Hill Air Force Base Newspapers | 2012-05-03 | Page 2

COMMENTARY I IiIltop 2 TIMES May 3, 2012 Website comments stop, think and own it! Hilltop TIME MAJ. ALLEN HERRITAGE Commander, 2nd Combat Camera Squadron `ince 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Katina L. Ventura Hilltop Times Writer Hilltop Times Krista Starker Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail [e-mail] or call 801- 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government 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 Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at [e-mail] . Call 801-625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. T wo recent stories on the Air Force's web page drew significant reaction in the site's comments section. Both a story on finance troops being awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the news that Air Force Space Command was ending wear of flight suits by non-aircrew personnel drove more comments than any story I've ever read on the site. One attracted so many negative comments; the comments themselves became the subject of a story in Air Force Times. The reason for the publicity wasn't the sheer number of comments, but their nature. Many, if not most, of the comments on both stories were sarcastic, bitter or just plain rude. It's not the existence of negative comments that bothers me. I think discourse on Air Force issues is good for us as Airmen and our service as a whole. And if you take some time to consider the arguments surrounding the issues covered in these stories, there are some valid points on both sides. This discourse can become heated. That's OK in my book. I appreciate someone who is passionate Maj. Herritage about their opinion and ready to defend it. The problem here is that there is a direct correlation to the nature of the comment and whether or not the commentator was anonymous. Almost without exception, comments that were rude or sarcastic came from an anonymous source. I recognize the subjectivity of the last sentence. What's rude to one person may be perfectly acceptable to another. But it's safe to say that the wording of most of these comments would be changed drastically or even left unsaid, if their originator's identity was attached to them. The anonymity offered by the Internet has given those with an axe to grind a false sense of empowerment. I say "false" because the very nature of their comments limits their utility. The angry rant in the comments section rarely inspires real change and usually only serves one person — the one doing the ranting. I'm not advocating a "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" approach. Our business is serious. Sometimes we have to say things that are unpleasant to others. But, as leaders, I think we have the duty to own it. This isn't just about comments on a web page. It's about accountability. If you want to criticize something, have the intestinal fortitude to defend that criticism and the manner in which it was conveyed. If you can't own it, why say it at all? FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT 777-7000 [e-mail] Report suspicious activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. watch Report - Protect Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor KIM COOK/U.S. Air Force Col. Sarah Zabel, 75th Air Base Wing commander, adjusts her helmet as she prepares to take a familiarization flight in an F-16 Fighting Falcon, on April 23. She flew with Col. Rick LeBlanc, 388th Fighter Wing vice commander. HAWC Nest fitness Ttp from the Health and Wellness Center Up to 12 weeks of FREE tobacco cessation medication is available to federal employees and up to 6 months is available for active duty, dependents and retirees when attending the tobacco cessation series. Call the Health and Wellness Center at 801-777-1215 for further information. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2012 DUIs: 7 ,4_ Hill's Last DUI: 27 Unit Involved: 729a but Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. .._. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource [phone] National Suicide [phone] Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line [phone] TriWest Behavioral [phone] Health Contact Center EAP [phone] Occupational Medicine 777-1163 Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 AIRMAN 'AIRMAN Where are you from? I am originally from Pittsburgh, Pa. What is your favorite quote? As a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, I have to go with pretty much anything Mike Lange says. "He's smilin' like a butcher's dog!" or "Scratch my back with a hacksaw!" He usually says these things when a Penguin scores. His quotes are just so off the wall and funny that it's hard not to love them. What is your favorite part about the Air Force? My favorite part is traveling, meeting new people and doing things most people don't generally get to do. What would you do if you weren't in the Air Force? I'd probably be trying to fight my stage fright and become a rock star! Who is your favorite musical artist? Mikael Ackerfelt of Opeth, who is like a reincarnation of Mozart. None of his songs sound alike. Airman 1st Class Benjamin Frohnhofer 388th Fighter Wing client systems technician where yould you go and why? Anywhere in Europe would be fine with me. I'd like to snowboard in the Alps and enjoy a beer in Germany. What do you like to do on the weekends? eopteme Sgueldittia Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: What are your favorite hobbies? My hobbies include playing guitar, snowboarding and playing ice hockey. I like to exercise regularly. In the winter me and a few buddies will get together and have a snowball war (yes, it surpasses "snowball fight" — it gets pretty intense). Other than that, I'm always looking for something to do. In my downtime when I don't feel like doing any of the above I'm always trying to learn something, whether it's writing some music or learning a new language. In high school I learned a good bit of German, and since my deployment I've been trying to learn Russian. If you could go anywhere in the world I often relax and hang out. I'm a winter guy, so a lot of my activities are based around winter stuff, like snowboarding and things like that. In the summer I like to go swimming and camping. What are your future goals? I definitely see school in the future, but I'm still thinking about what I want to go for. After the Air Force, I would like to be a police officer. It seems like a positive thing to do, and I think it's perfect for me. What is your favorite childhood memory? That would have to be rope swinging into the lake on one family camping trip. Security Forces 777-3056 24-hr. Crisis Information 777-3056 777-4134 Force Support Squadron 777-2043 Base Restaurants Retirement/Compensation 777-6142 (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office 777-5455 Employer Relations 777-7129 Military Pay 777-1851 Civilian Pay 777-6246 777-6901 Air Force Suggestion Program Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 777-5305 IG Complaints (for appointment) IG Complaints 777-5361 (after hours) 777-5361 Fraud, Waste or Abuse (recording) Loud Noise 1 877 885 9595 (complaints) 75th Medical Group 777-4918 Civil Engineering 777-1856 ill Pride Hotline [phone] Public Affairs 777-5333 Military Housing 825-9392 Maintenance 777-3333 Safety Office 586-9300 Safety Office Hotline Sexual Assault Response 777-1985 Coordinator (or) 777-1964 777-3257 Union 777-1852 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline Family Assistance Center 777-3090 (when activated) - - -