On the cover: The teal ribbon symbolizes the fight against sexual assault. APRIL 2015, VOL. 49 NO. 4 THE CONTRAIL STAFF 177TH FW COMMANDER COL . JOHN R. DiDONNA PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER CAPT. AMANDA BATIZ PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER MASTER SGT. ANDREW J. MOSELEY PHOTOJOURNALIST TECH. SGT. ANDREW J. MERLOCK PHOTOJOURNALIST SENIOR AIRMAN SHANE S. KARP PHOTOJOURNALIST AIRMAN 1st CLASS AMBER POWELL EDITOR/BROADCAST JOURNALIST TECH. SGT. MATT HECHT AVIATION HISTORIAN DR. RICHARD PORCELLI WWW.177FW.ANG.AF.MIL This funded newspaper is an authorized monthly publication for members of the U.S. Military Services. Contents of The Contrail are not On desktop computers, click For back issues of The Contrail, necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the 177th Fighter Wing, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Depart- Ctrl+L for full screen. On mobile, and other multimedia products ment of the Air Force. The editorial content is edited, prepared, and provided by the Public Affairs Office of the 177th Fighter Wing. All tablet, or touch screen device, from the 177th Fighter Wing, photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated. tap or swipe to flip the page. please visit us at DVIDS! adversity that shows leadership capability. I am routinely blown away by your individual Lastly, I want you to HAVE FUN serving as a and collective achievements; you truly Jersey Devil! Yes, our mission is very serious, motivate me to give my best each day. I can can be extremely demanding and stressful, honestly tell you I have a tremendous amount of fun working here at the 177th FW, thanks Story by Col. John R. DiDonna, 177th Fighter Wing Commander and time management/prioritization is a continual challenge. But, military service to all of you! respect & dignity, and if we work together as a Jersey Devils, coupled with a highly competent/motivated If you’re still reading, thanks! I am honored to cohesive wing not simply limiting our view of Just prior to concluding group of Wing Airmen is a special combination serve with each and every one of you!! my remarks during the service to our immediate work areas. and should produce a fun/rewarding work Second, I ask all of you to take an active role in change of command last environment. drill, I took a moment to the progression of YOUR military career. Do not truly process the view of wait for someone to spoon-feed you; develop a you standing in the Wing thirst for knowledge with respect to your military formation. The advancement and perfecting your primary AFSC emotions I felt ranged capabilities. Actively seek out a mentor. If from huge personal responsibility to someone asks you to be a mentor, become one overwhelming organizational pride. I am truly sharing your experiences and path to military humbled to serve you and write my first Contrail success. If you are AFSC proficient and an article as your commander. unfamiliar opportunity presents itself to you, The 177th Fighter Wing mission is to “Provide grasp at a chance to broaden your military Highly Qualified/Combat-Ready Citizen Airmen, experience beyond your specific area of expertise. Mission-Capable Aircraft & Equipment to Broadening your experiences gives you the Support National and State Objectives”. I want advantage of better understanding how to take this opportunity to convey four areas of collectively we function as a military. importance to me; I hope you take a minute to Third, career progression in the 177th FW will be read what I have to say. based on an Airman’s fitness for duty, merit, and First – the men and women of the 177th FW – WE individual capability. My leadership philosophy is must focus on serving/functioning as ONE TEAM. simple; work hard, be productive, conduct No Airman’s individual job is more important than yourself professionally 24/7, maintain your another’s. ALL of us play a vital role in our Wing’s integrity, and treat your fellow Airmen with ability to achieve desired organizational respect; do all these and you will be competitive readiness/effectiveness. We will reach our full for professional advancement. Bumps in the road potential as a wing if all of us commit our best (mistakes) of a military career, depending on their focus and effort to serve our nation and one severity, may not necessarily thwart another, if we consistently treat each other with advancement. Often it’s how you handle the April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month Jersey Devils, instance of sexual assault and/or harassment The month of April is DoD’s Sexual Assault and will hold perpetrators responsible for their Awareness and Prevention Month; “Eliminate actions. I echo General Welsh’s statement to Sexual Assault. Know Your Part. Do Your all USAF Airmen with respect to zero-tolerance Part.” of sexual harassment and assault: “those who do not understand…need to find a new line of USAF/ANG leaders routinely write policies and work.” articles and create prevention education on the subject of sexual assault & harassment. All Fourth, in the event you witness behavior communication methods are extremely inconsistent with military service, it is your important in attempting to educate and inform military duty and moral obligation to identify it Airmen. I have four thoughts on the subject of and take proper action to address it. sexual assault and harassment. I strongly support the efforts of national/state/ local partners and of every Airman to actively First, sexual assault and harassment exist in engage in public and private efforts, including the military simply because a military member conversations about what sexual violence is, has CHOSEN to commit sexual assault and/or how to prevent it, how to help survivors harassment. Keep decisions and actions connect with services, and how every segment consistent with our Core Values – DO NOT of our society can work together to better commit sexual assault or harassment; DO your address sexual violence. part to rid the military of these unwanted behaviors. Col. John R. DiDonna Second, the 177th Fighter Wing will support Wing Commander victims of sexual assault and/or harassment in 177th Fighter Wing every possible way. Third, 177th FW leaders will not tolerate any 177th Fighter Wing SARC: 609-385-3671 24/7 SAFE Helpline: 1-877-995-5247 Encourage Healthy Relationships and Interactions and Stay in the Green! Asking for and hearing a “yes” can make all the difference. Many of the messages we receive from media are violent, manipulative or harmful to both young women and young men. It is important to think carefully about these images and stories so that you can create healthy relationships and respectful experiences KnowKnow youryour part.part. Consent means both people actively agree with what they are doing together. It is a decision that both people make without any force or pressure. Some ways you can practice consent: DoDo youryour part.part. Ask the other person if they are comfortable when you are in a sexual or romantic situation. “Are you OK with this?” Wait for a verbal “Yes” (or clear body language like nodding their head that tells you they feel good about the situation). Silence, a “No,” or physically resisting means things need to stop. Answer honestly when someone asks you for consent. They might not know about this kind of consent, so have Know your role as Airmen in Sexual Assault a conversation ahead of time. Prevention: http://www.pcar.org/encourage-healthy-relationships-and-interactions Respect the Air Force core values Green Line Yellow Line Red Line Have respect for self, each other, and the Air Force Supports Gender Tolerates Inappropriate Tells Gender Focused Institution Equality Jokes Jokes Educate yourself on sexual assault prevention Active Bystander Doesn’t Intervene to Makes Unwanted Sexual Stop Harassment Comments Show empathy and support to victims Positive Role Model Doesn’t Intervene to Inappropriate Advances Maintain and ensure accountability on issues of Stop Sexual Assault and Relationships sexual harassment and sexual assault Challenges Inappropriate Ignores Inappropriate Does Not Respect Behavior Relationships Intervene against inappropriate behavior (Bystander Supports Survivors Ignores Peer Retaliation Perpetrates Sexual Intervention) Against Victims Assault Lives Air Force Values Blames Victim Perpetrates Rape “Understanding Sexual Assault” raising immunity and other health measures and improving life functioning. According to the American Psychological Association, sexual Recovering emotionally from assault can be assault is unwanted sexual accomplished by understanding that the emotions activity, with perpetrators using and normal responses that follow a disaster or other force, making threats or taking traumatic event can help a person to cope with their advantage of victims without their feelings, thoughts and behaviors, and can help the consent. person to begin to feel empowered and no longer remain a victim as they proceed on the path to Interestingly enough, most victims and perpetrators recovery. know each other. This suggests that people we trust could be potential perpetrators. So we should Fortunately, the effects of trauma do not have to last always have a plan when we are with friends that a lifetime. We are a resilient population. Most people will make us less vulnerable. Be aware that many will experience a trauma at some point in their lives, assaults take place when alcohol is a part of the and as a result, some will experience debilitating equation. symptoms that interfere with daily life. The good news is that psychological interventions are effective Psychologically, immediate reactions to sexual in preventing many long-term effects. Psychological abuse include shock, fear or disbelief. Long-term health is always available here at the 177th FW for symptoms include anxiety, fear or post-traumatic confidential psychological appointments.