Washington Square goes smoke-free Published Jan. 5, 2015 By Airman 1st Class Dillon Johnston 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- A designated tobacco area was recently shut down near building 438 on RAF Mildenhall, England, as part of Team Mildenhall's initiative to downsize the amount of tobacco use areas as the number of smokers on base decreases. The closure effectively made all of Washington Square a smoke-free area. The decision was made due to the fact that smoke from the DTA was drifting into surrounding buildings, affecting those in proximity to the smoke. "Endurance has a lot to do with our physical health and if our bodies are being subjected to any kind of negative factors our endurance will decrease as well as our performance, overall health and quite possibly our ability to lead," said Ellen Fields, 100th Air Refueling Wing community support coordinator. "It is possible that the removal of (DTA's) could contribute to our mental fitness as well. If our bodies are clear of containments then ideally, we will be able to make better mental decisions," she continued. The wing's official stance is to providing a professional work environment for all that is free of smoke and other distractions. With Washington Square smokeless, Team Mildenhall has taken one more step in the direction of a smoke-free Air Force. "With this kind of action, we are seeing the Air Force move toward a smoke-free environment," Fields said. "Now we need to continue to provide individuals opportunities and encouragement to quit smoking." As the number of DTA's, as well as smokers on base decreases, it increases the total force fitness of RAF Mildenhall, as well as the Air Force at large, keeping more individuals healthy and ready to complete the mission at hand.