Colorado S prings M ilitary Newspaper Group
Thursday, October 12, 2017
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SHUTTLE SERVICE Did you know? The shuttle service has returned for dormitory residents? Look at the Schreiver website for arrival and departure times. Ask leadership for guidance regarding delayed reporting, base closures and early releases.
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Vol. 11 No. 41
Wasche aids hurricane relief By Airman 1st Class William Tracy 50th Space Wing Public Affairs
Hurricane season is underway this year, and the U.S. has seen devastation from Hurricanes Maria, Irma, Nate and Harvey, each causing wide-spread destruction in its path. The roots of American lives lifted from their foundation, as thousands of families have been affected, many losing their homes, cars and loved ones. To ease the loss and devastation, many people remotely donated money, foods and other goods. Thea Wasche, 50th Force Support Squadron deputy commander, went further, deploying directly to the areas impacted under Harvey as an American Red Cross’ Disaster Relief volunteer.
Base Briefs Spouses are invited to events marked with
THIS WEEK Fire Department Open House
The Tierra Vista Community Center will host an open house 4 - 6 p.m. Friday. The event will include snacks, giveaways, handouts, a visit from Sparky and other activities for the whole family. The Schriever Fire department will have fire trucks and equipment on display and will be available for questions. There will also be an interactive fire safety trailer set up for residents to learn about home fire hazards, kitchen fires and emergency escape procedures for family members. For more information, contact the Fire Prevention Office at 567-3370.
Military Retirees Activities Office
The Military Retiree Activities office holds its monthly council meeting the second Thursday of each month 2:30 p.m. in Building 350, Room 1206, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. The guest speaker for today will be Sterling Chase with an overview of Martial Arts for Seniors. Call 556-7153 for more information.
50 JA Legal Office closure
The Legal Office will be closed today for a DV visit. We will reopen tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. More Briefs page 13 Sign up for weekly Schriever announcements, news and more. Visit www.schriever.af.mil and click “Public Affairs” under featured links.
Public Affairs
Inside
Success through teamwork............... 3 Cultivate healthy relationships......... 6 Marathon challenges athletes......... 12
With her small team, Wasche was responsible for assisting thousands of people, many of whom were upset, frightened and angry at their misfortune. Wasche worked as a shelter supervisor for shelters stood up in Harvey’s wake, providing logistics support and led Red Cross workers in aiding those affected by the storm. “The first shelter I set up was north of Galveston, where a lot of flooding occurred in the bay area,” she said. “It was a community shelter that could support about 45 people. It only stayed open one week to take care of the imminent needs of the community. That includes food and logistics support, healthcare services, case workers and more.” Days later, Wasche deployed to the area hit hardest by Harvey — southwest Houston. The Category 4 storm caused extensive damage upon landfall; however, most of the flooding in Houston was caused by subsequent heavy rains. Texas had mandatory evacuations for 429,700 residents, and voluntary evacuations for 234,120 more. Texas Governor Greg Abbot declared a “State of Disaster” in 58 counties due to Harvey’s impact. See Hurricane page 9
Courtesy photo
Thea Wasche, 50th Force Support Squadron deputy commander and American Red Cross Disaster Relief program volunteer, and Kevin Blankenstein, Red Cross Disaster Relief volunteer, gather for a photo inside a mega shelter in Houston, Texas, Sept. 20, 2017. Wasche and Blankenstein assisted those who were devastated by Hurricane Harvey during their deployment with the Red Cross.
Think pink, think ahead By Halle Thornton 50th Space Wing Public Affairs
About one in eight women in the United States can expect to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about one in 1000. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and both women and men need to be aware of proper precautions one can take to ensure lowest possible risk. Bertha Espinosa, 21st Medical Squadron nurse at the Schriever Air Force Base clinic, explained the month is designed to make the community more aware of breast cancer, and preventive measures people can take to ensure they are at the lowest risk possible. “We (clinic) tell people you need to be aware as you grow older because you are at a higher risk of breast cancer,” she said. A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) who has been diagnosed. Less than 15 percent of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it. About 5-10 percent of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations. On average, women with a gene mutation have a 55-65 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. See Detection page 14
Courtesy graphic
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which raises awareness and highlights the importance of early detection. Both women and men are encouraged to be aware of potential risks and to take preventive measures such as healthy eating and regular exercise.