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AFCU gives gift cards to JBA Fisher House
DCMILITARY.COM
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Girls on the Run have fun
JBA readies potential Ravens
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD.
Base residents asked to use, not abuse
POW-WOW HONORS, SHARES NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE
BY STAFF SGT. KRIS LEVASSEUR
Suicide prevention starts now BY CHRIS BASHAM
11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Leaders of the 11th Wing and Liberty Park held a town hall meeting at the base theater recently to inform base residents on new rules and regulations affecting their entitlements. In the near future, base housing residents will transition to a new system where a portion of their Basic Allowance for Housing will be allocated for utilities. Beginning this month, housing residents will start seeing mock bills in their mail for utilities, outlining their overall usage and providing information on where the household consumption stands against the average for the unit type. “The purpose of this program is not to penalize community members,” said Lisa Post, JBA client relations manager for Minol, the third-party billing company responsible for metering the housing units. “It is true, that if you go over your allotted utility allowance, you may be required to make a payment. However, if you conserve your energy usage, you can actually get money back.” The new utility allowance will be based on the average utility usage for similar housing units on base with a 10 percent increase to act as a buffer in case of any unexpected overages. “This new system was mandated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense in order to achieve energy efficiency and further conservation efforts in family housing,” said Col. Bill Knight, Joint Base Andrews and 11th Wing commander. “It may take a little adjusting; we will be seeing another bill in the mail that we have to pay attention to, but if used right, there will be no cost to base residents.” Twenty-two Air Force installations have begun the utility monitoring and billing system and 10 of them have completed the mock billing process and have begun live billing. Post added that in addition to the 10 percent buffer, residents will not need to make a payment or receive a rebate for any utility bill that is $50 or less over or under their utility allowance. “At other military installations, we have seen an 18 to 30 percent decrease in energy consumption after this program has been implemented,” said Post. “The money saved is directly placed back into the housing program creating a nicer community.” For more information about the utility allowance and for specific information about individual dwellings, contact Liberty Park at 301-599-1418.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013 | VOL. 2 NO. 21
STAFF WRITER
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 create static and dynamic shapes, or formations, representing various animals, symbols, and storytelling elements. More photos on page 5.
Capt. Tameka Phillips, emergency room trauma nurse BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
PHOTO/CHRIS BASHAM
Capt. Tameka Phillips enters medical information into a patient’s records. Phillips is an emergency room trauma nurse serving in the Aeromedical Staging Facility at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic and Surgery Center on Joint Base Andrews.
Nobody wants to carry the weight of a loved one’s suicide with them. That’s why suicide prevention needs to start right now, for everyone. It’s a part of caring, of situational awareness and being a good wingman for fellow Airmen in times of stress. The Air Force offers suicide prevention hotline services by phone at 800-273-8255 (TALK) and resources for people who think someone they know may be considering suicide available online at www. wingmanonline.org. Director of Psychological Health Cmdr. Janet D. Cochran of the U.S. Public Health Service said that last week’s National Conference on Mental Health, held at the White House, included the announcement of increased mental health services and resources provided through a new site, mentalhealth.gov site. There are confidential resources available right here on Joint Base Andrews, as well, for those who wish to speak with someone face-to-face. Sometimes, that can be a physician, a counselor, a psychologist or psychiatrist. Mental health professionals can help individuals develop, maintain or regain their emotional resiliency. Traditional mental health services including addictions counseling, chronic pain management, domestic violence
see SUICIDE, page 8
Cantilina assumes command of 779th Medical Group
Sometimes, a question leads to the big answers in life. For Tameka Phillips, working as an emergency room trauma nurse at a Level Two trauma center in Gastonia, N.C., that life-changing question came from 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 her husband’s urging to pursue that dream that after five years as a civilian nurse she met with an Air Force recruiter. “The recruiter said everything that I could possibly dream of being wonderful in a job,” Phillips said, so she joined the Air Force, and encouraged a nurse and a doctor at her hospital to do the same. Her first duty station was at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev., where she found herself working with the nurse she’d known from
Col. Thomas J. Cantilina, former Deputy Chief Medical Information Officer for the Air Force Medical Service, relieved Col. Rudolph Cachuela as Commander, 779th Medical Group in a traditional change of command ceremony June 5 at the Joint Base Andrews Theater. For Cantilina, the new role is a return to the earliest days of his military and medical career. “Twenty years ago this month, I wandered onto Andrews Air Force Base and got my first set of orders, and my first I.D. card,” said Cantilina. “The building where I got that I.D. is little more than
see NURSE, page 4
see CANTILINA, page 5
BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
Biggest Loser shares weight loss journey BY BOBBY JONES
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTO/BOBBY JONES
Morton lifts a kettle bell to improve her strength, conditioning and muscle tone.
Reprina Morton is well on her way to living a long, healthy life, and she has a friend who survived a heart attack to thank for it. A svelte 5-foot-7 and a half inches, Morton lost 32.5 pounds during the Joint Base Andrews West Fitness Center-sponsored Biggest Loser program, helping her team win the Biggest Loser title. Morton has lost a total of 50 pounds since she started working out this year. “I was very unhealthy, and after having three children, trying to juggle them and school left little time for exercise,” said Morton, of Upper Marlboro. Challenged with a hectic schedule, Morton was frustrated because she couldn’t always find the time to prepare healthy meals. Morton’s weight gain accumulated over several years. “Years of living like this caused me to gain weight and my health began to decline. I had high cholesterol; I was prediabetic and obese,” said Morton. “I was
also exhausted all of the time. I would try to change my habits, but temptation and the convenience of fast foods would eventually win.” During that low period in her life, a close friend plagued with the same health issues had a heart attack. “He was the sole provider for his family. Fortunately, he survived the tragic event. This got me to thinking about my family dynamics,” said Morton. “My husband is a military member and is away often, leaving me for the most part as the sole caretaker for my boys.” Morton began wondering what would happen if she became too sick to take care of them or if she died. Her friend’s heart attack became her wake-up call. “I decided at that point I was going to change my lifestyle and start by going back to the gym.” It was a slow start at first; trying to find the time to work out, attend classes and 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 Community College nursing student. Morton began going to the West Fitness Center, taking Zumba classes to rev up her energy level and walking on the treadmill 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 also incorporate lifting weights, using the kettle bell at home and I make myself do those dreaded sit-ups.” Then Francois Duncan, a long-time gym enthusiast, asked Morton to join Team Jewels for the recent Biggest Loser contest. “This further motivated me because I wanted my group to win. With me losing 32.5 pounds, it helped us take first place and win the Biggest Loser title,” said Morton. “Francois was and still is superencouraging and supportive. She is a true gem around here, always talking to women about their fitness and health goals. But this was a change I needed to save
see WEIGHT LOSS, page 7