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Show HILLTOP TIMES Hilltop TIMES Jan. 31, 2013 Influenza at epidemic levels; kids at increased risk Air Force to open remaining combat A positions to women 75th Medical Group ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. is experiencing a much higher number of flu-like cases this year than in previous years. Influenza activity remains widespread across the nation with Utah among the highest states reporting flu-like illness. According to this nationwide surveillance, the number of people seeking medical care for influenzalike-illness (ILI) remains high. The severity of their symptoms also remains elevated. Additionally, certain high risk groups are vulnerable to flu related complications such as pneumonia with children (younger than 2 years of age) being among the highest. Why is influenza so dangerous to children? Children are generally at higher risk for the flu and flu related complications because their immune systems are not fully developed. Children are also at increased risk of getting pneumonia, a sometimes deadly complication of the flu. Each year in the U.S. an average of 20,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized for flu related complications. What to do if you think your child has the flu? The treatment of influenza depends on the child's main symptoms and is no different from the treatment for other viral infections. Contact your child care provider immediately if: • Your child is having difficulty with breathing. • Your child appears to become sick very quickly. Contact your child care provider during regular hours if: • An earache or sinus pain occurs. • A fever lasts over 3 days. • You have other questions or concerns Follow this CDC link for excellent information for Parents with Young Children. http://www.cdc.govifluiparents/index.htm Influenza vaccine and prevention: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the single best way to protect against the influenza virus is to get vaccinated each and every year. It is recommended that all people 6 months and older without a contraindication to vaccination get the influenza vaccine. What else can I do to protect against influenza? • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way. • Try to avoid close contact with sick people. • If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.) • While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. For more key facts about this season's influenza vaccine please visit the CDC's web page at: http:// www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm. Please feel free to contact the 75th MDG Public Health office at 586-9556 for more information on influenza and current vaccinations available. STAFF SGT. STEPHANY RICHARDS/U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 421st Fighter Squadron practice air to sea maneuvers over the Pacific Ocean Jan. 25, near Miramar Marine Corps Base, Calif. The F-16s flew and trained in support of the Marines Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 13-1. The ITX is the training exercise that Marines come to prior to deploying to practice real world scenarios. 421st FS participates in joint deployment training BY STAFF SGT. STEPHANY RICHARDS 2nd Combat Camera Squadron T WENTYNINE PALMS MARINE CORPS BASE, Calif. — The 421st Fighter Squadron from Hill Air Force Base is participating in the U.S. Marine Corps Integrated Training Exercise Jan. 21-Feb. 2. The 421st FS participation enables Joint Tactical Air Controllers to experience controlling different aircraft rather than just the standard Marine Corps' aircraft. Integrated Training Exercise ITX 13-1 is the Marines' final training exercise before deployment. "Twentynine Palms is an important Marine Corps Base since it facilitates the practice of the skills needed before deployment," said Glen Helm, joint exercise planner for Tactical Exercise Control Group at Twentynine Palms. "There is nowhere else in the Marine Corps that (troops preparing for deployment) can do everything in one place," he said. "Every unit comes here at some point." During the exercise, Air Force fighters conduct close air support and provide an F-16 pilot as a liaison to assist with planning and communication. "Every morning we commit four F-16 Fighting Falcons to the Twentynine Palms range with live 500-pound-class munitions," said Air Force Capt. Jason Clugston, a 421st FS pilot. "We provide Airpower support to increase our joint training and theirs." "The Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force can operate differently," said Sgt. Vincent Scognamiglio, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine, 134-I Company joint tactical air controller here. "It is nice to work with the different services to practice talking to each other." Air Force Maj. Timothy Scariano, 421st FS assistant director of operations, said supporting ITX provides an op- portunity to operate jointly in a very realistic training environment. "Operating and training with the Marines provides us a better idea of what their mission requirements are so when we go down range we are better prepared to help them. CAS is vital to combat, because it brings a lot of fire power and requires detailed integration," Scariano said. "Once you're close to the enemy, there is no better feeling than knowing you have a 2,000 pound bomb ready to drop." Working hand-in-hand with other services is proving to be a positive experience for everyone involved. "It's good to be here, and it is an experience pilots don't get unless they deploy," Scariano said. "Joint operations could be the future of the military, and the more we train in partnership with our sister services, the better off we will be for our nation's defense." Air Force News Service W ASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey announced Jan. 24 the rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule for women and that the Department of Defense plans to remove gender-based barriers to service. "Women have shown great courage and sacrifice on and off the battlefield, contributed in unprecedented ways to the military's mission and proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of roles," Panetta said. "The Department's goal in rescinding the rule is to ensure that the mission is met with the best-qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender." While 99 percent of Air Force positions are currently open to women, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said the service will now pursue opening the final 1 percent. "2013 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Department of Defense allowing women to serve as combat pilots," Welsh said. "By rescinding the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule, we can pursue integrating women into the seven remaining Air Force career fields still closed, all associated with special operations. We're focused on ensuring America's Air Force remains capable and ready with the best-qualified people serving where we need them." The Air Force will partner with U.S. Special Operations Command and the other services to review opening these positions in a deliberate, measured, and responsible way, officials said. Those positions are: Officer / Enlisted Air Force Specialty Codes closed to women: • 13DXA (Combat Control Officer - special operations forces / direct ground combat) • 13DXB (Combat Rescue/Special Tactics Officer - special operations forces / direct ground combat) • 15WXC (Special Operations Weather Officer - special operations forces / direct ground combat) • 1C2XX (Enlisted Combat Controller - special operations forces /direct ground combat) • 1C4XX (Enlisted Tactical Air Command and Control - some special operations forces /direct ground combat) • 1T2XX (Enlisted Pararescue - special operations forces /direct ground combat) • 1W0X2 (Enlisted Special Operations Weather - special operations forces /direct ground combat) These career fields comprise approximately 3,235 positions. Today, women make up approximately 15 percent, or nearly 202,400, of the U.S. military's 1.4 million active personnel. Over the course of the past decade, more than 280,000 women have deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Jan. 24 announcement follows an extensive review by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who unanimously concluded that now is the time to move forward with the full intent to integrate women into occupational fields to the maximum extent possible. It builds on a February 2012 decision to open more than 14,000 additional positions to women by rescinding the co-location restriction and allowing women to be assigned to select positions in ground combat units at the battalion level. "The Joint Chiefs share common cause on the need to start doing this now and to doing this right. We are committed to a purposeful and principled approach," said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. The DoD is determined to successfully integrate women into the remaining restricted occupational fields within our military, while adhering to the following guiding principles developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff: • Ensuring the success of our nation's warfighting forces by preserving unit readiness, cohesion, and morale. • Ensuring all service men and women are given the opportunity to succeed and are set up for success with viable career paths. • Retaining the trust and confidence of the American people to defend this nation by promoting policies that maintain the best quality and most qualified people. • Validating occupational performance standards, both physical and mental, for all military occupational specialties (MOS), specifically those that remain closed to women. Eligibility for training and development within designated occupational fields should consist of qualitative See WOMEN I page 6 5 |