AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINTMILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS,MD.DCMILITARY.COM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 | VOL. 3 NO. 38

AIR FORCE NEWSBe ready with National Preparedness Month, Page 6

COMMUNITY22nd Annual Bluebird

Blues Festival, Page 3

COMMENTARYHispanic Heritage Month:

A legacy of history, Page 2

BY SENIOR AIRMANMARIAH HADDENHAM

11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The 779th MedicalGroup Emergent CareCenter on Joint BaseAndrews provides emer-gency medical servicesand transports patientsto other facilities if nec-essary.

The presence of theECC contributes to theimmediate health andwell-being of each mem-ber on Andrews by tend-ing to patients with

urgent conditions afterhours.

“We see approximate-ly 60 patients per dayfor issues that can rangefrom a sprain to cardiacissues,” said Maj. JosephThomas, 779th MedicalGroup Emergent CareCenter flight commander.

Members of Team An-drews whom become illwith an urgent condi-tion, meaning one thatrequires treatment with-in 24 hours, can come

Andrews ECC contributes to safety, well-being 24/7

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO

Maj. Joseph Thomas, 779th Medical Group Emer-gent Care Center flight commander, and Senior Air-man Kristine Perez, 779th MDG ECC medical techni-cian, care for a patient Sept. 11 in the ECC on JointBase Andrews.

BY MELANIE MOORE79TH MEDICAL WING

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

“It is so important toallow patients to disposeof unwanted medica-tions safely. Last Octo-ber, 293 tons of prescrip-tions drugs were turnedin across the UnitedStates.We have patientsthat come to our phar-macy all the time ask-ing about disposal ofmedications. This is theeasiest and safest wayto get rid of unwantedmedications. This ser-vice will also be free andanonymous,” said Capt.Shamika Brooks, ChiefPharmacy Operationsand Clinical Services.

This initiative ad-dresses a vital publicsafety and public healthissue.

“Medications thatlanguish in home cabi-nets are highly suscep-tible to diversion, mis-use, and abuse. Studiesshow that a majorityof abused prescriptiondrugs are obtained fromfamily and friends, in-

cluding from the homemedic ine cabinet ,”Brooks said.

Last year, Air Forcepharmacies dispensedmore than 15 millionprescriptions to benefi-ciaries.

“Unfortunately, as aresult of changing healthconditions, drug aller-gies or adverse drug re-actions, our beneficiariesend up with partiallyused prescriptions fillingtheir medicine cabinets.By getting rid of theseitems at this event, ourhomes and communitiesbecome safer and it alsominimizes impact tothe environment by en-suring medications areproperly disposed.” saidLt. Col. Glenn Laird,Pharmacy Flight Com-mander.

Pharmacy staff mem-bers, Air Force Alcoholand Drug Abuse Pre-vention and Treatment(ADAPT) ProgramCounselors and SecurityForces will be on hand toaddress any questions orconcerns.

Drug Take Back Dayto be held on Saturday

see ECC, page 6

BY ANDREABLACKSTONESTAFF WRITER

On Saturday, a freeyouth symposium forregistered girls ages 12-18 will be held from 9:30a.m.-2 p.m. in Lanham,Maryland. Social media,healthy relationships andbody image are planneddiscussion topics that willbe addressed.

Jean Drummond is abusiness leader and phi-lanthropist who has beena county resident for morethan 25 years. She found-ed the Prince George’sCounty-based nonprofit,Institute for CreativeCommunity Initiatives(ICCI), in 2009. ICCI willhost the launch event.

The organization inte-grates academic success,workforce training, lifeskill development andhealth and wellness intotheir mission to supportyoung people. Drummondis also the president ofHCDI International (HC-DI), which is a health caremanagement and technol-ogy firm that will financethe symposium.

The founder desires tosupport military familieswith youth who may bein need of support. Drum-mond’s passion to helpwas partially inspiredby her own experiences.Drummond’s husband,Col. Jimmie Drummond,currently serves in the

Air Force Reserve wifespearheads support for girls

see SUPPORT, page 4

BY ANDREABLACKSTONESTAFF WRITER

The American Can-cer Society Cancer Ac-tion Network (ACS CAN)Lights of Hope event washeld near the Capitol Re-flecting Pool on CapitolHill Sept 16. More than15,000 Lights of Hopebags honored those whofought various types ofcancer. Over 500 visitswith legislators and staffwere conducted duringLobby Day inWashington,D.C. Cancer advocatesand volunteers communi-cated that finding a curefor cancer should be at thecenter of national debate,along with extending andimproving the quality oflife for cancer patients inAmerica. Several mem-bers of Congress publiclyproclaimed their supportat the Lights of Hope eve-ning event. Rep. MichaelFitzpatrick is a cancersurvivor who offered re-marks.

“You got me to co-spon-sor a couple of bills. We’renot done yet. This is afight that we can’t give

up on. This is a fight thatwe must win,” Fitzpatricksaid.

The speaking portionof Lights of Hope ceremo-ny opened with a personalaccount that was givenby Maudra Bradley, ACSCAN’s lead volunteer inIndiana. Bradley saidher mother, a longtimesmoker, was diagnosed

with lung cancer in 2005.Bradley was a 26-year-oldwoman, when her motherdied at the age of 56 in2009.

Christopher Hansen,president of ACS CAN,reminded attendees thatthe organization waslaunched 13 years agoto give patients a stron-ger voice in the halls of

government. The orga-nization is currently thelargest, most influentialand effective volunteer-led movement focusedon implementing publicpolicy to improve the livesof people with cancer andtheir families. Hansensaid remarkable gains

Cancer victims remembered,advocacy work continues at2014 Lights of Hope event

PHOTO/ANDREA BLACKSTONE

More than 600 people registered for the overall lobby day events. At least 200people attended the speaking program during the Lights of Hope event.

see CURE, page 10

Andrews Gazette2 Friday, September 26, 2014

Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint MilitaryPublications, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg,Md., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S.Air Force or any branch of the United States military.The appearance of advertising in these publications,

including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsementby the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force orthe products and services advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available forpurchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion,sex, national origin, age,martial status, physical handicap, political af-filiation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchases, user or patron.

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BY CADET 2ND CLASSSTEVEN LUNA

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY

America is great for a vast num-ber of reasons and although wecan point out many reasons whyour country so remarkable, I saywe owe our success largely to ourdiverse backgrounds and culturewithin our nation.

This history of diversity hascast adaptability within our na-tion while forging the strength ourcountry bears today.

The Defense Department, theAir Force and the Academy recog-nize that diversity is the key to suc-cess and this is why we recognizeHispanic Heritage Month Sept.15-Oct.15, along with all our otherspecial cultural observances.

The observation of HispanicHeritage began in 1968 as Hispan-ic Heritage week, under PresidentLyndon B. Johnson, and was laterextended to 30 days by PresidentRonald Reagan in 1988.

The theme for this year’s His-panic Heritage Month is, “A legacyof history, a present of action and afuture of success.” This theme reso-nates with me personally because

it encompasses my family’s per-sonal story, as well as the storiesof many others of Hispanic originhere at the Academy.

Both my parents were born inMexico and migrated to the U.S.as teenagers. My father, the old-est of eight children, would travelwith my grandfather to work as amigrant during his summer breaks.My mother, the oldest of three chil-dren, would work all the hours shewas able at a local conveniencestore. She would then give mygrandparents her paycheck to keepa roof over their heads.

Their strong work ethic is veryhumbling to me and continues toencourage me to chase my dreams.

Even to this day, my parentscontinue this legacy. My father re-tired as a senior master sergeantafter 21 years of active-duty serviceand my mother earned a variety ofprofessional degrees in her profes-sion.

“A legacy of history, a present ofaction and a future of success,” in-corporates a presence of action, andthis is where my Academy class-mates and I currently reside.

This foundation of humility issomething we carry close as a con-

stant reminder of how far we havecome and how far we intend to go.Our diverse backgrounds are thefuel to continue to reach for ourambitions whether dealing withthe challenge of Doolie year or theunfamiliarity of moving away fromhome. Our humble beginnings arewhat make us who we are today,individuals working hard throughthe past to become better for tomor-row.

This leads to the last clause ofthe theme “...a future of success.”Our future continues to build on it-self as more Hispanics pave roadsto success for younger generationsto follow.

We want to proceed on our trackof progression founded by our lega-cy of history. This legacy entangledwith present actions allows for thefuture successes through the incor-poration of diversity. It is the melt-ing pot of cultures which allows forthe differing thoughts and ideas tobe present at the table of the U.S.

The diversity for some, is part oftheir heritage, their daily lives andfor others a hopeful future, but forcadets it is our strength - an essen-tial component to making our coun-try the greatest nation on Earth.

CommentaryHispanic Heritage Month: A legacy of history

September 27Barracks Row Fall Festival11 a.m. – 5 p.m.8th Street, SE Washington D.C.Enjoy events such as an ice-carving competition,

the Military Chef ’s cook-off, live music, and popularpetting zoos. For more information visit www.bar-racksrow.org/.

September 27Clarendon Day11 a.m.-5 p.m.Clarendon Metro 3100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington,

VA 22201Five stages are set up for music and dance lovers

to listen to live bands all day. Kids will can climb,play, trampoline, listen to music, face-painting, sto-rytelling and more in the Kid’s Zone. There will bearts and craft vendors as well as food from local res-taurants. For more information visit clarendon.org/clarendon-day.

September 27 - November 2Six Flags America Fright FestNoon-6 p.m. (every weekend)Six Flags America 13710 Central Ave. Bowie, MDEnjoy the spookiness of Thrills By Day and the

terror Fright By Night. There is tons of family funwith Thrills By Day with Halloween-themed showsfor the family and trick or treating for kids. For moreinformation visit https://www.sixflags.com/america/special-events/festival/fright-fest.

September 27-28Crafty Bastards! Arts & Crafts Fair10 a.m.-5p.m.Union Market 1309 5th Street NE Washington

D.C.$5The fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade

alternative arts and crafts from independent artistspresented by the Washington City Paper

September 28Turkish Festival11 a.m. – 7 p.m.Freedom Plaza, Pennsylvania Avenue, NW be-

tween 12th and 14th StreetsTurkish cuisine from local Washington DC res-

taurants: Kabobs, vegetarian dishes, pastries anddesserts will be available for purchase. A kid’s tentwill provide an interactive introduction to Turkeyfeaturing hands-on activities that will provide chil-dren of all ages an afternoon full of educational funand an opportunity to build and bring home theirown artistic creations.

Hot ticketsaround town

Blood Programin Vital Role

The Armed Services Blood Pro-gram (ASBP) has served as the soleprovider of blood for the UnitedStates military since 1962. As atri-service organization, it collects,processes, stores and distributesblood and blood products to servicemembers and their families. It isone of four national blood collectionorganizations. ASBP shares donorson military installations wherethere are no military blood collec-tion centers. Navy Capt. RolandFahie, ASBP director, said “We sup-port surgeries around the world,wherever blood is needed, in what-ever type or amount and in theright amount of time.” But he em-phasized that all donor centers andtransfusion services are governedby strict adherence to medical re-strictions in accordance with Foodand Drug Administration guidance.ASBP resources are pre-positionedglobally to ensure rapid responsefrom casualty receiving and hos-pital ships, aircraft and other lo-cales. “We’re the only distributionsystem that’s going to get you bloodon the battlefield,” Fahie said. “Do-nations impact our mission of be-ing able to support the warfighter

anywhere,” he added. While mosthealthy adults are eligible to giveblood, some people may be deferredfrom donating temporarily or per-manently. For more information,call the blood donor center at Wal-ter Reed National Military MedicalCenter at 301 295-2109.

Oldest P-40The world’s oldest Curtis P-40B

Warhawk fighter, which survivedthe Japanese attack on Pearl Har-bor, has been added to the CollingsFoundation, in Stow, Mass. A “verygenerous sponsor” made possiblethe foundation’s acquisition of thenow-disassembled airplane fromthe Fighter Collection in Duxford,England, which obtained the planein 2003. The Army Air Corps air-craft escaped destruction duringthe attack in a maintenance han-gar at Wheeler Field, Hawaii. Sixweeks later, the aircraft crashedinto a Hawaiian mountainside, kill-ing its pilot. Recovery of the aircraftbegan in 1985; restoration startedfour years later in Torrance, Calif.

Quit Smoking ResourcesCigarette smoking causes one of

every five deaths in America, saysthe Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. Tobacco use is also themajor cause of preventable disease-related illness and death in theUnited States. However, quittingtobacco can be a struggle, that’swhy Tricare has resources avail-able for those ready to quit. QuitTobacco, Make Everyone Proud is acampaign to help military person-nel, family members and retireeskick the habit. The campaign’s web-site www.ucanquit2.org offers on-line resources via a 24/7 online chatmessenger, cigarette smoke facts, ahelp locator and a personalized out-line to help smokers in their effortsto quit. Beneficiaries who want toquit or who’ve relapsed can call totalk with a trained smoking ces-sation coach who will assess theircessation process and recommendappropriate treatment and the re-sources to quit smoking or remainsmoke free.

The Retiree Activities Office isopen 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday. Visit the officein Building 1604 at Californiaand Colorado Avenues or call 301981-2726. Call before your visit toensure a volunteer is on duty. TheRAO has a website at www.an-drews.af.mil.

Retiree Corner

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

BY LESLIE C. SMITHSTAFF WRITER

Whether you like your blues classic –blues-rock, blues-funk, gospel blues – ormaybe even tinged with a little hip hopand go-go, there was something for allblues lovers at the 22 Annual BluebirdFestival – Steppin’ with the Blues heldSept 20 at Prince George’s County Com-munity College (PGCCC).

The festival offered two stages: NapTurner Stage, an indoor venue, and themain stage at Novak Field House. Alongwith the headliners – the acclaimedHolmes Brothers and The Jewels, for-mer backing vocalists for James Brown– all-star acts included Anthony “SwampDog” Clark and The Blues Allstars, Na-dine Rae and the Allstars, HardwayConnection, Mahajibee Blues, and JesiTerrell and the Love Mechanic Band.Rick “Da’Gator” Bolling, WPFW-FMradio personality, served as the emceeand host of the main stage, with BarryPearson, folklorist and noted blues his-torian/authority, professor of English atUniversity of Maryland, College Park,hosting the Nap Turner stage.

A blues workshop, moderated byBarry Lee Pearson, featured a discus-sion with Jesi Terrell, Jeff Scott, andPatrick “Big Head” Tevis and Tim Vi-tullo of Mahajibee where they exploredthe roots and evolution of blues, in-cluding different instruments used inblues music as well as blues’ shiftingrole in its community. “The blues tra-dition, like all traditions, changes andchanges. It changes to meet the chang-ing needs of every community,” Pear-son remarked.

Along with diverse offerings of musi-cal artists, the family-friendly event fea-tured several activities for children, in-cluding the Arts on a Roll van by PrinceGeorge’s County Department of Parksand Recreation, face painting, and bal-loon sculptors.

The arts area also featured the styl-ings of progressive hip-hop artist Chri-stylez Bacon, where he delighted thecrowd with his storytelling and ren-ditions of songs featuring an Africandrum, acoustic guitar as well as high-lighting his versatility with a displayof his talent for oral percussion (humanbeat-box).

“He’s so good. I really enjoy him. Ihave seen him on numerous occasions

and I always enjoy it,” said BrendaScott, enjoying the Christylez Baconshow.

Some blues fans took to the make-shift dance floor in front of the mainstage to “shake a tail feather” whileothers chose to sit while enjoying themusic. Many took advantage of the nu-merous food and goods vendors.

PGCCC partnered with NBC4, Mary-land National Capital Parks and Plan-ning Commission and Prince George’sCounty to present the 22nd AnnualBluebird Festival.

Andrews GazetteFriday, September 26, 2014 3

PHOTOS BY LESLIE C. SMITH

The Jewels shine on stage.

Nadine Rae rocks the opening of herset as she asks if “You Wanna GetFunky?”

Ulani Scott creates amasterpiece by theArts on a Roll visual arts activities area.

Sunny skies beckon musiclovers to the 22nd AnnualBluebird Blues Festival

1042133

U.S. Air Force Reserve and isassigned to the Air Force Re-view Board Agency at JointBase Andrews. He is a flightsurgeon who served in Opera-tions Enduring Freedom andIraqi Freedom.

“When you look at the dataaround girls, families and thechallenges, particularly withmilitary families, we know thatabout 7.8 percent of all mili-tary members are single par-ents. We know that when thereis a deployment, there can bechanges in school performance,lashing out in anger and feel-ings of loss. There is an incred-ible need for support, whetherit’s to the single parent, and/or to the daughters and kids ofmilitary families,” Jean Drum-mond said. “When my husbandwent away, I had my kids. Itwas tough.”

Drummond wrote a proposalto start a church military min-istry at First Baptist Churchof Glenarden. As a result, carepackages are sent monthly todeployed service members.Moreyouth and parents in the areaare supported by ICCI with thehelp of a project manager, EmilyWilson.Wilson earned a Masterof Education (MEd) degree inElementary Education and waspreviously employed by PrinceGeorge’s County Public Schoolsas an educator.

Collaborative partner-ships initiated with schools

like Charles H. Flowers HighSchool are expected to in-crease. Wilson explained thata diverse group of women fromthe county who have differentprofessions, called The PowerPack, will share informationabout their lives and providemotivation for girls, during theGirl Code Conference. An “Aska Guy” segment will allow girlsto ask questions to male lead-ers in a safe space.

“I served as a facilitator, butthe girls planned everything.As older people we alwaysthink we know what youngpeople want, but we need toreach out to young people to

see what they want to talkabout and see what they’re in-terested in,” Wilson said. “Thecommunity has truly embracedus. It is important for girls tosee women who look like themdoing amazing things, so thatthey know they have the capa-bility of doing just that. Theycan do whatever it is that theyput their minds to.”

Jahneise Morris, 16, was oneof four high school seniors whohelped to plan the Girl CodeConference.

“Planning this event wastruly a magnificent experience.The reason I say magnificent isbecause of the amazing plan-

ning team and what we allbelieve in. There are so manyteens who have no one to talkto or guide them. I know howit feels when I feel alone orscared to talk to other people,so planning Girl Code helpedme open up and share myideas with others. It gave me achance to stand for what I be-lieve in,” Morris said.

Natural Taylor, 19, serves asthe Girl Code conference assis-tant. Drummond reaches out toyoung women likeTaylor,who re-cently landed her first job.Drum-mond describes Taylor as “a ris-ing star who will make an impactif she stays on the right path.”

Taylor wants to help herpeers, including military youthwho may need support. “Self-esteem is a big thing withyouth right now,” Taylor said,affirming the need for a girls’conference.

Drummond is already tak-ing steps for the momentum ofGirl Code to continue. A youthempowerment symposiumwill follow the launch eventto allow mentoring in schools.Drummond plans to iden-tify grant funds to host moreevents throughout the year.

“As a health care provider,we know the importance ofhealthy lifestyles for youngwomen. There are just so manychallenges. I just feel like it’sincumbent upon the women ofthe county to rise to the occa-sion to give back to our youngfemale adults. They’re the fu-ture of the county. There’s nobetter place to give back thanhome,” Drummond said.

Visit www.iccintiatives.orgfor more information aboutICCI and future events.

Andrews Gazette4 Friday, September 26, 2014

PHOTOS/BYRON HOLLY

Emily Wilson, ICCI’s programmanager, prepares Natural Taylor for her first job that ICCI helpedher to obtain. Taylor serves as a youth symposium coordination assistant.

In preparation for the Girl Codeevent, Jean Drummond dis-cusses promotional materialsand ways to reach other teenswith Zoey Gao.

SUPPORT, from page 1

1043043

Andrews GazetteFriday, September 26, 2014 5

BY MASTER SGT. TAMMIE MOOREAIR FORCE DISTRICT OF

WASHINGTON PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Four Airmen from the Air Force Dis-trict of Washington were selected torepresent the Air Force in a flag-raisingceremony honoring the 200th anniver-sary of the National Anthem at FortMcHenry in Baltimore, Sept. 14.

The AFDW Airmen who participatedin the Star Spangled Spectacular flagraising were Staff Sgt. Chris Hekowc-zyk, AFDW; Airman 1st Class RickeyWilliams, 11th Comptroller Squadron;Tech. Sgt. Robbin Free, 779th MedicalOperations Squadron; and Airman 1stClass Jillian Lange, 844th Communica-tions Group.

“I wasn’t aware of how unique theopportunity was until I arrived at thevenue,” said Hekowczyk, AFDW Cere-monies and Protocol Specialist. “(ThereI) realized the significance of the eventand the fact it is only celebrated every100 years make it truly a once in a life-time experience.”

When Lange volunteered to helpraise the flag she had no idea what theStar Spangled Spectacular flag raisingentailed.

“I didn’t really know what it was un-til I did research online about it; then Igot really excited to be a part of it,” saidLange, 844 CG electrical instrumenta-tion technician.

The Airmen hoisted the 40 feet by32 feet flag alongside service membersfrom each branch of the armed forces,Fort McHenry staff, and volunteers.

Hekowczyk said his time as a mem-ber of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guardinfluenced how he felt preparing for theevent.

“I wanted to perform the task withthe dignity and respect it deserved,”said the native of Colorado Springs,Colorado. “I wanted to lend my past ex-periences and knowledge to anyone whomay have needed it, and contribute tothe event’s success in any way possible.”

As the flag rose into the sky, Langeknew this would be a moment shewouldn’t forget.

“The most memorable part was actu-ally raising the flag when the nationalanthem started playing and seeing thefireworks go off all around,” said the na-tive of Attleboro, Massachusetts. “It wasa beautiful historic moment! I felt reallyproud being one of four people to rep-resent the Air Force. It’s moments likethese that I remember why I joined inthe first place, and that I love my coun-try and my Air Force.”

The week-long celebration themed“Star-Spangled Spectacular” featurednot only the joint service flag raising,but also a performance by the Blue An-gles, living history demonstrations, anda fireworks display.

AFDW Airmen participate inStar Spangled Spectacular

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Andrews Gazette6 Friday, September 26, 2014

BY STAFF SGT. MATT DAVISAIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The clouds begin to turn grey and the wind picks up.A weather alert howls on the TV—your area is undera tornado warning, and you have moments to respond.Your family scrambles to the most protected part of thehouse. There you have supplies to weather the stormand recover when it’s over. You breathe a sigh of relief,because you had planned for the worst.

“It is important to be prepared because disaster maystrike at any time with little to no warning. Informationis key,” said 1st Lt. Colin Slade, 11th Mission SupportGroup Readiness and Emergency Management com-mander. “Ensuring your family knows what to do andwhere to go in a disaster is half the battle.”

An emergency kit should contain such things as firstaid supplies, enough food and water to last 72 hours,personal medications, radios and flashlights with bat-teries, printed maps or an atlas, and any other impor-tant documents, said Slade.

September is National Preparedness Month. TheFederal Emergency Management Agency has coordi-nated with organizations and communities across thenation to help everyone be aware of the hazards in theirarea and how to prepare form them, said Allison VanLare, Air Force District of Washington Emergency Man-agement functional area manager.

“National Preparedness Month is designed to in-crease awareness of emergency preparedness resourcesand practices. There are numerous events occurringaround the National Capital Region that are aimed toprovide useful information to families on how to pre-pare for disasters,” said Van Lare “The information is

always readily available to Airmen and dependents, butthe hope is that this month inspires people to re-assessand re-energize their family’s readiness.”

This month, Airmen can plan how to respond accord-ing to different types of emergencies. Localizing hazardsthat are close to where you live and work are just one

of many steps taken to being prepared. Having to stayor leave an area can mean different preparations andspecialized plans for Airmen with families.

Preparations will greatly increase your family’s abil-ity to survive a disaster and weather any storm, saidSlade.

“You should not be asking these questions at the timeof a disaster. It has been said that when the time toperform arrives, the time to prepare has passed,” saidSlade.

Training for these scenarios could potentially providelifesaving skills to protect you and your family, accord-ing to www.Ready.gov.

“Being in the military, we understand the value intraining and preparation is the heartbeat of the mili-tary,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Timothy McKeithen,speaking on military family readiness in a video postedat www.ready.gov. “Being prepared and knowing what todo in a crisis makes all the difference in the world. It’syour responsibility as a service member to ensure yourfamily is ready and prepared for any crisis.”

Some things to consider when preparing with yourfamily are having a family communication plan, creat-ing an emergency kit, and knowing local evacuationroutes. Another good resource to help train and assistin relief efforts with your family is finding local volun-teer opportunities.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency endsNational Preparedness Month with “America’s Prepare-athon!” This kicks off on September 30th with 50 statestaking action to prepare their region for hazards theymay encounter. Activities can range from communitydisaster exercises to a conversation with your familyabout having a plan.

To learn more about National Preparedness Monthvisit www.BeReady.af.mil and www.Ready.gov. For infor-mation concerning your region contact your local emer-gency management flight.

Be ready with National Preparedness Month

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY STAFF SGT. MATT DAVIS

Pictured is an emergency kit, which should containsuch things as first aid supplies, enough food andwater to last 72 hours, personal medications, radiosand flashlights with batteries, printed maps or anatlas, and any other important documents. NationalPreparedness Month is part of the America’s Prepar-athon hosted by FEMA which is a campaign to raiseawareness within communities to know hazards intheir region. Ready.gov provides resources to gatherinformation and how to respond if your area is affect-ed by a natural or man-made emergency situation.

to the ECC to be treated within their facility anddischarged. If the ECC is not equipped to treat thepatient’s specific ailment, they will be transported toa facility that best meets their needs.

“We have three or more ambulances ready to goat any time,” said Master Sgt. Kenneth Horst, 779thMDG ECC NCO in charge.

Along with contributing to the bases well-being,Horst enjoys aiding the education of newer Airmenin his unit. The mentoring Airmen receive helpsthem become a vital part of the ECC and its missionhere.

“The most gratifying part of my job is seeing howour treatment of a patient’s illness or injury affectsthem during our care, but I really enjoy being ableto see the younger Airmen develop and learn newskills and techniques,” Horst said. “We teach themthings that they weren’t taught in technical school,allowing them to grow from their basic educationinto more well developed Airmen who are able to usecritical thinking skills in their everyday life.”

The 779th ECC is not considered an emergencyroom because they do not facilitate over-night pa-tients. Service members in danger of losing life, limbor eyesight due to illness or injury are advised to call522 for emergency services on Joint Base Andrews.The ECC provides ambulance service for emergen-cies occurring on JBA.

Urgent care is for illness or injury that requirestreatment within 24 hours but is not life-threat-ening, for example, migraine headaches, earaches,toothaches, sprains or a fever.

For more information, call the main phone lineduring duty hours at 999-1212 for an acute appoint-ment or go directly to the ECC. After duty hours, callthe ECC at 857-2333 to reach an on-call providerafter duty hours.

ECC, from page 1

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Andrews GazetteFriday, September 26, 2014 7

TEAM ANDREWS

PARTICIPATES IN POW/MIA RUNMembers of JointBase Andrewsparticipate in the24-hour POW/MIAVigil Run Sept.18-19 on JointBase Andrews.More than 400military and civil-ians participatedin the run. Duringthe entirety of theevent memberscarried the POW/MIA Flag aroundthe Virginia track.The run was heldto coincide withNational POW/MIA Remem-brance Daywhich is held thethird Friday ofSeptember eachyear in honor ofthose who wereprisoners of warand those whoare still missingin action.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/STAFF SGT. NICHELLE ANDERSON

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Andrews Gazette8 Friday, September 26, 2014

BY MELANIE MOORE79TH MEDICAL WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

The Drug Enforcement Administra-tion (DEA) has decided to place HYDRO-CODONE and all HYDROCODONEcontaining combination drugs from DEASchedule III into DEA Schedule II of theFederal Controlled Substances Act. Thischange applies to all military pharmacieswithin the National Capital Region.

The HYDROCODONE containingcombination drugs affected by thischange include:

• Hydrocodone/acetaminophen(NORCO) 10/325MG TAB

• Hydrocodone/acetaminophen(NORCO) 5/325MG TAB

• Hydrocodone/acetaminophen(NORCO) 7.5/325MG TAB

• Hydrocodone/acetaminophen (HY-CET) 7.5/325MG/15ML SOLUTION

What does this mean for patientswithin the National Capital Region?

If you have a prescription for one ofthe above drugs and have refills remain-ing, the pharmacy will continue to dis-pense refills until April 8, 2015.

After Oct. 6 all new prescriptions willbe limited to a 30 day supply with norefills and the prescription will expire6 months after the date it was written.Your provider will need to enter a newprescription each time for any addition-al drug quantities.

For questions related to any prescrip-tion please contact your Primary CareManager or pharmacy teams if you haveany questions regarding this conversionand your care plan.

Hydrocodone containing productsrequire new prescription

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Andrews Gazette10 Friday, September 26, 2014

The Security Forces Blotter is intended to keepmembers of the Joint Base Andrews Community in-formed and aware of the crimes and offenses that occurthroughout the base each week. If you have any infor-mation that may help the Security Forces solve a crimeor prevent a criminal act, please contact BDOC (BaseDefense Operations Center) at 301-981-2001, CRIMESTOP LINE 981-2677 (COPS, or the investigationssection at 301-981-5656).

Sept. 14 at 2:58 am: Security Forces received a callstating a vehicle struck the perimeter fence line. Therewere no reported injuries to the driver. The vehiclewas rendered inoperable and was towed by a civiliantowing company.

Sept. 14 at 8:47 am: An individual contacted Se-curity Forces stating damage to their vehicle. The in-dividual stated that he noticed the damage after at-tending a commander’s call at the base theater. Thedamage consisted of a dent and paint transfer. Patrolsresponded and accomplished reports.

Sept. 15 at 3:05 pm: An individual contacted Secu-rity Forces stating damage to their vehicle. The indi-vidual noticed the damage after parking at The Clubat Andrews. The damage consisted of paint transferand cracks. Patrols responded and accomplished re-ports.

AS A REMINDERThere has been an increase in reported vehicle acci-

dents on the installation. If you are involved in an ac-cident, stop and call Security Forces at 301-981-2001.

For reporting any emergencies or non-emergenciesplease feel free to utilize the ‘LiveSafe’ app. ‘LiveSafe’is an anonymous reporting app that can be download-ed for free on your smart device.

Security ForcesPolice Blotter

have been made in the area of life expectancy, due togroundbreaking cancer treatments.

Robert Hugin, the keynote speaker, is chairman andCEO of Celgene, a biopharmaceutical company. Huginstressed that health care workers and policy makersshould remember that the patient must always be atthe center of everything they do. Hugin also informedthat cancer prevention is critical.

“Too many people die from cancer, because they don’teither have access to, or don’t have the information toget the kind of diagnostic and care that they should ear-ly on to avoid death.We have not made enough progress.The progress is not fast enough. We have to accelerateour efforts.We have to increase the funding for the NIHand for the National Cancer Institute,” Hugin said.

Volunteers like Shayla Clarke and Beth AnnBalalaos traveled from various parts of the U.S. to at-tend the 2014 Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. Sev-eral members in Clarke’s family were diagnosed with

cancer. Clarke noted she would like for other familiesnot to have to feel the burdens that she and her lovedones faced.

“We went to Capitol Hill today, and we did some lob-bying. We were asking the Congress to pass bills andvote on different things to make sure that we find thecure for cancer. It went really well.We got a lot of yeses.Hopefully, all of the bills will go through. Hopefully, wewill have more funding for cancer research and preven-tion,” Balalaos said.

CEO of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN,Dr. John Seffrin, is credited with being a leading fig-ure in the fight against cancer. He has reportedly beenworking to fight the disease for four decades.

“We need to do three things to finish the fight. Weneed to redouble our research efforts, and the fact thatwe’re not able to fund NIH at the levels we were is atravesty. We’ve got to find a way to get that done. Wehave to promote prevention and public policy through-out the country. We have to provide access to qualityhealth care to everyone,” he said, during his remarks.

After the ceremony, Donna Rennick looked at theLights of Hope, while reflecting on the event and herexperiences. The Virginia Beach, Virginia, volunteer isa lead advocate and 15-year cancer survivor.At the timewhen she was diagnosed, Rennick had limited informa-tion about how to deal with cancer beyond treatmentrelated information she was given, until unexpectedhelp was offered. Within 24 hours, a cancer survivorand American Cancer Society volunteer called to meetwith her.

“Even though she wasn’t a medical person, she stillhad walked that walk before.After I went through all ofmy treatments, I said, ‘I have to get involved.’ I’m hereto give back,” Rennick said.

Rennick reportedly took advantage of many formsof support that the American Cancer Society offered.Now that she is cancer free, she coordinates Reach toRecovery in her area.

“As long as I can put one foot in front of the other, I’mgoing to keep going. I thank the Lord and I thank theAmerican Cancer Society.They were really there for me.In my mother’s era, or my grandmother’s era, men andwomen weren’t surviving.We’ve come a long way. Thereis hope out there.”

CURE, from page 1

PHOTO/ANDREA BLACKSTONE

15,000 Lights of Hope bags that put a name and facewith the fight to cure cancer were placed around theCapitol Reflecting Pool on Capitol Hill.

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