April 12, 2012 Sleep smarts Since the invention of the light bulb in 1879, Americans have slowly reduced the number of hours they sleep until we now get about 20 percent less sleep then we would have in the late 19th century. In addition to the invention of artificial light, other circumstances that may interfere with the
April 12, 2012 DOD implements new changes to sexual assault response The Defense Department has refined new methods to aid sexual assault victims whether reporting a crime or seeking assistance as they transition from service, the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office said here March 30."We have several new options for victims of sexual
April 5, 2012 DOD implements new changes to sexual assault response The Defense Department has refined new methods to aid sexual assault victims whether reporting a crime or seeking assistance as they transition from service, the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office said here March 30."We have several new options for victims of sexual
April 4, 2012 Cervical cancer screening saves lives The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2010, 12,200 new cases of invasive cervical cancer were diagnosed in the United States and about 4,210 women died from cervical cancer. Although these statistics are devastating, cervical cancer is preventable.Cervical cancer was once recognized as one
April 3, 2012 Air Force Medical Service Says New Tools Help Activate Patients Today's top medical leaders are placing great emphasis on creating a culture of wellness and healthy lifestyles. A key to success is getting patients actively involved in their own health care. That's why military health professionals are using innovative tools to connect people with vital medical
March 9, 2012 Air Force invests in robust Spice testing The Air Force is currently conducting urinalysis testing for Spice chemicals through a civilian laboratory and will field an in-house urinalysis testing capability for Spice in mid-March.Spice is a name brand and also a generic term for a large family of chemically unrelated "synthetic cannabinoids"
March 7, 2012 Air Force "Doc" moonlights as Spokane "SWAT" He's dual-hatted, serving his country as an Air Force doctor and his community as a member of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics team.Simply known as "Doc" to his SWAT team colleagues, Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, a 92nd Medical Group doctor, has been a SWAT doctor for
March 7, 2012 Heads Up! March is Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month Traumatic brain injury is defined as a blow, jolt or other injury to the head that disrupts the functioning of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. A TBI can occur from exposure to blasts, falls, gunshot wounds, and motor vehicle accidents. Blasts are the leading cause of
March 6, 2012 Air Force expands drug testing program to include abused prescription drugs The Air Force and other military services will expand their drug testing to include testing for commonly abused prescription drugs beginning May 1, 2012.On Jan. 31, 2012, the Secretary of Defense gave a 90-day advance notice of the drug testing expansion which aims to counter the nation's growing
Feb. 21, 2012 Healing the injured brain: VA, DoD join forces on research to combat TBI, PTSD In recent years, collaboration has increased between Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) researchers, especially in the areas of traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological health topics. As many as 229,000 service
Feb. 16, 2012 Travis scientist fights on the microscopic front lines in the battle against disease, injury From her tidy research laboratory, Sarah Torres, 60th Air Mobility Wing civilian and 349th AMW Reservist, contemplates big ideas by focusing on the microcosm of living matter.Half a world away, a soldier on patrol in Afghanistan is briefly knocked unconscious by the blast of a roadside bomb. His
Feb. 15, 2012 Laughlin aids Kinney County during emergency When at least 30 railroad cars derailed about 11 miles east of Laughlin Feb. 7, the Kinney County Sheriff's Office called upon experts here to assist with identifying potentially hazardous material at the scene. Earlier that morning, Kinney County officials smelled a faint chemical odor at the scene
Feb. 1, 2012 Military Health System Works to Slow Cost Growth The $50 billion military health system will plan for its future by slowing the growth rate of health care costs, strengthening partnerships and focusing on prevention, primary care and chronic disease management, the Defense Department's top health official said this morning.Dr. Jonathan Woodson,
Jan. 26, 2012 Langley AFB’s resilience resources available to all online Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy signed a memorandum Jan. 12 directing commanders Air Force-wide to stand down to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing the force. At Langley Air Force Base, Airmen from every unit
Jan. 19, 2012 Anywhere, Anytime Support for Sexual Assault Victims The Department of Defense community now has access to professional help for sexual assault victims with just a click, call or text, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In April 2011, the DoD officially launched a Safe Helpline, which offers access to victim support services online at
Jan. 19, 2012 Top myths about pap tests Did you know that cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death in American women?In fact, in many developing countries, it still is. However, cervical cancer deaths in the U.S. fell by about 70 percent between 1955 and 1992, according to the American Cancer Society.What caused this
Jan. 18, 2012 Combined regimen reduces lower back pain A regimen of core strengthening exercises was no better than traditional sit-ups for preventing back pain in soldiers, according to a new University of Florida study. But combining both exercise programs with a brief educational session on back pain strategies did lower the incidence of treatment
Jan. 12, 2012 Novartis Consumer Health Over-The-Counter Products Recall Recall - Potential Presence of Foreign Tablets or Chipped or Broken Tablets or Gelcaps including Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin, Gas-X PreventionISSUE: Novartis Consumer Health Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots of over-the-counter products Excedrin, Bufferin, Gas-X Prevention and NoDoz. Reports were
Jan. 12, 2012 Do the Spice, Pay the Price Spice use is on the rise and Air Force officials are using methods such as drug testing, education and the Uniformed Code of Military Justice to put a stop to substance abuse. While the Air Force has always had a zero-tolerance policy, as of Jan. 4 Guam officials have banned the substance as well
Jan. 3, 2012 DOD releases sexual assault report, announces new policies Defense Department officials released the "Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies" on Dec. 27, covering the academic year from June 1, 2010, to May 31, 2011.The report shows an increase in reports of sexual assault, with 65 reports of sexual assault