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Team March 101: Army & Air Force Exchange Service

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DALLAS – Located just outside the gate near N and Third streets, the March Air Reserve Base Exchange serves more than 47,000 military shoppers in the March area with a wide assortment of merchandise, competitive prices and tax-free shopping over 64,800 square feet of retail space.

One of the more than 120 main stores and 2,440 Exchange facilities worldwide, the March Exchange includes a main store, Military Clothing Store and mall featuring five concessionaires: a laundry dry cleaner, barber shop, optician, beauty shop and optical center. Constructed in 1974, the facility was last updated in 2014, when it received new carpeting, paint and customer restrooms.

“It’s a very unique facility in that we’re located off the installation,” said Amanda Hartfield, general manager of the March Exchange. “When the base went from active to Reserve, they shrunk down the size of the base, leaving the Exchange outside the actual gated installation.”

The March ARB Exchange’s largest customer demographic is retirees, followed by Reservists, who mostly shop at the store during Unit Training Assembly weekends, Hartfield said. The store’s customer base comprises more than 13,000 retirees, 8,350 National Guardsmen and Reservists, and 1,480 active duty service members in addition to dependents and family members.

“A lot of people don’t know that we’re there,” Hartfield said. “We can’t put a sign on a public street that says ‘Exchange this way,’ so we’re always looking for more ways to get Reservists and retirees in the door.”

One way the March Exchange spreads the word is by participating in events on base, such as the installation’s annual Military Appreciation Picnic, where Team March members and their families are invited to the installation for a variety of activities. During the picnic, the Exchange provides a refrigerated truck to help cater the event.

“It’s very important for us to be a part of the community on base,” Hartfield said. “We are proud to serve Americans who work to help make our country a safer place and their families, so it’s always a treat to see their smiling faces.”

In 2014, the March Exchange earned $11.5 million in total sales and contributed $408,108 to military quality-of-life programs on base, including the Fitness Center; Hap Arnold Club; March Inn; Information, Tickets and Tours; and the Aero Club. Like all Exchange facilities, the March Main Store provides employment and career opportunities to veterans and military dependents. Five veterans and 13 dependents are currently employed at the March Exchange.

Established by the War Department in 1895 under General Orders 46, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s mission today remains much the same as when it was first established: to go where Soldiers, Airmen and their families go to improve their quality of life through retail goods and services.

Over the past 120 years, the Exchange has followed troops to war zones across the world, offering a taste of home to men and women serving to protect American freedoms abroad. At home, the Exchange provides a comprehensive shopping experience at Army and Air Force installations across the country, including Alaska and Hawaii.

The Exchange also benefits service members and their families by contributing two-thirds of its earnings to military quality-of-life programs. These include programs that support troop readiness and resiliency as well as ones that take care of families such as childcare programs. In FY2014, the Exchange contributed $224 million to help fund Morale, Welfare, and Recreation programs.

As part of the Department of Defense, the Exchange is directed by a Board of Directors and is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and Air Force through the Chiefs of Staff. Visit the Exchange’s online store and find out more about its history and mission at www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ExchangePAO.

The March Main Exchange’s hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. They can be reached by calling 951-653-3111.

Green Dot to roll out across the Air Force

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ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — In December, the Air Force announced the Green Dot training program as the first step of a five-year strategy to decrease interpersonal violence across the service.

“Green Dot is the Air Force’s first step in arming Airmen for violence prevention using an evidence based public health model,” said Dr. Andra Tharp, the Air Force’s Highly Qualified Prevention Expert. “We know Airmen are a vital part of the solution and we will use methods like this that have been subjected to rigorous scientific testing and were proven to be effective in reducing violence.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the government’s lead agency for preventing interpersonal violence, has studied multiple violence prevention programs and found Green Dot to be successful in lowering violence. In studies at the University of Kentucky, in self-reported surveys following implementation of Green Dot training, freshman students reported decreases in perpetrating and experiencing interpersonal violence, unwanted sex, sexual harassment, stalking and psychological dating violence. These decreases ranged from 12 to 36 percent and all were found to be statistically significant.

Green Dot is also expected to decrease the training burden on most Airmen and is the first step in the possible consolidation of other annual training requirements. Because Green Dot is broader than sexual assault, the Air Force is exploring possibilities to strategically consolidate other training requirements based on interpersonal violence. The majority of Airmen will receive only 50 minutes of Green Dot training in FY16, and SAPR training will instead be met through commander engagements rather than formal training sessions.

The 1,500 Green Dot implementers are expected to complete their training by March 2015.

They will return to their units to train peer leader Airmen at each base followed by training for all Airmen. Installation leadership will also have oversight of Green Dot through the Community Action Information Board and Integrated Delivery System, and track completion through the Advanced Distributed Learning System.

The Air Force contracted the non-profit Green Dot organization to provide violence prevention tools and training to the total Air Force over the next three years.

EnCorps STEM Teachers Program leverages military service to produce top quality teachers

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courtesy photo

At Thrive Public Schools in San Diego, Kevin Dinh is teaching his students about the principles of flight and aircraft engineering. Most important, he is imparting a story of how math led him to an exciting and rewarding career as a flight control systems technician and integrated systems mechanic with the U.S. Air Force. A current Reservist with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Kevin is a member of the EnCorps STEM Teachers Program’s military recruitment initiative, in the process of becoming a credentialed teacher in California and thereby improving both student performance and teacher retention.

Active duty, reservist, and veteran service members are a superlative answer to the complex questions around teacher shortages, inequity in learning, and pervasive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skill deficits. Rooted in perseverance and triumph, the military experience is a well-suited, largely untapped training ground for the classroom. Members of EnCorps’ military cohort are primed for work in high-stress environments, are well versed in matters of diplomacy, and are consummate problem solvers. Many claim their favorite aspect of military service is training and teaching others. “The principles and standards of the military profession – including life experience, discipline and problem solving – are valuable competencies that our Veterans deliver to classrooms in the communities that we serve,” said EnCorps Executive Director Katherine Wilcox.

Since Fall 2015, Dinh has been guest teaching in Glenn Jacobson’s 6-8th grade classes, helping students connect math with real-world applications, such as combustion engines and electronics. At Thrive, an award winning, free public charter school, Dinh’s deep content expertise is helping inspire kids to pursue further STEM study and potential STEM careers. “The military brings something very different to the table,” Dinh said. “Students definitely think it’s cool and they respond to that.”

The EnCorps STEM Teachers Program, which recruits, selects, and develops the best and brightest STEM professionals and military veterans as they transition into high quality educators in high need communities, launched its Military Pathway to Teaching in 2013. Dinh is one of 50 military candidates to date recruited by EnCorps to transform science, technology, engineering and math departments statewide. Nine years into its mission, EnCorps tutors, guest teachers, teacher candidates and full-time credentialed instructors are in service in more than 200 schools and organizations throughout California, impacting more than 13,000 students.

“EnCorps gives experience and information in becoming a teacher that you don’t even know you need, which will help you decide if you want to pursue a credential,” Dinh said. “They guide you through the whole process and you can start guest teaching without paying a dime.”  EnCorps’ support includes professional development at annual spring, summer, and fall Institutes, through which Dinh met peers already teaching, who spoke to him about their experience. Ongoing mentoring from EnCorps staff and fellow cohort members combined with early teaching experiences results in an EnCorps STEM teacher retention rate of 80 percent. The blended, project-based learning standard at Thrive has given Dinh the latitude to engage students in 21st century skills that ensure college and career readiness. He feels the most rewarding part is when students who have no interest in a subject, such as math, are super excited about it by the end of his lesson. “It’s definitely important to have a background in what you’re teaching,” he said. “Students say, ‘why do I need math?  When will I use this?’  I show them how I use it in the Air Force. Math also teaches them resilience – not to give up if something gets hard.”

Since starting at Thrive, Dinh has taken over the design class, which incorporates engineering, construction and art. He has also been asked to be a substitute teacher by school administrators and requested as a speaker on airplanes and their control systems for a lower grade class. Following his brief, upcoming deployment, Dinh hopes to enter the Master’s Credential Cohort Program at the University of San Diego, on his way to becoming one of an estimated 33,000 math and science teachers needed in California by 2025.

If you are interested in sharing your real-world STEM experience as a teacher leader inspiring the next generation of engineers, creators, and visionaries, find out more by joining one of our free, monthly EnCorps 101 webinars at http://encorps.org/webinar/.

Seven new laws for 2016 are assisting Veterans

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Seven laws took effect on January 1, 2016, with the goal of improving the lives of California’s Veterans, service members, and their families.

“I thank our Governor and Legislature for collaborating with CalVet on behalf of our 1.8 million Veterans living in California.” said Dr. Vito Imbasciani, Secretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet).

Assembly Bill 413 by Assemblymember Rocky Chavez (R – Oceanside), assists surviving family members with continuing the operations of a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) after the death or permanent medical disability of a Veteran. 

The new law allows survivors to fully operate the DVBE for up to three years after the disabled Veteran’s death or certification of permanent medical disability. The law allows survivor-owned DVBEs to enter into new contracts under the DVBE certification if the contracts can be completed within those three years. This gives survivors the time and flexibility to manage the business in a way that best suits their needs. CalVet holds the position of statewide DVBE advocate, and works in tandem with Department of General Services (DGS) to supply outreach, recruitment, and support to DVBEs.

Senate Bill 221 authored by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D – Santa Barbara), assists disabled Veterans who are new state employees. The law benefits new state employees who are Veterans with a service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The law allows up to 96 hours of sick leave during the Veteran’s first year in the state workforce to attend medical appointments during work hours without having to take unpaid leave.

Assembly Bill 388, authored by Assemblymember Ling Ling Chang (R – Diamond Bar), requires the evaluation of programs relating to the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Act to include information relating to the effectiveness in helping Veterans occupying supportive housing or transitional housing developments.

Assembly Bill 778, authored by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (R – San Diego), allows Veterans to request military documents from the county recorder’s office with a digital request to promote easier access to Veteran’s services.

Assembly Bill 1401 authored by Assemblymember Catherine Baker (R – San Ramon), provides Veterans of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, and the Naval Militia with greater access to student financial aid services.

Senate Bill 386, authored by Senator Benjamin Allen (D – Santa Monica), protects Veterans from pension scams and makes illegal the act of advertising the pension poaching scams.

Senate Bill 685, authored by Senator Mike McGuire (D – Healdsburg), authorizes licensed Veterans’ clubs to sell and serve alcoholic beverages to members of other veterans’ organizations, active duty or reserve service members, veterans, and to members of their own organization and their guests.

Follow CalVet at facebook.com/MyCalVet and twitter.com/mycalvet.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Cody answers questions on promotions, EPRs and more

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Daniel Woolfolk/ Air Force Times Staff

Few enlisted leaders in recent decades have had as great an impact on airmen as Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Cody.

Since becoming the top enlisted leader three years ago, Cody has shepherded the biggest reform to how airmen are evaluated and promoted in decades. This includes “forced distribution” quotas that limit how many airmen can get top promotion recommendations.

As he enters his last full year as chief — his four-year tenure will end in early 2017 — Cody’s attention is focused on finishing the job on the new enlisted performance system. He’s also concerned about the steep operations tempo the Air Force faces.

Cody recently spoke with Air Force Times Staff Writer Stephen Losey in his Pentagon office

The overhaul of the enlisted evaluation system has been a massive undertaking. What remains to be done?

It’s the end of the beginning for at least the active-duty side of the house. We still have some rolling out to do on the reserve side because their promotions are handled differently than the active duty.

But for the active duty, the first iteration of forced distribution [for technical sergeants] is out there. We will go through the next two with senior airman and staff sergeant [in January and March], but it’s the same philosophy. The form’s there, the policy’s there. I think everybody’s getting themselves immersed in it and asking lots of questions, as you would expect with any new policy. This one just has more questions because there are more people that it impacts.

Our airmen are handling it well.

What’s still to come for reservists?

The forms are being rolled out, but their implementation is at a different pace than ours. They’re already using the chief [master sergeant]’s [enlisted performance report] forms, but they’re not using all the other forms yet. They’re going to incrementally get that. At the end state, they’ll be about 18 months behind the active-duty side of the house for full implementation. But they’re implementing the same way.

How might the forced distribution quotas affect airmen in high-performing fields like the Thunderbirds and developmental special duties like military training instructors? In a unit where all airmen are intended to be the best of the best, will restricting how many can get the top promotion recommendations leave some at a disadvantage?

That’s certainly a question that has come up with many of our airmen, particularly airmen [nominated to be] in those special duties. They are great airmen. They’re really great airmen. That doesn’t mean that they, racked and stacked against all airmen in the Air Force, are the best at any given time. It’s impossible to do that unless you put them all in the same room and have the same person doing the evaluation.

But this is not a new dynamic, let’s be honest. We didn’t create any new special duties. These are jobs that have been around in our Air Force for a long time and we’ve always had really high-quality airmen doing great work in them every day. And they’ve always had to compete for promotion against the people that were in those duties with them.

So it’s like any other unit. We recognize and reward sustained performance over time. And there’s a great airman in that unit, [but] it can be a little bit presumptuous to think that that airman would have been the one who would have received that [promotion] in another unit. It’s easy to say it, but it’s a little harder to prove it.

Forced distribution just says in every unit that you’re in, there’s going to be a lineup of those that we feel have the highest potential to serve at the next higher grade, and there’s an ability for a commander to give a significant promotion advantage to those airmen. There will be plenty of airmen that get promoted with a “promote” [recommendation, the third-highest on the list of five possible recommendations]. And over time, airmen that go do these different duties that you described, if they’re successful, that’s going to be indicated in their record. If you look historically, they have a higher percentage rate of being promoted to the highest grades in our Air Force.

Is that to say that if you’re in one of these high-performing units and don’t get one of those highest promotion recommendations because the competition is so stiff, then further down the line, because you’ve been an MTI or in the Thunderbirds, that will help you?

No question about it. The data supports that. We value breadth and depth of experience. It’s part of what we are required to look at in promotion boards. So I’m 100 percent confident it will have a positive impact on those that do a good job.

Going into 2016, what is the Air Force going to be working on for enlisted airmen?

We’re going to have to keep our airmen focused on the mission. We have stretched resources across the board. You’ve heard our chief of staff, Gen. [Mark] Welsh, talk about the shortages in manning. That is concerning to us, given the tempo of our force. So we’re going to have to balance that. We’re going to have to continually, aggressively look at what we shouldn’t be doing anymore as an Air Force so we can keep up with this, and it will be reasonable and sustainable for airmen and their families.

We will continue to transition our professional military education. We’ll continue to transition the blended learning approach to the [noncommissioned officer] academy [using more Web-based instruction], with the Intermediate Leadership Experience coming into play in full effect.

We’ll continue to look at the Community College of the Air Force and how we can expand that opportunity so our airmen can bring in more of their earned credits into earning that degree. We’ll continue to look at proper development [of career fields]. By the end of 2016, all the career fields in the Air Force will have done a complete scrub of their key billets to ensure that they have a strategy where they are developing the right amount of airmen to have the prerequisites to fill those key billets.

We’re trying like heck to grow some airmen in the areas that we had significant deficits. So right now we’re trying to increase the capacity of our pipelines. We’re trying to bring some additional resources there so we can recruit and access airmen into the areas where we need them.

What’s the biggest challenge in trying to bring in 4,000 new airmen — in fields such as maintenance; cyber operations; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and nuclear missile enterprises — in 2016?

Getting the pipeline prepared to handle additional accessions. Some of those pipelines take time to get people qualified. So when you have this demand signal that exceeds your capacity in personnel it takes time [five to seven years] to get people qualified to the 5 level [and] the 7 level. We’ll have to monitor retention as we always do in these career fields. It’s not that we haven’t had good retention, it’s that the demand signal has continued to increase at a rate that far exceeds what we have in capacity. So it’s the insatiable demand for ISR. We’re bringing on more F-35s; we still have our legacy weapon systems that require fighter maintainers.

What’s the biggest thing on your plate in the coming year?

The demand continues to increase for air power. And that means airmen. The numbers are what they are. We have to figure out what we’re not going to be able to do and prioritize what we are going to do to meet that demand signal. That’s going to be the biggest challenge as we try to plus up the force to fill in the vacancies where necessary. We’re going to do that at the same time as we’re fighting the enemy globally.

We have lots of other things going on that we have to pay attention to. We’re working hard at getting our head wrapped around [reducing] suicide in our Air Force. We’re failing miserably at this and need to do better. We’re still trying to figure out how we can help our airmen maintain work-life balance, serve in this great Air Force and not do it at the cost of everything that’s important in their lives.

How do you figure out what you need to do less of to make room for growing requirements?

What we try to do is communicate with the tactical level units on: What are you doing that we’re requiring you to do that we shouldn’t do? We have “Airmen Powered by Innovation,” we have the “Every Dollar Counts” campaign that reduced a lot of effort at the local level. That doesn’t mean there aren’t things coming from the Air Force level that we need to aggressively look at and determine if we’re going to do that anymore.

It’s challenging, given what people are asking us to do, to stop doing anything. But we need to.

What do you think the Air Force might be able to put to the side?

I wish I could give you the answer that works for everybody, but every unit has a different requirement to be successful. When we get asked, writing awards packages tends to come up as an example.

You can change your process locally however you want to. There’s not that many requirements that are coming from the air staff level on these type of things. We’re also going to continue to focus on how we access airmen into the Air Force.

As the Air Force scales back, could closing or consolidating bases be part of that?

We put in the budget every year a request for [a base realignment and closure commission]. The [National Defense Authorization Act] will either authorize us to do that or not. So, the indication is it will not. We clearly want to be able to get at some of our infrastructure. Because it takes people to run a base, it takes resources to run a base. If it doesn’t get approved [by Congress], we’ve just got to press on.

Now that all military career fields are open to women, how are you going to integrate women into these six battlefield airmen jobs?

Any person who comes in [to those jobs], male or female, has to meet those [gender-neutral] standards. They’re very arduous and difficult career fields. The vast majority of people in the Air Force today, when it was just restricted to males, couldn’t do it, or wouldn’t do it, or didn’t have a desire to do it. So that dynamic is not going to change dramatically. Once we start [bringing in] females to these career fields, we’ll learn along the way. We’ll make sure we provide the same support the way we would any other airman.

We’ll be very thoughtful about that as we go through. We’ll work out the logistical parts that you didn’t have to work before. We worked them in other career fields, but it takes time. If you were to go back 50 years ago, there were a lot more career fields that were restricted and didn’t have any females. We’ve walked this path before.

Setting your course in 2016

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Right after Christmas I received various emails from different companies whose messages had a common theme: “Did you get what you really wanted for Christmas?”  Of course if you didn’t, they had the solution with a number of offerings on sale, so fear not! Another pop-up site offered suggestions for re-gifting things you don’t really need or want; just make sure it doesn’t end up with the person who gave it. Otherwise, where would you store two glass-domed cheeseboards? 

In the middle of January, Christmas seems like a long time ago. Resolutions may have been made with honest intentions or perhaps even modest achievement two weeks into the New Year. Or maybe you don’t participate in such exercises any longer.

I’m not one who makes strong resolutions at the New Year, but it does seem productive to reflect on the year past and plan for the year ahead. I suggest we not ask, “Did I get what I really wanted for Christmas?” but rather, “What do I really want for 2016?”

A decade ago, after charting for myself several personal goals at the beginning of a new year, I realized that that question alone is not enough. I realized I wasn’t seeing success because I had no plan of action, no steps, and no achievable markers to actually measure my progress. I had good intentions and kept them in the back of my mind all year long, but nothing much happened. I think the question, “What do you want in 2016?”  is a valid one. It helps us prioritize and think of those things that are most important to us. But it needs to be followed with a few other questions.

First, “is it realistic?”  I may think and plan and hope that perhaps this year is the one I’ll strike it rich in one of the many lotteries so I can buy some nice things. But the reality is I’m more likely to get both struck by lightning and attacked by a shark in the same year. Who’d want that?! So a better plan may be to consistently set aside money that I actually have (so that I can buy nice things) than to count on lottery winnings. Maybe get a ticket now and then just for fun.

Another question to ask is, “what practical steps can I start taking in order to realize this goal?” Is it attending a class, joining a group, reading a book, or something else that is measurable and practical? Can I start this week or do I need to get some other things done first before I can begin this project/task? We all have hopes and dreams. Having them become a reality often takes planning and discipline. Some dreams may not be fully achievable this year. There might be other steps and goals to meet beforehand. Without taking the time to think these things through and doing some planning, many of these dreams will remain just that, only dreams.

Finally, one last question that I think is often overlooked is, “whom will it benefit?” We are taught in our culture to look out for number one. And practically speaking, there is wisdom in taking care of ourselves and achieving some self-satisfaction. But I think we often miss the joy and fulfillment that is found in doing good for others. The apostle Paul wrote to a church and told its members to, “look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  I believe true satisfaction for our own lives has to include serving others in some capacity. Maybe it’s joining an organization or group that helps others in need or volunteering for a non-profit. Whatever it may be, ask these questions and give some thought to them. You might just experience one of the best years you’ve ever had.

I invite you to join us at chapel services on UTA Sundays at 6:30 a.m. in the aerial port building (first building on the right as you enter the Cactus gate) and at noon in the base chapel.

Operation Desert Storm – 25 years ago

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Twenty-five years ago coalition aircraft led the largest air campaign since the conflict in Southeast Asia on 16 January 1991 following Congressional concurrence with UN efforts to enforce a resolution that demanded Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait. The attacks drove Saddam Hussein and his leadership underground, heavily damaging critical military support networks such as command and control, communications and intelligence capabilities, integrated air defenses and power generation. On 28 February 1991, President George HW Bush suspended combat operations and declared Kuwait liberated.

Then

Desert Storm marks the first conflict in history to make comprehensive use of stealth and space systems support capabilities against a modern, integrated air defense.

The direct contributions of a strategic air campaign, supported by the employment of revolutionary technology by Total Force Airmen (Active Duty, Guard and Reserve) and the Coalition, enabled battlefield success.

U.S. forces brought new weapons to the fight, including stealth aircraft, global positioning devices and precision guided technologies — these proved essential in neutralizing Iraq’s more than 700 combat aircraft, “state of the art” air defenses, and anti-aircraft artillery pieces.

Stealth technology integrated with precision guided munitions put every aircraft available into the fight.

For the Air Force, the initial phase air campaign sought air superiority. It used an arsenal of more than 30 aircraft types flying more than 69,000 sorties, ultimately propelling the Air Force to gain and maintain control of the air domain.

Coalition air, ground and naval forces were greatly aided and made more combat lethal due to employment of space technology — weather satellites, US LANDSAT multi-spectral imagery satellites, GPS, early warning satellites, tactical receive equipment and related applications satellite broadcast, the Tactical Information Broadcast Service and communication satellites. Space integration was vital to the Coalition kill chain.

Now

Today, Airmen carry out their five core missions (Air and Space Superiority; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Rapid Global Mobility; Global Strike; and Command and Control) through air, space and cyberspace providing Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power for America.

Technology employment during Desert Storm revolutionized the way we fight our wars today — game-changing technology like ‘autonomy, hypersonics, directed energy and nanoscience’ will make and keep the fight unfair for future challenges the our Nation may face.

The entire world is integrating Space services, debuted during Desert Storm, into every aspect of modern society, including such diverse elements as agricultural applications, transportation, public safety, and entertainment

Space is integral to the way we conduct military operations; it is more than just an enabler for other domains; space capabilities directly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of national security operations.

Fast Facts

More than 60,830 Total Force Airmen were deployed in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm forward operations.

Approximately 69,406 sorties were flown by 30 different aircraft (A-10, B-52, C-12, C-130, C-141, F-117A, etc.) in support of Operation Desert Storm.

More than 9,300 laser-guided bombs (LGBs) were dropped out of a total 220,000 bombs on enemy targets.

Allied aircraft downed more than 39 Iraqi aircraft in air-to-air combat and damaged more than 375 (of 594) hardened aircraft shelters.

When the AF deployed in support of Desert Storm there were 134 combat-coded fighter squadrons; today we have 54 +1.

Military GPS receivers (842) and commercial (4,490) assisted forces at sea, on land, and in the air.

During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Airmen performed the most rapid airlift in history: nearly 472,800 people and some 465,000 tons of cargo to the Persian Gulf in eight months.

More than 130,000 passengers and 700,000 short tons of cargo were shipped in the month of January alone.

Time to Reset

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Thriving with healthier choices

Your mind, body, and spirit can be like musical instruments that you need to retune from time to time. The good news is that retuning one can often bring the others into harmony—bringing wellness and balance to your day and your life.

MIND

8 Ways to Relax

Relaxation helps you renew and recharge so you can be at your best. Taking time for yourself is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Regularly allowing your mind and body to rest and recover are essential for overall good health. Schedule some time out of your day—everyday—to try some of the following relaxation methods. Even 10 to 15 minutes can make a big difference.

1. Enjoy a cup of tea

2. Read a book

3. Visit a natural setting, like a park or even your backyard for some fresh air

4. Take a walk

5. Spend time catching up with a friend or loved one

6. Do some simple stretching exercises

7. Practice calming yoga poses

8. Meditate or just take a moment to focus on your breathing

While you can’t always avoid stress, you can minimize it by changing how you respond to it. Regular relaxation helps with this. The reward for adding 15 minutes of relaxation to your day can be a healthy, balanced life with more energy for relationships, work, and fun.

BODY

5 Steps to Psychologically Benefit from Exercise

Nothing can reset your body and mind like a good bout of physical activity. We often hear about the benefits of regular physical activity—stronger muscles, healthier heart, stronger bones, and lowered risk of many chronic diseases. But, what about the emotional and psychological benefits of being active?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), more and more scientific research is finding an association between mental well-being and taking part in regular physical activity. For instance, regularly being physically active appears to prevent or lessen the symptoms of mild depression and anxiety.

Regular physical activity can also help you:

• Enhance your mood

• Reduce stress

• Get better quality sleep

• Improve your memory

• Bounce back from challenges and setbacks more quickly—it gives you more resilience

Here’s how to begin reaping the benefits of physical activity:

1. Just get started

There’s no time like the present—start today. Take a brisk walk, go for a run, start taking a spin class, or join a team to play your favorite sport. HHS recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at least five days out of the week, but start where you can.

2. Make a simple commitment to yourself

This should be something easy to remember and easy to follow through on. For example: “I will take a 15-minute walk when I wake up each morning.” Put it on the top of your to-do list and see if you can check it off each day.

3. Choose something you love

Pick some activity that you enjoy—this will help keep you motivated. Maybe it’s dancing that lifts your spirits; maybe it’s just playing with your kids or grandkids on the playground. You should have no problem picking up an activity that incorporates the things to which you’re naturally drawn.

4. If at first you don’t succeed…

If you find that you’ve falling off your earlier streak of success, just start anew at your first opportunity, which may be later that day or the next morning.

5. Reward yourself

Remember to acknowledge your successes. For example, after your first two weeks give yourself a reward like going to the movies. The therapeutic effects of exercise on your emotional and physical health may feel rewarding, too.

SPIRIT

Living Large – 3 Ways to Help Your Spirit Soar

Once you’ve relaxed the mind and toned the body, your spirit will probably be coming into harmony, too. Focusing on your spirit will also affect your motivation to take care of the body and the mind, so here are some great ideas to help lift your spirit.

Check in with yourself

• Take a walk by yourself

• Soak in the tub

• Enjoy a massage

• Turn off electronics and enjoy some quiet time

Connect with the moment

• Be more conscious when eating, drinking, and talking—slow down and savor your experiences

• Use deep breathing to slow down and relax, so that you can enjoy the moment

• Actively engage with your surroundings and appreciate the little things you may not normally notice

• Stay connected to those things that nurture you and your spirit

Practice kindness and gratitude

• Offer someone a smile and a “hello,” or send a kind note

• Consider doing volunteer work with a nursing home, hospital, or community organization

• Be aware of all the good people, experiences, and things in your life

• Give personal thanks to people who have made your life better or easier

• Reach out to friends and loved ones or your spiritual community

Contact your EAP today for any support or resources you may need to help you thrive this year. We’re here to help—available 24 hours a day.

EAP

1-800-222-0364

(TTY: 1-888-262-7848)

FOH4You.com

Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) ends

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We would like to provide a brief heads up that affects members of the Reserve. On November 25, 2015, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2016 sunset the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP). The REAP program was originally created to provide benefits to members of the Reserve components who were called or ordered to active service by the President or Congress in response to a war or declared national emergency.

The REAP served to bridge the education benefit gap between those eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve and those serving in the Reserve component who were called to active duty but were not eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve.  Long story short … the Post-9/11 GI Bill in many ways has replaced REAP because it has also closed this gap by providing eligibility for certain Reserve and National Guard members called to active duty.

The change affects beneficiaries differently:

• Current REAP beneficiaries – if you were attending an educational institution during the semester, quarter, or term that immediately preceded Nov. 25, 2015, you may continue to receive REAP benefits.

• REAP beneficiaries not attending school – Beneficiaries who applied for REAP but were not attending an institution during the semester, quarter, or term that immediately preceded Nov. 25, 2015, are not eligible to receive REAP benefits.

• New REAP applicants – if VA received your initial REAP application after Nov. 24, 2015, you are no longer eligible for REAP benefits.

VA understands this change may have an impact on students who expect to return to school for the spring 2016 semester. In most cases, students will be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. We are actively working to identify Veterans who have previously applied for VA benefits and are affected by this change to notify them of this change and their potential eligibility for other VA educational assistance programs.

We will be sending out more information over the course of the next several weeks but wanted to try and get some initial information out as this may affect some who were planning on attending school next month.  Should anyone need immediate information, please call VA at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday) to speak with an Education Call Center Agent for questions about benefits or eligibility for education assistance programs

Visit the VA website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/reap.asp to learn more about the REAP.

March Field air traffic control tower, base operations, receives 2015 USAF Design Award

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courtesy photo

The new air traffic control tower has now become a familiar landmark on the horizon of March Field and the memories of the former tower have begun to fade. What you might not know is that March Air Reserve Base won the Merit Award for the Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Operations Facility in the U.S. Air Force 2015 Design Award Program.

This award, based on categories including sustainability, energy efficiency, and low-water-usage landscape, garnered national attention for the tower’s sustainable design.

The previous control tower, built in 1958, had exceeded its useful life, and was beginning to use up a large portion of the maintenance budget. Additionally, its seismic reinforcement was no longer up to current codes, according to Sean Feeley, deputy base civil engineer, 452nd Civil Engineer Squadron.

The new tower was designed to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standard which is the system used by U.S. Green Building Council to rate projects. It will “allow the Air Force to operate sustainably for the next 50 years,” Feeley said.

One of the key players in getting the project off the ground was the late Chris Davis, former March ARB airfield manager. Davis supplied the architectural designers with the specific details and layout suggestions to meet air traffic control and base operations mission requirements.

Other team members included Jack Porter, Bill Smith, Brian Schrage, Brandon Talbot, 452 CES, as well as Christopher Noel and Brad Potter, 452nd Operations Support Squadron.

“It was a team win, (and) a rarity to win an Air Force award,” Feeley said. “It is quite an honor when there are thousands of projects but only a few are selected.”

According to an article written by Susan Scheuer, U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center public affairs, The U.S. Air Force Design Awards program, established in 1976 and managed by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, recognizes and promotes design excellence across the Air Force.

The March award was presented by Mark Correll, deputy assistant secretary, Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, and accepted by Sean Feeley, deputy base civil engineer, 452nd Civil Engineer Squadron, and three other project representatives at a ceremony in San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 2, 2015. The other representatives included the architectural design company Jacobs, headquartered in Pasadena, California; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, based in Louisville, Kentucky; and Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters’ manager of military contract projects, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.