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Show COMMENTARY I Wimp 2 TIMES July 5, 2012 84th RADES an integral part of air defense T Hilltopm ¥1 BY PATRICK GRIFFIN 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron Weekly Since 1941 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Hilltop Times Katina L. Ventura Writer Hilltop Times Krista Starker Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimes@standard.net or call 801- 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services 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 nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at mgorny@standard.net . Call 801-6254300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. ust across the parking lot from the Ogden Air Logistics Center headquarters building and looking out of place amongst the old 1200 series buildings is a small tenant squadron making a big impact on our nation's air defense. The 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron, affectionately known as "The RADES," is tasked with evaluating the Air Force's ground-based radar systems, including short-range radars, long-range radars, and command and control (C2) systems. Every year, the RADES sends its members on dozens of evaluations around the country and around the globe where they use their sought-after expertise to test and optimize the nation's air defense sys- J terns. In order to do this job, the RADES has developed not only the techniques for optimization and evaluation, but also the hardware and software tools required. In the engineering flight, a team of programmers has been developing the industry standard tools for recording, analyzing and optimizing ground-based radar systems. RADES software was instrumental in reconstructing the events of 9/11 as well as countless other air events including search-and-rescue operations that have directly led to the saving of downed pilots. In addition, RADES software continuously records and monitors U.S. and allied radars to proactively detect problem systems, enabling RADES evaluation teams to fix radars before they break. The RADES is now in the process of op- timizing the Common Air Route Surveillance Radars as they come online following the upgrade of the 1960s and '70s era interior continental U.S. (CONUS) radars. The RADES has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in the upcoming Electronic Parts Replacement Program upgrades to the North Warning System radars in Alaska and Canada. Using the RADES radar distribution network, inhouse developed analysis tools, and a data archive of more than 200 sites going back five years (the largest radar archive in existence), RADES experts ensure these two vital programs will keep our airspace safe and secure. From the north slope of Alaska to the Caribbean and from Guam to Nova Scotia, the 84th RADES is proving the squadron motto "Artificii Periti" 4 Experts in Workmanship! REPORT TEAM HILL HELPS THOSE IN NEED From page 1 HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness Center Up to 12 weeks of FREE tobacco cessation medication is available to federal employees and up to 6 months is available for active duty, dependents and retirees when attending the tobacco cessation series. Call the Health and Wellness Center at 801-777-1215 for further information. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2012 DUIs: 10 STAFF SGT. JASON BURTON/U.S. Air Force Several Team Hill spouses organize and sort goods donated by hundreds of members around Team Hill intended to support victims of the recent Colorado wildfires. These spouses collected donated items such as diapers, formula, toiletries, clothes, food, blankets and even money to supply gas for the trip. They also collected special items like wet wipes, baby powder, Gatorade and protein bars for the firefighters currently fighting the blaze in Colorado. The efforts of these spouses and the kind hearts of Team Hill resulted in so many donations Outdoor Recreation decided to donate the use of a trailer so all of the collected items could be hauled to Colorado. Donations were also received from several base agencies such as the Combined Federal Campaign, the Commissary, the Hill Chapel and the 75th Medical Group. 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil Hill's Last DUI: fuge 30 Unit Involved: 75e 0frizeizeitiepa Suftizatzt .564e4Aaa Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. When you call or send an Please give your supervisor calling the Action Line. This e-mail, your comments will and chain of command the will help me better serve your be recorded and staffed opportunity to work with interests. Items of basewide through the agency respon- you in answering questions interest will be published in sible for action. and solving problems before the Hilltop Times. Report suspicious activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch - Report - Protect Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Phone numbers The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 you have a complaint or a problem with their services: Chaplain 777-2106 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Program Security Forces 777-3056 Military OneSource (800) 342-9647 Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 Hill Pride Hotline 777-7433 4 24-hr. Crisis Information Force Support Squadron Base Restaurants Retirement/Compensation (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion 777-3056 777-5305 Public Affairs 777-4134 IG Complaints Military Housing 777-2043 (for appointment) 777-6142 IG Complaints Maintenance 777-5361 Safety Office (after hours) 777-5455 Safety Office Hotline Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 777-7129 Union (recording) 777_1851 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 Family Assistance Center 777-6246 (complaints) 777-6901 (when activated) 777-4918 75th Medical Group 777-5333 825-9392 777-3333 586-9300 777-3257 777-1852 777-3090 National Suicide (800) 273-8255 Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line (866) 284-3743 TriWest Behavioral (866) 651-4970 Health Contact Center EAP (800) 222-0364 777-1163 Occupational Medicine Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 "Our drinking water meets or exceeds both state and federal drinking water standards for water quality," said 1st Lt. Rebecca Rasweiler-Richter, the 75th Air Base Wing's bioenvironmental engineering water program manager. The Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight routinely samples Hill AFB's water to ensure it meets state and federal standards for drinking water. This sampling occurs at least monthly on the base and is done under the direction of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. Examples of the contaminants tested for include: microbial contaminants; inorganics (metals and salts); volatile organic chemicals (pesticides, herbicides and solvents); synthetic organic chemicals (industrial solvents, paints and dyes); physical contaminants (dissolved solids); and radioactive contaminants. "We are held to strict drinking water standards set forth by the EPA and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality," said Staff Sgt. John Krolak, a 75th ABW bioenvironmental engineer technician. Drinking water sources can include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. To ensure safe drinking water, the EPA limits the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The drinking water might contain small amounts of some contaminants, though the mere presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. According to the report, the Hill AFB public water system received no violations during 2011. Hill AFB serves a population of approximately 21,000 people and receives most of its drinking water from wells several hundred feet deep that are located on the base. Hill AFB may potentially supplement the base water supply with water from the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District. Weber Basin gets its water from deep wells, the Weber River, and several creeks along the Wasatch Front. According to the Weber Basin Consumer Confidence Report, the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District also provides water that meets or exceeds state and federal regulations. Copies of the Hill AFB and Weber Basin Consumer Confidence Reports are available for viewing at the base library (Building 440) and at the bioenvironmental engineering office (Building 249). For more information, contact the Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight at 801-777-4551. |