits work improperly and the students have to find out whaf s wrong with them," said Stevens. "They go through in a logical sequence so one thing builds upon another." There are 15 work stations that can accommodate as many as 30 students because classes are run in two four-hoshifts. Students take hourly breaks to avoid frustration and burnout. "If you have a stand up class and you teach concepts, especially in electronics, you lost your students. They can not comprehend it But if they can sit down, see it and apply what they're using then they can really learn," said Stevens. I have students come over here that really haven't had any experience at all and they go back to their shops and they baffle their comrades who've been there longer. They understand what if s all about If s really a good program." The scope of the course is set up to be comprehensive. The lab opened Aug. 24, and student load was already picking up. seven-cours- self-pace- top 77mes steff pleted lab at Hill AFB offers ftra mm rt learn-as-you-d- During the ribbon cutting ceremony, CoL Herb Scherbinske, director of the Technology and Industrial Support Directorate, commented the results were a great "after" following four months of construction. "This was overdue and needed...we come into a productive area and if s really neat...I know there're a lot of you folks who put in time on your own," said Scherbinske who applauded efforts of division personnel for comso it could accommodate new pleting the project students as soon as possible. in-hou- se Ill :ifIlllliiiil ur .... ..i ,.r.g JFXt.,1.'j-tl..,t,Photo by Mary Galbraith Col. Herb Scherbinske and Marty Walker discuss equipment used to teach electricians at Hill AFB as they tour the new Technical Training Branch facility. if "With the upcoming workload, we've added 200 new electrical jobs," said Bender. The center has also drawn the attention of other air logistics centers as well as the Navy. These are among the Retirees benefit from base appreciation day by Steven R. Ford Hilltop Times staff Hill welcomed several hundred military retirees and spouses at the Officers' Club Saturday for Retiree Appreciation Day hosted by AAFES and the 75th Services Division. It has been said that the vast retiree population is becoming forgotten in the Air Force community, but the Retiree Appreciation Day dismissed that idea and let retirees know of the many services and programs available to them at Hill AFB. It also gave them information as to benefits, legislation on the horizon and test programs in the works. Ogden Air Logistics Center's new Vice Commander, Col. Jim Totsch provided opening remarks and then introduced the guest speakers and presenters. Among them, Congressman Merrill Cook, ofUtah's Second District, spoke about certain legislation and policy issues of particularly strong interest to the assembled retirees. "I think the entire Veterans Administration budget is a hot topic," Cook said. "The appropriation bill is going to be voted on, probably in the first week after we get Hill AFB 5 back after Labor Day. This is the first time they've actually increased the Veterans budget in over four years. There may be as high as a $3 billion increase in Veterans Affairs, and thaf s more than we thought just a month ago." " Cook talked about health benefits and getting veterans health issue$ moved from the discretionary side of the budget to the entitlements side, placing it on an equal plane with Social Security and Medicare as far as government funding. "It shouldn't be subjected to the whims of the budget process every single year," Cook remarked. "I mean, we can make adjustments, but we shouldn't start from scratch again, deciding whether we even want the program or not. Thaf s why I'm going to file a bill to take the veterans health care budget out of what's known as the discretionary account and put it into the entitlement budget accounts, which gives it the status of Social Security, Medicare and a number of other programs." Cook did admit to the crowd of retirees that he doesn't expect his bill to get passed into law until at least next year. The legislative proposals as well as Cook's ideas for taking some of the recently announced national budget surplus and paying down Today the national debt drew enthusiastic applause from the audience. Col. George Sanders of the 75th Medical Group touched TRICARE, and gave the retirees some interesting news. Those retirees who have become Medicare-eligibl- e are no longer eligible for coverage under TRICARE, but a few select military installations around the country are experimenting with a new system, TRICARE Senior Prime. "These services will allowthe Medicare population to be treated at military facilities, and the reimbursement will be an accounting thing which has to go from one department of defense to another department, such that the Medicare dollars will not be lost," Sanders said. 'The Medicare dollars that are spent in the private sector will come back to the military sector." According to initial findings and projects, the test has largely been successful. Customer satisfaction surveys have been very positive. "Based on what I've been able to read and the information I've gotten, it is an overwhelming success," Sanders said. "In other words, it's doing quite well. People are enjoying what they are receiving and they know that they are being quite Saturday Friday well cared for in a military setting." Karen Wright of the Services Division broke up the pattern of speakers by pre- senting a short promotional video showing the many programs and facilities offered through Services. Leslie Abbot, Services director, also explained that many ofthe deserving veterans were not taking advantage of the Hill Honor Guard and gave them the necessary information to do so. Just before the lunch break, AAFES held a drawing and gave away two $250 gift certificates, won by Stanley Briggs and Lionel Sanders. Lasard George's name was called, and he strode to the podium to receive $100 in cash. After lunch, several base and community groups were on hand to help retirees with questions and concerns. The 75th Medical Group held health screenings and briefings, and representatives were on hand from the Veterans Administration, Survivor Benefits, Casualty Assistance and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Automobile registration assistance was available at the Enlisted Club, and the 75th Air Base Wing offered ID card services and Finance representatives to answer questions about retiree pay. Sunday Monday 5-d- ay weather outlook f - ,X v 'fa vA'ji'j.airfield-ops.hill.af.milosoA'jeafh- v JJ J I, 'J -- y y.yyyyAWyysSsSWSjSSSsF 72Q High 70Q High 52QLow 562 Low Partly cloudy, becoming mostly cloudy by evening thunderstorms and rain showers er .-( Most cloudy with 759 High 53Q Low 769 High 60Q Low 80Q High 60Q Low Partly cloudy, becoming mostly cloudy wscattered Partly cloudy Sunny Recorded weather info 777-284- 3 |