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Show rumop November 12. 1 998 Team efforts point toward freedom by CMSgt. Eric Benken W. Ameri-cansrema- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force All of us who wear the uniform of our armed forces serve in a unique profession, members of a great team, where the bottom line of our efforts is freedom, not profit. We serve in a profession where words transcend their traditional sense and take on new words like courage, valor, pride, dedimeaning cation, character, loyalty and trust. We measure each other with these words. We insist upon a higher standard. We have to because our lives are intertwined. We must rely on each other implicitly because our very lives depend upon it. The uniform you wear is an outward symbol for our nation and our adversaries. In your uniform our nation reaps confidence that we can fight and win her wars. And every time you put on that uniform, every time you polish your metal, adjust your cap, steam out the wrinkles, put edge dressing on your shoes and anguish over the placement of your medals and collar brass I want you to remember something. You represent a long line of fallen heroes that have gone before you who deserve your consideration. Remember the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have given their lives on the battlefield Wear your uniform with distinction, honor and with great pride because you are the embodiment of who we are and what we stand for. CMSgt. Eric W. Benken to preserve freedom. Remember those who lie in national cemeteries around the world for what they did for this great nation. There are the hundreds of thousands of veterans who carry the wounds of many wars and suffer the Reunion affected by cancer away. by Steve Van Wert Human Systems Wing Public Affairs Brooks AFB, Texas . "Hey, old friend; I'm in town." It was Will's voice, but somehow muffled, the words indistinct, hard to understand. Will and I go way back. He was a when I was a during my first Air Force assignment. Both in our early 20s, single, full of energy, we hit it 6ff right away. We played ball together, shot pool together and generally flexed our young muscles, trying out our new wings first time away from home. It was a friendship built on common interests. There was one thing, though, we didn't have in common. I didn't smoke cigarettes. Will did. When he couldn't smoke, he'd reach for the pouch in his two-strip- er one-strip- back pocket and chew. We'd lost contact over the years, redis covered each other. pain p f sacrifice. Remember each time you work in cortJmiserable weather that thousands of missing in action, their whereabouts unknown. And remember those who were imprisoned for years on foreign soil and endured torture and maltreatment at the hands of a brutal enemies. When you pay final respects to a fallen veteran, look into the eyes of a spouse or parent who has lost a loved one who has worn the uniform. Then remember that this world is still a dangerous place. We must work hard to preserve freedom every day around the world. Our nation's flag is the symbol of democracy and freedom, something many havehed their blood to preserve. Each of us has pledged our allegiance to this awesome symbol, and we entrust the honor guard '"' with her safekeeping. ' All airmen who wear the uniform are role models for America. You are a composite of America: men and women of diverse backgrounds and cultures. When we look at you, we see pride in ourselves. We see a bright future. We see the Air Force of the - next century. Wear your uniform with distinction, honor and with great pride because you are the embodiment of who we are and what we stand for. (Courtesy of Air Force Print NeUis) ; About two years earlier, he had dis-,t- " covered a discoloration on his tongue,' It was scaly and tender. When the doc; tors were through, he was a different man. They had cut out the cancerous part of his tongue, most of his teeth and rebuilt his gums. They took a muscle from his shoulder and built a new tongue. The operations and the chemotherapy and the radiation had left him alive, but a scarred, stooped-ove- r shell of what he had been. It had taken months of hard work for him to relearn how to talk. That's why he hadn't called me, why he had become a " recluse. It was a shock to see him. I did take him home for dinner and we reminisced about the old days. He me pictures I'socmrr showed of his wife and three children, letting me know he wasn't going to give up, that he had a lot of reasons to become healthv. After I took Will back to the dorm, I tried to analyze how I felt, ' tried to isolate the emotion raised in me by this tragedy. I realized that anger was my strongest reaction, anger at the cancer that robbed Will of his strength, his stature, his dexterity and his quality of life; anger at two young guys who felt one who invincible 20 years before never thought tobacco could maim and disfigure him, and the other, myself, who didn't know enough to help his friend stop. Think for a moment about your best friend. Is he or she a smoker, like Will? If so, close your eyes and picture your friend after cancer has eaten its way into that healthy body. Nov. 19 is the American Cancer Society's 22nd "Great American Smokeout." Talk to your friend about quitting smoking for just one day at a time. Do what I wish I had done. Get angry now, before it's too late. ' Griat American QMCHCFOUT then kept in touch by phone every year or so, but I hadn't heard from him in awhile. We were old married senior changed by experience, but still holding on to our friendship. It was 20 years after our first tour together when the phone rang. "Will," I said, "what are you doing, old buddy?" He told me he was in the transit barracks and had been there for a couple of months. "Why didn't you call me?" Will was reticent to answer, said he was busy with Wilford Hall Medical Center appointments, and didn't get out much.- - He gave me his building and room number and I went to pick him up. "I've changed," he mumbled. "You might not want to take me home for dinner." Changed was an inadequate word to describe him. I remembered Will as strong, healthy and exuberant He was now none of those1 things: cancer had taken them non-com- ' Action Line tests necessary? Are emission jLnJLTULfJ Quality Systems for America's Air Force Hilltop Times Published by MorMedia. Inc.. a private firm in no way connected with the US. Air Force, under exclusive WTitten contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the t'.S. military services. Contents of the Hilltop Times are ".ACTjps'UNE iiyauropport do we have to comply with State'" .tunjtx 'to rpfUcp'f'.a bcitej.j QWhy emission tests 'if We are. on a ; or" Federai Installation? .My vehicle is' regis-- " ' " " ' When you call send on LOGDIS to "Action" tered in Alaska and am the original owner. or on GroupWise to ID "ACTION." In Alaska, emission tests aren't required for your comments will be recorded the first three years of ownership. Why do and staffed through the agency need to get one for Utah? Eal'7-700- 0 I I i responsible for action. Federal law specifically requires compli-4kanc- e Please give your supervisor with local vehicle inspection and emisand chain of command the opporsion programs. Compliance is required regardtunity to work with you in answer-in- s less of where the vehicle is registered. The questions and solving problans on to that are you get being placed requirements before calling ACTION LINE. a base decal are in accordance with. federal law., " ,'Thi?wiH fieTpfe better serve "your and with Si agreement made with Davis County a tnterestsIlenisof baseiivkknter"-eiseveral'yeaft'ago! ."'.'..'"' to the Hiil' workforce tit be' published in the Hilltop Times. Kudo would like to send kudos to SSgt. Julie Payne. She's a finance NCO who helped my wife and I with several travel vouchers and financial problems when we arrived in the area. She was a tremendous help. She stopped everything she was doing to help me out on several occasions and would just like to say I I thank you. : f SSgt Payne is one of our outstanding new aWkNCOs. She is an asset to our organization, and your comments will certainly be passed on to her. Thanks for your kind words and appreciation for our services. Phone numbers Security Forces r. Crisis Information ... Services Base Restaurants i ... RetirementCompensation . , , (civilian) . 7S"H2i I Social Actions y. .;7r351?,-- . J . Employee" Relations . .77126 . 24-h- ..... ... ... ...... ..... . fff us in the 1900 and 2000 areas would like to say how great the lawns and other All of areas around the base look. We have noticed a big difference recently. We'd like to thank those who are working hard to make the base look great. Keep up the good work! has been a real challenge to maintain appearance at a standard we can all be of. Our focus is on continuous improveproud ment and I trust you will be more impressed with our future plans. Base upkeep is the respon-- . sibility of all base employees and residents. Thanks for recognizing the efforts of the many employees on base that care. ..- ."' not necessarily the official view s of. or endorsed bythe t'.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. 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