andrews 060713

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINTMILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS,MD.DCMILITARY.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013 | VOL. 2 NO. 21

Girls on theRun have fun6AFCU gives gift

cards to JBAFisher House

3 JBA readiespotential Ravens9

BY BOBBY JONESSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Reprina Morton is well on her way toliving a long, healthy life, and she hasa friend who survived a heart attack tothank for it. A svelte 5-foot-7 and a halfinches, Morton lost 32.5 pounds duringthe Joint Base Andrews West FitnessCenter-sponsored Biggest Loser program,helping her team win the Biggest Losertitle. Morton has lost a total of 50 poundssince she started working out this year.“I was very unhealthy, and after having

three children, trying to juggle them andschool left little time for exercise,” saidMorton, of Upper Marlboro. Challengedwith a hectic schedule, Morton was frus-trated because she couldn’t always findthe time to prepare healthy meals. Mor-ton’s weight gain accumulated over sev-eral years.“Years of living like this caused me to

gain weight and my health began to de-cline. I had high cholesterol; I was pre-diabetic and obese,” said Morton. “I was

also exhausted all of the time. I would tryto change my habits, but temptation andthe convenience of fast foods would even-tually win.”During that low period in her life, a

close friend plagued with the same healthissues had a heart attack.“He was the sole provider for his fam-

ily. Fortunately, he survived the tragicevent. This got me to thinking about myfamily dynamics,” said Morton. “My hus-band is a military member and is awayoften, leaving me for the most part as thesole caretaker for my boys.”Morton began wondering what would

happen if she became too sick to take careof them or if she died. Her friend’s heartattack became her wake-up call.“I decided at that point I was going to

change my lifestyle and start by goingback to the gym.”It was a slow start at first; trying to

find the time to work out, attend classesand study was challenging.“I’m a full-time student and I go to

school while my boys are at school,” said

Morton, a Prince George’s CommunityCollege nursing student.Morton began going to the West Fit-

ness Center, taking Zumba classes to revup her energy level and walking on thetreadmill to build her endurance.“I walk at an incline of 10 to 11 and

a speed of 3.9 to 4.1,” said Morton. “I al-so incorporate lifting weights, using thekettle bell at home and I make myself dothose dreaded sit-ups.”Then Francois Duncan, a long-time

gym enthusiast, asked Morton to joinTeam Jewels for the recent Biggest Losercontest.“This further motivated me because I

wanted my group to win. With me losing32.5 pounds, it helped us take first placeand win the Biggest Loser title,” saidMorton. “Francois was and still is super-encouraging and supportive. She is a truegem around here, always talking to wom-en about their fitness and health goals.But this was a change I needed to save

Biggest Loser shares weight loss journey

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

Morton lifts a kettle bell to improve herstrength, conditioning and muscle tone. seeWEIGHT LOSS, page 7

BY STAFF SGT. KRIS LEVASSEUR11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Leaders of the 11th Wing and Lib-erty Park held a town hall meeting atthe base theater recently to informbase residents on new rules and regu-lations affecting their entitlements.In the near future, base housing

residents will transition to a new sys-tem where a portion of their Basic Al-lowance for Housing will be allocatedfor utilities.Beginning this month, housing res-

idents will start seeing mock bills intheir mail for utilities, outlining theiroverall usage and providing informa-tion on where the household consump-tion stands against the average for theunit type.“The purpose of this program is not

to penalize community members,” saidLisa Post, JBA client relations man-ager for Minol, the third-party billingcompany responsible for metering thehousing units. “It is true, that if yougo over your allotted utility allowance,you may be required to make a pay-ment. However, if you conserve yourenergy usage, you can actually getmoney back.”The new utility allowance will be

based on the average utility usage forsimilar housing units on base with a10 percent increase to act as a bufferin case of any unexpected overages.“This new system was mandated by

the Office of the Secretary of Defensein order to achieve energy efficiencyand further conservation efforts infamily housing,” said Col. Bill Knight,Joint Base Andrews and 11th Wingcommander. “It may take a little ad-justing; we will be seeing another billin the mail that we have to pay atten-tion to, but if used right, there will beno cost to base residents.”Twenty-two Air Force installations

have begun the utility monitoring andbilling system and 10 of them havecompleted the mock billing processand have begun live billing.Post added that in addition to the

10 percent buffer, residents will notneed to make a payment or receive arebate for any utility bill that is $50or less over or under their utility al-lowance.“At other military installations,

we have seen an 18 to 30 percent de-crease in energy consumption afterthis program has been implemented,”said Post. “The money saved is directlyplaced back into the housing programcreating a nicer community.”For more information about the

utility allowance and for specific in-formation about individual dwellings,contact Liberty Park at 301-599-1418.

Base residentsasked to use,not abuse

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

A Native American dancer portrays an eagle in flight during a traditional Hoop Dance.The Hoop Dance is a storytelling dance incorporating from one to 30 hoops used to cre-ate static and dynamic shapes, or formations, representing various animals, symbols,and storytelling elements. More photos on page 5.

POW-WOW HONORS, SHARES

NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE

BY CHRIS BASHAMSTAFF WRITER

Sometimes, a question leads to the biganswers in life. For Tameka Phillips, work-ing as an emergency room trauma nurseat a Level Two trauma center in Gastonia,N.C., that life-changing question camefrom her husband at the time, who asked,“What would your dream career be?”Phillips knew she’d always wanted to

join the military, but it was only with herhusband’s urging to pursue that dreamthat after five years as a civilian nurse shemet with an Air Force recruiter.“The recruiter said everything that I

could possibly dream of being wonderful ina job,” Phillips said, so she joined the AirForce, and encouraged a nurse and a doc-tor at her hospital to do the same. Her firstduty station was at Nellis Air Force Base,Las Vegas, Nev., where she found herselfworking with the nurse she’d known from

Capt. TamekaPhillips, emergencyroom trauma nurse

PHOTO/CHRIS BASHAM

Capt. Tameka Phillips enters medical infor-mation into a patient’s records. Phillips isan emergency room trauma nurse serv-ing in the Aeromedical Staging Facility atMalcolm GrowMedical Clinic and SurgeryCenter on Joint Base Andrews. see NURSE, page 4


Col. Thomas J. Cantilina, formerDeputy Chief Medical Information Of-ficer for the Air Force Medical Service,relieved Col. Rudolph Cachuela asCommander, 779th Medical Group in atraditional change of command ceremo-ny June 5 at the Joint Base AndrewsTheater. For Cantilina, the new role isa return to the earliest days of his mili-tary and medical career.“Twenty years ago this month, I wan-

dered onto Andrews Air Force Base andgot my first set of orders, and my firstI.D. card,” said Cantilina. “The buildingwhere I got that I.D. is little more than

Cantilina assumescommand of 779thMedical Group

see CANTILINA, page 5


Nobody wants to carry the weight of aloved one’s suicide with them. That’s whysuicide prevention needs to start rightnow, for everyone. It’s a part of caring, ofsituational awareness and being a goodwingman for fellow Airmen in times ofstress.The Air Force offers suicide prevention

hotline services by phone at 800-273-8255(TALK) and resources for people whothink someone they know may be con-sidering suicide available online at www.wingmanonline.org.Director of Psychological Health Cmdr.

Janet D. Cochran of the U.S. Public HealthService said that last week’s NationalConference on Mental Health, held at theWhite House, included the announcementof increased mental health services andresources provided through a new site,mentalhealth.gov site.There are confidential resources avail-

able right here on Joint Base Andrews,as well, for those who wish to speak withsomeone face-to-face.Sometimes, that can be a physician, a

counselor, a psychologist or psychiatrist.Mental health professionals can help indi-viduals develop, maintain or regain theiremotional resiliency.Traditional mental health services

including addictions counseling, chronicpain management, domestic violence

Suicidepreventionstarts now

see SUICIDE, page 8

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HOTTICKETSAround Town

2 Friday, June 7, 2013Andrews Gazette

Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint Military Publications,9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., a private firm in no wayconnected with the U.S. Air Force or any branch of the UnitedStates military. The appearance of advertising in these publications,including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement

by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the prod-ucts and services advertised.

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

COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS

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COURTESY OF THE RETIREEACTIVITIES OFFICE

VA gets helpThe Department of Veterans Af-

fairs has joined with the DisabledAmerican Veterans and the Ameri-can Legion to reduce the compensa-tion claims backlog for veterans. TheFully Developed Claims Communityof Practice is a key part of a VA planto end the backlog in 2015 and pro-cess claims within 125 days at 98percent accuracy. The VA can pro-cess fully developed claims in halfthe time it takes for a traditionallyfiled claim, officials noted.“Teams of our experts have gone

to VA regional offices in Denver,Pittsburgh, Baltimore and other cit-ies to help identify best practices for(fully developed claims), and to fur-ther train our service officers,” saidJames E. Koutz, American Legionnational commander.Claims are considered to be “fully

developed” when veterans submit all

available supporting evidence, suchas private treatment records andnotice of federal treatment records,with their first claim and certifythey have no more evidence to sub-mit. Veteran service organizationshave long played an integral role insubmitting veterans’ claims -- oftenwith their representatives workingwithin VA regional offices. VA hasmandated overtime for claims pro-cessors in its 56 regional benefits of-fices to help eliminate the backlog.Emphasis is placed on claims fromhomeless veterans, those claimingfinancial hardship, the terminallyill, former prisoners of war, Medal ofHonor recipients and veterans filingfully developed claims. Claims forwounded warriors separating fromthe military for medical reasons arehandled separately. On average, theyreceive VA compensation benefits intwo months following separation.

Commissaries cut hoursMost military commissaries will

close Mondays for up to 11 daysbetween July 8 and Sept. 30. Theclosures are the result of the fed-eral government budget reductions,known as sequestration. The com-missaries are mandated by DoD tofurlough its civil service employees.The 148 stores that routinely closeon Mondays will also close the nextnormal day of operation. No otherchanges are planned for store op-eration hours. DeCA has 247 com-missaries with more than 16,000employees operating in 13 countriesand two U.S. territories.

Coaching helps smokersquitCigarette smoking causes one of

every five deaths in America, saysthe Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. Tobacco use is also themajor cause of preventable disease-related illness and death in theUnited States. Quitting tobacco can

Retiree Corner

see RETIREE, page 10

June 8Old-Fashioned Strawberry Festival10 a.m. - 3 p.m.Benson-Hammond House, 7101 Aviation Boulevard,

Linthicum, Md.Celebrate Anne Arundel County’s agricultural heri-

tage and enjoy the best of the fruits of summer includinghand-churned strawberry ice cream, freshly made straw-berry shortcake, hand-dipped chocolate-covered straw-berries, jams, strawberry butter, relish, and strawberrywine. Craft vendors and live folk music round out theday. For information visit www.aachs.org.

June 8 and 9HonFest11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday, noon - 6 p.m. SundayThe Ave. in Hampden, West 36th Street, Baltimore,

Md.Celebrate the hard-working, beehive-wearing women

who make Bawlmer Charm City, Hon. For informationvisit http://www.honfest.net/index.html.

June 84th Annual Pride Pre-Parade Brunchnoon - 4 p.m.Beacon Bar & Grill, 1615 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C.A “party before the party” for people over age 21 leads

up to D.C.’s GLBTQ Pride Parade. For information visithttp://pridebrunch.ticketleap.com/2013tickets/.


Sometimes you volunteer becauseyou want to help other people. That’scertainly a more than valid reason tolend a hand to an organization yousupport. Lately, I’ve been volunteer-ing because I get so much out of it,myself.Since I know I am not the most

physically imposing specimen outthere, I usually don’t get involvedwith organizations that want meto put my back into a constructionproject or raise funds by running a5K. If all the nonprofits out thererelied on my ability to run, well...there would be a lot of underfundedorganizations. We’ll just leave it atthat.Still, my kids are pretty well

grown and busy, I’ve downsized toa small apartment with a balcony-sized garden I can tend in five min-

utes a day, I don’t enjoy the bar sceneand I don’t own a TV. Sometimes, Ihave energy to burn.As my grandmother would have

said, “Only boring people are bored,”so when I started to feel a little lessthan occupied I found a couple oforganizations I can really support,and I’m contributing where I can—maybe a total of six or seven hoursa week.It makes sense to me to throw my

energies where my talents are, so forpart of that time I’m volunteeringwith a news-oriented web site. It’sfascinating to read the articles I’mhelping to edit and proofread on thesite. I’m getting perspectives thatnever would have occurred to me,otherwise, and that’s very interest-ing. But the best part? I know thatsome of the time I need help.I love having a couple of men-

tors in this organization who willanswer my questions, give me ad-

vice and show me the ropes. I lovekeeping two bound manuals nearmy desk, and toggling back andforth between online resources, todo my best work. I’m pretty sureI’m learning things that make mebetter at my job, and I’m glad torefresh some old and dusty skills Ionce used every day.My school days are long past (al-

though I could always go back—andI think I just might, some day), butI’m still happiest with a notebookand a highlighter pen, looking forthe information that will help melearn the skills I need to do my bestwork, paid or not.Show me the manual, please, and

I will dive right in until it’s dog-eared and torn. It’s great to addsomething to the everyday routinethat makes me lean in harder, pushand grow. Somehow, it doesn’t seemlike extra work at all. It’s just a shotat something new.

CommentaryLemme see the manual

1038441B1038253B

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3Friday, June 7, 2013 Andrews Gazette

More than 400 Joint Base Andrews members enjoyed cooling off at the LibertyPark Pool openingMay 31. Guests were entertained by a disc jockey, given poolbags, and treated to food and refreshments.

LIBERTY PARK POOL

BEATS THE HEAT

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

A young swimmer readies her bodyboard.

After a hot spring, Joint Base Andrews mem-bers cool off in the Liberty Park Pool.

An Airman and his daughter cool offover water spouts.

BY SCOTT BOLDENANDREWS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Andrews Federal Credit Union joinedwith the Armed Forces Financial Net-work to present gift cards to the JointBase Andrews Fisher House. AndrewsFederal, along with AFFN, each pre-sented $3,000 in gift cards, for a total of$6,000 in donations.The gift cards are distributed to fami-

lies living at the Fisher House to helpdefray travel costs and other necessitiesassociated with daily living expenses.

For wounded soldiers transitioning fromthe war zone, the gift cards are a wel-come resource for their families duringmedical treatment. Fisher House servesas a home-away-from-home for our mili-tary heroes by providing a calm and car-ing atmosphere where families can gainsupport and encouragement from eachother.“Andrews Federal is always happy

to help assist our service members andtheir families any way possible,” saidSuzanne Curren, Andrews Federal chiefof staff.

AFCU gives gift cardsto JBA Fisher House

PHOTO/SCOTT BOLDEN

From left, Rosalind Bishop, Joint Base Andrews Branch Manager, Andrews Fed-eral; Nancy Christian, volunteer, Joint Base Andrews Fisher House; Oma George,VP Retail Member Service, Andrews Federal and Suzanne Curren, Chief of Staff,Andrews Federal pose with an oversized copy of the check that will provide giftcards for residents of JBA’s Fisher House.

1039992B1038490B


back home. The doctor was sta-tioned nearby in Arizona.“We had a little mini reunion,”

Phillips said. “It was really nice towork together.”Now a Captain, Phillips has

been at Malcolm Grow MedicalClinic and Surgical Center since2010. Because the 2005 Base Re-alignment and Closure process ledto the scuttling of Malcolm Grow’sinpatient services, her work in theemergent care department focuseson stabilizing emergency patientsfor transfer to impatient facilitiesat MedStar Southern MarylandHospital in Clinton, Md.; Chil-dren’s National Medical Centerin Washington, D.C.; Fort BelvoirCommunity Hospital, Va. andWal-ter Reed National Military Medi-cal Center at Bethesda, Md.Her work as an emergency

care nurse is similar, she said, tothe work she did as a civilian, butPhillips finds serving the militarymission to be a more fulfilling ca-reer. That’s especially true thesedays, as she is in the middle of asix-month “deployment” withinMGMCSC to serve in the Aero-medical Staging Facility.Patients arrive at the ASF af-

ter being wounded, ill or injuredoverseas. They have already re-ceived initial surgeries and theemergency care needed to stabilizethem for the flight from Europeor the Middle East to Joint BaseAndrews. Once here, patients whowill need extensive medical careare loaded onto buses destined forWRNMMC or Fort Belvoir.“We have three missions a

week,” said 79 Medical Wing Pub-lic Affairs Officer Melanie Moore.“The more ambulatory patientsstay at the ASF overnight and thenext day they’re sent closer to theirbase or their home,” to recuperatenear their unit and their family.“At the ASF they’re so happy

to be back to the States.,” Phillipssaid. Both at the ASF and during aprevious deployment to a forwardoperating base in Afghanistan,Phillips said, the camaraderie be-tween patient and nurse is a pow-erful force. “They’re so far fromfamily and home, we’re family foreach other.”Since the ASF only has patients

on certain days, the rest of Phil-lips’ time is spent training nurseofficers and medical technicians,often back in the Emergent CareCenter.“We’re really lucky to be near

the Emergent Care Center.They’reso open to help,” Phillips said. “Wego over and I say, ‘Can we start allyour I.V.s?’”Aside from working to keep

practical skills current, Phillips isalso a student at Georgetown Uni-versity, pursuing her master’s de-gree in education for nursing. Onceshe achieves her doctorate degreeshe hopes to teach military shocktrauma nurses at the Center forthe Sustainment of Trauma andReadiness Skills at the Universityof Maryland School of Medicine inBaltimore, Md.“My passion is emergency trau-

ma nursing,” said Phillips. “Theycome in as a puzzle that’s broken.That mystery is so exciting to me.”779th Medical GroupAeromedi-

cal Staging Facility Commander

Maj. Nancy Salmans said thatPhillips is dedicated as a nurseand as a leader.“Capt. Phillips really embrac-

es her mission, as an officer firstand a nurse second. She’s eagerto take on more and more lead-ership roles in the military,” saidSalmans. “She’s always wanting tolearn better nursing and clinicalskills, and also the Air Force andoverall mission—all the flight linerules and protocol, the leadershipskills, mentorship and delegation:Skills you may not develop as anurse. She’s willing to embraceboth sides.”Though Phillips was initially

hesitant to pursue a military ca-reer because her children wereyoung at the time she consideredit, her choice has given her morethan her own career and valu-able mentoring for other nursingprofessionals; her son Michaelhopes to join the U.S. Army Spe-cial Forces when he graduateshigh school next year.

NURSE, from page 1 CAPT. PHILLIP’S POEM

After a deployment to Afghanistan, Phillips wrote the following poem abouther experiences as an Air Force nurse.

Army Air Forceby Capt. Tameka Phillips

Here I am, Here with youLines of service teamed up to do what we doHas anyone ever asked you why you chose this career?Brave face, and with grace wemarch without fearWith each unique reason America understandsWe stand proud accept rank, volunteered our right handNow deployed far from home, its our job not a game“Service before self” not for fortune or for fameHas that great name of hero ever been given to youYou take it in stride we are just doing what we doThe core values we live, each day come and goWe live the core values for those we don’t knowWe fold flags and shed tears for those we have lostWe still go out fighting even knowing the costMy military family on my left and my right,Make sure we stay safe, we’re gonna make it home tonightMy sisters and brothers you are my family my crewNo other people out there can do what we doStrangers, family at home and friends send their prayers their hopeThey give us the strength to endure or to copeYou may be here….. and I may be there,Military bond…. few things will ever compareIf you are feeling my passion if you are feeling my toneBreak smiles through the clouds until we all are at home

BY DON HOWARDTROOPS TO TEACHERS FOR THE JBAEDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTION

Troops to Teachers continuesto evolve to meet the needs ofservice members and veterans.Since 1994 the program hashelped more than 16,000 vet-erans transition from the mili-tary to the classroom.In an effort to more compre-

hensively address the challeng-es veterans face when seekingmeaningful employment, recentlegislative and policy changesto the program will allow TTTto assist further. TTT can nowprovide assistance to servicemembers and veterans whoseek employment in a schooldistrict in a variety of rolesbeyond classroom instruction,such as school nurse, counsel-or, and other non-instructionalpersonnel. The TTT programwill be available to assist in-dividuals in identifying jobopportunities and connectingthem with hiring managers.While TTT will continue to

focus on placing veterans inteaching positions in publicschools, expansion of the pro-gram’s ability to assist a great-er number of individuals in a

broader spectrum of job oppor-tunities is intended to createsuccess for veterans, militarypersonnel and their families.Active duty and reserve

military education personnel,DANTES/DSST test centersstaff, service program head-quarters and academic institu-tions serving the military willcontinue to play an integralrole in supporting the effortsof TTT. As the program ex-pands its services, it is criticalthat TTT partners understandthese changes and ensure thatappropriate curriculum is inplace and comprehensive guid-ance is provided to each servicemember.In support of new, expanded

initiatives, we also strive to be-come more fully ingrained inthe lives of service members,their families and the commu-nities where they live by im-pacting change from a grass-roots, bottom-up framework.To learn more about Troops

to Teachers or how to becomea partner, call 800-231-6242 or(DSN) 459-1320, Fax 850-452-1096, or email [email protected] the conversations at www.facebook.com/TTT.

Troops to Teachers- evolving to servethose who served

Get your team together andshow ‘em how it’s done, son.Teams of up to four players(mixed-unit teams are fine) maysign up for the 3 on 3 basketballtournament by close of businessJuly 5 at the West Fitness Cen-ter. Sign up by email to [email protected],

call 301-981-7101 or stop by theWFC front desk.The event, scheduled for July

9, will last approximately twohours. Format will be based onthe number of teams who enter.Prizes will be awarded to the toptwo teams.

3 on 3 basketballtournament set


The 31st Annual Pow-Wow and Native Ameri-can Festival held at the American Indian CulturalCenter inWaldorf, Md. June 1 and 2 broughttogether Native Americans from around theregion in an inter-tribal social gathering cel-ebrating Native American culture and traditionsthrough singing, drumming, and dancing. Tradi-tional Native American dancers, drum groups,and other artists joined vendors selling food,handmade Native American jewelry, arts andcrafts, and other merchandise. The two-dayevent was sponsored by the Cedarville BandWild Turkey Clan of Piscataway Indians ofWal-dorf, Md. The tribe was officially recognized asa distinct people in the eyes of the state whenGov. Martin O’Malley issued an executive orderrecognizing the tribe’s distinct history in January2012. Visitors enjoyed arts and crafts, flute per-formances, face painting and pony rides.

POW-WOW HONORS, SHARES NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE

A Native American wears a traditionalheaddress adorned with beads, snakeskin, fur and an eagle feather.

A curious youngster connects with a tow-ering sculpture of a warrior sentry. A young boy stands in front of a traditional home.

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

Members of the Piscataway tribe perform an honor dance.

a pile of rubble, now, but the Americandream really hasn’t changed. It is still aconstant struggle between the rights ofthe individual and the needs of the many.”Cantilina completed his Family Prac-

tice Residency Program at MalcolmGrow Medical Center, serving as chiefresident in his final year. The time hespent at Andrews as a young physicianwas notable, he said, for the opportunityto treat World War II-era veterans andtheir families, and hear their stories.He went on to serve as a family physi-

cian at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Ca-lif.; rose to SGH and Medical OperationsDivision Commander of the 39 MDS atIncirlik Air Base, Turkey; he then re-turned to Eglin AFB to join the teachingstaff at the Air Armament Center Fam-ily Medicine Residency Program, beforemoving to the Family Health Clinic asflight commander and then completinghis tour there as Commander, 96th Medi-cal Operations Squadron supporting theAAC, six wings, 42 associate units and83,000 beneficiaries.As Commander, 779th Medical Group,

Cantilina will have primary responsibil-ity for 1,356 Airmen and civilians oper-ating in four locations including MGMC-SC to provide health service supportto Joint Base Andrews, primary healthcare to 30,000 enrolled beneficiaries andspecialty health care to over 600,000Department of Defense beneficiaries inthe National Capital Region. He also hasoversight of a 45-bed aeromedical stag-ing facility that serves as the aeromedi-cal evacuation hub for the East Coast,welcoming wounded, ill, and injuredwarriors back to the continental UnitedStates.“I do believe in military medicine.

I hope to see us as a bigger part of themen and women who serve, and who didserve,” said Cantilina.As he takes on that role, Cantilina

said that his first priority is to “get toknow the people, understand their mis-sion and the passion they have. Gen.Caron gave me a high-level outline ofwhat he expects and where he thinkthings are going, but Col. Cachuela did

an excellent job of leaving a well-tunedaircraft, the men and women of the medi-cal group who make things work.”Cachuela, who over 40 months as

Commander led the 779th MedicalGroup during a period of unprecedentedchange, frequent inspections, BRAC-related shifts in focus and the planningand design phases of the new MalcolmGrow Medical Clinic and Surgery Cen-ter, will next report for duty as theSOUTHCOM Surgeon General, provid-ing oversight, support and outreach formilitary medical facilities in 34 nationsacross the Caribbean and Latin America,including care for those who Maj. Gen.Caron called in his remarks, “those veryspecial patients at Guantanamo Bay.”Caron called the recent groundbreak-

ing for the new MCMCSC “a fitting cap-stone for a dedicated leader in militarymedicine, a visionary in the true sensein that there was no path.”In his remarks, Cachuela praised the

779th Medical Group team, saying, “Youmade it easy. You will always be a part ofme. We are Malcolm Grow—We are out-standing.”

CANTILINA, from page 1

PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS AARON STOUT

“To the best of my ability, I will leaveno Airman behind, and with God’s helpI pray that I will not falter and I will notfail,” said new Commander, 779th Medi-cal Group Col. Thomas J. Cantilina dur-ing his remarks after the change of com-mand ceremony held June 5.

PHYSIOLOGY OPEN HOUSE

DRAWS VISITORS

PHOTO/CHRIS BASHAM

Airman Jessica Feihl, a physiology technician, briefs visitors on how to identify theirown unique hypoxia symptoms inside the altitude chamber during the PhysiologyOpen House May 31 at the 779 Aerospace and Operational Physiology Training facilityon Joint Base Andrews. All personnel who are on an active flight status must undergohypoxia training every five years, to familiarize themselves with their bodies’ chang-ing reaction to the reduced oxygen levels available in flight. The training involvesattempting exercises to test mental sharpness, vision, decision making and the abilityto follow directions while also noting physical symptoms such as tingling extremities,tiredness, hot and cold flashes, euphoria, faintness, and other indicators that a per-son’s oxygen levels are too low to function well and stay safe in flight.“We put you in a big, metal box and we suck all the air out of it,” said Feihl of the tests,which simulate flights up to 25,000 feet in altitude.

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

visit www.dcmilitary.com.


Girls from five Prince George’s County elementary schools gath-ered June 1 at Greenbelt Park for the Girls on the Run 5K.The ‘Girls on the Run’ program is a transformational, physicalactivity-based, positive youth development program for girls in3rd through 8th grades. The program teaches life skills throughdynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The programtrains the girls to be physically and emotionally prepared to com-plete a celebratory 5K run at the end of the school year. The goalof the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishmentwhile establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.

GIRLS ON THE RUN HAVE FUN

Teachers present students with gold medals for finishingGirls on the Run.

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

Young girls, family members and teachers begin the first leg of theGirls on the Run 5K.

Tyrone Jones cheers on his sister, a determined Tori Jones of Allenwood Elementary School, as they fin-ish the 3.1-mile Girls on the Run event at Greenbelt Park, Greenbelt, Md.

Runners warm up.Allenwood Elementary School students drink waterbefore the run.

BY LT. COL.LANCE RODGERS

FreefallingSince the New York

Yankees is everyone’s fa-vorite team to cheer (for oragainst), we’ll start withthem. The statistics provid-ed are through June 2.The Yankees had a com-

fortable, four-game lead inthe American League EastMay 20. Since then, they’vebeen freefalling. They’velost nine of their last 13games, seven of their lasteight, and two in a row. May21 and 22, they lost to theOrioles 3-2 and 6-3 respec-tively. Though they man-aged to take the first twogames from the Rays, theythen lost their next fivegames, including gettingswept four games by thestruggling cross-town NewYork Mets in interleagueplay. They got one backfrom the surging, first-placeBoston Red Sox on May 31,but then dropped the nexttwo to go three games be-hind the Red Sox and a halfgame behind the Orioles.The Yankees are not deadyet, but they certainly haveplayed like it recently.

First to WorstIn the AL Central, the

Kansas City Royals werein first place at the end ofApril, but May wasn’t sokind to them. They lost 20of the 28 May games plustheir first game in June.Pitcher James Shields hashad 10 very good starts in12 outings this season andhas posted a 2.83 ERA.However, his record is just2-6, giving him the worstrecord among major leaguestarting pitchers with an

ERA less than 3.0. The Roy-als are now last in the divi-sion, and 6.5 games behindthe division-leading DetroitTigers.The Cleveland Indians

have done just the oppo-site, winning 18 of their 30games in May and movingup from last in the divisionto just a half game back.

Not much happen-ing in TexasThe Texas Rangers re-

mained hot through Mayand are still in first placein the ALWest with a 35-21record, while the HoustonAstros remain in last placein that division with a 21-37 record, despite winningsix in a row. Is this a signthat the Astros are comingto life? Probably not, butwe’ll check back at the All-Star break.

Braves and MarlinsThe Atlanta Braves have

maintained their lead inthe NL East with 34 winsand 22 losses. Thoughthe Philadelphia Philliesworked their way to the topspot briefly, they fell backto third in the division, andthe Braves got hot again.The Miami Marlins havebeen the most consistent

team in baseball, maintain-ing the worst record withonly 16 wins and 42 losses.

Holding steadyThe St. Louis Cardi-

nals have also been veryconsistent this season andthrough June 2 have thebest record in baseball with38 wins and 19 losses. Withfive players hitting over.300, led by catcher YadierMolina (.350), no wonderthey’ve been so tough tobeat. For die-hard ChicagoCubs fans, your team isno longer in last place inthe NL Central. They havemoved up one notch to agame and a half in frontof the Milwaukee Brew-ers. Not that the Cubs havebeen playing well, but theBrewers have really beenstruggling, including losingeight of their last 10 games.

SurprisingThe Arizona Diamond-

backs (32-24) were a gamebehind the Colorado Rock-ies at the end of April, buthave outpaced their NLWest opponents and have a2.5-game lead over the SanFrancisco Giants throughJune 2. The San Diego Pa-dres have turned thingsaround with 18 wins and 16losses since May 1, leavingthe Los Angeles Dodgers inlast place in the NL West.Two months down, and

four to go until the playoffs.Lt. Col. Rodgers is the

medical group adminis-trator at Malcolm GrowMedical Clinic and SurgeryCenter. He was drafted bythe Chicago White Sox asa utility infielder after col-lege in 1985, but cut shortlythereafter when Jose Motawas signed.

Talking BaseballTwo months down

Lt. Col. Rodgers

The Intramural Softball season started June 4 with a double header. The 779thMedical Group won 16 to 6 against Air Force District of Washington in gameone. AFDWwon the second game against 779MDG, 13 to 11.

BATTER UP: JBA STARTS

INTRAMURAL SOFTBALL SEASON

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

Angela Henderson, AFDW right fielder,concentrates on getting a base hitagainst the 779 MDG during the firstinning.

Chris Donavan, AFDW left center field, makes a diving catch as teammate, SteveTatro, right center observes during the second inning.

Rick Skarkson, Air Force District ofWashington, delivers a pitch during thesecond game against the 779th Medi-cal Group.

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CAPTION THIS

Send your silly captions for this week’s photo to [email protected]. The funniest ones will be used in afuture edition of the Andrews Gazette.

my life, so I could make sure I was around for my family.”Morton strategized on how to break her workouts up.“After I dropped boys off at the bus stops for school,

I would go do as much of my workout as I could before Iwent to class. Whatever I didn’t finish I’d go back to thegym and do after class,” said Morton. “On days when I hadno classes I’d work out as early as possible then study andrun errands.”As time went on Morton realized that to live a healthy

lifestyle, she would have to change her eating habits tocomplement her workout regimen.Morton would make all of her meals the night before or

early in the morning. “I would pack them in a small cooleror with ice packs and bring them so I could eat a smallmeal every three hours. It’s a lot of work and planning,but it’s worth it.”Morton realized that after reaching her goal she now

just has to maintain it by continuing to exercise, makingfood swaps and watching her portions.“I plan to keep working out and watching what I eat,”

said Morton, now two dress sizes smaller. “I have learnedhow to cook healthy alternatives to some of my favoritemeals. For instance, there is nothing more comforting tome that a bowl of homemade spaghetti and meat sauce. Iabsolutely love this meal,” said Morton, admitting her oneguilty pleasure. “However, instead of using ground beef Iuse ground turkey meat, and I use organic pasta sauce andtomatoes and brown rice pasta or GMO-free corn pasta,”said Morton. “Sometimes I will eat the meat sauce on topof mixed greens. Food swaps like this not only cut caloriesbut they make the meal healthier and far more nutrient-dense.”Now fully committed to her daily physical regimen to

stay in shape and eat healthy, Morton finds it easier toconcentrate on obtaining her nursing degree. Morton wasaccepted to the Bowie State University Nursing Programfor fall 2013.“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse. When I was little if

you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, thatwas my answer,” said Morton. “I want to educate my com-munity about total health and wellness, and what it isand how to obtain it. I also want people to understand thehealing power of raw, natural foods and herbs,” Mortonadded. “Mostly I want to help heal people and teach themhow to be truly well.”

WEIGHT LOSS, from page 1

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

Reprina Morton programs the treadmill for her daily work-out at the West Fitness Center.

COURTESY OF FEMA’S READY CAMPAIGN

The summer season means more than school vaca-tions and weekends at the pool. Summer brings anincrease in the threat of wildfires and the danger thatthese outbreaks carry. As firefighters worked to con-tain the Spring wildfire in Southern California, theNational Interagency Fire Center recently publishedits summer fire outlook that forecasts a difficult,above average wildfire season in the West.Wildfires spread quickly and often go undetected

until it’s too late. Across our nation every year com-munities are affected by major wildfires. While somehomes survive, more homes do not. Make sure yourfamily and community take actions to get prepared.Homes have a much higher likelihood of surviving

wildfires when residents are prepared. Predictability,prevention and being prepared can minimize yourrisk in case of wildfire and help reduce the loss of life,property and resources.In most cases, people start wildfires. Promote and

practice wildfire safety in your community with thesetips:Teach children about fire safety. Keep matches out of

their reach.Make sure that fire vehicles can get to your home.

Clearly mark all driveway entrances and display yourname and address.Report hazardous conditions that could cause a wild-

fire.Post fire emergency telephone numbers.Ensure adequate accessibility by large fire vehicles to

your property.Plan several escape routes away from your home - by

car and by foot.For more information on how to prepare and reduce

your risks for wildfire damage visit: http://www.ready.gov/wildfiresWireless Emergency Alerts send free informational

text messages to WEA-enabled cell phones within rangeof an imminent and dangerous local situation, severeweather event, or AMBER emergency.The WEA notification is designed to get your atten-

tion and notify you with a unique sound and vibration.Public safety officials use WEA to send you essential

information whenever you are near the location of a life-threatening event.You do not need to register to receive WEA notifica-

tions. You will automatically receive alerts if you haveWEA-capable phone and your wireless carrier partici-pates in the program.To find out if your mobile device is capable of receiv-

ing WEA alerts, contact your mobile device carrier.

Beat summer’s heat with fire preparednessJBA WELCOMES

NEW SHOPPETTE

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS ERIN O’SHEA

Customers shop at the newly opened Express shoppetteon Joint Base Andrews, Md., May 29. Due to the new con-struction, Andrews teammembers should be aware thecurrent gas station will be closing after transition to thenew site is complete.

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and family health services, stress manage-ment and education are expanding to focusmore on the new stressors impacting Airmenand others, especially in economically uncer-tain times made more challenging due to thetightened budgets and expanded workloadscaused by sequestration.“We encourage people to build on their

strengths, not wait until the last minute,” toget the help they need, Cochran said.Cochran’s most recent mental health out-

reach program has included asking peoplearound base to take note of the factors thatcontribute to personal resiliency.“My favorite response was the Airman

who said, ‘I’m resilient because I let otherpeople help me.’We forget that letting peoplehelp us is not a sign of weakness. It’s a waypeople can help find strength within them-selves,” said Cochran, who plans to displayposters listing some of JBA’s responses tothe question around the installation as areminder of the many factors that can helpindividuals build their own resilience--andhelp others do the same.For many, the emotions and concerns that

lead to thoughts of suicide are more than amental health issue. Chaplains are avail-able to discuss the spiritual aspects of lifeand provide counseling, referral services,support and information for people of faithconcerned about the spiritual implications ofsuicide and suicidal thoughts.“Every chaplain and chaplain assistant is

trained in suicide intervention at the Chap-lain Corps College at Fort Jackson, S.C.,” said11th Wing Chaplain Lisa Tice. That traininghelps chaplains to identify suicidal gestures,intervene on behalf of those contemplatingsuicide and get them the help they need.Airmen interested in looking into the re-

sources available to them without meetingsomeone face-to-face within the fence linecan contact militaryonesource.mil for refer-rals outside the base.Chaplains are also able to discuss the

moral and spiritual implications of suicideand suicidal thoughts that are part of theirfaith background’s doctrine and traditions.“There are spiritual questions that do

come up,” Tice said, and chaplains are avail-able to talk those through. To speak with achaplain, call 301-981-2111.Want to work on handling your stress?

Stress management classes are offeredThursdays at 3 p.m. at the HAWC. Class-es rotate each week and cover controlledbreathing, muscle-based relaxation, mentalrelaxation and meditation. For informationon those classes call 240-857-5601. To havea two-hour stress management seminarconducted at your own work site, call 240-857-7186.

SUICIDE, from page 1

The Caribbean Council of Prince George’s County kicked off Caribbean American HeritageMonth June 1 with the fourthannual A Taste of the Caribbean festival at BladensburgWaterfront Park in Bladensburg, Md. A celebration of the music,food, stories and culture of all the islands of the Caribbean, the festival included children’s craft activities, health infor-mation, resources for Caribbean nationals planning to return to the Caribbean, artists, dancers, vendors and communityspirit.The council works to preserve and promote the diversity of Caribbean culture while helping Caribbean nationals assimi-late into the social, political, educational, economic and cultural life of Prince George’s County.

TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN BRINGS

ISLAND LIFE TO BLADENSBURG

TyraThomas ofAspen Hill,7, and hergrandfa-ther CarlMalcolmof TacomaPark enjoyjerk chick-en shishkabob onthe lawn.

SingerKali-Tokaworksthecrowd.

Joie Sam-uelsonof Holly-wood, Md.browsesoriginal artby UpperMarlboro-basedartist Jen-nifer McIn-tosh, atleft.

PHOTOS/CHRIS BASHAM

Andrew Elias of Glen Dale sells Guyanese pastries and sweets.

1038952B


The Phoenix Raven course is conducted by the United States Air Force Expeditionary Center atJoint BaseMcGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The two-week course covers cross-culturalawareness, legal considerations, embassy operations, airfield survey techniques, improvisedexplosive device awareness, aircraft searches, and unarmed self-defense techniques. Studentsare exposed to more than 70 use-of-force role-playing scenarios. Training includes instruction andrealistic practical exercises in “verbal judo,” weapons retention, baton training, and advanced fire-arms training. Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Raven program, implemented in 1997, consists ofteams of specially trained security forces personnel dedicated to providing security for Air MobilityCenter aircraft that travel over or through high terrorist and criminal threat areas.Candidates from the 811th Security Forces Squadron on Joint Base Andrews are scheduled to startthe 22-day course June 3.

JBA READIES POTENTIAL RAVENS

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

A dozen members from the 811th Security Forces Squadron gothrough preliminary bag drills with batons to compete for PhoenixRaven positions at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Raven candidates from the 811th Security Forces Squadron on Joint Base Andrews run with medicineballs around a track to build their endurance May 30 at the West Fitness Center.

An 811th Security Forces Squadron member continuously strikes abag with a rubber baton during a bag drill to enhance accuracy, mus-cle memory and stamina.

Please Recycle this Newspaper


be a struggle; that’s why TRICARE has re-sources available for those ready to quit.The “Quit Tobacco, Make Everyone Proud”campaign helps military personnel, familymembers and retirees kick the habit. Thecampaign’s website, www.ucanquit2.org,offers online resources via a 24/7 onlinechat messenger, cigarette smoke facts, ahelp locator and a personalized outline tohelp smokers in their efforts to quit. Ben-eficiaries who want to quit or who haverelapsed can call to talk with a trainedsmoking cessation coach who will assess

their cessation process and recommendappropriate treatment and the resourcesto quit smoking or remain smoke-free.

The Retiree Activities Office is open 10a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.Visit the office in Building 1604 at Califor-nia and Colorado Avenues or call us at 301-981-2726. Our e-mail address is rao(at)andrews.af.mil. Call the office before yourvisit to ensure a volunteer is on duty. TheRAO has a website at www.andrews.af.mil;Under “Helpful Links” click on “RetireesActivity Office” for information on retireesubjects, including past copies of “RetireeCorner.”

RETIREE, from page 2

JBA BuzzWhat exercise regimen do you follow?

Jacqueline Ross

Waldorf, Md.

1st Lt. Alexan-dria Randall,89th OperationsSupport Squad-ron commanderexecutive

Master Sgt.Kevin Gallagh-er, 201st AirliftSquadron flightattendant

Staff Sgt. BobbyEvans, 317th Re-cruiting Squad-ron recruiter

“I don’t eat meat. I’m avegan.The way I startmy daily regimen iswith morning devotion,because I believe youmust put God first andeverything else willfollow. Then I drink alean shake, stretchand work out to a videocalled The Grind toburn calories. I don’tuse weights. I use bodyresistance exercisesto keep me toned. Myworkouts last threeto four hours, includ-ing 30 minutes on thetreadmill, 30 minutes onthe elliptical and a two-mile run. I also playbasketball to help keepmy arms defined.”

“I swim laps, bike 10to 25 miles per weekand I run. Triathlonsare my forte.”

“I’m currently liftinga lot of weights forstrengthening. I runthree to six milestwice a week.”

“First I do about anhour and a half ofcardio. During thattime I work out on theelliptical and set it at12 elevation resis-tance. Next I do 20minutes on the stairstepper, 45 minuteson the treadmill at6.5 speed to burncalories at an inclineof 12.”

IslamicPrayer Room in Chapel 1 AnnexDaily Prayer Monday - Friday, 7:30

a.m. - 4 p.m.Prayer Service Friday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

JewishKiddush/Sabbath dinner Friday, 6 p.m.All are welcome. To RSVP and for loca-

tion contact: Rabbi,Capt. Schechter at 240-671-2270 or

[email protected] can find a complete listing of Yom

Kippur services in the National CapitalRegion through www.jewishindc.com.

ProtestantSunday ServicesChapel 2, Traditional Service 9 a.m.Base Theater, Contemporary Service

10

Gospel Service 11:30 a.m.Tuesday Family Night at Base TheaterFamily meal 5 p.m.Christian Education and AWANA Kid’s

Program 6 p.m.

Roman CatholicReconciliation by appointment, call

301-981-2111Daily and Saturday Mass have been

temporarily suspended.Chapel 1, 1345 W. Perimeter Road.Mass Sunday, 8:30 a.m.Chapel 2, 3715 Fetchet Ave.Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

(RCIA) classes Monday, 6 p.m.

For information, pastoral counselingand religious accommodation of all faithtraditions call 301-981-2111 or visit thechapel office at 1345 W Perimeter Road.

Religious Serviceson base

BY CHAPLAIN (CAPT.) DENIS GUEU

Worry seems to be part of human na-ture. However, excessive worry is harmfulin many ways. It can lead to physical andemotional stress and hamperrelationships. It can affect focus at

work and deter one from being “present”at home. Worry can also be a downwardspiral into depression andhopelessness.Worry is often related to perspective.

We have all heard about “seeing the glasshalf full or half empty.” Some, by nature,may be inclined to see theglass half full. It is possible to change

one’s perspective, becoming more optimis-tic and less worried.There are several antidotes to worry.

You can talk to someone about your unre-

lenting thoughts. For example, accordingto many faiths, followers areencouraged to pray instead of worry-

ing. Sometimes running or exercise candiminish worries.Michel de Montaigne, a writer of the

French Renaissance, aptly stated, “My lifehas been full of terrible misfortunes, mostof which never happened.” Think of all thetime wasted dwelling on misfortunes thatmay never occur. Not only is precious timewasted, it usually leads to a loss of peaceand creates a general state of discontent.The next time you are plagued by

worry, try to think of at least one possiblepositive outcome. Hopefully, you will takesome time out this summer to relax, go onvacation, and take a break from everydaylife. Having positive experiences will helpyou worry less and find more joy.

Chaplain’s ThoughtWorry

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

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

1038599B


andrews 060713

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