Colorado S prings M ilitary Newspaper Group
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Did you know? HHHHHHHHHH
WINGMAN DAY
www.csmng.com
Vol. 12 No. 18
Foam bullet battle wraps up SAPR month
HHHHHHHHHH Wingman Day is tomorrow. The opening ceremony begins at 8 a.m. in the fitness center, and the first classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Unit resilience time is from 12-4:30 p.m. The following food trucks will be available: Wild Goose, All Things Pita and AAFES will have the Direct Run food truck with a variety of vendors. Military members are required to wear UOD for duty day activities on base, but may wear civilian clothes for activities off-base. Civilians may wear themed shirts and sweatshirts, but costumes are not authorized, to include masks, capes, props, face paint etc.
Base Briefs Spouses are invited to events marked with
THIS WEEK El Paso County issues burn restrictions El Paso County has issued Stage 1 burn restrictions which prohibits the following: 1. Open burning except in permanent structures in developed campgrounds and picnic grounds or in private residences in areas cleared of all flammable materials. 2. The sale and use of fireworks. 3. Outdoor smoking except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or in an area 3 feet in diameter that is clear of all flammable material. If you have any questions, you may contact the El Paso County dispatch at 719-390-5555 or the El Paso County Fire Marshal’s Office at 575-8400.
U.S. Air Force photo by Kathryn Calvert
Members of the 50th Operations Squadron guard their flag behind a wall of coolers at the Foam Bullet Battle at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, April 27, 2018. The Sexual Assault Prevention Response program office hosted events like these to raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
By Halle Thornton 50th Space Wing Public Affairs
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The Sexual Assault Prevention Response program office hosted a Foam Bullet Battle April 27 to wrap up Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Col. Jacob Middleton, vice commander of the 50th Space Wing, kicked off the battle, reminding Airmen why events like this take place. “The important part to remember is Airmen are our most important weapon system,” he said. “That includes families, contractors and civilians. Have fun and spread the word, it all comes down to resiliency and making the right choices. Remember why we’re here.”
Chief Master Sgt. Jason Tiek, command chief of the 50th SW, also stressed the importance of SAAPM. “I appreciate the participation in this awareness event, it’s an important topic,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to have times dedicated to remind us about sexual assault prevention, but that’s the world we live in. Let’s remember why we’re here. Have fun, and may the best team win.” The 2nd Space Operations Squadron, 50th Security Forces Squadron, 4th Space Operations Squadron and the 50th Operations Support Squadron battled in three rounds: team elimination, capture the flag and protect the president. At the end of the competition, 2nd SOPS
proved victorious in the elimination round. Cecilia Smith, acting sexual assault response coordinator with the SAPR program office, thought the bullet battle was a great event, especially because it was the first one ever at Schriever AFB. “Although there weren’t a ton of people, the people that did show up enjoyed it,” she added. She hopes to cohost the battle again next year with the fitness center. April was busy for the SAPR program office, and Smith said it was successful in getting out the various messages. “I hope people know April is when we push See SAPR awareness page 8
More Briefs page 4 Sign up for weekly Schriever announcements, news and more. Visit www.schriever.af.mil and click “Public Affairs” under featured links.
Public Affairs
Inside
BBQ..................................................7 Honoring the fallen...........................9 UEI sucess...................................... 12
MHFA provides tool-kit for mental health By Senior Airman Arielle Vasquez 50th Space Wing Public Affairs
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The Airman and Family Readiness Center hosted a Mental Health First Aid class at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, April 25. Instructors with Mental Health First Aid Colorado visited Schriever AFB for the first time to provide Airmen and their loved ones with necessary tools and knowledge to help others who may experience a mental health crisis. “This class was tailored for military members,” said Ruth Moore, community readiness consultant with the 50th Force Support Squadron. “Honoring our active duty and veteran military service members includes making sure they have access to mental health services and support.” According to the Archives of General Psychiatry, 46.4 percent of adults in the United States will experience mental illness during their lifetime. “We visit all over the local community to teach this course,” said Norma Thibodeau, instructor with MHFAC. “We want to bring awareness and provide more education on mental health. There is a huge stigma associated with this, especially in military
culture; we want people to know this is something we can talk about openly.” The eight-hour class used role-playing and other activities to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect people to the appropriate professional, peer, social and self-help care. Attendees learned about common risk factors and warning signs of specific types of illnesses, including anxiety, depression, substance use, eating disorders and psychosis. Airmen and their families also learned how to apply an action plan in a variety of situations, including when someone is experiencing panic attacks, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, selfinjury, reaction to a traumatic event and overdose or withdrawal from drug use. The action plan states: Action A: Assess for risk of suicide or harm Action L: Listen nonjudgmentally Action G: Give reassurance and information Action E: Encourage appropriate professional help Action E: Encourage self-help and other support strategies See Toolkit for mental health page 8