FALCON FAMILY NEWS


December 2008

Happy Holidays!



CLASS STATISTICS (as of 30 November 2008)
Class Men Women Total
2009 891 175 1066
2010 854 191 1045
2011 905 222 1127
2012 1001 274 1275
WING 3655 863 4518


SECOND ANNUAL MITCHELL HALL HOLIDAY FEAST

This festive evening took place on Wednesday, December 10th, in Mitchell Hall and featured a prime rib and crab legs dinner. Holiday music filled the air and each table was individually decorated by a doolie. Photos by David Armer.
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CELL PHONES ILLEGAL WHILE DRIVING ON USAFA The welfare and safety of both our military and civilian community is extremely important to the overall success of the USAFA mission. The use of cellular phones significantly impairs driver awareness and impedes their ability to recognize emergency signals, sirens, actions by other traffic commuters, as well as their immediate surroundings. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, approximately 25 percent of all motor vehicle accidents can be attributed to driver inattention or distraction.

Beginning Jan 1, 2009, USAFA vehicle drivers using a cellular phone without a hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle will have their installation driving privileges suspended immediately for a 7-day period. Vehicle operators will not be allowed to appeal these suspensions unless an emergency situation exists.

This policy applies to all military, cadets, DoD civilians, contractors, family members and non-DoD vehicle operators on the USAFA.

BCT YEARBOOKS AND DVD

The yearbooks are usually distributed between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and this year BCT yearbooks will be shipped the week of 15-19 December 2008. The yearbooks are distributed to the Class of 2012 cadets directly in the wing. Additional BCT yearbook orders are mailed out to address on order form. BCT videos and yearbooks are still available. Questions should go to the Cadet Wing Media office at 719-333-4644 or CWMedia@usafa.edu.

NEW ON KAFA "PULSE OF THE PLANT"

KAFA is available on WWW at http://www.usafa.org/KAFA.aspx, locally in Colorado Springs at 97.7FM and also on the USAFA EDU network on V-Brick on the Blue Tube/KAFA channel.

KAFA Newsletter
December 2008


KAFA Snow Reports:

Tune in every Thursday and Friday for an update on ski conditions across Colorado. Get snowfall totals, grooming reports and more.

Rockin Reunion:

Join Us Every Wednesday Night for a step back in time! Each week, listen in as Nick and Alex highlight a USAFA class and the music of their time. Highlights include facts about the class, news and information of the time, and popular culture.

Character Matters:

CMSgt (ret) Bob Vasquez takes the warrior spirit into the studio for a hands-on interview each week with some of the Air Force's top leaders. Chief Vasquez digs deep to find out what is important and timeless for effective leadership and throws in some stories from personal experience. Listen Dec 17th for an interview with the Academy's newest Commandant, Brigadier General Samuel Cox.

KAFA Top 10 at 10:

Send us your top ten favorite songs, and we'll put them on air. Just send us an email at kafafm@gmail.com with any list of ten songs…it can be your favorites of all time or the top ten you are spinning on your iPod this week.
Every Friday at 10am and 10pm

Live Webstream:

Log on to http://www.usafa.org/KAFA.aspx and listen in to KAFA when you are outside the broadcast area! Great for at work and for travel, take KAFA wherever you go. Thanks to CWMedia/Academy AOG partnership for making the webstream possible.

Stream KAFA Using Less Bandwidth:

If you are on the Academy EDU network, you can use VBrick to stream KAFA. Just click on the BlueTube/KAFA channel, and save some bandwidth!

KAFA Bumper Stickers!

Stop by the Balanced Rock Bike Shop in Monument and pick up a FREE KAFA bumper sticker. Show some station pride and get some great biking gear at the same time. Balanced Rock Bike Shop is located on the corner of 3rd Street and Beacon Light Street in downtown Monument.
Thanks for listening to 97.7 KAFA! Contact KAFA via email at: 97.7 KAFA kafafm@gmail.com

CADET CLINIC

As the newest member of the USAF Academy Cadet Clinic I would like to introduce myself. I am Maj Darren Campbell MD. My family and I recently moved from Niceville, Florida. What a change in landscape and environment. For me, moving to Colorado Springs is almost like coming home. I was raised in Utah, just north of Salt Lake City. I have enjoyed many of the outdoor activities that living in the Mountain West has to offer since I was a child. It is great to see the snow again. I attended Brigham Young University and received a BA degree with a major in Chinese. I attended medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda Maryland. After medical school, we remained in Maryland as I completed a Family Medicine Residency at Malcom Grow Medical Center on Andrews AFB. After residency we moved back to Utah as I was stationed at Hill AFB. My family was able to stay in Utah while I spent a year at Kunsan AB in Korea. After Korea, I completed a Sports Medicine fellowship at the University of Utah. Upon the conclusion of this fellowship, I was assigned to the Family Medicine Residency teaching staff at Eglin AFB, where I served for 3 years. Early this year, just prior to moving here, I served 5 months at Kabul AB in the more austere environment of Afghanistan. When the opportunity presented itself to return back to the Mountain West and work with the cadets and the athletes here at the USAFA, I could not refuse. I am very excited to be part of the health care team at the Cadet Clinic. I am able to see active duty members, dependants and retirees in the orthopedic clinic at the 10th MDG hospital.

With the recent snow storms it is clear that winter has arrived here at the Air Force Academy. This past week we were swapping tales of family fun after the first big storm. One of our staff related the story of his own kids. The temperature was just below freezing and they were sledding down a hill near their home. The kids were running up the hill, then sledding down through new untracked snow. They were outside for hours and returned after dark. After getting cleaned up that evening our staff member saw some whitish skin with blisters on the tip of his child’s nose. Immediately he recognized the sign of frost bite. This child is doing fine and the frost bite has healed but it certainly brought home the point of how quickly we can fall prey to cold injury if we are not prepared and watching for signs of trouble.

Colorado Springs is a virtual wonderland of outdoor activities and these activities do not stop in the winter time. In fact, the number of people enjoying outdoor experiences here may very well increase during the winter. In this winter wonderland where the temperature may be in the 50’s one day and the teens the next, one might question how we can safely participate in the many outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer. Here at the USAF Cadet Clinic, we are dedicated to the health and safety of the Cadets and staff. This question of safety during outdoor activities has been studied extensively. The American College of Sports Medicine produced a position statement on 1 Nov 2006 stating that activities and exercise outdoors even during extremes of weather can not only be tolerated by the human body but that we can participate in these activities safely. The full position stand is available on their web site www.acsm-msse.org/ under the subtitle “position stands.”

The key to safety and enjoyment in any outdoor winter activity is preparation. There is no single formula for preparation because each activity presents unique challenges. For example, a downhill skier or snowboarder should dress properly to be warm enough while riding a chair lift up thousands of feet in elevation. There is often a significant difference in temperature from the bottom to the top of the lift. In addition, navigating back down the mountain, though fun, is hard work. It is possible to work up a sweat skiing down, then to get back on a lift and ride for several minutes in subzero temperatures. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that sitting still when you are covered with sweat in subzero temperature is a recipe for disaster. Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing can present a similar problem. Even in temperatures below zero, your body can generate enough heat during exercise to cause you to sweat. This sweat can become your worst enemy as soon as you sit still to rest or there is a sudden significant decrease in temperature.

Your primary enemies while participating in outdoor activities are hypothermia and frostbite. Hypothermia is simply when your core body temperature falls below 95⁰ F. Your body’s response to this decrease in temperature ranges from shivering and an increase in blood pressure as a primary response to mild hypothermia to cardiac arrhythmias, loss of consciousness and even death in cases of severe hypothermia. We have all experienced shivering as our bodies involuntarily contract muscles to try and generate heat in an effort to preserve a core temperature of 98.6⁰ F. If your core temperature continues to fall, you may begin to experience difficulty speaking, moving and even confusion. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to recognize the signs of hypothermia and begin treatment in this time of confusion and poor judgment due to the drop in core temperature. At this point, proper treatment becomes critical. The primary treatment for mild hypothermia is to get warm and dry. Frostbite describes the literal freezing of the superficial skin and tissue in the face, ears, fingers and toes. The symptoms of frostbite include pain and burning initially, then numbness and tingling. As this process progresses, the skin begins to turn white and hard and then begins to peel or produce blisters. In the final stages the skin may itch, but it becomes firm, shiny and waxy yellow gray in appearance. The tissue is dead, and at this point it is possible to lose fingers and toes or worse to the damage from frostbite. The treatment for the initial stages is much the same as hypothermia. It is important to get to a warm and dry place and remove constrictive clothing. For more severe stages it is important to seek care at a hospital or emergency room.

Our primary weapon for preventing hypothermia and frostbite is knowledge and prevention. The outdoors during winter can be beautiful and pleasant, but as described above it can also be unforgiving. It is very important to spend some time researching about the area that you will be adventuring in the outdoors. It is reasonable to know the average high and low temperature for the time of year. Learning the route that you will be traveling while snowshoeing or cross country skiing is also vital. An unexpected squall or weather front can present “white out conditions.” In a white out, visibility can be reduced to just a few feet. The steep mountains here also present a significant avalanche danger. Simply checking the daily avalanche report for the area you will be traveling can significantly reduce the danger from an avalanche.

Knowing your body and your limitations is another important area of both prevention and preparation. We are each at a different level of fitness. During the summer it may not be a big deal to attempt a hike that is far above your skill level and find yourself taking twice as long to finish the hike. During the winter, that additional time may mean returning home after dark and in temperatures 30 ⁰ cooler than when you started. The altitude here is another significant factor affecting your body’s performance and response to stress. The Academy is at an altitude of over 7,000 ft and some of the local ski resorts are stationed at altitudes over 10,000 ft. Your body can handle significant stress, but no one has an infinite reserve. As you push yourself to your limits of fitness or altitude, you will have less reserve to meet the demands of other stresses such as maintaining your core temperature in sub-zero conditions. Taking time to acclimatize to the area is very important. Your body will respond and adjust to the stress of living at higher altitudes, as well as colder weather. Staying fit with regular exercise also gives you more physiological reserves to meet the stress and demands that this environment presents.

Nutrition and hydration are also part of knowing and preparing your body. The stress of the cold temperature in the outdoors produces an increase in our oxygen consumption much like low intensity exercise. You need to plan for this additional energy loss with a pre-event meal as well as snacks and nutrition during exercise. It is also wise to have a few small snacks on hand in case you are forced to wait out a sudden “white out.” Hydration is as important in cold weather activities as during warm weather activities. You may not have the feedback of feeling sweaty, but exercise, particularly at altitude causes significant fluid losses. If this fluid is not replaced you begin to lose some of your temperature regulation capabilities. The rules for appropriate hydration for winter time activities are similar to summer time. Alcohol is to be avoided as it can blunt some of your natural protective responses to the cold.

The single biggest factor in safely enjoying outdoor recreation during the winter, however, is appropriate clothing. It is imperative to dress in layers. Layering means wearing combinations of clothes in layers in order to help you regulate your temperature. As you are firing your muscles and working hard to snowshoe up a hill or alpine ski down through the moguls, your body temperature can increase significantly. Your body’s natural response is to sweat to try and cool you down. This physiological response of sweating can become harmful if, when exposed to the cooler temperatures outside, the sweat begins to freeze on your skin. When this happens, you can have a very sudden and dramatic drop in your core temperature producing hypothermia as discussed above. By dressing in layers, you can safely provide the temperature regulation that your body is trying to do when you begin to sweat or shiver. For example, you would start with a base layer made from polypropylene, silk, Thinsulate or any other of the newer moisture wicking fabrics. This layer lies directly on your skin and needs to be able to transport the moisture away from your skin. Cotton is a poor choice for the base layer because it absorbs moisture and traps it on your skin, drawing heat from your body. The next layer is a mid-layer which provides insulation. The mid-layer should fit looser than your base layer and be made of a material that has many small air spaces for insulation. Materials for this layer include down, polyester, wool and some newer synthetic materials. The final, outermost layer should block both wind and water from rain or snow, but still allow moisture to escape from inside. Examples of material for this layer would include Gortex or another similar waterproof but breathable fabric. During peak activity, you can open zippers or vents or even remove outer layers of clothing, allowing your body to cool before progressing to the point of sweating heavily, and when resting or sitting you can add layers of clothing for warmth. Additional important articles of clothing include a hat, appropriate foot wear and gloves. Heat loss from your head and neck can account for as much as 50% of your total body’s heat loss. Boots and gloves are needed to keep your extremities both warm and dry. One of your body’s initial responses to lowered core temperature is to increase blood flow to your internal organs. This additional blood flow is diverted from your extremities, which can dramatically decrease the temperature in your hands and feet and set us up for injuries like frostbite.

Colorado presents an inviting outdoor playground during the winter months. What a wonderful place to live. This playground can become miserable and even hostile at a moment’s notice. But it is possible to enjoy all of the activities that this region has to offer safely. Preparation is the key!

NEW USAFA COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND DISCUSSION SITE

Note: This has been established by cadet parents and is not sanctioned by USAFA.

www.USAFACommunity.com is a Discussion Forums site that offers excellent discussions topics, information and support for the entire USAFA community, including parents, cadets, candidates, sponsor families, Prep school families, Local Parents Clubs and anyone seeking information or support related to USAFA. We offer discussion topics for public discussions as well as private discussion topics for Parents and Cadets who may want to discuss personal issues. There are a great deal of topics set up that encourage the posting of important news and information related to the academy. You will find many question you may have concerning the Academy answered just by doing a search within The community Forums.

We also have many outstanding features that help all the USAFA community have a one stop location for all their support and resource needs. Some features included
Stop By and take some time clicking on the links on the home page so you can get a good feel of what this wonderful resource and support site has to offer you as a member of the USAFA community!

GAP YEAR

As earlier mentioned, some parents’ of cadets who have taken a year off from the Academy to go on a religious service mission (also known as a GAP YEAR) are looking to form a Gap Year Support Group.

This group is now up and running and more info can be found at www.usafacommunity.com/forum/social-groups
Gap Year Group

Keep this website address handy so in the future should you have a cadet’s family that is interested in more info on this subject they can be directed to this website.

ATHLETICS

Nichole Stilwell Named to Academic All-District Team She is the fifth player in program history to earn academic all-district honors.

Nov. 6, 2008

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force volleyball sophomore Nichole Stilwell (Divide, Colo.) was named to the ESPN The Magazine University Division Academic All-District VII third-team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced today (Nov. 6). She is one of five Mountain West Conference volleyball players to earn academic all-district honors.

Holding a 3.61 grade-point-average, the mathematics major is the fifth Air Force volleyball player to earn academic all-district honors from CoSIDA. She joins Katherine Dehne (1999), Laura Terry (1999), Delavane Diaz (2003) and Kim Kallabis (2007) as the program's recipients of this honor.

Stilwell, a middle blocker who has started all but one match this season, is currently ranked second on the team with nine solo blocks and 42 total blocks. She is also ranked second with 170 total kills, a 2.00 per-game average and a .163 hitting percentage. Stilwell was an academic all-conference selection and MWC Scholar-Athlete recipient as a freshman.

To be nominated for Academic All-District honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher. Team members are then selected by a vote of the members of CoSIDA within the district. District 7 includes Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, as well as Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Division 7 University Third-Team: Megan Farr (Kansas State), Karina Garlington (Kansas), Whitney Roth (Saint Louis), Kelsey Chipman (Kansas State), Kristin Hille (North Dakota State), Holly Benson (Denver); Nichole Stilwell (Air Force), Kiley Fister (Iowa), Carissa Lee (Wyoming) and Ashten Stelken (Northern Iowa)


Falcon Fans,

Your Air Force Fightin’ Falcons are going bowling again!!! After an impressive 2008 regular season campaign, finishing the season with a 8 – 4 record, your Air Force Falcons have been selected to represent the Mountain West Conference in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. The Falcons will play Houston on December 31st in Fort Worth, Texas. The game will be held at Amon G Carter Stadium on the campus of TCU and will be broadcast on ESPN at 11:00 AM CST. As the Falcons prepare for their second straight post-season bowl game, please make plans to be with them; we need your support now more than ever. Please log onto www.GoAirForceFalcons.com or call our ticket office at 1-800-666-USAF to purchase tickets. Please also make sure you register and purchase your ticket for the official Air Force pre-game tailgate at the Armed Forces Bowl. Tickets and tailgates are on sale now. Also, please check bowl central for information on travel discounts with American Airlines, Avis Rent – A – Car and local hotels.

If you cannot attend, please consider purchasing a ticket for donation. Donated tickets will be distributed to junior enlisted in the area who might not otherwise be able to attend the game. Please help us spread the word and make this the largest Air Force turnout in Air Force Academy bowl history. Thanks for your continued support. GO FALCONS and see you in Fort Worth!!!

To link directly to the ticket order page, please click here: Tickets

Thank you for your continued support of Air Force Athletics. GO FALCONS!!!

Air Force selected for Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Falcons will play Houston on Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. Central

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force has been selected to play in the 2008 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 11 a.m. Central time. The Falcons will take on Houston from Conference-USA.

This marks the second straight year that Air Force has been selected for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, as the Falcons played California from the Pac-10 last season. This season’s bowl is the 19th in Air Force history and the Falcons have posted an 8-9-1 overall mark. Air Force’s last bowl win came in 2000 at the Silicon Valley Bowl against Fresno State, 37-34.

This year’s game against Houston is a rematch from earlier this season, when the two teams played in Dallas on Sept. 13. Air Force won the game, 31-28, in the first ever meeting between the two schools. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Houston, but was moved to Dallas due to weather.

Air Force will be playing in the same bowl game in consecutive years for the third time. The Falcons played in the Independence Bowl in 1983 and 1984 and the Liberty Bowl from 1989 to 1992. This season also marks the first time that Air Force has played a regular season game and bowl game in the same stadium in back-to-back games. The Falcons concluded the 2008 regular season at Amon G. Carter Stadium against TCU, losing 44-10. Air Force is 0-5 in Fort Worth all-time, losing at TCU in 1989, 1998, 2006 and 2008 and dropping the bowl game last year.