Your Community in Brief

[The Patriot]

Your Community in Brief

07-11-2011 03:46 AM

ShareThis Published:
Mon, 2011-07-11 11:44


Your Community in Brief


Heather Joy


Your Community in Brief

48th MDG to begin children sport physicals
by Capt. Robert Russin
48th Medical Group

The 48th Medical Group will perform sports physicals for students 13 to 18 of age participating in fall sports: July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 11.
Appointments will be scheduled on a next-available basis. To expedite the appointment, patients can complete the physical examination form prior to the visit. The form is available at the family health or pediatrics clinics and the middle and high schools.
Physicals may be conducted in the family health or pediatrics clinics. These appointments are specifically for sports physicals of children with no known chronic illnesses.
Children with chronic illnesses, such as asthma or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, will not be seen on these days. Please contact the child's primary care clinic to schedule an appointment.
To schedule an appointment for a sports physical, please call the central appointment line at 226-8010 or 01638 528 010.
For all other sports physicals, the 48th MDG asks that patients wait until the summer is over and request an appointment through primary care managers.

Local police warn vehicle-owners to be more vigilant, keep property secure
from Staff reports
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Police are urging drivers to secure their vehicles and property, following thefts of items such as cash, satellite navigation systems, and MP3 players from cars in the Forest Heath area (housing areas in the local community around RAFs Mildenhall, Lakenheath and Feltwell).
Since April 1, more than 100 vehicles in the district were broken into. In many cases, property was left on display, and some vehicles were left unlocked. Twenty-one SatNavs and 14 MP3 players are among the items taken.
"Don't leave items in view for would-be thieves to easily spot," said Police Constable Paul Glover, Ministry of Defence Police at RAF Mildenhall. "It's usually opportunists who will try and steal things to make money."
PC Glover said motorists should keep their vehicles secure and use car alarms or immobilizers.
"Get into the habit of doing it on base as well as off," he said. "If you start thinking that on base is safe - so you don't bother keeping your vehicle secure, and have your items on view - you're less likely to take preventative measures when you're off base."
The Suffolk Constabulary offers the following advice to drivers to help ensure their cars and contents are kept safe, and as a deterrent to thieves.

• Lock all windows and doors whenever parking, and physically check they are secure
• Choose well-lit areas for on-street parking
• Don't leave anything in your car - remove all temptation, even if just loose change or a plastic bag
• If you have a garage at home, use it for parking rather than storage
• If there is a SatNav in your car, remove it and the holder and wipe away the suction pad marks
• Don't leave accessories, such as leads and chargers, on display
• If your vehicle has alloy wheels, use lockable wheel nuts
• Look for parking lots with closed-circuit television and the police-approved ParkMark award
• Mark your property with a postcode, or a forensic liquid which allows items to be traced back to the owner. If marking with this solution, take note of serial numbers and register items on the National Property Database at www.immobilise.com.

"Many of these victims made it easy for a thief to strike - it only takes seconds to smash a car window, and grab whatever can be seen inside, and if the vehicle is insecure then it's even more tempting," said Detective Inspector Andy Footer, Suffolk Constabulary. "But basic things, like double-checking you've locked your car (and not just trusting the remote) and taking everything with you can mean you're far more likely to come back to a secure vehicle."
PC Glover said people should also be vigilant at home, and keep their houses secure as well.
"Lock all your doors and windows when you go out; even if you're in the house you should keep the front door locked to prevent walk-in burglaries."
For more information, call the local crime reduction officer, via the police switchboard for your area (numbers can be found in the British phone book)
Information provided by West Suffolk Press Office Suffolk Constabulary

Air Force to enhance travel orders for deployment
by Master Sgt. Amaani Lyle
Air Force Public Affairs Agency

In an effort to improve customer support and expedite travel voucher payments, Air Force financial management leaders will mandate standardized use of the Defense Travel System for contingency, exercise and deployment travel, officials said here June 28.
The change will take effect Aug. 1 throughout U.S. Air Forces in Europe and began Air Force-wide July 1.
The change will be mostly transparent to the traveler, who will still receive a paper CED order from the personnel readiness unit; however, these orders will now be stamped "Processed in DTS," reminding the traveler and the local financial services office to file the settlement voucher in DTS, officials added.
"The FSO will continue to support the traveler throughout the entire process," said Chief Master Sgt. Jesse Stirling, financial management's enlisted career field manager.
According to USAFE/FM officials, some finance offices within the command have already successfully transitioned their CED processes to DTS.
Finance management officials said this translates to significant reductions in voucher turnaround time; DTS payments average three days, whereas filing a paper voucher averages 8 days.
"Standardized CED travel operations will provide a consistent practice for all Airmen without regard to deployed location or primary duty station," said Joan Causey, deputy assistant secretary for financial operations. "Expanding DTS procedures for CED travel to all locations will bring long-range benefits such as increased transparency and timelier travel payments to Airmen."
Stirling explained the new process will positively impact Airmen in exercises or downrange, allowing them to focus more on the mission and less on getting mired in the administrative side of filing travel claims.
"For example, scheduled partial payments (or accruals) for the duration of the trip will become automatic after the initial payment is loaded into DTS," Stirling said. "This new procedure will standardize voucher computation across the Air Force and streamline the filing process for the customer."
USAFE/FM officials said goal within the command is to ensure readiness for this transition by ensuring each base has tested its procedures to kick off this change. Being prepared to implement this change will minimize the impact to the command and maximize the benefits to USAFE Airmen.
For more information, contact the base financial services office.

(Editor's note: Tech. Francesca Popp, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs, contributed to this story.)








More...