Comprehensive Airman Fitness: Extend your life today by 'kicking the habit'

Published March 25, 2011
By Mr. Scott King
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The Air Force is serious about combating smoking and health and wellness centers across Air Mobility Command mirror that Air Force stance by partnering with clinics and agencies throughout each to support a smoking cessation program.

"Our smoking cessation program at Fairchild is two-pronged," said Mr. Alexander Eclar, HAWC health promotion manager at Fairchild AFB." The first consists of a set of four classes offered at the HAWC. The second is telephone counseling through a contract administered by the American Lung Association. Both of these allow for the prescription and dispensing of medications to aid the tobacco cessation efforts through our medical group pharmacy."

According to the Center for Disease Control, smoking kills 435,000 people in the United States every year. It kills through Ischemic Heart Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, lung disease, other cancers and stroke. This is in addition to the approximately 50,000 deaths due to second-hand smoke, many of whom are young children who are exposed to adults who smoke, the CDC states.

Officials say smoking costs the Air Force $24.5 million in direct medical expenditures plus $90 million in lost productivity. This is the Air Force's contribution to the Department of Defense's cost of $875 million direct medical expenditure and lost productivity due to tobacco use, according to the Air Force Medical Operations Agency.

"On a personal level, a person who smokes can expect to age faster than nonsmokers and have less energy than nonsmokers," Mr. Eclar said. "Smoking also fogs their memory by cutting down the blood flow to the brain and can rob them of their 'physical' freedom by getting other diseases like emphysema that keeps them from getting around and leading a full life."

On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years sooner than nonsmokers, according to the CDC. Since about 20 percent of the United States' population smokes, that means almost a fifth of the country could live at least a full decade longer. One quarter of smokers who don't quit will die of smoke-related disease.

For those who choose to quit, the benefits can be seen within hours.

Within eight hours after quitting, carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop to normal. Within two weeks to three months, blood circulation improves and lung function increases up to 30 percent. Within one to nine months, coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease. Within one year, the chance for heart attack is cut in half. Within 5 years, stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker. Within 15 years, risk of coronary heart disease equal to that of a nonsmoker, according to the AFMOA.

In addition to the Fairchild HAWC, TriWest (part of TRICARE) also has resources available to those seeking assistance in kicking the habit.

TriWest's has a dedicated toll-free Tobacco Quitline, 1-866-244-6870. P eople can talk one-on-one with a tobacco cessation coach about concerns or questions concerning quitting. They also have a tobacco cessation page, www.triwest.com/tobacco, that provides information about local and statewide resources, as well as quitting tools and tips.

Another Web site -- www.ucanquit2.org -- is an interactive site sponsored by the Department of Defense where people can develop a quit plan, join a message board, or, if they are an eligible TRICARE beneficiary, chat live and get help quitting tobacco.

TriWest is also hosting a discussion board on its company Facebook page called, "What Makes a Good Quitter?" To join the discussion: Sign into your personal Facebook account ; "Like" the TriWest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/triwest ; Click on the "discussions" tab at the top; Click on the discussion entitled, "What Makes a Good Quitter?"

If people are looking for support here, the HAWC offers hands-on resources to aid people in quitting smoking.

"We offer one-on-one and group classes and counseling to help our beneficiaries become tobacco-free," Mr. Eclar said. "Remember, smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Smoking is a risk factor for many diseases - quitting at any age will reduce the risk of these diseases - we highly encourage anyone wishing to quit to take advantage of our services."

Officials also note at stopping smoking aligns with Air Mobility Command's Comprehensive Airman Fitness culture -- which began in July 2010. Comprehensive Airman Fitness, or CAF, culture is built on for pillars of fitness -- mental, physical, social and spiritual -- and five "Cs" -- caring, committing, communicating, connecting, celebrating.

By quitting smoking, people are "connecting" with several parts of CAF to include physical and social fitness and "it takes all the five 'Cs' to remain dedicated to kicking the smoking habit, officials said.

Health and wellness centers throughout Air Mobility Command bases offer the smoking cessation help they need, free-of-charge, and it's available to all active duty, retired military personnel, their family members and Department of Defense civilians.

"We're here to help everyone get to where they want to be with a healthy lifestyle," Ms. Ashley Destefano, health program manager for the 628th Force Support Squadron HAWC at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., said in a November 2010 news report from Joint Base Charleston. That healthy lifestyle includes quitting smoking.

For more details, visit or contact your base HAWC or medical group staff for more details.

(Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol, Air Mobility Command Public Affairs, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance contributed to this story.)