Ft. Greely Interceptor - July 2008

8/8/2019 Ft. Greely Interceptor - July 2008

1/8

TEAM GREELY

AL WAYS ON GU ARD DEFENDING FREEDOM

See GARRISON, Page 4

Photo courtesy of Mike Paschall

Command of Garrison, Battalion changes handsLt. Col. Chris Chronis assumes command of Fort Greely Garrison. Lt. Col. Steve D. Carroll assumes command of the Battalion.Photo courtesy of Mike Paschall

Command of Fort Greely Garrison recently changedhands. Lt. Col. Chris William Chronis assumed com-

mand of Fort Greely during a ceremony June 24. He tookover leadership of the garrison from Lt. Col. Gregory McClin-ton.

McClinton is heading to Arlington, Va., for his new assign-ment as the executive officer to Maj. Gen. John A. Mac-donald, deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Instal-lation Management Command and commander of the Familyand Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.

The ceremony was presided over by Col. Howard J. Killian,

Anew commander recently took the reins of the 49th

Missile Defense Battalion.Lt. Col. Steve D. Carroll became the new commander of the

battalion during a change-of-command ceremony here June24.

Carroll succeeds Lt. Col. Ted Hildreth, who moves on toCarlisle Barracks, Pa., to attend Army War College.

Col. Michael L. Yowell, 100th Missile Defense Brigadecommander, passed the unit colors to the new commanderduring the ceremony.

Carroll enlisted in the Army in 1983 and served four years

by Kent Cummins

Public Affairs Officer

by Kent Cummins

Public Affairs Officer

See BATTALION, Page 4

July 2008


2/8

I want to start by saying its greatto be at Fort Greely! I requestedthis job, feel fortunate to be here andlook forward to the next three years.

Its a great privilege to be the Garri-son Commander for such an impor-tant installation and an honor to servethe U.S. Army and this great nationin such a beautiful location.

I want to use this opportunity to

introduce myself, tell you a littleabout me, my leadership style andsome of my goals for Fort Greely.

I was born in 1969 in Vancouver,Wash. I attended Central WashingtonUniversity and was commissioned asecond lieutenant in the Aviationbranch in 1991 through the ReserveOfficer Training Corps program.

I flew helicopters, including theLongbow Apache Attack Helo, for 15years and commanded an Apache

Attack Helo Company for nearly twoyears in Savannah, Ga. I have hadthe opportunity to work in numerouscommand and staff areas at all levelsof command, including logistics, in-telligence, operations and administra-tion in both Air Cavalry Brigades andSquadrons and Combat Aviation Bri-gades.

Some of my goals as the Com-mander are to leave this job and in-stallation better than I found it; to

support the missions of Fort Greelyto the maximum extent possible; toimprove the installation for the Sol-

diers, Families andCivilian workers; tolearn how to be an ef-fective Garrison Com-mander.

I also want to touchon a few things I ex-pect from the peoplewho serve the U.S.Army and nation on

this installation. I expect honesty,loyalty, candor, hard work, punctual-ity, flexibility and innovation. Re-member who we serve the Army,and the Army is at war. It may notseem like it here, but we are. I en-courage people to be optimistic, posi-tive and thankful to be here.

I know sometimes the operationstempo can be challenging, as well asenvironmental factors such as cold,dark winters. However, remind your-

self that though you are forward de-ployed, and performing your wartimemissions here every day, you are stillable to go home and spend time withyour families and friends and to rec-reate in this beautiful place every day- so I encourage you to count yourblessings.

On a personal note, I am an avidoutdoorsman and love to fish andhunt so I couldnt be in a better place.

As you lean forward to accomplish

your job day in and day out, pleaseremember to strive for a balancedapproach to life. I know there is a lot

of work to be done and mission focusis vital but dont forget to take care ofyour family, your physical fitness andyour spiritual fitness.

Also, I encourage you to get in-volved on and off the installation.The Delta Junction community is afantastic place!

Im a believer of one team, onefight. This is not just a catchyphrase to me a lack of teamwork

equals mission failure. Fort Greely isan Army installation of the Army,by the Army and for the Army.

Im excited about working as ateam with the 49th Missile DefenseBattalion, Operations Support GroupAlaska, 59th Signal Battalion, ColdRegions Test Center, Range Controland U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

We have critical and enduring mis-sions here and Im proud to be able toserve my country at Fort Greely,

Alaska I hope you feel the sameway.- LTC Chris Chronis

Teamwork

Im a believer

of one team,

one fight.

Command CornerFort Greely Garrison

Lt. Col. Chris ChronisInstallation Commander

TheINTERCEPTORis an authorized unofficial publication for military and civilian members of Fort Greely. TheINTERCEPTORis published monthly by the Public Affairs Office, Fort Greely Garrison. Con-tents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, nor endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Army. While contributions are welcome, the PAOreserves the right to edit all submitted materials, make corrections, changes, or deletions to conform with the policies of this paper. Articles and photos submitted by the 20th of each month will be considered publication in the next issue of theINTERCEPTOR. Submit via email to [email protected], or mail to: Garrison Commander, ATTN: Newsletter, PO Box 31269, Fort Greely, AK 99731.

Commanding Officer ..Lt. Col. Chris ChronisDeputy Commander ........Louis RoachPublic Affairs Officer ...............Kent Cummins

2 INTERCEPTOR July 2008

New GC: Great to be at Fort Greely


3/8

July 2008 INTERCEPTOR 3

by Colleen Pugh

Fort Greely Safety Office

I f you are going to gocamping, keep yourcampsite clean by dispos-ing of garbage, washingyour dishes and wipingdown the table tops.

Hang food, at least 10feet off the ground andalso other items liketoothpaste, bug repellentand soap. These all havestrong odors which mayattract a bear. If no treesare around then use air-tight or bear-proof con-tainers. Burn garbage inthe fire and take anything

that you cant burn withyou when you leave.

If youre hiking, makenoise, talk loudly or singand if possible travel in agroup. When there is agroup they are usuallynoisier and easier forbears to detect. Bears are

active at any time of theday or night. But they dotend to be more active atdawn and dusk. Stay onestablished trails. Somesigns that a bear may bein the area are rubbedtrees, digging, scat andtracks. Its a good idea toleave your dog at home,bears and pets do not

mix.If you do encounter a

bear remain calm andavoid sudden movementsand never run from abear. He will think youare prey and a bear canrun 30 miles an hour.You will not out-run a

bear. Never feed or tossfood to a bear. And alsoclimbing a tree is not agood idea since all bearscan climb trees. If youhave something like acamera or a bag you canthrow it on the groundwhich may distract thebear and allow you toescape.

Safety Office offers bear tips

by Chris GravesChief of Police

Y our 10-year-old comes home fromschool at 3 p.m., but you dont gethome from work until 5 p.m. Hes athome alone for those two hours everyweekday. What does he do until you ar-rive?

Most likely, he gets a snack. Maybe hewatches TV, or talks on the phone.

But since youre not there, you worry.Just like the majority of American parentswho work and have to leave their childrenon their own after school everyday, you areanxious about your childs safety.

But by following the safeguards listedbelow, you can help ease some of this

worry and take measures that will protectyour kids even when youre not around.

Are They Ready?Can your children. . .

Be trusted to go straight home afterschool?Easily use the telephone, locks, andkitchen appliances?Follow rules and instructions well?Handle unexpected situations withoutpanicking?Stay alone without being afraid?

What You Can DoMake sure your children are old enough

and mature enough to care for themselves.

Teach them basic safety rules.Know the three Ws: Where your kidsare; What theyre doing; and Who theyrewith. (Dont forget to check on state andinstallation rules about the age at whichchildren can be left at home alone.)

Curiosity Are there things you dontwant your children to get into? Take thetime to talk to them about the deadly con-sequences of guns, medicines, power tools,drugs, alcohol, cleaning products and inha-lants. Make sure you keep these items in asecure place out of sight and locked up.

Hang emergency numbers by the phoneand teach your children to use them. Teachyour Home Alone children to check inwith you or a neighbor immediately afterarriving home.

Teach them:

How to call 911, or your areas emer-gency number, or call the operator.How to give directions to your home, incase of emergency.To never accept gifts or rides from peopleboth you and they dont know well.How to use the door and window locks,

and the alarm system if you have one.To never let anyone into your home with-out asking your permission.To never let a caller at the door or on thephone know that theyre alone. Teach themto say Mom cant come to the phone (ordoor) right now.To carry a house key with them in a safeplace (inside a shirt pocket or sock). Dontleave it under a mat or on a ledge outsidethe house.How to escape in case of fire.To not go into an empty house or apart-ment if things dont look right - a brokenwindow, ripped screen or opened door.To let you know about anything thatfrightens them or makes them feel uncom-fortable.

Take a StandWork with schools, religious institutions,

libraries, recreational and community cen-ters and local youth organizations to createprograms that give children ages 10 andolder a place to go and something to doafter school - a homework haven, withsports, crafts, classes and tutoring.

Dont forget that kids of this age can alsoget involved in their communities. Helpthem design and carry out an improvementproject!

At Home: A Parents Guide


4/8

The new Assistant to the Director, Mis-sile Defense Agency-Alaska Region, wasrecently announced.

Col. George Bond is a Michigan nativeand 1986 graduate of the United States

Military Academy. Commissioned a sec-ond lieutenant, he attended the Armor Of-ficer Basic Course prior to reporting to 2-37 Armor at Panzer Kaserne, Stuttgart,Germany. While in Germany, he served astank platoon leader and mortar platoonleader prior to attending the Armor OfficerAdvance Course in 1990.

Following the Advance Course he wasassigned to 4-37 Armor at Fort Riley,Kan., where he served as Assistant S-3, S-4, Tank Company Commander and Head-quarters Company Commander.

In 1994 Bond was as-sessed into the ArmysAcquisition Corps. As anAcquisition Officer, Bondserved at TEXCOM, Fort

Hood, Texas, as a testofficer from 1996-1998.In 1999, he was assigned to the Army Spe-cial Operation Command as a system ac-quisition manager for C4I systems. In2001, he moved to the Joint Special Opera-tions Command where he continued towork on the development and fielding ofspecial operations unique communicationsequipment. Bond served as the com-mander of the Cold Regions Test Centerfrom June 2004 to August 2007, andserved as the deputy of the Army Test and

Evaluation Commands Forward Opera-tional Assessment team in Iraq.

Bond holds a masters of business ad-ministration degree from Babson College.His military schooling includes the Armor

Officer Basic and Advanced Courses,Combined Arms Service Staff School,Military Acquisition Management Course,Command and General Staff College andthe Program Managers Course.

His awards include the Bronze Star(service), Defense Meritorious ServiceMedal, Meritorious Service Medal withtwo oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Com-mendation Medal, Army CommendationMedal with two oak leaf clusters and ArmyAchievement Medal. He is Airborne andRanger Qualified.


GARRISON, from Page 1

deputy director, Installation ManagementCommand Pacific, who passed the unitcolors to Chronis.

Chronis, a native of Vancouver, Wash.,came to Fort Greely from Fort Richard-son in Anchorage where he served as aParatrooper and as the Chief of CurrentOperations and Aviation, Early EntryCommand Post (Airborne) for the U.S.Army, Alaska.

Its a great privilege to be the Garri-

son Commander for Fort Greely and anhonor to serve the U.S. Army and thisgreat nation, said Chronis.

An avid hunter and fisherman, Chronisis excited to be in Delta Junction,Alaska, and considers the local commu-nity a critical part of the Fort Greely

team.The new commander said some of his

goals for Fort Greely include improvingthe installation for the Soldiers, Familiesand Civilian workers.

I want to leave this job and installa-tion better than I found it, said Chronis.We have critical and enduring missionshere and Im proud to be able to servemy country at Fort Greely, Alaska.

Chronis attended Central Washington

University and was commissioned a sec-ond lieutenant in the Aviation branch in1991 through the ROTC program.

Since graduating from flight school in1992, he served in a variety of Air Cav-alry and Attack Aviation assignmentsthroughout the United States, South

Korea, and Iraq.He has earned the Senior Aviator

Badge and Parachutist Badge.He is qualified to pilot the AH-64D

Longbow Apache Attack Helicopter, theAH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter, theOH-58 Kiowa, and the UH-1 Huey.

Chronis awards and decorations in-clude: the Bronze Star Medal, twoawards of the Meritorious ServiceMedal, four awards of the Army Com-

mendation Medal, the Iraqi CampaignMedal, the Republic of Korea DefenseService Medal, the Humanitarian ServiceMedal (Hurricane Katrina), two awardsof the Overseas Service Medal, and aMeritorious Unit Citation for OperationIraqi Freedom.

with the 24th Infantry Divisionat Fort Stewart, Ga., before joining the Army NationalGuard in 1987.

He served two years with the3rd Brigade, 26th Infantry Divi-sion in Massachusetts before joining the New Mexico ArmyNational Guard.

He attended the New MexicoOfficer Candidate School andwas commissioned in August1991.

He served as platoon leaderfor Chaparral and HAWK mis-sile systems with 2nd Battalion,

200th Air Defense Artillery inNew Mexico. He served as aBattery Commander with 1stBattalion, 202nd Field Artillery

from 1995 to 1998.Carroll joined the ColoradoArmy National Guard in 1998and held positions with 2ndBattalion, 157th Field Artillery,including operations officer,liaison officer and supply offi-cer.

From 2000 to 2003, he servedas the executive officer andthen commander of the Colo-rado Officer Candidate School.

In 2003, Carroll served as aground operations officer withU.S. Central Command.

From 2004 to 2007 he was a

missile defense officer withNorthern Command. Carrollwas then assigned to the Strate-gic Plans and Policy Division atNational Guard Bureau in Ar-lington, Va.

He holds a masters of busi-ness administration degree fromNew Mexico State Universityas well as bachelors degrees incivil engineering and businesscomputer systems.

His military schooling in-cludes Air Defense Officer Ba-sic Course, Field Artillery Ad-vanced Course, Combined

Arms Service Staff School,Command and General StaffCollege and Ground-basedMidcourse Defense OperatorCourse. He is enrolled in theDefense Strategy Coursethrough the Army War College.

His awards include the De-fense Meritorious ServiceMedal, Meritorious ServiceMedal and Joint Service Com-mendation Medal.

Fort Greely welcomes new MDA leaderCol. George Bond

BATTALION, from Page 1


5/8


Story, photos by Sgt. Jack W. Carlson III

49th Missile Defense Battalion

More than 100 people gatheredtogether to celebrate the longest

day of the year and climb Donnelly Domeduring the Third Annual 49th Missile De-fense Battalion Summer Solstice Climb

June 21.At 64 degrees latitude, Fort Greely gets a

total of 21 hours and 2 minutes of sunlighton Summer Solstice. While the sun does

go down for three hours, darkness neverfalls.

Located 20 miles north of the AlaskaRange, Donnelly Dome sits 3,900 feetabove sea level making it a great adventureanytime. While most often the weather atthe summit is breezy at best, the weatherproved better than any climb thus far.

Children have always been welcome onthe climb and typically make it to the topwell before the adults. This year more than20 children from Delta Junction and Fort

Greely participated in the event.Once at the top, the picture frenzy began

with picture snapping and calls to lovedones celebrating the wonderful accom-plishment and sharing the view at the top.

Without fail a group photo is taken tohold in history the growing popularity ofthis favored motivational climb. Once atthe top, Chaplain Vince Cepeda, FortGreely Chaplain, led the group in prayerand wished everyone a safe descent intothe setting sun.

SSSummerummerummer SSSolsticeolsticeolstice CCClimblimblimb SSSuccessuccessuccess

Fort Greely friends, families and Soldiers pause for a photo just before setting off for the summit of Donnelly Dome.

Sgt. Scotty Brown takes photos to commemorate the adventure to the top.Chaplain Vince Cepeda encouragesthe more than 100 climb participants.


6/8

by Connie Storch

Fort Wainwright PAO

One mans good idea willsave the Army in Alaska a cool

half-million dollars this year.The same idea put a $6,000

award in that mans pocket, allbecause he thought of a betterway to get the job done.

Bertyl Dee Delgados ideawill save more than $500,000for Forts Wainwright andRichardson, and could possiblysave the Army millions of dol-lars in the first year alone.

Delgado is a Department ofthe Army civilian who works as

a materiel examiner for FortWainwrights Directorate ofLogistics.

Like a supply depot, Justabout every property book,every unit, every office turns-in(equipment) through here,Delgado said of his work sec-tion in DOL.

From outdated office furnish-ings and equipment, to the cast-offs of a resetting brigade,truckloads and trailers full ofitems are turned in daily to bereused, recycled or, once in-spected, deemed unsalvageable,and turned in to Defense Reuti-lization Marketing Office.

While he was at work one

day, a unit turned in a bunch ofempty nitrogen cylinders. Morestable than oxygen, nitrogengas is used to fill the tires of the1st Stryker Brigade Combat

Team, 25th Infantry Division,vehicles and other tactical vehi-cles.

Nitrogen cylinders are kept atthe motor pool to fill the tires.When the cylinders were emp-tied, they were declared unserv-iceable by the units and turnedin to Delgados section at DOL.

Delgados suggestion was torefill and reuse the containers,rather than replacing the emptycontainers with new, full ones.

Delgado compiled the basicresearch to back up his idea the current cost of replacementcontainers, and the amount oftime it took to reorder and re-stock the containers; the localsources and cost of refilling thecontainers in the brigades pos-session; and the comparativesavings that would result from arefill program.

In the fall of 2007, Delgadosidea was adopted and expanded

at Fort Wainwright as a LeanSix Sigma project. The planwould save the Army both timeand money. Because nitrogencontainers could be refilledmore easily and less expen-

sively than ordering replace-ment containers, it just madesense.

LSS projects must meet crite-ria, such as leading innovations

while delivering logistics readi-ness. Delgados suggestion forprocess improvement more thanfit the bill.

In January, the LSS projectwas accepted, and in February,Fort Wainwright Commander,Lt. Col. Ron Johnson, presenteda check for $6,000 to Delgadoas a reward for his cost-savingidea.

In more than 25 years atDepartment of Logistics Ive

never seen a project supportedlike this within a command,said Lincoln Hawkes, FortWainwrights chief of SupplyDivision and acting director ofDOL, explaining the potentialw i d e s p r e a d i m p a c t o f Delgados suggestion.

We put it to work here al-most immediately and at FortRichardson, too. Already(Installation Management Com-mand) Pacific is behind this,

Hawkes marveled.Hawkes said other employeeshave challenged him, thattheyre determined to come upwith their own cash-award win-ning ideas.

Thats what were trying toencourage, he said. We wantto inspire others to put togethersome positive initiatives.

As far as advice to others who

might be interested in develop-ing their own award-winningproject, Delgado said workersshould look at process thatmaybe dont function as well asthey could.

Question things, he ex-plained. Dont accept that wedo things a certain way (just)because thats the way its al-ways been done. Dont justthink of the problem; come upwith a solution to it.

When suggesting changes,Delgado advised workers tokeep the description of theproblem simple, but be com-plete and concise and explainthe problem and ideas for im-provement as plainly and accu-rately as possible.

He said to be persistent too,that it is worth it to work onchanging the Army for the bet-ter, and that change is inevita-ble.

The Army will change withor without you, he said.Delgado said he plans to use

his award to take a vacationwith his family to visit relativesin Puerto Rico.


Wor ker s good idea pays of f b ig

by Kay Blakley

DeCA Home Economist

Schools out and the children are free forendless hours of summer fun!

Yea, right! Maybe for a week or so, then

come those pitiful whines of, Mom, Imbored. Theres nothing to do.

This year, be prepared to turn a boringafternoon into a total summer blast with afew common kitchen ingredients.

Want to make some huge, sturdy bubblesthat float for an amazingly long time beforethey pop? Dish washing liquid, corn syrupand water is all it takes to make a whole tubfull.

Cornstarch, food coloring and a pinch of

soap flakes makes a great batch of fingerpaints. Cornstarch and white glue becomesSilly Putty in a snap, and a roll of toiletpaper and a bar of soap easily transformsinto Clean Mud as long as youve got therecipe.

While the children are mesmerized withthe batch of Big Bubbles, mom can stirtogether a recipe of Mellon Bubbles fordessert, or let the older kids try their handwith Kool Colored Angel Cake, Ice CreamMuffins, or even Coffee Can Ice Cream. Ofcourse, all the kids will want to be involvedin that one. Better start saving coffee cansnow, so youll have enough to go around.

Get the recipes in Kays Kitchen atwww.commissaries.com.

How to turncommissaryingredients

into hours ofsummer funfor children


7/8

Computer Conservation PolicyEffective July 1, U.S. Army, Pacific

has directed that all computers shall beshut off by users after duty-hours exceptfor servers and any equipment that sup-ports a 24/7 operation.

Also, personnel should turn off generaloffice equipment, copiers, printing de-vices, all-in-one devices and similarequipment at the end of each businessday and turn off computer monitors andperipheral equipment such as speakers,scanners and external drives when not inuse.

This policy is part of an overall Armyenergy campaign to effectively use our

energy resources and meet federal energyreduction mandates.

For more information, contact MorganBenson, Resource Efficiency Manager,Aiken Global Group at 873-4293.

Newcomers OrientationThe next Army ONE newcomers

briefing is 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 2

in the Gabriel Auditorium and includes abus tour of the Fort Greely and DeltaJunction vicinity.

If you have questions or comments,contact David Mintun at 873-2479.

MWR July 4th KickoffMWR has planned a Fourth of July

kick-off party for the afternoon of July 3at the Parade Field.

The event will include kids games be-ginning at 3 p.m., a cook-out at 4 p.m.and softball tourney at 5 p.m.

Kids events include tug-of-war, jumphouse, face painting, egg and spoon race,board walk race, and sack race. Adultevents include tug-of-war contest, horse-shoes tournament, and softball tourna-

ment.Cookout menu is your choice of a ham-burger, two hotdogs, bratwurst, or veggieburger for $5. Price includes chips andsoda or water.

Delta Junction July 4th CelebrationDelta Junctions July 4th celebration is

set for 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 4 behindthe Sullivan Roadhouse.

There will be a ceremony by the 49thBattalion Missile Defense Color Guard,food, traditional games and contests forall ages, local on-stage talent, lumberjackcompetitions, a disc jockey, and much

more.For more information contact the Delta

Chamber of Commerce at 895-5068 or e-mail [email protected].

Deltana FairThe Annual Deltana Fair is set for July

25-27.This years event will include a parade,

carnival, games, horse shows, mud bogs,pipeline run in the late night sun, Alaskastate blueberry pie contest, chili contest,exhibits and much more.

For more information, contact the Del-tana Fair Office at 895-3247

New Cable ChannelsFort Greely residents now can enjoy

three new channels on cable TV. Thenew channels are Channel 3, The CW(formerly The WB); Channel 61, Penta-gon Channel; and Channel 96, TVGuide.

News Notes


Above, Barb Dalke, Fort Greely Child Development Center director,adjusts the candles on her home-made cake to celebrate the Army's233rd birthday. CDC children enjoyed the recent Army Birthday cele-bration which included hamburgers, cake, and special events. Right,Lourdes Grace Lester enjoys the U.S. Armys Birthday Book. Thisyears June 14 Army Birthday theme focused on Army families andchildren. The Army has a 233-year history of support to the Nation and Army families have been an integral part of that history.

Happy 233rd Birthday!Photo by Sgt. Jack W. Carlson III

Photo by Kent Cummins


8/8

by Sharon Ayala

Deputy Public Affairs OfficerMadigan Army Medical Center

My son volunteered in my office

during the entire summer. His jobwas to help with the general of-

fice work. One day, he asked me a ques-tion about a project I had assigned to him.Without realizing it, I barked out the an-swer and went back to work.

Within seconds, my son had walked towhere I was seated, put one hand on myshoulder and said, Mom, take three deepbreaths ... one, two, three. At that point, Irealized I was stressed.

Workplace stressorsStress becomes a problem when its

overwhelming stress or a person has diffi-culty coping with the stress, say psychol-ogy experts.

Almost everything in todays workplacecan be a potential stressor. For example,new advances in technology that are sup-posed to make life easier can actuallymake life more uncomfortable.

There is a faster pace to our work life.We get inundated with e-mail messages ina way that didnt happen with the tele-phone.

Limited resources can also contribute tojob stress. All across the country, employ-ees are doing more with less. People arenow expected to do many more things thanthey would have previously.

Recognizing stressWe may have a tendency to try to do

everything. Consequently, we can end upnot getting much accomplished or not do-ing things very well. The ability to priori-tize can actually help a person cope withthe day-to-day stressors on the job.

Its key to identify the most importantthing that needs to be done each day and toput most of your energy and effort intothat. You also have to recognize that thelowest-priority items may not get donetoday, or next week, or ever.

The more confident a person is in his orher job, the less stressful it will be. Clearexpectations, clearly defined duties andclearly defined supervisory relationshipscan alleviate much of the stress encoun-

tered in the workplace. Ambiguity canreally add to the stress level.

Coping

Sometimes no matter how much stress aperson is experiencing, slowing downwork performance is not an option. Butdealing with stressby simply workingharder may notwork as a long-term solution, ei-ther.

There have beengood scientificstudies on stress and performance. A per-son will get an increase in performance toa degree and then a decline in performanceas the level of stress and anxiety continuesto increase. Its important to recognizewhen we have reached the point wherestress is interfering with our ability to per-form.

Left unchecked, stress will eventuallytake a toll on your personal life, moods andhealth.

In more severe forms, stress can causeheadaches, muscle pain and difficultysleeping. It is an art to not only recognizethat you are having a higher level of stressthan is healthy but also to admit that you

have to do something to be more in controlof it.

There are techniques that can help a per-son better cope with a stressful environ-ment. Going out for lunch instead of eatingin the office or practicing muscle relaxa-tion and breathing techniques are just afew. Dont try to eat and do e-mail at thesame time.

A more comfortable way of gettingthrough the day, and perhaps more produc-tive, is to take a little bit of time to get outof the office for some fresh air.

More ways to ease stressTake advantage of your vacation time. If

possible, instead of taking all your vaca-tion days at one time, spread them over anumber of four- or five-day weekendsthroughout the year.

When possible at work and at home, tryto arrange for uninterrupted time to accom-plish tasks that need your concentration.

Use your weekends for mini-vacation

breaks. Avoid taking work home. Dothings that you really enjoy.

Avoid scheduling too many appoint-ments and meetings back-to-back. Allow a

10 to 15-minute break to catch your breath.Take a few slow, deep breaths wheneveryou feel stressed. Breathe from the abdo-

men and, as you exhale,silently say to yourself,I feel calm.Become an expert atmanaging your time.Read books, view vid-eos and attend seminarson time management.

Once you cut down on time wasters, youllfind more time to recharge yourself.

Learn to say no. Limit-setting, both on

and off the job, can minimize stress. Spendtime on your main responsibilities andpriorities.

Regular physical exercise can help re-duce muscle tension and promote a senseof well-being.

Tap into your support network. Family,friends and social groups can help whendealing with stressful events.

When to seek outside helpIf you are in a prolonged period of stress

and it is affecting you physically, it may be

time to seek outside assistance. An ongo-ing pattern of feeling overwhelmed, nothaving enough energy, or not maintaininga sense of stability indicates it may be timeto get someone from the outside and askfor help in managing stress.

Signs you may need helpDifficulty sleeping.Easily frustrated.Poor work performance.Headaches.Difficulty concentrating.

Short temper.Depression, sadness.Upset stomach.Job dissatisfaction.Low morale.

(Lt. Col. Bruce Crow, chief of the department of

psychology at Madigan Army Medical Center,

contributed his expertise to this article.)

(Adapted from the Madigan Army Medical

Center, Wash., Mountaineer)

Mom, take three

deep breaths ...one, two, three.


Dealing with stress in todays workplace

Ft. Greely Interceptor - July 2008

Documents

Transcript of Ft. Greely Interceptor - July 2008