A PUBLICATION OF THE 502nd AIR BASE WING JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS • www.lackland.af.mil • Vol. 69 No. 7 • FEBRUARY 17, 2012 Keep it clean Cell phones a vector for spreading germs, Making progress P2 IAAFA milestone Schoolhouse for Latin American students consolidates training, P3 Budget crunch Air Force faces fiscal challenges in FY13, P6 Military Saves AFRC promotes financial fitness, P9 UCI Photo by Alan Boedeker 17 Contract employees working to finish the 37th Training Wing’s new Airman Training Complex No. 1 prepare suspension wire for ceiling tile Feb. 7 at the DAYS UNTIL THE Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland construction site. ATC No. 1 is tentatively scheduled for completion later this summer. JBSA-LACKLAND INSPECTION BMT prepares for new training complex, P12-13 COUNTDOWN INSIDE | Commentary 2 News 3 Feature 12-13 Community Briefs 17 What’s Happening 18 Sports 19-20 PAGE 2 commentary TALESPINNER February 17, 2012 Cell phones Joint Base San Antonio Lackland Editorial Staff ‘Communicable’ in more ways than one BRIG . GEN . THERESA C. CAR T ER , COMMANDER By Staff Sgt. Dinah LaDuke OS C AR BALLADARES , 59th Medical Wing DIRE C TOR OF PUBLI C AFFAIRS hen was the last time JO E BELA , CHIEF , you sanitized your INTERNAL COMMUNI C ATIONS W 671-4111 phone? We wash our hands to help prevent the spread MANAGING EDITOR , VA C ANT of germs and illnesses, but cell phones carry viruses and MIKE JO SEPH , bacteria, too, and we take our SENIOR WRITER , 671-4357 phones just about everywhere. JO SE GARZA , Many people use their cell SP ORTS EDITOR /STAFF WRITER , phones in bathroom stalls and 671-0478 text while eating a meal. Live bacteria can survive on your MO LLY DAVIS , cell phone for weeks, including DESIGN /LAYOUT , 671-5049 Methicillin-resistant Staphylo- coccus aureus. MRSA causes Office: infections that are resistant to 1701 Kenly Ave. Suite 102 Lackland AFB, Texas some commonly used antibiot- 78236-5103 ics and it can end up on your (210) 671-1786; cell phone after touching the (fax) 671-2022 skin of an infected person Email: [email protected] Commander’s Action Line: or coming into contact with [email protected]. a contaminated surface. Straight Talk: 671-6397 (NEWS) According to research For advertising information: Prime Time Military Newspapers study results published for Ave E at Third Street Global Handwashing Day, one San Antonio, Texas 78205 in six cell phones tested in (210) 250-2519 (fax) 250-2570 Britain had traces of E. coli bacteria, which is found in feces. Researchers cited poor This newspaper is published by hand hygiene as the cause. Prime Time Military Newspapers, a private firm in no way connected with In the study, researchers Photo by Senior Airman Kevin Iinuma the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive writ- in 12 cities took 390 samples Tech. Sgt. Andy Bellamy, 59th Medical Wing, wipes his cell phone clean with a germicidal disposable cloth Feb. 9. Cell ten contract with Lackland AFB, Texas. This commercial enterprise Air Force from volunteers’ hands and phones often carry infectious pathogens. Cell phone owners should clean them regularly with an antibacterial wipe or newspaper is an authorized publication cell phones. They analyzed a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. for members of the U.S. military ser- vices. Contents of the Talespinner are the samples to record the not necessarily the official views of, or type and number of bacteria row your cell phone? Do the frequency of exposuere just as important as hand endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, or the Depart- they found. More than 90 you let children play with and your immune system. hygiene in the prevention of ment of the Air Force. percent of the phones and 80 your cell phone? Think Bacteria on cell phones can illnesses such as the flu. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supple- percent of hands had bacte- about where your phone has easily be killed with an anti- You will see signs in bath- ments, does not constitute endorsement ria on them; 16 percent of been. Could it be an infec- bacterial wipe, or a cotton ball rooms throughout the Wilford by the Department of Defense, the De- partment of the Air Force or Prime Time the hands and phones har- tious vector right now? soaked in rubbing alcohol. We Hall Ambulatory Surgical Military Newspapers, of the products or bored the E. coli bacteria. Find out how many germs recommend people clean their Center and other medical services advertised. Everything advertised in this pub- Ninety-five percent of par- are probably on your cell cell phones every few days. facilities at Joint Base San lication shall be made available for ticipating volunteers claimed phone today by taking the As a dental assistant, I Antonio-Lackland – “A germ purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, na- they washed their hands online quiz at http://theoat- know how important it is is a terrible thing to spread.” tional origin, age, marital status, physi- with soap whenever possible. meal.com/quiz/phone_germs. to wash my hands often. These signs will give you cal handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, Research test results proved Will you get sick if you It’s the single most impor- directions for proper hand- user or patron. otherwise. Many people fail to don’t clean your phone? tant measure in preventing washing hygiene. Following Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Office wash their hands frequently, Many factors are in- healthcare-related infections, these instructions and clean- of the 502nd Air Base Wing. All photos, properly or for the recom- volved. It depends on the and it can save lives. Cell ing your cell phone often unless otherwise indicated, are U.S. Air Force photos. mended length of time. amount and type of patho- phone hygiene for healthcare will help you stay healthy Deadline for submissions Do you let people bor- gens you are exposed to, workers is now considered throughout the year. is noon Thursday the week prior to publication. February 17, 2012 TALESPINNER news PAGE 3 NEWS I N BRIEF JBSA ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY The Joint Base San Antonio annual awards ceremony is Feb. 24 at the Gate- way Club. For more details, call JBSA- Lackland at 210-977-3925, call JBSA-Fort Sam Houston at 210-391-3355, or call JBSA-Randolph at 210-323-6174. RETIREMENT PLANNING SEMINAR The Alamo Federal Executive Board is sponsoring a retirement planning seminar March 7, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Schertz Community Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. The seminar will provide information on the federal retirement system, Thrift Savings Plan, Social Se- curity benefits, Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance and survivor benefits. For details, visit http://sanantoniofeb.org or contact Bruce Bebow at 210-565-1860. IAAFA achieves milestone DIABETES STUDY New airfield facility consolidates aviation maintenance training The Wilford Hall Bariatric Clinic is looking for patients to participate in a By Mike Joseph In addition to Rand, another guest “We’ll have financial and man-hour diabetes study. The comparative study Senior Writer speaker at the ceremony was retired savings because we no longer have to focuses on sleeve gastrectomy versus Peruvian Air Force Maj. Gen. Fernan- transport students and instructors to medical management for the remission Senior Air Force and Inter-American do Melgar, a former Air Defense com- and from Kelly every day or have ex- of diabetes in mildly to moderately obese Air Forces Academy leaders, along with mander and air attaché to the United tended hours at the dining facility to patients. representatives from six Latin America States and Canada. Melgar’s grand- accommodate those early-morning bus Military medical beneficiaries, ages partner nations, opened the new IAAFA father, Gen. Fernando Melgar Conde, rides,” Stratton said. “The training is all 18 to 65, who have been diagnosed with Airfield Training Complex at Joint Base was a key principal in the formation consolidated. Our two squadrons (the Type 2 diabetes are eligible to participate San Antonio-Lackland in a ribbon-cut- of IAAFA. 837th and 318th Training Squadrons) in the study. Active duty military person- ting ceremony Feb. 9. “Since I first came to the United States are now together, and we’re already nel are ineligible to participate. Call “More than a new home for the 318th (in 1965), I’ve had a great admiration starting to see the cross flow that is 292-2210 for more information. Training Squadron, this facility serves for the organization and effectiveness possible.” as another milestone in the Inter-Amer- of its Air Force,” Melgar said. “I clearly Stratton said IAAFA’s NCOs played a ican Air Forces Academy’s 68-year leg- understand the idea my grandfather key role in the building’s design. The NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST The 2012 National Prayer Breakfast is acy of enriching the global community had in 1943 when he proposed the layout facilitates student instruction Feb. 27, 8:30 a.m., at the Gateway Club. of airmen,” said Lt. Gen. Robin Rand, creation of an inter-American school and enhances learning capabilities in The guest speaker will be Maj. Gen. Cecil commander, 12th Air Force, and com- that would contribute to the technical the 18 courses taught to students from R. Richardson, U.S. Air Force Chief of mander, Air Forces Southern, Davis- training of its members. 21 Latin American countries.