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Show HILLTOP TIMES Living the high life ... altitude physiology ACADEMIC HONOR Hilltop TIMES 9 Sept. 5, 2013 BY TECH. SGT. LOUIS "LUCKY" Longinotti 388 OSS Aerospace and Operational Physiology Team A s most of you may know by now, Hill AFB sits somewhere around 4,600 feet above sea level. Why am I telling you this you may ask? I'd like to make sure you all understand how the body responds to living at that altitude. For folks like me from Arkansas, who are not native to Utah, it can be a challenge dealing with the symptoms of living at higher altitude such as headaches, fatigue going up stairs, and being dried out all the time. The main culprit of the above symptoms is hypoxia. Now don't go running off to the clinic and tell the dots that you are suffering from hypoxia. Instead, take a few simple steps to mitigate the ill effects that living at this altitude can cause. Hypoxia is a decreased percentage of oxygen bound to the red blood cells in the body, relative to that found at sea level. This becomes more severe the higher up we go. I won't get real crazy with the science of it, but it's the big reason why we are out of breath when walking around the top of Snowbird and other ski resorts. Our bodies are just not built to operate way up there. On a high note (note the altitude pun), our body does eventually acclimatize to this environment. Since less oxygenated blood is moving through the body, we have to make more red blood cells. The cool thing about this is that there is really not a lot you have to do for this to happen. However, you can help to speed up the process by increasing your iron intake. Also, taking a multivitamin supplement can help increase the production of red blood cells, but always remember to ask your doctor before taking any. Over time (on the order of 5-6 weeks) our bodies will make enough red blood cells to counteract the hypoxia-side effects that you feel. Another issue we will have to overcome which will also help in the acclimation process is the very low humidity. I'm sure most of you have heard the saying "high and dry" Well, if you were to check the humidity outside you would notice that there are many days when the percentage in Northern Utah is in the teens, and rarely will it ever get above 50 percent. This is great if you are in the shade on a hot day. However, think of your body like a sponge; the lower the moisture outside, the faster you will dry up. So with that being said we really need to up our water intake while living this high life. As an aside, remember that the closer we are to the sun, the more important sunscreen becomes. Realize that for every 1,000 feet of elevation increase, we expose ourselves to 4 percent more UV energy in comparison to sea level. Use no more than a SPF of 50 (any more doesn't do anything), and replace it every 2 hours (due to perspiration). Last, but not least, let's quickly talk about the dreaded PT test. In regards to altitude, you really need to stay ahead of the curve. Remember that your body will de-acclimatize faster while at altitude and that keeping a regularly scheduled workout regimen each week is critical to passing the PT test and staying fit. Stay hydrated. You will dehydrate faster at altitude, and the dry atmosphere doesn't help at all. Three days prior to your PT test, cut out or decrease the amount of caffeine you drink, and really hydrate yourself up. Drop me an email if you have any questions. re's a ease Courtesy photo Park University Academic Director John Burnish recently received a Academic Newcomer Award for 2012-2013. Park University is located on Hill AFB in the Education Center and primarily serves military members. Burnish received the award from his employer, Park University. He also serves as an instructor. Air Force tuition assistance application window delayed for FY14 Air Force News Service W ASHINGTON — Airmen applying for tuition assistance in fiscal 2014 will see several changes in both eligibility for and administration of the program. Due to these changes, the application window for classes beginning on or after Oct. 1 will not open until Sept. 9 to allow for system updates. This program is applicable to Guard and Reserve only when they are activated. The cornerstone of the Air Force's FY14 program will be supervisor involvement. Airmen who apply for TA will be required to obtain supervisor approval for all requests. Supervisors may deny requests for Airmen in any level of upgrade training, if the Airman will be TDY or will be PCSing during the academic term, if the Airman is enrolled in Pro- fessional Military Educationor for any other factors the supervisor determines would impede the Airman's ability to complete the course. Requests for TA for foreign language courses will only be approved if they are part of a degree or are on the approved language shortage list. TA will not be approved for Airmen seeking a degree at the same level as they currently hold, with a few exceptions in support of certain graduate foreign language/affairs programs, cyber law master's degrees and multiple Community College of the Air Force degrees for Airmen who hold multiple enlisted Air Force specialty codes. "Air Force leaders worked very hard to develop a TA program that provides the best opportunities for Airmen and meets Air Force needs. Higher education continues to be a cornerstone of Airmen's amenn Rereaclin MOORE Iktg. I.) ae•, The Basic Practice W. of statistics sccons ibIllOM PSYCHOLOGY S( x :I 11, i 'S1C1[0i.,()(;) inirRo rn I FAI , F.R411V SYSTEMS • UNDERSTANDING CONSTRIirrioN DRAWINGS 111111111111airaiii iiii ltiAr " development at all levels," said Kimberly Yates, the Air Force Voluntary Education chief. The Air Force instruction for voluntary education will be rewritten to reflect these changes. Failing to meet Air Force standards will impact an Airman's eligibility. TA requests from Airmen who have unfavorable information files, failed/overdue physical fitness testing, received referral performance reports or are on a 1ASLi E OF RESERVE DAVID VERGUN U.S. Army said Russell Frasz, the director of Force Development. "This will help leaders ensure Airmen take advantage of academic opportunities while balancing their goals with mission requirements." The Air Force Virtual Education Center will undergo significant modifications to accommodate these changes, which has driven a delay in the opening of the application window for FY14 courses from Aug. 1 until Sept. 9. "The delay will help us test the system and ensure it is user friendly and will work smoothly for Airmen," Yates said. For the first time, Airmen in the field are involved in testing the updated system and providing feedback to make it as user friendly as possible. Airmen should contact their base education office for more details or for assistance in applying. Defenders Association to host 'Take the Hill' Sprint Individual/Relay Triathlon on Oct. 5 order: • 400 meter swim • 12.4 mile bike • 3.1 mile run. n Oct. 5 at 8 a.m., the Defenders Association will kick The event will take place off its first at the Hess Fitness ever "Take the Hill" Center Pool, pefundraiser triathrimeter roads and lon. duck pond trail. The event will Awards will be given for age and support deployed Airmen and their famiteam categories. lies as well as the local Cost is $10 for inpolice community and dividuals or $20 for a national police week. relay team. It is open to all Orange performilitary and civilians to mance T-shirts can ********** include off-base particialso be purchased for TRIATHLON $10. pants. The event is intended Register before to become an annual Sept. 23 before prices event sponsored by the increase. For more information and Defenders Association. Individuals can compete by registration locate the event on Trifind.com or e-mail hill.triathlon@ themselves or take part as a relay to gmail.com . complete the events in the following 75th Security Forces Squadron 0 Col. Paul Theisen, 419th Mission Support Group commander, and Bart Miller, senior vice president of sales at Goal Zero and 419th MSG honorary commander, go through a food line during a training exercise at the Base Operational Readiness Training Area on Aug. 25. During his visit to the BORTA, Miller got a taste of what Reservists experience in a deployed environment. The 419th Fighter Wing's Honorary Commander Program seeks to promote public awareness of the wing's mission and personnel by pairing commanders with local business leaders. Goal Zero, which specializes in portable solar power systems, was recently named one of the nation's fastest growing private companies. NNIMma control roster will automatically be denied. The fundamental financial benefits of TA are unchanged. Airmen who are approved to receive TA may receive up to $4,500 per fiscal year and a maximum of $250 per semester hour including tuition and allowable fees. "The changes to TA in FY14 require Airmen and their supervisors to more actively engage in managing academic pursuits and goals," BY 1ST LT. JOEL BISCHOFF SENIOR AIRMAN CRYSTAL CHARRIERE/U.S. Air Force Inou Changes to tuition assistance include requiring supervisor approval for tuition assistance applications. |