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Show February HILL TOP TIMES Comments Editorials & CHAPLAIN'S CORNER DRUGS CC m w i mil Everyone's Concern Drug abuse in the military is reaching alarming proportions, according to an independent civilian survey. It is not confined to any segment of the armed forces. It touches officers, noncommissioned officers, enlisted men and dependents. While the survey reported that the Air Force and the Navy seemed to have the least acute problem, it was found in all services that those primarily affected were people in skills that offered the least amount of personal motivation. Reasons for the increase in pot smoking, pill popping, acid dropping and the use of hard drugs is not easy to define. A major contributing factor, however, is the widespread lack of understanding of their true nature. Most users are totally unaware of the physical and mental dangers involved. The survey findings reported the weakest link in the drug problem in the military is the noncommissioned officer. He was found to be the least knowledgeable about drugs, yet he controls a major part of the enlisted man's daily life. This tends to drive the problem underground. All members of the Air Force have a stake in this problem area. Each has a special dependency on his fellow airman or officer, and they on you. Would you be willing to trust your well being and the fate of your unit to the irresponsible individual under the influence of dope? Moreover, aside from the violation of state and federal drug control laws, there is the tragic effect on the individual who habitually abuses drugs. He forfeits his freedom of choice, and is slowly weakened often times permanently. physically and mentally The user's primary goal becomes one of securing drugs to feed his habit. If this trend continues unchecked, he will, in time, become unable to function as a responsible adult, much less cope with daily problems on and off the job. Each of us has an obligation to self, country and fellow man not to condone or turn our back on the drug abuser. He needs help, not censure. Your influence is needed to encourage known drug users to seek help through rehabilitation programs within Air Force. Do it, today. (AFNS) Open Letter to Patients came to me for medical care. Well, I'm glad you came to me because that's what I'm here for. Let me introduce myself, I'm the USAF Hospital at Hill Air Force Base. I'm not much to look at, my body is old and some of my vital functions need repair, but my spirit is young, and my life blood is flowing as strong as ever to make sure that you get the best possible medical care available. Take my physicians, for example. Those young men in the white coats are some of the best available anywhere and they work hard to keep up to date in today's fast changing world. Sometimes, though, they get involved in a real problem or in one of the many administrative tasks that must be done to keep our standards at the high level you deserve, and your appointment may be delayed. Please try to understand. Speaking of appointments, did you know that you can make one with one of my doctors? Just dial or 3034. Appointments are important to both of us because it means that you'll have less of a wait before you see a doctor. It may even be possible to make an appointment the same day you call if it is a real emergency. Sometimes patients cancel an appointment so we have an open time. If you must cancel, please call and let my appointment clerks know at least 24 hours in advance. We want to give you the best possible medical treatment available. We do our best but we need your help, loo. By showing a little understanding and using my appointment system, you can do a lot to help see that we deliver medical care as needed. So you 777-303- By Chaplain What causes QUESTION: inequities in selecting airmen for overseas assignments? Some airmen have served two or more short tours while others in the same grade and skill have not served a short tour. V - Faith or Skepticism? about people BLOW VOUR Drug Abuse - 26, i97l 3 Your Hospital, The USAF Hospital. Hill ANSWER: One airman obviously was a volunteer. This could be the answer, but in most cases it is not. The Air Force has a short-tou- r return date policy which equalizes the number of short tours between all airmen of equal grade and AFSC. Once you have served your fair share of short tours (less than 18 months) you will not involuntarily serve any more short tours until all your contemporaries have served an equal number. There is no exception for manning in Southeast Asia. An airman who has served in SEA will not be selected for an involuntary second SEA tour until all other similarly qualified airmen have served in SEA, regardless of the number of other short tours served by the airman who has not been to SEA. (Capt.) James A. Curry There is something in the very air of this space age that is unlike the climate of any other age of discovery that I recall. The effect which the space age will have on us as humans, and especially upon our religious beliefs, depends entirely upon where we stand. If we stand secure in the faith, the space age, with its new scientific view of the universe, will increase our faith. If we stand in skepticism, the new discoveries will increase our skepticism. A few centuries before Christ the writer of the Eighth Psalm reflected on the mystery and variety of the universe, when he said, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, and moon and the stars which thou hast established." This experience was in no way to shatter his Christian faith but to strengthen it. Impressed with the immensity of the universe, he was more impressed in the deep and wonderful thoughts of the God who created it. We do not know the mysteries of the solar systems; such facts are inaccessible to the average mind. However, each one of us can know the God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. We look at Jesus, and we see a human personality. We see the face of God coming to us in His only Son. We shall never understand fully the total outer space program, but we can understand the personality of God in His Son Jesus. Personality is still the Zenith of God's creation. We look at Jesus and we see acts of love and we see an act of redemp tion. We see the Almighty and Eternal God, never so visible among the stars and planets, making himself visible and known in human personality. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are the ways and thoughts of God higher than the ways and thoughts of mankind. Being a part of this great space age mission, we are aware of this ever expanding universe. Observation of the vast heavens, or a discovery of them, usually does one of the following things to man: he becomes more skeptical or more believing his God becomes smaller or greater his faith decreases or increases. - QUESTION: Why are some personnel continually selected for assignment to one overseas area? One airman I know has served in Pacific Air Forces on four different occasions. WTiy not Europe once in a while? Which will it be for you? CURRENT POLICY ANSWER: There are several primary factors that have a bearing on this situation. There may be more requirements in PA CAFthan in USAFE in a particular Air Force specialty. In selecting (Aif Fore. Department of Defense and national policies and concepts -- and facts a ft acting them. For details see AF Policy Letter tor Commanders. AFRP 190-1- .) Gen. Jack J. Catton, commander, Military Airlift Command, says: for an overseas "Patriotism is one of those ideas that is hard to pin down. Like last the geographical assignment, overseas area in which served, leadership or love, if you attempt to define it, you put a fence around it, except for Southeast Asia, is not limit its scope. "It is much too complex to be imprisoned in words. So, rather than considered. Selection of airmen for overseas is words, we must look for understanding in ideas and examples. "President Nixon suggested some ideas, some qualities when he spoke based on who is the most eligible for the overseas assignment. to the Air Force Academy graduates about the attributes this nation would need. These are the same attributes our individual people need. (AFNS) "He told the cadets that: 'A nation needs many qualities, but it needs faith and confidence above all. Skeptics don't build societies, the idealists are the builders. Only societies that believe in themselves can rise to their CAPSULE LAW challenges.' "A patriot, then, is a believer in himself and in his nation and, what's more, he is an idealist. "We hear a lot about idealists today. We hear that the younger Since claiming an exemption to generation are idealists. But saying a person is an idealist does not say he which you are legally entitled is impractical. reduces your taxable income by "I think it is important to understand that dissatisfaction and dissent01 is a feature $625 for 1970 and in increasing expressed in the proper way is a feature of our way of life dissatisfaction amounts thereafter, it is advisable freedom and is embraced in our Constitution. Without to know what is an exemption. with the status quo there would be no progress. There are four types: the basic "What is wrong today is that many of the dissatisfied express au in ways that are outside the framework of the law from which personal exemption, the additional for the exemption elderly, Americans derive justice. exemption for the blind, and the "Yes, an idealist, a patriot, is one who expresses his dissatisfaction for The within the framework of the law. He is CONstructive, while the anarcnis exemption dependents. to be seems dependents' exemption expresses his dissatisfaction outside the law and is DEstructive. the most troublesome. "We must hear the idealist, the patriot; we must not tolerate a anarchist. Ordinarily, taxpayer may w e claim an exemption for a "Idealists patriots are absolutely essential to the country, dependent only if the taxpayer has military, to the Air Force." furnished more than half the dependent'ssupport; the dependent's gross income was less than personnel non-volunte- er fteffl-selve- the dependent is closely related to the taxpayer or a member of the household; the dependent is a U.S. citizen or a resident of certain other areas; and the dependent has not filed a joint return with his or her spouse. Except for the spouse of a taxpayer, a person cannot qualify as an exemption if he or she is not your dependent. If in doubt, consult the base legal assistance officers. (AFNS) $600; s 'Drive Unto Others unto drive "Drive unto others as you would have them HQ AFLC you." Not a new idea, but it makes sense! we re mad So we have a difference of opinion with our wives and us. need to take it out on those who must share the highway with we can't count on and our cars When anger drives us good judgment. Neither can the man we clobber! of every Same with alcohol. Safety men attribute one out man a accidents to drunk drivers. Sobering thought? Makes been us happened to the folks in the other car. Could have families. sou.n(i No matter how we look at it, the Golden Rule is pretty Especially when we climb behind that wheel! (AFLCM) N faU tal advice |