Holiday safety takes center stage Published Nov. 29, 2007 By Col. Eric Wydra 436th AW vice commander DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Congratulations, Team Dover! That's an expression heard a lot around here lately, and well deserved, too. But I want to be the first to congratulate everyone for a safe Thanksgiving weekend. Thanks to responsible choices, good Wingmen and a little common sense, we made it through unscathed (unless you count the bruises earned during the shopping frenzies on "Black Friday!") Thanks for looking out for and taking care of one another and please continue to do so during the upcoming holiday season. We had a great turnout for Thanksgiving dinner at the Patterson Dining Facility. A heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone in the 436th Services Squadron who gave up their own Thanksgiving in order to put on such a magnificent spread! The holiday season is now in full-swing and I'd like to remind everyone of the Menorah and Christmas Tree lighting ceremonies that will take place Tuesday near the main gate. The Menorah lighting ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. While these are just two of the many celebrations scheduled this season, both provide a great opportunity to gather together with family and friends to celebrate. On a separate note, Col. Steven Harrison, our wing commander, has a lot of valuable information to share with everyone, which is why he will be conducting a series of seven commander's calls Monday through Dec. 7 at the Landings Club. These are mandatory for all wing military members who will be on station that week, and our civilian teammates are encouraged to attend as well. See cover page for a complete schedule, and we will see you at one! By now, I'm sure most of us have heard about the upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection next summer. I cannot stress enough that now is the time to start preparing. You might not be identified initially as a participant, but that doesn't mean things can't change as we get closer to the EORI. Start now by reviewing your Airman's Manual, take advantage of training opportunities and get your paperwork in order so that we'll be able to focus on the tasks of the fly-away. Remember that attitude is everything, not only in life, but in the exercise as well. A great "can-do" attitude during the entire process of preparation and execution will do a lot to encourage our success throughout! Finally, some of us may have been reminded following Thanksgiving dinner that moderation plays a key role in enjoying many facets of life. During the holiday season, we will all face a number of choices we must make. We should include moderation in each one of those choices in order to avoid negative repercussions, some of them much more severe than the discomfort caused by an extra slice of pie. Keep moderation in mind when shopping, celebrating and, of course, eating - that way, you will enjoy the holidays instead of regretting them. Congratulations again, Team Dover - your decisions prove you deserve to continue to be members of "America's Preeminent Expeditionary Airlift Team!"