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Health fair promotes culture of personal responsibility

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  The annual 52nd Medical Group Fall Harvest Health Fair took place Nov. 5, 2014, at the Skelton Memorial Fitness Center.

More than 30 health-care providers created booths to demonstrate their expertise during this centralized, education opportunity for the Spangdahlem community.

"In the Air Force, we always focus on weapon systems, whether it's the aircraft in the sky or the support crews who maintain those airframes - but we cannot do that without maintaining the human weapon system," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Denise Campbell, 52nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron health promotion dietician and co-coordinator of the event. "And so we put on events like the health fair to advertise all the health-related services on base to keep Sabers healthy and able to seek, attack and destroy."

Each medical exhibit featured technology, items and pamphlets relevant to that agency's specialty -- for example, the optometry booth boasted an eye-test machine, shaded goggles to simulate eye degradation and eyeglass repair tools. Event participants could speak with experts and receive informational brochures to take home.

A majority of the Spangdahlem Airmen who visited the fair maintained good health, Campbell continued, but some of the mildly destructive things they may do -- smoking, overeating, too much sun -- can severely affect their health in the future. Medical group Airmen stive to provide the best care possible to their patients, but educating the community on healthy-living options and creating a culture of personal responsibility remains one of their end goals.

"When you hear the words 'peer pressure,' it's usually negative, but it can be a positive thing," Campbell said. "We should all be encouraging friends, coworkers or family members to make changes in their lives for the better."

U.S. Air Force Capt. Elizabeth Batchelor, 52nd Medical Operations Squadron clinical audiologist and co-coordinator for the event, agreed.

"The healthier the Airman, the better they can focus on the mission," she said. "We all should be striving to stay healthy and work together to promote a healthy community at Spangdahlem. We each have a personal responsibility of our own health and the health of those around us. Step up and help out others. And it's not just supervisors and their subordinates; it's our duty just as regular people."

Any interested person who could not attend the fair can call Campbell at DSN 452-7385 or 06565-61-6012 to request further information on health-care options.
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