Page 9 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt August 2016

Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
PEOPLE
FIRST
Editor’s Note: The “People First” section is
compiled from information from the Air Force
Personnel Center, TRICARE, 56th Force Sup-
port Squadron, Airman and Family Readiness
Flight, Veterans Affairs, the civilian personnel
of ce and armed forces news services. For the
complete story, go to the web address listed at
the end of the story.
Dietary supplements could
lead to positive urinalysis
Airmen should be careful when taking
dietary supplements — because of the
potential health risks, but also because
they could lead to a positive urinalysis
test result, according to officials with
Air Force Reserve Command’s Medical
Services Directorate and staff judge ad-
vocate’s of ce.
“You really need to do your homework
and check with your doctor before tak-
ing any kind of supplement,” said Dr.
Don Jenrette, the AFRC’s Drug Demand
Reduction Program manager. “And you
should know all of the ingredients that are
in any supplement you might be taking.”
Dietary supplements are intended to
provide nutrients that may otherwise not
be consumed in suf cient quantities. The
most common supplements are vitamins.
Other popular supplements promise help
in gaining or losing weight, or in improv-
ing athletic or sexual performance.
Jenrette said he and his DDR special-
ists in the eld are often asked if there
is a list of dietary supplements that are
banned or illegal for use by military
members.
He said that Air Force Instruction 90-
507, “Military Drug Demand Reduction
Program,” speci cally bans any supple-
ment that contains hemp and hemp seeds
or hemp seed oil, but there is not a com-
prehensive list of banned supplements
by name. He did say, however, that the
Defense Department is clear about what
What are you looking for in a church? TRAVEL
Then We Are Your Church ...
THE CHURCH AT LITCHFIELD PARK
300 N OLD LITCHFIELD RD
LITCHFIELD PARK · ARIZONA, 85340
Churchat(L62i3t) 9c35h-3f411ieldPark.org
4.25” AD SPACE
NEWS
substances are banned for use by U.S.
military service members.
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/
Article/815483/know-your-supplements-it-could-
cost-you.aspx
Performance management
program training available
Educational training is available to civil-
ians and their supervisors in advance of the
Air Force’s April 2017 transition to the new
Department of Defense-wide Performance
Management and Appraisal Program.
A phased implementation of DPMAP,
part of the DOD’s collaborative labor-man-
agement effort, New Beginnings, began in
April 2016 with a limited number of Army,
Navy and defense agency civilians.
Department of the Air Force civilians
are part of phase II with the rst annual
appraisal period beginning April 1, 2017,
and closing March 31, 2018.
“Our Airmen, including our civilian Air-
men, are critical to accomplishing the Air
Force’s mission,” said Air Force Secretary
Deborah Lee James. “New Beginnings
focuses on institutionalizing a culture
of high performance through greater
employee-supervisor communication and
accountability, increased employee engage-
ment, transparent processes, and improved
capabilities in recruiting, developing and
rewarding our workforce.”
Training options include either the six-
hour web-based training via Joint Knowl-
edge Online, a 14-hour in-resident class,
or a combination of the two. Training must
be complete for transition into DPMAP.
The online JKO training is available under
course numbers PM101A for part one, and
PM101B for part two. While the online
training is available now, employees will
receive further information when DPMAP
training is scheduled for their base.
“The new program will bring some admin-
istrative changes, but the key tenet of our
current civilian evaluation system will be
retained — individual performance will be
linked to organizational mission and goals,”
James said.
Additional Air Force training related to
DPMAP and New Beginnings, expected in
the fall, includes a performance manage-
TO
BEAUTIFUL
PLACES
ment coaching program that will provide
short, facilitated, interactive learning op-
portunities.
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/
Article/815057/training-for-new-civilian-perfor-
mance-management-program-now-available.
aspx
Health literacy key for
better health, better care
Just as literacy in reading and writing is
critical to processing information in day-to-
day life, health care has its own component
of literacy. Health literacy is the capacity
of individuals to obtain, process and un-
derstand health information and services
in order to make informed decisions about
their health.
Many factors can determine a person’s
health literacy. Familiarity with medical
terms or having an understanding of hu-
man body functions can affect a person’s
ability to fully comprehend health infor-
mation. Patients often nd themselves in
positions to interpret numbers or even take
risks to make a health care decision. Some
have complex medical conditions that re-
quire intricate self-care. Patients who are
diagnosed with a serious illness could be
scared or confused, severely hampering
their ability to understand their care.
At the core of health literacy is commu-
nication between patients and their health
care providers. In order to make the best
decisions about their health, patients need
clear information they can understand.
Through patient-centered care, the Air
Force is working to educate health profes-
sionals to become better communicators.
“Health literacy depends on the complex-
ity of information and tasks a patient is
required to perform,” said Lt. Col. Laura
Lien, the chief nurse of the 628th Medical
Group. “Health literacy spans the entire
encounter within a military treatment
facility from the minute a patient walks
in the door.”
Easy-to-read signage, a well-thought-out
oor plan and careful furniture placement
can enhance the patient experience.
Health care providers rely on health
literacy to help individuals nd appropri-
August 2016 9
Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt
ate health information and services, com-
municate about patients’ health, process
patients’ needs and requests, and deter-
mine the best health care options to help
patients manage their health.
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/
Article/811780/health-literacy-key-for-better-
health-better-care.aspx
Nominations for first enlisted
RPA pilots being accepted
The Air Force is accepting nominations
to ll its rst class of enlisted remotely
piloted aircraft pilots as part of a deliber-
ate approach to enhance the intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance mission.
The first enlisted RPA pilot selection
board will convene at the Air Force Person-
nel Center from Jan. 23 through 26, 2017,
with application packages due to AFPC by
Nov. 18. The selection board process mirrors
that of the Undergraduate Flying Training
program and allows candidates time to
complete all eligibility requirements.
“The Air Force will take advantage of
this opportunity to integrate enlisted pilots
into the RQ-4 Global Hawk community,”
said Chief Master Sgt. Eric Rigby, the en-
listed aircrew assignments chief at AFPC.
“RQ-4 is the most established of our RPA
communities and presents an opportunity
to posture our force in a new way for the
dynamic future operating environment in
air, space and cyberspace.”
Applicants must be staff sergeant
through senior master sergeant from the
1A and 1U career elds and have six years
of retainability upon course graduation.
“We have an incredibly talented pool of
enlisted Airmen, and we’re con dent that a
rigorous selection process will yield excellent
enlisted aircrew who will continue to provide
combatant commanders with the ISR they
need to win today’s ght,” Rigby said.
The end goal is to have the Global Hawk
enterprise manned by a majority of enlisted
pilots in day-to-day operations with key
leadership positions lled by of cers expe-
rienced in the ISR mission set.
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/
Article/830774/nominations-for-first-enlisted-rpa-
pilots-being-accepted.aspx