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Show COMMENTARY TIMES December 18, 2008 Don't overlook those in distress around you 1MES BY MAJ. MICHAEL R. BURPEE 75th Medical Operations Squadron T he holiday season can be a time for joy and Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: happiness. It's a time Lee Carter... Standard-Examiner publisher of year that we find ourselves Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Lee Anne Hensley Hilltop Times reflecting back upon our acWriter complishments, milestones and Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the memories. Our minds usually Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimes@standard.net or call have a tendency to remember 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call days gone by as a silver lining 625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 625-4388. of delight and not a dark cloud of despair. This is not our way of simply seeing the world The Hilltop Times is pubthrough rose colored glasses, lished by Ogden Publishing but an expression of a healthy, Corporation, a private firm in optimistic attitude that demonno way connected with the strates good coping behaviors. U.S. Air Force, under, and in However, sometimes our memcompliance with, a Memoories do indeed take us back to randum of Understanding unpleasant events in our lives. Or with HiU Air Force Base. The perhaps we find ourselves missing content of the Hilltop Times loved ones because of death, brodoes not necessarily repreken relationships or long distances sent the views of, nor is it that keep us apart. Such thoughts endorsed by, the U.S. Govcan sometimes lead to feelings ernment, the Department of of melancholy, sadness or even Defense, the Department of depression. The combination of the Air Force or Hill Air Force ' these negative emotions coupled Base (collectively, the Govwith the stress of the holidays can ernment). The appearance leave some feeling helpless and of advertising in this publihopeless. cation, including inserts or Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air supplements, does not conForce chief of staff, recently sent stitute endorsement by the a letter to all MAJCOM commandGovernment of the products ers addressing his concern about or services advertised. the increased rate of suicides Everything advertised throughout the Air Force over in this publication shall be the past two months. Likewise, Weekly i>im.v 19-IH 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. Majp <ft s ftijtP 140 I ayrnn Utah, 84040. Additional _ editorial content is provided ian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public.affairs departments. Call 625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or send e-mail to Editor Mary Lou Gorny at mgorny@standard. net. Call 625^300 for Classified Advertising or 625-4388 for Retail Advertising. Gen. Donald J. Hoffman, Air Force Materiel Command, sent a memo to all installation commanders commu-. nicating the fact that there Maj. Burpee have been 10 active duty suicides so far this fiscal year compared to four this same time last year. He also shared that we have had three civilian suicides already just within AFMC Sadly, we are not immune to suicides here at Hill Air Force Base. We have experienced both active duty and civilian suicides with our m6st recent being within the last two weeks. In the Air Force community, this time of year should be a time » that we pay special attention to our role of Wingman. We have a unique opportunity in our Air Force culture to "get to know" each other in a way that can enable us to identify when someone may be in distress. We also have a remarkable number of resources that can help us learn how to assess and what actions to take when someone is having thoughts of suicide. Here is a simple checklist to help you identify when someone is in distress, to help you assess their thoughts or intent of suicide, and to find them the Suicide Prevention Guide and Checklist Purpose: This checklist should help identify distress, assess for suicide, and refer to the correct resource. #1 Identify distress: - Yes No 1.1 Has there been a change in job performance? 1.2 Does the individual's appearance seem different than usual? (clothes, unkempt, dark circles under eyes, poor hygiene, etc.) 1.3 Are there reports/noticeable change of alcohol consumption or any other known substance misuse or abuse? 1.4 Has there been a noticeable change in the individual's mood? (sad, withdrawn, suddenly happy, grumpy, whiny, etc.) 1.5 Reports of physical changes? (poor sleep, decreased energy, appetite, etc.) 1.6 Are they involved in any problems? (legal, financial, relationship, occupational, loss) #2 Assess for suicidal thought/intent: Ask direct question Yes No 2.1 Are you thinking about suicide? 2.2 Are you considering suicide as on option? 2.3 Are you thinking about killing yourseff? #2A If yes to thoughts or intent Yes No 2A.1 How would you kill yourseff? 2A.2 When do you plan on committing suicide? 2A.3 Do you want to die? 2A.4 Do you have the means to kill yourself? #3 Community resources available on and off base: Yes No 3.1. Mental Health Clinic (active duty) 777-3497 3.2 EAP (civilians) 800-222-0364 (24 hours) \ 3.3 Chaplains 777-2106 3.4 Military One Source 800-342-9647 3.5 National Suicide Hotline 800-784-2433 @00-SUlCIDE) \ appropriate helping agency I encourage you to keep this checklist and even share it with others. As we take the time this holiday season to share good tidings with friends and loved ones, let's pay special attention to those around us who may not be feel- ing the cheer. An essential part of being a good Wingman is simply showing others you care. Please take some time out of your busy holiday schedule and "check in" with those around you. Please have a joyful and pleasant holiday season. Report suspicious activity via the AFO5I EAGLE EYES Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch - Report - Protect Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor 777-7000 actibn.line.pa@hill.af.mil I recently had a family member, who was part of Team Hill, pass away. How do I thank each and every member of your base? Our family received needed love and support during these troubling times. The warmth ^receivedI Jrom fi!§. friends, co-workers and associates^ was phenomenal. The support given to us proves ribw much he wHlTSe missed. God bless each arid every one of you. I also would like to thank those who went above and beyond their duties: Terry Hall, Gail McCloy,Todd Cromar, the Team Hill Honor Guard and all the Army-Air Force Exchange Service associates. You just thanked them! Our Team Hill members consistently step up to the challenge when we encounter such sad circumstances. I am very proud of the professionals we have, and frequently see that during times that appear to be one of our darkest hours, our team rallies to take care of "one of our own." All of Team Hill sends along our condolences on the loss of your loved one, and our service to you was the least we could do to help ease your family's pain. I'm proud to serve with such professionals who truly live our core values! To our Team Hill Professionals — thank you and keep up the great work! The Hill Air Force Base Honor Guard, an almost entirely volunteer unit, practices drill and ceremony routines for funeral proceedings. When you call or send an e-mail, your comments Please give your supervisor and chain of com- the Action Line. This will help me better serve your will be recorded and staffed through the agency re-mand the opportunity to work with you in answer- interests. Items of basewide interest will be pubsponsible for action. ing questions and solving problems before calling lished in the Hilltop Times. Nest Phone numbers ^ Security Forces 777-3056* Crisis Information 777-3056 — The base agencies 24-hr. Force Support Squadron 777-4134 listed can be Base Restaurants 777-2043 contacted directly if Retirement/Compensation 777-6142 (civilian) you have a complaint Social Actions 777-3516 or a problem witr> . Employer Relations 777-7129 their services: v-' Military Pay 777-1851 Civilian Pay 777-6246 Air Force Suggestion 777-6901 Program Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 IC Complaints 777-5305 ("for appointment) IC Complaints „ .,777-5361 (afterhours) V ; ; : ;.; v .;.y Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 (recording) Loud Noise .„ 1-877-885-9595 (complaints) • Sr'-fr^f 75th Medical Group:....:..:.!.. 777-4918 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Hill Pride Hotline 777-7433 Public Affairs.. ., 777-5333 Military Housing ......825-9392 Maintenance : j' : Safety Office..:i.,;..;...;l^:.:.,...777-3333 Safety Office Hotline 586-9300 Union 777-3257 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline 777-1852 Family Assistance Center, 777-3090 (when activated) .... Fitneit, Tip from the Health and IVcllnc-st Center Tired of smoking but do not have the money to quit? Starting in February, twelve weeks of free medication will be provided to all Hill Air Force base federal employees who participate in the tobacco cessation program at the Health and Wei I ness Center. For further information, call 777-1215. THINK SAFETY HiirsTotalJ008 DUIs:j8 Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 any time to request a ride. F-4 Phantom II plays pivotal role other locations, often for stints of 179 days. For many Airmen, it was not uncommon to spend 11 months of the year away from home. Some had barely enough time to complete their travel vouchers before returning for another temporary combat tour. BY DAVE KENDZIORA This week in 1972, F-4s were in the Ogden Air Logistics Center Historian thick of Operation Linebacker II over aking to the sky for the first Vietnam, in which two Phantom II airtime in 1958, the F-4 Phancraft were lost. tom II has been flying for 50 Possibly no single example of depot years. More than 5,000 were built support better portrays the role of Air before production ended in 1979. Logistics Centers than the F-4G 'Wild While the U.S. Air Force's last Weasel" aircraft. Ogden ALC convertTECH. SGT. BEN BLOKER/U.S. Air Force manned F-4 combat squadron was ed 116 F4Es into F-4Gs between 1977 This file photo shows an F-22A Raptor, F-4 Phantom II, deactivated four years ago this week and 1981, and kept them flying and in 2004, the service still flies the air- F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II flying in fighting until the mid-1990s. diamond formation over Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2006, craft, primarily unmanned versions of At the time of the first Gulf War, the for the Air Combat Command Heritage Conference at the Phantom II as drones. Allied and F-4G was still the only 'Wild Weasel" friendly nations still fly F-4s, as well, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. aircraft available to the USAF. The Fthanks to the support of Hill Air Force Base civilians who supported Air Force aircraft 4Gs of the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing played personnel. an important part in Operation Desert Storm and, as that war went on, primarily F-4s. The F-4C, RF-4C, F-4D and F-4E were Combat Logistics Support Squadrons were in 1991, when they cut a path through Iraqi all forged in the fire of Vietnam combat. established to provide military personnel air defenses during the initial attack on Jaa Phantom crews scored more than 100 aerial skilled in depot-level support and removed 17. There were four F-4G deployments to victories and put countless bombs and air-to- civilians from harm's way. By 1968, combat the Gulf, the last one returning to the USA in ground missiles on target. Including air and duty was performed almost exclusively by December of 1995. ground losses, some 500 USAF F-4s were lost military personnel, such as those of the OgIt is entirely fitting that Air Force Materiel during the Vietnam War. den Air Materiel Area's 2952nd CLSS. Command's first F-4, F4C Serial Number 63Some of the first Americans to serve in By the early 1970s, 2952nd CLSS person- 7424, with its own extraordinary history, is at Southeast Asia combat zones were Hill AFB nel served in Vietnam, Thailand, Korea and the Hill Aerospace Museum. T |