UDMs deployed here are responsible for coordinating travel, processing in- and outbound deployers and keeping commanders informed on available manpower to get the mission done. Master Sgt. Renee Hess and Martin Brown – both experienced managers – keep the maintenance flowing as UDMs for the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group in three simple ways.

“First, we tell leadership when a member is arriving, when a member is leaving, and how,” said Hess, who employs three primary methods to ferry Airmen into the area of responsibility: the rotator freedom bird, commercial contracted aircraft, and organic gray tail travel. “Second, we schedule commercial travel when member arrives back to the US, and finally we keep track of how many people are in the MXG and give manpower numbers to the group and subordinate commanders.”

Many stateside UDMs operate under an additional duty status, performing processing work for deployers in addition to regular duties. Those assigned here must have a minimum of six months experience as a primary UDM, not only because their expertise is needed to get the job done, but also because of the high volume. Hess and Brown have already processed hundreds of maintainers in and out of the group since arriving within the past four months.

“Numbers range from 50s to 500s per month, depending on the month,” said Hess, a UDM deployed from the 20th Component Maintenance Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C. “In April we had more than 500 personnel rotate in, and more than 500 rotate out.”

Brown said the work here is not only higher volume but has a broader reach than stateside UDM work.

“First, we don’t deploy from stateside the amount (of people) as we do here,” said Brown, who has been the UDM at the 355th Emergency Medical Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., for the past three years. “We move at least 80 percent more than at home, monthly. The process works the same, but as a home station UDM we don’t see the whole process as we do here. To say we have 10 steps to redeploy someone, but at home we would only work three of the 10 steps.”

Those steps require a strong attention to detail, something both Hess and Brown credit as essential to UDM work.

“We are doing the work of our logies and installation personnel readiness troops,” Brown said. “This is a very unique slot because of all the detail that is put in to ensure personnel redeploy.”

Hess elaborated.

“We must have a keen eye and meticulous attention to detail,” Hess said. “Know the people and always be one step ahead. Know the processes and have good networking at the deployed location as well as with home stations.”

That focus and attention to detail, is one reason Hess loves the job.

“It keeps me busy, and I’m very customer service oriented,” Hess said. “It’s challenging, and there is something new to learn every day.”

Brown said he loved the impact.

“First, I like knowing that I have a key role in redeploying the member back to their loved ones,” he said. “Second, receiving a ‘thank you’ or a smile from the member after an itinerary is given out – that’s when you know you’ve done your job.”

CAF is comprised of four pillars: physical, social, spiritual and mental fitness. Leadership has decided that for this quarter’s CAF week, the focus will be on social fitness.

“CAF is an Air Force concept that is significant to mission accomplishment and personal development,” said Vincent Howard, 355th Fighter Wing community support coordinator. “Our CAF week is meant to enable all Airmen, all civilians, all ranks to embrace the philosophy of whole-person fitness on the physical, social, mental, and spiritual level.”

The social fitness pillar focuses on developing and maintaining trusted, valued relationships, personal and professional, that are personally fulfilling and foster good communication, including the exchange of ideas, views and experiences.

The mental fitness pillar’s focus is about approaching life’s challenges in a positive way. The physical fitness pillar focuses on performing and excelling in physical activities. The spiritual fitness pillar focuses on strengthening a set of beliefs, principles or values.

“Comprehensive fitness enhances and supports resiliency, which is absolutely essential to both Airmen and family well being,” Howard said. “CAF week helps us to highlight resiliency principles, so that we can teach and speak to it throughout the year.”

The following events will be available for the Desert Lightning Team during CAF week:

May 20

7 a.m. – 8 a.m. D-M run at Benko Fitness Center

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Double pool tournament

May 21

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Bowling tournament at bowling center

May 22

9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Double racquetball tournament at racquetball courts

May 23

7 a.m. – 8 a.m. Zombie run at Sunglow track

7:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. Build-a-boat competition at base pool

8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Motorcycle mentorship ride at Bama Park

8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Alcohol demonstration at Bama Park

9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Resiliency skills training at Fighter Wing conference room

9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Newlywed game at base theater

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Safety/resilience videos at base theater

2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Wingman game at base theater

TRICARE will only accept monthly premium payments using recurring automatic payments by credit or debit card, or by recurring electronic funds transfer from a linked bank account. To avoid confusion, beneficiaries should verify that their bank sends EFT payments electronically.

The Defense Manpower Data Center notified current TRR and TRS beneficiaries directly by email, and new beneficiaries were informed in their welcome package information when enrolling.

Electronic payments streamline account management and ensure continuous coverage for beneficiaries. Failure to pay premiums by the due date results in termination of coverage.

Beneficiaries can contact their regional contractor to set up automatic payments and get more information.

“There are still a considerable number of Air Force reservists in the west region who have yet to establish their automated payment option with TRICARE for their monthly TRS/TRR premiums,” said James F. Walsh, the Air Force Reserve chief of Benefits and Entitlements Policy. “Those members who do not have this requirement established by the deadline will have their coverage suspended and possibly terminated for 12 months come June 1.”

Contact information for each region is available online at www.TRICARE.mil/contacts.

From May 11-16, more than 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans from the U.S. Marines, Army, Air Force and Navy, as well as a team representing U.S. Special Operations Command and an international team representing the United Kingdom, will compete for the gold in track and field, shooting, swimming, cycling, archery, wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and U.S. Air Force Academy here.

The military service with the most medals will win the Chairman’s Cup.Snyder said he was honored to light the cauldron.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to still be a part of something very near and dear to my heart,” he said. “The Warrior Games have already had an impact on so many lives, and I am truly honored to represent the U.S. Navy in broadening the event.”

While serving in Afghanistan in 2011, Snyder lost his vision when an improvised explosive device detonated. He competed in the 2012 Warrior Games. Later that year, he went on to qualify in swimming for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where he won two gold medals and one silver medal. Snyder won the men’s 400-meter freestyle on the exact one-year anniversary of his injury.

Third-time Warrior Games attendee Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr. spoke during the event’s opening ceremonies.

“Our nation’s wounded, ill and injured are very special people to me and my wife, Mary, and they will continue to be special to us. This is the highlight of our year, every year,” he said.

The admiral told the athletes they are the best of the best.

“You warriors are here because of your willingness to overcome great challenges, the challenges of illness and injury, both seen and unseen, coupled with the challenges that any superior athlete must overcome in achieving greatness,” he said. “Your heroism and determination are an inspiration. Whenever I’m having a bad day or I’m facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge, I just think of you, and my day becomes a very nice day.”

Winnefeld also recognized the athletes’ family members who serve as caregivers.

“Mary and I extend our heartfelt thanks to the family members and friends of our athletes here today, especially those who unselfishly dropped everything else in their lives to become dedicated caregivers,” he said. “It’s very hard work, and it’s often overlooked. They are very special people.”

The admiral also extended congratulations to athletes like Snyder who now compete on the Paralympic team and win gold medals for the U.S. team.

The Warrior Games were created in 2010 as an introduction to adaptive sports and reconditioning activities for service members and veterans.

Adaptive sports and reconditioning are linked to a variety of benefits for wounded, ill, and injured service members across all branches of the military. Benefits include less stress, reduced dependency on pain and depression medication, fewer secondary medical conditions, higher achievement in education and employment, and increased independence, self-confidence, and mobility.

The fourth annual Warrior Games are hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee and supported by the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the United Service Organizations, the Fisher House Foundation, the Semper Fi Fund, the Bob Woodruff Foundation and other corporate sponsors.

“We are proud to host the Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the Air Force Academy,” Charlie Huebner, the chief of Paralympics for the U.S. Olympics Committee, stated in a release.

“Paralympic sport has a tremendously positive impact on individuals with physical disabilities,” Huebner added, “and the Warrior Games allow us to salute these fine young men and women who have served their countries honorably.”Fortenberry, 355th Civil Engineer Squadron and point of contact for fundraiser. “This pays for registration for two golfers. Since we’re not sending golfers to the charity golf tournament, we are going to pay for two participants from the AFEV, they were unable to pay for themselves.”

The money being collected will go towards various projects to improve the widows’ lifestyle.

“The money collected goes into various parts,” Fortenberry said. “Things like repairs, transportation, upgrades, and entertainment, just anything to enhance their lives, that the Air Force Assistance Fun can’t be used for.”

Donating money isn’t the only way Airmen can help.

“AFEV is always looking for help,” Fortenberry said. “If anyone wanted to put on a golf tournament for them or put on some other fundraiser, where half the proceeds go to their organization and half go to the AFEV. It’s one of our greatest causes out there and it would really be worth the time.”

Airmen can also donate by entering in a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the 2013 U.S. Open Championship. A $20 minimum entry fee is required. Airmen can enter by contacting their first sergeants. A drawing will be held May 18 and the winner will be notified by phone.

The final day to donate will be May 10. To register for the golf tournament, please visit www.afev.us/GolfClassic.html If you have any questions or would like to donate or purchase a raffle ticket, please contact your first sergeant or Fortenberry at 228-4503.

In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Hagel was informed May 14 about allegations of criminal behavior against an Army sergeant first class who was a sexual assault prevention and response coordinator at Fort Hood, Texas.

“I cannot convey strongly enough his frustration, anger and disappointment over these troubling allegations and the breakdown in discipline and standards they imply,” Little said.

Hagel met with Army Secretary John M. McHugh and directed him to fully investigate the matter rapidly, to discover the extent of the allegations and to ensure that all of those who might be involved are dealt with appropriately, the press secretary added.

Little said Hagel directed the retraining, re-credentialing and rescreening to address the broader concerns that have arisen out of these allegations and other recent events.

“Sexual assault is a crime, and will be treated as such,” the press secretary said. “The safety, integrity and well-being of every Service member and the success of our mission hang in the balance. Secretary Hagel is looking urgently at every course of action to stamp out this deplorable conduct and ensure that those individuals up and down the chain of command who tolerate or engage in this behavior are appropriately held accountable.”

Army officials announced yesterday that the Army Criminal Investigation Command is investigating the Fort Hood soldier for pandering, abusive sexual contact, assault and maltreatment of subordinates.

In a statement, Defense Department officials said the soldier had been assigned as an equal opportunity advisor and sexual harassment and sexual assault response and prevention program coordinator with a 3rd Corps battalion at Fort Hood when the allegations surfaced. The soldier was immediately suspended from all duties by the chain of command once the allegations were brought to the command’s attention, officials said, adding that charges had so far not been filed or preferred.

During testimony last week before the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, McHugh expressed anger over sexual assaults and sex abuse crimes in the military.

“This is so contrary to everything upon which the Army was built,” he said. “To see this kind of activity happening in our ranks is really heart wrenching and sickening.”

McHugh told members of Congress that Army leaders are focused on efforts to prevent sexual assaults.

“As I said to our new brigadier general corps when I spoke to them about two weeks ago, ‘You can do everything from this point forward in your military career perfectly, but if you fail on this, you have failed the Army,’” he said.

DEERS is the system used to enroll Airmen and their eligible family members for an identification card and associated benefits such as medical and dental care, federal installation access and access to installation facilities such as the commissary or exchange.

DEERS updates are required for major life events that change an Airman’s status, including marriage, divorce, birth or death of a dependent, promotion, reenlistment, extension, retirement, separation or unit transfer to another branch of service or agency. Personnel specialists use the Real-time Automated Personnel Identification System to update DEERS.

In past, RAPIDS customer service representatives could manually update or correct members’ DEERS information. Now, access to member citizenship, date of birth, gender, social security number, name, service dates, civilian or contractor employment dates, Air National Guard or Reserve activation periods and member separation transition benefit information is locked down. The lockdown does not affect dependent family member record information that needs to be updated.

“Members’ DEERS records are established and updated by an authoritative data feed directly from a personnel source like AFPC or the Air Reserve Personnel Center. If information about a member that feeds into DEERS is wrong, the ID card issuing office can’t fix that. Only the office of primary responsibility for that information can correct it,” said Ed Yoder, the AFPC DEERS/RAPIDS operations branch assistant chief.

For example, if a member’s reenlistment date is wrong, the reenlistments office must correct it. If the social security number in DEERS is wrong or a member becomes an American citizen after the DEERS record is established, he or she will need help from the Total Force Service Center to verify information in the personnel data system.

“If you have incorrect or outdated information in your DEERS record and it is locked down, your first step is to contact the origin of the information and work with them to correct it. Once it’s corrected in the personnel data system, it will flow to DEERS and be updated,” Yoder said.

Typical OPRs include military reenlistment, separation and retirement offices, or the civilian human resource office, or the contractor trusted agent. Airmen who don’t know the appropriate OPR for specific information should go to the myPers website, Yoder said.

“Once your record is updated, you can check the corrections or updates online at the eMilConnect website,” Yoder said. “Depending on the nature of the correction, Airmen may need to get a new ID card, so keep an eye on your records.”

Retired military members who need a DEERS update or correction can submit a request to AFPC, Yoder said. Once AFPC completes the correction action, an Air Force Form 281, Notification of Change in Service Member’s Official Records, is filed in the retired member’s military record and the member’s documents are returned.

For more information on DEERS updates and other personnel issues, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil and enter “21534” or “DEERS Record Correction” in the search window.

Application packages for the three-month program, which begins in September, are due to the AFPC officer developmental education branch by May 31, said Master Sgt. Teresa Dixon, the branch’s superintendent.

“This program is for highly motivated, active-duty officers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities in operational positions and who have clear potential to move into senior operational leadership positions,” she said.

According to Dixon, the program exposes rising military officers to a unique organization with the mission of rapidly developing imaginative, innovative, and often high-risk research ideas.

“The significant technological impact these officers will have goes well beyond the normal evolutionary approach,” she said.

DARPA Service Chiefs’ Fellow Program members provide valuable input into technology development efforts during the program, and continue to serve as liaisons between DARPA and the services after completion, Dixon said. DARPA funds all temporary duty travel, lodging, and per diem during the program.

Applicants must be active-duty Air Force officers who are major-selects, majors, lieutenant colonel-selects or lieutenant colonels. In addition they must be considered highly competitive for promotion to the next grade and have a secret-level security clearance. Although participants do not incur an additional active-duty service commitment, volunteers should be willing to continue their active-duty career for at least three years after program completion.

It happened again and again without fail. I had to correct myself every time I answered my office phone. It was more than a little frustrating.

However, as unnerving as it was, my mistake also made me wonder if I was walking around as a senior Airman, wearing staff sergeant stripes. Once the promotion testing and Airman Leadership School curriculum are a memory, it is very easy to become complacent – to sit back and think that I have somehow “arrived.”

I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to take what I’ve learned from my brief time in the Air Force and translate it into a comprehensive and functional leadership strategy. So I thought about some of the most important lessons I had gleaned during my first enlistment.

Slow dancing with Airmen

My very first command chief master sergeant had a saying: “You can’t slow dance with an Airman on Sunday and supervise them on Monday.”

This always struck a chord we me, seeing friendships ruined by promotions and careers destroyed through poor choices. As an Airman I would ask myself, “How could something like that happen, couldn’t people follow the rules?”

What I learned was that the line wasn’t black and white; it was gray and submerged in murky water.

During ALS our first sergeant mentor raised the question, “Is it alright for a supervisor to invite one of their Airmen over to their house for a few drinks?”

The class was split down the middle; some believed it was acceptable, others were firmly against it. The first sergeant said socializing with an individual Airman at the exclusion of others was alright, until it wasn’t alright.

A supervisor can have drinks, party and socialize with their Airmen all they want, but they have to be prepared to accept the consequences of their actions, which probably won’t be limited to paperwork. By developing that unprofessional relationship, supervisors set a poor example for their Airmen who think it is acceptable. Those Airmen are also perceived as favorites in the work center, which decreases overall morale and productivity.

With all that in mind, is slow dancing with your Airman ever alright? Until there is a problem, it may seem acceptable. However, once the entire issue and root cause come to light, the behavior is seldom seen as appropriate.

Taking care of Airmen

“Take care of your mission, take care of your people,” is a picture hanging on my office wall.

It is there as a reminder that “mission” and “people” are mutually dependent upon one another. Even though the noncommissioned officer catch phrase seems to be “take care of your people,” the words hold a deeper meaning.

While deployed, I had the opportunity to work for a U.S. Navy senior chief petty officer. I could spend an entire afternoon talking about the Navy culture and how deeply rooted in tradition the service is. However, the most important lesson I learned from this senior chief was what it truly meant to be a senior noncommissioned officer in the U.S. military.

Some senior noncommissioned officers simply come to work, sit at their desk and spend the day pondering how they will reach the next level in their career. Their view of the military exists as one of service from the bottom up. This viewpoint is not exclusive to the senior enlisted ranks; it is visible across the board. They are the individual who believes in advancing by stepping on the backs of others, instead of elevating those beneath them, while improving themselves at the same time.

The senior chief I worked for was exactly the opposite. He never once thought about promotion or career advancement. He devoted his entire deployment to ensuring the office was stable and productive. The senior chief never went on out-of-country trips or sought to create award-winning products, except those developed by his people.

“I’ve had my time doing all that, shipmate,” he would say. “This is your opportunity to do great things.”

Rather than expect service members to cater to his needs, he identified and addressed the needs of his people. As long as he was meeting our needs, productivity remained high and the entire office succeeded. There was plenty of individual success, but it was celebrated as a team – as a family.

Wearing leadership

One of the greatest and most valuable lessons I learned was from my first wing commander. He didn’t just advocate leadership; he exemplified it and empowered it in others. The commander knew what he wanted to achieve and how to motivate others toward that goal.

“Leadership demands vision; vision leads to goal setting,” he said. “To get where you want them to go, Airmen need to know where they are headed. They also need points along the way to measure their progress and understand if they’re getting there.”

Having a tangible goal can mean the difference between success and failure. The commander knew this and empowered his people to aggressively develop their innovative spirit and self-motivate initiative. He did this while maintaining an approachable demeanor.

“If you’re a jerk, you’d better be perfect; and no one is perfect,” he said. “Sometimes it’s important to show anger for emphasis. But it needs to be a conscious choice for the Airman’s benefit – not an emotional choice for yours.”

I thought of how frustrated past situations had made me. Would strategic anger have made the situation better or worse? Often those expressions, tied with process improvements, can be extremely daunting – but ultimately necessary.

“Sometimes the process is as important as the outcome,” the commander said. “For larger choices, don’t jump to the answer even when you think you know it. Bring people with you through the decision-making process. It will help them better understand the problem and the solution, and dramatically improve execution of the decision. This may also give you the chance to discover your first instincts were wrong.”

Looking back, this wisdom made me realize many of my first instincts could have been strengthened through the application of a second set of eyes. Letting people be themselves and not extensions of a supervisor can make all the difference. As I set out to supervise my first Airmen, I hope taking these lessons to heart makes those Airmen comfortable with me as a leader. I want them to they choose me as a leader, rather than feel assigned to me. It also makes me remember the last thing my commander said to me before he left the base and moved on to bigger and better things, “Leadership isn’t worn on your sleeve or collar,” he said. “It’s worn on the hearts, minds and faces of the people you impact on a daily basis.”

MiCare allows beneficiaries to communicate securely and privately with their health care teams anywhere and anytime. The secure tool is now available to more than 70 percent of Air Force bases, with the expectation it will be fully implemented AF-wide by the end of the year.

Registering a child in MiCare is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Pediatric patients are registered via a request to the clinic by the parent or guardian after they have first registered themselves in MiCare. The medical home accepts the pediatric patient after the parent or guardian has enrolled the child to their MiCare account.

To enroll children, follow these three steps:

Step 1: Go to the MiCare website provided by your medical team and access the “Add a Family Member” link. Navigate to the “HOME” tab and select “Add a Family Member” to your account in the “Reminders” section.

Step 2: Fill out and complete the required information and click save. Please note you do not need to complete the “Health Insurance and Guarantor Information.” After clicking “Save” you can add additional children to your MiCare account. Once you have entered all of your children, click “I’m Finished Adding Patients.”

Step 3: To link your children to their medical home and primary care manager, or PCM, go to the “Link Patient to Doctors” tab. Your children’s names should appear. Select the child you wish to add. Then, click “Add a Doctor.” A search box will appear. Enter the last name of your child’s PCM and click “Search.” A dropdown list will come into view. When you find your child’s PCM, click “Select this doctor.” Now your child is linked to that PCM. Repeat step 3 to link additional children to their medical home and PCM. When you have finished selecting PCM’s for all of your children, click “I’m Finished Adding Doctors.” You are already enrolled, so there is no need to select a PCM for yourself.

Within three business days parents will receive a notification via e-mail, stating there is a secure message on their MiCare account. Once parents log-in to their MiCare account, they will see a message with confirmation that their child has been affiliated with the parent’s PCM and medical home.

The parent is now able to contact their child’s healthcare team with messages related to non-urgent pediatric issues, appointment requests and requests for a copy of a child’s immunizations record or lab and medical test results.

For those parents or guardians who are not eligible for care at a military medical facility, but are the custodial parent of children who are eligible to participate in MiCare, contact 1-866-Relayme (735-2963) for information on how to enroll children into MiCare.

For more information on how to register in MiCare, visit www.afms.af.mil/MiCare, contact 1-866-Relayme (735-2963) or visit your local clinic.

There are seven easily identifiable signs of terrorism: surveillance, elicitation, tests of security, acquiring supplies, suspicious persons out of place, dry runs and deploying assets.

Surveillance is when someone is recording or monitoring activities. This may include the use of cameras, binoculars or other vision enhancing devices, map drawing and note taking.

Elicitation is when people or organizations attempt to gain information about military operations, capabilities or people. These attempts can be made in person, by mail or phone.

Tests of security are any attempts to measure reaction times to security breaches or attempts to penetrate physical security barriers or procedures to assess strengths and weaknesses.

Acquiring supplies involves purchasing or stealing explosives, weapons and ammunitions. This includes acquiring military uniforms, decals, badges, flight manuals or controlled items.

Suspicious persons out of place can indicate people who don’t seem to belong in the workplace, neighborhood or business. These areas include remote border crossings where the presence of people outside of the security agents would be suspicious, or ship yards where the possibility of stowaways exist.

Dry runs involve putting people into position and moving them around according to the plan, without actually committing the terrorist act. This is especially true when planning a kidnapping, but it can also pertain to bombings. This can also include mapping out routes, and determining the timing of traffic lights and flow.

Deploying assets is when people and supplies are moved into position to commit the act. This is your last chance to alert authorities before the terrorist act occurs.

These individual actions may seem insignificant by themselves, but if put in the right hands, they may guide experts to discover the terrorist act before it occurs.

The Global War on Terrorism relies on everyone’s input, not just the intelligence and law enforcement communities.

Everyone has heard it, “Force protection is everyone’s business,” and “Every Airman is a sensor.”

It is imperative that all personnel are aware and participate in the Anti-terrorism and Force Protection Program that help safeguard the personnel and resources on D-M.

We often have personnel ask, “What types of suspicious activities should we be reporting?”

All members assigned to D-M, to included tenants and contractors, should report suspicious activity or questioning.

Some examples of suspicious questioning include, but are not limited to, inquiries concerning Department of Defense structures, functions, personnel, procedures at the facilities, training or infrastructure.

The safety and welfare of every individual and asset at D-M fully depend on a proactive Anti-terrorism and Force Protection program. Our strongest weapon against terrorism is reporting suspicious activity. This causes terrorist organizations to re-examine their target and choose another less-guarded target.

Everyone needs to remember “If.” “If you see something, say something!”

Your primary reporting agency is the Air Force’s Eagle Eyes Program at 228-8888. You can also contact the 355th Security Forces Law Enforcement Desk at 228-3200.