VOL. 44 NO. 26 | June 26, 2015

GAS! 2-25th Avn. Regt. visits chamber to maintain CBRN readiness2ND LT. ALYCIA CRAVEN

2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment25th Combat Avn. Brigade

25th Infantry Division Public Affairs

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — Training in a gaschamber provides Soldiers the opportunity toget outside of their comfort zones and emphasizehands-on skill.

“The purpose of this mask confidence exerciseis to refamiliarize Soldiers with the proper wearand preventive maintenance checks and ser-vices of their protective masks,” explained 2nd Lt.James Dyer, chemical officer, 2nd Battalion, 25thCombat Aviation Brigade, as Soldiers from thebattalion recently conducted chemical mask atthe gas chamber.

“They have to be confident in both the equip-

ment function of their protective masks as well astheir ability to break and reseal their masks in acontaminated environment,” said Dyer.

At the training, Soldiers learned four collectivetasks:

•How to react to a chemical/biological attack,•How to conduct a chemical survey, •How to perform a thorough decontamina-

tion, and•How to conduct an operational

decontamination.“Like a lot of training in the Army, you have to

put a lot of faith in the equipment you are given,”said Sgt. Alex Echavarria, 2-25th chemical non-commissioned officer. “Breathing air normally af-ter clearing your mask properly is definitely a re-lief, but also a clear indication on how well you ex-

ecuted what was taught. There were a few Sol-diers who had to experience that feeling of chok-ing before they were able to fully recognize whatsteps they needed to fix. And that’s exactly whatthis method of training forces Soldiers to do.”

The main hurdle to overcome is the unfamil-iarity with the equipment.

“Everyone wants to get it right the first time.That said, everyone pays attention, and we getthrough the exercise with little error,” Dyer said.

Gas chamber training is a great tool to teach ac-tion under stress and ensure Soldiers are wellrounded enough to handle any situation.

“The concept of this training is a lot like thepunch training you receive in the Combativescourse. We do it because we don’t want the firsttime a Soldier to get hit or punched to be in a live

mission environment,” said Echavarria. “Thistraining just gives our Soldiers the time enoughto breathe and think through the process to cor-rect themselves all on their own.”

The 2-25th Avn. troops are part of the contin-uous reaction force on Oahu. Being able to stayon top of training is crucial to having the abilityto deploy with little notice.

“It’s a skill that has to be revisited regularly. Itis more than just checking the box,” Echavarriasaid. “As the chemical NCO, if something hap-pens, I need to know we did everything we couldto make sure the Soldiers are trained to be effec-tive and safe.”

The regiment trained several dozen of its ownwarriors, and a company from its sister brigade,2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

A 12-man field shower is established at Kahuku Training Area by a shower, laundry and clothing repair team from the 540th QM, 45th Sust. Bde., 8th TSC, June 16, as part of deployment training.

VOL. 44 NO. 25 | June 26, 2015

Story and photos bySGT. ERIN SHERWOOD

45th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs8th Theater Sust. Command

KAHUKU TRAINING AREA — More than 30 Soldiers from the 540th Quartermaster Company, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th TheaterSustainment Command, participated in a fieldcompetition, here, June 15-17, that helped themfine-tune their shower and laundry set-up skills,exercise their warrior tasks and drills, and over-all increase their ability to rapidly respond to a fullrange of contingency operations across the Pacific and globe.

The 540th is currently the only active dutyshower, laundry and clothing unit in the Army.

Shower, laundry and clothing repair (SLCR)teams consist of a dozen Soldiers who can be at-tached to units for support during a deploymentor other operations.

“This exercise is something we’ve been work-ing on for a while now,” said Capt. Antwon Park-er, company commander, 540th QM. “Our goalsfor the training were to increase overall readinessand prepare our Soldiers for the demands of this

unique mission.”Spc. Johnathan Nelson participated in the

training, and said, “A lot of people aren’t veryfamiliar with our job. We give people that moralethey need … just a simple way to getthe dirt off you or get your clothesclean. We want to keep people goingin a tough environment, keep themmotivated.”

During the competition, the Sol-diers spent three days involved in var-ious tasks and events, and they prac-ticed setting up their living areas, atactical operations center, basic com-bat lifesaver skills and communica-tions security.

“We wanted to focus on buildingself-sufficient individual SLCR teams,”said 1st Lt. Junior Matthews, a teamlead in 540th. “It’s really important for Soldiers totrust one another if they ever get deployed on amission.

“We are first on the list when it comes to SLCRsupport,” he added. “Right now, we are on ‘pre-pare to deploy’ orders with Special Forces. If an

SLCR team is needed, it will be our Soldiers.”The physical fitness portion of the competition

involved teams transporting a water jug and per-forming push-ups, sit-ups, lunges and burpees.

The shower set up competition was a timedevent where teams had to set up a 12-personshower station as fast as possible with the small-est amount of mistakes. A judge examined the fin-ished set up and added time depending on thedeficiencies.

“At this point with the training, our job as non-commissioned officers is to step back and eval-uate our Soldiers doing their tasks,” said Sgt. EricEllis. “We want to see how proficient they are

with the big picture.”Ellis said these teams must be agile and able to

adapt to different environments, realizing thattheir tactical level mission can make a big differ-ence to overall mission success and the welfareof Soldiers.

At left, Sgt.Reio Viarruel participates in a physical fitness challenge. At right, the quartermasters of the 540thunload shower equipment, June 16, at Kahuku Training Area.

Quartermasters prepare for upcoming deployments

Transition Summit brings employers to Schofield 7-8 JulyKAREN A. IWAMOTO

Staff Writer

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — Soldierstransitioning from the Army, familymembers and veterans have an op-portunity to meet nearly 100 potentialemployers, here, July 7-8, at the HawaiiTransition Summit.

Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perezand Secretary of Veterans AffairsRobert A. McDonald will also attend todeliver keynote speeches.

“At no time in history has this manynational employers been in Hawaiiwith the express purpose of hiring ser-vice members,” said Sabrina Ras-mussen, Transition Assistance special-ist for the Soldier for Life TransitionAssistance Program. “Even if you areconsidering transition in the next fewyears, this is a unique opportunity totest and learn about private sector op-portunities.”

She pointed out that, with seques-tration realities and the potentialdownsizing of the Army, it makes sensefor Soldiers to prepare for the future.

“Downsizing is a simple reminderthat all Soldiers will eventually transi-tion from active duty, and that eventu-ality might not always coincide with a

personal timeline,” she said. “Prepara-tion can never start too early, and thissummit can prepare even those whomay have no immediate desire or planto separate from the military.”

Jack Norton, senior manager ofcommunications for the U.S. Cham-ber of Commerce Foundation’s Hir-ing Our Heroes program, concurred.

“What we have learned over the lastfour years of our organization beingin existence is that one of the biggest

problems service members face whentransitioning out of the military is thatthey do not start preparing earlyenough,” he said. “Transition summitslike this one, held both in the conti-

nental U.S. and abroad, help reach ser-vice members well in advance of theirtransition.” 

SummitThe summit kicks off July 7 with a

networking event at the Nehelani thatwill bring together Soldiers, familymembers and veterans with represen-tatives from companies and govern-ment agencies that are looking to hire,including but not limited to Microsoft,

Lockheed Martin, FedEx, Bank ofAmerica and the Social Security Ad-ministration.

Many of these organizations havejob openings and are ready to hire on

the spot, according to Rasmussen. The summit continues on July 8 with

employment panels at the MartinezPhysical Fitness Cen-ter, workshops at var-ious locations and ajob fair at the Nehe-lani. The workshopswill cover resumewriting and job inter-viewing skills, em-ployment for military

spouses and careeropportunities inthe federal govern-ment, among oth-er topics.

Soldiers sched-uled to transitionout of the Army between July 8, 2015,and July 30, 2016, are required to at-tend the summit. Soldiers who aretransitioning out of the Army in thenext 18 months, or who are consider-ing transitioning, are highly encour-aged to attend.Those interested in attending should

register at the U.S. Chamber of Com-merce Foundation’s website and up-load a copy of their resume.

Registering ahead of the event helpsto eliminate long lines at the event and

allows employers to screen potentialemployees before the event, therebystreamlining the process.

After wrap-ping up atSchofield Bar-racks,the summitmoves on to JointBase Pearl Har-bor-Hickam onJuly 8-9, withpanel discus-sions, network-ing opportunitiesand a job fair.TheHawaii Tran-sition Summit

comes on theheels of similar transition summitsheld at military bases on the mainlandand overseas. In March, the Soldierfor Life Transition Summit at Fort Ben-ning, Georgia, drew hundreds of Sol-diers, family members and veterans,according to the U.S. Army website.

Earlier this month, a Hiring HeroesJob Fair at Joint Base Meyer-Hender-son Hall in Virginia resulted in 143interviews and 17 job offers, accordingto the U.S. Army website.

ScheduleThe summit was developed in 2014 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program, the U.S. Departments of De-fense, Labor and Veterans Affairs; the U.S. Army; the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration; and the White House’s Joining Forces Initiative.

These transition summits are designed to educate recruiters andcommunity leaders on best practices in hiring and retaining militaryemployees, while also helping service members and military spousesprepare for the civilian workforce.

Pick up a copy of the July 3 edition of the “Hawaii Army Weekly” for afull schedule of Hawaii Transition Summit events at Schofield Barracks.

RegisterTo eliminate long lines at the

event, those who plan toattend the Hawaii Transi-tion Summit should regis-ter ahead of time by visitinguschamberfoundation.org/event/hawaii-transition-summits.

“Spend moretime in the pool.”

Charvetz ScottSafety Divisioncivilian employeeTAMC

“Swim 15 milesand have ahealth-screeningcheck.”

Sgt. Jason RiddleHeadquartersTAMC

“Complete 100miles running tobreak my 80-mile-a-monthaverage.”

Capt. VicenteHidalgoClinical ServicesTAMC

“Work with ouryouth coachingsports.”

Alex FelixSafety DivisioncivilianemployeeTAMC

“Increase bike rid-ing and continuehiking over week-ends.”

Maj. Clint CobbClinical ServiceschiefTAMC

NEWS & COMMENTARYA-2 | JUNE 26, 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

In support of Men’s Health Month,

What are you doing for Men’s Health Month?By Tripler Army Medical Center Public Affairs

The HAW is an authorized news-paper, produced in the interest ofthe U.S. Army community in Hawaiiby the U.S. Army-Garrison HawaiiPublic Affairs Office. Contents of theHAW are not necessarily the officialviews of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government or the Department ofthe Army. The HAW is printed by the Hon-

olulu Star-Advertiser, a private firmin no way connected with the U.S.Govt., under exclusive written agree-ment with U.S. Army, Hawaii. The HAW is published weekly us-

ing the offset method of reproductionand has a printed circulation of15,300. Everything advertised hereinshall be made available for purchase,use or patronage without regard torace, color, religion, sex, nationalorigin, age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliation, or anyother non-merit factor of the pur-chaser, user or patron. The appearance of advertising

herein, including inserts and sup-plements, does not constitute en-dorsement by the Dept. of the Army,or the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, ofthe firms, products or services ad-vertised.

Commander, U.S. Army

Garrison-Hawaii

Col. Richard A. Fromm

Garrison Command Sergeant

Major

CSM Louis C. Felicioni

Director, Public Affairs

Dennis C. Drake

656-3154

Chief, Internal

Communication

Aiko Rose Brum, 656-3155

editor@hawaiiarmyweekly.com

News Editor

John Reese, 656-3488

news@

hawaiiarmyweekly.com

Pau Hana Editor

Jack Wiers, 656-3157

community@

hawaiiarmyweekly.com

Staff Writer and

Photo Editor

Karen A. Iwamoto, 656-3150

reporter@

hawaiiarmyweekly.com

Layout

Daniel P. Pereira

Advertising: 529-4700

Classifieds: 521-9111

Address:

Public Affairs Office

745 Wright Ave., WAAF

Building 107, 2nd Floor

Schofield Barracks, HI

96857-5000

Website:

www.hawaiiarmyweekly.com

Nondelivery or distribution

656-3155 or 656-3488

Contributing Commands

U.S. Army-Pacific

Russell Dodson, 438-2662

25th Infantry Division

MAJ Shea Asis,

655-6343

2nd Stryker Brigade

Combat Team

CPT Rich Barker, 655-0738

3rd Brigade Combat Team

CPT Tanya Roman,

655-1083

25th Combat Aviation

Brigade

CPT Heba Bullock

656-6663

8th Theater Sustainment

Command

SFC Nicole Howell,

438-1000

311th Signal Command

(Theater)

Liana Kim, 438-4095

94th Army Air & Missile

Defense Command

SFC Jaquetta Gooden, 448-1556

9th Mission Support

Command

Brian Melanephy,

438-1600, ext. 3114

18th Medical Command

(Deployment Support)

PFC Bryan Faison,

438-4737

Tripler Army Medical Center

James Guzior, 433-2809

U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers-Honolulu District

Joe Bonfiglio, 835-4002

500th Military

Intelligence Brigade

SSG Thomas Collins

655-5370

599th Transportation Surface

Brigade

Donna Klapakis, 656-6420

USAG-Pohakuloa

Dennis Drake, 656-3154

Garrison, DES plan for Fourth of July events

CHAPLAIN (CAPT.) ISAAC L. SHUBERT JR.

715th Military Intelligence Battalion500th Military Intelligence Brigade

“It is the stuff of dreams. When adultssit at their desks and children sit inschool, they dream of summer. Sum-mer is the time of infinite fun. The dayseems to last forever, and the fun neverstops. It is a time of romance, excite-ment and an enhanced enjoyment oflife. Somehow summer never seems tolast long enough. It is always over be-fore we get a chance to fully experienceits power. This is true of all things won-derful. They always seem too short.”

—From www.familyfriendspoems.com

Will Smith and Jazz Jeff created thesong “Summertime” back in May of1991. This theme song reached out andresonated with many people from allraces, creeds and colors. For many of us, it brought back fond

memories of school being out for thesummer, the weather being hot andpeople dressing more casually … a timeto go visit grandma and grandpa, and forsome, the time of the year to go to sum-mer camp.

For the adults, it meant more timewith the kids and not being able to watchyour favorite television shows or games. Take a minute to think of those good

ole’ days and remember all the fun youhad … now come back to the present. This summer, I challenge

you to have a summer filledwith peace, love and happi-ness. Allow this summer to be

one where you can sit backand unwind. Let go of thecares of the world and spenda few hours a day searchingfor your inner peace. Practice some deep-

breathing exercises or listento some soft, settling musicand relax your mind, body and soul. Fo-cus on taking care of yourself. Challenge yourself this summer that

each day is a new day. Whatever hap-pened the day before is in the past, so letit go and focus on the day ahead with amindset of a new summer and a newyou. Take the time out of your busy sched-

ule, daily, to experience the beauty of

the Hawaii Nei. Get up and take a casu-al walk outside, breathe the fresh alohaair. Visit one of your favorite local beach-

es and marvel at the beauty and thewonders of what God has created.

Whatever you do take thetime to enjoy life and natureat its best, and it will helpyour day be a day withoutstress. Exercise the aloha spirit

of love everywhere you go.When you see a familiar face– or even someone youdon’t know – spread the alo-ha spirit that dwells inside ofyou. Be cordial and be kind

and loving. If someone doesn’t speakto you or even acknowledge you, justcontinue to move on with the grace andlove that God provided. Prepare for all the summer madness

that goes along with summertime andlet the aroma of a grill spark up yournostalgia, because it’s summertime. Enjoy your summer and make the

best of every minute.

COL. DUANE R. MILLERDirector, Emergency Services

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, andCommander, 8th Military Police Brigade,

8th Theater Sustainment Command

As July approaches, we have the op-portunity to celebrate the founding ofour great nation. This year, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii

will celebrate the Fourth of July over atwo-day period, July 3rd and 4th. As always, the Directorate of Family

and Morale, Welfare and Recreation isputting on a great event, and we hope tosee you all out on Weyand Field,Schofield Barracks, for the festivities.Events of this size require quite a bit of

coordination and effort to ensure thatwe can safely put on a great show, cele-

brate the UnitedStates of Americaand show our ap-preciation forthose who puttheir lives on theline to ensure thefreedom underwhich this coun-try was founded. The Direc-

torate of Emer-gency Services wants to ensure that ev-eryone has the opportunity to share inthis celebration in a safe manner, and weask for everyone to follow a few simplerules while in attendance and after theevent.First, if you plan on drinking alco-

holic beverages during the event, makea plan before you arrive. If you’re drivingto the event, have a designated driverto ensure you make it home safely. Did you know that 39 percent of all

traffic fatalities over the Fourth of Julyholiday over the past five years involveddriving under the influence, or DUIs?Don’t become a statistic; have a plan! If you live on post and plan on walk-

ing to the event, don’t take making ithome on foot for granted if you aredrinking. With the amount of traffic an-ticipated on the installation for thisevent, vehicle-on-pedestrian accidentscan still be a factor. Enjoy yourself, butplease do so responsibly.In order to expedite traffic onto the in-

stallation and to allow our personnel toshare in the festivitieswith family and friends,we will be modifyingaccess procedures atthe gates. All gates willbe open on July 3rd and4th. Individuals overthe age of 16 will be re-quired to show a validstate or DOD ID card toenter the installation. All gates will remain

open for egress from

Schofield Barracks on July 4th to helpexpedite the departure from post. There will also be some road closures

near the field on both the 3rd and 4th,and the commissary parking lot willneed to be cleared by 9 p.m. on July 3rdto prepare for the fireworks on the 4th. A few restrictions will be associated

with this event: No pets are allowed;glass containers are prohibited, as aredistilled spirits. Open flame or charcoalcooking is also forbidden unless in des-ignated reserved picnic areas. All bagswill be subject to search, including cool-ers and backpacks. These restrictionswill be discussed in more depth as theevent draws closer and will also be post-ed around the venue. We hope that everyone has a safe and

enjoyable Independence Day, and weare working hard to ensure you do.

Miller

DESFor more information on the

services and the personnel whosupport this community, visitwww.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/des/default.htm.

The following occurredon U.S. Army Hawaii instal-lations and off-post.•Aliamanu Military

Reservation1 - Property Crimes1 - Crimes Against Per-

sons

•Hawaii Armed ServicesPolice (HASP)5 – Under the Influence•Schofield Barracks3 - Property Crimes2 - Larceny2 - Traffic Accidents with

Property Damage

•Tripler Army MedicalCenter1 - Traffic Accidents with

Property Damage•Wheeler Army Airfield1 - Traffic Accidents with

Property Damage

Shubert

POLICE BEAT ROLL-UP

The Office of theStaff JudgeAdvocate releas-es the results ofrecent courts-

martial for publication toinform the community ofmilitary justice trends andto deter future miscon-duct by Soldiers.

Q: Why does theHawaii ArmyWeekly publish courts-martialfindings?

A:

A sergeant in Division SignalCompany, Headquarters andHeadquarters Battalion, 25thInfantry Division, was foundguilty of one specification of fail-ure to obey a superior commis-sioned officer. He was sentenced to be re-

duced to the grade of E-3, hardlabor without confinement for45 days and to be restricted toSchofield Barracks and Wheel-er Army Airfield for 45 days.

Courts-martialresults posted

U.S. ARMY GARRISON-HAWAIIPublic Affairs

The Office of Personnel Managementis in the second week of notifying theroughly 4 million current and formerfederal civilian employees whose per-sonally identifiable information mayhave been compromised. Affected personnel are automatical-

ly enrolled in identity theft insurancethrough CSID, a company that special-izes in identity theft protection and fraudresolution. No additional action by affected per-

sonnel is necessary. Optionally, free credit-monitoring

services for 18 months will be providedupon registration with CSID by the af-fected individual.

Resumed email. CSID, on behalf ofOPM, resumed email notifications toDOD employees, June 15, using im-proved operational and security proce-dures. Some individuals had already re-

ceived a notification by the initial emailprocess, and OPM selected those indi-

viduals who had not used their PIN tore-notify them under the improved pro-cess. For those who had activated their PIN

in their initial notification email, OPM is

not re-notifying these individuals. Theofficial email notifications to employ-ees will come from CSID as a text email.

The CSID email will contain infor-mation for the employee about the inci-dent, what protection is being providedand instructions for employees to regis-ter for the credit monitoring. This is the part that has changed with

better security practices: The employeeis not able to click on an embedded linkin the email. Employees must enter theURL – https://www.csid.com/opm–manually in their web browser to gothe benefits enrollment site.

What’s different? On the enrollmentsite, there is improved security and pro-cedures in validating the employees fortheir benefits. Employees can go to the OPM gov-

ernment website where they will findinstructions and a link to the CSID web-site.If an email is undeliverable, CSID will

automatically generate a first class letternotification using the home of recordaddress on file.CSID and OPM are scheduled to

complete the emailing of notifications byJune 22.

OPM contacting cyberbreach victims

Staying InformedThe DOD workforce will beinformed on notificationspertaining to this incidentvia email, the OPM web-site, the Defense.gov web-site and official DOD emaildelivery.

Call (703) 571-0090 or see“Important Informationabout the Recent Cyberse-curity Incident” under thehome page banner atwww.opm.gov.

CLICK IT OR TICKET

Summertime is the most wonderful time

SOLDIERS JUNE 26, 2015 | A-3HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

I care, I count, and I voteANGIE DIZON

Installation Voting Assistance OfficerU.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii

There is so much to be thankfulfor, for being an American.As citizens of the United

States, we have the right— and privilege — to raiseour voices and to show ourconcerns. Importantly,Americans have the free-dom to choose our officialsand, most of all, the rightto vote. By voting, we tell our

elected officials how wefeel about education, so-cial security, housing andother important issues. We can lookout for the future of our children, forwe represent them every time

we vote.Our community is transformed

into a better place to live when wevote. We have the ability to vote offi-cials who can champion our civil

rights. I am so lucky to be a

naturalized Americannow, for I did not havethis right before I cameto America. For 10 yearsunder a martial lawregime, I witnessed hun-dreds of incarcerat- ions and unscrupulous voting practices becausethe people simply want-ed to vote.

I’m proud to be an American citizen.

I can now vote, because I care. Points of ContactFor more information about the voting process,

contact your unit Voting Assistance Officer or callthe installation voting assistance office at 655-5546.FVAPGo online to begin your registration process. Fill

out a Federal Post Card Application Standard Form76 application card.

To find the assistant, click on Voter Registrationand Ballots under the Military Voter tab in themenu bar. Once there, select your state and you will be di-

rected to your state's page with all the informationyou need on how to fill out the form and submit it.Visit www.fvap.gov.

Junior NCO follows in grandfather’s character building culture — and succeedsSGT. DANIEL FOGARTY

Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

I was asked to say a few words about why I’mproud to be a Soldier, so, of course, being a mil-lennial, I Googled it. I read through several things that I thought

simply didn’t apply to me. I’ve never considered myself what you might

call a “Soldier’s Soldier.” I’d never really given

this much thought, so Itook this as an opportuni-ty to reflect. I thought back through

my time in the Army, thedecision I made to joinand the influences I hadgrowing up. The single most obvious

source of pride for me was

that I was following in my grandfather’s foot-steps. He was a Soldier and one of the greatestmen I’ve ever known. He was disciplined and had the

strongest work ethic I’ve ever seen.He had a very gruff appearancewith tattooed arms, a missingfinger and an eye damagedby shrapnel. However, behind this

somewhat intimidating ex-terior, he was a very kindand selfless man. He was thekind of man who would giveyou the shirt off his back if youwere in need. My grandfather was an active

member of the American Legion and regular-ly volunteered for different community outreachand youth programs. He was very patriotic and

dedicated to the Army well after his retirement. I remember going with him, every Memorial

Day, to several different cemeteries to place flagson the graves of fellow service men and

women. He was one of the most ac-tive role models I had growingup.

This isn’t intended to be atribute to my grandfather,but rather a testament to thekind of men and women theU.S. Army can create. I be-lieve the Army’s strong stan-dards of character build menand women of the highest cal-

iber. This belief was a strong moti-vator for me when I enlisted and has

consistently been reinforced throughout myservice. The men and women I serve with have given

themselves freely to help me both during person-al hardships and in my professional life. When I think about those who have been so

actively involved in my well-being and future,there seems to be no common denominator as faras age, gender, ethnicity, upbringing or any oth-er social factor I can think of. The one common factor is that we’re all Sol-

diers in the United States Army. I can’t help butbe amazed by an institution that almost univer-sally breeds such character. If these are the typeof people the Army fosters, I couldn’t be moreproud to call myself a Soldier.

(Editor’s note: The above is the edited text of com-ments delivered during the Army birthday celebra-tion at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studiesin Honolulu, June 12.

Fogarty is the APCSS registrar noncommis-sioned officer.)

Sappers muster for 240 years of Army engineeringStory and photos by

CAPT. ANTHONY ADAIR 130th Engineer Brigade

8th Theater Sustainment Command

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — As the morningsun broke over the horizon to lighten up theKolekole Pass, Command Sgt. Maj. Lauro Obea-da, 130th Engineer Brigade, yelled “Fall in!” to themore than 2,000 high-spirited participants of the2015 Engineer Regiment Muster Run, here, June 19.Joined by distinguished guests, Soldiers from

numerous engineer units, families and pets, Col.Blace Albert, commander, 130th Eng. Bde., ledthe formation run for more than two and a halfmiles through Area X-Ray.The Army Engineer Regiment Muster Run

traces back to Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers, the50th Chief of Engineers.The Chief Engineer for the Army dates as ear-

ly as June 16, 1775, when Gen. George Washing-ton appointed Col. Richard Gridley as chief en-gineer of the Continental Army.There are two purposes for the Army

Engineer Regimental Muster program:• First, it establishes a standard, annual ritu-

al for recognizing excellence among the membersof the Army Engineer Regiment;•Second, it helps to collect and maintain

the total number of individuals in the Army Engineer Regiment by creating the Regi-mental Rolls name listing and Muster Card documentation program.Before the run, the formation stood in

silence to pay tribute and honor to the fallen en-gineers of the 130th Eng. Bde. while taps wasplayed.

The route provided multiple stations to runthrough, including simulated gun fire, a 9-linemedevac, a water arch from two fire trucks and alive re-enlistment.When asked about his favorite part of the

muster run, Obeada’s 7-year old son, Toni Obea-da said, “Being able to lead the run and finishingwithout stopping!”

Soldiers of the brigade, in authentic historic pe-riod uniforms, performed a skit marking the his-tory of the engineers from the Revolutionary Warto Operation Enduring Freedom. Engineers have played a significant role in ev-

ery major conflict. After the run, Albert issued all of the Soldiers

in attendance an engineer regimental mustercard. The one-time muster card will be issued asa permanent record of registration to the regi-mental rolls.“Keep these cards with you,” Albert told the

formation. “They are registered with Human Re-sources Command, and your name is registered,marking your place in history for having joinedthe Engineer Corps in a muster run.” Albert was joined by Maj. Gen. Edward F. Dor-

man, commander, 8th TSC, and the U.S Army-Pacific Noncommissioned Officer and Soldierof the Year, Sgt. Michael Hooks and Spc. JonathanRenteria, both from the brigade, for a birthdaycake cutting ceremony.They raised a saber to slice the cake when Al-

bert shouted, “Wait! This isn’t how engineers cutcake!” Albert disappeared behind the stage for a mo-

ment and then reappeared brandishing a chain-saw on full throttle. He then commenced to cutthe cake like an engineer.

Who needs a saber to make the traditional Army cutting of a cake when you’re an engineer with a chainsaw? Col. Blace Albert, commander, 130th Eng. Bde., saws into the 240th Army Engineersbirthday cake, June 19.

The 130th Eng. Bde. forms up for the 2015 Engineer Regiment Muster Run. More than 2,000Soldiers, family members and pets made the run through Area X-Ray.

Dizon

Military registers to vote next weekARMY NEWS SERVICE

News Release

Unit voting assistance officers will contact Soldiersand their families to ensure all who are eligible may reg-ister to vote, June 26-July 5, during Armed Forces VotersRegistration Week.The 2015 federal elections will have a major impact on

the federal government. There are 36 Senate seats and all435 House of Representatives voting seats are up forelection this year.At the state level, 38 governor races, as well as many

state offices and ballot measures will be decided. Coun-ties and cities will have offices and measures on the bal-lot, as well.As a service or family member, to vote in your home

district, you must be registered to vote there and requestan absentee ballot.

For questions concerning absentee ballots and othervoting issues, contact your UVAO. Local election officials will process applications to de-

termine if a jurisdiction's residency requirements aremet. If your application is denied, the local election offi-cial will contact you to state the reason why it was denied.The FVAP website contains all of the information list-

ed above, as well as a list of the state primary electiondates.

Fogarty

Have you never resided in the U.S.?Per the FVAP website, a U.S. citizen who has a

parent who is eligible to vote in Hawaii is eligibleto vote at the same voting residence claimed bytheir parent.

SOLDIERSA-4 | JUNE 26, 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

June observed by Army as National Safety MonthARMY NEWS SERVICE

News Release

National Safety Month, sponsored by the non-profit National Safety Council and observed eachJune, offers Army leaders a prime opportunity toenergize their accident prevention efforts andengage their Soldiers on safety. The annual event is endorsed and recognized

as an official Army observance by senior Armyleadership.The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center (US-

ACRC) launches an Army-wide campaign eachJune to mark National Safety Month. Media products supporting the month, in-

cluding feature articles, posters and informa-tional videos, are made available on the USACRChome page.

Materials typically focus on different aspects ofsafety in the Army, including civilian injury pre-vention, ground operations, aviation operationsand driving. All products are available for electronic down-

load by individual users, who may then repro-duce or broadcast the information as required tomeet their unit’s needs.The spring and summer months are among

the most dangerous times of year for Soldiersoff-duty, especially regarding accidents involvingprivate motor vehicles, motorcycles and person-al watercraft.Every day is critical when it comes to risk, and

leaders, Soldiers, family members and Armycivilians must work together to prevent need-less losses within their formations.

By using National Safety Month as a startingpoint for dialogue, leaders can establish or en-hance safety programs that pay dividendsthroughout the year, regardlessof season.The Army will continue its

annual observance of NationalSafety Month, with the USACRCproviding supporting productsand tools for users in the field. While yearly campaigns may

differ in topic areas or focus, ma-terials will always be developedaccording to the Army’s latestaccident trends and risk mitiga-tion initiatives.(Note: Article from Joint Force

Headquarters-National Capital Region, the MDW,the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs and theU.S. Army Combat Readiness Center.)

Image courtesy of U.S. Army

This 2015 National Safety Month campaign focuses on the significance of safety in four key areas: off-duty driving, civilian injury prevention, ground and aviation operations.

20,563 combat engineerpositions open to women

DAVID VERGUNArmy News Service

WASHINGTON — Military OccupationalSpecialty12B, “Combat Engineer,” is now opento all female enlisted Soldiers of all compo-nents, according to Army Directive 2015-27.The June 16 directive from Army Secretary

John M. McHugh makes available 20,563 addi-tional positions for women and opens the lastof the 16 engineer MOSs, which were closed towomen. The only positions

not open to women arein certain special oper-ations units.Female officers were

previously assigned ascombat engineers “toprovide a support net-work for junior femaleSoldiers and to offer ad-vice to the unit’s maleleadership,” saidMcHugh, who signedArmy Directive 2014-16,June 17, 2014.Col. Linda Sheimo, chief of the Command

Programs and Policy Division at the Direc-torate of Military Personnel Management,Army G-1, said the decision to open these po-sitions to female Soldiers was made after U.S.Army Training and Doctrine Command com-

pleted extensive validation studies.“The Army remains on the cutting edge of

determining scientifically-based occupationalaccessions standards for all military occupa-tional specialties,” Sheimo said. “Validatingthese physical standards enhances our abilityto predict an applicant’s ability to perform thecritical, physically demanding tasks of MOSs.”Women, as well as men, who do not meet

the standards, will not be allowed into MOS12B, or, for that mat-ter, any other MOS,she emphasized. Sheexplained that thestandards are, andwill remain, fair andtransparent.“The Army’s plan

is to continue remov-ing barriers to allowthe best-qualifiedSoldiers to serve inany position, wherethey are capable ofperforming to stan-

dard,” Sheimo said. “This is about enhancingforce capability and readiness while retainingthe trust and confidence of the American peo-ple in our Army’s ability to defend the nation.”Soldiers in MOS 12B are expected to be pro-

ficient at a wide variety of tasks, including de-molitions, route and mine clearing.

12B — Combat EngineerThe seven skill identifiers in MOS 12B follow:•2C Javelin Gunnery;•6B Reconnaissance and Surveillance Lead-

ers Course; •B6 Combat Engineer Heavy Truck;•D3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Operations and

Maintenance; •J3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, or

BIFV, System Master Gunner; •K9 Combat Engineer Mine Detection Dog

Handler, and; •S4 (Sapper Leader).

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Sapper Leaders Course

Soldiers helocast into Lake of the Ozarks during the U.S. Army Sapper Leaders Course atOsage Beach, Missouri. Female enlisted Soldiers can now become combat engineers.

DOD updates EO policy to nowinclude sexual orientation

CHERYL PELLERINDOD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON — The Defense Departmenthas updated its military equal opportunity pro-gram to protect service membersagainst discrimination because ofsexual orientation, Defense Secre-tary Ash Carter has said, here.Speaking at a DOD-Pentagon

Pride Month event, the secretarysaid the department has made alasting commitment to living thevalues it defends, including treat-ing everyone equally.“We have to focus relentlessly on

the mission, which means the thingthat matters most about a person is whatthey can contribute to it,” Cartersaid.The update, he said, “en-

sures that the department,like the rest of the federalgovernment, treats sexual-orientation-based discrimi-nation the same way it treatsdiscrimination based on race,religion, color, sex, age and na-tional origin.”

Fighting Discrimination“With this policy revision, we are now ensur-

ing that service members are afforded protec-tion against discrimination in the department’smilitary equal opportunity program, providedto all military members,” DOD spokesman

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensensaid. Service members now will be able

to use command channels, the DODInspector General’s Office and themilitary equal opportunity process,just as DOD civilians are able to usecivilian equal employment oppor-tunity programs to resolve discrimi-nation complaints based on sexualorientation, he said.The department’s experience dur-

ing the years since the “Don’t Ask, Don’tTell” policy was repealed indicatesthat the military equal opportuni-ty program gives complainantsgreater access to resolutionoptions, Christensen added,and gives commanders ac-cess to trained equal oppor-tunity advisers during thecomplaints process.“I’m very proud of the work

that the military services have putinto this over the last several months,”

Carter said, “because discrimination of anykind has no place in America’s armed forces.”

Photo by James Cullum

From left, LGBT panelists Chaplain (Col.) Karis Graham-Oliphant, Master Sgt. Robert Code,Amanda Simpson and Maj. Alistair Mackay speak at the DOD-Pentagon Pride Month event,June 9.

Carter

National Safety Month The Army observes National Safety Month every June.Senior leaders encourage Soldiers, civilian employeesand their family members to use the time to focus onmitigating summertime risks.Off-duty Army accidents and fatalities typically riseduring late spring and early summer as compared toother times of the year, according to data from the U.S.Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center.Visit https://safety.army.mil.

SOLDIERS JUNE 26, 2015 | A-5HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

JSC holds town hallJIM GARAMONE

DOD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON — Questionersdidn't pull any punches during theFacebook town hall conducted bythe chairman of the Joint Chiefs ofStaff, Wednesday.In his fifth social media town hall,

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey wasasked if proposed changes to the payand compensation package were abetrayal of those who have servedfaithfully and their families.The questioner said she has seen

erosion in the military pay, retire-ment and commissary benefits.

“Our profession runs on trust”"Our profession runs on trust, and

keeping faith with the men andwomen who serve in uniform andtheir families is non-negotiable,"Dempsey said.The chairman went on to stress

that he and the rest of the Joint Chiefsof Staff have made it clear that anychanges to military retirement mustbe grandfathered. Simply put, all cur-rently serving service memberswould have the choice to retire underthe present system or opt into thenew system.

No one joins the military to getrich, the chairman said, but a fairpay and compensation system isneeded to ensure the services canrecruit and retain the best peopleeven in a budget-constrained environment.

“We are working to balance manpower costs”"In today's difficult budget envi-

ronment, we are working to balancemanpower costs with training, mod-ernization and operation costs,"Dempsey said. "We're doing it care-fully and transparently, and we willcontinue to monitor fluctuations incost of living to ensure our men andwomen in uniform remain fairlycompensated."Changes have been proposed to

the military retirement system as partof the proposed fiscal 2016 defensebudget. If Congress approves thebudget and President Barack Obamasigns it, about 85 percent of all servicemembers will receive some form of aportable retirement benefit, a JointStaff official said.Those who serve 20 years would

receive 80 percent of the current pen-sion, according to the official.

Story and photos bySGT. 1ST CLASS SEAN RILEY

45th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs8th Theater Sust. Command

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM — Hawaii-based Army mariners bid farewell to their loved ones andfellow Soldiers, here, Saturday, as they departed for anine-month mission in Kuwait supporting Central Com-mand transportation operations throughout the Persian Gulf. The 30 crew members from the 163rd Transporta-

tion Detachment, 524th Combat Sustainment SupportBattalion, 45th Sust. Brigade, 8th Theater Sust. Com-mand, typically operate the Army Logistic Support Ves-sel 4 Lt. Gen. William B. Bunker, but will fall in on LSV6SP/4 James A. Loux in Kuwait. The tight-knit group of mariners is in great shape for

this mission and will provide premier support, said Lt.Col. Donald Logsdon, commander, 524th CSSB. “The Soldiers of this waterborne team are unique in

the Army in their mission and capabilities they pro-vide,” said Logsdon. “As such, they are called on, onceagain, to deploy halfway around the world to assume animportant mission.”Col. Gregory Boyd, the 45th Sust. Bde. commander,

applauded the Soldiers and their families. “This company, in my mind, is the most deployed

company in U.S. Army-Pacific,” said Boyd. “Whetherit’s doing the missions, here, the Big Island, or whatyou’re about to do now, you always do your missionwith excellence and professionalism.”Capt. John Tansioco, commander, 545th Trans. Har-

bormaster Detachment, 45th Sust. Bde., said this is amission that these Soldiers are extremely prepared for,as they’ll be providing maritime cargo transportationlike they regularly do for the Pacific theater – only they’llnow be operating within the Persian Gulf and possiblyoutside the Strait of Hormuz supporting the CENTCOMtheater.Tansioco said that the mission will also offer an oppor-

tunity to increase readiness and Army Watercraft Sys-tems’ capabilities in the Pacific, as many of the Soldiersare currently only licensed to operate the LSV, and notthe smaller Landing Craft Utility vessels that are not per-manently stationed in Hawaii. The deployment will expose those Soldiers to training

on the smaller LCU vessels, increasing crew options forLCUs involved in critical Pacific sustainment opera-tions, such as Pacific Utility and Logistics Support En-abler-Watercraft, and other joint logistics over the shoreoperations, once the newly licensed mariners returnhere.

Pacific waterborne warriorsdeploy to support CENTCOM

\

Col. Greg Boyd, commander, 45th Sust. Bde., wishes members of the 163rd Trans. Det. luck as they board a busbound for Honolulu International Airport to deploy to the Persian Gulf.

SGT. BRIAN C. ERICKSON3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

25th Infantry Division

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — As the summer months are upon us, theBroncos of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, arepreparing for their Pacific Pathways deployment at the end of June.“Pacific Pathways is a 90 (-day) rotation through three different countries

where we will be improving the inoperability with our partnering nations,”said Maj. Bruce Chojnacki, brigade information officer.This rotation will employ a task force using a series of consecutive bilat-

eral and multilateral exercises and engagements with foreign militaries.The concept provides greater mission and fiscal predictability for U.S.

Army forces and develops adaptive leaders and Soldiers for complex missions.“The units have to think through the planning for a deployment and

then execute it,” said Maj. Gen. Charles Flynn, commander, 25th ID.During their time away from Hawaii, the Broncos will be taking part in

three regularly scheduled bilateral exercises sponsored by U.S. Army-Pacif-ic and hosted by the partner nations to promote regional security and co-operation.The first stop will be Australia for Exercise Hamel, followed by Garuda

Shield 15 in Indonesia, and Keris Strike 15 in Malaysia.

Broncos prep for Pathways Sgt. 1st Class Adora Gonzalez, 25th Infantry Division Public Affairs

The 25th ID teams with Malaysian soldiers during Pacific Pathways 2014.

Soldier-shipmates of the 163rd Trans. Det. load duffle bags into an airport-bound bus, June 20. The Armymariners will be deployed on a nine-month mission to Kuwait to operate in the Persian Gulf and possibly out-side the Straits of Hormuz.

Col. Greg Boyd, commander, 45th Sust. Bde., wishesthe 30 crewmembers of the 163rd good luck duringtheir deployment to the Persian Gulf, June 20.

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Hinton

Gen. Martin E. Dempsey hosts a Facebook town hall from the Pentagon.

NEWSA-6 | JUNE 26, 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

Traffic Report lists road, construction and noise ad-visories received by press time from Army and HawaiiDepartment of Transportation (HDOT) sources.Visit www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/info/trafficcal

endar.htm for the latest Army traffic advisories.Unless otherwise noted, all phone numbers are

area code 808.

USAG-HI town hall begins and ends with good news Story and photo byAIKO ROSE BRUM

Chief, Internal Communication

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — U.S.Army Garrison-Hawaii will fill its va-cant deputy to the garrison comman-der position on July 13.Leonard A. Housley, the DGC at Fort

Leonard Wood, Missouri, has been se-lected as DGC for USAG-HI.The garrison commander, Col.

Richard A. Fromm, made this an-nouncement, and several others, dur-ing the quarterly town hall, held at theMain Post Chapel, here, June 19.Fromm said Housley brings with

him vast experience, including his cur-rent position, graduation from the U.S.Army War College and previous posi-tions, here, and at Fort Hood, Texas, asdirector, Plans, Training, Mobilizationand Security.Fromm also told about 250 in at-

tendance that the garrison will be ableto fund sustainment projects this year.Directorates should let the commandknow what needs funding, “so we canmake some smart decisions,” he said.Fromm wrapped up the brief town

hall noting huge events coming up.

Upcoming events. Prime amongevents are the two-day 44th annualFourth of July Spectacular celebration,July 3-4. July 3, country music artist Sam

Hunt will perform on Schofield’sWeyand Field. Entertainment begins at3 p.m.; Sam Hunt performs at 5:15 p.m. July 4, Michelle Branch will perform

at 3:30 p.m., and Collective Soul at 5p.m.Many more entertainers, games,

military working dog demos, foodbooths, crafts and new products, a cargiveaway and more – in-cluding the “1812 Over-ture” by the 25th InfantryDivision Band and fire-works – are scheduled.The next event is the

Transition Summit, July7-8. Secretary of LaborThomas Perez and Sec-retary of Veterans AffairsRobert McDonald arekeynote speakers at thesummit, which will con-nect transitioning Sol-diers and spouses withemployment opportuni-

ties and resources. On July 7, a networking event will

take place, followed on July 8 by sixemployment workshops and a hiringfair. Soldiers who are 12-18 months away

from transition should attend the sum-mit. Spouses, veterans and all otherSoldiers are encouraged to attend, aswell.Q&A. The town hall ended with

Q&A, but only one question surfaced.“What’s the new information from

OPM (Office of Personnel Manage-

ment),” said an employee.Fromm explained nothing new had

been forthcoming by June 19th. (Anupdate has since been received.) Employees should continue to re-

view emails addressing the cyber inci-dent impacting 4 million personnel. OPM is seeking “an improved, more

secure notification and response pro-cess” to “reliably, confidently” informpersonnel and register them for fullbenefits to prevent identity theft andfraud.“All affected personnel (were) au-

tomatically enrolled in identity theftinsurance through CSID,” accordingto All Army Activities message094/2015 of June 12. ERP. Eighty-eight Garrison employ-

ees were recognized during the Em-ployee Recognition Program, whichfollowed the town hall. Many receivedcertificates of appreciation from In-stallation Management Command-Pacific Region for noteworthy perfor-mance during garrison’s recent com-mand inspection. Other certificates were awarded for

exceptional performance rolling outthe Directorate of Family and Morale,Welfare and Recreation’s Month of theMilitary Child events, Military ChildCare.com and more. Employees with the Directorate of

Public Works and the Directorate ofHuman Resources were also honoredfor noteworthy and exemplary sup-port of varied activities and events. The ERP wrapped up with years of

service awards for 10 to 40 years of ser-vice. The Directorate of Emergency Ser-

vices honored employees for helpingwith the prescribed burn, too.

TodayGo with the Flow— A partial, modified

traffic flow and road closure near Schofield’sNehelani for utility installation continues. Thearea near the loading docks and the parking lotbetween buildings 2060, 2070 and 2071 are re-stricted though Dec. 28. The work will be per-formed in phases. Parking is limited duringclosure.

29 / Monday Schofield Lane Closure— There will be

a one lane closure, weekdays, excluding holi-days, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., at McMahon Road, from

today until July 6. This additional workweekwas added due to unforeseen conditions dur-ing the sewer and water line installation onMcMahon Road. Work will include paving andinstallation of water and sewer utilities. Flaggerswill be on-site for this, and traffic will bestopped for pedestrians to walk around thework area.

Skyview Loop— Aliamanu Drive will beclosed between Ama Road and Okamura Street,weekdays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., until July 24. It willbe completely closed between Okamura Streetand Rim Loop, July 27-Aug. 31, for utilitieswork.

Today

Dog Days— Registration ends today for par-ticipation in the 2015 Hawaiian Islands Work-ing Dog Skills Challenge, July 27-31. Teams willcompete in physically and mentally demandingK9 skills challenges for dogs and handlers. Thepublic is invited to observe, 7 a.m., July 30, onSchofield’s Stoneman Field. Call 655-0773.

Trucker Troopers — More than 10,000veterans and active duty personnel have takenadvantage of the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration Military Skills Test Waiver Pro-

gram. The program lets state licensing agencieswaive the skills test portion of the CommercialDriver’s License application for active duty or re-cently separated veterans who possess at least twoyears of safe driving experience operating a truckor bus. Visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commer

cial-drivers-license/military.

CFPB vs. Debt Collectors— The ConsumerFinancial Protection Bureau sued an auto loancompany, Security National Automotive Accep-tance Company, for aggressive debt collection tac-tics against service members, alleging that thecompany used a combination of illegal threatsand deceptive claims in order to collect debts. A copy of the complaint file today can be found

http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201506_cfpb_complaint-security-national-automotive-accep-tance-company.pdf.

30 / Tuesday599th CoR — The 599th Transportation

Brigade will hold a change of responsibility cere-mony, 10 a.m., aboard the Battleship MissouriMemorial at Ford Island. Command Sgt. Maj.William E. Funcheon III will accept responsibilityfrom Command Sgt. Maj. Claudia P. Shakespeare.

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii personnel are awarded certificates for noteworthy perfor-mance during the prescribed burn in May.

Send announcements for Soldiers and civilianemployees to news@hawaiiarmyweekly.com.

SOLDIERS JUNE 26, 2015 | A-7HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

SIA aids women leadersStory and photo by

AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. CHRISHUBENTHAL

Defense Media Activity Hawaii News Bureau

FORT SHAFTER — Gen. Lori J. Robin-son, commander, Pacific Air Forces, spoketo military service members during a U.S.Army-Pacific Sisters in Arms event, June17, here.During the forum, Robinson shared her

Air Force career experiences and high-lighted lessons she haslearned while overcomingobstacles to help provideadvice to those in atten-dance and describe what isher concept of great leader-ship.“Leadership, to me, is

about the institution, not about you,”Robinson said. “Making people better thanyou equals great success when you have agreat attitude, aptitude, and you take ad-vantage of opportunities that are provid-ed to you.”During her career, spanning more than

30 years, Robinson has seen a lot of changein both acceptance and opportunity in

the Air Force.“In the United States Air Force, I’m a

commander, I’m a general, I’m an Air-man and I happen to be a woman,” Robin-son said. “Over time in my long career, Iwatched things change. I’ve watched atti-tudes change. I’ve watched our servicebecome more and more inclusive withmore diversity of thought and more di-versity of background, race and gender. Allof those things make us a better -

institution.”Robinson said having a good attitude,

building a strong aptitude and taking ad-vantage of opportunities is important inobtaining success.“It’s about the way that you lead,”

Robinson said. “It’s about the way thatyou take care of your Soldiers and takecare of your Airmen.”

CASAs tour Army medical centersLORI NEWMANArmy News Service

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAMHOUSTON, Texas — Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho,the Army surgeon general, hosted a group ofcivilian aides to the Secretary of the Army(CASAs), here, June 16-17, to discuss the roleArmy medicine plays and how it affects the livesof Soldiers, veterans, retirees and their families.CASAs are business and community leaders

appointed by the secretary to advise and supportArmy leaders across the country. They are specialgovernment employees who agree to serve asrepresentatives of the Secretary of the Army with-out salary, wages or related benefits, and are af-forded a three-star protocol status.“These are community leaders who have so

much of a platform to be able to be a voice for ourArmy,” the surgeon general said. “To be able toexpose them to the Medical Command, thestrength of Army medicine, health readiness, ourmedical capabilities and how we care for ourwarriors is very, very important. They can go outand be ambassadors for our Army and ArmyMedicine.”CASAs disseminate information about the

Army’s objectives, roles, requirements and majorprograms to the public through speeches, per-sonal contact and participation in Army andcommunity events.Allen Hoe, CASA from the island of Oahu,

Hawaii, expressed his appreciation for the pro-gram, and said, “I don’t think there is anybodyhere who is an older alumnus of your organiza-tion. Forty-nine years ago, I trained here as acombat medic, and I’m so proud of what (ArmyMedicine has) done.”Bill Moore, who serves as a CASA on the island

of Hawaii, also attended the conference. “I thought it was great,” said Richard Kleberg,

who represents South Texas. “(Surgeon GeneralHoroho) was able to tell all of us what herthoughts were about where Army Medicine isand where Army Medicine is going.”The group had dinner the first day and was

able to interact with Horoho and her key staff.The following day, the CASAs received a briefingfrom the surgeon general, visited the Army Medi-cal Department Center and School, and they hadlunch with Soldiers. After lunch, they toured the U.S. Army Institute

for Surgical Research Burn Center, the Center forthe Intrepid, Brooke Army Medical Center’s reha-bilitation facility, and the Warrior and FamilySupport Center.Kleberg said he learned more about the Army

Performance Triad and the importance of beingproactive to prevent illness and disease ratherthan being reactive, which will help reduce thecost of caring for service members, retirees andfamily members in the future.Horoho told the group she believed focusing

on health through sleep, activity and nutritionwould improve the overall health and well-beingof Soldiers, family members and Americans. Shethanked the group before they departed from theWFSC.

(Note: Newman works at Brooke Army MedicalCenter Public Affairs.)

Sisters in ArmsSIA is a U.S. Army-hosted forum, open to all

services and genders, designed to help educate,mentor and empower female Soldiers.

Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson, Pacific Air Forces commander, shares stories abouther career and advice to overcome challenges during a Sisters in Arms forum atFort Shafter.

Photo by Lori Newman, Army News Service

Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, Army surgeon general, addresses civilian aides to the Secretary of theArmy and wounded Soldiers at the Warrior and Family Support Center on Joint Base San Antonio-FortSam Houston, June 17.

CASAsThe Oahu CASA is Allan Hoe; the

Hawaii island CASA is Bill Moore.

Families brace for permanent change of station timeStory & Photos by

KAREN A. IWAMOTOStaff Writer

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — The Greekphilosopher Heraclitus said, “The only con-stant is change.” To which Army wife Estelle Hunt adds, “You

never get used to it.”Estelle and her husband, Staff Sgt. Todd

Hunt of the 25th Infantry Division Band, re-ceived 30 days notice to PCS, or to make a per-manent change of station move. Todd is PCSing, unaccompanied, for a year

in South Korea. Estelle and their four childrenare relocating to Washington state, which iswhere Todd will be stationed once he com-pletes his mission in South Korea. This isn’t the first time the Hunts have had

to PCS, and Estelle is handling the move like apro. She has two of her children at a BoyScouts camp, so they are not underfoot. Herother two children are out of the way in a bed-room watching television. She has a mental listof all of the things she needs to do: Clean thehouse, book hotel rooms, keep track of themovers. In the middle of all of this, she even finds

time to hand the author of this article a pen totake notes. “I am stressed,” she admits with a laugh.

“Yes, I cry myself to sleep. Yes, I take longshowers, but after awhile, you realize you justhave to deal with it. The movers are here withtheir truck; you have to go. You pull your biggirl pants up and dig in.“It helps to remind myself that somebody al-

ways has it better and somebody always has itworse,” she added. “I’ve had to PCS where Ihad a whole year to prepare. Then again, I’veheard of people who had to move in twoweeks. You need a back up to a back up to aback up plan.”

Maintaining a sense of humor is also a must.That’s her husband’s job. Or as he put it, “I’m out of my AOR (area of

responsibility). This is a Household 6 and partof (Estelle’s) AOR. I’m out of my lane here.”Then he dutifully picked up a broom and

started sweeping debris tracked in by themovers. If the Hunts have demonstrated anything,

it’s that a positive attitude and an ability to rollwith the punches may be more important thanany list of PCS tips. That said, what follows are some basic PCS

tips from the Military One Source website.

Key PaperworkOrders. Keep your original set of orders with

you at all times. Having more than one copywith you is also a good idea.Identification. Military IDs, driver’s licenses,

Social Security cards, passports and birth, mar-riage and naturalization certificates may beneeded immediately by various organizationsupon arrival.Vehicle documentation. If you’re driving to

your destination, your vehicle title or lease in-formation and proof of vehicle inspection, reg-istration and insurance are a must.Financial information. For security purpos-

es, personal checks, any hard copies of recentbank statements, and credit and debit cardsshould travel with you. Housing information. Carry the household

inventory that your moving company provid-ed, as well as contact phone numbers andlease or mortgage paperwork.Legal documents. Any applicable docu-

ments, like divorce or annulment paperworkfrom a previous marriage, wills, custody oradoption paperwork, and any powers of attor-ney should travel with you.School or employment records. Carry any

transcripts, report cards or grade sheets thatyour children may need for school registration.You or your spouse may need transcripts, acurrent resume and letters of recommendationto look for or begin employment after a move.Medical and vaccination records and physi-

cian information. Previous medical and dentalrecords should be submitted to new physiciansand dentists, and vaccination records will like-ly be needed for school registration and forsome employment.

Children and teensGo to the installation youth center. Whether

or not your child wants to hang out at theYouth Center, visiting will let you know whatactivities are available.Become an active member of the installa-

tion community. Participate in family activi-ties, clubs and other recreational activities tomeet other families.Encourage your teenager to find a part-time

job. If you move during the summer, a part-time job will keep your teenager busy and pro-vide a way to meet people.Locate youth programs. Learn about the lo-

cal Boys & Girls Club, the 4-H Club, YMCA orother youth programs. The military and familysupport center can help you locate them.

Look for opportunities in the religious com-munity. Find out if the military chapel or otherfaith organization has an active youth group. Tap into the service member’s network at

the new command. Ask co-workers and neigh-bors what their own children do for fun.

PetsResearch the pet policies at your next duty

station. Some destinations, like Hawaii, havestrict regulations and quarantine require-ments, which may spell a longer (and costlier)preparation process. Double-check that all veterinarian certifica-

tions are in order. Use a military vet, if possible,as they are more familiar with the paperworkrequired for PCS moves. Call the airline or go online to find out about

any flight restrictions your pet may face. Forexample, some airlines impose a “pet embar-go” at certain times of the year on dog breedsthat have respiratory issues due to the struc-ture of their face. Many airlines also may limitthe number of pets on each flight, whetherthey are flying with passengers or in cargo.Crate-train your pet. Also, be sure your crate

fits on the plane, is correctly labeled and hasyour name, your pet’s name and your destina-tion address clearly written on it.

VehiclesLimitations. The government will ship a typ-

ical family car, but may not ship your recre-ational vehicle or a large truck with a heavycamper shell. There are weight restrictions, aswell as restrictions on certain types of vehicles.Modified vehicles.Low riders, lift kits, up-

graded speakers and other non-factory modifi-cations must meet special requirements to beshipped. The regulations vary by country, sobe sure to check with your relocation office forinformation specific to your new duty station.Time limits. There are strict time limits gov-

erning how late after your departure or beforeyour return your car can be shipped. Theselimits vary by service branch.Weight. Don’t plan on moving extra house-

hold goods in your car. There are strict regula-tions on what may be placed in the car, as wellas weight limits on the vehicle.Licensing.Depending on the country or

state of your new home, you may have only ashort time to license your vehicle after you ar-rive. Be aware of the regulations. You can findinformation about licensing your vehicle fromthe relocation office.Buying a car at your destination. If you are a

two-car family, you may choose to buy a car af-ter you arrive at your new installation. Beaware that some vehicles in foreign countries –even those made by American companies –may not be legal to drive when you return tothe United States.For up-to-date information about shipping

your vehicle. Visit the Defense Personal Prop-erty system at move.mil.

Moving day can add new layers of stress tofamilies as the number of bodies inside thehome suddenly multiplies.

Staff Sgt. Todd Hunt, 25th Infantry Division Band, is an old hand at picking up and moving to a new Army assignment. He keeps track of assignments through artwork hung near the front entrance ofhis Schofield home. He recently received 30 day notice to PCS to Korea. Meanwhile his family will relocate to Washington state where Todd will be stationed once he completes his mission in Korea.

Army spouse Estelle is a veteran at PCS mov-ing rituals, but that doesn’t make it any easier.“You never get used to it,” she said. “You pullyour big girl pants up and dig in.”

Waiting and a modicum of chaos are part ofthe ritual for military families and children.

Jack Wiers, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Public Affairs

Pastoral neighborhoods, like here on Wheeler Army Airfield, typically have complete turnover of residents every two to three years as Army families PCS to their next assignment.

PCSing

Online ResourcesVisit these sites for more details:•militaryonesource.mil,•army.mil,•Army Housing Online User Services athousing.army.mil, and

•militarychildcare.com.

Friday, June 26, 2015

TodayHawaiian Lunch Buffet— En-

joy a traditional Hawaiian luau lunchbuffet every last Friday of each monthfrom 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at FS Hale Ikenafor $14.95/per person. Large partieswelcome. For reservations, call 438-1974.

Project Purple Fashion Show— Attend a “Project Runway” typefashion show, 1:30-3 p.m. at the SBNehelani. Local contestants will dis-play redesigned outfits from recycledmaterials. This ACS event is designedto aid domestic violence awarenessand education.

Right Arm Night— Free eventopen to Soldiers, spouses and DODcivilians, 5-7 p.m., features heavypupu and drink specials at the SB Ne-helani Koa Ballroom.

Ladies Night 8 Ball Pool Tour-nament— Enter the SB Tropics pooltournament, 8:30 p.m., for registra-tion. Competition begins at 9 p.m.Win gift cards for the top three finish-ers for the 9 p.m.-midnight event.Tropics is an 18 years of age and olderfacility. Call 655-5698.

27 / Saturday Small Game Shoreline Fishing

— Learn the secret ways of Oahu fishwith Outdoor Recreation’s masterfisherwomen, Sharon Nakai, who willtake you to one or two spots on the is-land for shoreline and small gamefishing. Class runs from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at $30/per person.

ODR will provide the transporta-tion (up to 12 people), fishing gearand instruction. All you need to bringis water, snacks and sunscreen. Call655-0143.

Youth Sports Soccer Clinic—Youth Sports will be hosting its annu-al soccer clinic, 9 a.m., at SB Watt’sField. There will be various stations tohelp players work on their foot move-ment, ball control and teamwork.

Gods & Goddesses Greek TogaParty — Come dressed in your bestGreek or Roman costume (togas, ivywreaths or semblance thereof), 8:30-11:30 p.m., at SB Tropics. Enjoy enter-tainment, food, fun, games andprizes. Call 655-5698.

29 / MondaySummer Mommy & Me Bowl-

ing— FS & SB bowling centers offermoms one free game of bowling whenpurchasing games for their child –through July.

Children must be 10 years of age orunder. Not valid during cosmic bowl-ing or holidays or for party reserva-tions. Call 438-6733 (FS special, 1-9p.m.) or 655-0573 (SB special, 10a.m.–9 p.m.).

Workweek Lunch— Enjoylunch from 11 a.m.-1 p.m for only$10.95/per person at SB’s KolekoleBar & Grill and FS’s Mulligan’s Bar &Grill.

Order off the menu or help yourselfto the multi-item buffet. Call 655-4466(SB) or 438-1974 (FS).

Review menus at www.himwr.com/dining/kolekole-bar-a-grill/kolekole-lunch-buffet and www.himwr.com/dining/hale-ikena/hale-ikena-lunch-buffet-menu for the week’s currentlunch specials.

30 / Tuesday Preschool Story Time— Fairy

Godmother comes to FS Library, 10-10:45 a.m., Tuesday, June 30, and toSB Sgt. Yano Library, Wednesday, July1, from 10-10:45 a.m.

Bubble Show—The Bubble Ladyperforms her educational and inter-active Amazing Bubble Show, 3-3:45p.m. Tuesday, June 30, at FS Library.The show, for ages 6 and up, moves toSB Sgt. Yano Library, 3-3:45 p.m.,Wednesday, July 1.

July

2 ThursdayTropical Thursdays— Join the

SB Tropics Recreation Center everyThursday for Texas Hold’em. The funstarts at 6 p.m. A free weekly tourna-ment (with no buy in) lets you testyour skills against the best of the bestArmy players around. Open to 18 andolder ID card holders. Call 655-5698.

3 / FridayGrill Your Own Steak Night—

FS Hale Ikena presents a savory fea-ture every 1st and 3rd Friday of themonth from 3-8 p.m. Grill your ownsteak, or we’ll be glad to do it for youfor an additional cost. Served with abaked potato and chef’s choice ofvegetable. Call 438-1974.

Sam Hunt Concert— Start theholiday weekend with this free con-cert featuring country music star SamHunt, beginning at 5:15 p.m., SBWeyand Field. (Other entertainmentbegins at 3 p.m.)

July 3-4 events are open to Depart-ment of Defense ID cardholders andtheir guests with a 100 percent IDcard check at the installation’s gates.

TodayMystery Shopper— Soldiers,

family members, retirees, civiliansand others who live and work onArmy Hawaii installations have theopportunity to give honest feedbackon the services they receive at USAG-HI facilities. To become a “mysterycustomer” call 656-0880/0881 or logonto www.usag hi.cms@us.army.mil.

Rodeo— Dita Holifield’s AllAmerican Rodeo brings music, pet-ting zoos, crafts, food and hard-rid-ing entertainment to the New Townand Country Stables in Waimanalo,Friday and Saturday.

Friday, gates open at 5:30 p.m.,and the rodeo begins at 7 p.m. Satur-day, gates open at 10:30 a.m., with anoon rodeo. Learn more aboutHawaii’s biggest rodeo event atwww.hawaiiallamericanrodeo.com/home.html.

27 / Saturday Kolekole — The SB

Kolekole Walking/HikingTrail is open Saturday andSunday, 5:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.,

to DOD ID cardholders and theirguests.

Do not park at the trail from 6:30p.m.-5:30 a.m. Violators will be tick-eted. Use of the trail is permitted onlyduring open hours.

ESPN Sports Festival— Thefifth-annual sports-, fitness- andhealth-related free event runs from 9a.m.-4 p.m. at the Neal Blaisdell Cen-ter Exhibition Hall. Features celebrityautograph sessions, contests andgiveaways.

July4 / Saturday

MCCS 5K Holiday FunRun— Runaway Run 5K beginsat 6:30 a.m. and will take a laparound the Marine Corps BaseHawaii runway. Register onlinethrough June 30 at www.mccshawaii.com or call 254-7590. Run-ners, walkers and strollers welcome.

7 / TuesdayTransition Summit— Soldiers

transitioning from military to civilianlife in the next 12-18 months are in-vited to this summit, July 7-8. It willinclude a job fair (or hiring event),multiple roundtable discussions, em-ployment workshops, a networkingevent and up to 100 national and lo-cal employers in attendance. Spous-es and veterans are wel-come, too.

The secretaries of La-bor and Veteran Affairswill attend. See the agen-

da and FAQs, and register atwww.uschamberfoundation.org/eve

nt/hawaii-transition-summits. Job seekers who upload

their resumes will get themviewed by employers ahead ofthe event.

10 / FridaySesame Street Live: Let’s

Dance — Sesame Street favoritesappear at the Blaisdell Concert Hall,7 a.m., Friday, July 10; 10:30 a.m., 2p.m., 5 p.m., Saturday, July 11; and10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Sunday, July12.

The tour also offers 10 additionalperformances July 16-19. Visithttp://j.mp/sesame-street-live. Call768-5252.

22 / WednesdayHigh School Camping Trip—Religious Support Office sponsors

this two-day experience, July 22-23. SB POC is Kevin Schmidt at372-1567 and AMR/FS contact isAlika Andrade at 321-4809.

COMMUNITYB-2 | JUNE 26 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

Calendar abbreviations8th TSC: 8th Theater Sustainment

Command25th ID: 25th Infantry DivisionACS: Army Community ServiceAFAP: Army Family Action PlanAFTB: Army Family Team Building AMR: Aliamanu Military Reservation

ASYMCA: Armed Services YMCABCT: Brigade Combat TeamBSB: Brigade Support BattalionCo.: CompanyCYSS: Child, Youth and School ServicesEFMP: Exceptional Family Member Pro-

gramFMWR: Family and Morale, Welfare and

Recreation FRG: Family Readiness GroupFS: Fort ShafterHMR: Helemano Military

ReservationIPC: Island Palm CommunitiesPFC: Physical Fitness CenterSB: Schofield Barracks

SKIES: Schools of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills

TAMC: Tripler Army MedicalCenter

USAG-HI: U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii

USARPAC: U.S. Army-PacificWAAF: Wheeler Army Airfield

Additional religious services,children’s programs, education-al services and contact informa-tion can be found at www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil. (Click on “Religious SupportOffice” under the “Directoratesand Support Staff” menu.)

AMR: Aliamanu ChapelFD: Fort DeRussy ChapelHMR: Helemano ChapelMPC: Main Post Chapel,

Schofield BarracksPH: Aloha Jewish Chapel,

Pearl Harbor SC: Soldiers’ Chapel,

Schofield BarracksTAMC: Tripler Army

Medical Center ChapelWAAF: Wheeler Army Airfield

Chapel

Buddhist Services•First Sunday, 1 p.m. at FD•Fourth Sunday, 1 p.m. at MPCAnnex

Catholic Mass•Thursday, 9 a.m. at AMR •Saturday, 5 p.m. at TAMC,WAAF•Sunday services:

- 8:30 a.m. at AMR-10:30 a.m. at MPC Annex-11 a.m. at TAMC

•Monday-Friday, 11:45 a.m. atSoldiers’ Chapel and 12 p.m.,TAMC

Gospel Worship•Sunday, noon. at MPC•Sunday, 12:30 p.m. at AMR

Islamic Prayers and Study•Friday, 1 p.m. at MPC Annex•Friday, 2:30 p.m., TAMC•Saturday and Sunday, 5:30 a.m.;6, 7 and 8 p.m. at MPC Annex

Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath)•Friday, 7:30 p.m. at PH

Pagan (Wicca)•Friday, 7 p.m. at WheelerAnnex

Protestant Worship•Sunday Services

-9 a.m. at MPC-9 a.m., at FD, TAMC chapel-10 a.m. at HMR-10:30 a.m. at AMR -11:30 a.m. at WAAF (Spanish language)-11 a.m. at SC (Contemporary)

Liturgical (Lutheran/Anglican)•Sunday, 10 a.m. at WAAF

Pitch Perfect 2(PG-13)

Fri., June 26, 7 p.m.Sun., June 28, 2 p.m.

Tomorrowland(PG)

Sat., June 27, 2 p.m.

Hot Pursuit(PG-13)

Sat., June 27, 7 p.m.

Poltergeist(PG-13)

Thurs., July 2 , 7 p.m.

No shows on Mondays, Tuesdaysor Wednesdays.

Call 624-2585 for movie listings or go to aafes.com

under reeltime movie listing.

Send announcementsa week prior to publication to

community@hawaiiarmyweekly.com.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — The July 4 holiday fun begins a day early at Weyand Field, here, with country musicartist Sam Hunt headlining a Friday, July 3, concert at 5:15 p.m. Food and beverage opportunities begin at 2:30p.m., with the 25th Infantry Division Band’s O.N.E. Nation entertaining at 3 p.m. Saturday, the holiday rolls intohigh gear with food, crafts, activities and rides beginning at 10 a.m. and culminating with the Collective Soul per-formance at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. fireworks.

HOLIDAY WEEKEND SPECTACULAR

COMMUNITY JUNE 26, 2015 | B-3HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

Story & photos byLAWRENCE J. REILLY

Installation Management Command-Pacific Region Public Affairs

HONOLULU — Twenty-six teenagers gath-ered in Hawaii, not to swim and snorkel, but todevelop their leadership and team-buildingskills during the 2015 Installation ManagementCommand-Pacific Region Youth LeadershipForum, June 13-18.The teens, in grades eight through 12, all

hold leadership positions on the Pacific TeenPanel at their respective U.S. Army Garrisonslocated throughout Alaska, Japan, Korea, Oki-nawa, Kwajalein and Hawaii.“To be selected for the forum, the teens had

to show evidence of their youth program lead-ership, as well as … contributions made to theircommunity,” said DeAnn Acosta, IMCOM-Pa-cific Region youth specialist and forum coordi-nator. “The Youth Leadership Forum supports the

IMCOM Youth Services program goal to pro-mote positive youth development by helping tofoster skills needed to become successful andcontributing members to our communities,”she said.

Service oriented. The forum kicked-off onSaturday, June 13, with an assembly and a get-acquainted session for the teens coming to-gether for the first time. Sunday, the teens dis-cussed youth-generated issues they hadbrought to the forum and selected the Top 5 is-sues, which would be briefed at the end of theforum. The afternoon and evening provided anopportunity for the entire group to help others.“During each of our annual forums, we con-

duct a service-learning project that encouragesthe teens to work as a team to benefit a specificcause or group,” said Acosta. “This year, theteens choose to do their project in support ofthe Tripler (Army) Medical Center’s FisherHouse.”The teens planted a garden, organized stor-

age areas, washed Fisher House vans and evenentertained children of the families staying atthe Fisher House; however, it was how theFisher House came to be selected for their ser-vice project that caught the attention and thehearts of the teens.The Fisher House and the Children’s Hospi-

tal were the two finalists, and one had to bechosen.“Caleb Garcia, a junior at the Yongsan

American High School inSeoul, Korea, who has beenstaying at the Fisher Housesince December while hebattled cancer and had anoperation to remove thecancer, talked of how theFisher House had been agreat help for his familyduring their time there, andthat he wanted to do any-thing he could to supportthe Fisher House,” saidAcosta. “When the teens,his peers, … learned thatGarcia had also conducteda fundraiser to enable theFisher House to upgrade itsWi-Fi, they knew they want-ed to help Garcia and theFisher House.”“I gained a sense of un-

derstanding and humilityduring the service project atthe Fisher House,” saidMa’Kayla Grogan, a teenag-er from U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii. “Assisting with thecleanup and playing withthe children who were stay-ing at the Fisher House real-ly helped put everything

into perspective.” Team bonding. The weeklong forum in-

cluded many briefings, classes and group gath-ering sessions that had the teens spending a lotof time together as a group. The teens did get toparticipate in some adventurous team-build-ing events as they paddled an outrigger canoe,visited the Kualoa Ranch and conducted ascavenger hunt.“I have never had the experience of spend-

ing so many hours with people I didn’t knowand creating such an amazing bond with themall,” said Colette Anderson, another teenagerfrom USAG-HI. “The weeklong forum culminated with the

teens presenting their Top 5 issues and moviemontage to senior leaders from the InstallationManagement Command Headquarters in SanAntonio, Texas,” said Acosta. “The teens’ Top 5issues were need for college preparation semi-

nars, lack of Army summer camp scholarshipopportunities, CYS Services Staffing (expeditebackground checks), college visitation assis-tance for Army youth overseas, and on-postmedical facility access for civilians workingoverseas.” With the completion of the forum, the teens

will return to their respective garrisons to sharetheir experiences with their peers and the gar-rison command team. “The forum allowed us to be ourselves

and have fun while we focused on thetask at hand, giving us this skill for thefuture,” said Alexis Brodie, a teenagerwith USAG-HI. “I will be bringing back tomy garrison new team-building activitiesand a better understanding of the worldaround me.”

(Editor’s note: Reilly is director, Public Affairs,IMCOM-P.)

All Army Community Service and Child, Youth and School(CYS) Services facilities will be closed on Friday, 3 July, and Sat-urday, 4 July. Hours of operation for Business Operations and Community

Recreation facilities are below.The point of contact is Arlene Tibayan at 656-0105.

FMWR openings July 3-4

(Left) Courtesy of Installation Management Command Pacific Region Public Affairs

Teens participating in the IMCOM-Pacific Region Youth Leadership Forum (above) build a vegetable garden (right) at the TAMC Fisher House as part of their service project. The weeklong forumfeatured teens from U.S. Army garrisons throughout the Pacific region, including Korea, Japan, Kwajalein, Alaska, Okinawa and here.

Teens participating in the IMCOM-Pacific Region Youth Leadership Forum reorganize a large storage area at theTAMC Fisher House as part of their service project.

IMCOM region leadership forum fosters teenagers

COMMUNITYB-4 | JUNE 26, 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

ARMY & AIR FORCEEXCHANGE SERVICE

News Release

HAWAII EXCHANGE — To mark 120years of support to America’s servicemembers and their families, the Army &Air Force Exchange Service is giving mili-tary shoppers a chance at $25,000 in ac-count credits with the Military Star Be-cause of You sweepstakes.

From July 1 to July 31, military shopperswill be automatically entered in the sweep-stakes each time they use their MilitaryStar card to pay for purchases at theHawaii Exchange or on shopmyexchange.com. Each purchase counts as oneentry.

One grand prize winner will receive a$5,000 Military Star account credit, and 20first prize winners will receive $1,000 cred-its. If the winners’ balance is less than theprize amount, the remainder will be addedas a credit.

“As the Exchange celebrates 120 years ofsupport, this sweepstakes is a way to thankservice members and their families forshopping with us,” said the Hawaii Ex-change General Manager Robert Rice.“Just by using their Military Star card,shoppers can take home their share of$25,000.”

The contest, sponsored by the ExchangeCredit Program, is part of the Exchange’sBecause of You campaign, a yearlong effortto recognize and reward service membersfor their sacrifice and dedication to Ameri-ca.

Sweepstakes winners will be announcedon or about Sept. 30.

This sweepstakes offer applies only tothe Military Star card Gold line of credit.

Tips can improve college toursListen up, hallowed halls. Take note,

institutions of higher learning. Lend meyour ears, foundations of educational ex-cellence.

You may think you know it all, buteven the snootiest universities could usea few words of sage advice from the par-ents of prospective applicants.

I’ll admit, we search for glasses that areperched on our heads, forget to defrost thepork chops and wander around trying to re-member why we came upstairs, but take heed,parents are experts when it comes to whatmakes a good college visit.

With one kid already in college, one gradu-ating from high school next year and one grad-uating in three years, my Navy husband and Iare in that frazzled state of parenthoodmarked by financial panic, misplaced dreamsand rapid debt accumulation.

But our strong parental instinct drives us toblindly ignore our Chapter 11 premonitionsand encourage our children to pursuetheir educational goals.

ExperienceLast week, I spent three days go-

ing to information sessions andcampus tours with our middlechild. We learned a lot on our col-lege visit odyssey and believe it isour duty to pass these tips on to col-lege admissions officials across thenation.

Tips#1 - Free stuff. That’s right, we’re not too

proud to admit that we like getting stuff for

free: pens, key chains, lanyards, whatever.We’ve driven a gazillion miles, stayedovernight in questionable motels and havebeen fed like cattle through breakfast buffetlines where we ate egg product omelets, whichcould have doubled for brake pads, and cupsof coffee, which tasted like they were filtered

through my son’s gym socks. So, yeah, a couple of free pens might be

nice. And if you really want to make an im-pression, why not print us up some cool T-shirts and shoot them at us through air can-nons like they do at football games?#2 - Walk backwards. It’s gimmicky, but we

like it when student tour guides walk back-wards for the entire campus tour. It keeps usentertained like the daredevil routine at thecircus.

Will he trip over that curb? Will that branchsnag her hair? Why not work in a few unevensidewalk pavers or an open manhole cover toadd a touch of suspense? Oh, what fun!#3 - Potty breaks.Parents have a plethora of

bladder control quirks, so provide plenty ofbreaks to use the facilities. These are especially

important if you generously offeredrefreshments (we do like freestuff) and don’t want parents ex-posing themselves on the quadto “water the shrubs.”#4 - Point out the elephant in

the room. By “charming collegetown” did you mean that stripmall across the street with thepawnshop and the e-cig empori-

um? Was that the Hell’s Angels thatjust drove by the Student Union? Even if your bubbly tour guide acted

like we were walking the streets of May-berry, we noticed every sketchy-looking cor-ner, and now can’t stop envisioning ourdaughter being mugged by some unsavorycharacter on his way back from themethadone clinic. So yeah, let’s talk aboutthis. #5 - Get to the point. We may spend the en-

tire day wandering your dappled walkwaysand ogling your columned architecture, butmake no mistake about it, we really just want aschool that will make our kid happy andwon’t break the bank.

So, don’t bother going on and on about col-laborative research, evolving identities andtransformative enlightenment. Let’s go over fi-nancial aid, and I’m not talking loans. (A 20-year military spouse and mother of

three, Molinari has plenty of humor to share inher column, “The Meat and Potatoes of Life,”which appears in military and civilian newspa-pers and at her www.themeatandpotatoesoflife.com.)

AAFES hostssweepstakes

Courtesy photo

Even the snootiest of universities could usesome advice from parents of potential stu-dents.

File photo

Graduates eye their hallowed-hall’s future. CLICK IT OR TICKET

COMMUNITYB-4 | JUNE 26, 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

ARMY & AIR FORCEEXCHANGE SERVICE

News Release

HAWAII EXCHANGE — To mark 120years of support to America’s servicemembers and their families, the Army &Air Force Exchange Service is giving mili-tary shoppers a chance at $25,000 in ac-count credits with the Military Star Be-cause of You sweepstakes.

From July 1 to July 31, military shopperswill be automatically entered in the sweep-stakes each time they use their MilitaryStar card to pay for purchases at theHawaii Exchange or on shopmyexchange.com. Each purchase counts as oneentry.

One grand prize winner will receive a$5,000 Military Star account credit, and 20first prize winners will receive $1,000 cred-its. If the winners’ balance is less than theprize amount, the remainder will be addedas a credit.

“As the Exchange celebrates 120 years ofsupport, this sweepstakes is a way to thankservice members and their families forshopping with us,” said the Hawaii Ex-change General Manager Robert Rice.“Just by using their Military Star card,shoppers can take home their share of$25,000.”

The contest, sponsored by the ExchangeCredit Program, is part of the Exchange’sBecause of You campaign, a yearlong effortto recognize and reward service membersfor their sacrifice and dedication to Ameri-ca.

Sweepstakes winners will be announcedon or about Sept. 30.

This sweepstakes offer applies only tothe Military Star card Gold line of credit.

Tips can improve college toursListen up, hallowed halls. Take note,

institutions of higher learning. Lend meyour ears, foundations of educational ex-cellence.

You may think you know it all, buteven the snootiest universities could usea few words of sage advice from the par-ents of prospective applicants.

I’ll admit, we search for glasses that areperched on our heads, forget to defrost thepork chops and wander around trying to re-member why we came upstairs, but take heed,parents are experts when it comes to whatmakes a good college visit.

With one kid already in college, one gradu-ating from high school next year and one grad-uating in three years, my Navy husband and Iare in that frazzled state of parenthoodmarked by financial panic, misplaced dreamsand rapid debt accumulation.

But our strong parental instinct drives us toblindly ignore our Chapter 11 premonitionsand encourage our children to pursuetheir educational goals.

ExperienceLast week, I spent three days go-

ing to information sessions andcampus tours with our middlechild. We learned a lot on our col-lege visit odyssey and believe it isour duty to pass these tips on to col-lege admissions officials across thenation.

Tips#1 - Free stuff. That’s right, we’re not too

proud to admit that we like getting stuff for

free: pens, key chains, lanyards, whatever.We’ve driven a gazillion miles, stayedovernight in questionable motels and havebeen fed like cattle through breakfast buffetlines where we ate egg product omelets, whichcould have doubled for brake pads, and cupsof coffee, which tasted like they were filtered

through my son’s gym socks. So, yeah, a couple of free pens might be

nice. And if you really want to make an im-pression, why not print us up some cool T-shirts and shoot them at us through air can-nons like they do at football games?#2 - Walk backwards. It’s gimmicky, but we

like it when student tour guides walk back-wards for the entire campus tour. It keeps usentertained like the daredevil routine at thecircus.

Will he trip over that curb? Will that branchsnag her hair? Why not work in a few unevensidewalk pavers or an open manhole cover toadd a touch of suspense? Oh, what fun!#3 - Potty breaks.Parents have a plethora of

bladder control quirks, so provide plenty ofbreaks to use the facilities. These are especially

important if you generously offeredrefreshments (we do like freestuff) and don’t want parents ex-posing themselves on the quadto “water the shrubs.”#4 - Point out the elephant in

the room. By “charming collegetown” did you mean that stripmall across the street with thepawnshop and the e-cig empori-

um? Was that the Hell’s Angels thatjust drove by the Student Union? Even if your bubbly tour guide acted

like we were walking the streets of May-berry, we noticed every sketchy-looking cor-ner, and now can’t stop envisioning ourdaughter being mugged by some unsavorycharacter on his way back from themethadone clinic. So yeah, let’s talk aboutthis. #5 - Get to the point. We may spend the en-

tire day wandering your dappled walkwaysand ogling your columned architecture, butmake no mistake about it, we really just want aschool that will make our kid happy andwon’t break the bank.

So, don’t bother going on and on about col-laborative research, evolving identities andtransformative enlightenment. Let’s go over fi-nancial aid, and I’m not talking loans. (A 20-year military spouse and mother of

three, Molinari has plenty of humor to share inher column, “The Meat and Potatoes of Life,”which appears in military and civilian newspa-pers and at her www.themeatandpotatoesoflife.com.)

AAFES hostssweepstakes

Courtesy photo

Even the snootiest of universities could usesome advice from parents of potential stu-dents.

File photo

Graduates eye their hallowed-hall’s future. CLICK IT OR TICKET

HEALTH JUNE 26, 2015 | B-5HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

DeCA promoteslifestyle festivals

Outside-of-box choices aid nutrition

RICK BRINKDefense Commissary Agency

FORT LEE, Virginia — Through “Healthy Lifestyle Festivals,”commissaries worldwide are joining forces this summer with theirmilitary communities to spotlight health and wellness choices formilitary service members and their families.Most events, generally running three-days, are scheduled

throughout July at 234 commissary locations. Dates and locationsare listed on the healthy lifestyle festival page of www.commissaries.com. With the theme “It’s Your Choice, Make it Healthy,” highlights

of the events include farmers markets at commissaries, sidewalksales of fitness apparel and equipment at exchanges, and fitnessand active lifestyle demonstrations by Morale, Welfare and Recre-ation services.Adding to the festival atmosphere, commissary industry part-

ners are providing prize giveaways, free food samplings and foodpreparation demonstrations. The farmers markets will featurecoupon specials and showcase the nutritional benefits of freshfruits and vegetables. “This popular, fun-filled annual festival helps us showcase the

healthy lifestyle products we carry within the commissaries,” saidTracie Russ, DeCA’s director of sales.

KEVIN L. ROBINSONDefense Commissary Agency

FORT LEE, Virginia — Health and wellness has a newchampion at the Defense Commissary Agency with a newdietitian on board.Deborah Harris, a registered dietitian with DeCA since

mid-April, said her mission is to work with both the agen-cy’s sales and store operations personnel to help in pro-viding healthier choices for commissary patrons.“My goal is to work the whole gamut of public health to

try and promote behavioral change. That’s my passion,”said Harris, who is assigned to DeCA’s Shopper Insightsdivision and works with them to help improve the agen-cy’s focus on its patrons. “So, I’m developing strategies for our customers that

make the healthy choice an easier choice or perhaps eventhe default choice,” she said.

AwarenessHarris, who has 12 years of experience in public health

programming, integration, evaluation and policy develop-ment in the government, nonprofit and private sectors,has coordinated nutrition education and obesity preven-tion efforts across Michigan for more than 800 schools and10 health districts. She earned a master’s of Public Health degree from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and encour-ages honesty when people address their dietary habits. “One thing that makes me a different dietitian is I don’t

want to tell people what they cannot eat, but I do wantthem to be knowledgeable about what it is they’re eating,”she said.As the DeCA dietitian, Harris wants to engage commis-

sary patrons with nutrition and health and well-beingmessages through DeCA’s various communications chan-nels, such as www.commissaries.com, Facebook, Twitterand other social media, and eventually a signature blog.One of her first initiatives is a segment called “Thinking

Outside the Box” embedded on the commissary sales flyer

found on commissaries.com, where Harris takes the itemson promotion and offers a cost-effective, time-saving,healthy meal idea.“When it comes to food, the commissary is a significant

presence on a military installation, and we want our pa-trons to know they can come to our stores for the productsthat support their healthier lifestyles,” said Rogers Camp-bell, DeCA’s executive director of Sales, Marketing andPolicy. “As our dietitian, Ms. Harris will help us reinforcethat message and further engage our patrons with ideas tomake their meal choices even healthier.”Harris said she is excited to be interacting with the mili-

tary community, a place she admits to being quite com-fortable. Growing up, she was a Navy “brat” whose late fa-ther was a career Navy officer who served in Vietnam. Harris is also a former Army first lieutenant who served

on active duty for four years, first as a dietetic intern atWalter Reed Army Medical Center, and later as a dietitianat Fort Sill, Oklahoma. As a certified diabetes educator and maternal child

health specialist, Harris said she is sensitive to the chal-lenges today’s families face with childhood obesity andother health-related issues.“The prevalence of diabetes is so high in America’s pop-

ulation,” she said, “and I am dedicated to decreasing therisk by focusing on obesity prevention and nutrient densefood – but doing so in a manner that is maintainable withhealthy habit adoption that folks want to do because theyfeel they can and not because they have to.”

Photo courtesy of Army News Service

Capt. Heather Davidson peruses the produce section of the Fort Drum Commissary in hopes of finding some colorfulveggies to fill her plate.

Courtesy Schofield Commissary

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — The Schofield Commissary parking lotarea converts to a farmers market, July 1-3.

More OnlineTo learn more about the Defense Commissary

Agency, to check out the latest news, see what’s onsale, learn of food and product recalls, scan employ-ment opportunities, read frequently asked questionsand more, visit www.commissaries.com.

LAUREN A. SHIREYU.S. Army Public Health Command

American men are at risk for living lesshealthy and living shorter lives thanAmerican women. According to the Men’s Health Net-

work, this risk may be a “silent health cri-sis” in the United States and is also onethat we can act upon.A report by the U.S. Centers for Dis-

ease Control and Prevention states thatwomen are 100 percent more likely tovisit the doctor for annual exams and forservices to support health than men.Men are also more likely than women

to smoke, to die in motor vehicle acci-dents and experience other preventableevents. According to the Men’s Health Net-

work, for younger men, much of the dif-ference comes from increased risk-takingand suicide. Society also often does notpromote healthy behaviors for boys andmen.

Men’s Health MonthMen aren’t the only ones affected by

these health issues and these risks. Sincewomen generally live longer than men,they see their dads, brothers, sons, hus-bands and friends suffer or die early. Each June, the nation recognizes

Men’s Health Month as a time to in-crease awareness of preventable healthissues and encourage early detection andtreatment for men and boys. To reduce men’s health risks and iden-

tify and treat any health conditions ordiseases early, focus on the following:

Make healthy lifestyle choicesGet quality sleep, engage in physical

activity and improve nutrition are the fo-cus of the Army Medicine’s PerformanceTriad campaign, and they are fundamen-tal mechanisms to optimize health.Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand

smoke. Drink alcohol only in moderation and

find a designated driver to ensure that noone drinks and drives. Army Wellness Centers and installa-

tion resources, such as athletic centersand recreational programs, can helpmake and continue these importantchanges for health.

Mental and emotional healthTaking care of mental and emotional

health is of key importance. Men oftenexperience stress and suffer from depres-

sion. They are also less likely to seek helpfor depression than women are and arefour times as likely to commit suicide.Depression affects overall health and

well-being and shouldn’t be ignored. Tohelp improve mental and emotionalhealth, find ways to destress, including

maximizing physical activity and sleep.Talk to a chaplain or health care pro-

fessional if there is a struggle with nega-tive thoughts, excessive worries or hope-lessness. If there are suicidal thoughts or plans

for suicide, speak to a chaplain, behav-ioral health professional, health careprovider or to a member of the chain ofcommand immediately.

Get regular health examsSchedule an appointment to see a

health care provider for a health check-up at least once per year. Go to the examprepared to share personal medical his-tory, including current or past substanceuse, risk factors for sexually transmitteddiseases, diet and exercise habits andsymptoms of depression. Although it may seem hard to share, it

is important to communicate this infor-mation to the medical provider.Bring up any questions or concerns

about any particular health issues, signsor symptoms with the provider duringthe exam.

Get screened for early detectionEarly detection of many conditions or

diseases can lead to early treatment andcan often reduce suffering or risk ofdeath. Ensure preventive screenings arereceived and, as a result, increase

HEALTHB-6 | JUNE 26, 2015 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY

Prevention, early detection can improve men’s health

June is Men'sHealth Month! Men's Health

Month is the timeto encourage mento make prevention a priority. Many health conditions can be pre-

vented or detected early with regularcheckups from your health careprovider. Regular screenings may include

blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose,prostate health and more. Who is ready to man up and sched-

ule a doctor's appointment this June?

MEN’S HEALTH

Spc. Paxton Busch, Pacific Regional MedicalCommand Public Affairs

Courtesy U.S. Army Public Health Command

Army Health officials encourage men to visit the doctor for annual exams as part ofMen’s Health Month.

chances of finding any health issue early.Know the medical history of family and

share it with the health care provider. For more information on how to make

healthy lifestyle choices, obtain a healthexam or seek early screening.

Contact your primary care provider.