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Show HILLTOP TIMES Hilltop TIMES October 9, 2014 Pay 2014 Warrior Games From I criteria for these special pays should work through their chain of command and military personnel sections for questions on their individual eligibility. To see the full assignment incentive pay and special duty assignment pay list and program changes, go to myPers at https://mypers.af.mil , select "search all components" on the search drop down window and enter "SDAP" in the search window. (Courtesy Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs) FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- This photo gallery fea- ing expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly tures Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supportfeature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. Syria From 1 U.S. Air Force ABOVE: Air Force athlete Daniel Crain aims at his target in an archery qualification round during the 2014 Warrior Games Oct. 1, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Warrior Games consist of athletes from the Defense Department, who compete in Paralympic-style events for their respective military branch. The goal of the games is to help highlight the potential of warriors through competitive sports. BOTTOM LEFT: Master Sgt. Christopher Aguilera warms up before a game against Navy in the first wheelchair basketball game of the Warrior Games. The Air Force team lost 38-19 and will play the U.S. Special Operations Command in the next round. BOTTOM RIGHT: Air Force athlete Mitchell Kieffer participates in a cycling race. FAR BOTTOM RIGHT: Air Force athlete August O'Niell kisses his service dog, Kai, during warmups for the swimming portion of the games. Cancer From 2 trusted dog, Captain Jack Sparrow. I really could not have survived chemo without him! Throughout the whole experience, I have tried to remain positive; it's part of who I am. I'm the type of person who always tries to find something to make me smile or crack jokes to lift the mood. I'm the type of person who finds that "silver lining" in life. I'm the type of person who doesn't give up and keeps on fighting. It never occurred to me to be any other way. I never for one second thought I wasn't going to survive cancer. There's no way I personally could have gone through this whole ordeal without my faith in God. God is the reason I was positive, and God gave me the strength to weather the storm. As I reflect back on this past year, I'm thankful I can still wake up in the morning and go to work, hang out with friends and enjoy the company of my family. I'm a firm believer of the mantra, "Everything happens for a reason," so I find it interesting that I was diagnosed with breast cancer dur- ing the month of October, which happens to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As we move into this month, take the time to learn your family history and the risks and symptoms of breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight women in the U.S. are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. The National Cancer Institute states that five to 10 percent of breast cancer cases can be linked to gene mutations. For those who have the BRCA1 gene, the risk for breast can- cer before age 70 is 55 to 65 percent; it's 45 to 47 percent for BRCA2. This is why early detection is key. Johns Hopkins Medical reported, "40 percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important." In order for selfexams to be useful, you should be familiar with your body, specifically in regards to look and feel. This will help alert you to any changes that could potentially be cancer. Breast self-exams are only the beginning for early detection. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends women 40 and older get a mammogram every one to two years, and women under 40 who have a family history of breast cancer should talk with their health care professional about screening. According to the National Cancer Institute, "when breast cancer is detected early, the fiveyear survival rate is 98 percent." I don't know about you, but I'm hopeful with these odds! However, breast cancer isn't limited to Syria. In a statement sent to the Standard-Examiner, base spokesman Rich Essary said F-22 jets are not flying directly to Syria after repair or maintenance at Hill, nor are they being sent directly to Hill if they should need work after missions in Syria. "The Ogden Air Logistics Complex performs depot repair, modification and maintenance support for the F-22 Raptor, and when the work is complete, the aircraft are returned to the owning unit," the statement read. It's been reported that F-22s have been stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, but military officials have declined to say where jets for the mission in Syria were staged, except to say it was somewhere in the Gulf region. Essary said Hill is not expecting to see any additional F-22 work as a result of the recent combat operations. The F-22 program office, which is split between Hill and WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is maintaining a close eye on the jet as it performs in Syria, but Essary that's not out of the norm either. "Even prior to operations in Syria, the F-22 program office has maintained close contact with Air Combat Command in support of the F-22's dayto-day mission requirements," Essary said in the statement. "The program office's mission is to ensure regular contact with the field units to aid in any required analysis, field support, or make recommendations for inclusions into any subsequent airframe or system sustainment efforts that take place in the Complex at Hill AFB. We continue to proudly do so today." women. According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk for men in the U.S. to develop breast cancer is one in 1,000. The organization also estimated more than 2,000 men were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2011. From the moment the words were uttered, I never had a doubt I wouldn't survive and come out the other side winning. I now join the estimated 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. I am a survivor! 5 |