SAMURAI GATE MAY 1, 2015 Heavy Drinking: Highway to Disaster Commentary by Paul Ahlberg and Capt
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New COLA Rate Survey begins May 1 The Living Pattern Survey, an important component to establish where and how goods and services By taking the time and effort to accurately complete in determining the Cost of Living Allowance for are purchased. All service members, or spouses the LPS, the DoD is able to set equitable allowance Japan, begins May 1 and continues through May 22. if they are the primary shoppers, in Okinawa are rates for Japan. For more information contact The Defense Travel Management Offi ce conducts highly encouraged to take the 30-minute survey the 18th Comptroller Squadron fi nance customer this online survey every three years and captures either at work or home, located at http://www. service at 18cpts.fi [email protected]. input from all service members and their families defensetravel.dod.mil/site/lps-japan.cfm. Joint Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team deploys to Nepal from Kadena By Airman 1st Class Members of a U.S. Pacifi c Command Joint Humanitarian Assistance Zackary A. Henry Survey Team load onto a U.S. Marine Corps C-130 at Kadena 18th Wing Public Affairs Air Base, on April 29. The team is deploying to Nepal to assist 4/29/2015 — U.S. Pacifi c Command de- earthquake relief efforts. Kadena’s Airmen worked through the night to load the team’s 20-plus members and gear for the departure. ployed a Joint Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team to Nepal from Kadena Air Base early April 29 in an eff ort to assist earthquake relief eff orts. Kadena’s Airmen worked through the night to load the team’s 20-plus members and gear into a U.S. Marine Corps C-130 Hercules for the departure. Th e joint survey team will support a U.S. Agency for International Devel- opment Offi ce of Disaster Assistance Response Team in Nepal, according to PACOM offi cials. Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, commander of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Battalion, will lead the team. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Glenn Rine- heart, commander of the 36th Mobility Readiness Squadron on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, deployed as a team member. SEE NEPAL, PAGE 3 (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Erik Anthony) Kadena’s Health and 31 RQS, PAF develop Wellness Center shuts down bilateral rescue techniques By Senior Airman The 18th Medical Group Health Promotions Omari Bernard section has relocated to Bldg. 704 Fighter 18th Wing Public Affairs Drive on Kadena Air Base, April 27. 4/28/2015 — Th e Kadena Health and Wellness Center has closed its doors recently, as part of an Air Force-wide closure to cut costs and reorganize the way Airmen stay healthy. “HAWCs began closing Air Force-wide starting in October 2014, eliminating the one-stop- shop area along with the Exer- cise Physiologist positions and fi tness classes,” explained Kara Nesle, 18th Aerospace Medical (Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rick Hurtado) Squadron health technician. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jason Fischman, a pararescueman with 31st Rescue Squadron, Although some services once assists victims of a plane crash as part of a notional mass casualty incident during Exercise (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Omari Bernard) Balikatan 2015, in Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 24. The drill was conducted alongside provided by the HAWC are rescuemen from the 505th Rescue and Search Group of the Philippine Air Force. The bilateral being taken over by other units, 422 for an exercise waiver will with a medical exemption training event provided both rescue teams with a better understanding of how each other others will no longer be required no longer be mandated for should contact their unit fi tness operates and ensures mission accomplishment should they work side-by-side in the future. by Air Force Instructions. Airmen with a medical profi le. program manager for details, Balikatan is an annual Philippines-U.S. military training exercise and humanitarian assistance For example, Air Force form Airmen who need assistance SEE SHUTS DOWN, PAGE 3 engagement, which highlights the long standing partnership between both the nations. 2 SAMURAI GATE MAY 1, 2015 Heavy drinking: Highway to disaster Commentary by Paul Ahlberg and Capt. Sheontee Frank 81st Medical Operations Squadron, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program eavy drinking is defi ned as consuming fi ve or operator was letting the beer pour freely for everyone great. Th is scenario identifi ed issues of underage more standard drinks in one sitting. It is also who wanted it without verifying the ages of the guests. drinking, contributing alcohol to minors, public Hconsidered “high risk” drinking due to the Other attendees brought hard liquor and many were intoxication, and driving under the infl uence. Most health concerns associated with drinking excessive taking shots between drinks and playing beer pong. importantly this scenario illustrates the lack of amounts of alcohol. Many stories about heavy Th e host was tired and had gotten a little too much wingmanship. drinking are glamorized, not publicized, or forgotten sun, so he went into the house to take a short nap. Here are tips for responsible party planning: altogether, so behaviors don’t change. Several guests were hungry so one the guests drove · Plan ahead. Here’s a story that illustrates the many problems to get pizzas from a nearby restaurant. Th e impaired · Have a non-drinking designated driver. and risks associated with heavy drinking. Can you driver had a friend who had not been drinking as · Limit drinking. pick them out? Have you been on the “Highway to much ride along with him. Th e driver had done this · Check identifi cation to prevent underage drinking. Disaster?” before and had never been arrested for impaired · Be a responsible host. It was a perfect day on the Mississippi coast to driving. · Provide food, activity and oversight. take a swim in the pool, so a Keesler Air Force Base A young female who had been playing beer pong · Off er water and non-alcoholic beverages. Airman decided to have a party one Sunday aft ernoon was noticeably intoxicated near the pool. One of · Leave your vehicle at home. at his house. He invited some of his buddies over to the guests asked her if she was OK, but she did not · Know your guests. join him -- the more the merrier. Some of his buddies respond, so he yelled for someone to call 911. Some · Ensure guests have a safe way home. invited a few of their friends to the gathering, which of the guests left in a hurry. Meanwhile, a neighbor · Remember 0-0-1-3. Th at means 0 underage quickly turned into a party. Th e Airman coordinated called local law enforcement due to the loud music drinking, 0 drinking and driving, 1 drink per hour, what everyone would bring, including a keg of beer, and noise. no more than 3 drinks per sitting. beer pong to play, and music to enjoy. Th ere were many mistakes made throughout the · Call a taxi or Airman Against Drunk Driving at By 5 p.m., guests arrived and the designated keg course of the aft ernoon and the consequences were your installation for a safe ride home. U.S., Japanese officials announce new defense guidelines By Jim Garamone Japan will be able to defend Th e guidelines also seek to A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force member guides a Defense Media Activity other countries that may come improve coordination between Cobra anti-tank helicopter onto a forward aircraft refueling 4/27/2015 - NEW YORK — under attack. “Th is is the exer- the U.S. and Japan. point at Yakima Training Center, Wash., Sept. 4, 2014. Th e new U.S.-Japan defense cise of collective self-defense,” “We will be establishing a guidelines will fundamentally the offi cial said. standing alliance coordination change the way Japan and the Th e new guidelines allow for mechanism, which will operate United States cooperate on de- increased regional and global from the cabinet level down fense matters, a senior defense cooperation in the U.S.-Japanese and will include representatives offi cial said recently. alliance. Th is will be most no- from the foreign and defense Th e offi cial spoke on back- ticeable in peacekeeping oper- ministries, as well as from ground in advance of today’s ations, humanitarian assistance the militaries,” the offi cial ex- release, calling the guidelines “a and disaster relief, international plained. “Th is new coordinating big deal” for both countries. Th e intelligence, surveillance and body will help us cooperate guidelines are the foundation reconnaissance operations, together more seamlessly and on which the United States and missile defense and a variety of more eff ectively as allies.” Japan base their cooperation as other areas, the offi cial noted. allies. Th ere will also be an increase Improved Regional “It’s a big deal because the in U.S.-Japan alliance coopera- Operations Ability (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Cody Quinn) region has changed since we last tion in new domains like cyber Th e body can also include revised the guidelines in 1997,” and space, the offi cial said, add- members from other agencies ordinate and share information aimed at the immediate defense the offi cial said. “It’s a big deal ing that this means increased and departments as the need more closely in missile defense, of Japan. Th ese were amended because [as] Japanese capabilities cooperation in space situational arises, the offi cial noted. and Japan will be able to shoot in 1997 and that expanded have increased, Japan’s ability to awareness, bolstering the Th e new guidelines mean down missiles headed for U.S.