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Show COMMENTARY TIMES September 6, 2007 Change — an Air Force way of life TIMES Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter... Standard-Examiner publisher AndyHowell Standard-Examiner managing editor Shauna Lund Standard- Examinor Davis bureau chi&f Milch Shaw Military offairs reporter Beth Young Hilltop Times reporter Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimes@staridard.net or call 629-5231. For advertising, call 625-4300. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp. in cooperation with Hill Air Force Base. Ogden Publishing is a private company in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force and is solely responsible for the content and advertising. Contents of the Hill Top Times are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Air Force. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Air Force. 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 Standard-Examiner's Davis County Office, 67 S. Main St., Suite 104, Layton, Utah. 84040. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 629-5220 with story ideas or comments, or send e-mail to Davis Editor Shauna Lund at slund® standard.net. Call 625-4300 for advertising needs. BY COL. MICHELE SMITH 388th Maintenance Group commander W hen first deciding to join the Air Force, the recruiter fills you in with the great perks of being a member of the Air Force; the pride that comes with serving your country, the chance to see the world, and the opportunity to get a great education at minimal cost, to name a few. All these are very important and have helped us develop as airmen and upstanding citizens in the greatest country on earth. But after 25 years of serving in the military, I have found there are so many other advantages that I could fill a book to pass them on. So, today I would like to touch on just one of these, one that has been pivotal to developing me into the person I am today — "change." Nothing stays the same in our Air Force for very long; people move, processes change, new weapon systems come on line — it keeps us on our toes. Why is this so beneficial? It provides us the opportunity to continually grow mentally and spiritually and to see things from a broadened Col. Smith perspective, something many of our nonservice-related family and friends may never experience. Although some see change as stressful, I see it as giving us the opportunity to rise to a challenge, something airmen are very adept at doing. Let's touch on a few. Everchanging workforce: Because of military needs, .we are a very mobile workforce, changing bases every few years. Every year a third to a fourth of the airmen we work with move, and we have to learn to be flexible in developing ways to interact and build bonds with new bosses, peers and subordinates. These changes greatly enhance our ability to deal with different people from different backgrounds. We can take these characteristics about them and integrate them into our daily lives, improving ourselves. It forces us to grow as people, airmen and Americans. PCSs: Moving to a new location can be a very stressful experience, but also a very enjoyable one with the right attitude. Even moving into a job similar to the previous one never carries the same routine, and we have to adapt to the change. A move also broadens our perspectives on life as we make new friends, try new sports, learn new histories, languages and cultures from personal experience. Again, it makes us grow as people, airmen and Americans. Changes in Force Structure/Organizations: This is the change which is hitting most of us the hardest today as we try to figure out ways to accomplish our mission with a diminished workforce or a changed workforce and a very high operational tempo. Again, although this is stressful, we always rise to the challenge of finding better ways of doing our business; we embrace new concepts and take pride in our accomplishments. Again, making us grow as people, airmen and Americans. Sometimes change is hard, painful and exasperating, but if we try to keep it in a positive perspective, glass halffull versus glass half-empty, we can always find the good in it. So this next holiday season, as you pull out your thick address book filled with names of all the friends you have made over the years and you write your annual letter updating them in on all the changes you've experienced this past year, make sure you include how these experiences have made you grow as a person and how lucky you are to have the opportunity to serve, meet and work with such fantastic people in a great and everchanging work environment. 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil When you call or send an e-mail your comments will be recorded and staffed through the agency responsible for action. Please give your supervisor and chain of command the opportunity to work with you in answering questions and solving problems beforecallingthe Action Line. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest will be published in the Hilltop Times. Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: MASTER SGT. MICHAEL McGURL/U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Chambers, 75th Air Base Wing commander, performs a Handheld Assay test to look for biological warfare agents with the help of Senior Airman Raymond Madayag, 75th Aerospace Medical Squadron Bioenvironmental flight. Employer Relations 777-7129 Security Forces 777-5550 Military Pay 777-1851 24-hr. Crisis Information ..777-3056 Gvilian pay 777-6246 Services 777-4134 Air Force Suggestion 777-6901 Base Restaurants 777-2043 Program Retirement/Compensatk)n..777-6142 . 'C Complaints 777-5305 (civilian) (for appointment) Social Actions 777-3516 IC Complaints 777-5361 (after hours) Control Line Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 Military Housing 777-2963. (recording) Maintenance 75th Medical Group 777-4918 Safety Office - 777-3333 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Union 777-3257 Hill Pride Hotline 777-7433 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline... 777-1852 Public Affairs 777-5201 Family Assistance Center..777-3090 Public Affairs Information .777-96% . ("whenactivated) . ,••;. :., Nest is Tip from the Hcatlh and Wellneu Center The No. 1 cause of shoulder problems is an imbalance between your stronger upper body pulling muscles (chest) and the weaker pulling muscles (upper back). This imbalance allows the arm bone (humerus) to slip forward, causing impingement in the shoulder joint and eventual injury. A welldesigned program can correct this imbalance allowing the shoulder to heal, and function normally. What are you doing to remember Sept. 11? THINK SAFETY •Hill's Total 2007 DUIs: 15 Hill's Last DUI: Sefit. 2 Unit Involved: 309tA Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Maggie Edlen Tech. Sgt. Mick Purdy Defense Logistics Agency 421st Fighter Squadron "I'm going to take the day to reflect on the loss and the heartache and just pray for a better world." "I'm going to remember those who have fallen before us and pray the events of that day never happen again." Coll777-W1 any time to request d ride. O O Susan Kelsey 309th Maintenance Support Group Sue Smith 75th Medical Operations Squadron "I'm flying a flag outside my house and I will probably bake something red, white and blue to bring into the office." "I'm going to remember the hard work of the people who responded to that tragedy, like my nephew." o o |