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Show 3 March 22. Why I stay... by Airman 1st Class Erica Thtele 75th Communications Squadron I was fresh out of high school, accepted to three colleges, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to join the military so that I could tell my children how I one-da- y served my country in the best way that I knew how. I didn't even have a clue what I was getting into, but I wanted to pursue a challenging career. It wasn't until I joined that I realized I found a "safe placets place where I can contribute all that I have to offer and see results that I am proud of. The Air Force provides me with numerous benefits. I now have experience L ple who have become yonr family. Your duty station becomes a home away from home, and I am grateful for having the opportunity to have from military training that has prepared me for anything that life might want to throw at me. I have developed admirable traits such as made so many good respect, discipline, patience, and diligence - things I would not have learned quite so quickly on the road I was headed in the civilian world. I have made friends that I will never forget. friends. have also received valuable training that I takes many people years to accomplish outside the military. I have the opportunity for immediate hands-o- n training, Airman 1st Class In the military, you Erica Thiele and I am constantly learn depend on your com I also able to get schoolto a am We all in deal. this are rades great ing day day. together, day in and day out, and the ing that the military will help pay for, so I can obtain a degree as well as certifi- people you work side by side with peo , cation in my computer career fields I am provided with allowance for housing and food, medical benefits for my family and myself, and 2 12 days a month for vacation time. I am proud that I have made such a good decision in my life. I have had such a good experience in the military for another four that I plan to years. Each day, I put on my uniform and think about the kind of person it takes to do the job that I do. The military is not for everyone because it takes a lot re-enli- st of dedication. I am proud to know that I am serving my country and protecting something that many people died for, something that I am willing to die for as well. Actio odd Uoue the previous men's lockers. For women, the new lockers are wider and taller, but not as deep. However, using the new size allow us to increase locker capability by 20 percent over the old metal lockers. There are now 569 men's lockers compared to 454 before. Now, 115 more people will be able to have the convenience of using a locker instead of sitting on a waiting list for months at a time. This also allows the Hess Fitness Center to attain our Golden Eagle Standard of having at least 25 percent of our lockers designated strictly for daily use. In addition to the new lockers, the annual locker fee has also been discontinued at the Hess Fitness Center. The locker room looks cleaner, is more sanitized and now there's more space in the locker room hallways. In the near future, we will also install wall coat racks. As for the boots, they may be placed on top or just outside the locker. For more information, call 1st Lt. Kevin Strauss, Ext. BDU Tuesdays all personnel on base QAre military to wear BDUs on Tuesday? A Yes. Hill AFB Supplement "Dress and Appearance," reads "Tuesday of each week is designated as Readiness Day at Hill AFB. All military personnel will wear the BDU unless their duties require a different uniform." Per-son- 36-290- al Gasoline prices Is it my imagination or do the base just U gas prices go up on Thursday or Friday, stay up ail weekend, then borne back down on Monday? This fluctuation does- g n't seem reasonable. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service buys in bulk so the cost of gas should remain relatively consistent regardless of what day customers decide to fill up their tanks. fi There is no specific day that the gasoline prices oblig-atejdjtajdj- then. BAH ACTION LINE is your opportunity to make Hill AFB a better place to live, work reconsideration Allowance for Housing rates for active duty members stationed at Hill? is shared by others, but, Al'm sure your concern bases have no control over BAH. Contract personnel conduct annual surveys to determine costs of living for housing in different regions. BAH rates are established based on the survey data and after applying allowance for "spikes" in housing costs, including utilities. The study for fiscal year 2002 BAH rates will account for any unforeseen increase during the current year. Small gym lockers Has one complained about the new lockers at the Hess Fitness Center? They're so tiny I can't fit my coat, gym bag and shoes in there. The lockers are indeed smaller. The new lockers IM1 are 12 inches wide, 12.5 inches deep and 36 inches high, a loss of about an inch in width and depth from , Hilltop Times Published by MorMedia, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of the Hilltop Times are r ail comments will be recorded Q why must worry about additional child care costs and hour availabilities at the 1 and staffed through the agency responsible for action. ; Please give your supervi- tnf anri rhain nf mmmanH the opportunity to work with Col. BradHigginbotham 75th ABW Commander you in answering questions and solving problems before calling ACTION LINE. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest to the Hill workforce will be published in the Hilltop Times. Child Development Center? I've had four rate increases in three years and now pay the maximum rate. Have new policies been annual the change policy is that a A be fee implemented per family registration October This fee covers the cost of the in $25 will 2001. CDC in updating the child's records, software, shot history, etc. I reviewed what other Air Force Materiel Command bases are charging and the norm is $25 per child annually. At $25, this is an increase of only .25 cents per week, per family. The increase in hourly care rate is actually long overdue since hourly care rates have not been adjusted for the last five years. The fee is being increased from $2.50 to $3 per hour. This charge is comparable with other Air Force bases and actually covers a larger percentage of the cost of providing hourly care. The fees are set to pay appropriately half of the total cost of care. The Military Child Care Act of 19891996 directed parents to pay approximately one half of the care costs. The fees are set only high enough to cover the costs not paid by the taxpayers. In the Child Development Center, the parents' fees cover only one fourth of the caregivers' wages and benefits, some consumable supplies and the costs of the food program that's not reimbursed from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fees may be adjusted once annually and the fee for individual families may be adjusted only annually except in hardship cases. "Air Force people building the world's most respected Air and Space Force Quality Systems for America's Air Force bo When you call ExL or send on Outlook to ' I ULL ACTION LINE," your Child Development fees Since this is the "Year of the Family" At Hill the tremendous increase in Utah's ftl With gas and electricity rates, is it too much a of Basic any Regarding opening the Child Development Center in support of base exercises or alerts, this determination will remain at the discretion of the Base Crisis Control Center and the Disaster Control Group. In addition, the CDC will now offer a program that has two Family Child Care homes on contract to provide care in the evenings and weekends due to exercises and deployments. Since this program is partially subsidized by the Air Force, the hourly cost of care will be $2 or less. For more information on this program, contact Linda Ambard or Bam-bi- e Benkins, Ext or are the put into effect Air Force-wid- e Hill to local at due management? changes rates to expect Ext. 00 tfi goug-ing!W- f, and play. JHl change. We survey our competitors and the results determine our selling prices. While we are only a weekly sutxey,.we check the other pri&aUBfififcdaily" to help us bring fair prices to Our customers, AAFES has not and will not participate in e pricing practices that may be interpreted as "price cannot undersell our competitors only match If you have additional questions or concerns, contact CDC director. Ext. Linda McKenzie-Berglofor Margie Stutz, Family Member Support flight chief. Phone numbers The base agencies listed below can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their serv ices: Security Forces Crisis Information Services Base Restaurants RetirementCompensation (civilian) Social Actions Employee Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program IG Complaints (for appointment) 5G Complaints (after hours) Fraud, Waste or Abuse (recording) 75th Medical Group CMI Engineering Hill Pride Hotline Public Affairs Military Housing Maintenance Safety Office 24-h- r. Union AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Family Assistance Center (when activated) 16 28 51 61 .7-33- 52 .... Global Power and Reach for America. " not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Ah- - Force. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or MoTMedia, Inc., 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 Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs Office staff in Bldg. 1102, second floor. Call Ext. with story ideas or comments, or send to "hilItop.pahill.af.mil". Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are U.S. Air Force photos. TO PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT, CALL Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Maj. Gen. Scott Bergren Maj. Sam Hudspath Bill Orndorff Mary Gaibraith, Gary Boyle Senior Airman Russ Martin Commander, Director, Public Affairs Editor OO-AL- C Staff writers Deadlines: Editorial and "Around the Hill" items, 3 p.m. Thursday, seven days before publication; sports articles, 9 a.m. Monday, week of publication; classified ads, 2 p.m. Tuesday, week of publication. For more information, call the editor, Ext 625-430- 0 |