Airmen's Attic Extreme summer - RAF Lakenheath

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Reduce lower back injuries:Capt. Evan E. Kelly48th Medical Operations SquadronEighty percent of us will experience it atone time or another: low back pain. LBP isthe second leading reason for missing work.Unfortunately, despite all we know aboutLBP and all we try to do to prevent LBP,people still get hurt. I have seen peopleinjure themselves by picking a pencil up offthe floor, lifting a bag of groceries orpulling a pair of jeans out of a washingmachine.Most people know the basics of safe lifting:lift with your legs, not your back; limitany twisting or rotating during your lift orwhile carrying heavy items; ensure you havea clear path; test the load before you lift;don’t be shy about asking for help; and usetools such as hand trucks, dollies and hoistswhenever possible. Despite the fact thatmost people know these things, people arestill getting hurt when they lift items. WhenI ask people how they got hurt, most peopleknew about and tried to use the above techniques;yet they still got hurt.Over the years, I have learned that thereare two things that are most important andnever taught. First, lift your head up andkeep it up before and during your lift.Lift head your up and suck in your stomachSecond, suck in your stomach as if you arepulling your belly button up and under yourribs before you lift the item.By lifting your head up - before and duringthe lifting activity - you are actuallyfacilitating the muscles in your back. Youalso help maintain the normal alignment ofyour spine. In essence, you are telling themuscle to prepare to work and your joints toget in a good position. We see this in weightlifters who use proper form. This techniqueis also useful when lifting bulky or awkwarditems when it is difficult to use the liftingtechniques mentioned earlier. A good exampleis lifting a television set out of a box orlifting a couch. This even holds true for liftingitems like groceries out of your car oryour child out of a car seat.The next thing you want to do is suck inyour stomach before and during the lift.There are four layers of stomach muscles.Everyone knows about the rectus abdominus,the elusive “six pack,” and the externaland internal obliques. However, few haveheard of the one stomach muscle that studieshave shown is probably the most importantfor stability of the back: the transverse abdominus.By tightening your stomach, actually suckingin your gut, you are creating a muscularcorset that stabilizes the spine.Jet48Health & FitnessCourtesy graphicYou still want to use the proper liftingtechniques I initially mentioned earlier butyou should also include the two things youprobably didn’t know. As a matter of fact, ifyou lift your head up and tighten your gut,most of the other mechanical properties oflifting will naturally fall into place. So, thenext time you attempt to lift something, anything,keep two things in mind: lift yourhead up and suck in your gut. I guaranteeyou will feel the difference and reduce therisk of a back injury.Mondayamerican leaguesoftballTuesdaynational leaguelakenheathintramuralsportsschedulesField 15:30 p.m. 48 MUNS A vs. 48 LRS B6:30 p.m. 48 CMS B vs. 48 MDG A7:30 o.m. 48 CMS B vs. 100 CES8:30 p.m. 352 SOG B vs. 48 AMXS BField 25:30 p.m. 95 RS vs. 48 MSS/CPTS6:30 p.m. 100 OG vs. 492 FS A7:30 p.m. 100 MXG vs. 100 CSWednesdayField 15:30 p.m. 48 MSS/CPTS vs. 100 CES6:30 p.m. 100 OG vs. 49 MSS/CPTS7:30 p.m. 492 FS A vs. 100 CSField 25:30 p.m. 48 CES A vs. 100 OG6:30 p.m. 352 SOG B vs. 48 MDG B7:30 p.m. 48 CS vs. 48 AMXS B8:30 p.m. 100 MXG A vs. 48 MDG AField 15:30 p.m. 48 CMS A vs. Lakeheath women6:30 p.m. 48 OSS vs. 488 IS7:30 p.m. 48 CES B vs. 48 AMXS A8:30 p.m. 727 AMS vs. 492 FS BField 25:30 p.m. 352 OSS vs. 48 MUNS B6:30 p.m. 352 MXG A vs. 48 MOS7:30 p.m. Mildenhall Women vs. 100 LRSThursdayField 15:30 p.m. 48 LRS A vs. 100 SFS6:30 p.m. 48 EMS B vs. 100 LRS7:30 p.m. 48 MUNS B vs. 48 MOS8:30 p.m. 48 AMXS vs. DET 4Field 25:30 p.m. Mildenhall women vs. 352 OSS6:30 p.m. Lakenheath women vs. 727 AMS7:30 p.m. 488 IS vs. 48 CMS AInformation provided by the Fitness center.For more information, contact 226-3607.JUNE 9, 2006PAGE 15 JET 48 MAGAZINE
Jet48PerspectiveReflections on LakenheathLt. Col. Julie A Wittkoff48th Contracting Squadron CommanderEveryday I spend approximately 20 minutes driving to and fromwork. My morning drives would be normally consumed with thoughtsof what I needed to tackle first thing when I walked through the door.Whilst driving home in the evening I would pontificate over the goodand bad of any decisions or taskings implemented that day. But lately,with my looming PCS, my thoughts have turned melancholy as I spendthe drive now re-visiting my last two years here as a squadron commander.When I was offered the opportunity to submit an article forthis Jet 48 perspectives column, I struggled with what final message orthought I would want to express based from all of my experiences.What perspective could I offer?I consider myself privileged in that I am able to support both thewings at RAF Lakenheath and at RAF Mildenhall, and this providesme with perspectives from different wing commanders, group commanders,squadron commanders, chaplains, safety officers, publicaffairs, protocol, etc. It is human nature to look across the street andsay the grass is greener on the other side.RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall have two different missions,which drives different cultures. This is no different than any other basein the USAF, but the common thread that should connect all of ustogether regardless of our individual unit missions, and whether officer,enlisted, or civilian, is that we serve, not work, in a profession, not anorganization, with the noblest of causes.We should be proud of our membership in this profession. It is anawesome thing to be part of a profession whose accomplishments aretremendous and whose work is heroic on all accounts. We also need torecognize that the principles behind our profession and our country areperfect, surviving the test of time, even though we as a people trying toexecute and support the principles are not. Because we are not perfect,sometimes our focus in our leaders, peers and subordinates needs to bedrawn to what you see in them, and not necessarily always what youhear from them. We need to keep hold of the best that is within themand remember what they are standing for, and stand a little taller ourselves.Because in the end, it will be our positive attitudes that willmake all the difference.To use the words of Gordon B. Hinckley, “I am asking that we stopseeking the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggestingthat as we go through life we accentuate the positive. I am asking thatwe look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult andsarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort.”As I reflect on my last two years, I have seen a lot of change and alot of great accomplishments. I have also seen things that I should havedone differently, and some things I never should have done. Everycommander’s heart and soul, whether wing, group or squadronbecomes entrenched in the mission and entrenched in their people.And walking away after the statement, “I relinquish command,” willnot be an easy thing to do.But when I leave here, the only thing that I will remember is what agreat experience commanding an awesome squadron and being part oftwo wings was. As a commander I came here hoping to use my positionto teach, mentor, and guide, but how inevitable it would be that inthis position it would be my squadron who would unknowingly teach,mentor and guide me. Thanks to team Lakenheath and Mildenhall forthe memories and for showing me that the grass is greener on bothsides.Farewell and Godspeed…you will forever be in my heart andprayers.Love is... patriotism, espirit de corps, camaraderieby Lt. Col. Mickey Addison2nd Civil Engineer Squadron commanderBARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. - Love may seem to be anodd topic for a commander’s editorial, but I think very often thatwhile Airmen may not use the word, they demonstrate their love inthe way they serve every day.I submit that above all, by living out our core values, we showlove for our country, our Air Force and our fellow Airmen beforelove of ourselves.First, in order to serve this great nation, we must love her deeply.Patriotism is an abstract concept for many people, but for those ofus who wear the uniform of the republic, love of country is anabsolute necessity. With our nation at war, her warriors must believein the values that make this country great, or else our servicebecomes little more than mercenary.Our United States of America stands astride the road of history,and we, her warriors, have voluntarily placed our bodies betweencivilization and the abyss of our enemy.We have been blessed to serve such a great republic. No othercountry on earth can boast the freedoms that we enjoy here inAmerica. Freedom to say what we think, believe what we want,associate with whom we choose, elect our government, and own ourown property are values that are not common in our world.Our enemies want to destroy our country and her civilization;Airmen who love their country are called to defend her. To love ourcountry more than ourselves lifts our service from just a job to avocation, a calling, and it lifts us from being merely “in it” for ourselvesto warriors for a great republic fighting in the cause of freedom,for ideals larger than ourselves.Love of our Air Force is the way we express our espirit de corps,that intangible measure of the devotion of the Airmen in a certainsquadron or wing. It manifests itself in the steely-eyed coolness ofour aviators, the quiet technical professionalism of our maintainers,the can-do spirit of our combat support Airmen, and the selfless careof our medics.We hear it in our squadron yells and we see it in the pride whenwe sing The Air Force Song. Espirit de corps, literally “soul of thebody,” expresses the energy, pride and morale of any warrior.To love the Air Force is to give life to that soul of our service.The animation we give to our service makes us the best in theworld, and inspires our fellow Airmen to greater feats of arms.The final love is love of our fellow Airmen.As much as we love our country and our Air Force, during themost extreme moments we fight for each other. Our training oftenbonds us through shared hardship, and the crucible of combat is thefire that hardens our steel.Somewhere between the mundane tasks of everyday missions andthe second-by-second terror of a street fight in Baghdad, we learnthat our love for each other is what binds us most deeply.JUNE 9, 2006JET 48 MAGAZINE PAGE 17
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Airmen's Attic Extreme summer - RAF Lakenheath

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