!"#&$"%%!́PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE FORT MEADE COMMUNITY THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | 67th Year Number 39

FTMEADE.ARMY.MIL

Gold Star family members release butterflies Saturday at Burba Park to honor the fallen. The remembrance ceremony was held in observance of Gold StarMothers and Families Day. For the story, see Page 12.

PHOTO BY DANIEL KUCIN JR.

RReemmeemmbbeerriinnggttooggeetthheerr

DON’T IGNORE THE BEEP

Fire officials focuson smoke detectorsPAGE 8

Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Fort Meade Farmers’ Market - The Pavilion

Oct. 15, 11 a.m.: Red Ribbon Week kickoff event - McGill Training CenterOct. 17, 5-8:30 p.m.: Father-Daughter Ball - Club MeadeOct. 23, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.: Retiree Appreciation Day - McGill Training Center

UPCOMING EVENTS A MOMENT IN TIME

Spotlighting Meade’slittle-known historyPAGE 11

2 NEWS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

!"#&$"%%!́EDITORIAL STAFF

Garrison CommanderCol. Brian P. Foley

Garrison CommandSgt. Maj. Rodwell L. Forbes

Public Affairs OfficerChad T. Jones 301-677-1301Chad.T.Jones.civ@mail.mil

EditorDijon Rolle 301-677-6806Dijon.N.Rolle.civ@mail.mil

Assistant Editor & Senior WriterRona S. Hirsch 301-677-1438rhirsch@tribpub.com

Staff WriterLisa R. Rhodes 301-677-1432lrhodes@tribpub.com

Staff WriterAlan H. Feiler 301-677-5159afeiler@tribpub.com

Design CoordinatorTimothy Davis 301-677-1431trdavis@tribpub.com

Supplemental photography providedby The Baltimore Sun Media Group

DEADLINES

Community noticesFriday, noonDijon.N.Rolle.civ@mail.mil

CIRCULATIONIf you would like information about receiving Soundoff! on Fort Meade or are experi-

encing distribution issues, call 877-886-1206 or e-mail TP@baltsun.com.Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday through Sun-

day, 8 a.m. to noon.Printed by offset method of reproduction as a civilian enterprise in the interest of the

personnel at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, by The Baltimore Sun Media Group, 501N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, every Thursday except the last Thursday of the yearin conjunction with the Fort Meade Public Affairs Office. Requests for publication mustreach the Public Affairs Office no later than Friday before the desired publication date.Mailing address: Post Public Affairs Office, Soundoff! IMME-MEA-PA, Bldg. 4409, FortMeade, MD 20755-5025. Telephone: 301-677-5602; DSN: 622-5602.

Everything advertised in this publication must be made available for purchase, use orpatronage without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, handicapor sex of purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this policy ofequal opportunity by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising fromthat source.

Printed by The Baltimore Sun Co., LLC, a private firm, in no way connected with theDepartment of the Army. Opinions expressed by the publisher and writers herein aretheir own and are not to be considered an official expression by the Department of theArmy. The appearance of advertisers in the publication does not constitute an en-dorsement by the Department of the Army of the products or services advertised.

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Hello again, TeamMeade.Fall is officially here and the

weather is turning cooler. It willsoonbe time forHalloweenand toset your clocks back. In fact,trick-or-treating hours on the in-stallation this yearwill be 6-8 p.m.

I want to thank everyone whoturned out for the Football Fan-fare 5K Run and 1-mile walk onSaturday. We’re looking forwardto seeing some great costumes atthe Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins5KRun and1-milewalkOct. 24.

We had a beautiful day on Sept. 11 thisyear, and what a day it was! We kicked offthe morning with our annual installationRemembrance Run, and we welcomedPresident Barack Obama later that after-noon.

Iwould like toextendmythanks toall theservice members and civilians who cameout for the run, and to allwhohad a hand inmaking the president’s visit go offwithout ahitch.

Our commander in chief spent two-and-a-half hours with us conducting a TroopTalk with service members from across theglobe at theDefenseMediaActivity.He alsotook time to thank the U.S. Cyber Com-mand, National Security Agency and Cen-tral Security Serviceworkforce.

The president thanked us all for ourservice and sacrifice as we keep our nationsafe and secure. In his remarks, he re-minded everyone to remain vigilant as wego through our daily lives, in the interest ofprotecting our nation and our co-workers,teammates, friends and families.

As we continue to see and hear in thenews, thosewhowould do our nation harmareout there, andwemustremindourselvesof that every day.

The dangers from foreign extremistgroupspersist and their influence can easilyreach those here at home who may havebecome disaffected with our way of life forany number of reasons.

Recent tragedies in the news continue toremind us that we are not just at risk fromreligious extremism, but we also can be atrisk from individuals who are strugglingwith untreatedmental illness.

The only way to truly protect ourselvesagainst these risks is by remaining vigilantand being aware of the people aroundus.

Aswework to legally gather informationand protect our nation in the new cyberdomain that has become the world’smedium for conflict and competition in the21st century,wemust also remain vigilant inthe humandomain.

We must keep an eye out forthose around us not in a spirit offear or suspicion, but in a spirit ofcaring.Wemust get toknowthosearound us well enough to identifyif they are struggling in life, andwe must reach out to get themhelp when they are unwilling orunable to help themselves. Bydoing this, we can prevent themfrom harming themselves or oth-ers around them.

September was also NationalSuicide Prevention Month. Two years ago,three young Fort Meade service membersdied by suicide within a 90-day time span.Each one was a wonderful human beingwho could have accomplished somuch hadthey been able to overcome the short-termchallenges in their life.

Please continue to take advantage of theApplied Suicide Intervention Skills Train-ing we conduct monthly, and help uscontinue to prevent further tragedy.

The next training is scheduled for Oct.15-16 at Argonne Hills Chapel Center.Contact our Army Substance Abuse Pro-gramoffice at 301-677-6541formore details.

So as we remain vigilant in the cyberdomain, please remain vigilant in thehuman domain as well, in the interest ofcaring for and protecting us all. Caring andvigilance lead to resiliency, resiliency leadsto readiness, and readiness means beingbetter able to defend our nation and protectourselves fromthosewhowoulddousharm— intentionally and unintentionally.

Thanksagainforall thatyoudoeveryday.I look forward to seeing you around ourbeautiful fort.

COMMANDER’S COLUMN

Vigilance protects us all

GarrisonCommanderCol. Brian P.Foley

GarrisonCommanderCol.BrianP. Foley has an opendoor policy.

All service members, retirees,government employees, familymembers and community mem-bers age 18 or older are invited toaddress issues or concerns to thecommander directly by visitingFoley’sofficeonMondays from4to6 p.m. at garrison headquarters inHodges Hall, Bldg. 4551, LlewellynAvenue.

Visitors are seen on a first-come,first-served basis. No appointmentis necessary.

For more information, call 301-677-4844.

Commander’s Open Door

SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 NEWS 3

More than 70percent ofmilitary servicememberswho have died by suicide did nottell anyone about their intentions.

“Most of those completed suicides werenot communicated,” said Donna HollandBarnes, an expert in suicide and suicideprevention. “How do we get people to talkabout it?”

Barnes,whohas adoctorate and teachessuicide risk management for HowardUniversity’s College of Medicine’s Depart-ment of Psychiatry, was the guest speakerfor Fort Meade’s National Suicide Preven-tionMonthprogram.Barnes is alsoheadofthe Suicide Prevention Action Group atHowardUniversity.

The three-hourevent,whichwasorgan-ized by Torrid Sterol, FortMeade’s SuicidePrevention Program manager, was heldMonday morning at McGill Training Cen-ter.

GarrisonCommanderCol.BrianP.Foylegave brief remarks before introducingBarnes.

“This is an incredibly important topic. ...It’s a somber topic,” Foyle said. “It is anabsolute tragedy when any human beingtakes themost permanent solution to solvetemporary problems in their life.”

Foyle said that in the fall of 2013, threeFort Meade service members died bysuicide in a three-month span.

“Caring for each other is my theme andwill always be,” he said. “[You must] knowthemwell enough to put your arm aroundthem to get them help when they areunable or unwilling to do so.”

The presentation, which was open tomilitary personnel and Dodd employees,provided participants with their requiredcontact hours for annual, suicide preven-tion mandatory training. Mental healthclinicianswere able to attend thepresenta-tion to receive continuing education cred-its for their licensure through HowardUniversity.

Fort Meade’s Army Substance AbuseProgram, Fort Meade’s Family AdvocacyProgram, Fort Meade’s Installation SafetyOffice, Howard University, Navy Informa-tion Operations Command Maryland, aswell as the Anne Arundel County MentalHealth Agency and the Sovereign HealthGroup, a mental health provider, manneddisplay tables with information aboutsuicide and mental health services andpublic safety.

Barnes, who currently serves on themilitary task force for theNationalAllianceforSuicidePrevention, spokeabout suicidein the military and then conducted a30-minute, question-and-answer periodwith the audience.

“The Soldiers who are at most risk forsuicide are least likely to ask for help,”Barnes said in presenting suicide statisticsfrom Dodd. “If we require Soldiers to askfor help to get it, theywill continue to die.”

According to the Dodd, the Army andthe Marines have the highest rates forindividual suicides per 100,000 servicemembers.

Barnes said because of the stigma ofsuicide in the military and the generalreluctanceofpeoplewithsuicidal thoughtsto tell others, family members and clini-cians must be persistent in their attemptsto communicate with people at risk forsuicide to ensure they get the help theyneed.

“They’re not going to ask for help,”Barnes said. “We need to ask them if theyare at risk. We need to ask them to helpthem.”

In regard to assessing if someone is atrisk for suicide, Barnes said it is “an art, nota science.Youhave to figure outhow toputthe pieces together.”

Barnes said service members, family

members and friends must feel comfort-able talking about suicide so they can helpthose at risk and assess their need for help.

“You need to make them feel they cantalk about it—no judgment, no negativity,”she said.

Barnes said servicemembers and othersat risk for suicide often do not tell othersthe truth about how they are feelingbecause theyareanxiousandembarrassed.Some people put up defense mechanismsand may attempt to deceive someone whois trying to help them. Others do not wanttheir peers or loved ones to feel guiltyabout their desire to hurt themselves.

Barnes suggested that clinicians use theChronological Assessment of SuicideEvents, or CASE, approach to assessingservice members with suicidal thoughts.CASE is adetailed set of interviewing skillstoeffectivelyelicit suicidal ideation,behav-iors and intent from clients, according totheCASEwebsite.

In following the CASE protocol. Barnesencouraged clinicians to ask specific ques-tions aboutwhat has occurred in the life ofa person at risk for suicide — what hasoccurred in the past 48 hours, twomonthsand also their last serious suicide attempt.

Barnes also said that the military’semphasis on resiliency is useful whentrying to help service members deal with

trauma. She called the process “post-traumatic growth.”

Barnes, whose son died of suicide in1990, shared that she did not knowanything about suicide when the tragedyhappened.

“It was a trauma in my life that I grewfromand that I turned into a positive,” saidBarnes, who now dedicates her career tospecializing in suicide prevention, inter-vention and research. “That’swhat I do.”

Barnes said oftentimes, a traumaticevent in someone’s life can lead to “a sensethat opportunities have emerged fromstruggle, opening possibilities that werenot present before.”

People who have survived trauma canhave an increased sense of their ownstrength, she said, and a deepening of theirspiritual life.

“Somewhere there’s a positive: ‘If I canlive through that, I can face anything,’ ” shesaid. “So trauma can be a good thing. Youcan grow from it. We need to rememberthat.”

The downsizing of the military iscausing additional stress for service mem-bers, and the entire military community.Clinicians, family and friends must bevigilant in helping those who have troubleadapting to change.

Barnes said although suicide is anindividual decision, “that doesn’t relin-quish our obligation to apply the appropri-ate level of intervention.”

After the presentation, Foyle presentedBarneswith a certificate of appreciation.

Tonya Phillips, a licensed clinical socialworker with Fort Meade’s ASAP, said theintroduction of the CASE approach gaveher “very helpful techniques” in askingspecific questions of her clients.

“It can help me get a detailed look atwhat is going on in regard to the personwho is sitting in front ofme,” she said.

Phillips said that although the presenta-tionwasmandatory forherandotherswhoattended, there needs to me “more educa-tionand intervention for suicide in theFortMeade community.”

Sterol said the presentation served as aspringboard for further action.

“Ourmental health providers whowerehere today instrongnumberscan takebackthe awareness to help people get theservices that theyneed,” she said. “Wehavemany experts in mental health here at thegarrisonandwehavepeopleout therewhoare in need, who through no fault of theirown, are not coming forward to get help.Weneed to reach out to them.”

Editor’s note: To contact Torrid Sterol,Fort Meade’s Suicide Prevention Programmanager, call 301-677-6541.

Suicide expert shares solutions, personal story

Donna H. Barnes, an expert in suicide prevention and intervention and head ofthe Suicide Prevention Action Group at Howard University, gives a presentationon suicide and the military Monday morning at McGill Training Center.

PHOTO BY DANIEL MUCIN JR.

Garrison focuses on suicidein the military at eventBy Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

Navy Information Operations Com-mand Maryland held a change-of-com-mand ceremony Friday at McGlachlinParade Field.

Navy Rear Adm. Gene F. Price, deputycommander, U.S. Fleet CyberCommand/U.S.10thFleet, presidedover the ceremo-ny in which Navy Capt. Donald E. Elamrelinquished command of NIOC Mary-land toNavyCapt. Jeffrey S. Scheidt.

“NIOCMaryland has set an extremelyhigh standard for aggressively accom-plishing the mission it has been given,”Price said. “UnderCaptainElam’s tenure,you have expanded the Navy’s collabora-tive processes and culture. The thingsyou do every day help better serve thenation.”

Following the ceremony, Elam retiredfrom the Navy after a distinguishedcareer of 25 years serving both domesti-cally and overseas, as well as aboardvarious ships including USS Spruance(DD-963), USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) andUSS JohnC. Stennis (CVN-74).

“This has been one incredible jour-ney,” Elam said. “I have been challengedin this job like nothing I have everexperienced before. Overall, I look backon the last 26 months with a sense ofpride and accomplishment.”

Scheidt most recently served on theJoint Staff as the chief for theCyberspacePolicy Division where he led devel-opment of DoD concepts for cyberwarfare, worked closely with the Na-tional Security Council and other agencypartners to advance national cyber de-fenses.

He also partnered with regional com-batant commands to engage close alliesfor greater collaboration in cyber de-fense.

“I am both humbled and energized bythe privilege I have received here today,”Scheidt said. “Commanding the Navy’spre-eminent signals intelligenceandcyb-er space warriors is my highest profes-sional honor.”

As commanding officer of NIOCMaryland, Scheidt will lead 2,300 Sailorsandciviliansandserveas thecommanderof Task Force 1060, responsible for theexecution of intelligence collection andcyber operations for the commanders ofU.S. 6th Fleet and10th Fleet.

The command’s primary mission is toconduct information operations and to

provide cryptologic and related intelli-gence information to the fleet, joint andnational commanders aswell as adminis-trative and personnel support to Depart-ment of the Navy members assigned tothe FortMeade area.

NIOCMaryland welcomes new leaderBy NavyMass CommunicationsSpc. 3rd Class Taylor DiMartinoNavy Information Operations CommandMaryland Public Affairs

Navy Capt. Donald E. Elam salutes the company commander for assembled divisions of Navy Information Operations Com-mand Maryland Sailors during NIOC Maryland’s change-of-command ceremony Friday at McGlachlin Parade Field. NavyCapt. Jeffrey S. Scheidt relieved Elam as commander.

PHOTOS BY NAVY MASS COMMUNICATION SPC. 3RD CLASS TAYLOR DIMARTINO

Navy Capt. Donald E. Elam relinquishes his duties to Navy Capt. Jeffrey S.Scheidt (right) as commander of NIOC Maryland during a ceremony Friday.

“I have been challengedin this job like nothing Ihave ever experienced be-fore ... Overall, I lookback on the last 26months with a sense ofpride and accomplish-ment.”Capt. Donald E. Elam,former NIOCMaryland commander

4 NEWS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

6 NEWS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

The smooth sound of a classical Spanishguitar and the tap of professional danceshoes filled the ballroom atMcGill TrainingCenter during the garrison’s annual observ-ance of Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept.24.

EstelaVelez deParedez andher husband,Daniel Paredez, performed several flamencodances from Spain as a tribute to thecontributionsHispanicshavemade toworldculture and the arts.

The dancers were accompanied by Tor-cuato Zamora, a flamenco classical guitarplayer.

“I loved it!” said Towanda Ross, a civilianemployee at the Directorate of Family andMorale, Welfare and Recreation. “It wasdifferent from other Hispanic heritageevents in the past. I loved the dancing andguitar playing, and the foodwas great.”

The 90-minute event, hosted by U.S.Army Cyber Command and Second Army,began with a musical prelude by the U.S.Army Field Band’s Jazz AmbassadorsCombo.

Sgt. 1st Class Donnel Cabanos, the EqualOpportunity advisor for Army Cyber Com-mand, organized the annual event.

“I just wanted to be able to let peopleexperience a little bit of the diversity ofHispanic culture,” she said. “Everybody

loved it.”During the performance, Velez de Pare-

dez gave a brief history of the flamenco,whichoriginated inSouthernSpain andwasdeveloped by gypsies, who came to Spainfrom all over the world including Europe,theMiddle East and India.

“Flamenco is a melting pot of manydifferent cultures,” she said.

Her husband later explained that menwere the first flamenco dancers, but in timethe art form opened to women, who nowdominate the dance.

The observance also included the singingof the national anthem by Sgt. 1st ClassCharis Strange of the U.S. Army Field Band.The invocationwas givenbyChaplain (Col.)James Palmer Jr. of ArmyCyberCommand.

Jose Flores, of Fort Meade’s EqualEmployment Opportunity Office, read the2015 presidential proclamation forHispanicHeritageMonth.

The entertainment featured four fla-menco dances — Fandangos de Huelva,Tangos, Sevillanas and Alegrias — all festiveand upbeat numbers.

Zamora, who played the Gerundinoguitar from Southern Spain, played the solo“Zorongo and Bulerias,” a flamenco lovesong.

Velez de Paredez is the founder andartistic director of Furia Flamenca, a dancecompany that she said is “committed tosharing the art and passion of flamencothroughout the metro D.C., area throughperformances, educational shows andclasses.”

The company was established in 2003and became a Resident Arts Partner in 2005with the Joy of Motion Dance Center inWashington,D.C.

After the performance, Garrison Com-mander Col. Brian P. Foley and Col. MarkSchonberg, deputy chief of staff of ArmyCyber Command, presented the dancersand Zamora with a certificate of apprecia-tion.

The audiencedinedon a lunchof sauteed

chicken, green and red peppers, onions,cilantro and garlic served over Spanishyellow rice, with grilled corn tamalescatered by Salsa Grill, a Spanish-Latinrestaurant based inWoodlawn.

Attendees were able to decorate a Mex-ican piñata at an interactive art display byArtesanas Mexicanas, sponsored by theCreative Alliance, a multiarts center andnonprofit based inBaltimore.

Kristian Cortez, owner of Cortez Storeand Cigar Lounge in Silver Spring, demon-strated howhis company’s cigars, which aremade with tobacco native to Santiago in theDominican Republic, are rolled andwrapped for packaging.

Representatives from the Creative Alli-ance andCortez also receiveda certificateofappreciation.

In addition, Elba Cassort, a dental assist-ant atFortMeade’sDentalActivity, createdadisplay of photographs, postcards and cul-tural itemsfromPanama,Peru,CubaandtheDominicanRepublic.

“I came here to show the Hispaniccommunity at DENTAC and the manynationswe come from,” said Cassort, whosefamily lineage includes Peru.

Cassortworeawhitepollera, adresswornbyLatinAmericanwomenduring fiestas.

“It was awesome,” Chief Warrant Officer2 Darrell Logan said. “I’m not too familiarwith Hispanic culture, so to be able toembrace it gave me a new appreciation forthe dancing and guitar playing.”

Olé!Meade celebratesHispanic culture withmusic, dance, foodBy Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

Kristian Cortez, owner of Cortez Cigars in Silver Spring, demonstrates how to roll a cigar .PHOTOS BY DANIEL KUCIN JR.

Daniel Paredez and his wife, Estela Velez de Paredez, perform a flamenco danceduring the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration held Sept. 24 at McGill TrainingCenter. The dance couple was accompanied by the classical Spanish guitar.

SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 NEWS 7

The Orthodox Church of St. MatthewCelebrating Our 8th Annual

Multi ~ Cultural FestivalColumbia’s Largest International Festival

BAKLAVA SUNDAE!BAKLAVA SUNDAE!

GYRO!GYRO!KEY WAT!KEY WAT!SHISH KEBAB!SHISH KEBAB!

SARMALE!SARMALE! DUNK TANK!DUNK TANK!RAFFLES!RAFFLES!

NUT ROLLS!NUT ROLLS!PIEROGI!PIEROGI!

MOUSSAKA!MOUSSAKA!

SILENT AUCTION!SILENT AUCTION!

Saturday, October 3rd; 11:00 am ~ 8:00 pmSunday, October 4th; 11:30 ~ 6:30 pm

Kings Contrivance Village Center7271 Eden Brook Drive Columbia, Maryland 21046

www.stmatthewfestival.org

* Homemade Greek, Slavic,Romanian, Ethiopian &Lebanese Foods

* Free Admission* Wine & Beer Garden* Free Live Entertainment

* Vendors* Silent Auction* Children’s Area

Spc. Jordan L. Lockhart (left) and Pfc.Nathan R. Mann (on ladder), both in-stallation chaplain assistants, assist RabbiLevi Finkelstein, who leads the post’sweekly “Lunch With The Rabbi,” inbuilding a sukkah Friday morning in therear courtyard of Argonne Hills ChapelCenter. The structure is actually twosukkahs. A sukkah is a makeshift hut inwhich Jews traditionally eat meals andgreet guests during the festival of Sukkot.The weeklong holiday, which beganSunday night, commemorates the desertwanderings of the ancient Israelites dur-ing the exodus from Egypt. Members ofFort Meade’s Jewish community enjoyedlunch Wednesday in the sukkah in acelebration led by Finkelstein.

Hut One,Hut Two!photo by Alan H. Feiler

8 NEWS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

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According to popular legend, on Oct. 8,1871,Mrs.O’Leary’s cowkickedovera lampand startedTheGreat Chicago Fire.

The Chicago fire didmost of its damageon Oct. 9. The fire killed up to 300 people,left100,000homeless,destroyedmorethan17,400 structures and burned more than2,000 acres.

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilsonissued the first National Fire PreventionDay proclamation. Since1922, Fire Preven-tion Week has been observed on theSunday through Saturday period in whichOct. 9 falls.

According to the National Archives andRecords Administration’s Library Infor-mationCenter,FirePreventionWeek is thelongest-running public health and safetyobservance on record.

Every year since 1925, the president ofthe United States has signed a proclama-tion declaring a national observance dur-ing Fire PreventionWeek.

The National Fire Prevention Associa-tion provides a theme for the observance.This year’s theme is “Hear the beepwhereyou sleep.”

Smoke detectors are your first warningof apossible fire inyourhome.Weall knowwhat they sound like — it’s that littleannoying chirp when the battery is dyingoranear-piercingscreamwhendinnerwasfinished 20minutes ago.

But they save lives.Thereasonbehindthisyear’s themeis to

make sure you have smoke detectors nearthe sleeping areas of your home. Roughlyhalf of home fire deaths are reportedbetween 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when mostpeople are asleep. A working smokedetector will significantly reduce thatnumber.

Where should you put your smokedetector? That is largely dependent on thesize and layout of your home. At the veryleast, there should be one on every floor:

one near the kitchen (but not above thestove), one ineachsleepingarea, andone inevery bedroom.

Don’t forget to place one in the base-ment andmechanical closets.

Smoke detectors are pretty self-suffi-cient. They just sit there on the ceilinglooking for smoke froma fire, dinner or thesteam from the hot shower that you justtook.

The only maintenance needed is tocheck the batteries and test them once amonth to make sure the alarm itself stillsounds. Try to align the testing of yoursmoke detectors with a common monthlyor sporadic chore. I know people who testtheir detectors when they are washing thewindows.

Also, replace the batteries at set inter-vals. Change the batteries when youchange the clocks.

However you decide to test your detec-tors and whenever you decide to changethe batteries, make sure you have plenty ofdetectors in your home and theywork.

As forMrs. O’Leary’s cow, like any goodstory, the “case of the cow” has some truthto it. The great fire almost certainly startednear the barnwhereMrs.O’Leary kept herfivemilkingcows.But there isnoproof thatO’Leary was in the barn when the firebroke out — or that a jumpy cow sparkedthe blaze.

Mrs. O’Leary herself swore that she’dbeen in bed early that evening, and that thecows alsowere tucked in for the night. Butif a cow wasn’t to blame for the huge fire,whatwas?

Over the years, journalists and histori-ans have offered plenty of theories. Someblamed the blaze on a couple of neigh-borhood boys who were near the barnsneaking cigarettes. Others believed that aneighbor of the O’Learys may have startedthe fire.

Somepeoplehavespeculated thata fierymeteorite may have fallen to earth on Oct.8, startingseveral fires thatday inMichiganandWisconsin, aswell as Chicago.

Fire Prevention Weekpromotes safety all yearBy Capt. ShaunM. BagleyFort Meade Fire Prevention Officer

10 NEWS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

On Oct. 1, 2013, Maryland enacted theFirearm Safety Act, which is widelyconsidered to be one of the nation’stoughest firearm regulations in the recentstring of state efforts to regulate assaultweapons.

With the intent of reducing gun vio-lence, the FSA imposes additional re-strictions on the purchase, sale, possessionanduse of certain firearms.

NotableFSA restrictions include:• Expanded list of prohibited assault

weapons that may be possessed, trans-ported, transferred, received, purchased orsold inMaryland

• Registration of all regulated firearmswith the Secretary of the MarylandDepartment of State Police within 90 daysafter establishing residency

• Increasing “safety zones” nearhouses, churches or schools, where thedischarge of firearms are prohibited whilehunting

• Prohibitingacquisitionof a firearmbyindividuals who have been voluntarily orinvoluntarily admitted for more than 30consecutive days to amental health facilityor have been convicted of certain criminaloffenses

• Increased stringencies regarding thetraining and licensing requirements forgun dealers and owners, although excep-tions apply to active-duty service mem-bers, military retirees or honorably dis-charged service members or NationalGuardsmen

• Prohibiting the purchase, sale, rent orreceipt of a handgun to an individual whodoesnot possess a validhandgunqualifica-tion license issued by the Maryland StatePolice. Certain limited exceptions apply.Most notably, active-duty and retiredmembers of the U.S. Armed Forces or theNational Guardwho possess validmilitaryID cards are exempted from this require-ment.

It is vital formembersof theFortMeadecommunity who are firearm purchasers,sellers and owners to understand andcomply with the FSA in order to avoid therisk of fines and criminal prosecution.

RegulatedweaponsThe FSA affects the sale, transfer or

purchaseofhandgunsandassaultweapons(defined as assault pistols and 45 types oflisted assault rifles).

The FSA bans the sale, transfer or

purchase of assault weapons and requiresany person wishing to sell, transfer orpurchase a handgun to go through aregulated firearmsdealer.

The FSA also reduces the allowabledetachable magazine capacity that may bemanufactured, sold,purchased, receivedortransferred in Maryland from 20 to 10rounds of ammunition for a firearm, inaddition to restricting firearmammunitioncommonly knownas “copkiller bullets.”

Obtainingahandgun licenseA Handgun Qualification License is

needed to purchase, transfer or rent aregulated firearm after Oct. 1, 2013. Toobtain a license, youmust:

• Submit a Handgun Qualification Li-cense application along with a $50 fee totheMarylandStatePolice.

• ObtainLive-Scandigital fingerprints.• Obtain a background check.• Take a training course that lasts at

least four hours and does not include livefire.

Ifyouareactiveorretiredmilitaryor lawenforcement, youarenot required to takeatraining course. However, you must stillobtain a license when receiving or pur-chasingahandguntocomplywiththeFSA.

Residency exemptions have been madefor active-duty military personnel andtheir spouses.

Carryingand transportationIf you wish to carry any handgun on

your person — openly or concealed — youmust apply for and be granted a Permit to

WearandCarry fromtheSecretaryofStatePolice.

This requires a separate application andnotarized letter stating the reasons whyyou are applying for the permit, a back-ground investigation by the Secretary ofState Police, a 16-hour training course, andanonrefundable fee of up to $75.

Additionally, the FSA prohibits thetransportation of handguns in any vehiclewithoutaPermit toWearandCarry,exceptfor a limited number of lawful purposes.These include carrying a handgun to orfrom a place of legal purchase, sale orrepair, or to or from target shooting, sportshooting, or hunting and trapping.

During transportation, handguns, shot-guns and rifles must be unloaded andhandguns must be carried in an enclosedcase or enclosedholster.

These are just a few of the manyrestrictions implemented by the FSA. Beaware that restrictions onwhomay obtaina handgun license and who you may sell ahandgun tohave intensified.

For more information, visit the Depart-ment of Maryland State Police website athttps://www.mdsp.org/Organization/Sup-portServicesBureau/LicensingDivision/MainLicensingPage/LicensingandRegis-tration/Firearms.aspx.

Applications for Handgun QualificationLicenses and Permits to Wear and Carryare available online through the Depart-ment ofMarylandStatePolice.

Individuals who legally owned a hand-

gun before Oct. 1, 2013 are not required toget a Handgun Qualification License. TheFSAonly applies to those buying, selling ortransferring firearms afterOct.1, 2013.

However, be aware that the penalty forviolating the FSA includes a $500 fine forthe first offense and a $500 fine and up to90days in jail for a secondoffense.

Fort Meade and all other militaryinstallations maintain their own regula-tions regarding the purchase, possession,storage and transport of firearms, explo-sives, weapons and ammunition. Consultthe respective installation provost marshalfor further guidance to avoid arrest andprosecution.

If you are arrested or charged withviolating the FSA, you should immediatelyconsult a competent, criminal defenseattorney in order to assert any constitu-tional, jurisdictionalorother legaldefensesthatmaybe applicable.

Legal challenges to the FSA werepresented to the U.S. Court of Appeals fortheFourthCircuit onMarch25.Adecisionby that Federal Appeals Court has not yetbeenpublished.

If youneed a letter notarized as part of aPermit toWear andCarry application, visitthe Fort Meade Legal Assistance Office.Formore informationor questions, call theFort Meade Legal Assistance Division at301-677-9504or 301-677-9536.

Editor’s note: Law student interns AustinJ. Short and Jules Szanton contributed tothis article.

Understanding Maryland’s Firearms Safety ActRegulation takes aim atreducing violenceBy Yosefi SeltzerLegal Assistance Attorney

Lt. Harlette Naudy Gea Avanantsoa, aMalagasy service member, stepsbehind a television camera during atour of the Defense Media Activity onSept. 23. Avanantsoa was part of agroup of 12 communications officersand senior noncommissioned officerswho participated in a week of dis-cussions and activities sponsored byU.S. Africa Command as part of theWomen’s Communication Forum. Theforum supports President BarackObama’s National Action Plan onWomen’s Peace and Security.

PHOTO BY MARINE CPL. SARAH LUNA

Behindthe camera

SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 NEWS 11

Perhaps while strolling around picturesque BurbaPark and enjoying the tranquillity and natural beauty ofits adjacent lake, you might have wondered about theorigins of the area’s rather unusual name.

The49-acreparkand lake, located inbackof theMainPostChapelbetweenRobertsandLlewellynavenuesandWilson Street, is named in honor of the late Maj. Gen.EdwardHessBurba, a trueAmericanhero.

Burba served with the 68th Armored Field Artillery,First Armored Division at Fort Knox, Ky., and inNorthern Ireland and Tunisia from 1940 to 1943,according to military documents. He was woundedduring theNorthAfricanCampaign.

He served as chief of staff of the 3rd InfantryDivisionfrom1952-53 in SouthKorea.

AnOklahoman and graduate of OklahomaUniversityin Norman, Burba also served as deputy commander ofthe FirstUnited States Army at FortMeade from1968 to1970.

As a battalion operations officer and later a com-manding officer, Burba was awarded the Silver Star, theLegion of Merit and the Purple Heart. He served in theArmy for 37 years, and was a project manager for themainbattle tank.

Burba was living at Fort Meade near the park in thelate1960swhenoneofhis youngsons informedhimthata large number of duckswere dying at the lake,which atthat time was known as KellyPool (or Kelly’s Pool). It wasreportedly named after theofficer inchargeof theunit thatinitially conductedworkon thecreation of the lakemany yearsearlier.

Burba promised his son thathe would try to rectify thesituation and somehow savethe ducks. He contacted thepost commander and installa-tion engineer, and the lake wasthoroughly dredged, cleanedand refilled. The ducks, fishand other wildlife now had asafe and habitable environ-ment in which to live, largelythanks to the efforts of theBurbas.

Tragically not long after-ward, Burba and two of hischief warrant officers died in atwin-engine military plane ac-cident on Oct. 29, 1970, when

trying to land in dense fog and heavy rain near Tri-StateAirport in Wayne County, W.Va. The U-8 craft wasreportedly experiencing engine problems and plungedintoaclusterof trees900yardswestof theairport’smainrunway.

Burba,whowas58,wasenroute toMore-head State Universityin Kentucky topresent the Army’shighest civilianawardto Dr. Adron Doran, alongtime friend andthe college’s presi-dent, as well as tohonor the school’sReserve Officers’Training Corps pro-gram.

Burba was buriedin Arlington NationalCemetery. His wife,Margaret Monk Bur-ba, who died in 1987,was interred besidehim.

TheMemorial Dayfollowing Burba’sdeath,ataFortMeadededication ceremony

onMay31,1971, theparkand lakewererenamed inhonorof the man who spearheaded the cleanup effort andrescuedthearea’sonce-endangeredwebbedinhabitants.

Today, a historical marker at the north end of BurbaPark and Lake relates the story of the area’s namesakeandhis efforts.

Interestingly, one of Burba’s sons is Gen. Edwin H.Burba Jr., a Vietnam War veteran and retired four-stargeneral who served as commander-in-chief of the U.S.Army Forces Command from 1989 to 1993. The elderBurba’s granddaughter, Col. Kathryn A. Burba, recentlyserved as commander of the 501st Sustainment BrigadeinSouthKorea.

Today, Burba Park has five picnic pavilions, a cottage,playground, three fishing piers, benches, a blacktopwalking path, grills, a horseshoe pit, volleyball andsoftball fields, picnic tables, and a lake brimming withducks, fish andother creatures.

Units, organizations, post residents and others enjoypublic and private gatherings and activities throughoutthe year at Burba Park, which is a trash-free zone inaccordancewithMarylandStateParkspolicy.

So next time you’re enjoying the scenery and serenityofBurbaPark, takeamoment toremember themanwhomade a promise to his son to try to save the lake and itsresidents.

Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a monthlyseries on the history of Fort Meade. To make recom-mendations for “AMoment In Time” features, email AlanFeiler at afeiler@baltsun.com.

AMoment In Time . . .Burba Park named for general wholed environmental efforts at lakeBy Alan H. FeilerStaff Writer

PHOTOS BY ALAN H. FEILER

12 COVER STORY THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF! SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 COVER STORY 13

Membersof theFortMeadecommunitygathered Saturday at Pavilion 1 at BurbaLake for a remembrance ceremony inhonor of Gold Star Mothers and FamiliesDay.

The last Sunday in September is recog-nized as Gold Star Mothers and FamiliesDay.Eachyear the installation conducts anevent around that time in support of theannual observance.

However, this year’s event featuredsome very special guests—more than fourdozenbutterflies.Thebutterflieswerepartofareleaseceremonyheldnear the lake forGold Star mothers and families. It was

hosted by Army Survivor Outreach Serv-ices andArmyCommunity Service.

“I wanted to have something that waslivingandasIresearched,Inoticedthatthebutterflies symbolized something that islivingandcontinues toregenerate, repopu-late andmove on fromplace to place,” saidVoncile Farmer, Army Survivor OutreachServices coordinator. “They’re also a sym-bol of beauty andhonor for a lot of people.”

Farmer noted that many of the familiesviewed the butterflies as a symbol of theirloved ones and as way to keep theirmemory alive. According to Farmer, thiswas Fort Meade’s first butterfly releaseceremony.

Several other events were also heldthroughout the weekend in Washington,

D.C.The term “Gold Star” originated during

World War I when Americans displayedflags in homes, businesses, schools andchurchesbearingabluestarforeachfamilymember serving in the military. Familiesstitched a gold star over the blue star tohonor those members who died duringmilitary service.

The next event, Gold StarWives Day, isscheduled forApril 5.

For more information about the ArmySurvivor Outreach Services program, call301-677-5590.

Editor’s note: Information was takenfrom www.army.mil/standto/archive/2015/09/. For more photos from the event, visitflickr.com/photos/ftmeade.

Healing andremembrance

Gold Star members Susan Turley andJanice Chance embrace.

Butterflies released as “living memorial” to fallen during ceremonyFortMeade Public AffairsOffice

(Left to right:) Laura Brown, her father Air Force Maj. Ivan Brown and his wife, Ana Brown, and Army spouse Eliza Paulinopray at the Gold Star Mothers and Families Day ceremony Saturday.

PHOTOS BY DANIEL KUCIN JR.

Four dozen butterflies are released to honor the fallen.

Gold Star Mother Janice Chance chats at the ceremony with (left to right) Elijah Morgan, GoldStar member Gina Barnhurst, and Michelle Morgan.

RIGHT: Gold Star Mother JaniceChance consoles Gold Star memberDonna Robinson.

Army Survivor Outreach Services CoordinatorVoncile Farmer reads a poem before releasing the butterflies.

14 NEWS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

Nearly50 local youngstersbetween theages of 3 and 15 took part in theinstallation’s annual Fall Fishing RodeoonSept.19atBurbaLakeRecreationArea.

The rodeo was sponsored by theMeade Rod and Gun Club and FortMeade’s Directorate of Family and Mo-rale, Welfare and Recreation. The freeeventwas open to the public.

Youths competed to catch the lake’slargest fish. Participants were divided byage categories. The Maryland Depart-ment of Natural Resources stocked thelakewith fish prior to the event.

Thenext fishing rodeo is scheduled forApril 16.

ABOVE: Silver Spring resident JohnParks and his 4-year-old daughterMadison enjoy a quiet moment in agrassy area by Burba Lake.

PHOTOS BY PHIL GROUT

Levi Page pulls out a fish out of a bag to be weighed by members of the MeadeRod and Gun Club, a co-sponsor of the Fall Fishing Rodeo. Levi came in first placein the 7-11 age category.

Robert Chandler, 12, pulls his catch out of the lake.

Reel Fun!FortMeade Public AffairsOffice

Fall Fishing RodeoWinnersAges: 3-61. Jerry Berneir, 105 grams2. Ethan Kiel, 85 gramsAges: 7-111. Levi Page, 115 grams2. Olivia Bacasnot, 110 grams3. Joseph Keene, 105 gramsAges: 12-151. Gaia Lance, 135 grams2. Lexie Nidecker, 110 grams3. Clarissa Aguilar, 100 gramsSmallest: Jerry Berneir, 10 gramsLargest: Gaia Lance, 135 grams

SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 NEWS 15

An elated Xander Bacasnot, 4, places his catch in a cooler while checking outanother bluegill caught by his sister Olivia.

Chief Petty Officer Carl McLaughlin (right) helps his son Dillan rig his line forfishing at Burba Lake.

16 SPORTS THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

L ast week’s national topicdu jourwas religion.

Today, as I andamajor-ity of the nearly 40,000 civilianswho work at Fort Meade staredown a possible governmentshutdown, it’swomen.

I’m not even going to dab mypinky toe into the firestorminvolving Planned Parenthood,Roe v.Wade or women’s health. Ihave opinions on each of thesubjects, but your weekly dose isneither the time nor place forthem.

I do, however, have a gender-chargedissue I’d like your advice on. The amazingMrs. Jones was selected to be a FrenchInternational Baccalaureate teacher forAnneArundel County Public Schools.

Outstanding news for sure, and not justbecause the extra cash means our mort-gage will finally meet its maker and theJones family vacation fund is going to startcollecting “fat stacks” as rapperMeekMillwould put it.

It’s also great news for her soon-to-bestudents whowill get a diverse view of theFrench culture from a pretty outstandingand intelligentperson—despiteher choiceinmates.

More than all of that, Laila is excitedabout the opportunity. It is her first forayinto theworkforce in12 years.

Anyone fortunate enough to have aspouse willing to sacrifice career opportu-nities, financial self-reliance and sanity forthe betterment of the family unit, knowsthe advantages that come with a stay-at-homespouse: security, stability, nodaycarecosts, and someone to do every errand, sitthroughevery school functionanddoctor’sappointment, etc.

Even if you’venever been so fortunate, itdoesn’t take a genius to figure out that astay-at-home spouse quickly becomes thebackbone of the family, the straw that stirsthe drink, the security blanket, the founda-tion, or whatever other cliché that empha-sizes he or she is the most importantperson in the family.Not tomention it’s thehardest,most thankless job.

So when I say I’m havingissues with my wife heading intothe workforce, it has nothing todo with her finally getting topursue her career, or her makingmoney,orhavinga lifeoutside thehome. I amall for those things.

Myconcernrestsa lot loweronMaslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:How in the heck am I going tosurvive now that my wife istaking her immense talents out-side home?

I’d like to think I’ve been afairly supportive husband. I’ve picked upstuffat thegrocerystoreonmywayhome. Iadjusted my morning schedule so I couldtake the kids to work occasionally, and Ieven tried to cook, do laundry and vacuumon theweekends.

But three days into our new normal andit is clear Ineed to stepupmygamesoMrs.Jones has the sameopportunity to succeedin her new career as I’ve had, largelybecause of her sacrifices.

I suppose I should also make sure mykids are not stuck eating TV dinners,PB&Js, andchips fivedays aweek.Not thatthere’s anything wrong with that. It’s justnot what we’ve come to expect after somany years of being spoiled with curries,lentils, egg chicken, and the occasionaleggplant parmor lamb chops.

There are some logistical questions Ihave no answers for. If kids are sick, whotakes off work? Is it strictly based onfinancials? Is it true that my money is ourmoney while her money is hers? Whatabout afterschool activities? How manydayscanapotofchili sit in the fridgebeforeit goes bad? Is serving popcorn for dinnerOK?

Thiswhole thing, as great as it is, hasmefeeling a bit like TonyRomowithout JasonWitten. That’swhy I’mhoping you, JabberNation, can provide me with some tips onhow tobest organizemy time and “talents”to ensure the Jones family doesn’t fall.

If you have comments on this or anythingto do with sports, contact me atchad.t.jones.civ@mail.mil or hit me up onTwitter@CTJibber.

JIBBER JABBER - OPINION

Our new normal

Chad T.JonesPUBLIC AFFAIRSOFFICER

Free Orioles ticketsTickets for Sunday’s Baltimore Orioles

vs. New York Yankees game at Oriole Parkat Camden Yards in Baltimore will bedistributed today at 9 a.m. to active-dutyservice members and their families only.

The game is scheduled for 3:05 p.m.DoD civilian employees, full-time con-

tractors and active-duty service membersand their families can pick up ticketsFriday at noon.

I.D. cardholders will receive a maximumof four tickets — no exceptions. Identifica-tion is required.

The reselling of tickets is prohibited.Tickets are available for pickup at Lei-

sure Travel Services, 2300 Wilson St. andwill be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

No tickets will be held.For more information call 301-677-7354.

Fort Meade Run SeriesThe annual Fort Meade Run Series

continues with the following events:

• Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins 5K: Oct.24, 8 a.m., The Pavilion

• Turkey Trot 5K: Nov. 21, 8 a.m., MurphyField House

• Reindeer Run 5K: Dec. 19, 8 a.m.,Murphy Field House

All runs are open to the public andinclude a 1-mile walk.

Preregistration for individuals costs $15.Registration on event day costs $25.

Preregistration costs $45 per family ofthree to six people and $60 on the day ofthe event. Preregistration for groups ofseven to 10 runners costs $85.

All preregistered runners will receive aT-shirt. For more information, call 301-677-3318.

Youth Sports fall registrationRegistration for fall sports is underway.Fall sports include: NFL Flag Football,

volleyball, tennis, soccer and cheerleading.To register or for more information, go

to ftmeademwr.com or call 301-677-1179or 301-677-1329.

SPORTS SHORTS

Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Rodwell L. Forbes awards Maryland All-Starsbasketball coach James Stewart Jr. (right) with a trophy for his team’s victoryover the Fort Meade Patriots during the 30th Annual Queenstown Day celebra-tion earlier this year in Severn. Dal’Mico Boston (left), vice president of the Sev-ern Improvement Association, was also on hand to celebrate the team’s victory.The All-Stars beat the Patriots 66-58 on July 15, but the team did not officiallyreceive their trophy until Saturday.

PHOTO BY DENVER BEAULIEU-HAINS

Queenstown Day victory trophy

Find us on Facebook atFacebook.com/ftmeade

SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 COMMUNITY 17

The deadline for Soundoff! community“News and Notes” is Friday at noon. Allsubmissions are posted at the editor’sdiscretion and may be edited for space andgrammar. Look for additional communityevents on the Fort Meade website atftmeade.army.mil and the Fort MeadeFacebook page at facebook.com/ftmeade.

NEWS&EVENTS

New way to submitannouncements

Community members can advertisetheir upcoming event, meeting or class onthe Soundoff! community announcementspage by visiting ftmeade.army.mil andclicking on the Press Center tab.

Once you are in the Fort Meade PressCenter, click on PA services, story or pro-motion request and electronic inquiryform.

Inquiry forms should be submitted atleast two weeks before the date of theevent, meeting or class.

For more information, call Editor DijonRolle at 301-677-6806.

Death noticeRetired Air Force Master Sgt. Michael

Ermola died Nov. 23, 2014.Ermola was stationed at Fort Meade for

many years as a service member. Afterretiring from the Air Force, he served as acivilian employee at the National SecurityAgency.

Ermola will be buried today at ArlingtonNational Cemetery.

The service will start at 8:45 a.m. at theinstallation chapel at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia, then proceed toArlington.

Absentee Voters WeekIn support of the Army Voting Assist-

ance Program, the Army has designatedthis week as Absentee Voters Week nowthrough Tuesday.

Leaders are advised to assist servicemembers and families with accessinginformation on voting resources.

For more information, call InstallationVoting Assistance Officer Derrick L. Hor-sley at 301-677-2506 or email Der-rick.l.horsley.civ@mail.mil, or go to fvap-.gov.

Change of responsibilityThe 780th Military Intelligence Brigade

will conduct a change-of-responsibilityceremony Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. on Soccer Field#1, located at the corner of Chamberlin

Avenue and 4th Street.Command Sgt. Maj. William Rinehart

will relinquish responsibility to CommandSgt. Maj. Sheldon Chandler.

New NCOER systemThe effective date for implementation

of the new Noncommissioned OfficerEvaluation Report is Jan. 1.

The secretary of the Army has directedthat all E-4s and above and civilians whoare in an NCO rating chain attend trainingon the new system.

Six scheduled training sessions will beheld at McGill Training Center.

• Information briefing: Tuesday, 9 a.m.• Hands-on Training: Tuesday, 1 p.m.• Information briefing: Nov. 18, 9 a.m.• Information briefing: Dec. 11, 9 a.m.

Commissary baggers neededThe Fort Meade Commissary is accept-

ing applications for 35 bagger positions.Positions are available for the afternoon

shifts: Monday through Friday, 2:45-9:30p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 2:30-9:30p.m.

Bagger positions are open to active-duty service members, family membersand retirees.

Interviews will be conducted Oct. 19from 9 a.m. to noon at Club Meade.

Applicants must come in-person andpresent their current military/dependentI.D. card and Social Security number.

For more information, call 301-677-5502.

Sensory-friendly filmsAMC Columbia Mall 14 Theater will offer

showings of sensory-friendly films for localExceptional Family Member Program fami-lies on Oct. 17 at 10 a.m.

The theater is located at 10300 Little

Patuxent Parkway in Columbia.For more information on prices and a

listing of upcoming movies, visit https://www.amctheatres.com/programs/sensoryfriendly-films.

Veterans Day DedicationA Veterans Day Dedication will be held

Nov. 10 at 12:30 p.m. at O’Malley SeniorActivity Center, 1270 Odenton Road, Oden-ton.

The keynote speaker is Garrison Com-mander Col. Brian P. Foley.

The guest speaker is Byron Morris, im-mediate past president of the East CoastChapter of the Tuskegee Airmen.

The program will include a music pre-sentation by the Bowie Senior Choraleersand a video of the “Candy Bomber Story”featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choirand narration by Tom Brokaw.

See NEWS & NOTES, page 18

NEWS & NOTES

Fathers and daughters dance at the Fort Meade Father-Daughter Ball last year. This year’s event will be held Oct. 17 from5-8:30 p.m. at Club Meade. Formal attire is required (dress uniform or suit and tie/party dresses). A dinner buffet and ice-cream bar will be served from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The event also will feature a magic show from 6:30-7 p.m.; dancing and a discjockey from 7-8:30 p.m.; and craft tables from 5-8:30 p.m. Cost is $40 per father/daughter and $20 for each additionaldaughter. Tickets are available at Club Meade. Seating is limited. For more information, call 301-677-6969.

FILE PHOTO

Hitting The Dance Floor

18 COMMUNITY THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 | SOUNDOFF!

Light refreshments will be served.For more information, call 410-222-

0140.

Lanes hiringThe Fort Meade Bowling Center is hiring

recreation aids and food service workers.For more information, call 301-677-

6660 or go to https://www.usajobs.gov.

Farmers’ market extendedThe Fort Meade Farmers’ Market is

extended until Oct. 14.Pick up lunch from the food truck ven-

dors.The farmers’ market is open every

Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at thePavilion.

For more information, call 301-677-3579.

EDUCATION

ASIST trainingApplied Suicide Intervention Skills Train-

ing is offering a free workshop on suicide“first-aid” on Oct. 15 and 16; Nov. 19 and20; and Dec. 17 and 18 at Argonne HillsChapel Center, 7100 Rockenbach Road.

Training will teach participants to:• Recognize opportunities for help• Reach out and offer support• Develop a safety plan that neutralizes

risks• Apply the “Pathway for Assisting Life”

(PAL)• Link people with community resources

The program is open to service mem-bers, civilians and family members ages 18and older.

No uniforms.Attendance on both days of training is

required.To register, contact Sgt. 1st Class Erick

Sowell at erick.sowell@me.com or Capt.Paul Kunnas at 419-709-5194 or emailpaul.e.kunnas.mil@mail.mil.

For more information, call Torrie Oster-holm, Suicide Prevention Program man-ager at 301-677-6541.

Homeschool GroupThe Fort Meade Homeschool Group

meets throughout the year for field tripsand social outings.

For information on upcoming events,visit the “Fort Meade Homeschool Group”on Facebook. Go to https://www.face-book.com/groups/FortMeadeHomes-choolGroup/

Financial, EmploymentReadiness

Army Community Service offers Fi-

nancial Readiness and Employment Readi-ness classes to all ranks and services andto DoD civilian employees at the Commu-nity Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

Registration is required for each class.• Dollars & Sense: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to

noon• Resume Writing: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to

noon• Thrift Savings Plan: Oct. 13, 9-11 a.m.• Home Buying: Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to noon

To register, call 301-677-5590 or go tofortmeadeacs.checkappointments.com

Free classesThe Navy Fleet and Family Support

Center offers a variety of classes at itsfacility at 2212 Chisholm Ave.

The free classes are open to DoD IDcardholders including active-duty servicemembers, retirees and their family mem-bers, DoD civilian employees and contrac-tors.

Registration is required for each class.Life Skills:• Stress Management: Tuesday, 9-10

a.m.• Common Sense Parenting: Oct. 19,

9-10 a.m.Topic: “Correcting Problem Behavior”• Women’s Focus Group: Oct. 20, 1:30-

3:30 p.m.• Men’s Focus Group: Oct. 27, 1:30-2:30

p.m.• Young Women’s Enrichment: Thurs-

days, 9:30-11 a.m.Military/Retirement:• TGPS (Transition, Goals, Plans and

Success) Workshop: Monday through Oct.9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Oct. 19-23, 10 a.m.to 4 p.m.

• Pre-Separation Brief: Oct. 15, 9-11:30a.m.

• Retirement Brief (within two years ofretirement): Oct. 26, 8-11:30 a.m.

• Medical Records Review: Appoint-ment required

To register or for more information, call301-677-9017 or 301-677-9018.

YOUTH

StorytimeThe Children’s Library offers pre-kinder-

garten Storytime on Thursdays at 9:30a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at Kuhn Hall, 4415Llewellyn Ave.

• Today: “D is for Dinosaur” — stories allabout dinosaurs

• Oct. 9: “Working Smoke Alarms SaveLives” — celebrating Fire Prevention Weekwith safety stories and guests

• Oct. 16: “Busy Little Squirrels” — sto-ries about squirrels

For more information, call 301-677-5677.

SKIES classesFall instructional classes for Schools of

Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration andSkills Unlimited are open for registration.

Classes include driver’s education,piano, swimming, dance, tae kwon do andtumbling.

Registration information is available atChild, Youth and School Services’ ParentCentral Services office at 1900 ReeceRoad.

For more information, including regis-tration deadlines, call 301-677-1156/1149/1104.

Patrons already enrolled with CYSS canregister for classes online at ftmeademwr-.com.

Romp ’n StompRomp ’n Stomp playgroup for children

ages 5 and younger and their parentsmeets Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. atthe Youth Center gym at 909 Ernie Pyle St.

For more information, call 301-677-5590or email colaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.

Weekly playgroupChildren ages 4 and younger are invited

to a weekly playgroup held every Fridayfrom 10:30 a.m. to noon at the FamilyAdvocacy Center, 2462 85th MedicalBattalion Ave.

The playgroup features a variety ofengaging activities to build strong parent-child relationships.

Space is limited. Registration is requiredfor each session.

For more information, call 301-677-5590.

RECREATION

Out & About• Freestate Happy Wanderers Walk-

ing Club will host a volksmarch event onOct. 17 in Mount Airy, Md.

Start the walk between 9 a.m. and noonand finish by 3:30 p.m. Meet at the Wat-kins Park Pavilion, 615 Center St.

Both trails (5K and 10K) travel on therail trail segment, natural surfaces, countryroads and along residential sidewalks.

For more information, email kindfel-low1@comcast.net or call 301-717-3604.

• Maryland Renaissance Festival isheld Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.to 7 p.m., rain or shine, through Oct. 25 at1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis. Ticketsrange from $7-$24. For more information,call 800-296-7304 or go to marylandre-naissancefestival.com. For immediateticket purchasing, go to http://www.renn-fest.com/tickets.

• Orthodox Church of St. MatthewMulti-Cultural Festival will be held Sat-

urday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundayfrom 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at King’s Con-trivance Village Center in Columbia. Ad-mission is free.

The annual event features entertain-ment and homemade Greek, Slavic, Ro-manian, Ethiopian, Lebanese and Ameri-can foods. Food platters cost $10.

The festival also features a wine andbeer garden, raffles and door prizes, asilent auction, children’s activities andchurch tours.

Live cultural entertainment includesRussian, Greek, Irish and Mexican perform-ances; Chinese dance troupes; and bellydancers.

For more information and festivalphotos, go to http://stmatthewfesti-val.org.

MEETINGS• Monthly Prayer Breakfast, hosted by

the Garrison Chaplain’s Office, is held thefirst Thursday of every month at 7 a.m. atClub Meade. The next prayer breakfast istoday. There is no cost for the buffet.Donations are optional.

Menu features eggs, bacon, sausage,biscuits, gravy, grits, Danish, fruit, coffeeand ice water.

All Fort Meade employees, family mem-bers, and civilian and military personnelare invited. For more information, call301-677-6703.

• Meade Rod and Gun Club meets thefirst Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. atPerry’s Restaurant and Odie’s Pub at 1210Annapolis Road, Odenton, in the banquethall in back of the building. The next meet-ing is tonight. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. Formore information, call Charisma Wootenat 240-568-6055.

• National Alliance on Mental Illnessof Anne Arundel County offers a freesupport group for families with a loved onesuffering from mental illness on the firstThursday of every month at 7 p.m. at theOdenton (West County) Library, 1325Annapolis Road. The next meeting is to-night. For more information, visit namiaa-c.org.

• Exceptional Family Member Pro-gram hosts “Sip and Share” on the firstThursday of every month from 9:30-10:30a.m. at the Exchange coffee shop in thefood court. The next get-together is today.The event is designed to allow participantsto share their stories to encourage andinform one another about resources avail-able in the local community. For moreinformation or to register, call 301-677-4779.

• Calling All Dads, for expecting fathersand fathers with children of all ages, meetsthe first and third Monday of every monthfrom 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Family Advo-

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SOUNDOFF! | THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2015 COMMUNITY 19

cacy Program Center, 2462 85th MedicalBattalion Ave.

The next meeting is Monday. Childrenare welcome. Registration is required. Formore information, call 301-677-4118.

• Families Dealing with Deploymentmeets the first and third Monday of everymonth from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the FamilyAdvocacy Program, 2462 85th MedicalBattalion Ave. Children welcome. The nextmeeting is Monday.

The group is for families experiencing anupcoming or current deployment, or theservice members who has recently re-turned from deployment. For more in-formation, call 301-677-5590 or emailcolaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.

• Retired Officers’ Wives’ Club willhold its next luncheon meeting on Tuesdayat 11 a.m. at Club Meade. Reservations arerequired.

The program will feature Alan DeValerio,who will relate fascinating details of thecareer of entertainer George Burns and willperform vaudeville routines with an off-stage voice of Burns’ wife and partner,Gracie Allen.

Cost of luncheon is $18. For reserva-tions, call your area representative or BettyWade at 410-551-7082.

Members may bring guests to theluncheons, which are held on the firstTuesday of each month, except June, July,August and January.

For more information, call Lianne Rob-erts, ROWC president, at 301-464-5498.

• Fort Meade E9 Association meetsthe second Friday of every month at 7 a.m.in the Pin Deck Cafe at the Lanes. The nextmeeting is Oct. 9.

The association is open to active, re-tired, Reserve and National Guard E9s ofany uniformed service. All E9s in this areaare invited to attend a breakfast and meetthe membership. For more information, goto e9association.org.

• Meade Branch 212 of the Fleet Re-serve Association meets the secondSaturday of each month at 10 a.m. at VFWPost 160, 2597 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie.The next meeting is Oct. 10. Active-duty,Reserve and retired members of the U.S.Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard areinvited. For more information, call 443-604-2474 or 410-768-6288.

• NARFE Chapter 1519 Glen Burnie willmeet Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. in the Holy TrinityParish Hall, 436 Baltimore-Annapolis Road,in Glen Burnie.

The guest speaker for the NationalActive and Retired Federal Employee Asso-ciation is Laura Taliaferro, who works in theHearing Research Lab at the University ofMaryland, College Park. She will discuss apaid, NIH-funded experiment looking atthe benefits of a computerized trainingprogram for users of hearing aids.

For more information, call Don A. Bend-

er, chapter co-president, at 410-787-0390.• Fort Meade TOP III Association

meets the second Wednesday of eachmonth at 3 p.m. at the Conference Center.The next meeting is Oct. 14. The associa-tion is open to all Air Force active-duty andretired senior noncommissioned officers.For more information, call Master Sgt.Jonathan Jacob at 443-479-0616 or emailjajacob@nsa.gov.

• Prostate Cancer Support Groupmeets at Walter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center in Bethesda on the thirdThursday of every month. The next meet-ing is Oct. 15 from 1-2 p.m. and 6:30-7:30p.m. in the America Building, River Confer-ence Room (next to the Prostate Center),third floor.

Spouses/partners are invited. Military IDis required for base access. Men without amilitary ID should call the Prostate Centerat 301-319-2900 at least four businessdays prior to the event for base access.

For more information, call retired Col.Jane Hudak at 301-319-2918 or emailjane.l.hudak.ctr@health.mil.

• Moms Support Group meets Thurs-days from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at PotomacPlace Neighborhood Center. The group isfor mothers of young children up to age 3.Meet other moms with young children andshare tips. Children are welcome. Regis-tration is required. For more information,call 301-677-5590.

• Moms Walking Group, sponsored byParent Support, meets Thursdays from8:30-9:15 a.m. at the Family AdvocacyProgram, 2462 85th Medical Battalion Ave.To register, call 301-677-3617.

• Project Healing Waters meets Thurs-days from 6-8 p.m. at the Soldiers andFamily Assistance Center, 2462 85th Medi-cal Battalion Ave.

The project is dedicated to the physicaland emotional rehabilitation of woundedwarriors and veterans through fly fishing,fly tying and outings.

For more information, call Larry Vawter,program leader, at 443-535-5074 or emailthecarptman@msn.com.

• Dancing with the Heroes, free ball-room dance lessons for the Warrior Transi-tion Unit, meets Thursdays at 6 p.m. atArgonne Hills Chapel Center in the seminarroom.

Participants should wear loose clothing,comfortable shoes with leather soles. Nosuper high heels or flip-flops.

• Spanish Christian Service is con-ducted Sundays at 1 p.m. at the CavalryChapel located at 8465 Simonds St. and6th Armored Cavalry Road.

For more information, call Elias Mendezat 301-677-7314 or 407-350-8749.

• Couples Communication meetsevery Monday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at theFamily Advocacy Program Center, 246285th Medical Battalion Ave.

The session is aimed at helping couplesdevelop tools to enhance their relationship,gain problem-solving strategies, and createa long-lasting relationship. For more in-formation, call 301-677-4118.

• Cub Scout Pack 377 invites boys infirst through fifth grades, or ages 7 to 10, toattend its weekly Monday meetings at 6p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center.

For more information, email CubmasterChristopher Lassiter at pack377_cm@ya-hoo.com or Committee Chairperson MarcoCilibert at pack377_cc@yahoo.com.

• Boy Scout Troop 377 meets Mondaysfrom 7-8:30 p.m. at Argonne Hills ChapelCenter on Rockenbach Road. The troop isactively recruiting boys ages 11 to 18. Formore information, email Lisa Yetman, atlisayetman@verizon.net; Scoutmaster EdSmith at eksmith91@hotmail.com; orWendall Lawrence, committee chair-person, at lawrencewendall@gmail.com.

To see what the troop offers, go towww.troop377.retiredguy.net.

• Catholic Women of the Chapelmeets every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. forprayer and Bible study in the Main PostChapel, 4419 Llewellyn Ave. Monthly pro-grams are held Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Thegroup is open to all women in the commu-nity ages 18 and older — active duty, retireeand civilian — for prayer, faith fellowship,and service. For more information, emailMariana Yinh at themariana@yahoo.com.

• Women’s Empowerment Groupmeets Wednesdays from 2-3:30 p.m. toprovide a safe, confidential arena for thesupport, education and empowerment ofwomen who have experienced past orpresent family violence.

Location is only disclosed to partici-pants. To register, call Samantha Herring,victim advocate, at 301-677-4124 or Kath-erine Lamourt, victim advocate, at 301-677-4117.

• American Legion Post 276 is open toveterans and active-duty service membersat 8068 Quarterfield Road in Severn.Breakfast may be purchased beginning at9 a.m. Lunches may be purchased from11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Happy Hour is 4-6p.m. Dinner may be purchased at 6 p.m. onFridays and the fourth Sunday of everymonth.

Membership discounts are offered foractive-duty military. For more information,call 410-969-8028 or visit americanlegion-post276.org.

• The Retired Enlisted Associationmeets the third Tuesday of the monthfrom 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Perry’s Restaurant,1210 Annapolis Road, Odenton. The nextmeeting is Oct. 20. For more information,visit trea.org or call Elliott Phillips, localpresident, at 443-790-3805; Charles M.Green, local president at 443-610-4252; orArthur R. Cooper, past national president,at 443-336-1230.

The movie schedule is subject to change.For a recorded announcement of showings,call 301-677-5324. Further listings are avail-able on the Army and Air Force ExchangeServicewebsite atwww.aafes.com.

Movies start Fridays and Saturdays at6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

PRICES: Tickets are $6 for adults (12 andolder) and $3.50 for children. 3DMovies: $8adults, $5.50 children.

Today throughOct. 10

Friday & Sunday: “Mission: Impos-sible - Rogue Nation” (PG-13). EthanHunt and his team take on their mostimpossible mission yet: eradicating theSyndicate - an international rogue organi-zation as highly skilled as they are,committed to destroying the IMF. WithTom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg,Rebecca Ferguson.

Saturday: “Ricki and The Flash”(PG-13). A musician who gave up every-thing for her dream of rock-and-rollstardom returns home, looking to makethings right with her family. With MerylStreep, KevinKline,MamieGummer.

Oct. 9: “Straight Outta Compton”(R). The group NWA emerges from themeanstreetsofCompton inLosAngeles inthe mid-1980s and revolutionizes hip-hopculture with their music and tales aboutlife in the hood. With O’Shea Jackson Jr.,CoreyHawkins, JasonMitchell.

Oct.10: FREESCREENING - “Bridgeof Spies” (PG-13). An American lawyer isrecruited by the CIA during the ColdWartohelp rescueapilotdetained in theSovietUnion. With Tom Hanks, Alan Alda, AmyRyan.Tickets available at the Exchangefood court. Seating open to non-ticketholders 30minutes prior to showtime.

MOVIES

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