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Show Hilltop 6 Hr ia HILLTOP TIMES IME S May 1, 2014 SecAF visits Altus AFB, discusses priorities, future BY SENIOR AIRMAN FRANKLIN R. RAMOS 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited here April 23, to get a firsthand look at the wing's mission, visit with Airmen and civic leaders, and learn the unique capabilities, key initiatives and attributes of Altus AFB. Her visit consisted of one-on-one discussions during a breakfast with Airmen, a wing mission brief, an assault strip rubber removal demonstration, and an Airmen's call open to all base personnel. During the Airmen's call, James announced a new mission for Altus AFB. "The studies are done, the evaluation is complete and the verdict is in," James said. "I am very pleased and honored to tell you that Altus will be the formal training unit for the KC46A Pegasus." In addition to the announcement, James SENIOR AIRMAN LEVIN BOLAND/U.S. Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James speaks during an all call on April 23, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. The visit marked James' first trip to Altus AFB as the Secretary of the Air Force. The secretary met with civic leaders, spoke to base personnel about the future of the Air Force and learned more about cost-saving innovations initiated at the base. also touched on her priorities of taking care of people, balancing today's readiness for tomorrow and making every dollar count. "We have got to make sure that our Air Force today has the tools, flying hours, training and all the other pieces of readiness required so they can step up to the plate tonight if neces- sary and do whatever missions leadership may ask of us," James said. "We have to invest now in the technologies, platforms, techniques and procedures that will carry our Air Force forward. All of this is costly, it means we have to free up money from one area and apply it to others. "I really want to con- gratulate and thank all of you at your level because I have heard a lot of stories this morning about how everybody here at Altus (AFB) is making every dollar count and really thinking innovatively about how to do things differently," she said. James recognized a few of the base's innovators during the Airman's call: Tech. Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, the 97th Operations Support Squadron assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of wing current operations, and William Coleman, a 97th Civil Engineer Squadron heavy repair shop pavements and equipment engineer foreman. "Sergeant Bachleda told me about how he redesigned a cushion to be used for boom operators so that there would be less strain on the back and neck," James said. "This is a great innovation that is going to help Airmen save medical costs down the line and help in the overall training mission. "Bill Coleman has come up with an alternative way to take the rubber off the runway," James said. "This service used to be contracted out; we use to have to pay more money to remove the rubber at the appropriate times and now, thanks to Bill and his team, it's about a hundred thousand dollars in savings per • MILITARY RELOCATION SPECIALIST • DGEL1NE TY 1798 W 5150 S SGLI premium adjustment effective July 1 Air Force News Service WASHINGTON — The Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program will adjust its monthly premium rate from 6.5 cents per $1,000 back to the 2006 rate of seven cents per $1,000 of insurance, a modest increase to ensure the SGLI program remains in a strong financial position. The Department of Veterans Affairs continues to place the interests of service members first and foremost by keeping SGLI premiums as low as possible while also maintaining the necessary reserve levels to ensure funds are available to pay claims to service members' beneficiaries. Since the start of the SGLI Program in 1965, monthly premiums have decreased from 20 cents per $1,000 to the current 6.5 cents per $1,000. There have been periodic increases and decreases, but over the past 30 years, premiums have fluctuated only 2.5 cents per $1,000 of insurance. In order for the program to remain in good financial condition, it is now necessary to increase the premium rate. Since 2008, as a result of the half-cent reduction and decreases in interest rates, reserve funds have decreased. Insurance companies hold reserve funds to ensure they can pay future claims. It is common practice in the group insurance industry to adjust premium rates as reserve funds increase and decrease. VA also uses actuaries, individuals who deal with financial impact of risk, to conduct program experience studies when evaluating and adjusting reserve assumptions; and each year, an independent auditor verifies the accuracy of their reserve calculations. For a service member with the maximum S400,000 of life insurance, this change will mean an increase of two dollars per month. The new premium rate will take effect July 1, 2014. Individual ready reserve members who are drilling for points toward retirement or who do not receive pay for other reasons will be billed by their branch of service for the higher premium beginning July 2014. For infor- National Day of Action calls America to prepare and be ready mation on the new rates, visit httpi/benefits.va.gov/ insurance/sgli.asp. application four times a year." James covered other topics including the challenges the Air Force faces such as force shaping, budget constraints and core values. "Integrity is not only a personal responsibility, but it's very much a team sport," James said. "If you see something in your environment that you know is not right, your integrity requires you to do something about it. The wingman culture is fabulous but it never means taking care of people that are doing wrong." James concluded with a description of a smaller, capable force in the future. "Tomorrows Air Force will be smaller but it will be agile; it will be credible; and we will be an affordable total force team," she said. "We're going to do our job for the country, fulfill our defense strategy — we're going to be ready and we're going to be modern." suite PM. Revii131: 8067 801:Y74-0750 ♦ Full Time Realtor ♦ Knowledge of Local Market ♦ Personal, One-On-One Attention ♦ Flexible Schedule ♦ Military Background ♦ 17+ Years of Realtor Experience BrandaNelson PrinuipalBrolter 801-791-5985 BLNilson@comeastnet EYEGLASSES SUSI FREE BUY CONTACT LENSES ONLINE AT BY VINCENT RIENZI www.MILITARYCONTACTS.net Readiness and Emergency Management division WASHINGTON — What if there were only one day to prepare every Airman, their families and local communities? The Federal Emergency Management Agency sponsored the first National Day of Action April 30. This Prepare-A-Thon is a nationwide campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resiliency. The focus revolved around taking actions to prepare for four specific hazards: tornadoes, wildfires, floods and hurricanes. For more information and to register, visit the America's Prepare-A-Thon website. The Air Force Emergency Management Program also provides information on being ready and prepared. The AFEM website provides print-ready preparedness handouts, *Second pair includes frame of equal or lesser value as the first pair for the same person and plastic CR39 single vision, lined bilocal or Shoreview progressive lenses, Second pair must he purchased with the first pair and at the same date and time_ Additional charges apply for lens and material upgrades_ See an associate for complete offer details. Offer cannot be combined with any other discount coupon or insurance plan. All eyeglass purchases require a current, valid prescription. Offer expires 06+28/2014, (. 0,2014 National Vision, Inc. EXCHANGE EXCHANGE CONCESSIONAIRE disaster and emergency guides and educational activity sheets for kids. The Air Force Be Ready application is available for certain smartphones. This App offers the user (military, civilians, contractors and family members) key resources and personalized selections needed for a disaster/hazard emergency. For more information, visit the AFM website at http://www.beready.af.mil/. Visit us in the Base Exchange Building 412 801-776-3368 Eye Exams Available by Dr. Michael Larsen Independent Doctors of Optometry • TRICARE Accepted_ • Appointments Available. • Walk-ins Welcome. |