Straight Talk: Labor Day safety

  • Published
  • By Col. Stacy L. Yike
  • 66th Air Base Group commander
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  What a week with Mother Nature! First an earthquake, then the hurricane and I thought all Massachusetts had to cope with was snow.

I know some of you suffered flooding and power outages after the storm, and I hope you are mostly back to normal now. Many thanks to everyone for pulling together to take of yourselves, your families and your neighbors. Your outstanding efforts were a shining example of the spirit of Hanscom. What a great send off to Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds and to show our mettle as we welcome Lt. Gen. Charles (C.R.) Davis and his family to the base.

As you head into the holiday weekend, please keep safety at the forefront of your decision making. Smart decisions will keep you and your family enjoying the picnic or camping trip and out of the emergency room.

Each and every one of you provides a vital contribution to the Electronic Systems Center mission here at Hanscom, and I am profoundly thankful for all you do. Sometimes it is your efforts on a particular mission-related project; sometimes it is your ideas to assist your work center, your unit or the base; sometimes it is your willingness to sit face-to-face with a colleague and figure out a solution instead of throwing up your hands in despair; sometimes it is your volunteerism in our community, around the base or reaching out to a newcomer to ensure they feel welcome.

I found the following quote on the U.S. Department of Labor website. You are the vital force of Hanscom. Thank you!

"The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom and leadership -- the American worker."

Here's another quote, from Doug Larson from Quotations on about.com, which is perhaps appropriate to your weekend plans: "If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day weekend."

Drive safe and we will see you Monday!