66584-0508

9800 Fredericksburg RoadSan Antonio, Texas 78288-0264

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PA I DUSAA

“If you hear a siren, don’t just stop in the road wherever you are. Be sure to pull over to the right, slow down and turn off your radio until you pinpoint where the siren is coming from.”

Welcker Taylor, volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician in Vermont From “Drive like a pro” on page .20

Coming up in the fall issue

(in your mailbox August 2008)

Rock-band economics

Groceries from the dollar store?

How to avoid extra fees

>>>>>>

The RescueRscalifornia fires spread courage on campuses

InSIDE

cReaTive Reuse of TRashDRiving Tips fRom pRos

FOR yOUnG ADUlT USAA mEmbERS ISSUE•59 SUmmER•08

U.25SummeR2008 .03

summer

.07 TESTS OF FIRE 5 perspectives from the California wildfires

.14 RECyClInG by DESIGn Ideas for reusing your stuff

.03 bits.bytes Up-to-date news you can use

.06 career.coach Answers to your questions about work life

.18 road.scholar Information you need behind the wheel

.22 start.smart USAA programs tailored for you

WanttoreceiveU.25atadifferentaddress?

e-mail your new address to

u25@usaa.com. please include your

name and usaa member number.

u.25 is published four times a year for young adult usaa members. usaa also publishes u mag for young members, u-TuRn magazine and a weekly podcast for teen members, usaa.com magazine for members beginning their financial journey, and usaa magazine for adult members. usaa is a member-owned financial services group that provides a complete line of insurance, investment, banking, and other services to millions of members worldwide. material in this magazine may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise) without permission from the publisher. copyright © 2008 by usaa. all rights reserved. u.25 is a registered trademark of usaa. To order additional copies, submit writing samples, or request reprint permission, contact u.25, usaa, attn: Youth media, 9800 fredericksburg Road, e-1-e, san antonio, Texas 78288-0264; (800) 531-8013.

A magazine for young adult USAA members

Editor carol Barnes

Design Kym abrams Design inc.

Contributors sarah inez Levy, Robert Lopez, sean mccollum, Jennifer plummer, sean price, Deborah price, Roger slavens, stephanie Thurrott, stephen viscusi, June Walbert, Barbara alden Wilson

U.25 Editorial board amy anderson, Derrick Baylor, Derek england, alana herro, sarah hitchcock, amanda hoff, emily o’Dell, Bill oram, Jeanette prather, Katherine Raney, Josh Rhoten

Production David gunn, Lisa severson

youth media Director Julie finlay

U.25 9800 fredericksburg Road, e-1-e san antonio, Texas 78288-0264 Telephone: (800) 531-8013 fax: (210) 498-8754 e-mail: u25@usaa.com

.02 U.25SummeR2008

on The coveR - caiTLin sTeimLe. phoTogRaphY BY Kevin LocK ©2008

For recycling options, contact your local

municipal solid waste agency or go to

http://www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling/

or earth911.org.

Friend or foe?Those environmentally friendly compact

fluorescent light bulbs might not be so

friendly, after all, especially when they break.

The bulbs contain mercury, a toxic liquid

metal that can be dangerous even in small

quantities because it can be inhaled or

absorbed through the skin and damage the

central nervous system. small amounts

also can build up in the environment if

the bulbs are thrown in the garbage.

When you clean up broken pieces,

follow these recommendations from

the environmental protection agency.

1. before cleaning up, open nearby

windows and leave the room for at least

15 minutes. Some mercury vapor could

be in the air.

2. Protect your hands with disposable

rubber or plastic gloves. Scoop up the bulb

fragments using stiff paper or cardboard.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner, which could stir

up the mercury in the air.

3. Use a damp paper towel to make sure all the

pieces are picked up.

4. Place all fragments and materials used in the

cleanup in a plastic bag. Place the sealed bag inside

another plastic bag and seal it as well. Place the

bag in an outside trash bin until you can

recycle. Don’t toss your burned-out bulbs in

the regular trash, either. When they build up

in landfills, the mercury they contain can

leak into the soil and water supplies and

poison fish and other wildlife. Ph

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Visit U.25 online at

usaa.com/u25.

Sign of thanksIf you want to show your appreciation to someone serving your community or country, try this simple gesture that says “thank you” in American Sign Language. Place your hand on your heart like you’re saying the “Pledge of Allegiance,” then pull your hand down and out, bending at the elbow (not the wrist), stopping for a second at about your belly button with your hand flat, palm up, angled toward the person you’re thanking.

Gratitudecampaign.org originally promoted the gesture to thank U.S. military members with a universally recognizable sign.

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Cool gasDuring hot summer months, filling up your gas tank at night or in the morning when the weather’s cooler can save money, according to scientists at the University of arizona. Just like water, gasoline expands in the heat. Hot gas per gallon has less density because it has expanded. That means it provides your car with slightly less energy than a cool gallon. $

Have plastic, will travelIf you’re planning to travel this summer, make sure your credit and debit cards are ready by taking action on these four tips.

1. Let your bank or credit card company know where you’ll be traveling. This could lessen the risk of the bank blocking your card when you use it away from home.

2. Photocopy both sides of your cards and store the copies where you can access them if the originals are stolen. This could be with a relative at home, but not in your wallet. The photocopies are useful for reporting the theft/canceling charges because they contain all of the card information and important contact numbers on the back.

3. Understand the fees your credit and debit card providers charge for cash advances, withdrawals, and foreign transactions. Make sure your PIN is only four digits and all numbers. Many overseas aTMs accept only four-digit PINs, and their keyboards have only numbers.

4. Check out your credit card and insurance companies’ travel insurance policies to see whether they cover the costs of trip cancellations or emergency medical care while you travel. You might want to purchase travel insurance to fill in the gaps.

.04 U.25SummeR2008 .05U.25SummeR2008

nearly half of all Americans say

they lose, misplace or don’t know

what happened to $2,340 each year.

Source: Visa USA survey

Source: lizzie Post, author of “How Do you Work This life Thing?”

bill split

Be sure to discuss how the bill will be paid

when dining out.

A DATe

Whoever does the asking does the paying.

It’s ok to offer to go dutch or split the bill.

WITh A FRIenD

Pay for yourself, or take turns picking up

the tab.

gRouP oF FRIenDS

Ask for separate checks as soon as you’re

seated.

FoR A BIRThDAy celeBRATIon

Decide ahead of time whether the group

wants to pay for the birthday person. make

sure everyone knows and agrees.

Got a question for our career pro? E-mail U25@usaa.com. We’ll answer a few in each issue of U.25.

qUestions.ansWers

U.25’s workplace expert answers your questions about job fairs and working temp jobs.

i see job fairs advertised around

my college. are they worth

attending? how do i make myself stand

out? it seems like it would be hard to

make an impression at one.

Fair deal

Job fairs are important because

they help you learn about

potential employers. it is true they are

crowded, and it is difficult to separate

yourself from the pack. however,

you can make yourself stand out by

getting to know each recruiter. To get

conversations going, here are a couple

of questions you can ask the recruiters:

• Where did they graduate from

college?

• Where are they from originally?

While i’m looking for a full-time

job, i was considering working

for a temp agency. is this a good

idea? how will a temp job look on my

résumé? Where do i go to find a good

temp agency?

Temp timer

for recent college graduates,

working for a temporary

staffing agency is a logical first step

into the working world. in fact, these

assignments can lead you to industries

and job positions you might not have

thought about or been exposed to.

They are a great introduction to what

it’s like to work in an office or business

environment. on your résumé, explain

your temp job and your duties.

• how did they get their jobs with the

companies?

• how long have they worked for their

companies?

ask for their business cards, then

follow-up with a thank-you note to

each recruiter. Realistically, don’t

go to a job fair expecting a job or

interview. You’ll need to follow up on

your own. however, job fairs are great

places to get started on a job search.

Career expert Stephen Viscusi appears on AbC’s “Good morning America” and the nationally syndicated radio show “On the Job.” He also is the author of “bulletproof your Job.”

Join the team

if you ask people what they really

want in a co-worker, the majority

will say teamwork. if you want to

be a true team player, here are

ways to shine.

• carry your weight. Do your job

promptly and well.

• accept suggestions. Don’t be a

prima donna.

• have an upbeat attitude.

• share credit. Don’t hog the

spotlight.

• Don’t buck the lead person’s

authority.

To find temporary staffing

agencies, check your local phone

directory or google.

.06 U.25SummeR2008 U.25SummeR2008 .07

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ive in JusT 22 DaYs LasT faLL, WiLDfiRes BLacKeneD moRe Than 500,000 acRes,

BuRneD 2,200 homes, anD KiLLeD 10 peopLe in souTheRn caLifoRnia. as

fLames sKiRTeD aRea univeRsiTies anD foRceD DoRm evacuaTions anD cLass

canceLLaTions, The cRisis igniTeD couRage, geneRosiTY, anD ingenuiTY

acRoss The Region’s campuses. The foLLoWing five coLLege sTuDenTs

expeRienceD The fiRes fiRsThanD. by Sean mccollum

TesTs of f reTesTs of f re

Check out nguyen’s blog and video @usaa.com/u25.

U.25SummeR2008 .09.08 U.25SummeR2008

Brandon opLiger, 22, firefighter While others fled the wildfires, Brandon

opliger was speeding toward them. opliger

and his Temecula-area u.s. forest service

firefighting crew spent three weeks fighting

a fearsome nightmare of scorching heat.

Besides using water and other firefighting

tools, they relied upon their own adrenaline

to beat back the flames. They persevered

on only snatches of sleep. coincidentally,

the political science and biology major at

the university of california, san Diego, had

taken the fall semester off to earn extra

money. opliger, who comes from a long line

of firefighters, found himself engulfed in the

family tradition.

hiS reSponSiBiLitY our job was structure protection, and we

protected the homes as best we could.

hiS perSpective it’s hard when you see a roof catch fire.

hiS memoraBLe moment our crew stopped at a restaurant to grab a

bite. a man tossed a $100 bill on our table

as a thank you. We tried to give it back but

the guy refused. There is something about

a crisis like this that brings the community

together.

“You know someone is losing everything they own. and sometimes you have to make tough choices about which houses to defend. it’s not a good feeling. But the feeling you get when you save one helps make up for it.”

“it was humbling to interview people who had lost their homes and everything they owned.”

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charLeS nguYen, 20, campuS newSpaper editor

While neighbors voluntarily packed up and drove

off, charles nguyen, 20, stayed put at his house

in poway, calif. not in immediate danger but

with ash falling around him, the editor-in-chief

of The guardian, the university of california,

san Diego, campus newspaper, stayed with the

story and rallied his newspaper staff to keep the

news flowing.

hiS reSponSiBiLitY i led a team of student reporters at the campus

newspaper to cover the story. We wrote short

news blurbs and updates that helped the

ucsD community stay current about the fires,

closures and other news.

hiS perSpective my neighborhood came close to getting the

evacuation announcement, but i was never

required to leave. By chance, i had checked out

a video camera for a class project. i was due to

return it, but with the campus closed i used it

instead to report on the fire.

hiS memoraBLe moment i remember seeing things that didn’t fit

together. i remember driving past a military

barricade on espola Road in poway, seeing

federal authorities posted in a residential

area. The neighborhood was ghostly quiet, but

the winds were picking up speed and creating

an eerie sound. a staffer and i trekked up an

ash-covered mountain to get footage of a few

helicopters. it was astonishing to see residential

life, such as poway high school and the poway

center for the performing arts, so near a

mountain that had been burned by the flames

just hours before.

as the fires spread, megan Lustigson manned

the phones at the san Diego county office of

emergency services, a brain center for the

fire’s emergency response. at the same time,

she was keeping tabs on the threat to her

parents’ home in nearby scripps Ranch. it

was an eye-opening experience for the

graduate student who is earning her

master of science degree in public health

with a specialization in global emergency

preparedness and response at san Diego

state university.

her reSponSiBiLitY i was a receptionist and information runner,

getting information to the people who needed

it to open up local assistance centers.

her perSpective on a sunday afternoon, we were called in

to get the emergency operations center

up to speed. more than 200 people were in

action coordinating the response — including

representatives of the various emergency

services, plus the american Red cross,

national guard, and other military teams.

her memoraBLe moment When the fire threatened my parents’ house,

they were a little calmer than i was and

had an evacuation plan. They had all their

important papers — passports, mortgage, etc.

— in one place. We packed up family pictures

and antiques. The television was on in the

background, and the broadcast reports made

me uneasy. i actually felt calmer when i got

back to the office because there i could see

what was really going on. By the next day, the

threat had passed and my parents were back

home safe.

“i learned firsthand the power of teamwork — how everyone in crisis management has a role and how everyone works together with one goal in mind: the safety of the public.”

pepperdine university senior nathan Rix went to bed to the

sound of news reports warning that dry conditions and high

winds were creating extreme fire danger. at 6 a.m., a call from

campus security woke him up. The fires were threatening the

campus. it was time for Rix to go into action.

hiS reSponSiBiLitY my job was to alert all residents in student housing and get them

to safety at the campus field house. i handed out fire masks, made

lots of sandwiches, and helped calm the fears of students and

their parents.

hiS perSpective i’m from new Jersey where wildfires are not that big a deal,

so i was wondering how bad it could be.

hiS memoraBLe moment i woke up everyone after we got the word to relocate. Being

early on a sunday morning, a few people were face-planted

on the beds after a late saturday night. i had to go back to

rouse a couple of them. But once they walked out and saw

the smoke and flames, they didn’t need a lot of convincing

to leave.

“The experience taught me to never underestimate the combination of fire and wind. Basically, i thought fires like these happened only in rural mountains or on windy plains. i learned that fires can happen anywhere and saw how fire jumps dozens of feet in a second.”

nathanrix,21,residentadvisor

U.25SummeR2008.10 .11U.25SummeR2008

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MeganLUstigson,24,stUdentintern

U.25SummeR2008 .13

caitLin SteimLe, 20, voLunteerWhen Caitlin Steimle heard the call for volunteers

to help round up horses threatened by the flames,

she hitched her horse trailer to her pickup truck

and rode to their rescue. A member of the boots

and Saddles Club, the equine major at Pierce

College spent the next couple of weeks helping

with the care and feeding of more than 150

horses evacuated from threatened areas.

her reSponSiBiLitY I used my truck and trailer to evacuate 12 horses

from threatened areas. I also helped check in

horses at the evacuation center.

her perSpective

Some horses were terrified. A fight-or-flight

response in a 1,200-pound animal can be a fright.

One stepped on my foot and broke my big toe, but

I kept limping around.

her memoraBLe moment my friend, Tiffany, and I drove up to Topanga

Canyon to evacuate a pony and a horse. We got

there around midnight. The road was crazy steep,

and we could see fires burning a little too close

for comfort. The animals took almost an hour-

and-a-half to load, and I had all these flashlights

set up so we could see. There was no place to turn

around so I had to back the truck and trailer up

this narrow road, with just a couple of inches

on either side in some places. It was the

scariest thing I’ve ever done.

On the first day of last fall’s wildfires, a new

trend lit up cell phones around the Pepperdine

University campus. As smoke masked the

malibu views, text messages and Reverse 911

calls informed students, faculty, and staff

to relocate to safe areas on campus. If off

campus, they were warned to steer clear. later

messages provided updates on the fires and

notifications of class cancellations.

Such emergency alert systems are quickly

becoming prerequisites at colleges and

universities from St. John’s University in new

york to the University of California, San Diego.

Spurred in part by last year’s shootings at

Virginia Tech, hundreds of schools have rapidly

upgraded their capability to alert people to

danger. The messages also advise recipients

on how to respond — whether to sit tight or

get moving. Pepperdine students credit the

automated updates with quelling rumors and

calming fears during the fires.

like Pepperdine’s alert system, most of

these networks incorporate text messaging,

Reverse 911 calls to cell phones and landlines,

e-mail and instant-messaging, and can

generate faxes. UCSD also features public

address speakers to broadcast voice alerts

during an emergency situation. “We designed

the system to be redundant,” says Phillip

Van Saun, manager of emergency services at

UCSD. “During an earthquake, for example,

cell phone towers may come down or the cell

system may be overwhelmed with calls,” he

says.

Users register their contact information

online, and campus officials are combining

education and promotion to get people to sign

up. but the emergencies themselves seem to

be the best advertising. Van Saun notes that

the number of registrants at UCSD leapt from

8,000 to 11,000 after the wildfires threatened

their campus.

To inquire about emergency alert systems

in place at your university, check your

university’s Web site or contact the campus

security office.

warn ng s gns

.12 U.25SummeR2008

“i saw the truth in how one person can make a difference, but that people working together for a greater goal is even more powerful.”

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U.25SummeR2008.14 U.25SummeR2008 .15

Think twice. The trash you’re getting ready to toss could take on a second life. overflowing landfills and shrinking bank accounts are giving everyone from corporations to college groups an incentive to be inventive with garbage. after championship games, major sports leagues are sending mislabeled T-shirts declaring losing teams winners to children in poverty-stricken countries. a soft-drink giant is turning millions of recycled plastic bottles into T-shirts that will be sold by a major discount chain. at Kansas state university, students for environmental action are selling bottle-caps magnets and cereal-box notebooks to raise cash for campus recycling campaigns. “Recycling trash into usable objects is a profitable way to make a sustainable statement,” says adrienne stolwyk, a 23-year-old architecture major. “it’s also a good excuse to work together on a very low-cost project and make money.”

group members also keep money in their own pockets by finding different purposes for things they’d normally toss, says stolwyk. Turn the page to see some of their ideas put to creative use in her apartment.

By stephanie Thurrott

recycling by design

shelf

You’LL neeD

- used water ski, snow board, or skate board (available at used sporting

goods stores for approximately $25)

- shelf brackets with screws to hold the ski or board to the wall (size will

depend on which item you use for the shelf. if in doubt take the shelf

material to the hardware store and get advice.)

- screwdriver or drill

- level to make sure the shelf is straight

- stud finder to make sure the brackets can support the shelf’s weight

- pencil

hoW To maKe

1. Locate the spot you’d like to place your shelf and, using the level, draw

a straight line with a pencil.

2. use the stud finder to identify the studs and mark their location with the

pencil on the line.

3. install the shelf brackets with the drill or screwdriver, making sure the

screws go into the studs.

4. set the shelf on the brackets.

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U.25SummeR2008.16 U.25SummeR2008 .17

pillows

You’LL neeD

- an old T-shirt

- used dryer sheets to fill your pillow.

Depending on the size of your T-shirt,

you might need 300 hundred or more.

- scissors

- sewing machine or needle and thread

hoW To maKe

1. Turn the T-shirt inside out and cut off

the sleeves. sew the bottom of the

shirt and openings where the sleeves

were cut.

2. Turn the shirt right-side out

and fill it through the neck with dryer

sheets.

3. stitch the neck opening closed.

shawlYou’LL neeD

- an old bridesmaid dress (one with a wide skirt will

work best.)

- scissors

- double-sided, adhesive hemming tape

- iron

- beading or lace (optional)

hoW To maKe

1. cut out a large rectangle, approximately 5-feet-by-

2-feet, from the skirt of the dress, 1 inch larger on

each side than you would like the shawl to be. split

the seam of the skirt so you can lay the fabric flat to

get an even rectangular cut.

2. Turn the rough edges of the fabric under 1/2-inch to

create a hem.

3. press the underside of the hem with a warm iron.

secure the hem by ironing on the adhesive tape.

4. optional: add bead strips or lace by attaching them

with the hemming tape.

lantern

You’LL neeD

- clean cans with the labels removed

- hammer and nails

- sand

- wire (optional)

- candles

- permanent marker

hoW To maKe

1. Draw a design made up of dots on your

can. Repeat the design if you like.

for an example, go to

usaa.com/u25.

2. hammer a nail through each dot to make a small

hole. (if hammering dents the can, try filling it

with water and freezing it first.)

3. add an inch of sand to the bottom of the can and

insert the candle into the sand.

4. for a hanging lantern, create two holes opposite

each other at the top of the can and thread a wire

through them.

bowl

You’LL neeD

- vinyl record

- oven-safe bowl approximately 9 inches across the top

- cookie sheet

hoW To maKe

1. preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. place bowl upside down on the cookie sheet and record

on top of the bowl in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

3. Remove them from the oven.

4. Quickly, turn the bowl right side up. press the softened

record inside the bowl and into a shape you want. You

only have about a minute to work with it, so work fast.

5. if you’re not satisfied with the shape, put the bowl with

the record inside in the oven again to soften the record.

for a photographic illustration on

how to make the bowl, go to

http://www.thriftyfun.com/ and search for

“vinyl record bowl”

tote bag

You’LL neeD

- 50 plastic grocery bags

- large crochet hook

- scissors

hoW To maKe

since this project’s a little more challenging, follow the

step-by-step directions provided on these Web sites.

To make the “yarn”: go to

marloscrochetcorner.com/bag%20cutting%20instructions.html

To make the tote: go to

marloscrochetcorner.com/Plastic%20bag%20tote.html

for basic crocheting instructions: go www.crochet.org.

The lessons are under the Resources tab at the top of the page.

Drive like a proWho better to ask for driving tips than people who spend a lot of time on the road?

U.25SummeR2008.18 U.25SummeR2008

By Debra and sean price

mark brennecke truck driver; Chattanooga, Tenn.

ExPERIEnCE On the road an average of 5,500 to 6,500 miles per

week

TIP blind spots can be trouble for anyone renting a moving truck

or driving a large vehicle for the first time. To test for blind spots,

have a friend walk around the car while you sit in the driver’s seat.

When you can’t see your friend in the mirrors, you’ll know that

you’ve found a blind spot and can adjust the mirrors for maximum

visibility. If you are driving next to an 18-wheeler on the highway,

flash your lights if you think you are in danger because the driver

doesn’t see you. Truck drivers are more likely to see lights in their

mirrors than to hear a horn on the highway.

Deb Spruytte school bus driver; Olathe, Kan.

ExPERIEnCE Transported thousands of

children to school over the past 15 years

TIP If you have ever looked at a train

coming down a train track, you can’t tell

how fast it is coming. That is because the

brain isn’t used to calculating the speed of

large objects. People who drive cars also

don’t have an understanding of how a large

vehicle like a school bus operates. As you

approach a bus, keep in mind that it will

need more room to stop, especially if it is

loaded with kids. Also avoid pulling up next

to a large vehicle with its turn signal on

because it may need more than one lane to

turn the corner.

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David Gilliland nASCAR driver; Riverside, Calif.

ExPERIEnCE Grew up working under

the hood of race cars driven by his father,

butch. now at age 31, he’s the driver of

m&m’s no. 38 Ford Fusion.

TIP People don’t realize the importance

of something as simple as checking the

air pressure in their tires and making

sure that their car is up-to-date on all

maintenance and safety checks. before a

race car hits the track, nASCAR brings a

safety inspection sheet and inspects 50 or

60 items each week. before you go driving

anywhere, you should make sure you’ve

kept up your maintenance schedule.

Donney bell tow-truck driver; Ringgold, Ga.

ExPERIEnCE Has towed thousands of vehicles during his

32-year career

TIP If your vehicle is deep in a ditch or on the side of a roadway,

don’t risk towing it yourself. Professional towers use emergency

lights to prevent being hit by other drivers, and even then they

often call for police backup to stay safe on the road. If you are in

a less dangerous situation, such as having your vehicle stuck in

the mud, hook a chain or nylon strap to the frame of the car at

a point closest to the direction you will be pulling. Don’t hook a

chain to the trailer-hitch ball or to any other part of the vehicle

body. This is extremely dangerous because the ball or body part

can snap off, sending the chain flying to injure or even kill

people nearby.

.21U.25SummeR2008U.25SummeR2008.20

Robbie barrera Texas state trooper

ExPERIEnCE Patrols more than 500 miles of Texas highways in 12

counties in Central Texas

TIP most people don’t realize that the items inside their vehicles

might pose the greatest danger. I learned that lesson when my patrol

car flipped over four times in an accident. Amazingly, my only injury

was caused by a police radar that hit me in the head. Devices like

radar detectors, satellite radios, and global positioning systems can

become deadly in a crash. make sure they are secured tightly and not

just held in place by suction cups or Velcro strips. laptop computers,

backpacks, ice chests, and even people who aren’t buckled up in the

backseat can become projectile objects. Stash items in the trunk and

be sure everyone in the car is buckled up.

Carl Kircher driving instructor; Concord, n.C.

ExPERIEnCE Trains 16- to 25-year-old drivers in a safe driving

program at the Richard Petty Driving Experience

TIP many fatal accidents are caused when two wheels of a vehicle go

off the road because it is easy to overcorrect and end up in a head-on

collision. my students practice a technique called CPR, which stands

for correct, pause, and recover. If your wheels go off the road, your

first reaction might be to grab the steering wheel and turn. Instead,

make a small correction so that you are parallel with the road again.

Then pause to take a deep breath, slow down, and recover by easing

back on the road.

Welcker Taylor volunteer fire fighter and emergency medical technician; Vermont

ExPERIEnCE Drove emergency vehicles as a firefighter for

six years and an emergency medical technician for a year.

TIP Pull over to the right. Even if I’m driving an ambulance

or a fire truck with both sirens blazing, I watch other drivers

until I make eye contact with them or see them pull over

to the right and stop. most people don’t realize that they

need to pull over to the right when they hear an emergency

vehicle. If you hear a siren, be sure to pull over to the right,

slow down and turn off the radio until you pinpoint where the

siren is coming from. Don’t just stop in the road wherever

you are. These simple actions will help in an emergency and

maybe even save a life.

lt. j.g. Ana Visneski U.S. Coast Guard; based in new Orleans

ExPERIEnCE Drove in the Coast Guard’s response and rescue

efforts for hurricanes Katrina and Rita

TIP Go nice and slow when driving in wet weather. When

Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, a gust of wind

carried my SUV over three lanes of traffic. because the wind

was pushing my vehicle to one side, I got in the opposite lane

and drove slowly until I reached my destination. The rules

of the waterways apply to the road: If you are driving on

wet roads, do not overcorrect because you are going to spin

yourself around. Also, do not gun the engine because you will

spin your tires.

Gerry Eaker UPS corporate safety manager; Atlanta

ExPERIEnCE Oversees safety of 100,000

vehicles in the UPS fleet and training of

103,000 drivers

TIP be prepared to stop at intersections. The

no. 1 danger facing UPS drivers is driving

through intersections. As you approach an

intersection, take your foot off the gas and

cover the brake with your right foot so that

you can stop quickly if necessary. because the

biggest threat comes from someone coming

from the left, be sure to look left, then right,

then left again before passing through. The

best way to make sure that other drivers have

seen you is to make eye contact with them.

Wolf Weiss taxi driver; Chicago

ExPERIEnCE Veteran cab driver for more than

15 years

TIP I plan my trips to avoid unsafe neighborhoods.

When I have to venture into one, I keep my doors

locked and watch for people approaching the

vehicle. When stopping for a light, I keep enough

distance from the car in front of me so that I can

quickly take off and get around the vehicle if I feel

threatened. I call it my safety cushion.

Robert Gladden California motorcyclist Safety Program project manager; Irvine, Calif.

ExPERIEnCE 36 years riding a motorcycle; manages a program

that taught motorcycle safety to 62,000 people in 2007.

TIP A mistake I often see is people overestimating their

abilities. Riding a motorcycle takes skill and knowledge. Just

like scuba divers need certification and training, motorcycling

is the same. One of the most important safety strategies when

riding a motorcycle is to see and be seen. Equally important is

the ability to react to what we see by following the motorcycle

Safety Foundation’s S.E.E. strategy:

S: Search for hazards or problems on the road.

E: Evaluate what the hazards or problems are.

E: Execute your decision.

UsaaprograMsthatMaketheMostofyoUrfUtUrenoW

¹ College Banking offer subject to approval. Variable aPR on purchases and cash advances is Prime + [margin], [rate] percent as of [date]. There is a transaction fee of 3 percent on cash advances ($75 maximum on balance transfers and convenience checks) and 1 percent on foreign transactions. any introductory or promotional aPR will end early and delinquency rates will apply if your account becomes two payments past due. We reserve the right to change account terms, including the aPRs. ² Rebates range between 0.35 percent and 1.25 percent based on your annual total purchases and are credited each January. other restrictions apply.Credit cards provided by Usaa savings Bank, other banking products provided by Usaa Federal savings bank. Both member FDIC.

info To go

for questions and information about usaa products and services:

visit usaa.com/u25.

U.25SummeR2008.22

stephen Korecki has figured out a

simple way to manage his money: he

pays for everything with his usaa

cash Rewards® credit card. of course,

it takes discipline to pay off the full

balance at the end of each month, but

Korecki likes not having to worry about

balancing a checkbook every three

days.

“i use my credit card as a time-

saving tool. That’s its biggest reward

for me,” says Korecki, 19, who works

three part-time jobs while attending

classes at an oregon community

college.

The usaa credit card, which

is designed especially for college

students, also can help you save money

in these ways:

• pay no interest on your purchases

in the first six months you have the

card. if you pay your bill on time, you’ll

continue not to be charged interest

on the purchases made in the first six

months until the balance is paid off.

after the first six months, you’ll receive

a low interest rate on all your credit

card purchases.1

• earn up to 1.25 percent cash rebate

on all purchases with your card.2

• get account alerts to remind you to

pay your bill, or when you’re close to

your limit.

• pay no annual fees.

for information about a usaa credit

card, log on to usaa.com/u25.

TimE AND moNEy annuaL checK if you have at least one credit card or a student or auto loan, you’ve got a credit history that’s recorded by the nation’s three-credit reporting agencies. each year, you can see what’s on your credit reports for free by requesting them at annualcreditreport.com. credit-reporting agencies experian, Transunion, and equifax are each required by law to provide you with a free credit report every 12 months.

When you receive your reports, be sure to read over the information carefully, looking for errors. Report any mistakes to the agency right away. Knowing your credit activity is key to managing your credit and protecting yourself from fraud and iD theft. for free guidance on understanding your credit report, contact the usaa financial advice center by visiting usaa.com/u25.

Keeping up with your usaa accounts

is as convenient as using your mobile

or pDa.

Through mobile.usaa.com, you can:

• vieW your checking, savings, and

credit card balances.

• TRansfeR funds to and from any

accounts you have set up on usaa.com.

• paY any bill you can pay on usaa.com.

• have proof of your auto insurance

faxed or e-mailed to you.

if you’re registered on usaa.com, go to

the browser on your mobile phone or

pDa, type in mobile.usaa.com and enter

your usaa iD and password. if you’re

not already registered on usaa.com, go

to usaa.com/u25 for details.

Tip: Be sure to set up all your bills on

usaa.com’s Web Billpay to pay them

with your mobile phone or pDa.

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