HELPING A NORAD ALLY Published March 21, 2010 By Lt. Cmdr. P. (Ben) Wahl Winnipeg, Canada Via e-mail -- Your magazine is consistently a good read. The personal nature of the stories brings the message home that we can't rely on how unlikely an incident is to keep us safe. These discussions bring home the truth that every assumption, every short cut, removes a layer of safeguard. I'm sure the Three Mile Island incident appeared to be very unlikely until complacency subverted the very safeguards that were in place. Your "Tales of the Strange" stories consistently make the point that, given enough time and just a small error, bad things will happen. "Clear the Runway" provides the immediate connection to the heart of what we do -- put planes out there and keep them flying. The synopsis approach is conducive to processing the info in the midst of a busy workplace. Of course, your excellent calendar serves to remind us of safety issues every time we look at it. Keep up the great work. Keep those stories and the analysis coming! They are a great resource to stimulate discussion. You are helping more than your own Air Force; you are helping your NORAD ally (Medical Director National Search and Rescue and Aeromedical Programs Flight Surgeon, 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters) as well!