pentagram 111215 flipbook
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Vol. 62, No. 45 November 12, 2015 www.army.mil/jbmhh Published For Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
Pentagram
Index Local forecast
Thanksgiving Day hours . . . . . . . page 2JBM-HH Member Spotlight . . . . . page 2Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3In photos: Security training . . . . . page 5SFL schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6In photos: K9 validation . . . . . . . page 6Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7
Thurs.64 | 47
Fri.58 | 57
saT.51 | 36
sun.56 | 37
For more weather forecasts and information, visit www.weather.gov.
Fort Myer ID center now accepting web-based
appointments The DEERS/ID card section
on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH now accepts appoint-ments online. Appointments can be made by visiting http://go.usa.gov/cY5qVonline. Available ap-pointment dates are annotated in green on the site. Customers merely select the available date and appointment time, input a few details, and click “submit.” This new system will allow cus-tomers to lock in an appoint-ment online instead of walking in to the office in hopes of an available time slot. While the new web appointment system can be used now, the earliest appoint-ments available are at month’s end. Those who are unable to access the website can still call the DEERS/ID card section to make an appointment at 703-696-2188. However, walk-ins will no longer be accepted.
Fort Myer Officers’ Club to honor
veterans — Nov. 13Fort Myer Officers’ Club staff
are hosting a free Veteran’s Day wine tasting and food sampling party Nov. 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the club. This event is free to all veterans and active duty service members. There will be a food and wine tasting from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Koran Ballroom — Free! Reservations are not required for this event. A free dinner is available from 6 to 8 p.m. (beverages not included) in the Fife and Drum Dining Room.
Reservations are required for dinner with 140 seats available. Call 703-524-0200 for more information and to make reser-vations for dinner.
Ethics training — Nov. 12Ethics training, mandatory
for employees required to file a financial disclosure form, is slated for Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Town Hall on the Fort Myer por-tion of the joint base. Training is for members of the Mili-tary District of Washington, Joint Force-National Capital Region, and Joint Base My-er-Henderson Hall, but others may attend. For more informa-tion, contact Amanda O’Neil at [email protected] or Tracy Hernandez at [email protected] and 202-685-4582.
Last flu shot clinic! Get your flu shot — Nov. 12
Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic’s annual flu campaign continues with at least one more scheduled date, Nov. 12, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel Fellowship room. Shots are offered to all DEERS-eligible military ser-vice members, retirees, ben-eficiaries (ages 2 years and above) and Department of Defense civilians. Children under the age of two enrolled at Rader Clinic must receive their vaccine at the Rader Im-munization Clinic or during a
News Notes
see NEWS, page 4
By Julia LeDouxPentagram Staff Writer
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Dan Dailey spent time Nov. 6 doing what he loves best: Meeting, talking with and encouraging members of the nation’s armed forces and the civilians who support them.
Accompanied by Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Com-mand Sgt. Maj. Randall Woods, Dailey toured the Fort Myer and Henderson Hall portions of the joint base, making stops at the JBM-HH headquarters, Soldier Transition Center, Cody Child Development Center and Bldg. 29 on the Henderson Hall portion of the joint base.
During his stop at the Sol-dier Transition Center, Dailey dropped in on a class that assists Soldiers who are transitioning out of the Army by providing them with the tools they need to find success in the civilian world.
“Ask questions,” he urged the Soldiers. “These profession-als are dedicated to their craft. I promise you they are. That’s why they are here.”
Dailey also reminded the group that they will always be American Soldiers, even after they have left active Army service.
“We’ll always be Soldiers for
sMa Dailey visits the joint base
PHoto By NELL KINg
Sgt. 1st Class Regan Brough, far left, and Master Sgt. Harry Watters, on the trombone, of the The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” perform as Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey gets into the groove of the Band’s Blues Jazz Ensemble at Brucker Hall Nov. 6 on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Dailey jumped up on stage as the band performed lively music as part of a tour of JBM-HH.see SMA, page 4
By Guv CallahanPentagram Staff Writer
The Commissary on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base My-er-Henderson Hall will receive a facelift and a number of equip-ment upgrades during a period of renovations over the next year.
These upgrades include a new heating and air ventilation sys-tem, new refrigerated display cas-es throughout the store, renovat-ed restrooms, new interior décor and updated signage on the exte-rior of the building, according to Fort Myer Commissary Assistant
Commissary renovations to begin in 2016
PHoto By NELL KINg
Patrons browse the frozen foods section of the commissary Nov. 5 at Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The commissary will be-gin renovations around January 2016 with upgrades that include new heat-ing and air ventilation systems, and new refrigerators.see CoMMISSARy, page 4
By Julia LeDouxPentagram Staff Writer
Education is often the key that will unlock the door to a re-warding military or civilian ca-reer, and the Fort Myer Educa-tion Center stands ready to help service members, their families, civilians and retirees chart their course to success both now and into the future.
“We have a range of services that we offer here,” Karen Pow-ell, a guidance counselor at the center, told the Pentagram during a recent interview. “We have onsite schools where Sol-diers, family members, civilians and retirees on the installation can come in, talk to the school representatives and get an idea
of what they want to major in.”Among the schools that have
on-site representatives at the center are Northern Virginia Community College, Park Uni-versity, Central Michigan Uni-versity, Old Dominion Univer-sity and University of Maryland University College, said Powell.
“We help [prospective stu-dents] determine what school will be the best fit for them,” she continued. “We help them determine what their criteria for a school is, what their edu-cational goal is and what their career goal is, in order to select
the school that best meets their needs.”
And students today are not bound by geographical con-straints when selecting a col-lege. Guidance counselor intern Cherlin Ngala and guidance counselor Jo Boston said be-cause there are so many schools now – brick and mortar cam-puses with traditional class-rooms and those who offer de-gree programs online – figuring out what school to attend can be challenging.
“We also provide guidance and get them to think about if the
Education the key to career, life goals
PHoto By MARINE CoRPS Sgt. ALVIN WILLIAMS JR.
Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen listen to military leaders speak during a joint military education seminar at the Henderson Hall portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall May 14, 2014. Service members, retirees and their families have access to a wide range of ed-ucational resources, including help finding the right college or university, throuh the Fort Myer Education Center and the Marine Corps Community Center Henderson Hall’s Life-long Learning Center. see EDUCAtIoN, page 4
2 thursday, November 12, 2015 PENtAgRAM
JBM-HH thanksgiving Day Operations and services holiday hours
Army Community Service Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3510 .
AAFES Main Exchange Closed . For more info, call 703-522-4575 .
AAFES Concessions: Barber Shop, Cleaners, gNC, optical Shop, Subway, Starbucks
Closed . For more info, call 703-351-6559 (Barber Shop), 703-358-9257 (Cleaners/alterations), 703-522-6786 (GNC), 703-528-9122 (Optical Shop), 703-243-1786 (Subway), 703-527-0101 (Starbucks) .
AAFES Express (Shoppette) and service station (gas pumps)
Closed . ***Note: gas pumps are open 24/7 . For more info, call 703-696-9241/44 .
Auto craft shop Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3387 .
Bowling center Open noon to 6 p .m . For more information, call 703-528-4766 .
Car wash (MCCS) Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week .
Cody CDC Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3095 .
CySS Closed . For more information, call 703-696-4942/0313 .
Community Activity Center Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3470 .
Fife and Drum Corps Lounge Closed . For more information, call 703-524-0200 .
Firestone Closed . For more information, call 703-522-2584 .
FMWR admin offices Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3305 .
Fort McNair Fitness Center Closed . For more information, call 202-685-3117 .
Fort McNair officers’ Club Closed . For more information, call 703-524-0200 .
Fort McNair Five Star Catering
Closed . For more information, call 202-484-5800 .
Fort Myer Fitness Center Open 8 a .m . - 4 p .m . For more information, call 703-696-7867 .
Fort Myer Five Star Catering Closed . For more information, call 703-524-0200 .
Fort Myer officers’ Club Open for Thanksgiving buffet . For more information, call 703-524-0200 .
Fort Myer Veterinary treatment Facility
Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3604 .
Library Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3555 .
Military Clothing Sales (Fort Myer and Pentagon stores)
Closed . For more information, call 703-696-3515 (Fort Myer) or 703-695-6446 (Pentagon) .
Military Police Station Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week . For more information, call 703-696-3525 .
old guard Lounge Closed . For more information, call 703-524-0200 .
Religious Services Weekly closings/cancellations: Wednesday Resilience Bible Study Luncheon (Nov . 25) – closed; Memorial Chapel closes at noon (Nov . 25); Memorial Chapel is closed (Nov . 26-27); Saturday evening Mass – held at regularly scheduled time (Nov . 28); all Sunday worship services will continue on normal schedule . For more information, call 703-696-3535 .
Spates Five Star Catering Closed . For more information, call 703-527-1300/1302 .
Spates Community Club Open for Thanksgiving buffet . For more information, call 703-527-1300/1302 .
Most offices on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26 so everyone can celebrate Thanksgiving, also a federal holiday. Most military personnel will have a training holiday Friday, Nov. 27, and some activities will be open with reduced staffing. The following facilities and places of business have reported open or closed hours for Nov. 26 and 27. Unless otherwise noted, the list applies to Nov. 26, Thanksgiving. This new, alphabetical list is not all encompassing; please check with the facility you wish to visit for more details.
Stay connected! www.army.mil/jbmhh Facebook: Facebook.com/jbmhh Flickr: Flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh twitter: @jbmhh Slideshare: slideshare.net/jbmhh
Pentagram Col. Michael D. Henderson Commander
Command Sgt. Maj. Randall E. Woods
Command Sergeant Major
Mary Ann Hodges Director of Public Affairs
Sharon Walker Command
Information Officer
Jim Goodwin Editor
Lorraine Walker Graphic Designer
Nell King Photographer
Julia LeDoux Staff Writer
Guv Callahan Staff Writer
Delonte Harrod Staff Writer
Arthur Mondale Staff Writer
The Pentagram is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Pentagram are not necessarily the official views of
the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, or Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The content of
this publication is the responsibility of the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Public Affairs Office. Pictures not otherwise credited are U.S. Army photographs.
News items should be submitted to the Pentagram, 204 Lee Ave., Bldg. 59, Fort Myer, VA 22211-1199. They may also be e-mailed to james.m.goodwin3.
[email protected]. Circulation of 24,000 is printed by offset every Thursday as a civilian enterprise newspaper by Comprint Military Publications. Comprint Military
Publications is located at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Telephone (301) 921-2800. Commercial advertising should be placed with the
printer. Comprint Military Publications is a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army or Department of the Navy. The appearance of
advertisements in this publication, to include all inserts and supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army or Department
of the Navy of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without
regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser,
user or patron. A confirmed violation of this policy of equal opportunity by an advertiser shall result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.
JBM-HH Community Member Spotlight
Name: Emily Mihalik
Job title/where do you work: Installation Specialist (CP29 intern) for Plans, Analysis and Integration Office, JBM-HH.
What do you want people to know about your duty assignment, job, program or service?
Customer service is an important part of my job. I serve as an ICE Program manager and it is my goal to make more people familiar and comfortable with using ICE (Interactive Customer Evaluation). As an online customer evaluation site, ICE allows customers to comment on their experiences on base. I see ICE as an opportunity to make the base a better place, to have your voice heard. People often misinterpret ICE as a complaint forum, when in reality, some of the most important comments we get are commendations on someone’s good work. We want to know what we are doing right; and we want to recognize outstanding acts of customer service.
What’s the most rewarding part of your current position and why?
I feel that getting to know and learn from some fantastic people is most rewarding. One of the best parts of the CP29 career development program is its educational component; I not only learn from others, I have the opportunity to learn in depth what the Army is about and why IMCOM is so important.
What’s your favorite…
Favorite sports team: Washington Nationals (if they don’t win I root for the Cubs).
Book: Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. It’s an easy read and has a good message about creating goals and staying true to yourself.
Movie: I don’t have a favorite movie, but just saw The Martian. So good!
Place you’ve ever traveled to or been stationed:
Following university, I received a Fulbright grant to research art in Kazakhstan. It was an incredible experience; I was able to organize two major art exhibitions. I also had the opportunity to give lectures about American culture and history. I loved sharing my experiences and knowledge, while learning about a culture that was entirely new to me. My time in Kazakhstan was a life defining moment; it inspired me to pursue a career in public service.
What do you like most about working on/visiting JBM-HH?
I like the people. I could not have imagined a better group of people to work alongside!
What do you like most about living in the National Capital Region?
I love exploring the city, enjoying the museums and cultural events! I spent a great deal of time in D.C.’s museums while obtaining my Master’s in Art History from George Washington University. Among my favorites are The Phillips Collection (in Dupont) and The Hirshhorn (on the National Mall).
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Be open to new experiences” – it is simple, but an important piece of advice. It led an artist to a career in the Army after all!
If you won the lottery, what would you do?
I would donate some money to PAWS Assistance Dogs (Zak’s service dog foundation), buy a painting studio, and travel more.
What are your goals for the year?
My goal is to make the most of my experience here at JBM-HH. I want to learn as much as I can, and be challenged.
What advice do you have for someone getting stationed at JBM-HH?
Be open – get to know people, and learn about the history of the base. One of the best things my boss, Donna Maxey, had me do on my first week was read about the base’s history. Take lunch walks and get to appreciate the facilities and the beauty of the base! What an incredible place to be working!
PHoto By ARtHUR MoNDALE
U.S. Army Pfc. Jonathan McCoy and his K9 partner Iskra maintain tactical overwatch on a decoy apprehended by a corresponding officer during scout training Nov. 2 in a heavily wooded area on Fort Belvoir, Va. Tactical overwatch and apprehension training, according to kennel master U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Richard-son, is essential in case K9 teams are faced with non-compliant suspects who attempt to flee. See related coverage on page 3 and more imagery on pages 5 and 6.
sniffin’ out bad guys
Emily Mihalik
PENtAgRAM thursday, November 12, 2015 3CommunityBy Arthur MondalePentagram Staff Writer
JBM-HH police and security guards are the first line of defense at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, and each has a story that would make an ambitious crime beat reporter’s job easy.
In addition to the 10,000 vehicles that enter JBM-HH on a daily basis, there’s continual security and policing the joint base’s 100-plus officers and security guards must oversee daily, according to JBM-HH Police Watch Commander Lt. Troy Dennison.
Although JBM-HH is a relatively small base geographically, it’s not with-out crime or security risks, according to Dennison. That means the officers and guards must maintain their law enforce-ment skills regularly. In fact, they are required to undergo training every six
months to ensure they are on top of their game and ready for anything and every-thing on the joint base.
In short, the joint base’s staff of law en-forcement and security professionals are far more “than just an ID checker,” said Dennison.
“We deal with everything from weapons to drugs,” agreed JBM-HH security guard James Perry, who has eight years of provid-ing security services under his belt.
“We’ve had everything on this base,” added Dennison. “We’ve had every gam-ut of crime.”
Beyond basic training to use the tac-tical baton, handcuffs and weaponry, including the M9 9mm pistol and shot-guns, semi-annual, in-service training ensures these men and women are cur-rent in all areas of force protection: how
Joint base law enforcement undergo tough training to maintain readiness
PHoto By ARtHUR MoNDALE
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall lead police Sgt. Roger Mitchell uses a weapons control tech-nique as security guard Daymar Reeder struggles to grab Mitchell’s 9mm training pistol at Smith Gym, Oct. 28 on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH during semi-annual in-service training. Failure to grasp proper weapons retention techniques could result in irreversible con-sequences for both JBM-HH security guards and officers, according to Sgt. Mitchell.see tRAININg, page 5
By Arthur MondalePentagram Staff Writer
Pressure is constant for the 27 military working dog handlers who serve the Mili-tary District of Washington. In addition to daily installation force protection, there’s 32 hours a month of required real world training and a full week of validating the Soldiers’ dog handling abilities every three months.
Validation week is an intense week of military working dog handler duty require-ments: basic obedience, controlled aggres-sion, scouting, vehicle searches, buildings, warehouses and aircraft. Also included are detection for explosives and narcotics.
For the 947th Military Police Detach-ment’s Working Dog section, which is split between kennels at both JBM-HH and Fort Belvoir, missions to sniff out explo-sives and narcotics extends well beyond the routine. The group is unique in that it works closely with the U.S. Secret Service,
other military services and civilian law enforcement agencies to support high-se-curity events in the National Capital Re-gion, including the president of the United States, vice president and foreign visiting dignitaries, according to the unit’s website.
And without passing validation week, handlers—some of whom are young enough that they can’t legally consume alcohol yet—nor their dogs will be cer-tified to provide K9 support both in the United States and abroad.
“There are no 18-year-old kids out there doing what these kids do on a daily basis making sure that everybody in the National Capital Region stays safe,” said Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Richardson, the 947th’s kennel master. Richardson is re-sponsible for supervising and adminis-tering training to the more than two doz-en handlers who comprise the 947th’s military working dog unit.
Man’s best friend, crime’s worst enemy947th Military Police K9 teams sniff out bad guys in nation’s capital and abroad
PHoto By ARtHUR MoNDALE
U.S. Army Sgt. Wess Brown is caught by K9 Roy, Nov. 2 in a heavily wooded area on Fort Bel-voir, Va., during a training session. Brown served as a decoy during scout training as part of a week-long Military Working Dog validation process. Roy, who is partnered with U.S. Army Pfc. Christina Marsh, used his keen sense of smell to detect the decoy hiding in dense vegetation. see KENNEL, page 6
H H H The United States Army Band H H H CALENDAR oF EVENtS
Nov. 12 8 p.m. The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” will perform a Salute to Veterans concert at Hylton Performing Arts Center on The George Mason University Prince William Campus in Manassas, Va. Free tickets are required for this event. More info is available at www.usarmyband.com.
Nov. 15 3 p.m. The U.S. Army Blues will perform a Veterans Day concert at Brucker Hall on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH.
Nov. 17 7:30 p.m. The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” will perform An Evenings of Transcriptions as part of its Brucker Hall Recital Series at Brucker Hall on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH.
Nov. 17 7:30 p.m. The U.S. Army Chorus will perform a concert at the Richmond Altria Theater at 6 North Laurel Street, Richmond, Va., 23220
Nov. 22 3 p.m. The U.S. Army Orchestra will perform Inspiration from the Americas, a collection of works from two American giants, Leonard Bernstein and John Williams, alongside works by the Brazilian great Astor Piazzolla and an American-inspired orchestral suite by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak at Brucker Hall on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH.
Dec. 2 5 p.m. The U.S. Army Concert Band will perform at the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lightning at 100 East Capitol Street N.E. in Washington, D.C.
Dec. 4 8 p.m. The U.S. Army Band will perform at the American Holiday Festival at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This program is 75 minutes with no intermission; free tickets are available online at http://goo.gl/nwgivf.
Dec. 5 3 p.m. The U.S. Army Band will perform at the American Holiday Festival at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This program is 75 minutes with no intermission; free tickets are available online at http://goo.gl/nwgivf.
Performances are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. All outdoor concerts are subject to cancellation or location change due to weather considerations. Call 703-696-3399 for up-to-date information on concert cancellations or location changes. For additional details and a full calendar of performances, visit www.usarmyband.com/event-calendar.html.
By Guv CallahanPentagram Staff Writer
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Army Community Service celebrated its many volunteers during its annual volunteer recognition luncheon Nov. 6.
Those who give their time to ACS pro-grams were treated to a lunch in the ex-ecutive room at Spates Community Club on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base.
About 24 volunteers – the majority of whom work in the ACS reception area and on other special projects throughout the year – were recognized, said Marcia O’Connor, the ACS volunteer board vice president and assistant volunteer super-visor.
Laurie Brown, chief of ACS, thanked all of the volunteers who attended the luncheon, as well as those who were un-able to attend.
“We do have volunteers in many capac-ities, and many of them are volunteering today in other capacities, so we do appre-
ciate all of you being here,” she said.Brown told the volunteers in the room
that they might not know the impact they have on the people they meet through their work every day.
“One of my favorite quotes is ‘To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world,’” she said. “We have the opportunity every day to wit-ness this when it comes to our volunteers.
“You may never know the profound ef-fect you have on a person’s life. A kind word, a gentle touch, a listening ear can mean so much to someone who is seek-ing service.”
And whether they volunteered at the ACS front desk, knitted baby blankets for Soldiers and their families or worked in one of ACS’ many special projects, Brown assured volunteers that they help their community.
“You make a difference in others’ lives,” she said. “You may volunteer for many different reasons, but for whatever reason you volunteer, you provide sup-port, skills, talents and abilities to the
joint base and to the Army as a whole.”Mike Jordan, president of the ACS vol-
unteer board, has only held his position since May, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand the great difference volunteers make for ACS, he said.
“I really appreciate what your volun-teering means to the great folks in the Army Community Service programs,” Jordan said. “I also know, even more significantly, how your selfless service translates to improving quality of life programs for service members and their families. Very often, they’re survivors.”
During his keynote speech, JBM-HH Chief of Staff Glenn Wait said ACS vol-unteers contributed 2,225 total hours for Fiscal Year 2015, the equivalent of $51,342 in the private sector.
“Without volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” Wait said. “It just means so much.”
Volunteering takes understanding, em-pathy, compassion, patience and dedica-
aCs celebrates volunteers during annual luncheon
PHoto By gUV CALLAHAN
Mike Jordan, president of the Joint Base My-er-Henderson Hall Army Community Service volunteer board, delivers remarks to guests during ACS’ annual volunteer recognition luncheon Nov. 6 at the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH. Jordan, who has only held his posi-tion since May, said he understands the great difference volunteers make for ACS. “I really appreciate what your volunteering means to the great folks in the Army Community Ser-vice programs,” he said.see VoLUNtEER, page 8
4 thursday, November 12, 2015 PENtAgRAM
regular scheduled appointment with their primary care provider. Beneficiaries above the age of two should take advantage of this final Memorial Chapel flu vaccina-tion clinic to avoid the expected extended wait times at the Rader Immunization Clinic. The Rader Clinic Flu Hotline (703-696-2994) has been updated for the 2015-2016 flu season and will continue to be updated throughout the flu season.
Play Mornings at Memorial Chapel — Nov. 12 and 19
This playgroup, which meets Nov. 12 and 19 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base, is for parents and preschool children and provides times for socialization, play, crafts, music and story time. For more information or to register, call 703-696-3512.
Prostate cancer support group meets at Fort Belvoir — Nov. 12
The prostate cancer support group meets at Fort Bel-voir Community Hospital Nov. 12 from 1 to 2 p.m. and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the urology clinic, Sunrise Pavilion, 2nd floor. Spouses and partners are invited to attend. For more information, contact retired Col. Jane Hudak at 301-319-2918 or [email protected].
Turkey Trot 5K — Nov. 13Registration is now open for the Marine Corps Com-
munity Services Henderson Hall Turkey Trot 5K, which will be held at 6:45 a.m., Nov. 13, beginning in front of the Cpl. Terry L. Smith Gym on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH. The first 100 people who register for this event will receive a free T-shirt. Medals and other prizes will be awarded for the top finishers in different age categories. Registration is open online through Nov. 11. Reg-ister at https://goo.gl/ukizeM. Call 703-614-6332 for more details.
Baby Bundles — Nov. 13Prepare your home and relationship for the changes
that are needed when your new baby arrives by attend-ing this Army Community Service session Nov. 13 from noon to 2:30 p.m. in Bldg. 201 on the Fort Myer por-tion of the joint base. A brief overview of the labor and delivery process, newborn care and baby proofing your home will be discussed. Individuals will receive a bag of free baby care and safety items. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 703-696-3512.
Guest speaker on SSI and SSDI — Nov. 13Matthew Famiglietti, an attorney with expertise in em-
ployment discrimination law, Social Security Disabili-ty law, and special education will speak at a workshop Nov. 13, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., in Pentagon Conference Room M3. The workshop will focus on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Having a disability himself, Fami-glietti has insight into issues that affect people with disabilities. He has worked at the University of South Carolina Center for Developmental Disabilities and the U.S. Department of Labor. Please register by Nov. 12, by calling 703-693-5353 or 703-696-0783 or by email-ing [email protected].
Junior wrestling coaches, participants soughtJBM-HH’s Child, Youth and School Age Services
junior wrestling registration is now open and runs through Nov. 13. The program is open to children of eligible Department of Defense ID card holders. The program is coed. To register, visit Parent Central Ser-vices, Bldg. 483, on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base or call 703-696-0313/4942. For more information about coaching, please contact Annette Engum at 703-696-3728 or [email protected]
Hiring Heroes career fair — Nov. 17A Hiring Heroes career fair will be held Nov. 17 at
Spates Community Club on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Network with employers from the Department of Defense and oth-er federal agencies and private sector firms with posi-tions available for wounded, ill, injured or transitioning service members, veterans, spouses and their primary caregivers. For more information, contact Sylvia Parker at 571-372-2124 or [email protected].
American Education Week events — Nov. 16-19American Education Week is Nov. 16 through 20, and
the Fort Myer Education Center is hosting multiple events during that week, all on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH:
• Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon — There will be an open house and a Department of Veterans Affairs brief-ing in room 110, Army Education Center, Bldg. 417.
• Nov. 17 briefing from 10 to 11 a.m. titled “Choosing a Major: Your Major Matters” at the Town Hall, Bldg. 243
• Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Education Fair — in the Community Activities Center, Bldg. 405
• Nov. 18 briefing — from 10 to 11 a.m. titled “Strat-egies for Educational Success,” Bldg. 405
• Nov. 18 — Troops to Teachers from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. and Green to Gold from noon to 1 p.m., Bldg. 405
To RSVP for any of these briefings, call 703-696-3178/1652. For more information about American Education Week or JBM-HH’s education services, call Karen Powell at 703-696-1541.
Make it possible: CFC donations now acceptedDuring the forthcoming holiday season and time of
giving, we are asked to remember those less fortunate, and pay it forward to help others. There are a number of ways to participate in this year’s Combined Federal Campaign, which runs through Dec. 15: contact your
newsfrom page 1
see NEWS, page 8
life,” Dailey continued. “But we’re not always going to be active duty. Even for myself, that time will come when I have to transition out of the Army. I promise you myself, the sergeant major of the Army, standing in front of you right here – I will take advantage of the transition services offered on this base.”
At the Cody CDC, Dailey dis-cussed child care provider back-ground checks, staffing and retention levels at the center.
“We do 2.7 million background in-vestigations a year, and that’s just the Army,” he said. “That gives you the scale of why it takes [so long].”
Dailey was welcomed to Hender-son Hall by Headquarters and Ser-vice Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall Sgt. Maj. Robert Pullen.
“We appreciate you coming here,” Pullen told Dailey. Dailey met several junior enlisted Marines at Henderson Hall, too, taking time to shake hands and thank the Marines for their service and work.
At every stop, Dailey presented his challenge coins to service members and civilians.
Woods praised Dailey for taking time to visit the joint base.
“It truly shows the type of leader he is, getting out of the daily grind, meet-ing folks and recognizing those who contribute to the Army and JBM-HH mission,” he said.
Dailey concluded his visit by enjoying a performance of the U.S. Army Band’s “Pershing’s Own” Swamp Romp.
Staff writer Julia LeDoux can be reached at [email protected].
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey listens as Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Com-mand Sgt. Maj. Randall E. Woods briefs him on the happenings of the base during Dailey’s tour of the joint base Nov. 6. Dailey stopped at the Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Center, the Cody Child Development Center, Henderson Hall’s Headquar-ters and Service Battalion and Bruker Hall as part of the tour of JBM-HH.
sMafrom page 1
Commissary Officer Cathy Riddick.Refrigeration equipment in the
meat department and on both sides of aisles 10, 11 and 12 will be replaced with newer models, Riddick said.
And according to Rick Brink, a public affairs specialist with the Defense Commissary Agency, both the new refrigerated cases and the HVAC equipment on the roof will be more energy efficient and better for the environment.
The change in décor will bring new color schemes and signage for customers inside the store, Brink wrote in an email.
Construction is expected to be-gin around January 2016, after the holiday season, and will last about 13 months without affecting store hours, Riddick told the Pentagram.
The renovations will cost $6,902,588, and a construction contract for the project was awarded to Summit Con-struction, Inc., from Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., on Sept. 17, according to a DECA release.
Riddick and Brink agreed that custom-ers will benefit from the renovations.
“This upgraded facility will greatly enhance the shopping experience for DECA’s customers and their families,” Brink wrote.
Riddick said the renovations will open up a lot of space at the front of the store when customers first walk in.
The construction is not expected to seriously impact store operations or customers’ shopping routines, such as checkout lines or parking.
Work will be done in phases in or-der to avoid affecting large areas of the store at one time, Riddick said.
“As the phases go along, we’ll make sure customers are updated either through Facebook or com-missary.com,” she said.
Customers will notice changes in the store’s layout during construc-tion, Brink said.
“Customers will experience peri-odic changes in shopping patterns as the construction courses through the store, so we ask for their pa-tience and continued patronage as we maintain a safe and secure shop-ping environment,” he wrote.
Despite the shift in layout, Brink assures customers that the com-missary will maintain its full prod-
uct lineup and added that custom-ers should not hesitate to ask staff for assistance locating any items they might be looking for.
And customers have themselves to thank for the coming renovations, according to Brink.
“It’s all made possible by the sur-charge,” he wrote. “Commissaries sell items at cost plus a 5 percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones.”
For more information about the Fort Myer Commissary, visit www.com-missaries.com/stores/html/store.cfm?-dodaac=HQCNFH&page=news.
Pentagram staff writer Guv Callahan can be reached at [email protected].
COMMissarYfrom page 1
PHoto By NELL KINg
A patron picks up milk from the refrigerated section of the Fort Myer commissary Nov. 5 at the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Mayer-Henderson Hall. The com-missary will begin renovations in January to update its refrigerators, heat and air ventilation systems.
school they are interested in is region-ally accredited or nationally accredited and what does that mean,” said Ngala.
Accreditation assesses the quality of a college or university’s academ-ic programs and is one of the three main elements of oversight govern-ing federal student aid programs, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s web site.
Located in Bldg. 417 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base, counseling services are offered at the center on a walk-in basis Mon-day through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. An Army education counselor is also at the Air Force Pentagon Education Center, Room 1A934 on Monday and Tuesday
from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Fri-day from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The counseling support team can also provide information on scholarships and financial aid. El-igible Soldiers can visit the center or the goarmyed.com website to learn more about the current tui-tion assistance policy, said Powell. Counselors can also help service members understand how their VA educational benefits will work.
The center also offers a variety of testing services, including such Army placement tests as the Armed Forces Classification Test; Defense Language Proficiency tests; Defense Language Aptitude Battery; and the Selection Instrument for Flight Training. Po-tential college students can also take the SAT and ACT college entrance exams at the center.
“It’s important that Soldiers take
education seriously, whether to further their military career or as they transition to civilian life,” Pow-ell stressed. “Education is so vital, whether you are staying in the mili-tary or are a civilian trying to move up that ladder, education is the key.”
For more information on the services offered at the Fort Myer Education Center, call 703-696-3178/1541/1653/1652/3070.
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of four articles on education that will be published in the Penta-gram in the coming weeks in celebra-tion of American Education Week, Nov. 16-19. A military career and education expo will be held at the community center on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Staff writer Julia LeDoux can be reached at [email protected].
eDuCaTiOnfrom page 1
PHotoS By NELL KINg
U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Kyle S. Reneau, a 20-year-old Pueblo City, Colo., native, and supply administration and operations specialist with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Henderson Hall, receives a handshake from Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey Nov. 6 on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Dailey stopped at Henderson Hall to recognize several Marines while on a wind-shield tour of JBM-HH.
PENtAgRAM thursday, November 12, 2015 5
to operate as a quick reaction force in the event of an active shooter, weapons retention, when to use pepper spray, un-armed self-defense as well as when and how to use deadly force.
“If they don’t know how to do what they’re supposed to do, they can hurt themselves and hurt the person that they have to deal with,” said Dennison.
On this particular training day, Denni-son and his cohort of lead trainers are as likeable as drill instructors: They’re tough and quick to point out mistakes during training drills.
“For each one you get wrong, 10 push-ups,” Dennison barks.
Other lead instructors join in. A trainee, tasked to control a non-compliant bel-ligerent, improperly applies pressure to the belligerent’s mandibular angle. This pressure point is located below the ear and along the lower jawbone. Pressure to the point causes considerable pain and can be used to forcibly restrain a person.
Trainees like JBM-HH security guard Aaron Mason know how dangerous—
and seriously damaging—the technique can be when it’s not applied properly. But he also knows how effective the tech-nique is to subdue someone, he said.
“Rain, sleet, snow, humidity, there’s always threats,” Mason said. “You take the good with the good, and you take the bad with the bad.”
To do this job, trainees unanimously agree it takes guts and heart.
“You have to be a very thick-skinned person,” Dennison said, emphasizing the type of temperament that makes a good fit for service as a law enforcement pro-fessional on JBM-HH.
Thick skins, both mentally and physi-cally, leave his team of officers and guards both actively engaged in recruitment for new employees, while also enabling the type of tough police training needed to keep the force of officers and guards up to standards.
After all, those standards are what keeps the base secure and its population protected. To that end, training helps keep JBM-HH’s police and guard force the “professional force” that it is, accord-ing to Dennison.
Pentagram staff writer Arthur Mondale can be reached at [email protected].
To Protect... ...And To Serve
TraininGfrom page 3
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall security guard James Perry successfully completes pepper spray training and is rewarded by being decontaminated outside of Smith Gym, Oct. 28, 2015, on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH during semi-annual in-service training. It takes minutes for the burning of the eyes to subside, according to the trainees.
From left, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Police Watch Com-mander Lt. Troy Dennison shows JBM-HH police and securi-ty guards how to properly apply pressure to the tibial nerve, located above the knee, on JBM-HH police Sgt. Troy Trahan, an acting non-compliant suspect, Oct. 28, 2015, at Smith Gym on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH during semi-annual in-service training. Pressure points are used by security and law enforcement as a means of non-lethal pain compliance.
PHotoS By ARtHUR MoNDALE
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall police and security guards file and train side-by-side at Smith Gym, Oct. 28 on the Henderson Hall portion of HBM-HH during semi-annual in-service train-ing. Approximately 100 officers and guards work four watches (shifts), and require the same training. With the exception of a different badge, both security guards and police are required to carry tactical batons, handcuffs, the 9mm pistol and a shotgun while on-duty.
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall security guard Charlene Francis sprays pepper spray or “OC” (Oleoresin Capsicum), into the face of acting non-compliant suspect, JBM-HH se-curity guard Lanessa Ferguson, outside of Smith Gym, Oct. 28, 2015, on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH during semi-annual in-service training. Pepper spray is a non-le-thal force option for officers and security guards at JBM-HH. Proper use of pepper spray, and having to experience its ef-fects personally are essential for those who carry it, accord-ing to JBM-HH Police Watch Commander Lt. Troy Dennison who is the lead instructor of the OC course.
6 thursday, November 12, 2015 PENtAgRAM
Military working dog teams serve as not only a means of detection, but also deterrence, according to U.S. Army Lt. Col. Macedonio Molina, JBM-HH’s provost marshal and director of Emer-gency Services.
“If bad guys know the dogs are working, they are less likely to do something,” wrote Molina in an email to the Pentagram.
According to Richardson, handling military working dogs remains a small career field, mostly comprised of “young-er” K9 teams who regularly find them-selves either deployed, sniffing for drugs and other narcotics on U.S.-based mili-tary installations, or sweeping roadways and open areas for traveling high-ranking U.S. dignitaries.
“Our op tempo is like none other I’ve ever seen in the 12 years since I’ve been doing this,” Richardson said. “From the president all the way down to all the for-eign dignitaries and most recently the Pope mission.”
“Anytime POTUS goes somewhere we have to go with him,” said Sgt. Charles Ogin, a seasoned dog handler who has be-come accustomed to the rotation of state-side missions and deployments overseas.
“So you’re working the road, you’re doing missions, you’re possibly deploy-ing for nine to 12 months—it’s just al-ways hectic,” he said.
Sgt. Wess Brown, a four-year lead dog handler who is going through validations with his new dog, Ricky, agrees that ex-tensive traveling is familiar territory for the dog handlers.
“As a dog handler you’re going every-where,” he said. “I was in Berlin, Turkey, Russia. Been a lot of places. Then Af-ghanistan, so on and so forth.”
“So on and so forth” equates to places
and missions Brown simply couldn’t re-call at the moment; too many to count.
Such stories prove there is no mission too great or too small for the detachment. The 947th, which belongs to the 289th Military Police Company of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), supports counterinsurgency operations in combat zones, such as on-going op-erations in Afghanistan. Similar to sniff-ing out bad guys in the U.S., the working dog teams conduct patrols to sniff out insurgents and seek out explosives.
In short, the teams are trained to be an asset in war zones overseas.
Richardson has also seen a number of deployments to combat zones and knows all too well the value of the dog’s trained sense of smell.
“When you find a weapons cache down range—20 pounds of mortars and home-made explosives or whatever you find—I could have saved anybody’s life,” he said. “You just don’t know and there’s no way to put a price tag on that and how im-portant this job actually is.”
“Not only do we take those explosives off the field of battle, but we’re also able to analyze those [explosives],” Brown said, to emphasize the magnitude of K9 teams in counterinsurgency. “Not only finding them, but finding their supplier.”
First-hand accounts like this remind younger military working dog han-dlers that each day can bring an entire-ly different mission, and can always be life-threatening. The teams’ performanc-es at Fort Belvoir combined with their individual stories of deployments and high-security details in D.C. easily show that the job requires constant vigilance, focus and continual training.
“It’s not cut and paste,” said Pfc. Chris-tina Marsh, one of the 947th’s newest additions.
Pentagram staff writer Arthur Mondale can be reached at [email protected].
KenneLfrom page 3
U.S. Army Pfc. Christina Marsh and K9 Roy are evaluated on basic obedience and K9 agili-ty obstacles, Nov. 2 at the 947th Military Police Detachment kennel on Fort Belvoir, Va. The compound offers an extensive obstacle course that includes simulated windows, stairwells and tunnels. During validation week, training is intensified for K9 teams to include sniffing out explosives and narcotics that are planted in warehouses, cars, and barracks.
From left, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hector Rodri-guez briefs U.S. Army Sgt. Wess Brown, while military working dog Ricky waits, on where perpetrators could be hiding, Nov. 2 in a heav-ily wooded area on Fort Belvoir, Va. Training decoys will test K9 teams’ abilities by hiding deep in the wood line, and even climbing trees. K9s keen sense of smell is a tactical advantage in a variety of environments; the direction of the wind and terrain influences the scent trail a K9 team has on a person, ac-cording to assisting K9 trainer U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hector Rodriguez.
U.S. Army Sgt. Wess Brown and his K9 partner Ricky provide overwatch as U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hector Rodriguez conducts an initial body search on a decoy caught Nov. 2 in a heavily wooded area on Fort Belvoir, Va. The decoy attempted to elude the K9 team by concealing himself in deep brush.
PHotoS By ARtHUR MoNDALE
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hector Rodriguez wears a bite sleeve as U.S. Army Sgt. Wess Brown and Ricky are evaluated on controlled aggression training, Nov. 2 at the 947th Military Police Detachment kennel on Fort Belvoir, Va. Controlled aggression training exposes how well K9 handlers and their dogs work together as a team, and how much control a handler has as the leader of the team.
From left, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matt Holley, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Frederick Ellerby and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Richardson, keep a close eye on K9 teams during validation week, Nov. 2 at the 947th Mil-itary Police Detachment ken-nel on Fort Belvoir, Va. Holley, Ellerby and Richardson are lead supervisors and evalu-ators in the K9 Detachment, which serves both Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and Fort Belvoir. During validation week, K9 teams are tested on basic obedience, controlled aggression, scouting, and searches of vehicles, build-ings, warehouses and aircraft.
Reservations are required. Spouses are encouraged to register and attend. Call the SFL-TAP office, 703-696-0973 or log-in at www.acap.army.mil. Available to all registered clients who have completed DD2648/2648-1 and initial counseling. Location of seminars and workshops are in the SFL-TAP Bldg. 404 on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH unless otherwise noted.
seminars and workshopssoldier for Life-Transition assistance Program
Retiring transition assistance program 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Nov. 16 through 20• Dec. 7-11 or 14-18
ETS TAP 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Nov. 30-Dec. 4
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• Dec. 3 through 4**• Mar. 22-23
Business franchise opportunities
• Dec. 21, 1 to 3 p.m.
Finding and applying for federal jobs 9:30 a.m. to noon
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Federal resume 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Dec. 17*
Accessing higher education 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Dec. 7 through 8
Career technical training 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Dec. 15 through 16*
Smart investments 1 to 3 p.m.
• Nov. 24• Dec. 23
Credit scores from good to excellent 1 to 3 p.m.
• Nov. 25• Dec. 29
Home buying 10 a.m. to noon
• Nov. 23• Dec. 22
Debt free 10 a.m. to noon
• Nov. 25• Dec. 29
TRICARE benefits in depth 10 a.m. to noon
• Dec. 17*
Marketing yourself for a second career 1 to 3 p.m.
• Nov. 23• Dec. 22
Capstone (Every Friday) 9 to 11 a.m.
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*Located in Education Center Bldg. 417, room 108/**218
PENtAgRAM thursday, November 12, 2015 7
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Editor’s note: While the Pentagram nor-mally does not publish guest columns with-out a tie to news that is relevant to a majority of readers, we felt the fol-lowing light-hearted guest column is relevant to a very important group of readers: parents. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Every parent harbors memories of special times with their chil-dren, and so we rem-inisce in an effort to keep our children young and think back to rites of passage, like the first day of kindergarten.
The days leading up to our oldest daughter’s first day of kindergarten were filled with anticipation and preparation. What would Leah’s teacher, a male, be like? Would she feel uncomfortable in her new surroundings? What if she had an accident going to the bathroom or discovered it was hard making friends? What if, what if, what if? My wife, Tina, and I had too many questions which could not be answered until school started.
The days before school started were spent with us reading Leah books about the first day of school, laying out a dress for the big day, picking out a Dora back-pack and filling it with pencils, crayons, hand wipes, and the addition of a small stuffed animal and Rosary for assurance. She appeared to be excited about this transition, and we were excited for her. We all thought we were prepared for the big occasion. Here it was, the first day of kindergarten. A step into the future! As it turned out, none of us were really ready.
Did I mention Leah would be riding a bus to school?
Breakfast that morning was special, pancakes served on Leah’s favorite plate. And there she sat in her white dress, daintily dipping her pancakes into a small puddle of syrup while younger sis-ter and brother, still in pajamas, did the same. Her mother and I stood close by, watching and whispering. This was Le-ah’s day, but it was ours, too.
Noticing a group of kids making their way to the bus stop, I glanced at my watch and signaled to my wife while an-nouncing, “Well, it’s time for school.” Tina helped Leah put on her little pink jacket, and placed the book bag on her
shoulder and marched the family to the bus stop.
Our neighbors’ daughter, Rachel, was older and called out to Leah like a big sister. “Leah, stay with me and I will walk you to your class. I’ll take care of you.” Rachel excitedly called out.
While nervous parents tied shoes and offered last-minute advice – “Don’t just eat your snack” and “Wash your hands!” – I snapped a picture and noticed Leah’s smile vanished, and then things began to move into slow mo-tion. Leah went quiet as Big Yellow pulled up and opened its yawning doors.
The bus driver offered a warm smile. Chil-dren scrambled up and took seats, all except for Leah, who retreated into her mother’s arms. Me? I did what most fa-thers would have done: I stood numb with inac-tion.
I watched Leah cry into her mother’s arms and explain how she wanted to stay with us and not go to school. For a brief moment I thought to myself,
“Yeah. That’s right. I’m not ready to give my daughter up to the world just yet. Go on Mr. Bus Driver. Go on, and don’t come back!”
It must’ve been my wife’s sharp look of “Feel free to do something to help” that prompted me to take action. I knelt by Leah, who by now was clinging to her mother’s leg, and offered soothing words.
Finally, although it practically broke my heart, I scooped my little girl, my prin-cess, into my arms and carried her onto the bus. With every step, her pleas grew louder. I gently placed her in the front and gave her a last reassuring squeeze. The door wheezed shut, and the bus lumbered off. We watched our daugh-ter rest her head on the seat in front of her. At the last moment, she turned and placed her crying face against the win-dow, pleading with us.
Walking back home with the rest of our family, I burst into action. Running to my car, Tina called out and asked what I was doing. “No time,” I answered and with that started the engine and took off with the echo of Leah’s cries in my ears. I knew that bus was taking her to her first day of kindergarten, but also realized that it was taking her to another destina-tion: the larger world.
I followed Bus #5 the length of its whole route. When it stopped, I stopped.
When it gobbled up children into its gal-ley of fear, I gripped the wheel searching for Leah, thinking,
“Were the other kids nice to her, or was she sitting there, suffering in silence, while veterans of third grade chatted about topics like not making it to the bathroom in time or forgetting to wear sneakers on gym day?”
I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t a few more anxious dads trailing behind me. But no matter how close I got, I could not catch up. I was helpless to do nothing but watch as my child face the future alone on a journey only she could make.
No longer were Tina and I Leah’s world; school had trespassed into our lives. But during that trip, my daughter expanded her identity and enjoyed school and new friends that year.
Me? I know that these years will fly by and this will be the first of many firsts – first dates, graduations, and a walk down
the aisle. That day was just one of many firsts on her journey to womanhood. That little girl I once held in my arms is now a young lady, but I remember tea parties, stories ending with “Happily ever after,” and prepare myself for when first love isn’t and the world collapses while I hold her tight. I will whisper how I will always be there for my children: to hold them during the rough times when true love isn’t; hug them in happy ones, and sit next to them as we ponder the wonderful moments life offers every one of us.
That’s what daddies do for little girls. Just don’t put it past me to follow them in my car when they enter high school and college.
Lt. Col. Krompecher serves in the Pen-tagon. He writes in his spare time and is a contributing writer to the book “Op-eration Homecoming,” but his biggest accomplishment is being a daddy. These views are his own.
Commentary: Bus #5: Leaving with my Yesterdays
CoURtESy PHoto
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Zoltan Kro-mpecher
PHoto By DAMIEN SALAS
An Arlington, Va., school bus drops children off at the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base My-er-Henderson Hall June 4. “Every parent harbors memories of special times with their children, and so we reminisce in effort to keep our children young and think back to rites of passage, like the first day of kindergarten,” writes author and parent U.S. Army Lt. Col. Zoltan Krompecher.
“Were the other kids nice to her, or was she sitting there, suffering in silence,
while veterans of third grade chatted about topics
like not making it to the bathroom in time or forget-ting to wear sneakers on
gym day?”
8 thursday, November 12, 2015 PENtAgRAM
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CFC keyworker; login at www.cfcnca.org; or contact JBM-HH Campaign Manager Barbara Edmondson at [email protected] or 703-696-3110.
National Museum of the American Indian tour - Nov. 19
In honor of National Native and Alaskan American Heritage Month, the JBM-HH Equal Opportunity Of-fice has arranged a tour of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., Nov. 19. Bus transportation will be provided and depart from Bldg. 405 of the Fort Myer portion of the joint base at 9:30 a.m. Registration is required to ride the bus; RSVP by Nov. 17 to Master Sgt. Ken Kang at [email protected] or Sgt. 1st Class Adrienne Robinson at [email protected].
Leisure Travel Services, a Community Activities Center program
Leisure Travel Services (formerly Information, Tours and Travel) in the Community Activities Center conducts tours and trips for DoD ID card holders, including military and civilian personnel. LTS is in Bldg. 405 on the Fort Myer por-tion of JBM-HH and is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. LTS is closed Mondays and federal holidays. The Com-munity Activities Center is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m., and closed Mondays and federal holidays. For more information, call 703-696-3469/70.
Pentagram to publish Nov. 25 ahead of holidayThe Pentagram will publish Wednesday, Nov. 25–one
day early–ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26. Additionally, the Pentagram will not be published the last two Thursdays in December during the holiday season. The first issue of calendar year 2016 will be Jan. 7.
Annual holiday tree lighting on JBM-HHThe annual holiday tree lighting ceremony held at
Bldg. 59 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base will take place Dec. 2. The pre-ceremony with music will
begin at 4:30 p.m., with the tree-lighting to begin at 5 p.m. After the tree is lit, the community is welcomed to Brucker Hall for a special visit with Santa.
Army Emergency Relief policy change allows direct access
A new policy change allows Soldiers direct access to AER without having to get approval through their chain of command. AER managers voted unanimously to ap-
prove the policy change in July because the number of active duty Soldiers requesting assistance had declined 35 percent over the past six years. Studies revealed Sol-diers are reluctant to seek AER assistance because the process can be intimidating, and there is a perceived negative stigma associated with asking for financial help. For a list of questions and answers on the poli-cy change, see www.slideshare.net/JBMHH/aerqa. For more information, call 703-696-8435.
JBM-HH police: Stop for school buses, at crosswalks
JBM-HH leadership and the joint base police force are reminding motorists on all three portions of the joint base that stopping for stopped school buses and for pe-destrians crossing at established crosswalks is mandato-ry. According to the official Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Driver’s Manual, a driv-er “must stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign when approaching from any direction on a highway, private road or school driveway.” Those behind the wheel must also “stop and remain stopped until all persons are clear and the bus moves again.” A driver “must also stop if the bus is loading or unloading passengers and the signals are not on.” Violators will be issued citations; repeat offenders risk losing their on-base driving privileges.
Sign up for the JBM-HH eBulletin: News you can use
Want to know what’s happening around Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall right away? Then sign up for the weekly JBM-HH eBulletin, delivered directly to patrons via email. This regular update includes the latest traffic, readiness, family and other key events happening at all three portions of JBM-HH (Fort Myer, Fort McNair and Henderson Hall). Sign up to receive the eBulletin via the JBM-HH website at: https://lists.army.mil/mail-man/listinfo/jbm-hh_bulletin. Recipients can also opt out at the same website.
Federal employee benefits open season through Dec. 14
Open season for federal benefits runs through Dec. 14. Employees are responsible for ensuring they up-date their information and make any necessary changes during this time. For more information, log onto the health vendors websites to download their brochures or check out the Office of Personnel Management’s web-site at www.opm.gov/FEHBbrochures.
FMWR announces ACS needs assessment survey
The Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation of-fice at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is seeking Army Community Service customers’ input via a needs
assessment online survey. The survey, facilitated by FMWR and U.S. Army Installation Management Com-mand, will allow customers to answer such questions as: What programs/services would you like to see Army Community Service provide? Are your expectations be-ing met with ACS offerings? What services have been the most beneficial to you? The online, confidential sur-vey is available to the military community surrounding JBM-HH and can be accessed at www.armymwr.com/ACS-survey through Dec. 4.
Warrior Care Month is NovemberNovember is Warrior Care month, a time when the
military community reaffirms their commitment to the best recovery and reintegration for the nation’s wound-ed, ill and injured service members, their families and the professionals who support them. Read more at www.army.mil/standto/archive_2015-11-02/.
Arlington County seeks public input for future transit plans
Arlington is developing its 10-year plan for bus ser-vice in the county and is soliciting input from the public on the county’s Transit Development Plan, which analyzes and recommends future improve-ments to the county’s transit services. For more de-tails on the plan and how you can provide input, visit www.ArlingtonVA.us/transit2026.
Seeking to improve your public speaking skills?Toastmasters International offers free meetings every
Tuesday, 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Pentagon Main Cafeteria (directly under CVS and Dunkin’ Donuts in the Pentagon) on a first come, first served basis. This Penta-gon-based Toastmasters Club provides training and prac-tical experience in improving public speaking, listening and leadership skills. For more information, contact Carl Bert at [email protected] or via phone at 703-695-2804 or Jose Romero at [email protected] or via phone at 703-695-3443.
News Notes submissionsSend your submissions for the Nov. 25 edition of
the Pentagram via email at [email protected] no later than noon, Nov. 18. Submissions must be 100 words or less and contain all pertinent details. Submission of information does not guarantee pub-lication.
newsfrom page 4
tion, according to Wait.“You’ve shown these qualities and much more,” he
said. “Throughout the last year we have seen your en-thusiastic community spirit and dedicated volunteer service. Your unwavering demonstration of support re-flects positively on your values of patriotism, generosity and selfless dedication.”
On behalf of himself and JBM-HH Commander Col. Mike Henderson, Wait offered his heartfelt thanks to everyone who gives their time for ACS programs.
“You’re part of the ACS family,” he said. “Regardless of your role I want you to know that this command is deeply grateful for you.”
Pentagram staff writer Guv Callahan can be reached at [email protected].
VOLunTeerfrom page 3
For more JBM-HH event photos from this issue, visit us online at:
www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh
Pentagram thursday, november 12, 2015 9
Copyright © 2015 University of Maryland University College
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