OCR Text |
Show Apr, V Warrior Week Refreshing airmen on alarms, MOPP levels before exercise vhemieal Hamuli: jiear since basic training - let alone while iiymy to do their jobs This training is a low ilueat opportunity to practice our ' w aitime skills u man hi Class l.oten Sternberg. 42 st WIT livw tluel said ol the exercise, "Being hiand new thought this was eiy beneficial. I haven't been involved in any chem training since bask Iraining thought it was nice working wild the ets in chem geai and it was really bene-liulor deplov menl readiness. I've done these jobs KM) times, but now I have to do it in a new way and leain to work with other people on the small things. We've had great help though, especially from our supervisors." Captain Josi said the Warrior Week was also held because, "we have a Phase lI'hase II exercise coming up during which the evaluation teams are going to be grading and there will be simulated attacks. It's going to be more of a high stress environment than what we're doing during Wairior Week." Captain .lost said Warrior Week was an oppor- Class Madelyn Waychoff By Airman 1st 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs "Alarm ial," c Wh.it ilu .Ih.i.k mmiio-ii- do'.' Well, it vmi lvh in III. X uti.-.- hi I'M ,i b.ii n. Hi .ml couple yens. H it you haven The 42 hi Aiki.iIi l.ni.u .. t nit leweni!.. held a "Wan I'M W.-- k l. ,i ).. ..pie I" help n: a.i iiiienl Clisuie hen .'...Urn. li I lie v.. Iiiiii mini .e; .'.i vt ,iiiiiieii the ' p illi an t.iiiiili ii l.ni'.' '.v.nliiiie ne bet lo oi ly elall inaiiilenaik e i!h the .ultlei! l p c. I I i al k m ol weal in:' he lieinu el MiU li' ' ijnipmilil hi iui,ill explained Capl Kill;. u el in i h.iU'i Maliitenalice nil I oue. "We'ie av leiied I" An pediiinii.n " hal means we iia e a s.. lied one. she s.i ne up. hut uled deploMiienl a m n ' kulieie and because nl wniM eenl- when we ina ileplo "We have a 1"! ol new I. 'Iks a signed who have neu'i deploved and who haven woin then i mi i J2 h.M high-thre- I ' I tunity for people to wear chemical warfare gear and perf orm tasks and others, who were not suited up. helped out. "This allowed the people to learn from others and learn how to do tasks in their envichem gear before the ronment." Everyone in the 42 1st AMU participated in the warrior week, which Captain Jost said is more than 250 people. People were divided up and placed in different mission oriented protective postures, known as MOPP levels, so everyone could get help if needed. But this was also done so everyone involved would get the opportunity to do all tasks such as launches, recoveries and general aircraft maintenance. "You never know what's going to happen day to day," said Senior Airman Richie McCorkle, 421st AMU crew chief. "This has definitely helped to prepare us for a real world situation." I I . Photo by Capl Kelly Jost the 421 st Aircraft Maintenance Unit signals to a pilot during the AMU's "Warrior Week" last week where airmen practiced their wartime readiness. An airman from officials advise SARS precautions D oD l ....... . f.v-.- :, ;'.a Vt-- ."a.vjfVjj". :t By Army Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample American Forces Press Service -i V ft 4 WASHINGTON Department of Defense officials are advising military members and civilians to take precautions against the potentially deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The advisory is especially lor those travele virus is ing in the Far East, where the believed to have originated. SARS has killed more than 79 people worldwide and raised concerns within DoD about the potential impact to deploying forces and current operations. However, Dr. David Tornberg, deputy assistant defense secretary for clinical programs and policy, emphasized that no component in DoD, including the military services, had a SARS problem. He indicated there have been no reported cases of SARS within DoD. Tornberg said, however, DoD officials are "taking precautions" because of concern for military members being exposed to the virus and someone subsequently catching the disease. "Health risk communications have gone out to the force, the combatant commanders are aware of the threat, they're following the disease closely, and they are taking initiatives to protect the troops," Tornberg said. "It's prudent to be very wary of any communicable disease or any disease that adversely affects our service personnel, that decreases their efficiency and their combat readiness," he said. SARS is a mysterious respiratory illness e that has symptoms. Researchers the disease have yet to determine its studying exact cause or origin. Symptoms include fever, body aches, headaches, sore throat, dry cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the syndrome may be associated with other symptoms, including headache, muscular stiffness and loss of appetite, malaise, confusion, rash and diarrhea. Tornberg said 90 percent of the people infections recover who have SARS-relate- d flu-lik- Photo oy Arman sf Cass Madelyn Waychott s are perAirmen from the 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit perform a push-bacFriday. formed when aircraft are parked in hardened shelters because there is only one entrance and exit. Because of this the planes must be pushed back into the shelters to park. Hardened shelters are were performed following the warrior week used at bases such as Korea or Turkey. Push-back- s held by the 421st AMU last week, which gave airmen the opportunity to practice their wartime skills. For more information see the story above. Push-back- k following people from the The 3S8th Staff Sgt. Aaron Weimer Tech Sgt. Terri Watkins flu-lik- l ighter Wing for the month ol March 3SSth Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 388th 388th Operations Fighter Wing Senior Master Sgt. Tech. Sgt. Michael Bolin I. on Wetel Staff Sgt. Amber Lopez Tech. Sgt. )on lessee Staff Sol. Todd Badger Staff Sgt. Michael Bacon Stall Sgt. 388th Maintenance Group I Shane keehevgl Senior Airman Connor Murrav Jeremy Farquharson Lawrence Reyes 388th Maintenance Operations Squadron Squadron Tech. Sgt. f.ddie Hill Tech. Sgt. Ric lard Ludwick Jr. SlM. 4th Fighter Squadron Senior Airman Tech. Sgt. 388th Kquipimnt Maintenance Staff Support Squadron Garry Swanson 421st Fighter Squadron Tech. Sgt. Ronald Neal 729th Air Control Squadron Master Sgt. Merman Magee Staff Sgt. Mark Nelson uneventfully. "It's only 10 percent (of people) who have Published for People Like... severe trouble, and consequences in the worst cases can lead to death," he said. As of April 10, the World Health Organization reported 2.78 probable SARS cases in 19 countries. According to CDC, the United States had 166 suspected cases, as of April 9. Tornberg said that DoD officials are working with WHO and the CDC to track SARS and reduce the risks for catching the disease. In doing so, Tornberg said that DoD officials are discouraging travel to certain Far East countries and asking people to follow State Department and CDC travel advisories. He said only "essential travel" should be taken in countries that have high concentrations of SARS cases. For example, officials in Pacific Command, which includes the area where the virus has been most active, said Defense Department people may make only mission-essentitrips to China and Hong Kong because of the disease's threat. SARS is spread by contact with respiratory droplets from people ill with the disease. Despite its easy transmission, the virus appears to have a "relatively low" communi-cabilitTornberg said. "To get the disease, you have to be in close contact with someone who has the condition ... and be in contact with that person on a sustained basis," he said. Tornberg said that washing hands and e avoiding people who are ill with reduces the risk of symptom dramatically transmission. "Frequent hand washing is critical to eliminating the threat of disease," he said. "If people were to do this five times a day, particularly before meals, they'd be a lot safer." He cautioned everyone to also avoid people who are sick and those who have traveled to Far East countries that have reported the disease. Stay away from someone who is coughing or sneezing, he said. Tornberg said people who feel sick, have e symptoms and have associated with someone who's been to the Far East should see a doctor. "I wouldn't wait to seek medical attention the sooner, the better," he said. More guidance on SARS can be found on the DoD Health Affairs Web site and on the CDC site. Courtesy of Air Force News Service al y, flu-lik- flu-lik- mm mm Staff Sgt. Brent Thierry Editorial Staff Unit: 388th Fighter Wing l ', --. f A '.fvA).- f Job: Wing command section el a A - Time in V Colonel Sieve Hoog officer in charge Service: 10 years Most recent accomplishment: Received Air Combat Command outstanding information management NCO of the year Goals: degree t If I I To be a chief master sergeant and finish my bachelor's science in political could change one thing at Hill AFB what would would have more mentoring for the younger airmen It be: 2nd Lt. Vernon Thompson Airman 1st Class Madelyn Waychoff The hxhtn Cmmn is a supplement tn the wilh the I'.S, Air Hwct. under exclusive This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper Contents of hfihter Country are no necevsanly of IX'fcnsc or the IVpartmcnt of the Air F;ve. Commander Deputy Chief, Public Affairs Editor flitltop Ttmr. puhlisheil hy MorMcdia. Inc., a private firm in no way written contract with the Ogden Air Logistics Center rubhc Affairs Office. is an aulhoned publication for members of the U.S. military services. the official views of. or cndtcd by the U,S. (ktvernincnt, the Department 1'nlcs.s otherwise indicated, all photos are V S. Air photos. Advertisements contained herein do not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the V.S. Air Force of advertised is available withHii regard to race, color, religion, sex. or other nonmerit factor of the purHill Al B chaser, user or patron. The fighter Country is edited, prepared and provided by the .IKKth Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office, 5887 D. Ave.. . Suite 111. Hill Al B IT. or Story submissitms for the 777.292.1. Uwd'lo more Fightn Conntn can be brought by the office, to the editor at fighter.ctnjntryW.hill.af.mil Deadline for submissions to fighter Country is no later than Monday, noon, two weeks prior to publication, For information, call the public affairs office at |