Heroes 2020: 307th Medical Squadron

307th Medical Squadron Returns From
Combating COVID-19 in New York

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Paula Bomar, 307th Medical Squadron nurse, was the first person from the unit to deploy to New York during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nine members of the unit deployed to New York in early April, in response to calls for help from hospital staffs overwhelmed by the coronavirus. According to the city government’s website, New York endured more than 200,000 confirmed cases from February until the end of May.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Trevor Talbert, a technician with the 307th Medical Squadron, said the situation was dire when the airmen arrived.

”The civilian staff at my hospital was burned out and depleted,” he said. ”There were at least 40 patients on my floor, and the numbers didn’t start to go down until last week.” He explained those numbers included a broad age demographic, with patients ranging in age from 20-somethings to octogenarians. ”COVID-19 does not discriminate,” he said. ”They all struggled.”

The airmen’s efforts helped save lives, but they had to learn to deal with losing patients as well. Talbert spoke about leaving the bedsides of patients at the end of a shift and returning the next day to find out they had died. ”It makes you appreciate the important things in life,” Talbert said. ”It never became normal, and I’m glad because I didn’t want to become lax about treating them.”

Air Force Capt. Aaron Biggio, a nurse with the 307th Medical Squadron, said hospital staff, patients and even the public showed deep appreciation for their efforts. He said people in the neighborhood would lean out of apartment windows, cheering for them during shift changes. ”I’d get thanked in the streets by total strangers, often with tears in their eyes,” he said. ”There is no one in New York who doesn’t know someone else affected by the disease.”

Talbert said the airmen did their best to serve the patients beyond standard medical care. He recalled using his cellphone to set up video chats between patients and loved  ones. ”We were the only family they had while they were under our care,” he explained.

Most airmen deployed to the region with a focus on direct patient care, but a handful also took part in research efforts designed to learn how to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on hospital workers.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cynitra Roberson, the squadron’s immunization noncommissioned officer in charge, took part in patient care, but also served as part of a research team trying to determine if the safety protocols put in place were effective. She and other team members tested almost 500 medical workers. Though the research results remain to be determined, Roberson said, she gained personal insight from the experience.

”It was really neat and something different,” Roberson explained. ”I worked with really good people, and it was a great experience.”

Throughout the deployment, the airmen worked 12-hour shifts and, in some hospitals, faced patient loads well beyond normal capacity. Biggio said he would do it all again, regardless of the hardships involved.

”I’d get back on the plane right now if they would let me,” he said. ”There’s just something beautiful about the humanity of people coming together to fight through something so gruesome.”

Returning airmen are scheduled to be in quarantine for two weeks before being allowed to return to their military and civilian duties.

article by AIR FORCE MASTER SGT. THEODORE DAIGLE

 

Book Review: The Destiny of Humanity by Jonathan Bannon Maher

“I am confident this book will surely attract much public attention to the important task of building a peaceful and prosperous world for all.” – Norodom Sihamoni, King, Cambodia

“A pointing of horizons and goals to which we must be aware. The quest for harmony and a blend of attitudes that could reach the heights of the global and total dignity of human beings.” – Jose Maria Pereira Neves, Prime Minister, Cape Verde

“It is the kindness of people like you that continually renew my confidence about what we as Americans can achieve together.” – Jill Biden, Office of the Vice President, United States

“A brilliant look at where we are headed as a species shared in the context of an authentic personal background story.” – Panayiotis P. Georgotas, Amazon Customer

4 Ways Young People Can Impact The World
‘Why Wait To Make A Positive Impact?’ Entrepreneurial Activist Asks

The younger you are as a registered voter in the United States, the less likely you are to cast your ballot, and the more you may have to lose by not doing so.

According to the latest data from the United States Census Bureau, voters aged 18 to 24 have consistently been the demographic with the lowest turnout, demonstrating an overall trend toward disengagement. While the line chart spiked in 2008 for President Obama’s first election, the trend has once again headed downward.

“Midterm elections yield disproportionately low participation among young voters, at a time when each additional vote yields the greatest impact,” says Jonathan Bannon Maher, a former candidate for the United States Senate, and author of “The Destiny of Humanity,” a book endorsed by Kings, a Prime Minister and a Second Lady (www.jonathanmaher.com).

“Debt from wars and unadjusted retirement benefits is piled onto the shoulders of our future. Adults make the choices and kids get sent the unpaid portion of the bill with interest. It seems even informed, motivated youth often feel powerless to make a meaningful impact. If they were to believe they can drive broad positive change, they’d be more inclined to communicate their thoughts to decision makers and participate electorally.”

Maher reviews four ways young people can get involved and affect positive gains.

•  Encourage your friends to vote. Yes vote yourself, but encourage friends to do so as well, to demonstrate your support in numbers.  Whereas Obama inspired young people to vote in numbers not seen since the early 1970s, enthusiasm fell precipitously for midterm elections in 2010. Only 49 percent of young people, ages 18 to 29, were registered to vote in the 2010 midterm elections, 45 percent of whom said they weren’t interested. Twenty-four percent didn’t know how to register.

“Registering to vote is a straightforward process,” Maher says, “and you can learn more at your state’s elections office website or at rockthevote.org”

•  Volunteer for a candidate’s campaign. If this seems overly ambitious, you may not be giving your political views enough credit.

“My advice is to review as many candidates as you can find online, and support those with the courage, intelligence, and heart to identify and resolve problems, even if they have limited traction. If feeling particularly ambitious, expand your search to include those who have expressed an interest.”

Research candidates nationally and those whose campaign offices are within driving distance, and find someone whom you can feel enthusiastic about supporting. If you haven’t found anyone, keep looking.

•  Articulate your views to lawmakers in writing about a personally important issue. If promoting a candidate is just too much, don’t give up. Whether you know it or not, you are most likely passionate about at least one issue, whether it’s the environment or education. If you don’t know who represents you and your community, you can find it at the following site:openstates.org/find_your_legislator/.

“Politicians and their staff can be profoundly influenced by logical heartfelt correspondence, even if a direct response isn’t provided,” Maher says. “But no one responds to communications they don’t receive.”

•  Follow news sites on social media. Grand gestures can sometimes make a big impression. However, smaller measures can plant a seed that takes root in important ways, too. If you care about the world but want to learn more, start small. Simply by reading well-researched articles from well-educated journalists and public intellectuals, you’ll notice your feelings come out. “Researching an issue from all perspectives will allow you to be most persuasive,” Maher says. Following a site or opinion-maker that inspires you will keep you engaged. From there it may only be a matter of time before you decide to make a difference.

About Jonathan Bannon Maher

Jonathan Bannon Maher (www.jonathanmaher.com) writes network intrusion detection and prevention software for the Pentagon. In his free time, he writes investment management algorithms and works on startups. In 2012 at age 29, he ran for the United States Senate. Prior to that, Maher wrote software used to purchase and manage billions in assets at a hedge fund. His music has been licensed by MTV, VH1, and Discovery Networks, and he’s written two books, including “The Destiny of Humanity,” endorsed by world leaders, and “Building a Successful Organization”. He graduated from the University of San Diego with recommendations from the President and Dean.

Amazon Buy Link

Book Review: Hurricane Katrina: The Story of the Most Destructive Hurricane in American History

Hurricane Katrina:
The Story of the Most Destructive
Hurricane in American History

“The big lesson I learned from Hurricane Katrina is that we have to be thinking about the unthinkable because sometimes the unthinkable happens.” – Mike Leavitt

Hurricanes have been devastating communities for thousands of years, bringing about various combinations of rain and wind that can do everything from taking down some dead limbs to wiping out houses. They are also common enough that people who live for any length of time in a region prone to having hurricanes are inclined to accept them as something of a periodic nuisance rather than a serious danger. Modern construction styles allow houses to withstand winds in excess of 100 miles an hour, and early warning systems allow people to evacuate. Thus, most hurricanes of the 21st century take fewer lives than a serious highway accident.

As a result, the world watched in horror as Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans in August 2005, and the calamity seemed all the worse because many felt that technology had advanced far enough to prevent such tragedies, whether through advanced warning or engineering. Spawning off the Bahamian coast that month, Katrina quickly grew to be one of the deadliest natural disasters in American history, killing more than 1,800 people and flooding a heavy majority of one of America’s most famous cities. At first, the storm seemed to be harmless, scooting across the Floridian coast as a barely noticeable Category 1 storm, but when Katrina reached the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, its winds grew exponentially before slamming into the southern Louisiana coast as a massive Category 5 hurricane.

In addition to the deadly nature of the hurricane, it was also incredibly destructive as a result of failed levees around the New Orleans area. By the time the storm had passed, it had wreaked an estimated $108 billion of damage across the region, and the human suffering, with nearly 2,000 deaths and a million people displaced, was available for viewing across the world. Naturally, the reactions of political leaders would be heavily scrutinized in the aftermath, and people studied the lessons to be learned from the disaster to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

Hurricane Katrina: The Story of the Most Destructive Hurricane in American History chronicles the storm from its formation to the devastating effects it had across the Gulf of Mexico. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Hurricane Katrina like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures
*Includes accounts of the hurricane written by survivors
*Includes a bibliography for further reading
*Includes a table of contents

Amazon Buy Link
Kindle Print Audio

Amazon Customer Reviews

Terrific book reviewed by Critters
I really learned a lot from this book, even though I well remember Hurricane Katrina. The graphics are just superb, and I understand more about the levees now (although I’ll never understand why a city would be built below sea level)…

Stormy Review by Rivers Books
Amazing overview of this storm and the damage it did. The personal stories of the victims give it a human touch.

EXCELLENT by Baarda
HURRICANE KATRINA destroyed New Orleans. Destruction that has not and will be not be repaired. Climate change assures that the future of New Orleans is not good.

Charles River Editors is a digital publishing company that creates compelling, educational content. In addition to publishing original titles, we help clients create traditional and media-enhanced books.

Daylight Saving Time starts Sun, March 9

 The correct term is Daylight Saving (not savingS) Time and it
happens this Sunday for ALMOST ALL of the United States and
other locations in the world…

Time to Spring Ahead

Why Arizona doesn’t observe Daylight Saving

Daylight Saving Time Around the World 2014

The concept of Daylight Saving Time was introduced in an 1784 essay written by Benjamin Franklin called “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light”; Franklin proposed that using less candles to light the day/night would help to save money during the winter season when natural light is at its shortest.

The idea was again presented in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson and then in 1905 with William Willet. Willet’s plan was presented to the New Zealand House of Commons in 1908 but was not approved. There is evidence that versions and concepts of Daylight Saving Time had been used by ancient civilizations centuries earlier.

DST was first adopted to replace artificial lighting so they could save fuel for the war effort in Germany during World War I and other countries including Britain and the United States soon followed.

In the years that followed, in the U.S., there were problems since states and individual localities were able to set their own dates to observe the time change. Congress resolved the confusion with the Uniform Time Act of 1966 that stated DST would begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October; however, states still had the ability to be exempt from DST by passing a local ordinance. Changes were made in 1976, 1987 and 2007 in response to the Energy Crisis.

Today DST starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. Currently, most of the US observes DST except for Hawaii and most of Arizona, and the US insular areas of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam. More than 70 countries worldwide observe DST.

~and~

Daylight Saving Time is a good reminder to check smoke detectors & carbon monoxide alarms

Be the Boss of Your Own Life

How to Be the Boss of Your Own Life
Businesswoman Provides Tips for Being Your Own CEO

Entrepreneurship is alive and well in the United States with hundreds of thousands of new businesses opening each year.

More than 22 million of our small businesses are one-man (or woman) shops, and the number of those ringing up more than $1 million in sales is growing – it was nearly 27,000 in 2011, the most recent U.S. Census statistics available.

“Americans are very savvy business people, and for more and more of us, the rewards of running our own business trounce the risks associated with stepping out on our own,” says Lynda Chervil, a longtime businesswoman, thought leader and author of the new book, “Fool’s Return,” (http://lyndachervil.com/).

“Imagine what would happen if we applied our CEO mindset and skills to our own lives? Sometimes, it takes a boss to tell you to do something in order for it to get done. Now’s the time to become that boss.” 

Chervil shares tips for doing that:

• Embrace change, renewal and rebirth. There is no shortage of opportunity to notice change in life. Don’t be afraid to use milestones to provide yourself with an “employer’s review” on how you’re doing in your own life. What are you doing well, what needs work and how are you going to improve? Create a detailed plan on how you expect to accomplish your goals. Give yourself a timeline, such as losing 20 pounds by summer or increasing your net worth by next year.

• You’re your own best entrepreneur. Part of being a good boss means trying out enterprising ideas; it’s the mediocre bosses who are content with the status quo. You don’t have to start with something wild. Instead, follow through on ideas that are good for you, such as buying healthy food that you haven’t yet tried. Look up recipes for how to prepare a healthy item like quinoa – make a project out of it. Have fun with the new you. Just because you have a new job with plenty of responsibility – being your own boss – doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

• Manage what you can control; accept what you cannot; and look outside the box. This is not as easy as it may sound because we often think we can control things that, in fact, we cannot, including how people respond to us or how quickly our bodies respond to diet and exercise. Progress does not happen all at once. While it makes sense to focus on what we can control, you may also consider alternative methods of living. That may include riding a bike to work rather than driving, or exploring alternative forms of spiritual healing.

• Don’t be a victim! To a greater or lesser extent, we’re all taught to be obedient conform to the standards set by parents, teachers and bosses. Unfortunately, for many, this passive role can shape one’s identity and influence other relationships. It all starts with one’s own relationship to one’s self, Chervil says. As most parents and teachers will say, the best students are those who need the least help and are willing to be proactive in their own improvement. Understand that it’s not others who determine what you can do; it’s you!

About Lynda Chervil

Lynda Chervil is the author of “Fool’s Return,” http://lyndachervil.com/, a new novel that incorporates valuable life lessons in a page-turning tale that touches on technology, the green movement, and other aspects of contemporary society. She graduated from New York University with a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and has extensive experience in consumer and commercial banking and has held positions in new business development, sales management and executive leadership. Chervil seeks to push the limits of established understanding by exploring alternative forms of spiritual healing, and, through creative writing, to expand the narrative of cutting-edge energy technology to promote sustainability.