Straight Talk: June 18, 2010 Published June 17, 2010 By Col. Charles F. Thompson 66th Air Base Wing commander HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- While there is no one challenge I would like to highlight this week, there are a number of items I would like to bring to your attention. First, if you are impacted by the recent force management direction, the USAF recently extended the period for consideration until the end of July. While there is extra time to consider, the separation pay was changed from 2 times separation to 1.5 times. Second, the new PT standard will be upon us soon, and a recent change was announced to encourage Air Force members to go the extra step to be ready for the new standard. If you score greater than a 90 on the PT test, you have the option to test once a year. Next, as we all can see, the grounds on the base are looking pretty rough. Military can cut the grass with the lawn equipment from Civil Engineering as long as safety rules are observed and personnel get the proper training on the equipment. Last but not least, a hearty congratulation to our newest technical sergeant promotees. This is a tremendous achievement in your journey as a non-commissioned officer and I wish you all of the best as you step into higher levels of responsibility. The challenges are many but you have shown the ability to meet those challenges.