ALASKA POST - static.dvidshub.net · Safety Message Maj. Gen. Michael H. Shields U.S. Army Alaska com-manding general The Holiday Season is a wonderful time of year . to give thanks

December 19, 2014Vol. 5, No. 50 Fort Wainwright, Alaska

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Junior leaders learn about tools to help Soldiers achieve resiliencyAllen ShawFort Wainwright PAO

More than one-hun-dred junior and mid-level leaders par-ticipated in a Terrain Walk, Dec. 8 and 9 to familiarize them with service providers on post and where they are located.

Attention was fo-cused on the recre-ational opportunities at the Physical Fitness Center and Melaven Gym, services provid-ed by the Department of Behavioral Health, Outdoor Recreation, the Army Substance Abuse Program, Army Community Service, the Family Life Center and the Army Well-ness Center. The Ter-rain Walk is actually a guided tour designed to show leaders the re-sources available and allow the command to connect the dots.

Steve Tate, sports manager, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recre-ation explained what the recreation facili-ties have to offer. “We have a variety of class-es designed for differ-ent fitness levels at a reasonable rate and can provide personal training, if that’s more your style,” he said.

Following Tate, the group was briefed by Tony Gantt, training center manager, Com-prehensive Soldier and Family Fitness. He said, “We’re just try-ing to get the program off the ground here.” The CSF2 is designed to build resilience and

enhance performance of the Army Family – Soldiers, their Fam-ilies, and Army civil-ians. CSF2 does this by providing hands-on training and self-de-velopment tools so that members of the Army Family are bet-ter able to cope with adversity, perform better in stressful sit-uations, and thrive in life.

The Soldiers partic-ipating in the Terrain Walk were split into groups of 20 to 30 and bussed to Behavior-al Health and Army

General’s Holiday Safety MessageMaj. Gen. Michael H. ShieldsU.S. Army Alaska com-manding general

The Holiday Season is a wonderful time of year to give thanks and visit with Family and friends, reflect upon the past, and anticipate what the New Year will bring. During the winter holi-day season, our service members, Civilians, and Families spend more time traveling just when the weather makes the roads dangerous in all areas of Alaska. Safety is about making the cor-rect choices. When we choose not to follow the simple rules of the road we put ourselves and others at risk. Speeding, not using seat belts, and driving while impaired — whether because of fatigue or alcohol — are the three major causes of our off-duty deaths during the holidays.

Maj. Gen. Michael H. Shields

Jack Parker, Master Resilience Trainer Performance Expert with the Fort Wainwright office, give junior and mid-level leaders the run-down on the services offered through the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program on post. For more information, call (571) 255-0266. (Photo by Brian Schlum-bohm, Fort Wainwright PAO)

Junior and mid-level leaders board busses Dec. 8 and 9 to tour services for Soldiers and Family member on post. The Terrain Walk was to familiar-ize them with Army Community Service, the Family Life Center, Behavior Health, Outdoor and Indoor Recreation, the Army Substance Abuse Pro-gram and the newly established wellness center. (Photo by Allen Shaw, Fort Wainwright PAO)

Capt. Matthew BaldwinU.S. Army Alaska PAO

With wishes for happiness and prosperity, Sgt. 1st Class John Christopher Lewis re-ceived his Certificate of Re-tirement from the Armed Forces of America Nov. 14, at the Last Frontier Community Activity Center on Fort Wain-wright.

A Columbus, Miss., na-tive, he is set to retire May 31, 2015, and is ending his 20 years of service as a senior en-listed leader in the 3rd Battal-ion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Joining the army in 1995, he went to basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and re-ceived Signal Support System Specialist training at Fort Gordon, Ga.

“It was a hard business back then, but nothing like what it is today,” said Lt. Col. Joel D. Newsom, commander

for the “Gimlets” 3-21 Infantry. “I would argue that of all the

Soldier for Life: 1st Sgt. carries leadership to the community

Lt. Col. Joel D. Newsom, commander for the “Gimlets,” 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th In-fantry Division, awards a retirement pin to Sgt. 1st Class John Chris-topher Lewis at the Last Frontier Community Activity Center at Fort Wainwright, Alaska Nov. 14. The pin was given in honor of Lewis’s many years of service, and during the retirement ceremony he also received the Nation’s Colors and a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Commander in Chief, President Barack Obama. (Photo by Capt. Matt Baldwin, U.S. Army Alaska PAO)

Holiday safety message from the Garrison commanderCol. S. Cape Zempgarrison commander

The holiday season has arrived and I wish all of you here at Fort Wainwright a very Mer-ry Christmas and Happy New Year.

If you plan on at-tending holiday parties where alcohol will be served, have a plan to avoid drinking and driv-ing, or getting into a ve-hicle with someone who has been drinking. This may include appoint-ing a designated driver, handing your keys to the host, or abstaining from drinking when you

know you will be driv-ing. If you’re hosting guests, be sure you offer

Col. S. Cape Zemp

See SOLDIER on page 3

See GENERAL on page 2See WALK on page 3

See COMMANDER on page 3

The U.S. Army Garrison Fort Wainwright Public Affairs staff, thank you for your support throughout the year. Whether reading the Alaska Post newspaper; visiting the Fort Wain-wright web site, Facebook, Twitter or Google+ or browsing the Flickr archive of more than 8,000 images. Thank you for the interest and support you show Soldiers, Families, retirees, veterans and civilians that call Interior Alaska home. The Alaska Post will be back again Jan. 9, 2015. Please let us know how we might improve, change or create new ways of keeping you informed on what is happening in our military community. Contact us at [email protected].

[email protected]

2ALASKA POST December 19, 2014 ARMY NEWS

ALASKA POSTHome of the Arctic WarriorsEDITORIAL STAFF

Garrison CommanderCol. S.C. Zemp

Fort Wainwright Acting PAO/EditorBrian Schlumbohm

Staff writer/Community-MediaRelations Officer

Allen ShawContributors

Sgt. Sean Callahan, U.S. Army Alaska PAOStaff Sgt. Shawn Nickel, 354th Fighter Wing PAO

Brandy Ostanik, Medical Department Activity-Alaska PAO

Capt. Matthew Baldwin, U.S. Army Alaska PAOStaff Report, Fort Wainwright Installation Safety officeEmily Webb, Army and Air Force Exchange Service

Cherie Huntington, DeCA public affairs specialist

The ALASKA POST is authorized by Army Regulation 360-1 and is published by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Army, and is under exclusive written contract. Contents of the ALASKA POST are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the Department of the Army. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the U.S. Army Garrison Ft. Wainwright Public Affairs Office. The ALASKA POST welcomes responsible comments from its readers and will publish letters, articles or photos submitted at least one week prior to the next publication. The ALASKA POST reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. All submitted material will become official Army property unless otherwise indicated. To advertise call (907) 459-7548 Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. The Editorial office is located on Ft. Wainwright in Building 1047 #1; Mailing address is Public Affairs Office, 1060 Gaffney Road, 5900, Ft. Wainwright, AK 99703. Call 353-6779 or 353-6701, or send emails to [email protected]

The ALASKA POST – Home of the Arctic Warriors

Scholarships for military children; applications for new season availableCherie HuntingtonDeCA public affairs specialist

As the Scholarships for Military Children Program enters its 15th year, more than 8,000 students have shared nearly $13 mil-lion in scholarships. Applications for the 2015-2016 school-year awards become avail-able starting Dec. 15 at commissaries world-wide or on the Internet at http://www.military-scholar.org.

As one of last year’s recipients said, the scholarship will help her fulfill her dream of becoming a sur-geon. “Receiving your scholarship makes me more determined to attain high academ-ic standards and ac-complish my dream,” the student wrote in a letter to the Defense Commissary Agency. “Thank you again for your generosity and believing in me.”

Starting last year, each award amount rose to $2,000 from the previous $1,500, and the program awards at least one scholarship at each commissary with qualified applicants.

An applicant must be a dependent, un-married child, young-er than 21, or 23, if enrolled as a full-time student at a college or university, of a ser-vice member on ac-tive duty, Reserve or Guard member, retiree or survivor of a mili-tary member who died while on active duty, or

survivor of a retiree.Applications must

be turned in to a commissary by close of business Feb. 13, 2015. Packages must be hand-delivered or shipped via U.S. Post-al Service or other de-livery methods, not emailed or faxed.

Applicants should ensure that they and their sponsor are en-rolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibili-ty Reporting System database and have a military ID card. The applicant must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university, full time, in the fall of 2015 or be enrolled in studies de-signed to transfer to a four-year program.

Applicants who are awarded a full schol-arship or receive an appointment to one of the military academies or affiliated preparato-ry schools are not eli-gible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usu-ally defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab

fees and other expens-es.

Fisher House Foun-dation, a nonprofit or-ganization that helps service members and their families, admin-isters the program. Scholarship Managers, a national, nonprofit, scholarship manage-ment services organi-zation, manages and awards the scholar-ships.

Commissary part-ners and the general public donate money to the program; every dollar donated goes directly to funding scholarships. Support-ers are recognized at four levels of dona-tions, with Four Star business partners con-tributing more than $50,000 annually, and One Star donors giving between $2,000 and under $10,000.

For more information, students or sponsors should call Scholarship Managers at 856-616-9311 or email them at [email protected].

MEDDAC MinuteBrandy OstanikMedical Department Activity-Alaska PAO

26 Week Health Challenge

Enhance health with sleep, activity and nutrition by tak-ing the Performance Triad 26 Week Chal-lenge. Think about what motivates you to live a healthier life-style.

Week 9: Sleep; don’t drink alcohol before bed. While it can give the feeling of being tired, it disrupts and lightens sleep several hours after consumption. Activ-ity; it is important to always warm-up be-fore activity to reduce the risk of injury. Nu-trition; what a person drinks is just as im-portant as what they eat. Many beverages contain added sugars

and offer little or no nutrients, while oth-ers may provide nutri-ents, but too much fat and calories. Start by drinking more water; strive for eight to 10 cups per day.

Patients Only Please

Only scheduled pa-tients will be permit-ted into examination areas in the laborato-ry and radiology de-partments. For safety reasons, all family members must remain in the patient waiting area. Only children over the age of 10 are permitted to be left alone in waiting areas.

Eye HealthBassett ACH Op-

tometry Clinic provides services to retirees and dependents. Anyone over the age of three is encouraged to schedule

a comprehensive eye exam once a year for optimal eye health. To book an appointment, call 361-5212.

Tobacco CessationBeneficiaries wish-

ing to kick the tobac-co habit can receive assistance through Arctic Health Link’s Tobacco Cessation program. To register for the next session, call 361-4148.

Army Medicine’s Ambassador Program

Subject matter experts from MED-DAC-AK are avail-able to speak to Fam-ily Readiness Groups, units, organizations or clubs. To schedule a speaker on health care topics or pro-grams offered through MEDDAC-AK, call 361-5091.

Holiday safety list, check it twiceStaff Report Fort Wainwright Installation Safety office

The holiday season is a joyous and won-derful time, but it can be a very busy time as well. Getting caught up in the holiday spir-it can be a great thing, but don’t lose your head and forget about safety.

“More than 4,000 people die each year in home fires. Every year, there are more than 500,000 resi-dential fires serious enough to be reported to fire departments. Property losses ex-ceed 4 billion dollars annually, and the long term emotional dam-age to victims and their loved ones is in-calculable.”-U.S. Con-sumer Product Safety Commission.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help this joyous time of year, joyous:

Check electri-cal cords for cracks,

breaks, or damage. Repair or replace loose or frayed electri-cal cords. Electrical tape is not a fix!

Don’t overload outlets. Use surge protectors as well as Ground Fault Circuits outlets (those outlets with the push button thingy in the middle).

Place lamps on lev-el surfaces and always use the recommended bulb wattage.

Never leave a hot stove top unattended. Turn it off if you leave the kitchen.

Keep a three-foot “kid-free” zone around the stove or where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

Don’t forget to clean the clothes dry-er lint filter.

Keep flammables is a safe place away from children.

Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from a heat source such as a fur-nace, fireplace, porta-ble heater or candles.

Use only heating

appliances that are recognized by a test-ing laboratory such as Underwriters Labora-tories (UL).

Never use the oven for a heating the home.

Check your smoke detectors.

If you have a live Christmas tree, keep it watered and use lights that don’t pro-duce heat.

Have a good fire ex-tinguisher on hand.

This is not a com-plete list of everything you need to do to be safe, but it’s a start. Enjoy the season, but be safe. Make sure it stays joyous through-out this year and into the next.

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and see you next year.

For more infor-mation, contact the Installation Safety Office, at 353-7085 or the Fire Prevention Office, at 353-9164 or 353-9166.

Whether you are trav-eling or staying in the lo-cal area, make sure you dress for success and consider the changes in the season, whether it’s icy roads, high wind ad-visories, or snowy con-ditions. Always ensure you pack emergency safety gear. Be sure to plan accordingly and al-low ample time to reach your destination, and when driving, be alert, be prudent, and always anticipate the unexpect-ed. As you get ready to travel this holiday sea-son, I ask each of you to use the TRiPS online assessment tool, located at http://safety.army.mil/

TRIPS. Holidays also mean

celebrating at home and in the barracks with Family and friends, and many of these celebra-tions often involve alco-hol. If hosting a party, be responsible for your actions and attentive to the age and amount of alcohol your guests consume. Check to en-sure designated drivers/JBADD are available for those who drink, or pro-vide accommodations for your guests to sleep over. If you choose to drink, remember that passing the keys to a friend may be the most important decision you

make.As leaders, we must

be engaged at every lev-el to influence the mind-set that leads to safe be-havior and making good decisions. I charge each of you with the mission of enforcing standards, sharing and applying your safety knowledge, watching out for each other, and working to-gether as a team to en-sure you and your loved ones remain safe.

I would like to per-sonally wish you and your Families a safe and enjoyable holiday sea-son.

Arctic Warriors, Arc-tic Tough and Be Safe!

General: Holiday safetyContinued from page 1

3December 19, 2014ALASKA POST NEWS

Fort Wainwright Exchange offers extended holiday return policyEmily WebbArmy and Air Force Exchange Service

To make gift giv-ing easier, the Army and Air Force Ex-change service is extending its return policy for items pur-chased from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24, 2014.

The Fort Wain-wright Exchange’s standard policy al-lows returns any-where from up to 15 to 90 days of pur-chase with a sales receipt. The holi-day return/exchange

policy extends these terms through Jan. 31, 2015.

“The Exchange knows that sometimes a gift can be the wrong color, size or brand,” said Store Manager, Denice Langley. “The Fort Wainwright Ex-change’s extended re-turn policy goes the ex-tra mile to make sure everyone gets the per-fect gift this year.”

Refunds with sales receipts are processed as forms of payment (cash for cash, credit for credit card). Re-funds without sales

receipts receive an Ex-change gift card.

Shoppers can also return items pur-chased through shop-myexchange.com at the Fort Wainwright Exchange. For more information about the extended refund poli-cy, shoppers can visit customer service at the Exchange.

To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our Web site at http://www.shopmyexchange.com.

Community Service. From there they at-tended briefings at the Family Life Cen-ter, Outdoor Rec-reation, the Army Substance Abuse Program and then back to the PFC to learn about the Well-ness Center.

Chaplain (Capt) Brent Sanders, 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team said he thinks Soldiers are aware of the re-

sources, but due to lack of familiarity they never take the time to go inside and talk to a real person. “We lis-ten to hearsay or what our buddies say, but when we go in we real-ize what great services are offered. Leadership needs to support Sol-diers and remind them that there are people ready and willing to help. “I have literal-ly walked Soldiers to these services before and I can’t remember one who didn’t thank

me, took advantage of the program available and told me they were in a better place be-cause of it.”

For more informa-tion about recreational activities, call the PFC at 353-7225; for Out-door Recreation, call 353-8696; for Behavior-al Health, call 353-2255; for Army Community Service, call 353-6234; the Family Life Center, call 353-1287; CSF2, call (571) 255-0266 or the Wellness Center at 353-3535.

things that have changed over the past 20 years, communi-cations systems have probably seen the most aggressive and fastest changes.”

Fort Wainwright se-nior leaders and Sol-diers conveyed their thanks to Lewis as a Certificate of Apprecia-tion was presented for his service in the armed forces of the United States. Extending the personal thanks and sincere appreciation of our nation for honor-able service, the certif-icate is signed by Pres-ident Barack Obama, Commander in Chief.

Newsom, command-er for the “Gimlets” 3-21 Infantry, gave Lewis a Retirement pin in honor of his many years of service. Lewis also received our Na-tion’s Colors, as a sym-bol of faithful service to his country.

Having served in units including the 2nd Ranger Battalion and the 82nd Airborne, Lewis has travelled the globe from Fort Lewis to Fort Bliss, from Ja-pan to Kuwait, to Iraq and now to Alaska.

“Your hard work di-rectly impacts those you have been entrust-

ed to lead,” Newsome said. “Your leadership has shaped the lives of hundreds, maybe thou-sands of Soldiers. You have created your leg-acy through for those you lead and your ac-tions will continue to grown exponentially as they do the same thing, and pass along the proud heritage you have given them.”

The dedication of his family was honored. A Certificate of Appre-ciation from the De-partment of the Army, signed by the Chief of Staff, Gen. Raymond Odierno, was given to Lisa Lewis, “on the occasion of the retire-ment of her husband from active status for her support and under-standing that helped to make possible her hus-band’s lasting contribu-tion to the nation.”

They met each oth-er in high school and marred shortly after he entered the service.

“Serving in the army is tough,” Newsom said. “Not only for the Sol-dier but for the family who has to pick up and move. The late nights, extensive time in the field and don’t forget the deployments.”

Honored for being there throughout his entire “challenging

and rewarding Army career,” Newsom said, “Thank you,” to Lisa Lewis and to their chil-dren, “for all of those years of service and support.”

For being with him “from day one,” Lewis also gave thanks to his Family, “Take time for your Family, because you won’t get that time back,” he said.

The positions he held during his ca-reer included team chief, section sergeant, plans and operations non-commissioned offi-cer in charge and first sergeant, but his favor-ite job has been leading as a platoon sergeant.

“To life-long friends over the past 20 years that I have had the honor and privilege to work with, to the broth-erhood, shared accom-plishments and team work; I will cherish those awesome memo-ries for the rest of my life,” Lewis said.

His goal is to con-tinue school to gain a bachelors degree in criminal justice and to work in the field of juvenile corrections, and case management. “Helping kids,” he said, “They need mentors, leadership and guid-ance. I have done that

Soldier for lifeContinued from page 1

Sgt. 1st Class John Christopher Lewis receives our Nation’s Colors from the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, at his retirement ceremony at the Last Frontier Community Activity Center at Fort Wainwright on Nov. 14. The flag was presented by Lt. Col. Joel D. Newsom, commander 3-21 Infantry Regiment, the “Gimlets,” as a symbol of his faithful service to the country. (Photo by Capt. Matt Baldwin, U.S. Army Alaska PAO)

Walk: Soldiers learnContinued from page 1

nonalcoholic beverages as a choice and be mind-ful of your guests’ safety.

During the winter season, snow and ice can make driving hazardous. If you plan on traveling during the holidays, take your time while driving. Slow down, maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you, and arrive safely. Make sure

you tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.

Some of you may light candles in the home to celebrate the season, when doing so place them away from any flammable material and out of reach of children, always extinguish before going to bed.

A lot of you will be outside running, walk-ing or skiing during the

extended hours of dark-ness.

If you do so, please ensure that your cloth-ing is bright enough to be seen by drivers, and dress for the weather.

I encourage all of you to enjoy this festive sea-son. Please keep safety foremost in mind as you celebrate the holiday season and the arrival of the 2015 New Year.

CommanderContinued from page 1

4ALASKA POST December 19, 2014

Surviving Alaska: Winter road survivalSgt. Sean CallahanU.S. Army Alaska PAO

Most people know that winters here in Alaska are long and ex-tremely cold. Whether you’ve lived in Alaska all your life or recently moved here for work, everyone should make safety a top priority, es-pecially when it comes to driving. We spoke with Alaska State

Trooper, Sgt. J. Carson to put together this question-and-answer resource to keep you in the know and help you be safe on Alaskan highways and byways.

What are some im-portant things people should understand about winter driving here in Alaska?

Although we have relatively few driv-

ers compared to other states, Alaska per cap-ita has a lot of serious injury and fatality collisions. There are three major contribut-ing factors that cause this:

Alaska has relative-ly poor road conditions and extreme weather changes. Fairbanks, for example, can have 90-degree tempera-tures in the summer

and minus 60-degree temperatures in the wintertime. This, combined with soil conditions, allows for permafrost, washouts, and general expanding and contracting of road material. This contrib-utes to heaves, ruts and other dangerous road conditions. These poor road conditions combined with freez-ing rain, snow, and ice

can create some of the most extreme driving conditions in the na-tion. In most parts of Alaska, these extreme road conditions last for up to seven months of the year.

Many vehicles in Alaska are not equipped for Alaska Roads. Good winter tires are important. All-weather tires are good in most other

states, but on black ice, they offer little in the way of traction. Window wipers of-ten freeze to the win-dow and need to be replaced on a regular basis. Although it is important to be able to see it is also important for others to see you. Make sure your lights

NEWSChaplain’s 50-year journey to become bishopStaff Sgt. Shawn Nickel354th Fighter Wing PAO

“I’ve always had a committed faith and a love for God, but never really thought of be-coming a priest until I was enlisted in the Air Force,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Chad Zielinski.

The Michigan native, who currently serves as the 354th Fighter Wing deputy wing chaplain, was ordained bishop of the Fairbanks Catholic diocese in a ceremony Dec. 15. This requires a dedication to an area the size of Texas, much of which isn’t accessible by road.

Born in 1964, in Alpena, Michigan, to a school teacher fa-ther and social worker mother, Zielinski said his family was very committed to their faith, attending church and religious education every week.

“My parents were very loving and com-passionate and invested a lot of time into mak-ing sure we were a fam-ily unit when it came to church,” he said. “My father was always challenging his kids to better themselves and to learn more. Educa-tion to him was a way to better your life.”

In addition to its commitment to the Church, the family was also involved with of the Boy Scouts of America. This made a huge con-tribution to Zielinski’s decision to join the Air Force in 1983.

“Leadership, orga-nization, relationships, attaching one’s self to ideals, challenging you to advance and prog-ress among the ranks were all things instilled by the scouts that drove my interest in the mili-tary,” he said.

After graduating from high school and spending a summer in Valdez, Alaska, as a commercial salmon fisherman, Zielinski joined the Air Force and was stationed at Moun-tain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, where he worked in the 366th Supply Squadron. Stay-ing committed to his faith, he spent a lot of time with the Catholic chaplain who ultimate-ly encouraged him to join seminary after his enlistment was up.

“Being involved in the chapel program as a young Airman was a huge impetus for me,” he said. “The Air Force has a lot of good peo-ple and you just push yourself to do the right

thing for these great people.”

After extensive stud-ies in Oregon and Mich-igan while serving as a reservist in the Air Force, Zielinski was fi-nally ordained a priest. Logistics forced him to separate complete-ly from being enlisted, so he could become a chaplain candidate.

“I didn’t think I’d ever come back to ac-tive duty after becom-ing a priest in 1996, but this wasn’t the case,” he said.

After serving as a pastor of three parishes for six years, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, changed his outlook on active duty.

“This patriotic sense was immediately rekin-

dled within me,” said Zielinski.

There was a great need for chaplains at the time and Zielinski took this as an oppor-tunity for servitude, something he said has been ingrained in the fabric of his being throughout his life, which has been noticed by the people he works with as well.

Archbishop Roger L. Schwietz, the Arch-bishop of Anchorage, Alaska, who has served as Apostolic Adminis-trator for the Diocese of Fairbanks since No-vember 2013, praised Zielinski’s servitude.

“Zielinski exempli-fies many of the qual-ities needed to serve the people of the Di-

ocese of Fairbanks,” said Schweitz. “He has learned to work with people from all back-grounds, and do so un-der the stresses of war. Yet he is also humble and prayerful. I un-derstand why the Holy Father chose him as a servant leader for Fair-banks.”

War has marked ev-ery service member’s career for more than a decade and Zielins-ki is no exception. He deployed to Iraq twice in addition to Afghan-istan, working with U.S. Army infantry units during each rota-tion.

“These were excit-ing, rewarding and powerful experiences,” he said. “I saw some

pretty horrific things as an Air Force chap-lain working with the Army covering 18 com-bat outposts. It’s a mir-acle I’m still around today to serve; God ob-viously has a plan for me.”

Working with such a diverse group of people during his active-duty years has culminated in many opportunities for this leader.

“The Air Force has afforded me the oppor-tunity through educa-tion and life experienc-es to really hone in on what it means to be a leader,” said Zielinski. “All of those leadership

Fellow bishops and priests clap for Chaplain (Maj.) Chad Zielinski, the 354th Fighter Wing deputy wing chaplain, after being ordained the bishop of the Fairbanks Catholic diocese Dec. 15, 2014 at the Carlson Center, Fairbanks, Alaska. This is the first time an active-du-ty Airman has been chosen for a position of this magnitude. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Nickel, 354th Fighter Wing PAO)

See CHAPLAIN on page 5

See WINTER on page 5


Army hockey team falls short as Air Force claims Commander’s Cup

Staff reportUSARAK PAO

The United States Army Alaska North hockey team lost a hard fought battle in front of a full-house crowd as the Interior Air Force team claimed a 5-1 victory and rights to the Commander’s Cup Dec. 12, at the Carlson Center in Fair-banks. The win broke a nine-to-nine dead-lock between the two teams after more than

18 years of play. Representing their

units and service branches, the game was part of University of Alaska Fairbanks’s Military Appreciation Week. Free and open to the community, it was named an official Fam-ily, Morale, Welfare and Recreation event, authorizing many US-ARAK Soldiers to call it their place of duty, resulting in high spir-its and a large turn-out of service members,

families and members of the local community showing up to enthusi-astically view the two-hour game.

The 9th Army Band provided music and Soldiers from different units competed in one-man sled pull races and a tug-of-war between periods to keep the spectators engaged.

The winners of the game were awarded their trophy during a second hockey event later that day at

the Carlson Center. During the first peri-od break of a game be-tween the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks Men’s Hock-ey team played against the Alabama-Hunts-ville Men’s Hockey team from the Univer-sity of Alabama.

All active and retired military and their fam-ily members were able to attend this game for free as part of the UAF Military Appreciation week.

The 2014 Commander’s Cup Army and Air Force pregame team photo, Dec. 12, 2014. (Photo by Brian Schlumbohm, Fort Wainwright PAO) See more photos on Fort Wainwright’s Flickr page, at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortwainwright/

opportunities in 12 years as an active-duty chap-lain are priceless; you could never put a dollar value on it.”

According to the Pacific Air Forces command chaplain, this is the first time an active-duty Air-man has been chosen for a position of this mag-nitude.

“Chaplain Zielinski is an extraordinary officer who has served in a series of high-profile posi-tions during his career, including ministry to ca-dets at the United States Air Force Academy and serving as the face of the Chaplain Corps on the Air Force Recruiting Service team,” said Chap-lain (Col.) Dondi Costin, the Pacific Air Forc-es command chaplain. “More importantly, he’s served alongside warriors in combat when and where our nation needed him the most. Father Zielinski represents the very best our Air Force has to offer, and, although I hate to see him leave active duty, I’m thrilled for those in the Diocese of Fairbanks who will benefit from his humble, visionary servant leadership.

“Thankfully, a large number of those benefi-ciaries belong to our military family, and I know for certain they’ll be in the best of hands,” Costin added. “I’m equally grateful that Chaplain Ziel-inski has been granted the opportunity to contin-ue serving Eielson Airmen as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserve. As Bishop of Fairbanks, he’ll have the best of both worlds - and so will we.”

are working and keep them clean. Also have your brakes checked by a professional. If your brakes are not properly maintained, you could lose traction when try-ing to stop. Simply be-cause they bring you to a stop on dry pavement does not mean they are in good working order. Have them checked by a professional to assure they’re engaging at the correct level and the correct time.

Driver’s don’t give the roadway the atten-tion it needs. Driving in Alaska is tough, es-pecially with moose and other wild game near highways. There are many impaired-drivers on the road, road con-ditions are constantly changing and can be very poor at times. Be-cause of this, drivers need to make sure they stay focused. Turn down the music so you can hear what is go-ing on. This allows you to hear your tires spinning, screeching of other vehicles, peo-

ple honking, or even a collision next to you. Don’t focus on your phone, stereo, kids, or do anything else that will bring your eyes off of the roadway while moving. Distracted driving is responsible for a good portion of our fatalities each year. If we subtracted collisions caused by distracted drivers, impaired driv-ers, and unsafe vehicles we would have very few fatality collisions to in-vestigate.

How big of an impact does wildlife play when preparing long drives in the winter? How many accidents per year are caused by, or related to, Alaskan wildlife?

There is nothing special when prepar-ing for wildlife on road trips. Everyone should make sure the driver’s area of their vehicle is clean as not to cause a distraction. Make sure, the mirrors are clean, the headlights and tail-lights are clean, and the vehicle is in good work-ing order. Don’t drive tired. Don’t outdrive

your headlights. Most collisions with moose are caused not because the moose ran out in front of the driver, but rather the driver was traveling faster than their brakes would let them stop with how far they could see.

Last year, 635 vehicle collisions with wildlife were reported to the Alaska State Troopers.

How can a person from the Lower 48 pre-pare for driving here in Alaska?

Make sure they pur-chase good tires. Re-move tint, lift kits, and any other modification which makes it diffi-cult to see or changes the balance of a vehi-cle. All-wheel drive vehicles are much eas-ier to handle than rear wheel drive vehicles. Slow way down driving through intersections even if the light is not red. We get a lot of col-lisions at intersections and stop signs where a driver did not allow enough space to slow down prior to stopping.

It’s important to re-

member the basics that we all learned, no mat-ter where we learned to drive. Carson noted that a significant num-ber of fatalities are caused because driv-ers or passengers don’t wear seatbelts.

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a three-part series of ar-ticles designed to help survive winter in Alas-ka. For more informa-tion, visit the U.S. Army Alaska Facebook page.

Winter_driving.jpgPlanning a safe trav-

el on Alaskan roads in winter is paramount. Whether between work and home or Fairbanks and Anchorage, always be ready for the unex-pected; stay alert for other vehicles, animals and road conditions. (File photo, Fort Wain-wright PAO)

Chaplain: New bishop of FairbanksContinued from page 4

Winter: Driving safely on dangerous roadsContinued from page 4

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6ALASKA POST December 19, 2014COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Friday - 19th

FRENCH DIP SPE-CIAL, Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, build-ing 3702. Call 353-2654.

ALAKSHAK WINTER BREAK FIELD TRIPS, 8 to 9 a.m., Youth Cen-ter, building 4109. Call 361-5437.

FAME GROUP EXER-CISE SESSIONS, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., Melaven Fitness Center, build-ing 3452. Call 353-1994. FAME child care is available from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to noon, Melaven Fitness Center, build-ing 3452. Call 353-7713.

WIN-A-GAME BOWL-ING, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.

GROUP CYCLING, noon to 12:45 p.m., Physical Fitness Cen-ter, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

AFTER SCHOOL STO-RY TIME AND CRAFT, ages three and older, 4 to 5 p.m., post library, building 3700. Call 353-2642.

RECREATIONAL SKATING, 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, build-ing 3709. Call 353-7223.

COSMIC BOWLING, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.

Saturday - 20th


KARATE, all ages, meets off post, sign up at SKIESUnlimited, Murphy Hall basement, building 1045. Call 353-7713.

LOCAL 1/2 DAY SNOWMACHINE TRIP, Outdoor Recre-ation, building 4050. Call 361-6349.

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR FAME CHILD CARE TODAY, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., CYSS Parent Central Ser-vices, building 4391. Call 361-7713.

REGISTRATION DUE FOR SUPER SAT-URDAY CARE, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., CYSS Par-ent Central Services, building 4391. Call 361-7713.

WOMEN IN THE WIL-DERNESS: INTRO TO CROSS COUNTRY SKIING, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Outdoor Recre-ation, building 4050. Call 361-6349.

SANTA’S SCORCHER: 2-HOUR CYCLING CLASS, 10 a.m. to noon, Physical Fitness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

ZUMBA, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, building

3709. Call 353-7223.

RECREATIONAL SKATING, 1:30 to 4 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, build-ing 3709. Call 353-7223.

WARRIOR ZONE MONTHLY TABLE TENNIS TOURNA-MENT, 7 to 10 p.m., Warrior Zone, building 3205. Call 353-1087.


ROCK’N’BOWL, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.

Sunday - 21st


X-BOWLING, Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.

WINTER BOGO, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.


RECREATIONAL HOCKEY, 4:15 to 6 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, build-ing 3709. Call 353-7223.

Monday – 22nd


SAC “WINTER CAMP”, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., School Age Cen-ter, building 4166. Call 361-7394.


LUNCH TIME REC-REATIONAL SKATE, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Physical Fitness Cen-ter, building 3709. Call 353-7223.


ZUMBA GROUP EXERCISE, 6 to 7 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

Tuesday – 23rd


ROMP AND STOMP PLAY GROUP, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Last Fron-tier Community Ac-tivity Center, building 1044. Call 353-7713.

VA VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT OVERVIEW, 1 to 2 p.m., Soldier and Fam-ily Assistance Center, building 3414. Call 353-7322.

LUNCH TIME STICK HOCKEY, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

HOUR OF POWER: GROUP STRENGTH CLASS, noon to 12:45 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.


Wednesday – 24th

CHRISTMAS EVE






NO PRE-SCHOOL STORY TIME TODAY, 0-3 yrs, 11 to 11:45 a.m., post library, building 3700. Call 353-2642.




Thursday – 25th

CHRISTMAS DAY - Trainor Gate and Commissary closed.

Friday - 26th

NOTE: Trainor Gate and Commissary closed.

FAMILY SNOWMA-CHINE FUN, Outdoor Recreation, building 4050. Call 361-6349.







RECREATIONAL SKATING, 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, build-ing 3709. Call 353-7223.


ZUMBA GROUP EX-ERCISE, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

Saturday – 27th

BIRCH LAKE ICE FISHING, Outdoor Recreation, building 4050. Call 361-6349.




GROUP CYCLING, 10 to 11 a.m., Physical Fit-ness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

ZUMBA, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, build-ing 3709. Call 353-7223.



ROCK’N’BOWL, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.

Sunday - 28th




RECREATIONAL HOCKEY, 4:15 to 6 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, build-ing 3709. Call 353-7223.

Monday – 29th







Tuesday – 30th


GROUP CYCLING, 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. and 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., Physical Fitness Cen-ter, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

ROMP AND STOMP PLAY GROUP, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Last Fron-tier Community Ac-tivity Center, building 1044. Call 353-7713.

VA VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT OVERVIEW, 1 to 2 p.m., Soldier and Fam-

ily Assistance Center, building 3414. Call 353-7322.

LUNCH TIME STICK HOCKEY, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Physical Fitness Center ice rink, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

HOUR OF POWER: GROUP STRENGTH CLASS, noon to 12:45 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

FREE BOUNCY HUT NIGHT, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Last Frontier Commu-nity Activity Center, building 1044. Call 353-7755.


Wednesday – 31st

NEW YEAR’S EVE






PRE-SCHOOL STORY TIME, for children up to three years of age, 11 to 11:45 a.m., post library, building 3700. Call 353-2642.


GROUP CYCLING, noon to 12:45 p.m., Physical Fitness Cen-ter, building 3709. Call 353-7223. ZUMBA GROUP EXERCISE, 6 to 7 p.m., Physical Fitness Center, building 3709. Call 353-7223.

NEW YEAR’S EVE ROCK’N’BOWL, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Nugget Lanes Bowling Center, building 3702. Call 353-2654.

141219 Alaska Post


IN BRIEFCOMMISSARY WILL BE CLOSED

Plan ahead. The commis-sary will close at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 and remain closed on Dec. 25 and 26. The commissary will reopen Dec. 27 and re-sume the regular store hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 353-7310.

OUTDOOR RECREATION EVENTS

There is a Women in the Wilderness: Intro to Cross Country Skiing, Dec. 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard Area, for $30; a local half day snowmachine trip, Dec. 20 and 26, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard Area, for $35 and Birch Lake

Ice Fishing, Dec. 27, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Outdoor Recreation, for $45. For more information, call 361-2175.

TRAINOR AND BADGER GATE CLOSERS

Trainor and Badger Gates will be closed Dec. 25 and 26. Normal access will resume Dec. 27. Gates will also be closed Jan. 1.

SEASON PASSES AVAILABLE

Season passes are avail-able at the Fort Wainwright Outdoor Recreation Center now and will be for sale at Birch Hill after they open. For more information call 353-1998.

MAKE THE CALL, ARRIVE ALIVE

Living Army values, mak-ing the right decisions, look-

ing out for each other, being safe and having a plan is a daily mantra in the mili-tary. “There is no excuse for drinking and driving,” said Command Sgt. Major David Perkins, command sergeant major, United States Army Garrison, Fort Wainwright, “And with the outstanding work by the Soldiers in-volved with SADD, there is absolutely no reason a Fort Wainwright Soldier should ever risk theirs or anyone else’s life by getting behind the wheel of a vehicle af-ter they’ve been drinking.” For more information on the BOSS program call 353-7648. For a safe ride home, call SADD at 353-6610.

Fort Wainwright Holiday Chapel ServicesProtestant Advent Services:Dec. 21, 10:30 a.m., at

Northern Lights Chapel

Catholic Christmas Eve MassDec. 24, 5 p.m., at Southern Lights Chapel.Dec. 24, 11 p.m., Midnight Mass at Southern Lights Chapel.

Protestant Christmas Eve ServiceDec. 24, 7 p.m., at Northern Lights Chapel

Christmas Day MassDec. 25, 10 a.m. at the Southern Lights Chapel.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (holy day of obliga-tion)Jan. 1, 10 a.m. at Southern Lights Chapel.

Ongoing Fort Wainwright Chapel Services

Catholic Mass, 9 a.m., Sundays at Southern Lights ChapelProtestant Service, 10:30 a.m., Sundays at the North-ern Lights Chapel

Protestant Contact for Northern Lights Chapel:CH (MAJ) Mike Keifman, call (907) 353-2088, or email [email protected]. Northern Lights Chapel is located on the corner of Rhineland and Luzon Ave., building 3430.

Catholic Contact for South-ern Lights Chapel: CH (MAJ) James Peak, call (907) 361-4269 or email: [email protected] Southern Lights Chapel is located on the corner of Neely Road and 8th Street, building 4107.

Dining Facility Holiday Hours Arctic Warrior Dining Facili-ty, located in building 3728 on Neely Road

Dec. 19 Breakfast: 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Dinner: 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 to 21 Breakfast: 8:30 to 10 a.m.Lunch: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Dinner: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 22 to 24 Breakfast: 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Dinner: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 25, Christmas DayContinental Breakfast: 7 to 8 a.m. Lunch: Noon to 1:30 p.m.Dinner: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 26 to 28 Breakfast: 8:30 to 10 a.m. Lunch: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Dinner: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 Breakfast: 8:30 to 10 a.m. Lunch: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Dinner: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Regular Meal Prices: Breakfast: $2.55, Lunch: $4.65, Dinner: $4.65

Eielson facility hoursMain Base Exchange holiday hours:Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Dec. 25, ClosedDec. 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Express holiday hoursDec. 22, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Dec. 25, ClosedDec. 26, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Commissary holiday hoursDec. 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Dec. 22, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.Dec. 23, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.Dec. 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Dec. 25, CLOSEDDec. 26, CLOSEDDec. 27, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Dec. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Dec. 29, CLOSEDDec. 30, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 31, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.Jan. 1, CLOSEDJan. 2, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.Jan. 3, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ernie Walker Theater on Eielson AFBFree movie admission to all military members and their Families with proof of ID. Hours of operation are Fridays through Sundays; con-cessions are available for purchase.Dec. 19, 7 p.m., “Life of Crime” (R)Dec. 20, 2 p.m., “Frozen” (PG); 7 p.m., “Love Actually” (R)Dec. 21, 2 p.m., “Maleficent” (PG)Dec. 23, 1 p.m., “Born to be Wild” (G)

Call (907) 377-2269 for more information or visit their Facebook site for updates, at https://www.facebook.com/eielsonfsscinema.

Fort Wainwright Holiday hoursFort Wainwright Main Post Exchange StoreDec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Dec. 25, closedDec. 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Post Exchange Military Clothing StoreDec. 25, closedDec. 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Burger KingDec. 25, ClosedDec. 26, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fort Wainwright ExpressDec. 24, closes at 10pmDec. 25, closedDec. 26, opens at 5 a.m.

Hospital Express

Dec. 25 and 26, closed Fort Wainwright Food CourtDec. 24, Popeye’s: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.Dec. 24, Starbucks: 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 24, Charley’s: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.Dec. 25, closedDec. 26, Popeye’s: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 26, Starbucks: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.Dec. 26, Charley’s: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Furniture Store Dec. 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Dec. 25, ClosedDec. 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. North Post ExpressDec. 25, closedDec. 26, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

GARDENERS AND FARMERS: Would you be willing to Plant a Row for the hungry? Plant a Row works with the Fairbanks Community Food Bank to gather "extra" produce to be distributed to the hungry, whether individuals, families or soup kitchens in town. Thank you! Contact: [email protected] for details.

PLANT A ROW

Fairbanks Community Food Bank

725 26th Ave. 452-7761

www.FairbanksFoodBank.org

8ALASKA POST December 19, 2014 ALASKA POST

Documents

ALASKA POST - static.dvidshub.net · Safety Message Maj. Gen. Michael H. Shields U.S. Army Alaska com-manding general The Holiday Season is a wonderful time of year . to give thanks