U.S. ARMY GARRISON, HAWAII,PUBLIC AFFAIRS

News Release

The Department of Defenseannounced the death of five25th Infantry Division Soldierswho were supporting OperationIraqi Freedom. The Soldiers diedDec. 6 in Hawijah, Iraq, of in-juries suffered while on patrolwhen an improvised explosivedevice detonated near their ve-hicle.

Killed were the following Sol-diers:

Sgt. Jesse J.J. Castro, 22, ofChalan Pago, American Samoa.An infantryman, Castro joinedthe Army in May 2003 and wasassigned to Schofield Barracks inNovember 2005.

Cpl. Jason I. Huffman, 23, ofConover, N.C. Huffman, an in-fantryman, joined the Army inOctober 2003 and was assignedto Schofield Barracks in Sep-tember 2006.

Spc. Joshua B. Madden, 21,of Sibley, La. Madden, an in-

fantryman, joinedthe Army in June2003 and was as-signed to SchofieldBarracks in October2003.

Cpl. Yari Mokri,26, of Pflugerville,Texas. Mokri, acounterintelligenceagent, joined theArmy in June 2005 and was as-signed to Schofield Barracks inFebruary 2006.

Pfc. Travis C. Krege, 24, of Cheektowaga, N.Y. Krege, aninfantryman, joined the Armyin August 2005 and was as-signed to Schofield Barracks in

December 2005.Castro, Huffman, Madden

and Krege were all assigned tothe 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry,3rd Infantry Brigade CombatTeam. Mokri was assigned tothe 3rd Brigade Special TroopsBattalion.

This issueLightning Spirit A-2

News Briefs A-8

MWR B-2

Community B-2

Sports & Fitness B-4

INSIDE

Renovate, rejoice When Schofield Main PostChapel receives repairs,

services will move toWheeler AAF Chapel

A-4

26.2 to go Deployed Soldiers refuse

to let a little thing likebeing on the other side of

the world stop them from competing in the

Honolulu Marathon

B-3 & B-4

A whole lotta’singing going on Keiki strut their stuff withSunshine Generation at

Wheeler & Honolulu

B-1

Stop the pressesSubscribers will receive“The Military Times,”

Dec. 22 & 29 when theHawaii Army Weekly

takes its two-week hiatus.

VOL. 35 NO. 50 | DECEMBER 15, 2006

U.S. ARMY GARRISON HAWAII PUBLIC AFFAIRS

News Release

“First and foremost, our thoughtsand prayers are with the families,loved ones and comrades of thesebrave Soldiers,” said Col. TimothyRyan, rear detachment commander,speaking of five members of the 25thInfantry Division killed by an impro-vised explosive device (IED) fightingthe global war on terrorism in Haw-ijah, Iraq, Dec. 6.

“Learning that someone you loveisn’t coming home is the most diffi-cult news to hear, and this incidentspeaks to the incredible sacrifice bornenot only by our Soldiers but by fam-ilies across our nation,” Ryan con-tinued. “It strengthens our resolve tocomfort and support these familiesand our community during these dif-ficult times.

Two memorial services were held atthe Schofield Barracks Main PostChapel: one, Tuesday afternoon, for

Sgt. Keith E. Fiscus, 26, killed by anIED that exploded near his humveeduring combat operations in Taji, Iraq,Dec. 2. The other was held Wednesdaymorning for the five.

“These Soldiers made the ultimatesacrifice in service to our nation, andthe somber news of their death is es-pecially difficult at this time of yearwhen our thoughts move toward fam-ilies and loved ones during the holi-days. I know that the commitmentand sacrifice of these brave Soldierswill be honored throughout our ranksand their loss will be felt across ourArmy family,” Ryan said.

“We will keep the names and mem-ories of all of the Soldiers who havegiven their lives in our hearts, and wemust also continue to keep the manySoldiers still in harm’s way in ourthoughts and prayers, as well. It is thenoblest of all callings to lay downone’s life for another, so it is veryhumbling to think upon the sacrificethese American heroes made.”

Rear detachmentremembers fallen

Castro Huffman

Madden Mokri Krege

Tips on protecting identity,consumer credit and stepsto take if problems occur

CHRISTA B. THOMASPau Hana Editor

“Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s justseniors who are targets of identity theft,”said Honolulu Police Detective Miles Jung.“What we have found is that there is ascam for everybody, even our kids.”

Jung, accompanied by another detectivefrom the Pearl City police station, addressedattendees at the December Spouse Infor-mation Meeting (SIMS). His presentationwas focused on identity theft, popular scams,shopping safety, and the importance of re-porting criminal activity.

The rapid-fire growth of identity theft is particularly frightening. On Tuesday alone, more than one million Americanshad their personal identities and credit

ratings jeopardized. A Chicago-based Boeing laptop, replete

with employee social security numbers, wasstolen; a six-state raid on illegal immi-grants revealed many had been employedusing stolen social security numbers; and ahacker broke into the University of Califor-nia’s campus computer system, accessingpersonal information on students, facultyand staff.

Many savvy consumers enroll in creditmonitoring programs and respond quicklyto fraud alerts to prevent identity theft.However, the best deterrent to identity theftis practicing due diligence and remainingsteadfast in securing and monitoring per-sonal information.

Once one becomes a victim, it will take anaverage of 177 hours and nearly two yearsto clean up the damage, according to theFederal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC Web site reports that in 2005 asmany as 10 million Americans had theiridentities stolen, making ID theft the most

common form of consumer fraud. Further,victims suffer an average of $7,000 in mon-etary theft.

The FTC has a comprehensive programdesigned to assist victims of ID theft.

“They have affidavits, sample referral let-ters, and many brochures on preventivemeasures,” Jung said.

Jung cautioned attendees that simplynotifying credit card companies or thebank isn’t sufficient.

“You must notify [HPD]. If you con-tact the FTC, the first thing they will ask

is whether a reportwas filed with lo-cal law enforce-ment. They willadd your nameinto a national databasethat helps law enforcement trackthe criminal.”

Consumers may also ask creditbureaus to place a free 90-day fraudalert on their files. The fraud alert re-

quires businesses to call consumers beforeissuing any new credit in their name.

Hawaii didn’t have identity theft laws inplace until mid 2002. With the adoption ofthese laws, perpetrators risk spending up to20 years in jail for ID theft.

“If the crime is committed using a com-puter, that means mandatory jail time, even

if it’s a first offense,” Jung said.Jung addressed at-

tendee concerns,

Story and Photo by

JEREMY S. BUDDEMEIERAssistant Editor

HONOLULU — While most family members rushto send care packages to troops in Iraq, one groupof deployed Soldiers sent a round of mahalos backto Hawaii.

For the past week, members of the 45th Sus-tainment Brigade have delivered handmade shad-owboxes with American flags and certificates of ap-preciation to 11 individuals and organizations thathave supported the unit this year.

The flags were flown for nine minutes, 11 secondsat Forward Operating Base Q-West, Iraq, Sept. 11,2006.

The purpose, as stated on the certificate, was torepresent “America’s resolve toward the destructionof terrorism, her commitment to preserving freedomand her inevitable victory.”

The certificates were signed by Col. Michael T.McBride, 45th Sus. Bde commander, and CommandSgt. Maj. McGregory L. Seals. More than 400 Sol-diers from the unit deployed to Iraq in July 2006.

Capt. Theresa Watt, 45th Sus. Bde rear detachmentcommander, 1st Sgt. Kenith Cooper and Staff Sgt.Eric Braddock hand delivered the gifts to two of the11 recipients, U.S. Congressmen Neil Abercrombieand Ed Case, in separate meetings Tuesday morn-ing.

“I’m honored,” Abercrombie said as the Soldierspresented him the flag and certificate in his officeat the Federal Building downtown.

“I’m going to send this to Washington [D.C.] and

45th Sust. Bde.sends mahalosto supporters

SEE IDENTITY, A-10

HPD cautions spouses, ‘Don’t fall victim to identity theft’

Sgt. Robert Mitchell of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th InfantryDivision, gives a poster supporting "One Team, One Mission" to a storekeeper in the industrialsection of Taza, Kirkuk province, Iraq, Dec. 11.

One team, one missionAir Force Staff Sgt. Samuel Bendet

SEE MAHALOS, A-4

Five were killed by IED

The Hawaii Army Weekly welcomesarticles from Army organizations, an-nouncements from the general pub-lic about community events of interestto the military community, and lettersand commentaries.

If you have newsworthy ideas orstories you’d like to write, coordinatewith the managing editor at 655-4816,or e-mail editor@hawaiiarmyweek-ly.com.

The editorial deadline for articlesand announcements is the Friday pri-or to Friday publications. Prior coor-dination is mandatory.

Articles must be text or Word fileswith complete information, no abbre-viations; accompanying photographsmust be digital, high resolution, jpegfiles with captions and bylines.

The Hawaii Army Weekly is an au-thorized newspaper and is publishedin the interest of the U.S. Army com-munity in Hawaii.

All editorial content of the HawaiiArmy Weekly is the responsibility ofthe U.S. Army, Hawaii Public AffairsOffice, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii96857. Contents of the Hawaii ArmyWeekly are not necessarily the offi-cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government or the Department of theArmy.

The Hawaii Army Weekly is printedby The Honolulu Advertiser, a privatefirm in no way connected with theU.S. Government, under exclusivewritten agreement with the U.S. Army,Hawaii.

The Hawaii Army Weekly is pub-lished weekly using the offset methodof reproduction and has a printed cir-culation of 15,300.

Everything advertised in this publi-cation shall be made available for pur-chase, use or patronage without re-gard to race, color, religion, sex, na-tional origin, age, marital status, phys-ical handicap, political affiliation, orany other non-merit factor of the pur-chaser, user or patron.

The appearance of advertising inthis publication, including inserts andsupplements, does not constitute en-dorsement by the Department of theArmy, or The Honolulu Advertiser, ofthe firms, products or services ad-vertised.

Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Col. Howard J. KillianPublic Affairs Officer

Troy GriffinCommand Information Officer

Ed Aber-Songedward.abersong@schofield.army.mil

Managing EditorAiko Rose Brum

editor@hawaiiarmyweekly.comAssistant Editor

Jeremy S. Buddemeier news@hawaiiarmyweekly.com

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community@hawaiiarmyweekly.comchrista@hawaiiarmyweekly.com

Staff Writer

Landy Stewart MiyakeLayout

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Editorial Office: 655-4816/8728 Fax: 655-9290

Address:Public Affairs OfficeBldg. 580, Stop 215

Schofield Barracks, HI 96857Web site:

http://www.25idl.army.mil/haw.asp

31 days since last fatal accident

Soldiers, as your daily re-minder to be safe, place a “reddot” on your wristwatch.

Remember, a division train-ing holiday will be awarded forthe first 100 consecutive dayswith no accidental fatalities.

Current as of 12/13/06.

We want tohear from you...

“It was myhusband’sseconddeploymentin threeyears.”

Teri BurkeFamily Member

“Being backhome fromdeployment,doing what Ilove: servingthe nation.”

Sgt. DanielCabilin1st Bn.,196th Inf. BdeAdmin NCO

“The birth ofmy daughter,Kiara.”

Spc. RoxanneDiaz45th Sus. BdeAdmin Clerk

“It’s the firstyear, in fouryears, my entirefamily has beentogether.”

Maj. Mel Juan1st Bn., 196th Inf. BdeBattalion XO

“Being backin college.”

HannahSchakeFamily Member

“What has made the 2006 memorableor significant for you?”

Law enforcement totarget seat belt usageand drunk drivers

LT. COL. MICHAEL “SHANE” WALLACE Directorate of Emergency Services

Law enforcement officers acrossthe state will be targeting motoristsfor seat belt usage and drunk driv-ing as part of the national pro-gram to help holiday travelers ar-rive safely to their destinations.

U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii’sDirectorate of Emergency Services(DES) will be increasing enforce-ment activity during the Christ-

mas and New Year holidays on allArmy installations. The HonoluluPolice Department (HPD) will stepup enforcement in off-post areas.

Drivers need to be responsible bybuckling up and not driving afteralcohol consumption of any level.Since the Christmas and New Yearholiday season is an occasion tospend time with family and friends,it is one of the most traveled hol-idays of the year. But, whetherdriving on the mainland orthroughout the Hawaiian Islandson leave or vacation, everyonewants to make it home for the hol-idays.

Military police, the Department

of the Army police and HPD willbe out in force to help make suremotorists obey the laws of the roadto arrive at their destinations safe-ly.

Always try to allow extra timefor heavy traffic, hazardous roadconditions and inclement weather.Try to always have a plan, a planfor the worst — but hope for thebest.

Historically, the fatality rateshave been higher during holidayperiods, and that is why law en-forcement agencies, in this con-certed effort, are zeroing in onthese two major contributing fac-tors to motorist deaths during the

holiday period. Seat belts do

save lives; soplease rememberto buckle up andmake it mandatoryfor passengers to dothe same.

Sadly enough, thenumber of motoristdeaths increasesdramaticallywith alcoholconsumption.However, thereis one way to al-most guarantee that to not be in-volved in an alcohol-related acci-

dent: Don’t drink anddrive! Just don’t do it!

Everyone has heard this mes-sage time and time again, but onefact remains the same – themorgue really will become thecoolest place to hang out if you donot buckle up or if you drive whileintoxicated.

Straight Talk

All police will be especially vigilant

BILL LAFFEADirectorate of Emergency Services

The holidays usually bring about an increase inhome fires. Yet, being on Oahu does eliminate somepossible fire hazards caused by furnaces, fireplacesand portable heaters. Still, a number of other firehazards exist in most homes.

Home safety tips

Prior to use, check electrical cords and plugs forwear, frayed insulation, cracks and loose connec-tions. Do not overload circuits; place cords out ofhigh-traffic areas.

Natural or live Christmas trees are extremelyflammable and create a tremendous amount of heatin a short period of time. Keep them away from heatsources; water them, daily.

As well, check lights before placing them on theChristmas tree. Look for loose sockets, broken and/orfrayed wires. Then, turn off lights before bed or whenleaving the house.

If using a metal tree, don't use angel hair incombination with spray-on snow. The results arevery combustible.

To avoid accidents inside the home during the hol-idays, keep stairs and handrails free of decorations.Keep traffic patterns in mind when making room fora tree; use a ladder, not a chair, when decorating.

Toys are the highlight of the holidays for children(and some adults), but sadly enough, they can alsobring injury and death. Therefore, be sure to selectage-appropriate toys for children. Match gifts to thechild’s temperament and abilities.

Toys for infants and toddlers should be too largefor them to swallow. Don’t purchase gifts withsharp edges, hidden pins, wires or parts that can be pulled off and swallowed by young children. Further, consider whether your child is at a re-sponsible age to handle toys such as chemistry sets,science kits and some games, which may be com-bustible.

Check toys to verify they have no lead-basedpaints.

Know that many plants that are used for holidaydecorations are poisonous. Holly berries, Jerusalemcherry plants, mistletoe berries, and poinsettia berriesare some examples. Take care when placing them,especially if small children will be present.

Fireworks and pyrotechnics

Every year someone is injured because of carelessor unsupervised use of fireworks. Little fingers have

been blown off; eyes permanently damaged; andfireworks have caused first-, second-, and third-de-gree burns to various parts of the body.

Property damage in the millions of dollars is re-ported every year due to illegal use of fireworks.Army regulations prohibit the use or possession offireworks and/or pyrotechnics on any Army instal-lation.

When planning to use fireworks off the installa-tion, check with the local fire department, first. Ob-tain a permit and some tips on using fireworkssafely.

Shopping and parties

During the holidays, traffic can be exasperating.There are more cars, more people, and more con-fusion on the roadways than at any other time of theyear.

While driving, remember to expect the unex-pected. Make safety a part of every day drivinghabits. Be courteous and respect the rights of oth-ers.

Be especially alert for those who have over-cel-ebrated, and others who may have a holiday-on-my-mind syndrome. Allow extra time for heavy trafficand hazardous road conditions.

Please buckle up. Seat belts do save lives, and theyare required in Hawaii.

The holidays bring endless numbers of parties,shopping sprees, and visits from friends and fami-ly. These added pleasures may wreak havoc on reg-ular schedules and cause added stress. Fatigue andoverexertion are the usual results, sometimes evendepression.

Stress, fatigue, exertion and depression can causelethargy and carelessness, and eventually an acci-dent or injury that can ruin the holiday season. Pro-tect yourself; make sure you get the rest your bodyneeds.

When shopping, place packages in the trunk ofyour car. Packages left in plain view are simply atempting sight for a thief. Don’t give anyone causeto steal your gifts and joy.

Alcohol is frequently served at parties during theholidays, so it’s always a good idea to establish adesignated driver when making plans.

If children are around during parties, keep aneye on them. If a couple of beers can make anadult slightly intoxicated, imagine the effect it canhave on a child.

Finally, it should go without saying, but statisticsprove otherwise: “Never consume alcoholic bever-ages and then drive.”

Holidays require watchful eyeat home, shopping, partying

CHAPLAIN (CAPT.) JIM BURTON1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment

OK, I admit it: I am not the usu-al guy who loathes shopping. Infact, I actually look forward togoing to the mall with my familyso that we can shop together — al-though, none of us would admit toenjoying the traffic, nor the huntfor a parking spot.

There is something about find-ing that special gift for my wife,my daughter and my son that getsmy adrenaline pumping and myheart racing. My wife says that Iam a big kid, but at Christmastime I turn into an even biggerkid.

OK, that is true also, but I canlive with that.

In Mark 10:14-15, Jesus con-dones this attitude: “Let the littlechildren come to me, and do notforbid them; for of such is thekingdom of God. Assuredly, I sayto you, whoever does not receivethe kingdom of God as a littlechild will by no means enter it”(New King James Version, orNKJV).

Now, do not misunderstand me.I am not perpetuating the ideathat “Christmas is just for kids.”Christmas is for everyone who be-lieves John 3:16-18, which says,“For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten Son,that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have ever-lasting life. For God did not sendhis son into the world to condemnthe world, but that the worldthrough him might be saved. Hewho believes in Jesus is not con-demned; however, he who doesnot believe is condemned already,because he has not believed in thename of the only begotten son ofGod” (NKJV).

So, Christmas is for all ages.Christmas is the time to re-

member that our creator came to

earth in human form to save usfrom ourselves. We cannot earnthis gift; we cannot work hardenough to receive this gift. Thegift is God’s to us.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For bygrace you have been savedthrough faith, and not of your-selves; it is the gift of God, not ofworks, lest anyone should boast”(NKJV).

The gift of his love was designedto be returned to him and sharedwith others. In Mark 12:29-31, weread: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord ourGod, the Lord is one. And youshall love the Lord your God withall your heart, with all your soul,with all your mind, and with allyour strength. This is the first com-mandment. And the second, likethe first, is: ‘You shall love yourneighbor as yourself.’ There is noother commandment greater thanthese” (NKJV).

Amazing things happen whenyou accept this gift because youbecome a new person.

Scripture at 2 Corinthians 5:17says, “Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have becomenew” (NKJV). You will have a new outlook filled with hope, abrighter perspective towards your current situation, and a newway of handling disappointmentsthat might have occurred in thepast.

Again, shopping for that specialgift for the loved ones in your lifecan be exciting and rewarding.However, the best gift that youcan give is the gift of yourself toour Lord Jesus Christ, and then toallow his love to flow throughyou to those around you.

So, what are you giving thisChristmas?

Merry Christmas and HappyNew Year.

‘What are you givingyour friends, familyfor Christmas ‘06?’

LIGHTNING SPIRIT

A-2 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY NEWS & COMMENTARY

TROY GRIFFINU.S. Army Garrison Hawaii Public Affairs

This week, I experienced an epiphany.This was not the epiphany associated

with the manifestation of a divine being,but rather a sudden insight caused by aneveryday experience that struck me tothe marrow, caused me mental anguish,but, simultaneously, gave me comfort.

The event was the daily retreat cere-mony conducted at the flagpole on SillsField adjacent to historic Fernandez Hall.I viewed it from the Commissary parkinglot.

What was striking about the daily eventon this particular overcast Monday af-ternoon was the total disregard of my fel-low Americans – Soldiers, family mem-bers, retirees – for a ceremony honoringour nation’s colors and, indirectly, thosewho have lost their lives defending the na-tion it symbolizes.

Perhaps my reaction to retreat that af-ternoon was intensified by my personal

emotional struggle with the recent lossof five 25th Infantry Division Soldiers toan improvised explosive device in Iraq.(Story page 1.)

The largest mass casualty experiencedby the Tropic Lighting Division since Viet-nam struck me personally hard, eventhough I’ve directly been involved in thepublic affairs aspects of all of the division’slosses on this and the previous deploy-ments in the global war on terrorism.

The five deaths in a single vehicle sur-prised and emotionally overwhelmed me.

As I stood and watched the Stars andStripes lowered to the bugle’s toning of “Tothe Color,” I thought of the blood of ournation’s patriots symbolized by the redstripes and remembered our most recentlosses and all the others who have fallenin the current war.

I prayed for their souls and that theirloved ones, family, friends and comradesbe comforted, but I was saddened anddeeply troubled that virtually everyone

around me was going about their businessas if nothing was happening.

True, nothing unusual was happening.On Sills Field and throughout the Army,retreat is sounded every day, rain, wind,

snow or shine. It’s an Army tradition.Army Regulation 600-25, Salutes, Hon-

ors and Visits of Courtesy, specifies inAppendix C the courtesies to be rendered

by Soldiers and civilians at retreat. While I’ll refrain from covering the reg-

ulatory details here, it should suffice tostate ignoring retreat is not among the op-tions for Soldiers or civilians.

On that Monday, retreat was a veryspecial event for me. It symbolicallybrought closure to a series of sad days ofsorrow spent mourning the loss of fivevery young American heroes.

I also made a Christmas wish that myfellow Americans could also experiencetheir own epiphany and take the time tohonor our nation and its heroes. It is asmall thing to ask.

At Schofield Barracks, we are honoredand privileged to walk the streets withgreat young patriots and their familiesand loved ones.

Let’s take the time to honor them andthe flag that represents the nation they’vepledged their lives to defend. Sadly, manyof our Schofield heroes have already paidthat price.

HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY DECEMBER 15, 2006 | A-3NEWS & COMMENTARY

SGT. MICHAEL GARRETT7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq — Many Soldiers withinMulti-National Division (MND) – Baghdad are in anew location, in a new situation.

While everyone needs a little time to adjust to thesmall differences of their new job, one thing remainsa constant: safety. It's a part of every thing we do,everyday.

Dale Smith, the safety director for MND Baghdad,said there are a number of things to remember forreturning troops and Soldiers on their first deploy-ment here in Iraq, including electric power.

Outlets in Iraq use 220 volts, twice the voltageused stateside. Some personal electronic devices,such as most laptops, or handheld gaming systems,are able to use either 110 or 220. Know which volt-age your electronic systems are set for, and use atransformer if necessary.

However, fires, resulting from the improper use ofelectronics, are not the only things Soldiers have tobe concerned about, Smith said.

“Traffic here is different from what it is in thestates," said Smith. “Don't assume that if you can seea vehicle, the person driving can see you."

Smith also said that some safety concerns can bemore critical at different times of the year.

“This time of year, it's not as big of an issue as itwill be in four months, but it gets much hotter herethan it does at Fort Hood," Smith said.

Staying hydrated is a key factor in combatingheat-related injuries, whether you are exerting your-self during physical training or conducting mis-sions during hot weather. Still, the heat and trafficare only two things in the living space that can posea threat.

“Snakes, scorpions, spiders, sand flies," Smithbegan. “Use the same precautions around thesecritters as you would back home. Stay away fromthem."

He said leaders can protect their troops by hav-

ing their uniforms treated with permethrin, an in-sect repellant intended to keep away sand flies thatcan spread the skin condition leishmaniasis.

During the rainy season, the weather itself can cre-ate a safety concern.

“From November through March, plenty of rainfalls and makes the roads slick. It sticks to everythingand gets on the roads, which makes them very slip-pery for those who are driving," Smith said.

But, these things are minor threats compared to what a Soldier can face outside the wire. Smith said it's important for a Soldiers to rely ontheir training to protect them during any mission.

“The single most important thing a Soldier can dois perform all tasks to standard and wear all the pro-

tective equipment they were issued," Smith said.“Soldiers say the gear is cumbersome, it's heavy, it'shot, but it's combat-proven, and it works."

“[Leaders] have to ensure, insist, demand they per-form all tasks to standard. Accept nothing less."

Smith said when leaders and their troops don't fol-low force protection measures, to the letter, some-thing bad can happen.

“One thing that is not different from training toreal-time missions is following set standards," Smith

Smith said the bottom line is there is only one per-son who can be responsible for individual safety.

“[The safety office] can tell you what's right andwrong, but it's up to the individual. That's where ithas to start."

Safety top priority for newly-arrived troopsTeammates, this holiday season takes on a very

special significance for me since it is the last one I willbe spending as director of the Installation ManagementCommand (IMCOM) Pacific Region.

I am retiring in January andleaving this wonderful group oftalented professionals that makeup the IMCOM Pacific Team. Thecontributions that you makethroughout the year are appreci-ated by a nation grateful for yourservice and dedication.

The sacrifices you make to pre-serve freedom and liberty for allAmericans are notable. Your sup-port of our Soldiers provides a bet-ter quality of life, which benefits them and their fam-ily members.

Many of our Soldiers will not be with their familiesand friends during this holiday period, still another sac-rifice made for the preservation of freedom. Withstrong commitment and tireless dedication, we provideour great nation with the best we can give.

I know you will continue this selfless service as weenter the New year.

This is the season to reflect upon the joys of life andabundant freedoms we have. Our nation celebrates thisseason in a variety of ways, both religious and civil.

As you make your plans to enjoy this season in yourunique way, I ask you never to forget the deployed menand women who are serving our country.

I trust that you and your families will enjoy the truespirit of the season, which is giving.

Chasmin joins me in extending our very best wish-es for a very happy and safe holiday season.

Thank you for all you do and will continue to do forthis great nation.

Stanley E. Sokoloski, Director

Daily retreat ceremony honors nation and its heroes

IMCOM extendsholiday greetings

Salutes, honors and visits of courtesy basics at colors

• All military and civilian personnel wearing civilian clothes, including sportsattire with headgear. (Women wearing civilian attire never remove their head-gear during ceremonies):

At the first note of music, face flag, stand at attention, remove headgear withright hand and hold over left shoulder with right hand over heart (if flag is notin view, face direction of music).

Remain at attention until last note of “To the Color" has been played (if flagis not in view, face direction of music).

• Military personnel in uniform not in formation (with or without headgear):At the first note of music, face flag and stand at attention (if flag is not in view,face direction of music).

If outdoors, render hand salute; if indoors, stand at attention. Hold this po-sition until the last note of “To the Color" has been played. End salute on lastnote of music. (Editor’s Note: Excerpts from Army Regulation 600-25.)

Sokoloski

Air Force Staff Sgt. Samuel Bendet

An Iraqi child holds hands with Staff Sgt. Bryanjay Tashima during a dismounted patrol with Iraqi police atthe 2nd Street marketpalce in Kirkuk. Tashima is from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment.

AIKO BRUMManaging Editor

The Main Post Chapel at Schofield Bar-racks will get a new look in the new year.Having remained virtually untouched thelast 40 years, the chapel sanctuary is longoverdue many improvements.

A recent grant from the chief of chap-lains and a matching grant from U.S.Army Garrison, Hawaii, funds — all total-ing $1 million — will allow garrison lead-ers to move forward with renovations injust a couple weeks.

Primary among needed improvementsare new roofing, lighting, ceiling fans andcarpeting. As well, many sanctuary areasmust be overhauled:

• The baptistry, or baptismal area,and adjoining change rooms are to be re-paired.

•The narthex, or entrance passagewaywhich leads into the main sanctuary,or nave, will undergo repairs to cor-rect a deficient repair of the past.

•The chancel, the area housingthe altar, choir and chaplains duringservices, and the sacristy room,which holds the sacred elementsand vestments, or robes of chap-lains, is scheduled for renovation.

Other less visible repairs such aselectrical upgrades must be made,too. And the command chaplainhas already prayed that additionalmonies will allow the ultimate up-grade — air conditioning, no laterthan the end of fiscal year 2007.

“I’m hoping in the future we willalso have stained glass in the chapel,which you usually see in most Armychapels,” said Col. Hanson R. Boney,U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii, instal-lation chaplain. “Hopefully, theywill come after sealing of our win-dows for air conditioning.”

The chapel community has hadsome say in renovations.

“We are re-carpeting the floors ofthe sanctuary because the red clayhere has put them in bad shape.But I’m bringing in Catholic andProtestant parishioners to give theirinput on things like color scheme,flooring and more,” said Boney.

Many who attend the chapel areretirees or former military who havesettled in the community and ap-preciate inclusion in the decisions.

With construction underway thenext three to six months, the mainpost chapel will suspend worshipservices that normally take placein the sanctuary Dec. 31. Until theMain Post Chapel reopens, morethan likely sometime in late June orearly July 2007, all worship servic-es will move to the Wheeler ArmyAir Field (WAAF) chapel, located atBuilding 1470 on Wright Avenue,beginning Jan. 7, 2007.

The renovation does not, howev-er, impact the existing classrooms atthe main post chapel. Therefore,any religious education classes, childcare, or family deployment nightmeetings that take place in the an-nex will continue, said Boney.

All choir rehearsals or practices,however, will be scheduled at theWheeler chapel.

Further, the construction does notaffect activities at Building 791, thechapel annex on the second floor(Petersen Education Center), wherecommunity support programs likeAlcoholics Anonymous, religiousevents, or unit classroom instructionoften take place.

We’ve been putting this infor-mation in our bulletins and makingannouncements in services, saidBoney, but the command is con-cerned that occasional worshippersmay not get the message.

“Normally, about a thousandworshippers attend the three Sundayservices,” said Boney. “We can makearrangements for the displaced …and extra services may be planned,”if capacity exceeds seating limitsat Wheeler, he said, but signs will beposted directing worshippers to theWheeler chapel.

Many in the Catholic congrega-tion, which consistently sees largerattendance, may opt to celebrateMass on Saturdays, instead of Sun-days, at WAAF.

Additionally, in the event of warcasualties, memorial services willbe held at Wheeler. For larger units,the garrison command may arrangeservices at the post theater.

“Unfortunately, the chapel is very,very busy at this time of year anddirectly after Christmas,” said Boney.Domestic and financial issues createa great deal of stress that keepschaplains busy with counseling Sol-diers and families, he said.

Boney added that his eight garri-son chaplains — five at Schofield

and three at Fort Shafter — are also han-dling casualty notifications, funerals, me-morial services, routine after-hours duty as-signments, weddings and the like, which

keep chaplains busy.Garrison chaplainsfree the five chaplainswho belong to the2nd Brigade, 25th In-fantry Division, fromthese type assign-ments, so the brigadechaplains can prepareto deploy with theirunits, next year.

Still, no chaplain isever too busy to assist a Soldier or fam-ily member in need. Support can besought from unit chaplains, anytime, orby calling 655-9307/9355, for more in-formation.

A-4 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY NEWS

Post Chapel receivescritical renovations

Boney

put it on the dais, so at hearings everyonewill know this [war] is not about us or anyabstractions, but about real people,” hesaid.

Abercrombie will chair the Air andLand Subcommittee of the Armed ServicesCommittee in the 110th Congress.

A floor above Abercrombie in the samebuilding, U.S. Congressman Ed Case re-ceived his token of appreciation from the45th Sus. Bde. He thanked the Soldiers,expressed his appreciation for their serv-ice, and spoke candidly about his recentunsuccessful bid for re-election.

“This is democracy in action,” said asomewhat emotional Case. “The votershave spoken … that’s the beauty of our system. The offices don’t belong toanyone, they belong to the people,” hesaid.

Mazie Hirono will replace Case in the2nd Congressional District seat begin-ning Jan. 3, 2007. Case said he intendedto re-enter the private sector, possibly topractice law again.

Thus far, 45th Sus. Bde Soldiers havepresented flags and certificates to the25th Infantry Division Association andnumerous schools, including WheelerMiddle, Sunset Beach Elementary and

Kahuku High and Elementary schools. The unit will present the final two flags

and certificates to Governor Linda Lingleand the Koolaloa Neighborhood Boardsometime next year.

CONTINUED FROM A-1

Mahalos: Brigade honors U.S. congressmen

Capt. Theresa Watts, left, and 1st Sgt. Kenith Cooper, right, both from the 45th Sustainment Brigade rear detachment, present a flag and certificate to U.S. Congress-man Neil Abercrombie in his office at the federal building downtown, Tuesday.

Deployed troops can contribute upto $44,000 in thrift savings plan

SGT. SARA WOODAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON — More service members need totake advantage of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) be-cause it’s an attractive investment option with uniquebenefits for military members, the military officer incharge of the Armed Forces Tax Council said.

TSP, a retirement savings plan for service membersand civilian federal employees, right now draws par-ticipation from about half of the military, Army Maj.John Johnson, director of the Armed Forces TaxCouncil, said in an interview.

“Certainly we’d like to see that participation rate goup, because it’s a great benefit,” Johnson said. “It’s im-portant that everyone obviously should be saving fortheir retirement in the first place, and if you’re goingto be saving, the first place you want to put it is intax-deferred or tax-exempt retirement accounts.”

Money contributed to the account is deductedfrom the person’s gross taxable income before tax-es are deducted. TSP is also a tax-deferred family offunds and isn’t taxed until it’s withdrawn at retire-ment. This represents a significant savings over theyears, Johnson explained.

“If you weren’t in the TSP or another tax-deferredaccount, every year, the income in that fund wouldget taxed,” he said. “If you look over your whole 40-

year career, generally speaking, you’re going to pickup a couple hundred thousand dollars by contribut-ing to a tax-deferred account as opposed to a taxedaccount.”

As of this year, military members are unlimited inthe amount they can contribute to TSP, Johnsonsaid. When the program was first made available toservice members in 2000, they could only contributeup to five percent of their income. Now the only lim-it is the Internal Revenue Service’s $15,000 per-yearlimit on contributions to tax-deferred accounts, hesaid.

He noted that most military members won’t comeclose to that limit if they contribute 5 or 10 percentof their income to TSP. However, deployed troopshave different limits in TSP. Because their income istax-exempt and the IRS has a separate limit for thatcategory, they can contribute up to $44,000 per year,he said.

As another benefit to service members, the Armyis testing a program where the service matches Sol-diers’ contributions to TSP, Johnson said. This pro-gram only applies to new enlistees who fill criticalspecialties. The Army will match five percent of thepay the Soldier contributes to TSP; the first three per-cent will be matched dollar for dollar, and the nexttwo percent matched 50 cents on the dollar, he said.

Even for troops who have been in a while andwon’t get their contributions matched, TSP is a goodidea, Johnson said. A major benefit of the programis that the expenses on the accounts are very low —

about one-tenth of the average private mutual fund.The money that in the private sector would be usedto manage the fund, buy stocks and pays other feesthat go straight to the service member’s bottom linein TSP, he said.

“You’ll have a hard time beating TSP,” he said.TSP is not like a savings account, Johnson em-

phasized, and the money contributed to it should bemoney people aren’t going to need soon. However,TSP does have a loan program for situations such asa first home purchase, where participants can borrowmoney from their own account and then pay it back

at a market-interest rate.After leaving the military, service members cannot

continue contributing to TSP unless they take a fed-eral job, Johnson said. They can leave their money inTSP, though, and continue to draw returns on it.The money in TSP can also be rolled over to anoth-er IRA account, he said.

TSP is a great benefit that is overlooked by a lot ofmilitary members, Johnson said. Those who cancontribute should, and those who can’t contributeshould seriously evaluate their financial situationand look at how they are preparing for the future, hesaid.

“Service members can sign up for TSP online atwww.tsp.gov,” Johnson said. “This Web site offers allthe tools troops need to get started in the program andmanage their accounts.”

ARMY NEWS SERVICENews Release

WASHINGTON — Service members and their familiestend to have a few more rules to master than the aver-age American when it comes to tax time: Which al-lowances are taxable? Are they qualified for a combat-zone tax exemption, and if so, for how much of their in-come? What about a re-enlistment bonus earned whiledeployed but not paid until redeployment; is it taxable?

This tax season, another question will likely be highon a Soldier’s list: What is the HERO Act, and how canit work for me?

The answer, according to the Internal Revenue Service,is that members of the military serving in Iraq,Afghanistan and other combat zones can now put mon-ey into an individual retirement account, even if they re-ceived tax-free combat pay.

Under the Heroes Earned Retirement OpportunitiesAct, signed into law on Memorial Day, service memberscan now count tax-free combat pay when determiningwhether they qualify to contribute to either a Roth or tra-ditional IRA. Before this change, military members whoseearnings came entirely from tax-free combat pay weregenerally barred from using IRAs to save for retirement.

“The HERO Act is one more way to let our fightingforces in combat areas knows that we support them,” saidIRS commissioner Mark W. Everson. “This is a goodway for people serving in combat zones to save more oftheir earnings for retirement.”

Additionally, the HERO Act allows service memberswho received tax-free combat pay in either 2004 or2005 to go back and make IRA contributions for thoseyears. Those eligible have until May 28, 2009, to makethese retroactive contributions.

(Information obtained from U.S. Army, Europe Pub-lic Affairs and Internal Revenue Service press releases.)

WASHINGTON — Several improvementshave been made to the Defense Financeand Accounting Service’s (DFAS) onlinesystem for military members and civilianDepartment of Defense employees known as“myPay.”

A new feature has been added for militaryservice members on the Savings DepositProgram. The SDP allows service membersserving in designated combat zones an op-portunity to deposit a specific amount ofmoney into a high-interest-rate account.

“Previously, only deposits could be made,”said Pat Shine, a DFAS official. “Servicemembers can now request withdrawals fromthe account through myPay, and we’veadded a link to the withdrawal form fromthe SDP statement.”

Another improvement provides militaryservice members access to a printer-friend-ly option. While all myPay customers canprint their own leave and earnings state-ments and W2s from the Web, the printer-friendly option allows for higher qualityprint copies of all documents.

Shine explained that myPay wants tokeep customers up-to-date on new infor-mation and notifications related to theirpay.

“We need current e-mail addresses tosend pertinent information to our customers.A new myPay feature asks customers toenter their current e-mail address. Once onfile, the system annually certifies the addressto make sure it’s current.”

Shine added that maintaining the safetyand security of myPay is a top priority.

“We proactively implement new securityfeatures on a routine basis to protect ourcustomers against identity theft and scams,”he explained. “The secure technology pro-vided to myPay customers meets or ex-ceeds security requirements in private in-dustry worldwide.”

Get more details about TSP atwww.tsp.gov.

Military hopes more Soldiers take advantage of their thrift savings plan

HERO Act expandsIRA eligibility fordeployed troops

Defense Finance adds new features to ‘myPay’A-6 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY SOLDIERS

The Defense Finance and Ac-counting Service says servicemembers, military retirees andannuitants, and federal civilianemployees paid by DFAS canexpect to receive their 2006 taxstatements beginning this month.

DFAS customers with access tothe secure, Web-based “myPay”system can retrieve their taxstatements electronically up totwo weeks sooner than those re-lying on regular mail delivery,and the system includes layers ofdefense against identity theft.

“Tax statements are availableonline, allowing customers toview and print W2s and 1099Rs.Whether anyone needs the state-ments to complete taxes or justwant an extra copy for theirrecords, the tax statements canbe accessed and printed at anytime,” Patrick Shine, DFAS op-erations director, said. “The print-able statements are approved bythe Internal Revenue Service.”

A personal identification num-ber, or PIN, is required to usethe myPay system, and eligibleusers can apply for one at themyPay Web site, www.mypay.dfas.mil.

Users with military e-mail ad-

dresses, that is, ad-dresses in the .mil do-main or a preregis-tered personal e-mailaddress can receivetheir new PIN via e-mail. All others willreceive their newPIN via mail inabout 10 workingdays from the dateof request, DFAS of-ficials said.

Customers who al-ready had ob-tained a PIN buthave forgotten itcan apply for anew one at themyPay site.

Schedule for tax statements

Here are projected distribution dates for tax statements: myPay mail

Statement availability availability

Retiree Annual Statement Dec. 9 Dec. 16–31Retiree 1099R Dec. 15 Dec. 16–31Annuitant Account Statement Dec. 18 Dec. 19–31 Annuitant 1099R Dec. 18 Dec. 19–31VSI/SSB W-2 N/A Jan. 4–5Active Air Force, Army, Navy W-2 Jan. 22 Jan. 23–29Reserve Air Force, Army, Navy W-2 Jan. 2 Jan. 5–8Active & Reserve Marine Corps W-2 Jan. 5 Jan. 9–10 Civilian employee W-2 Jan. 9 Jan. 11–18Savings Deposit Program 1099INT Jan. 19 Jan. 19–20Vendor Pay 1099 N/A Jan. 27–31

A-8 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY HEALTH

MICHELLE HARRIS Tricare Management Activity

Every year more than 20 percent ofAmericans get sick with the flu, alsoknown as influenza. The flu is a conta-gious respiratory virus that can causemild to severe illness and, at times, maylead to death.

The flu usually enters the body throughmucous membranes in the mouth, nose oreyes. When a person with the flu coughsor sneezes, the virus becomes airborneand anyone nearby may inhale it. Tricarerecommends you get an annual flu vac-cination to prevent or lessen the severityof the flu.

Tricare offers the following two types ofvaccines:

• The flu shot – an inactivated vaccinecontaining a killed virus and givenwith a needle. This form of the vac-cine may be used in all age groups.

• The nasal-spray flu vaccine (flu mist)– a vaccine made with live, weak-ened flu viruses that do not causethe flu. This form of the vaccinationis limited only to healthy people whoare not pregnant aged five to 49 years.

Who should get vaccinated?

Certain people should get vaccinated

each year because they are at high risk ofserious flu-related complications or be-cause they live with or care for high-riskpersons.

According to the Center for DiseaseControl, the following people should bevaccinated each year:

• All children aged six to 59 months. • Adults aged 50 years and older. • Persons aged two to 64 years with

underlying chronic medical condi-tions.

• All women who are be pregnant dur-ing the influenza season.

• Children aged six months to 18 yearson chronic aspirin therapy.

• Health care workers involved in directpatient care.

• Out-of-home caregivers and house-hold contacts of children less than59 month of age and persons at highrisk for severe complications from in-fluenza .

Side effects of the flu vaccine

As with other vaccines, you should beaware of possible side effects. The mostcommon side effect in children and adultsis soreness at the vaccination site. Other flushot side effects include fever, tirednessand sore muscles.

These side effects may begin six to 12

hours after vaccination and may last forup to two days.

You should know that the flu vaccinemay contain some egg protein, which cancause an allergic reaction. If you or afamily member is allergic to eggs or haveever had a serious allergic reaction to theflu vaccine, consult with your health careprovider before getting vaccinated.

Flu symptoms can be mild or severe,and may include any of the following:

• fever (usually high) • headache • chills• extreme tiredness • dry cough • sore throat • runny or stuffy nose • muscle aches • gastro-intestinal symptoms, such as

nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (morecommon among children than adults)

Some flu complications include bacte-rial pneumonia, dehydration and wors-ening of chronic medical conditions, suchas congestive heart failure, asthma or di-abetes. Children may get sinus problemsand ear infections.

You don’t need to experience all ofthese symptoms to have the flu. If youhave one or two, Tricare recommends yousee your doctor.

Preventing the flu

Some things everyone can do to helpprevent the spread of the flu:

• Avoid close contact with sick peo-ple. When you are sick, keep your distancefrom others.

• If possible, stay home from work,school and other publics places.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tis-sue when coughing or sneezing.

• Wash your hands. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or

mouth. Germs are often spread when aperson touches something that is con-taminated with germs and then touches hisor her eyes, nose or mouth.

Research shows that these practices helpprevent the spread of airborne diseasessuch as colds and flu.

Treating the flu

If you think you have the cold or flu,contact your doctor. Your doctor maychoose to use certain antiviral drugs totreat the flu. However colds and flu are

best treated by resting, drinking plenty liq-uids, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, andtaking medication to relieve the flu symp-toms.

Never give aspirin to children orteenagers who have flu-like symptoms –and particularly fever – without firstspeaking to your doctor.

Obtaining the vaccination

If you’re in a high-risk category and areTricare-eligible, you may get a flu shot ata military treatment facility.

Tricare covers flu shots based on theCenters for Disease Control current fluseason guidelines. Tricare only covers flushots if it’s administered in a doctor’s of-fice during a visit for acute or chronicconditions or other Tricare -covered pre-ventive care services.

Tricare Standard, Extra or Prime will notcover flu shots administered in a civilianpharmacy or drug store. If you are a Tri-care for Life enrollee, Medicare will cov-er your flu vaccinations and Tricare wouldpay as second payer as needed.

Contact your nearest military treatmentfacility for availability of the flu vac-cine. To learn more about the flu andsteps you can take to stay influenza-free,visit the Centers for Disease Control Website at www.cdc.gov/flu.

Do you know what you should know about the flu?

NewsBriefs

Send calendar announcements to community@

hawaiiarmyweekly.com.

18 / MondayFuel Pumps Close — Unleaded

gas at the Schofield Fueling Facil-ity (the military service station) atBuilding 2085 is out-of-service formaintenance. The expected in-service date is next month.

Alternate refueling sites forgasoline are Hickam, Fort Shafter,Pearl Harbor and Marine CorpsBase Kaneohe Bay. Call 624-4495or 349-7790 for more informa-tion.

Slick Sleeve Money Management — First-term Soldiers are invited to a financialmanagement class Dec. 18, from 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. to learn about avoiding debt pitfalls.

Class attendees will learn basicfinancial skills, enhance personalreliance and responsibility, improve money managementskills, and enhance personal financial literacy.

This class is a mandatory instructional program.

A certificate of attendance will be presented to each participant who completes theclass, to be held at Army Community Service (ACS), Building 2091, on Schofield Barracks.

To register, call 655-1714 or e-mail Georgian-na.McAnany@schofield.army.mil.

19 / TuesdayEthics Training — Face-to-face

ethics training will be conductedper the following schedule:

• Post Conference Room,Schofield Barracks Dec. 19,from 9-11 a.m.;

• 9th RCC Assembly Hall onFort Shafter Dec. 20, from8:30-10:30 a.m., and

• Sgt. Smith Theater, SchofieldBarracks Dec. 21, 9-11 a.m.

Topics will include conflicting financial interests, fraudulent use of government resources, seek-ing employment outside the government, and such.

20 / WednesdayHoliday Reception —

Soldiers, family members and civil-ian personnel are invited to theReligious Support Holiday Reception.

The reception will be held at the Nehelani on Schofield Barracksat 10 a.m. Call 655-4908.

21 / Thursday Vein Drain — The community is

invited to come help save a lifeby donating blood.

The blood drive will be heldDec. 21 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at theKaala Recreational Center, Building556, Schofield Barracks.

Donated blood will help replen-ish the diminishing inventory usedto support deployed Soldiers.

Call 433-6699 or 722-4704.

OngoingRecovered Property —

The Provost Marshal’s office has recovered several lost or stolenbicycles. Owners cannot be identi-

fied because these bicycles werenot previously registered with thepost or any other agency.

Other recovered items includecellular phones, keys, jewelry,sporting goods and more.

To make arrangements to identify bicycles or any other items that may have been recov-ered, call 655-8255.

Special Forces — U.S. ArmySpecial Forces is now seeking maleofficers from year group 2004.

Officer packets will be accepteduntil Feb. 15, 2007, but early sub-mission is strongly encouraged. Formore information, visitwww.bragg.army.mil/specialforces.

Financial Health — Want tofind the road to healthy finances?Contact Army Community Service,Building 2091, Schofield Barracks.

Classes include checkbook main-tenance, money management,credit management, the Thrift Sav-ings Plan, car buying, mutual fundinvesting, college funding, andArmy Emergency Relief (AER)command referral training.

Instructors can also assistwith zero percent interest, AERloans.

To attend a class or schedule aone-on-one appointment with afinancial counselor, call 655-4ACS(4227). All services are free andhelp is only a phone call away.

Army Reserve Opportunities— Are you an active, Guard,or Reserve Soldier who wantsto continue your Army careerbut job/school/schedule conflictskeep you from attending weekenddrill? Call Sgt. Maj. James Ka-halehoe at 228-3323.

DAVID N. TORNBERG, MD, MPHDeputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for

Clinical and Program Policy

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day,many of us shift into overdrive to meet theincreased demands of the holiday season.When juggling work, shopping, buying andwrapping gifts, baking and social obligations,you may find yourself short on time and en-ergy.

Quick tips to reduce holiday stress

As you cross each holiday task off yourlist, be sure take a moment for yourself.Here are a few other ways to keep holidaystress at bay:

• Stay positive. • Set realistic goals.• Make a budget, and stick to it.• Don’t worry about things out of your

control. • Exercise. • Eat right by decreasing the fat and sug-

ar you eat.

• Try to sleep for eight hours each night. Most people experience stress during the

holiday season, but for some the holidaysbring a host of other emotions.

The holiday blues

If the holidays overwhelm you, you’renot alone. While holidays are often a time ofjoy for many people, they may bring a hostof other emotions for others — especially mil-itary families in this time of increased opstempo and long deployments.

The stress and strain on military service isreal, and sometimes emotions may be hardto pin down. If you can’t seem to shake theholiday blues, don’t worry; help is avail-able.

Put the pieces together

There is no question military life is chal-lenging, particularly during the holidays.To help you privately evaluate your emo-tional well-being, the Department of De-fense offers the Military Health Assessmentat https://www.militarymentalhealth.org/.

It’s a free, anonymous self-assessment todetermine if you have symptoms consistentwith a condition or concern that may ben-efit from further evaluation or treatment.

The self-assessment also tells you where togo for help. It may not solve your problems,but it’s a good place to start and a way foryou to connect when you feel disconnected.

For those who need help overcoming al-cohol and/or drug abuse, Tricare coversdetoxification, rehabilitation and outpatientcare provided in an authorized substanceabuse rehabilitation facility. Ask your pri-mary care manager about available treatmentoptions.

Military OneSource helps activeduty and their families

You may always visit a local family sup-port center for help, but you should knowMilitary OneSource is another valuable re-source. Military OneSource is a 24-hour,seven-day-a-week, toll-free information andreferral service for active duty Soldiers, ac-tivated guardsmen and reservists, deployed

civilians and their families. It provides information from everyday

concerns to deployment and reintegration is-sues. For more information, contact MilitaryOneSource:

• Web site: www.militaryone-source.com (enter User ID: Mil-itary; Password: OneSource)

• Phone: Stateside (toll free), 800-342-9647; overseas (tollfree), U.S. accesscode + 800-3429-6477; andoverseas (col-lect), U.S. ac-cess code +484-530-5908

With a littleplanning and goalsetting, you can preventholiday stress from getting thebest of you. However, if you find your-self sad, anxious or just overwhelmed, knowhelp is available. Remember, getting help isa sign of courage, not weakness.

Soldiers on PCS orders andretirees can avoid charges,interruption of coverage

TRICARE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITYNews Release

Tricare Prime benefits don’t changewhen you move or travel. The benefit isportable, meaning it is the same no mat-ter where you go or where you live.

Traveling with Tricare Prime

While traveling home for the holidayscan be stressful, you’re covered with Tri-care. You may travel worldwide without abreak in Tricare coverage.

For nonemergency care, Tricare Primeenrollees need the proper authorizationto get care from their primary care man-ager or regional contractor, so you shouldkeep these phone numbers with themwhen traveling.

If you have an emergency when traveling, you should go to the nearesthospital emergency room, and report

the treatment to your primary care manager within 24 hours.

Moving to a new Tricare region

When you move to a new Tricare regionwhere Prime is available, you do not haveto change your Tricare Prime cover-age. However, you must transfer your en-rollment to the new regional contractorand select a new primary care manager toavoid expensive point-of-service chargesand interruption of coverage.

To make sure you have Tricare Primecoverage while moving to your new re-gion, it is best to wait to transfer your en-rollment until after you arrive. You shouldchange your primary care manager assoon as possible after you move, by fillingout a form at the nearest Tricare servicecenter. You will then get a new enrollmentcard and local health care information.

When you move, you must update your

address in the Defense Eligibility Enroll-ment Reporting System (DEERS) as soonas possible. You may update DEERS on-line at www.dmdc.osd.mil/ rsl/owa/home,by visiting the nearest uniformed servic-es ID card facility or by calling the DefenseManpower Data Center Support Office at1-800-938-8552.

Retirees

If you are a retiree, you and youreligible family members may transferyour Tricare Prime enrollment from oneregion to another without paying addi-tional fees. Since Tricare Prime enroll-ment fees are nonrefundable, retired en-rollees and their families should makequarterly payments or monthly allotmentsif they anticipate a move to an area with-out Tricare Prime.

Retirees and their family members en-rolled in Prime may move within the sameTricare region an unlimited number oftimes, but they may only move from oneregion to another twice a year, as long asthe second move is back to the original en-rollment region.

For more information aboutthe Tricare Prime benefit, visit

www.tricare.osd.mil/.

Tricare benefits travel with beneficiaries

Stress of holidays tests anyone’s coping skillsHAWAII ARMY WEEKLY DECEMBER 15, 2006 | A-9HEALTH

Staff Sgt. Mhoon of 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, prepares a MARKseven for the training on "calls for fire." Crouching down (from left to right) areSgt. Juan Sanson and 1st Lt. Joshua Hafer.

‘Fire in the hole!’Sgt. 1st Class Russell Stacy | 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment

CHRISTA B. THOMASPau Hana Editor

The criminal investigative division ofHonolulu Police Department (HPD) is awashwith identity theft complaints. Many ofthem stem from property crimes.

Since identity theft laws were enacted inHawaii, reports have increased from 484 in2002, to more than 700 in 2005.

“Property crimes, like home burglary and car break-ins, go hand-in-hand with identity theft,” said HPD DetectiveMiles Jung. “Most of us keep a lot of personal information in our cars — creditcard receipts, bills, the invoice from thepurchase of the car, planners, school in-formation — without realizing the risk is the same as if a crook broke into yourhouse.”

It is simple to hamper identity theft, butit requires attention and diligence.

“Shred unnecessary documents. If youhave too many papers to shred, then burnthem. That’s what I do,” Jung said. “Thereare so many criminals who specialize indigging through residential trash.

“Mail theft has always been a big prob-lem. We advise that you not use your homemailbox for outgoing mail,” Jung cau-tioned the attendees of the monthly SpouseInformation Meeting. “It is a good idea toinvest in a locking mail box to protectyour incoming mail.”

Jung has a plethora of simple tips tohelp consumers avoid identity theft, in-cluding the following:

Monitor bank statements. Go over themclosely every month to check for unusualdeductions or other transactions.

Secure all personal information. Con-sider investing in a locking file cabinet ora safe deposit box.

Visit www.annualcreditreport.com to pulla free credit report from each of the threemajor bureaus at least once each year.

Do not give out personal informationwithout knowing who you are talking toand why they need to know.

“I’m a plain-clothed detective, and I can-not recall ever being asked for a badge orany type of identification,” Jung said. “Peo-ple are too willing to give me all kinds ofinformation on themselves, family membersor neighbors.”

Keep track of credit card purchases. Makesure statements arrive as scheduled orarrange with the company to stop paperstatements from being mailed.

Reduce the number of credit cards youcarry.

“Do you really need to carry ten cardswith an average of $5,000 in availablecredit?” Jung questioned.

Have a cellular phone listed with thecredit card companies. Most companiesthat monitor accounts for unusual chargesor erratic patterns will need to contact youimmediately.

Make note of customer care numbers of

all your credit cards and banks. Log theminto your cell phone, so in the event oftheft, you don’t have to try to rememberwhat card you were carrying and how tocontact them immediately.

Always carry your purse. There are nu-merous complaints of purses being stolenfrom shopping carts.

Avoid leaving packages and other valu-ables anywhere in your car.

Be cautious when shopping in the world’slargest marketplace – the Internet. Shopwith familiar companies who use securesites. Don’t store credit card or pin numberson the computer.

which included a con artist pho-tographer preying on military pa-trons in Waikiki, stolen licenseplates, signatures on credit cards,and such.

Detectives with HPD’s criminalinvestigative division conduct sim-ilar free presentations to groupsas small as 10 people. Jung en-couraged the SIMS attendees toschedule briefings for their familyreadiness groups.

The SIMS meetings are heldmonthly for command-levelspouses and representatives fromvarious organizations to gatherand discuss topics that affect Armyfamilies in Hawaii.

CONTINUED FROM A-1

Identity: IDtheft createstrouble thatcan last years

Honolulu Police DepartmentDetective Miles Jung

The Hawaii Department ofCommerce and CommunityAffairs recommends takingthe following steps if you sus-pect your identity has beenstolen:

1. Contact the fraud departments ofany one of the three major credit bu-reaus to place a fraud alert on yourcredit file. The fraud alert requestscreditors to contact you before open-ing any new accounts or making anychanges to your existing accounts. • Once a credit bureau confirms yourfraud alert, they are re-quired to no-tify the other two credit bureaus toplace fraud alerts. Once the alert isplaced, a free copy of your credit report will be sent from all three major credit bureaus.

• Equifax —To report fraud, call 800-525-6285. To order a credit report,call 800-685-1111 or visitwww.equifax.com.• Experian — To report fraud, call888-397-3742. To order a credit re-port, call 888-EXPERIAN or visitwww.experian.com.• TransUnion — To report fraud, call800-680-7289. To order a credit re-port, call 800-916-8800 or visitwww.tuc.com.

2. Close the accounts that you knowor believe have been compromised oropened fraudulently. Use the ID theftaffidavit, found atwww.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/ cred-it/affidavit.pdf, when disputingunauthorized accounts.

3. Report the crime immediately to

police. Record the police report num-ber for future reference. Get a verifi-cation letter from the Records Divi-sion of the police department to giveto creditors when disputing fraudu-lent charges.

4. File your complaint with the Fed-eral Trade Commission (FTC). TheFTC maintains a database of identitytheft. Filing a complaint also helpsthe FTC learn more about identitytheft and the problems victims arehaving. Visitwww.consumer.gov/idtheft, or call877-IDTHEFT (438-4338).

For more information on recoveringfrom identity theft or to get informa-tion on specific problems, visitwww.hawaii.gov/dcca/quicklinks/id_theft_info.

Three children refine their Spiderman skills onthe rock-climbing wall during the 13th annualChristmas party for employees and guests atthe Inn at Schofield Barracks, Wednesday.

The free fair, which is held the secondWednesday in December each year, includeda bounce house, two-story inflatable “tsuna-mi” slide, carnival style swing ride, a minaturetrain and heaping portions of snacks, cookiesand drinks.

More than 60 children of all ages attended theevent.

Hangin’ around

Jeremy S. Buddemeier | U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii Public Affairs

Consumers can outwit con artists with cautionA-10 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY HEALTH

Solar Sounds (top row), Sundance (middle row) and Sunbeams of Sunshine Generation assemble for their finale performance at Mililani Town Center, Saturday.

Story and Photos by

AIKO BRUMManaging Editor

WHEELER ARMY AIR FIELD — For 11-year-oldVirginia Kennedy, the best place to be on a Tues-day afternoon is Sunshine Generation where shecan sing and dance until her heart’s content.

Boasting two chapters on Oahu, Sunshine Gen-eration, Inc., is an international children’s per-forming group that equips youth from preschoolto teenage years with “performance techniquesand skills for success,” according to its founders.

During weekly classes, kidslearn songs, dances and vocaltechniques, within a well-rounded curriculum thatboosts confidence, said An-gela Harris, area director forHawaii’s Sunshine Generation.

“I start with a vocal warm-up and body movements, so Iready the kids to dance andsing. Then we work on musictheory,” said Harris, who has

degrees in elementary educa-tion and theater, as well as years of experience di-recting.

“We add hand movements and sing while sittingon the floor; then we add their feet last,” she ex-plained, adding that her curriculum is appropriateto the age, interest and ability levels of her partici-pants.

“I definitely see their confidence grow. They cer-tainly become better singers and dancers, andthey’re able to go out and show their stuff withconfidence,” Harris said, with pride.

For Virginia Kennedy, Sunshine Generation is“very fun and exciting.”

“You can sing and dance at the same time. Andit helps if you’re afraid of being on stage,” shesaid.

The Wheeler Elementary School student anddaughter of Chaplain (Maj.) Scott Kennedy mostrecently performed a holiday routine with the“Solar Sounds,” 9 to 11-year-old performers,

which took some weeks to learn.“It wasn’t too hard to learn; it wasn’t too com-

plicated,” Virginia said. About performing, she added, “I’m not really

nervous too much, but before I get there, I am … alittle. But when I get there, I’m not,” she explained,considering her thoughts in a reflective manner.

“Just the adrenaline,” Virginia said, eventuallycalms her nerves, and then she becomes excited.

Likewise Breannah Brock, 9, another Wheeler

Elementary student, is hooked on the fun factor ofperforming.

“You get experience dancing and you make alot of friends, and most of all you have fun,” saidBreannah who divides her time between SunshineGeneration and cheerleading.

“It helps me with my enthusiasm and helps meget better [in cheerleading] because in cheerlead-ing you have a lot of arm movements.”

For mom Jennifer Brock, “the program is fan-tastic,” too.

“It’s been so good for my daughter. She hadbeen so shy, but now she gets on stage and likesbeing in front of the crowd. It’s noncompetitive,”Jennifer stressed, which is important to her. “It’s

no auditions required, so she participates regard-less [of her abilities] … which makes it nonthreat-ening.”

An alternative to the competitive environmentof most sports and other after-school activities,Sunshine Generation eliminates auditions to rid of“negative pressures that younger children oftenexperience during tryouts,” according to the orga-nization’s Web site. The philosophy is a perfectmatch for Harris’s background in teaching andtheater.

“I just love helping children find their talent. Ilove that every child has something worthwhile tocontribute, and Sunshine Generation is an outletfor them to shine,” Harris said.

Locally, performance training in singing, danc-ing, showmanship, vocal training and music theo-ry, and confidence-building skills are offered atthe Wheeler Armed Services YMCA for youth inthe Mililani-Wahiawa area. The Catlin CommunityCenter in Honolulu serves children in the FortShafter/Aliamanu Military Reservation area. Theprograms, however, are open to all children from 3to 16, not just military kids.

Parents and children who are interested in thisafter-school activity can catch Sunshine Genera-tion’s next and last performance of 2006 at Pearl-ridge Shopping Center, Uptown, tomorrow (Satur-day, Dec. 16) at 1 p.m.

The 2007 season begins Jan. 9 at Wheeler andJan. 24 in Honolulu.

COMPILED BY CHRISTA B. THOMASPau Hana Editor

There might not be a better placeto celebrate the holidays this seasonthan here in Hawaii.

There will be plenty to do and see,but there’s only two weeks left tosee it all.

Peruse this schedule of the sightsand sounds of the city to map outyour holiday fun.

Ongoing

The Christmas Gift of Aloha —This holiday musical will be based on

a children’s book that explores themeaning of Christmas and the spiritof aloha. This free show will be performed on the center stage in the Ala Moana Center, at 6 p.m.daily except Mondays. Following the show, a Santa parade will travelthe mall, starting at 7 p.m.

Honolulu City Lights — Thissparkling holiday celebration is beingheld at Honolulu Hale through Jan. 1. The glitz is stretched fromHonolulu Hale on King Street to Alapai, from Beretania Street andalong Bishop Street. The array ofoutdoor displays can be enjoyed via

car, trolley or a walk-through.Kapolei Hale City Lights —

Oahu’s “second city” glitters withholiday tidings, too. Decorations andexhibits will be displayed throughJan. 4.

Honolulu Hale Holiday WreathExhibit — Decorative wreaths will beon display in the Lane Gallery ofHonolulu Hale through Jan. 1.

The Christmas wreaths were creat-ed by Oahu residents who entered theHoliday Wreath Contest in one ofthree categories: adult, youth andthemed.

This year’s theme is “Plantation

Holiday,” in remembrance of theplantation communities in Hawaii.

The Candy Cane Train — Thistrain will chug through Ala MoanaCenter every day beginning at 10a.m. through Jan. 1. The station is atthe mall level center court. Ticketsare $6 for each passenger.

The Pearlridge Express —Children will love this scale-model,fully functioning train, that will takethem on a journey through Toyland,beginning at 10 a.m. daily throughJan. 1 at Pearlridge Mall’s Uptown

When work is finished. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2006

Abundant holiday to do’s offer something for everyone

SEE HOLIDAY TO DO’S, B-2

Children ages 3 to 5 years old comprise the Sunbeams, left, while Sundance performers, right, range from6 to 8. Both groups meet at the Armed Services YMCA at Wheeler Army Air Field.

Harris

Sunshine Generation

Tuesdays, Armed Services YMCA, Building 782,Santos Dumont Ave., Wheeler Army Air Field.

Wednesdays, Catlin Community Center, 3104Nimitz Road, Honolulu (Just off of CampCatlin Drive, directly across from the airport).

Ages 3-5, “Sunbeams,” 4-5 p.m.Ages 6-8, “Sundance,” 3-4 p.m.Ages 9-14, “Solar Sounds,” 5-6 p.m.Ages 12-16, “Sound Station,” to be announced

Cost $35 per child, per month.Cost $30, for second child; $25 for third child.Call 422-6019 for more information.

www.geocities.com/sunshine.generation

Sunshine Generation celebrates yuletide

B-2 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY COMMUNITY

All regularly scheduled Saturday and Sunday worshipservices will be held in additionto the following holiday obser-vances:

Aliamanu (AMR) ChapelDec. 17 – Meet Me at theManger Musical performance,4 p.m. and 6 p.m.Dec. 24 – Community Christ-mas Eve service, 7 p.m.Dec. 25 – Catholic ChristmasMass 8:30 a.m.Dec. 31 – Gospel WatchnightService, 10 p.m.

Fort DeRussy Chapel 836-4599Dec. 24 – Protestant Candle-light Service, 5 p.m.- Catholic Christmas Eve Mass,7:30 p.m.

Main Post Chapel 655-9307Dec. 24 – Protestant Candle-light Service, 7 p.m.- Catholic Christmas VigilMass, 10 p.m.Dec. 25 – Catholic ChristmasMass, 10:30 a.m.

Soldiers ChapelDec. 24 – Liturgical Candle-light Service, 7 p.m.

Tripler AMC Chapel433-5727Dec. 24 – Catholic ChristmasEve Mass 5 p.m.Dec. 25 – Catholic ChristmasMass, 11 a.m.Jan. 1 – Catholic New Year’sMass, 11 a.m.

Wheeler Chapel – Dec. 24 – Protestant Candle-light Service, 7 p.m.

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

(G)Friday, 7 p.m.

Saturday, 2 p.m.

Saw III(R)

Saturday, 7 p.m.Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Flags of Our Father(R)

Sunday, 7 p.m.

15 / TodayChristmas Coloring Contest — Youth,

through age 10 are invited to showcasetheir artistic talent in the Christmas color-ing contest. Illustrate favorite things aboutthe holiday season and be eligible to win a$10 Morale, Welfare and Recreation giftcertificate.

Submit drawings to the Leisure Activitiesoffice, Building 556, by Dec. 15. Drawingswill be displayed at the Schofield BowlingCenter and Tropics through Dec. 23. Call655-0111 or 655-0112.

Teen Social — Teens are invited to comehave fun with friends at the Schofield Bar-racks Teen Center Social. The fun will lastfrom 7–9:30 p.m.

Cost is $3 for members and $4 for non-members. Call 655-0445.

16 / Saturday Yu-Gi-Oh — Get ready to duel at the

Tropics. Registration for the Yu-Gi-Oh tour-nament starts at noon, and matches willstart at 1 p.m. Cost is $6 and includes a packof the latest Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

Prizes will be awarded, and all ages arewelcome. Call 655-8522.

Parents Night Out — Leave your kidswith Child and Youth Services (CYS) at Pe-terson Center, Schofield Barracks, on ParentsNight Out, and then enjoy a nice night outon the town.

Children enrolled in Parents Night Outmust be registered with CYS no later thannoon, Dec. 15. Reservations are first-come,first-served. Call 655-8313.

20 / WednesdayArmy Soldier Show — Performer and

technician nominations will be acceptedfor the Army Soldier Show through 4 p.m.,Dec. 20. For more information on partici-pating or show details, call 655-0112 or655-0111.

21 / Thursday Ante Up! — Put on your best poker

face and participate in a free Texas Hold’emtournament at the Tropics, Schofield Barracks, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. All ID card holders are welcome to play, but shouldget there early because room is only

available for 120 people to play. Call 655-5697.

24 / Sunday Single Soldier Christmas Party — All Sin-

gle Soldiers are invited to enjoy a free turkeydinner with all the trimmings at the Trop-ics, Dec. 24, 4–9 p.m.

Also, enjoy great food, door prizes, a vol-leyball serve contest, an indoor surf contest,and a Texas Hold’em poker tournament.Live music will be provided by Taylor MadeJazz. Call 655-5697 or 655-0968.

25 / MondayHoliday Dinner with Santa — Spend

the holidays with your Army family at theNehelani and Hale Ikena. Come for a specialholiday dinner, Dec. 25, and enjoy a turkeydinner with all the trimmings.

Cost is $25 for adults, $15 for Blue StarCard Holders and $10 for children, who canalso enjoy a visit and a surprise from San-ta. For reservations, seating times, and ad-

ditional information, call 655-4466 (Nehe-lani) or 438-1974 (Hale Ikena).

Ongoing SKIES Payment Plan — Schools of

Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration andSkills (SKIES) Unlimited is offering a newpayment program for families enrollingtheir children in the SKIES classes. Familiescan now enroll their children for a full se-mester and pay month by month. Call 655-8380 or 833-5393.

Paperback Book Kits — The Sgt. YanoLibrary, Schofield Barracks, will issue pa-perback book kits to deploying units. Call655-9143.

Family Child Care — FCC provides in-home child care by an adult family memberliving in government quarters or housing,complete with flexible hours and a com-

fortable family-like setting. In Hawaii, certified FCC homes are avail-

able on Schofield Barracks, Wheeler ArmyAir Field, Helemano Military Reservation,Aliamanu Military Reservation (AMR) andFort Shafter.

For information on placement availabil-ity or details on becoming a provider, call655-8373 (Schofield Barracks) or 837-0236(Aliamanu Military Reservation).

SKIES Unlimited — Your one-stop pro-gram for child and youth instructional class-es is SKIES Unlimited. Current offerings in-clude music, martial arts, gymnastics anddriver education classes, as well as babysit-ting certification, which include CPR andfirst aid courses.

Hula, “Introduction to Dance” for 3- to 9-year-olds (tap, ballet, movement and tum-bling) and street dancing are also avail-able. Plus, coming soon are modeling andtiny tot opportunities to round out offerings.Call 655-9818.

Auto Crafts Car Care — The FortShafter and Schofield Barracks Auto CraftShops offer oil change, tire repair patch,tire demount/mount, tire rotations, trans-mission service and wheel balance servicesby appointment only on Wednesdays andThursdays

The staff will provide services while thecustomer supplies the parts and fluids (oils)for the vehicle. Prices vary by service need-ed.

Call 655-9368 (Schofield Barracks) or438-9402 (Ft. Shafter).

Youth Sponsorship — If you are new toHawaii and between the ages of 5 and 18,Child and Youth Services has a welcome giftfor you, and a youth sponsor who wants tobe your friend. Call 655-2263.

Better Opportunities for Single Sol-diers — Want to get involved in the com-munity and don’t know how? Join BOSS onone of its many volunteer outings.

BOSS works with many groups withinthe community such as Big Brothers/BigSisters of Honolulu, Bowl Games of Hawaiiand the PGA, as well as organizations ex-clusive to the Army family like the Excep-tional Family Member Program and ArmyCommunity Service.

Volunteers are needed; call 655-8169.

Tropic Lightning Museum — Come vis-it the Tropic Lightning Museum, SchofieldBarracks, to learn about the rich history ofthe 25th Infantry Division and WheelerArmy Airfield. Public and Private Tours,and Sergeant’s time training programs areavailable. Every Saturday at 1 p.m. a freewar movie or documentary is shown. Call655-8301.

Send calendar announcements to community@hawaiiarmyweekly.com.

15 / TodayMissouri Tours — In honor of the National

Guards’ 370th birthday, Dec. 13, the Battle-ship Missouri Memorial will offer compli-mentary admission to all active and retiredU.S. National Guard personnel, through Dec.17. In addition, their immediate family mem-bers will receive a 50 percent discount on ad-mission.

Visitors must present their Guard identi-fication at the Missouri’s ticket window.

Dino-mite Exhibit — Take a walk on thewild side through Jan. 28, at Bishop Muse-

um’s latest traveling exhibit, Dinosaurs Alive!Meet some of the residents of the land thattime forgot by joining a safari through pre-historic surroundings.

Moving, roaring dinosaurs, includingtyrannosaurus rex, apatosaurus,dilophosaurus, velociraptor and more will besupplemented with interactive, hands-onactivities and educational displays.

The museum is open 9 a.m.–5p.m. daily and is located at1525 Bernice St. Admissionprices are $14.95 for adultsand $11.95 for youth, ages4–12, and seniors.

Special rates are available forkamaaina, military patrons, and chil-dren age 3 and under. Call 847-3511 orvisit www.bishopmuseum.org.

15 / FridayDrinking and Driving — Come hear a

special presentation on drinking anddriving, Dec. 15 from 10-11:30 a.m. at

Sgt Smith Theater. The presentationwill include a guest speaker from Mother’s

Against Drunk Driving Hawaii. Call 655-4655.

Army Community Theatre — ArmyCommunity Theatre presents “Annie,” fea-turing Channing Weir in the title role, at the

Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter. The show will run Fridays and

Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., throughDecember.

Tickets are $15 and $20 foradults, and $12 and $15 for

children, at the ACT Box Office,Season tickets are priced at $60and $75 for adults, and $45 and

$50 for children, for a four-showmusical series. The season will run through May 2007.

Call 438-4480 or view details atwww.squareone.org/ACT.

18 / MondayWine Tasting — The Hui O` Na Wahine,

the all-ranks spouses’ club, hosts an elegantaffair to remember, Dec. 18, from 6–8:30p.m. in the Schofield Barracks Nehelani.

A local vendor will provide samples of thefruits of the vine, while guests enjoy a nicedinner.

Tickets are $20 per person and may bepurchased at the event. To make reservations,call 624-0015 or 624-4989.

24 / SundayCommissary Hours — The Schofield Bar-

racks Commissary will be closed at 4 p.m.Dec. 24; all day Dec. 25 and Jan. 1; and at6 p.m. Dec. 31.

27 / WednesdaySesame Holiday Workshop — With

more than 700,000 children of military fam-ilies under age 5 separated from a deployedparent this holiday season, Sesame Work-shop, the nonprofit educational organizationbehind Sesame Street, will broadcast a pro-gram geared to address the challenges of de-ployment for military families.

The half-hour television special, “WhenParents are Deployed,” will premier Dec. 27,at 9 p.m. on PBS. The show will be hosted byactor Cuba Gooding Jr.

The theater is closed Monday & Tuesday.

Arlene Bali and Sgt. 1st Class Michael Robinson work as a team to display KilaueaMilitary Camp’s first-time entry into the Holiday Card Lane Contest. Bali traveled fromthe Big Island to personally deliver the sign to Fort Shafter. All holiday cards will beon display until Jan. 4, 2007.

Big Isle treatLandy Stewart Miyake | Pacific Media Publishing

Center Court. Tickets are $3. Call 488-0981.

Holiday Lights Trolley — Take a tour of the downtown Honolulu CityLights. Rides will be available throughDec. 24, starting at 6:30 p.m. from Aloha Tower Marketplace.The last trolley leaves at 9 p.m.

The train ride is included with a pur-chase of $20 (per ticket) or more from aMarketplace restaurant or store. Guestsmust take their receipts to the Guest Ser-vices Kiosk.

Military patrons may also purchase dis-counted tickets from any Navy Informa-tion, Ticket and Tours (ITT) Office.

Tour dates are Dec. 15-22. Trolley de-parts Pearl Harbor’s Bloch Arena at 5:30,6, and 6:30 p.m. Departures from Dec. 17-19 are at 5:30 p.m. only.

The tour includes a 45-minute stop atHonolulu Hale. Cost is $12 per adult andchildren over age 6. Call 473-0792.

Holiday Concerts

Kapiolani Park Concert — The Peaceon Earth Christmas Concert will be heldDec. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in Kapiolani Park atthe bandstand. This event will feature the

Keiki Palaka Band, a youth ukulele ensem-ble; the Thursday Night Band, led byStanton K. Haugen; slack-key guitaristGeorge Kuo, country singer Don “Geezer”Humphrey; and many more local fa-vorites.

A Cazimero Christmas — Roland andRobert, The Brothers Cazimero will host concerts Dec. 21-23 that will rever-berate with true aloha spirit. The popularduo will celebrate the season with theirtraditional and contemporary Hawaiianmusic.

Scheduled to appear is hula girlLeinaala Heine the Royal Dance Company,Halau Na Kamalei, The Honolulu BoyChoir and the Miss and Master Keiki Hula from the Lili’uokalani Keiki HulaFestival.

The concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m.each night at the Hawaii Theatre. Ticketprices are $28-$73, plus $2 restoration fee.Call 528-0506 or visit www.hawaiitheatre.com.

Friends and Nabors — Celebrate theholidays with inspirational songs, mari-onettes, hula and tap dancing at “A MerryChristmas with Friends & Nabors,” starringJim Nabors.

Joining in the festivities will be JimmyBorges, Emma Veary, Karen Keawehawai`i,the Diamond Head Theatre Shooting Stars,The Hawai`i Theatre Orchestra and more.

The event will be held Dec. 15-16, at7:30 p.m. and Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. in theHawaii Theatre. Tickets are $25-$75, plus

$2 restoration fee. Discounts are availablefor military and children.

Call 528-0506 or visit www.hawaiitheatre.com

Just for laughs

Christmas Comedy — Guests will belaughing all the way with comedian/ac-tor/singer Wayne Brady at the SheratonWaikiki.

The show is scheduled for Dec. 29, at7:30 p.m. in the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.Tickets are $55 and can be purchased bycalling 877-750-4400 or by visitingwww.ticketmaster.com.

Christmas Talk Story — This montageof locally written holiday remembrancesfrom a child’s perspective, is a landmarkHonolulu Theatre for Youth tradition. Theshows will be 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. eachSaturday through Dec. 23 at the TenneyTheatre, St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Ticketsare$16 per person. Call 839-9885 or visitwww.htyweb.org.

Snow business

Four “Nutcracker” productions willgrace local stages. “The Nutcracker” is acolorful holiday romp through a fantasyworld of fairies, toy soldiers and an armyof mice.

• The Ballet Hawaii presentation of “TheNutcracker,” boasts live accompanimentby the Honolulu Symphony and will fea-ture Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz

of the New York City Ballet, Stella Abreraand Sascha Radefsky from the AmericanBallet Theatre, and a large corps de balletof local dancers.

Shows will be held in the Blaisdell Con-cert Hall and are scheduled for Dec. 15, at8 p.m.; Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; and Dec. 17,at 2 p.m. Ticket prices start at $25 each.Call 877-750-4400.

• John Landovsky will direct a compa-ny of Hawaii State Ballet students as theyperform their lavish rendition of “The Nut-cracker.”

Shows will be held in the Mamiya The-atre, Saint Louis School Dec. 15, at 7 p.m.;Dec. 16, at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Dec.17, at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $16each. Call 947-2755 or 783-2747.

• The Hawaii Ballet Theatre, directed byCharlys Ing, will host its 26th anniversaryproduction in the Leeward CommunityTheatre.

Special discounted tickets will be avail-able for students and military.

Shows are scheduled for Dec. 16, 2 p.m.and 7:30 p.m.; and Dec. 17, at 4 p.m.

Tickets will be two-for-one during theDec. 16 evening performance. Militarymay also purchase discounted tickets tomatinee shows for $5 off the regular ticketprice of $20. All seating is reserved. Tick-ets may be purchased by phone or at theTheatre box office the day of performance.Call 456-8100 or e-mailhbtnut@hawaii.rr.com.

Holiday To Do’sFrom B-1

Story and Photo by

JEREMY S. BUDDEMEIERAssistant Editor

For the third consecutive year,Army & Air Force Exchange Ser-vice (AAFES) post and base ex-changes are unifying to supportthe military community throughthe Patriot Family Holiday Treecampaign.

Shoppers, family members andfriends can visit their local ex-change and show support for de-ployed troops by writing encour-aging messages or displaying pho-tos on holiday tree ornaments.

“This effort is just another ex-ample of how AAFES strives tomake the experience of being awayfrom loved ones during the holi-days a little more bearable for ourtroops,” said Richard Sheff, AAFESchief marketing officer. “The pos-itive messages and photos are sureto bolster the spirits of troops inwar zones as well as families mind-ing home fronts.”

The Schofield Barracks main ex-change tree, which has stoodprominently in the foyer since Nov.3, is draped with cards and redwhite and blue ribbon.

Family members have placed

messages like, “We love you dad-dy. Come home safe and MerryChristmas” and “May God protectyou and bring you back to yourfamilies.”

Other messages are directed to-wards units: “To 3-7 FA Soldiers:We are thinking of you during theholidays. We miss you! 3-7 Spous-es.” While some are addressed toSanta himself: “B-safe and Santacan I have an I-pod?”

Tree ornaments will be for-warded downrange to one ofAAFES’ 53 contingency locationsin Operations Enduring Freedom orIraqi Freedom. Conversely, orna-ments completed downrange willbe sent back for display in PXsand BXs throughout the U.S., ac-cording to Susan Nonamaker, retailstore manager at the SchofieldMain Exchange.

In addition to the opportunity toplace an ornament on the tree,each exchange will also offer shoppers who participate in thiscampaign a chance to win a $200gift certificate, to be awarded onDec. 24.

(Editor’s Note: Some informa-tion gathered from AAFES newsrelease.)

Patriot Tree bloomswith well-wishingornaments, notes

Story and Photo by

SPC. DANIEL BEARL25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

TIKRIT, Iraq — It was cold in Northern Iraqthe morning of the Honolulu Marathon, butrunners gathered in the pre-dawn hours toreceive their bib numbers, stamp the groundthey stood upon and blow in their hands, in thejust-above-freezing air.

The runners, all service members and civil-ians living and working in Iraq in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom, clustered near therace registration tables to sign in and store per-sonal belongings as the gray light of dawnseeped over the eastern horizon.

While many were veteran marathoners,more than half of the entrants were first timers.

“I don’t really know what to expect,” said1st Lt. Clayton O. Carpenter, with 3-25th Avi-ation, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. “I’venever run a marathon before. Me and mybuddy just kind of decided to run it about aweek ago after we got to the unit.”

“I’m just going to try to do better than I didthe last time I did a marathon about a year anda half ago,” said Maj. Keith E. Besherse, an avi-ation operations officer with the 25th InfantryDivision.

For veterans and first-timers alike, a com-mon challenge to the race was finding time toprepare because of busy schedules and thedemands of deployed life.

“It takes a little more dedication to practicerunning [in Iraq],” said Sgt. 1st Class Wayne A.Davidson, with 3rd Brigade Special TroopsBattalion headquarters, 82nd Infantry Divi-sion. “Sometimes your schedule conflicts withtraining.”

Gradually, as the horizon grew pink andorange with the rising sun, runners collectedaround a stage near the starting line to stretchand warm up. The 25th Infantry Division’sTropic Lightning Band performed.

Just before starting, many of the runnersparticipated in an organized warm-up sessionwith Hawaiian-themed music.

The stage stood on a bed of gravel and tandust with a backdrop of a sprawling, dustyfield, scattered with patches of dry vegeta-tion. Behind the crowd of runners, tall concreteblast barriers, the outer wall of a militaryhousing area, cast long shadows in the morn-ing sunlight.

The starting line lay stretched across a blackasphalt road that stretched northward.

By start time, the chilly morning hadwarmed slightly to 36 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the last few minutes before start timeslipped away, runners amassed, ready to facethe grueling 26.2 miles ahead of them.

The course they were preparing to run traceda path along the roads of a U.S. military op-erating base just outside of Tikrit, Iraq.

Stretching just more than six-and-a-halfmiles, runners would have to run to thecourse’s turn-around point and back to the fin-ish line, twice, in order to complete the race.

The road conditions along the route rangedfrom freshly paved to gravel and sand, but therunners could look forward to water pointsalong the way offering water, Gator Aid, en-ergy bars and a high dose of motivation.

When the signal was given, the line brokeand a flood of bodies poured onto the road,charging down the marathon’s first longstretch.

By the first turn around, it became clearthat the men’s top finisher spot was hotlycontested by two Soldiers, Spc. William Small-wood and Staff Sgt. Brian Caldwell, whomoved ahead side-by-side at a brisk 9-mile-an-hour pace.

The dead heat continued until just before therace’s end, when Smallwood began to slip be-hind.

“We were neck and neck right there up un-til the 22nd mile,” Smallwood said, “until I fellapart and had to catch up.”

Smallwood, an infantryman from CompanyC, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division,would not prove to be so easily beaten, though.Just within sight of the finish line, he wasable to pull out of second place to complete themarathon with a top time of 2 hours, 53 min-utes, 23 seconds.

“All of my boys back at [Forward OperatingBase] Warrior, I told them ‘too easy, too easy,’”Smallwood said with a smile. “This is what I do.I run.”

Smallwood, originally from Spokane, Wash.,said he has been running since he was 13and has competed in more than a dozenmarathons.

Leading the women runners was Maj. BethHoffman, a signal officer from 25th InfantryDivision’s headquarters company. Though thewomen’s race wasn’t as close as the men’s,Hoffman’s finishing time of 3:40:55 was apersonal best.

“I beat my last timeby a minute,” she said. “Itmeant a lot that we’re running forthe Soldiers that have lost their lives overhere.”

Hoffman was referring to the Tragedy As-sistance Program for Survivors fundraiser,conducted in conjunction with the marathon.

As part of the fundraiser, runners could vol-unteer to run on behalf of fallen service mem-bers in order to raise money for programs tosupport their surviving family members. Hoff-man ran for Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Bertolino,who was killed in Iraq in November of 2003.

Both Smallwood and Hoffman expressedthat training for the marathon was difficultwhile dealing with the day-to-day stresses ofa deployment to a combat zone.

“Finding the time [to train] because of workand being busy is difficult,” Hoffman said.

Smallwood’s experience was similar.“You know, with missions and being out

here, you really don’t have enough time to getin any serious training for anything,” Small-wood said. “You’re constantly going out onmissions, and it’s just whenever I have time Ijust go and get a couple miles in.”

But despite the difficulties, both foundenough motivation to push through the race.

“It was actually a more comfortable run forme,” Hoffman said, “because I’d done thecourse so many times preparing. It was nice togo out and actually run on a course where youhad been already.”

Hoffman said she also enjoys distance run-ning because it gives her time to think.

Smallwood’s motivation is more visceral.“It’s the pain, you know,” Smallwood said.

“I will say this is one of the most gruelingsports ever. You know, there’s no timeouts.There’s no quitting. There’s no stopping.”

“How many people can say they ran amarathon in Iraq?” he added with a grin.

As the runners came in across the finish line,each was greeted by a cheering crowd of vol-unteers and received a seashell lei with a Hon-olulu Marathon finisher’s medallion.

Scattered around the finishing area weretables with fruit and drinks, buses with runningheaters to help cold runners warm up, andeven a masseuse to work the kinks out of thefinishers’ legs.

Of the 175 entrants, 162 finished themarathon. Each runner was also considered anofficial entrant in the Honolulu Marathon andtheir times were sent back to Hawaii for in-clusion in the race’s finishing times list.

Overcast skies watched the last of the run-ners as they brought the race to a close. As themorning wore into the afternoon, gray cloudsheld the desert sun at bay, keeping the day ata brisk 56 degrees.

Perhaps in the chilly streets of Iraq a war wasbeing fought, but at the marathon’s finish linewas a cacophony of cheers and jubilation.

As leis were draped around one finisher af-ter another, one could almost see imagine thetan, Iraqi sand as the sands of Waikiki and thescrub brushes and trees that dotted the road-side as the tropical greenery of Kapiolani Park.But a world away, the race in Hawaii was stillhours from starting.

Ornament Exchange. Ornaments and notes adorn the Patriot ChristmasTree in the foyer of Schofield Post Exchange, Tuesday.

1st Lt. Sarah Bivens shows her support forIraq’s Honolulu Marathon runners with a fes-tive sandwich board sign. Many service mem-bers and civilians volunteered their time toman water stations and cheer along runners as they pushed through the race.

HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY DECEMBER 15, 2006 | B-3COMMUNITY

Runners face chilling race conditions

Send community announcementsto community@

hawaiiarmyweekly.com.

15 / TodayHunter Education Courses —

The Hawaii Department of Land &Natural Resources is offeringHunter Education classes. Sub-jects to be covered include wildlifeidentification and conservation,firearms and archery safety, sur-vival, game care and more.

The free classes are Dec. 15,from 5:45–10 p.m., and Dec. 16,7:45 a.m.–4 p.m. Classes are fam-ily-friendly and open to anyoneage 10 years and older. Register bycalling 587-0200.

16 / SaturdayHonouliuli Hike — The Nature

Conservancy of Hawaii will hostan interpretive hike along theKaluaa Loop Trail Dec. 16, from8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

This three-mile hike is consid-ered a moderate trek and beginsgradually uphill. A steep downhillsection will complete the loop.

Call 587-6220 to make the re-quired reservations or for moreinformation. Cost is $10 per per-son.

20 / WednesdayMotocross Track — Get your

speed on at the RPM MotocrossTrack, located in the Campbell In-dustrial Park and will be openWednesday and Saturday nights,from 5–10 p.m., and Sundays,noon until sundown.

Mini and full-size classes will beheld. The cost is $15 for openpractice. For class and schedule in-formation, call 597-9020.

21 / ThursdayBatter Up! — The University of

Hawaii baseball program will behosting a winter baseball camp,led by UH head baseball CoachMike Trapasso, Dec. 21–23 andDec. 28–30.

The camp is available for chil-

dren ages 7–18. Pitcher/catchercamp will run 9 a.m.–noon andhitting camp, 1–4 p.m.

Cost per camp is $120 or $200for both camps. Call 956-6247.

10K Volksmarch — The Mene-hune Marchers is sponsoring a10K volksmarch on Jan. 7 atKakaako Waterfront State Park.Participants can start anytime be-tween 8 and 12 noon, and thewalk is free of charge.

Contact Mark at 392-1332.

OngoingFleet Feet — Faerber’s Flyers

women’s running club inviteswomen of all ages and skill levelsto join them at the University ofHawaii track at Cooke Field. Theclub meets Wednesdays from5:15–7 p.m.

Cost is $50 per year. Call 277-3609.

Prenatal Exercise Program— Exercise during pregnancy has been shown to positively im-pact fitness during labor andchildbirth. Learn and practice safeexercising during pregnancy.Classes are each Monday,Wednesday and Friday at the of-fices of Pacific Health & Fitness

Consultants, through Dec. 30.A physician’s referral is re-

quired. Call 599-5918.

Masters Swim Program —Team Move hosts a master’s swim-ming program Wednesdays, from7:30–8:30 a.m., and Saturdaysfrom 7–8:15 a.m., in the Pearl Citydistrict park swimming pool.

The innovative group workoutsare designed for beginning andadvanced swimmers. Expertcoaching will be provided to im-prove upon form and technique.

All ages are welcome. Cost is$15 per month for Team Movemembers and $25 per month fornonmembers. The pool is locatedat 785 Hoomaemae St., Pearl City.

Cricket in the Park — TheHonolulu Cricket Club invitesplayers of all levels of experienceto get into the game. Join the club at Kapiolani Park, at the base of Diamond Head, for

exciting rounds of cricket. Call 256-8236 or visit www.

home.hawaii.rr.com/cricket/hcc.htm.

Bike Hawaii — Join BikeHawaii’s professional natureguides and explore Oahu from therainforest to the reef. Packagescan include downhill biking, wa-terfall hiking and sailing offWaikiki with exclusive access to aremote Hawaiian rainforest.

Delicious meals are included.To schedule your adventure, call734-4214, toll free 1-877-682-7433, or go online at www.bike-hawaii.com.

Golfers Wanted — Are youlooking for a golf group? Military or civilian golfers inter-ested in playing golf on Sundaymornings at Leilehua Golf Course should call 347-8038 or375-3322. Tee time is usually be-fore 8 a.m.

16 / SaturdayGolf Sale — Don’t miss the

holiday sale at Leilehua Pro Shop,Dec. 16. Enjoy great savings fromvarious golf vendors. Patrons willreceive free holiday gift wrappingwith every purchase. Call 655-2266.

17 / Sunday Bowling Tournament — A “5

Game, No Tap” tournament will beheld at the Schofield Bowling Cen-ter, Dec. 17. Check-in will be at 1p.m., and the cost is $20 perbowler. Call 655-0573.

19 / Tuesday Football Bash Clinic — Regis-

tration will begin for the 2nd an-nual Football Bash Clinic. Thisone-day clinic will be conductedby current and former NationalFootball League players, Universi-ty of Hawaii football players, andother college and high schoolplayers and coaches.

The clinic will be held Jan. 27 at9 a.m. for ages 8–12, and 1 p.m.for ages 13–17. Cost is $40 and in-cludes a T-shirt, refreshments anda gift bag.

Register at the Schofield Bar-racks, Aliamanu Military Reser-vation (AMR) or Fort Shafter youthcenters. Call 836-1923.

26 / TuesdayMini Baseball — Registration

will be Dec. 26–Jan. 16 for the

Mini-Baseball Program for youthborn between 2002-2003. Thisprogram will cover basic skills inthrowing, hitting, base runningand catching. Cost is $10 and willinclude a T-shirt. The programruns Jan. 30–Mar 22.

Register at the Schofield Bar-racks, Wheeler Army Air Field(WAAF), AMR, or Fort Shafteryouth centers. Call 655-6465(Schofield), 655-0883 (Wheeler),836-1923 (AMR), or 438-9336(Fort Shafter).

OngoingBMX Track — The BMX track

on WAAF is now open on Thurs-days from 5–7 p.m. and Satur-days from 4–7 p.m. Call 655-0883or visit www.mwrarmyhawaii.com/cys/bmx_track.htm.

Brazilian Capoeira — Devel-op the mind, body and spirit to in-clude physical fitness, self-defenseand self-discipline through Brazil-ian Capoeira. Classes are offeredTuesdays from 5:30–7 p.m. at theFort Shafter Physical Fitness Cen-ter. Call instructor Mestre Kinha at247-7890.

Water Aerobics — Come for anew and exciting workout atRichardson Pool. Classes will beheld Monday, Wednesday, and Fri-day from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.,and Tuesday and Thursday from5–6 p.m. A $2 fee per class ischarged or a punch card is avail-able for $15.

Water aerobics provides a safeand effective exercise alternativethat improves your overall level offitness without stress on the joints.Call 655-1128.

Story and Photos by

SPC. DANIEL BEARL25th ID Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

TIKRIT, Iraq — As runners in Hawaiiwere preparing for the HonoluluMarathon, nearly 200 deployed servicemembers had already completed theirmarathon run in Iraq.

Spc. William Smallwood, an infantry-man from 2nd Battalion, 35th InfantryRegiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade CombatTeam, 25th Infantry Division (ID), wasthe top men’s finisher at 2 hours, 53 min-utes, 23 seconds.

Maj. Beth Hoffman, a signal officerwith the 25th ID’s Headquarters and Head-quarters Company, finished first in thewomen’s category at 3:40:55.

Though training for a marathon whileon deployment is difficult, both top fin-ishers expressed excitement for being ableto run the race while in Iraq.

“How many people can say they ran amarathon in Iraq?” said Smallwood proud-ly after completing the race. Smallwoodhas run “a dozen or so” marathons, by hisown count.

“Finding the time [to train] because of work and being busy is difficult,” said Hoffman, who has now run three marathons. “It meant a lot to me that we were running for the Soldiers who have lost their lives overhere.”

The Honolulu Marathon in Iraq wasorganized by Task Force Diamond-head,which includes units based out of Wheel-er Army Air Field, Hawaii. Many of the

runners were also from units stationed inHawaii.

Of the 175 entrants, more than halfwere first-time marathon runners and 162successfully completed the run and wereawarded Honolulu Marathon finisher’sleis and T-shirts. The finishers’ times weresent back to Hawaii to be included in theHonolulu Marathon finishers’ list.

Temperatures were a frigid 36 degreesFahrenheit the morning of the race asrunners gathered at the marathon’s start-ing line.

The 25th Infantry Division Tropic Light-ning Band provided music as the runnerssigned in for the race.

After the runners stretched and warmedup to a mix of Hawaiian-themed and mo-tivational music, they formed up at thestarting line to await the signal to begin.

At 8 a.m. the clocks were started and therunners broke loose across the startingline.

Many of the runners were running forfallen service members and raising mon-ey for programs to support their survivingfamily members through the Tragedy As-sistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS.

The fundraiser generated more than$20,000 in donations.

A list of the runners andthe fallen comrades theyrepresented is available at theWeb site www.taps. org/marathon/honolulu. aspx, alongwith links to make dona-tions to the program.

Men’s1st: Spc. William Smallwood, 2:53:232nd: Staff Sgt. Brian Caldwell, 57thSignal Bn., 2:54:063rd: Navy Lt. Noel Allen Sawatzky,3:06:29

Women’s1st: Maj. Beth Hoffman, HHC, 3:40:552nd: Capt. Chevelle Malone, 3IBCT,3:43:113rd: Maj. Pamela Sue Ting, PMO,3:46:30

Above — Runners race across the starting line as the HonoluluMarathon begins near Tikrit, Iraq. Many participants were runningto raise money for the families of their fallen comrades.

Right — Spc. William Smallwood, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion,35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, approaches the finishline for the marathon.

Bottom Rright — Maj. Beth Hoffman, Headquarters, Headquarters Company, completes the race as the first female finisher. Her time was3:40:55.

Members of the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command marathon team assemble for a photoopportunity before competing in the Honolulu Marathon, Sunday. Pictured (left to right) are Maj.Serafin C. Meno, Staff Sgt. John O. Triplin, Maj. Paul W. Riley, Col. Thomas “Buck” Luther andChaplain (Col.) Vance P. Theodore.

Marathon menMaj. Rich Stebbins | 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Public Affairs

B-4 | DECEMBER 15, 2006 HAWAII ARMY WEEKLY SPORTS & FITNESS

Runners compete in Iraq’s Honolulu Marathon