MAR-APR

2010
ALABAMA - FLORIDA - GEORGIA - MISSISSIPPI - TENNESSEE - PUERTO RICO WWW.SERCAP.US

The Commander’s Lead

As we have witnessed the devastation and recovery from the Haiti earthquake, we are reminded of the events
we will eventually face when the New Madrid Seismic Zone breaks loose with the next major earthquake. We
are approaching the 200th anniversary of the last major quake that occurred in December 1811 through March
1812. While the Richter scale was not being used at that time, estimates as high as 9.0 have been indicated.
Since each increase of 1.0 on the Richter scale indicates a magnitude of increase of intensity of 10 times, it is
obvious that a 9.0 would be extremely devastating. It has been indicated that a repeat of the 1811-1812 quakes
would create the largest natural disaster this country has ever seen. If it occurs again in the winter, it is likely
that the heating fuel supply for the upper Midwest and Northeast will be interrupted because of the natural gas
and petroleum pipelines that cross the suspected damage area.
CAP is nearing completion of the New Madrid Seismic Zone National Response Plan that will define the way we respond to the disaster.
The regions directly affected are Great Lakes, North Central, Southeast and Southwest. Wings affected are Tennessee, Arkansas, Mis-
souri, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana. It will require wings and regions far and wide to adequately respond to the disaster. The plan will
likely include establishment of a New Madrid Area Command that will be managed and staffed by the four affected regions. This will allow
us to respond as one CAP, rather than six separate wings. However, each affected wing will still direct their wing’s response requesting
the additional resources required through the New Madrid Area Command which will work with the National Operations Center (NOC).
There is a National Level Exercise to be held in May 2011 that will be designated NLE2011 which will last for a full week, from 16 through 23
May 2011, and exercise the response plans of all of the agencies that will provide the actual response to the real event. CAP will partici-
pate in that exercise. To prepare us for that exercise and to test our response plan, there will be a Multi-Region Exercise involving all
four of the affected regions and all six of the affected wings over the long weekend of 6 – 8 August 2010. We will plan to move resources
in for the response on Thursday, 5 August and return them to their home base on Monday, 9 August. Support wings (those from each
region not directly affected by the damage) from each region will likely move resources into the affected wings to provide support.
All five of the wings within Southeast Region in the continental United States will provide some level of support, depending on the simu-
lated damage and the distance travelled to reach the simulated damage area. There will be considerable tasking for aerial photo recon-
naissance as well as ARCHER sorties. Please place these dates on your calendars and plan to participate to ensure that CAP will be able
to respond adequately when called upon. We need to be prepared to show the world that we are a group of dedicated volunteer unpaid
professionals who can provide a valuable service to our country when called upon.

2010 Southeast Region Staff College

Have you registered for the 2010 SER Staff College yet? This one-week in-residence experience is open to Senior
members who have completed Level III Professional Development and who hold command or staff positions. You
will need to complete a CAPF-17 and get it approved by your unit commander. The college will be held in Knoxville,
TN at McGhee Tyson, ANGB from 27 June through 2 July 2010. You’re encouraged to register early so that you
don’t miss this great opportunity. Additional information is available on the Southeast Region web site at
http://sercap.us/rsc.aspx. The director will be Lt Col Wes Hannah reachable via email at WHannah@sercap.us.
 Southeast Region ReCAP MAR-APR 2010 Page 2

Health Officer Update—Start 2010 With Less Stress In Your Life

As you probably know stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. Eustress is a good stress; it enables
us to meet the challenges in life and is meant to protect us against perceived threats. Your reaction to a potentially stressful event is
different from person to person and this is due to genetics and life experiences.
In today’s world we have so many demands on us, such as working full time and taking care of the children, maybe taking care of elderly
parents, a demanding job, traffic jams and electronic devices etc. Stressful events are a fact of life and if your mind and body are con-
stantly on edge because of excessive stress and you don’t do anything to control that stress, serious health problems can occur. Cardio-
vascular disease comes to mind as well as skin conditions and gastro intestinal problems. You may not be able to change your current
position but you can change the way you approach these stressors using these techniques.
1. Change your attitude. Use positive affirmations. By this I mean don’t think, ―this can’t be done‖. Think instead ―yes I can do this even
though it might be tough going‖.
2. Exercise. Exercise can break the stress process and provides a break from stressors.
3. Eat properly: I know you’ve heard this a million times, eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
4. Laugh: Humor is a great reliever of stress. It releases endorphins that make us feel better and actually relieves pain. Read
―Anatomy of an Illness‖ to get a great viewpoint on laughter as a pain reliever.
5. Take a Break: Change your routine, do something new. Try stretching or use some relaxing techniques. (There are some great tapes
to help you learn these techniques.)
6. Learn to relax: Learn the art of deep belly breathing. When you feel yourself tensing up, breathe deeply, inhale and hold for a few
seconds (your stomach should be pushed out) then release and blow out slowly (your stomach will be flat). It’s a very simple exer-
cise and does so much good.
7. Simplify your life: Be prepared. Prioritize your chores and remember it’s OK to say no occasionally.
We can’t avoid daily stress but we can learn to control it. It’s all up to you.
Be aware, take care.
Lt Col Patricia Faunt
SER Nurse Officer

Upcoming Events
Date Event Location
5—7 March 2010 FL Wing Conference Orlando, FL
13-19 March 2010 New Wing Commander Course Maxwell AFB, AL
19 – 21 March 2010 MS Wing Conference Gulfport
26 – 28 March 2010 SER Cadet Competition Patrick AFB, FL
9—11 April 2010 GA Wing Conference Norcross, GA
30 Apr – 2 May 2010 NEC Meeting Atlanta, GA
21 – 23 May 2010 SER Conference Peachtree City
10-13 May 2010 SER Chaplain Corps Staff College Maxwell AFB, AL
6-11 June 2010 IG College Albuquerque, NM
24-28 June 2010 National Cadet Competition McMinville, OR
27 Jun—2 July 2010 SE Region Staff College McGhee Tyson ANGB
5—9 August 2010 Multi-Region New Madrid Exercise GLR/NCR/SER/SWR
1 – 4 September 2010 Summer Board & Annual Conference San Diego