Page 2 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 5-6-16

May 2016 COMMENTARY Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
2 www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
Volunteerism a ects positive change
PHONE NUMBERS
by Lt. Col. Air Force, we all live very busy lives, In a recent study from Carnegie
Airman’s Attic ......................................................................... 623-856-6415 STEPHEN SIMKO from our normal duty schedules, to Mellon University, published in the
Airman and Family Readiness Center ................................. 623-856-6550 exercises, weekend duties, shift work, Psychology and Aging journal, adults
Armed Forces Bank ............................................................... 623-535-9766 349th Maintenance Group and especially deployments. over age 50 who volunteered on a
Base Exchange Main Store ................................................... 623-935-2671 regular basis were less likely to de-
Base Taxi .................................................................................. 623-856-6866 TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, It is easy to fall into a mundane velop high blood pressure than non-
Beauty Shop ............................................................................ 623-536-1897 Calif. — Throughout our military pattern of life. If volunteer work isn’t volunteers, demonstrating a direct
Chapel ...................................................................................... 623-856-6211 careers, we often talk of being a volun- already part of your life, I would chal- physical bene t of volunteering.
Chapel (after duty hours) ....................................................... 623-856-5600 teer force, a subset of our culture that lenge you to start out with nding just
Child Care Center ................................................................... 623-856-6338 has volunteered to serve our country an hour a week to “lose yourself in the Although the physical and psy-
Clothing Sales ......................................................................... 623-856-6310 in the profession of arms. service of others.” chological bene ts are real and good
Club Five Six ........................................................................... 623-856-6446 for us, the reward I have found most
Command Post ........................................................................ 623-856-5600 Without disrespect to anyone cur- If you look at the microcosm of bene cial is affecting positive change
Commissary ............................................................................ 623-935-3821 rently in uniform or those that have “any base USA,” I would argue that in the lives of others. Most of my
Community Center ................................................................. 623-856-7152 served before me, I have always been we easily make up the most diverse volunteer efforts have centered on
Computer IT service desk .................................................... DSN 945-2900 in con ict over the military/volunteer of skillsets per acre anywhere in the coaching youth sports and volunteer-
Crime Stop ............................................................................... 623-856-6666 discussions. Granted, there were county. Take that and match it up ing with Boy Scouts of America. Were
Dental Clinic ............................................................................ 623-856-2273 times in our past when the draft was against the needs of just about any those opportunities challenging, time
Dermatology ............................................................................ 623-856-2273 in place and a number of our nation’s community, and you should easily nd consuming, stressful and lots of work?
Dining Hall .............................................................................. 623-856-6396 citizens were forced into service. My a volunteer opportunity that matches Absolutely. However, that is never
Dorm Management ................................................................ 623-856-7841 con ict centers on the aspect that we your speci c skillset or interest. Volun- what comes to mind when I look back
Education Center .................................................................... 623-856-7722 are all compensated for our service, we teering doesn’t have to be a big, formal on my efforts.
EMERGENCY ONLY ............................................................................ 911 receive some amount of pay, housing program or event; it is oftentimes a
Equal Opportunity .................................................................. 623-856-7711 allowances, bonuses at times, medical simple act we may take for granted The best memories that come to
Eye Clinic ................................................................................ 623-856-7965 bene ts and a variety of other bene ts that is received with the most thanks. mind are that of a very shy kid who
Falcon Dunes Golf Course .................................................... 623-535-9334 throughout our career. Tennis champion Arthur Ashe stated it was afraid of camping on his rst trip,
Family Health Clinic .............................................................. 623-856-2273 best: “Volunteer! Start where you are. later earning his Eagle Scout. There
Family Housing ...................................................................... 623-388-3515 By de nition, yes, we did all vol- Use what you have. Do what you can.” was a 12-year-old who was about
Firestone Car Care .................................................................. 623-271-8104 unteer to serve our country in the to quit volleyball but grew into the
Fitness Center .......................................................................... 623-856-6241 military. But when I talk about volun- Although the basic premise of volun- sport and went on to play collegiately,
Fire Station .............................................................................. 623-856-6641 teerism, I am referring to those that teering is to help someone else, there or a former athlete I coached at the
Flight Medicine ....................................................................... 623-856-2273 have given their own time and energy are a number of bene ts the volunteer middle-school level who later joined
Food Court ............................................................................... 623-935-2671 to serve others — these are the people receives as well. For starters, there are the military.
Fort Tuthill ............................................................................... 623-856-3401 I have the highest level of respect. psychological bene ts.
Fraud, waste and abuse hotline ............................................. 623-856-6149 It is this type of volunteerism that I There is no way of measuring the
Housing Assistance Sec ......................................................... 623-856-7643 think each and every one of us owes Mark Snyder, a psychologist and head speci c impact I’ve had over the years
Housing Facilities Sec ............................................................ 623-856-3007 to the various communities we live in of the Center for the Study of the Indi- on those I have served, but I like to
Housing Maintenance ............................................................ 623-935-2676 throughout our careers. vidual and Society at the University of think I have at a minimum been a
ID Cards ................................................................................... 623-856-7832 Minnesota, states that “people who vol- positive role model to all those I have
ITT ............................................................................................ 623-856-6000 There are a number of great quotes unteer tend to have higher self-esteem, volunteered with.
Legal Assistance ..................................................................... 623-856-6901 relative to volunteerism. psychological well-being, and happiness.
Hobby shop ............................................................................. 623-856-6722 All of these things go up as their feelings In closing, former British Prime
Housing office ......................................................................... 623-856-7643 One that struck a chord with me is of social connectedness goes up, which Minister Winston Churchill stated,
Law enforcement desk ........................................................... 623-856-5970 from Gandhi who said, “The best way in reality, it does. It also improves their “We make a living by what we get. We
Legal assistance ....................................................................... 623-856-6901 to nd yourself is to lose yourself in the health and even their longevity.” make a life by what we give.”
Library ...................................................................................... 623-856-7191 service of others.” As members of the
Lodging Office/Switchboard ................................................. 623-856-3941
Maintenance Control Center ................................................. 623-856-5469 Finding strength, resiliency through Air Force family
Marine Corp ............................................................................ 623-856-2417
Marine Corp 24-hr Duty Desk .............................................. 602-421-5806 by Airman 1st Class Kansas. We didn’t know anyone or anything about the area
Marketing ................................................................................ 623-856-3245 CHRISTOPHER THORNBURY before arriving. It was only my wife Kristina, my daughter
Medical appointments ............................................................ 623-856-2273 Kierstin and myself.
Military Equal Opportunity ................................................... 623-856-7711 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Military pay ............................................................................. 623-856-7028 My co-workers welcomed us and within a few months, I
Navy Op Support Center ....................................................... 602-353-3008 MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. — I joined the had made friends at work. We soon found out that our im-
Office of Special Investigation .............................................. 623-856-6821 military to provide for my family, but I never expected the mediate family was going to grow. We were going to have a
Outdoor Recreation ................................................................ 623-856-6267 challenges my family would face and how we would evolve. baby boy, who we decided to name Emmitt Alan Thornbury.
OB/GYN Clinic ...................................................................... 623-856-2273
Optometrist .............................................................................. 623-856-2273 When I enlisted in the Air Force, I joined another family On Sept. 18, 2015, Emmitt was born.
Orthopedic Clinic .................................................................... 623-856-2273 without intent. This family has been with me ever since, Hardship
Pass and registration ............................................................... 623-856-4880 especially during my family’s darkest tragedy. We didn’t have the chance to raise Emmitt. We’ll never
Patient advocate ...................................................................... 623-856-8968 know what kind of man he would become, if he’d have my
Pediatric Clinic ........................................................................ 623-856-2273 Family blue eyes or his mother’s dimples. We won’t be able to take
Pharmacy refill call-in ............................................................ 623-856-3969 After completing basic military training and tech school,
Photo services .......................................................................... 623-856-6168 my family and I made the 303-mile drive from our home- See fAMiLy, Page 17
Post Office ............................................................................... 623-935-1343 town, Lebanon, Missouri, to McConnell Air Force Base,
Public Affairs ........................................................................... 623-856-6011
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Sick Call ................................................................................... 623-856-2273
Straight Talk Line ................................................................... 623-856-7064 Commander.......................................................... Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus The Thunderbolt uses material from the Armed Forces Information Service, Air
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Thrift store ............................................................................... 623-935-5782 Internal information.............................................. Staff Sgt. Staci Miller
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(TMO) Household goods ...................................................... 623-856-6425 Editorial Information dorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense or the Department
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Youth Center ............................................................................ 623-856-7470