Nov. 2, 2009 Defense Department officials take aim at drug abuse "Drug Free is the Key" for the Defense Department's Red Ribbon Week this year as it works to raise public awareness and mobilize communities to combat tobacco, alcohol and drug use among military personnel, civilians and families. The observation of Red Ribbon Week began Oct. 23 and ended Oct. 31.
Sept. 14, 2009 Tinker man uses painful past to educate others about suicide When 27-year-old Gordon Joel "Joey" Dunham died, his father wanted to die, too. "I've had every emotion possible," said Rocky Dunham, a tools and parts attendant with the 552nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron. "I had no idea what suicide was about until it touched me when my son died last year.
Aug. 27, 2009 DGMC recommended for VPP "Star" status Wrapping up an intense week, the executive leadership of David Grant USAF Medical Center anxiously sat and waited, holding their collective breath. After enduring an Occupational Safety and Health Administration outbrief where minutes seemed like hours, Peter Wilsey, OSHA Region IX team leader
Aug. 20, 2009 Timorese islanders receive 'house call' Four U.S. Air Force and three Royal Australian Regiment medical personnel provided basic family care support to 283 people in the tiny fishing village of Bikeli, Atauro in Timor Leste, July 22, in support of Operation Pacific Angel 09. The small group was flown to the island by the International
Aug. 20, 2009 Physical therapists keep servicemembers in the fight Aircraft mechanics make sure the airframes they are assigned to are in impeccable condition, fine tuning them, ensuring there isn't any excessive wear and tear so these precision machines are ready to do their part in the today's fight. The human body is also a precision machine and needs to be well
Aug. 20, 2009 Recognize the warning signs Those of us who serve or work for the miltiary receive training on suicide prevention, but how many of us really apply what we learn? Are we watching for warning signs? Do we know who is at risk and how we can help them? Do we know what we can do to help? I don't know about you, but I always thought
July 31, 2009 Uncertainty about military suicides frustrates services The most frustrating part about suicide prevention is the uncertainty about what causes troops to take their lives, top military leaders said here July 29. This near-unanimous chorus was sounded on Capitol Hill when the second-ranking military officers of each service testified about military mental
July 29, 2009 Flight surgeon uses Eastern medicine to treat patients Acupuncture is a skill that has been used in Eastern medicine for thousands of years. In the last 20 years, a handful of Air Force doctors have begun using this skill in addition to familiar Western medical practices. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Tim Duffy, 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron flight doctor here,
July 23, 2009 New approach to PTSD offers service members greater privacy, reduced stigma Servicemembers seeking help for deployment-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder now have the option of being treated through primary care channels, thanks to a new pilot program offered at Wilford Hall Medical Center. The primary goal of this new research program is to offer effective therapy for
July 23, 2009 Clinic crew clears crowded, clouded craniums Military members and their families can face much adversity. Just as with our civilian counterparts, that adversity can come while managing financial responsibilities, raising a family, or maintaining other personal relationships. However, the military family has the added stress of frequent
June 29, 2009 Important dates in the history of the AF Medical Service July 1949 and early 1950 -- Newly authorized Air Force medics assume all responsibility for patient treatment on Air Force bases. On Sept. 7, 1949, two months after the creation of the Air Force Medical Service, Louis Johnson, Secretary of Defense, directed that aeromedical evacuation (AE) be the
June 12, 2009 Suicide prevention: A leadership challenge for all Every time a life is lost in Pacific Air Forces I am alerted. All are tragic in different ways, but among the most troubling is when it involves a suicide. During the course of my 35 years on active duty, I've learned that we cannot prevent every suicide attempt. More importantly, I've learned that
May 26, 2009 AFMC senior leader reflects on suicide close to home With a phone call on the night of Jan. 29, the "You Matter" suicide campaign at Robins suddenly became more personal to Maj. Gen. Polly Peyer. The commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center suspected something was wrong when the phone rang at 9 p.m. because most people who would be calling her
May 26, 2009 Maxwell nurse has three reasons to celebrate Mother’s Day Maj. Lynn A. Ammon, family nurse practitioner at the 42nd Medical Group, had three reasons to celebrate on Mother's Day. With the special occasion, it was also part of National Nurse's Week and she was now back with her family after a recent, six-month deployment to Afghanistan. As a mother of two,
May 15, 2009 Public health maintains high standards, healthy force Airmen in the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group constantly monitor the health of all individuals and check to see if illnesses of base personnel are isolated incidents or part of a trend at this air base in Southwest Asia. "Our main role is the prevention and control of communicable diseases," said
April 29, 2009 Screening program prompts fast swine flu identification The Defense Department's worldwide influenza monitoring program and decisive action by the medical staff at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, are being credited with helping to identify two cases of swine flu early to help prevent a potential spread. Two 16-year-old boys, both military family members
April 29, 2009 Safety specialist wins AETC award Mr. Michael Griffith, occupational safety specialist at Wilford Hall Medical Center, recently won the Air Education and Training Command "Well Done Award." The award recognizes an individual who makes a significant contribution that affects the overall mishap prevention activities of flight, ground,
March 2, 2009 Chairman cites need for more 'dwell time' between deployments The nation's top military officer expressed concern here about servicemembers and their families "toughing it out" with frequent deployments and little time together between those deployments. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talked about the stresses of war and a
March 2, 2009 Suicide prevention hotline saves veterans' lives Help is only a phone call away for military veterans considering suicide. Nearly 100,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have reached out for help by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline was launched July 2007. The VA
Jan. 7, 2009 WHMC medical residents dominate ACP competition Wilford Hall Medical Center internal medicine residents walked away with top awards during the annual Army/Air Force American College of Physicians meeting. The event was held at the Hyatt Regency, Bethesda, Md., Nov. 20-23. Several years ago, the Army and Air Force began conducting a joint ACP