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Tinker certified as a healthy community

  • Published
  • By Mike W. Ray
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Long-term efforts to instill healthy habits among civilian and military personnel at Tinker Air Force Base are succeeding, gradually but progressively.

The Oklahoma Turning Point Council recently certified Tinker as a "healthy community," recognition that the Air Force base is "a healthy place to live, work, learn and play," said Karen Blackwell, a health educator at the Health and Wellness Center and chief of Health Promotion in the 72nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron.

The first hurdle Tinker had to scale was its consideration as a community, Ms. Blackwell said. Tinker has received certificates of merit or awards of excellence from OK Turning Point every year from 2005 through 2010, under the "healthy business" category.

To achieve the healthy community designation, Tinker had to demonstrate its adoption of a majority of 62 healthy practices and policies identified in six broad categories: tobacco and alcohol, nutrition, physical activity, built environment/transportation, health services, and education/awareness.

"We received a certificate of merit" in late December, Ms. Blackwell said. "Until we're tobacco-free everywhere, we won't qualify for an award of excellence as a healthy community," she added.

That's not likely anytime soon.

Smoking is not allowed in base offices but is permissible in designated smoking areas across the base, and outdoors. Smoking is permitted in base housing, said Patrick McVey, LifeWorks coordinator for Balfour Beatty Communities, "but about 95 percent have chosen not to." Smoking is prohibited in base dormitories but is allowed in designated sites, said Tech. Sgt. Trenell Brown, noncommissioned officer in charge of Unaccompanied Housing; any violator can be fined the cost of cleaning or repairing a room damaged by cigarette smoke or burns, he said.

Also, the Oklahoma Legislature has pre-empted communities from enacting ordinances that would totally forbid smoking in indoor workplaces, including bars, restaurants and hotels; ban the distribution of free or low-cost tobacco products, coupons, gift certificates, gift cards or rebates; or limit tobacco marketing/advertising practices by retail stores.

Nevertheless, "We have made a lot of progress toward restricting and reducing tobacco usage," Ms. Blackwell said.

Similarly, although Oklahoma collectively has a poor record on obesity and diabetes, Tinker has myriad healthy lifestyle options.

Base personnel have access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, although the base lacks a farmer's market.

In the area of physical activity, Tinker military personnel are required to comply with physical fitness standards, base fitness centers are open to military and civilian personnel and their families, intramural sports are offered, and base-wide physical activities (walks, biking events, fitness challenges, etc.) are sponsored.

In the environmental area, Tinker has sidewalks equipped with wheelchair ramps, walking/jogging and bike-riding trails, safe playgrounds and parks, an active recycling program, and new housing that complies with "energy star" efficiency ratings.

As for health services, Tinker offers health screenings "to identify health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, mental health and substance misuse and abuse," basic primary health care is available to anyone on base, the WIC program (Women, Infants and Children) is offered at Tinker, access is provided to advanced life support emergency medical services, and a new medical clinic is under construction.

Information about the state tobacco helpline is available to the general public, a suicide prevention hotline is operated 24/7, and education about the abuse of alcohol as well as tobacco is generally available.

Also, the base has a policy that forbids texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, and frowns on other driving distractions, such as eating or applying makeup while operating a motor vehicle.

"We could always do more, but we're doing a lot already," Ms. Blackwell said.

The Oklahoma Turning Point Council was formed in 1997 to help transform public health in Oklahoma by working directly with community partnerships on health improvement initiatives. For more than 14 years, Turning Point has partnered with communities throughout Oklahoma to work on local innovations such as community health centers, extensive walking trails, community gardens, improved school health activities, and advocacy for health improvement policies.