AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINTMILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS,MD.DCMILITARY.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 | VOL. 3 NO. 25

World’sLargestGolf Outing

4JBA HostsMotorcycleSafety Day

3 A DegreeOf Success6

AMERICAN FORCESPRESS SERVICE

Deputy Defense Sec-retary Bob Work is wrap-ping up a trip to Afghani-stan today, his first for-eign trip since taking of-fice last month.Navy Lt. Cmdr. Court-

ney Hillson, a spokes-woman for Work, said thetrip, which began June22, gave Work a chanceto visit U.S. members andthank them for their ser-vice, as well as to meetwith Afghan and U.S. of-ficials.

Work met with De-fense Minister Gen. Bis-millah Khan Mohammadi,Interior Minister Moham-med Omar Daudzai andother senior Afghan gov-ernment leadership toreiterate the strong U.S.partnership with Afghani-

stan, Hillson said. He alsoemphasized that as theU.S. combat role nears itsconclusion and the newpost-2014 Resolute Sup-port assistance missionbegins, the United Stateswill continue to build astrong and enduring se-curity relationship withAfghanistan, she said.Work emphasized that

this continued assistancedepends upon the promptsigning of the bilateralsupport agreement by thenext Afghan president,Hillson said. “He com-mended the progress insecurity provided by the[Afghan national secu-rity forces], specificallyhighlighting the securityprovided for the success-ful second round of voting

Hagel visits Afghanistanto thank U.S. troops

BY ANDREABLACKSTONE

STAFFWRITER

Antonio Young and sevenother classmates graduatedfrom The Foundation Schoolin Largo, June 20, 2014. Theseventeen-year-old is theyoungest of his family andhas two older sisters. Youngwas born in D.C., but hiscurrent roots are in Md. Thenew graduate attended TheFoundation School for fouryears. He regards science ashis favorite subject and foot-ball as his hobby. His journeyto earn a high school diplomahas been intertwined withchallenges, although Youngis humble about his hard-earned success. Still wearinghis graduation gown afterthe close of commencementexercises, Young is quiet but

in good spirits. He says thathe is very happy and excitedthat he graduated.“Having my family here is

great. It has been great work-ing with my therapist. Shehelped me to stay positiveand kept me on a straightpath to go where I needed togo. She believed in me. I’mhoping to get a good job andstart taking care of my familylike a man is supposed to do.”While flipping through

the 2014 Senior Commence-ment program, it becomesobvious that every graduatewho attended The Founda-tion School possesses an in-spiring story. Each of thempersevered and made excep-tional strides. The Founda-tion School has campuses inLargo and Gaithersburg. Thenon-profit school supports

youth with emotional disabil-ities. Dr. John Meeks, a childpsychiatrist, is the founder.The Foundation School waschartered as a non-profit or-ganization in 1975. It is fullyaccredited by The MarylandState Department of Educa-tion, and the Office of TheState Superintendent of Edu-cation. The school provides ahighly specialized educationand therapeutic program forstudents with emotional dis-abilities. Tuition is paid bythe state and other local ju-risdictions. Additionally, TheFoundation Schools utilizecreative approaches to helpstudents like Young succeed.Compassionate advocates,advisors and teachers provideencouragement to youth whohave not found success inma-ny other schools where they

were previously enrolled.Antonio Young is an ex-

ample of what can happenwhen education professionalsand parents work togetherto develop solution-focusedpartnerships. Young statedthat his best memory of TheFoundation School was mak-ing the honor roll. He was therecipient of the Cliff BivensHumanitarian Award. Staffnominated Young.However, Antonio Young

also received the President’sEducation Award for exhib-iting academic skills in theclassroom. His mother, Debo-rah Young, was surprisedthat she was given a parentaward on her son’s gradua-tion day. Therapists selectedher because she has reported-ly been extremely supportive

Graduate overcomes obstaclesand receives two awards

PHOTO BY ANDREA BLACKSTONE

Deborah Young, Antonio Young and Theresa McAlpine share a happy moment. The new graduate, middle, overcameobstacles to graduate from The Foundation School in Largo, Md. His mother, left, beamed while speaking about herson’s academic and social progress. Antonio Young’s therapist, right, remarked that she will miss his kind heart andwarm smile. Antonio Young was the recipient of two awards during the 2014 senior commencement.

JBA Staff Sgt. earns NCOA Vanguard AwardBY AIRMAN 1ST CLASSRYAN J. SONNIER

11THWING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Staff Sgt. Mark Cornett,1st Helicopter Squadron spe-cial missions aviator instruc-tor, won the Non-Commis-sioned Officers Association ofthe United States of AmericaVanguard Award on May 7,2014, for his heroic actionswhich resulted in saving thelife of a fellow Airman.The Department of De-

fense’s NCOA VanguardAward recognizes enlistedmembers who perform anact of heroism resulting insaving lives or preventing in-jury. The award is named inmemory and respect of NCO’swho have received the Medal

of Honor.Cornett and Tech. Sgt.

Benjamin Jacobs, a 55th Res-cue Squadron special mis-sions aviator, were deployedto Afghanistan in 2013. Theywere advising Afghan AirForce Mi-17 flight engineersand gunners in helicopter op-erations.On October 8, 2013, they

were tasked with transport-ing Afghan National Armymilitary members fromTarinKowt Airfield to the GizabDistrict of Uruzgan Province.While preparing for the

second troopmovement; how-ever, the unit received a callfor a casualty evacuation foran Afghan National Police of-

U.S. AIR FORCE COURTESY PHOTO/TECH. SGT. JASON MEYER

Tech. Sgt. James Juniper (center), 441st Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron special missions aviator, received a PurpleHeart medal for wounds received during combat near the Gizab District in the Uruzgan Province of Afghanistan. Juniperstandswith the crewwho saved his life after receiving themedal.

see GRADUATE, page 6

see HAGEL, page 3

see AWARD, page 6

BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASSRYAN J. SONNIER

11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

JOINT BASE AN-DREWS, Md.—Tech. Sgt.Karen Blackburn is the11th Wing’s Warrior of theWeek. She was recognizedJune 18 for her hard work,diligence and dedicationto accomplish a top prior-ity for the 11th Wing com-mander.Blackburn, a controller

at the Andrews RegionalCommand Post, was givencharge of overseeing thecreation of an alternatecommand post location forthe region. She worked nu-merous hours passed herregular duty day to bring

the project to operationalcapacity ahead of schedule.“It was enlightening to

see the amount of workthat was put in behind thescenes to get the job done,”Blackburn said.The project brought a

few unforeseen obstaclesalong the way, but Black-burn and her crew over-came them to ensure the11thWing’s goal of missionexecution and readiness.A native of Flint, Michi-

gan, Blackburn joined theAir Force in June 2003.In addition to her dutiesat the command post, sheis working toward a bach-elor’s degree in cognitivestudies.

‘Blackburn-ing’themidnight oil

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS RYAN J. SONNIER

Tech. Sgt. Karen Blackburn, 11th Wing Regional Com-mand Post controller, was recognized as Warrior of theWeek at JBA, Md., June 16.

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2 Friday, June 27, 2014Andrews Gazette

Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint Military Publications,9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., a private firm in no wayconnected with the U.S. Air Force or any branch of the UnitedStates military. The appearance of advertising in these publications,including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement

by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the prod-ucts and services advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase,use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,age, martial status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchases, user or patron.

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Maxine Minar, presidentmminar@dcmilitary.com

John Rives, publisherjrives@dcmilitary.com

Andrea Blackstone, editorablackstone@dcmilitary.com

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Bobby Jones, photographerbjones@dcmilitary.com

HOTTICKETSAround Town

CAPTION THIS

Send your silly captions for this week’s photo to ablackstone@dcmilitary.com. The funniest ones will be used in afuture edition of the Andrews Gazette.

COURTESY OFTHE RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE

Retiree Council MetThe Air Force Retiree Council met

at Randolph Air Force Base in Mayto discuss issues and receive brief-ings on subjects of interest to the re-tiree community. Last year’s meetingwas canceled because of budget con-straints. The council provides linkagebetween members of the Air Force re-tiree community—more than 695,000retirees and surviving spouses—andAir Force Chief of Staff, Gen. MarkWelsh. Council co-chairmen are Lt.Gen. Steve Polk and CMSAF RodMcKinley. Geographical areas in theU.S. and overseas are representedby 16 members. The co-chairs re-port the council’s findings directly toGen. Welsh. Among issues discussedin Texas were maintaining the com-missary benefit; continued mailing of

the Afterburner; enhanced supportfor Defense Finance and Account-ing; retired and annuity pay custom-ers; continued wing support of baseRAOs; concerns about rising TRI-CARE costs; support for legislativeissues eliminating offset betweenthe Survivor Benefit Plan and VA’sDependency and Indemnity Com-pensation; paid-up SBP premiumsfor retirees at age 67 versus 70; andfull pay for the month that a retireedies. Joint Base Andrews, Bolling AirForce Base and Dover Air Force Bas-es are represented on the council byCMSgt. Chuck Lucas, a volunteer inthe Bolling RAO.

New Health ID CardVeterans Affairs has a new Vet-

eran Health identification card. Itoffers additional security featuresand a different look and feel. Thecard displays the veteran’s member

ID, a unique identifier and a PlanID. It displays the emblem of theveteran’s branch of service and fea-tures “VA” in Braille to help visuallyimpaired veterans. It also includesVA phone numbers and emergencycare instructions. The card replacesan identification card that was intro-duced in 2004. For more information,visit www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhicor call 1 877-222-8387.

POW/MIA AccountingDefense Secretary Chuck Hagel

asked for a plan to reorganize thedepartment’s POW/MIA account-ing effort. He wants to increase thenumbers of missing service personnelaccounted for annually, while ensur-ing timely and accurate informationfor their families. Suggestions andrecommendations from military andveteran service organizations arewelcome.

Retiree Corner

June 28

Military Concert Series6 p.m.National Harbor137 National PlazaNational Harbor, Md.The military concert series features local military

bands. Down Range will play during the free event.Call 1-877-NATL-HBR or visit www.nationalharbor.com

for more information.

Hello Dolly8 p.m.Bowie Playhouse16500 White Marsh Park DriveBowie, Md.Call 301-809-3078 for more information about the musi-

cal.

June 29

Arts on the WaterfrontBladensburg Waterfront Park4601 Annapolis RoadBladensburg, Md.6 p.m.Explore a variety of music genres that will played. Oth-

er entertainment will be offered during the evening. Re-freshments will be sold. All ages may attend.Call 301-779-0371 for more details or visit http://www.

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3Friday, June 27, 2014 Andrews Gazette

BY SENIOR AIRMAN MARI-AH HADDENHAM

11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Approximately 350 rid-ers, family members andspectators attended the 4thannual Joint Base AndrewsMotorcycle Safety Day,June 20, 2014.The event included riding

competitions, guest speakers,a police-escorted off-base ride,live entertainment, food andthe opportunity to meet withlocal motorcycle dealers andriding groups.“We wanted to spread

the message that an ounceof prevention is worth apound of cures,” said Mas-ter Sgt. Matthew Cagle,744th CommunicationsSquadron plans and projectmanager and motorcyclesafety representative. “It isour sincere desire to elimi-nate as many myths as pos-sible and educate riders onresponsible riding, whetheron or off duty.”The speakers focused on

general motorcycle safetyand rider awareness. At-tendees learned about safe-ty from fellow riders’ tes-timonies and law enforce-ment professionals.“My best advice for pre-

ventative measures to en-sure safety while riding isto always be mentally pre-pared to ride,” said HarryWaddle, 11th Wing weap-ons safety manager andmotorcycle safety advocate.“Be prepared and up-to-date on the maintenance ofyour motorcycle.”For more information on

motorcycle safety, contactthe Andrews Safety Officeat 240-612-6380.

JBA hosts fourth-annual Motorcycle Safety Day

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS RYAN J. SONNIER

Senior Master Sgt. Clay Staten (left) speaks with RogerLyle during the 4th Annual Motorcycle Safety Day on JointBase Andrews, Md., June 20, 2014. Staten is the 11th CivilEngineering Squadron operations engineering superin-tendent and Lyle is the Motorcycle Xcitement owner.

Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Jones, 779th Dental Squadron den-tal lab NCO in-charge, rides her motorcycle during theAnnual Motorcycle Safety Day.

Team Andrews members prepare for the escorted off-base motorcycle ride duringthe 4th Annual Motorcycle Safety Day on Joint Base Andrews, Md., June 20, 2014. Theevent provided demonstrations and safety tips to help reduce accidents among riders.

Rhonda Daymude, a guest speaker, tells the story of herdaughter and her daughter’s fiance during the AnnualMotorcycle Safety Day on Joint Base Andrews, Md., June20, 2014. Daymude’s daughter and daughter’s fiancewere killed in a motorcycle accident in 2013. Daymudehopes the testimony will remind riders to be safe, reduc-ing the number of deaths each year.

Dave Russell, owner andinstructor of Ride Like aPro of Maryland, instructsviewers on how to properlyand safely maneuver amotorcycle at low speeds..The demonstration waspart of the 4th AnnualMotorcycle Safety Day onJoint Base Andrews, Md.,June 20, 2014.

Harry Waddle, 11th Wing Safety Office, wing weaponssafety manager, cleans his motorcycle before an off-base ride. Team Andrews members gathered for the 4thAnnual Motorcycle Safety Day.

in the Afghan presidentialelection,” she added, “whichwas another milestone inAfghanistan’s progresstoward democracy and apeaceful transfer of execu-tive leadership.”The deputy defense sec-

retary also met with U.S.Ambassador to Afghani-stan James Cunningham,Marine Corps Gen. JosephF. Dunford Jr., commanderof the International Secu-rity Assistance Force, andother senior U.S. militarycommanders to discuss theAfghan forces’ progress,ISAF moving toward theresponsible conclusion ofits combat mission, and theongoing U.S. retrograde ef-forts, Hillson said.

“In addition to the se-

ries of high-level meet-ings,” she added, “DeputySecretary Work traveled toseveral coalition operatinglocations and visited withISAF, NATO and Afghanforces in Kabul, Bagram,and Jalalabad to commendthem on their ongoing ef-forts and successes.” Ateach location, she added,Work met with deployedservice members to expresshis appreciation and that ofDefense Secretary ChuckHagel for their service andthat of their families dur-ing a critical time.The visit marks the sec-

ond timeWork has traveledto Afghanistan in an offi-cial capacity, Hillson said,noting that he previouslyvisited the country whileserving as undersecretaryof the Navy.

HAGEL, from page 1

4 Friday, June 27, 2014Andrews Gazette

BY AIMEE FUJIKAWA11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

CLINTON, Md. — Base An-drews Airmen mentors and par-ents of the fifth-grade graduat-ing class of Francis T. Evans El-ementary School cheered on theirstudents in the school’s packedmulti-purpose room as they walkacross the stage, June 12.The students also completed

the Area Coalition for Education-Excellence (ACE-E) mentorshipprogram.The program connects thepublic school system with the localcommunity, private sector, gov-ernment and military volunteersthrough its MentoringWork Group.“It truly takes a village to raise

a child,” said Tamika Gaskins,mother of Anaya Jackson, 11, afifth grade student at the school.“We’re at home encouraging, butto have someone in the schoolgiving them that extra reinforce-ment is outstanding and we ap-preciate that.”The school, located just outside

of Andrews, has a working rela-tionship with the base. Airmenwere given an opportunity tovolunteer as mentors and tutorsfor the school’s two fifth-gradeclasses.Gaskins said she is thankful

that her daughter was able toparticipate in the ACE-E mentor-ship program which also gave herfamily the opportunity to interactwith Andrews’ Airmen.“Parents get to see the how

the Airmen are outside of themilitary,” said Tech. Sgt. SheliahMcDaniel, Air Force District ofWashington contract officer/man-ager. “It lets them see we’re hu-mans first; that we are also partof the community and we care.”Before the program started,

the volunteers and students filledout an extensive application thatwould help pair suitable mentorsto mentees.“When I saw the opportunity,

I immediately jumped on it,” saidMcDaniel. “I am interested inmentoring because I believe it’simportant to start early to buildyour future.”Mentors and mentees met

weekly for eight months andworked on assignments such as abiography, electronic spreadsheetand digital presentation projects.Each mentee had at least twomentors for continuity, ensuring

that someone would always bethere for them.“We decided as a group to do a

partnership because of the mili-tary mission,” said McDaniel. “Itwas our solution in case Tempo-rary Duty assignments and de-ployments popped up.”McDaniel has been stationed

at Andrews since 2008. She is themother of a blended family of sixchildren, ranging in age from oneto 28, and a grandmother of two.Even with a busy schedule andthe demands of her job, she man-ages to take the time to volunteer.McDaniel was paired with

mentee Anaya, whom she de-scribes as a star student; veryconfident, energetic and bright.“Regardless of the things she

may not do well, she’s not afraidto step out there and do whatneeds to be done,” said McDaniel.“I can see that even in their ab-sence she holds onto the valuesher parents instilled in her.”McDaniel’s supervisors played

an important role for her to vol-unteer, especially under financialconstraints and doing more withless. She found a way to complywith work obligations and fulfill

her volunteer agreement.“My leadership has been awe-

some,” said McDaniel. “Evenwith limited resources, they toohave figured out a way to makeit work.”The teachers presented stu-

dents with various awards for

their performance in academics,attitude and behavior. At the be-ginning of the program, McDan-iel recalls seeing some of the stu-dents struggling and feeling likethey are not good enough.McDaniel says the most reward-

ing part is to see when the stu-dents discover they can do things

they thought they couldn’t do andbegin to believe in themselves.“I enjoy working with children

and a lot of times we wait too lateto get involved,” said McDaniel.“This is a good grade level to givethem that footing, support andstability in moving forward.”

Airmen take students under their wings

Anaya Jackson turns to look at her cheeringmother, Tamika Gaskins,as she receives a silver star pin from John Rogers, Joint Base Andrews844th Communications Group deputy director, at the Francis T. EvansElementary School fifth grade graduation ceremony.

Al Mink (left), Area CoalitionsEducation-Excellence vice chair-man of the board and Gary Bliss(right), ACE-E trustee, presentBethany Ann Allen (center), 12,daughter of Air Force Master Sgt.Phillip Allen and Lisa Allen, witha new HP laptop at the Francis T.Evans Elementary School fifth-grade graduation ceremony.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/AIMEE FUJIKAWA

Col. WilliamKnight, 11thWing/Joint Base Andrews commander, con-gratulates student Lucas Renfro, at the Francis T. Evans ElementarySchool fifth-grade graduation ceremony, Clinton, Md., June 12.

From left to right: Tamika Gaskins, Tech. Sgt. SheliahMcDaniel, AnayaJackson, 11, Ernest Gaskins and Israel Gaskins, 7, pose for a photo atthe Francis T. Evans Elementary School fifth-grade class graduation.

Representatives from Joint Base Andrews, Francis T. Evans ElementarySchool, and Area Coalitions Education-Excellence pose for a groupphoto at the schoolís fifth-grade graduation ceremony, Clinton, Md.

BY ANDREA BLACKSTONESTAFF WRITER

More than four years ago, Pe-ter Hill, Chairman and CEO ofBilly Casper Golf, wanted to finda way for the company to giveback to the community. Hill co-founded Billy Casper Golf alongwith Vice Chairman, Bob Mor-ris, and professional golf legend,Billy Casper. The World’s LargestGolf Outing was created in 2011by Hill within Billy Casper Golf ’sculture of giving that has evolvedover 20 years.On Aug. 11, participants in the

2014 World’s Largest Golf Out-ing (WLGO) will simultaneouslyplay golf at more than 120 cours-es in 28 states across the U.S.,although Billy Casper Golf ’s cor-porate headquarters are locatedin Vienna, Va. Players will enjoya round of golf, lunch, an awardsreception, and a variety of on-course contests. Prizes will beawarded to teams who raise themost money for Wounded War-rior Project (WWP), which offersprograms, events and services forservice members, wounded veter-ans and their family members.Participants who achieve the

best scores of the day, and teamswho win on-course contests, willalso be recognized. However, golf-ers of all skill levels are invitedto participate in the World’sLargest Golf Outing. The fun daywill focus on enjoying a roundof golf with friends and family,while contributing to a worthycause. WWP will receive $10 per

player of every entry fee, plus100 percent of additional dona-tions that are made.“We define success by signifi-

cant year-over-year increasesin monies raised for WoundedWarrior Project and, in turn,positively impacting more andmore lives of those who fight forour freedoms. The 2013 World’sLargest Golf Outing raised morethan $725,000 for Wounded War-rior Project. More than 10,000people participated at 110 BCG-managed courses in 28 states.Billy Casper Golf endeavors toraise 20 percent more than lastyear’s event, hopefully eclips-ing the million-dollar mark. Weare utilizing Billy Casper Golf ’srobust digital network and pub-lic relations machine to sharewith golfers and non-golfers thegreat programs administered byWounded Warrior Project. Not tomention a day filled with fun onthe golf course, no matter golfers’scores,” Rich Katz said.Katz, Senior Vice President of

Billy Casper Golf and ManagingDirector of Buffalo Communica-tions, explained that the World’sLargest Golf Outing is the larg-est, single-day fundraiser forWWP. The nonprofit organiza-tion has been the beneficiarysince the World’s Largest GolfOuting began. The charity eventhas grown exponentially. TheWorld’s Largest Golf Outing wasplayed at 80 courses and raised$40,000 for WWP in its first year.Just one year later, 100 coursesparticipated and $400,000 was

raised. The 2013 event generatedmore than $725,000 in donations.Thus far, the WLGO has raised atotal of $1.1 million for WWP.“The event has become an in-

credibly powerful tool to raiseawareness and funds for injuredservice men and women who risktheir lives to protect ours. It’snot just fundraising that counts.It’s the wounded warriors them-selves who latch onto golf tohelp cope with and overcomechallenges. Playing side by sidewith wounded warriors duringthe World’s Largest Golf Outingis emotional and rewarding, all-around. They are truly heroes,”Katz said.Wounded warriors have also

participated in the World’s Larg-est Golf Outing as spokesmenwho appear at select golf courses.According the Katz, charity fun-draising events like the World’sLargest Golf Outing inspire curi-ous individuals to begin and con-tinue playing golf.“The charitable impact of golf

each year is $3.9 billion at lastcount, which is greater thanMajor League Baseball, the Na-tional Football League, NationalBasketball League and NationalHockey League combined.”Ten D.C. area golf courses will

host participating golfers duringthe 2014 World’s Largest GolfOuting. They include: 1757 GolfClub, Broad Run Golf & Prac-

tice Facility, Captain’s Cove Golf& Yacht Club, Forest GreensGolf Club, General’s Ridge GolfCourse, Heritage Hunt Golf &Country Club, Lake Ridge GolfCourse, Prince William GolfCourse, Reston National GolfCourse and Virginia Oaks GolfClub. Entry fees range from $30to $110 per player and vary bycourse. Teams are encouraged toregister as a foursome. Donationscan also be accepted through theaforementioned golf courses.Visit www.worldslargestgol-

fouting.com to obtain more infor-mation about the charity event,or to register for the World’sLargest Golf Outing.

World’s Largest Golf Outing supports Wounded Warrior Project

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLY CASPER GOLF

A participant prepares to make his best golf swing at RedGate Golf Course, located in Rockville, Md.,during the 2013 World’s Largest Golf Outing.

5Friday, June 27, 2014 Andrews Gazette

BY ANDREA BLACKSTONESTAFF WRITER

The Safeway NationalBarbecue Battle is an an-nual event that has beenheld for over 20 years. Thisyear it was held June 21-22.The festival is known forholding barbecue cookingcompetitions, offering cook-ing demos, sampling barbe-cue treats and music. Therewere 72 exhibits this year.Top chefs and teams fromacross the country competefor barbecue champion sta-tus, according to specialty.Winners took home tro-phies and over $40,000 incash and prizes. Pork Bar-rel BBQ was reportedly thegrand champion.Before fun-lovers headed

to the festivities that wereheld on Pennsylvania Av-enue in Washington, D.C.,a kick-off event was heldat Safeway’s Eastern Di-vision offices in Lanham,Md. on June 20. Safewaysupports nonprofits and iscommitted to philanthropy.Signs that faced the streetalerted passers-by that acharitable giving effort wasin progress in the businesspark. Smoke swirled in theair as a small crowd formedin the parking lot wherevendor displays and barbe-cue grills were set up.Craig Muckle, Manager

of Public Affairs/ Govern-ment Relations of SafewayInc., Eastern Division, ex-plained that the smallerversion of Safeway’s Na-

tional Barbecue Battle wasa primer for festivities thatwould be held downtown onthe weekend. The two-hourevent has reportedly beenheld every year for at leastthe last seven.“Last year, several thou-

sand dollars were raised ina few hours,” Muckle said.The proceeds from this

year’s lunch totaled morethan $5,000. Money wasraised for the ProstateCancer Foundation (PCF),which is a national orga-nization. PCF is describedas the world’s largest phil-

anthropic source of sup-port for prostate cancerresearch. Prostate cancerreportedly affects 1 in 6men. The earlier the canceris detected, the more likelythe patient will remain dis-ease free.

Safeway partners withStand Up To Cancer and isreportedly one of the largestcorporate sponsors of can-cer research and outreach.Muckle said that Safewayallots time in June for pros-tate fundraising. Custom-ers have the opportunity tocontribute when the compa-

ny holds in-store fundrais-ers nationally. Breast can-cer will be featured in Oct.The supermarket chain hasalso assisted persons withdisabilities and supportshunger relief.Muckle also reported that

Safeway donated more than$13million to charities in themid-Atlantic region last year.Safeway Foundation awardsgrants that are regional andnational.“That’s our charitable giv-

ing arm. We actually havea foundation that is fundedthrough employee payroll

deduction. We will providegrants to nonprofit groupsthat are doing work in healthand human services, foodbanking or education. Thoseare our three focus points.Everything is online at www.safewayfoundation.org. Aboard of about ten colleagueswill make the decisions onthe submissions that we havein at that time.We usually doa review every three to fourmonths, although we are al-ways accepting submissions.”Employees are directly

involved in helping to sup-port communities wherethey live and work. Thefoundation will typicallyprovide grants in this ar-ea in the range of $1,000-$5,000 for the communitywork that they do.During the 2014 Safe-

way Barbecue Battle, thesupermarket chain helpedto raise funds for The Capi-tal Area Food Bank, Mary-land Food Bank, the USOand Children’s CharitiesFoundation. Additionally,

military chefs cooked offat Stratford University’svending booth. Food thatthey prepared was avail-able for purchase. Raisedmoney was donated to theUSO-Metro. The contestwas managed by the Culi-nary Program at StratfordUniversity. Many of the stu-dents in the program areveterans who are receivingtraining for a second careerin catering or cooking.Both winners of the mili-

tary chef cook-off, presentedby IKEA, reportedly serve inthe U.S. Navy. Mike Halavinwas awarded $125 for half ofthe first day’s prize. JeremyAndersen took home $375for half of day one, in addi-tion to the entire second dayof the competition. BarbecueAmerica reportedly donatedmoney that was presented tothe winners.For more information

about the Safeway Founda-tion’s funding process, visitwww.safewayfoundation.org.

Safeway’s National Capital BarbecueBattle raises funds for cancer, military

The Safeway Foundation funds various nonprofit organizations. Money raised from the pre-view of Safeway’s 2014 National Capital Barbecue Battle will support the Prostate CancerFoundation. Safewaywill also be raisingmoney in-store during themonth of June.

Safeway’s Eastern Division hosted a lunchtime barbecueon June 20, before the National Capital Barbecue Battlewas held in Washington, D.C.

BYBOBBY JONESSTAFF PHOTOJOURNALIST

“Annually on a great scale,we get to highlight the wholeissue of caring for you,” saidRev. John K. Jenkins, Jr. Thepastor addressed his congre-gation, during the kick off ofthe 21st Annual Health Expothat was held at the FirstBaptist Church of Glenarden(FBCG) in Upper MarlboroJune 14.The goal of the 21stAnnual

Health Expo was to educateindividuals and heighten theawareness of maintaining ahealthy lifestyle. As PastorJenkins addressed the audi-ence, he noted most healthissues are driven by what aperson eats.“We spend more money

on fast food than magazines,books, movies, newspapers,videos, recorders and musiccombined. The purpose oftoday is to push forth to theforefront of your prioritiesand your agendas of caring foryourself, because it’s essen-tial,” said Jenkins.Jacqueline McDaniel is a

registered nurse and FBCGPresident of the Health Min-istry.McDaniel noted that theultimate goal of the healthexpo is to reduce the preva-lence of leading chronic dis-eases, such as heart disease,breast cancer, prostate cancer,strokes and diabetes in PrinceGeorge’s County. McDanielultimately concluded thatthe risk factors for prematuredeath can correlate with lackof exercise, inadequate con-sumption of fruits and veg-etables, high blood pressure,smoking and diabetes.The congregation was in-

vited to participate in a vigor-ous 10 minute exercise thatwas led by a Zumba instruc-tor, before the introduction ofthe keynote speaker, RubenStuddard. Dr. Karyn Wills,FBCG Health and WellnessGroup Leader, introducedthe American Idol Season IIwinner, R&B singer, and theformer “Biggest Loser” con-testant. During his speech,Studdard talked about his life-long personal struggles withhealth and fitness, before hisdebut on “The Biggest Loser.”While participating on the

TV show in 2013,Studdardwasdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes.The entertainer ultimately lostmore than 100 pounds.

“It’s kind of weird being uphere on stage, because I don’tsee myself as a health and fit-ness expert at all. I’ve beenover 300 pounds ever sinceI was 13-years-old, and itworked for me as an athlete,”Studdard said, referring to hiscollegiate football years. “Buttoday I see myself as someonewho was real fat, and becamemoderately fat. So I still re-solve to becoming a betterperson and becoming a betterme.And I’ve never really seenwhat being completely physi-cal fit looks like for me. It’s re-ally great that they have all ofthese health screenings herefor you today.”The keynote speaker also

advised attendees to schedulea doctor’s appointment thisyear, if they have not doneso already. Before concludinghis speech, Studdard thankedPastor Jenkins for the speak-ing invitation. Studdardshared final words of encour-agement with the audience,before welcoming questionsabout his journey to loseweight, and how he currentlymaintains a healthy lifestyle.“After doing “The Biggest

Loser” show I realized thatI had to change my relation-ship with food from an emo-tional one to a physical one.I implore you to change theway you think about food.Thesecond thing I would tell youis not to deprive yourselves.Reward yourself for doingwell with something that youreally crave, because if youdon’t give yourself somethingto look forward to, you won’tcontinue to work out as hard.Lastly, you need to just getmoving. Take a brisk 30-min-ute walk.”Various educational ex-

hibits, health displays, andinformation stations withfree pamphlets and handoutswere available throughout thechurch. Medical and dentalprofessionals were availableto consult with participants.Students from Howard Uni-versity School of Dentistryperformed Oral Health, peri-odontal and orthodontistscreenings.Additionally, participants

could receive guidance fromnutritionists about healthyeating or exercise with fitnessinstructors. Fitness instruc-tor—Keith Johnson—founderof ‘Keith’s Treats and Eats,’taught participants how to ex-ercise, while simultaneouslypreparing a healthymeal dur-ing a ‘Cookercise’ demonstra-tion.Retired Tech. Sgt. Darlene

Clairborne, a Waldorf resi-dent, was excited about theCookercise demonstration.She recalled seeing it during aprevious health expo.“I witness one of Keith’s

shows before. I loved seeinghim cook while exercisingfor the first time three yearsago. While he was cookingon aWok, we were exercising.Every now and then, I still dothat at home. It’s very positiveand you burn a lot of calories.”A rock tower,moon bounce,

soccer instruction, basketballclinic, cardio kickboxing, Gos-pel Line Dance, healthy youthclub, Chess tournaments, anda YMCA obstacle course wereavailable for youth participa-tion.All participants received

a ‘Passport to Health’ list tocheck off screenings that werecompleted during the day-longevent. Health care profession-als who are members FBCG

served as Ask the Expert rep-resentatives,during the event.They answered a variety ofhealth questions.Gloria Brown-Hicks, an

UpperMarlboro resident, tookadvantage of the free opportu-nity to receive medical adviceat the health expo.“I came here to check out

the new things that are avail-able to us. I checked into BodyMotion because I have a sci-atic nerve issue, because mybody is out of alignment. I’mtaking a Tai Chi class to re-align my body. I’m also a stu-dent of chair aerobics. I alsogot good information from aphysical therapist here.”Bernard Morris, co-chair-

manof theManCaveCommit-tee, is a registered nurse whoworks for MedStar Health.Morris has volunteered hisservices to the annual healthexpo since it started in 1993.The member of FBCG is pas-sionate about helping others.Morris explained that theMan Cave Committee inte-

grated various screenings andeducational opportunities es-pecially for men.“The committee includes

a prostate information groupand digestive group com-prised of gastroenterologiststo educatemen about prostatecancer. We also have HowardUniversity screeners whoprovide both PSA and digitalscreenings. There is also a gi-ant inflatable colon display il-lustrating abnormalities withinformation about gastroin-testinal disorders.This healthexpo iswonderful. It energizesme to continue in my profes-sion, because collectively weimpart information to helpother people,”Morris said.Malcolm Roberts has been

a volunteer fitness instructorfor the FBCG for the past fouryears. He works for Bethes-da Sports and Health Cluband owns a gym in CapitalHeights.“I do workout sessions for

the fitnessministrymonthly. Ilove the expo. It’s a great way

to reach out and connect withthe community, build relation-ships and most of all, educatepeople about the importanceof fitness,” Roberts said.Beyond the annual health

expo, the FBCG Health Min-istry has a health clinic avail-able to church members inthe event any health issuesarise during a Sunday service.According Dr. Karyn Wills,FBCG Health and WellnessGroup Leader, the health clin-ic is free to churchmembers orvisitor.“Our clinic services are

open to anyone who comesthrough the doors, and staffmembers are on call Sundaymornings to helpwith if some-one has a headache, becomesoverheated, or their sugarlevels get too high, or even ifsomeone is having a seizure.”Wills further noted the

annual health expo brings awealth of information to thelocal community.“We bring physician and

health care education to thecommunity, because manypeople are so busy throughoutthe day that they never takethe time out to go and see aphysician or get somethingchecked out. The things weprovide here are free, so it’sno cost to them in getting thishealth information. Last year,there were about 1,500 par-ticipants at the health expo,”Dr.Wills said.At the conclusion of the

day-long event, more than2000 Prince George’s Countyresidents took advantage ofthe free health services.

First Baptist Church of Glenarden sponsors Health Expo

Keith Johnson, fitness instructor, and founder of ‘Keith’sTreats and Eats,’ motivates participants to exercise dur-ing his Cookercise demonstration.

Participants are educated while exploring an inflatable colon display. They learnedabout polyps and other abnormalities that can cause cancer.

Chef Fred Johnson, introduces participants to healthyeating through grilling various types of vegetables andfruit during a cooking demonstration.

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BY SENIOR MASTER SGT.ERIC PETERSON

380TH AIREXPEDITIONARY WING

A deployment can offerAirmen an opportunity towork on personal goals suchas weight loss or improvedphysical fitness. But for onemember of the 380th Air Ex-peditionary Wing deployedto an undisclosed locationin Southwest Asia, a deploy-ment has provided the op-portunity to complete herassociate degree require-ments.Air Force Staff Sgt. Chan-

dra Smith, a member of the380th Expeditionary Se-curity Forces Squadron, isworking on her CommunityCollege of the Air Force as-sociate in applied sciencedegree in criminal justice.She earned the majority

of her credits in a tradition-al classroom environmentwhile taking classes offeredat universities located nearher home station of JointBase Andrews, Maryland.The English course she is

now enrolled in will be herthird online class, and thefinal one needed to completeher degree.“I think it’s amazing,”

said Smith. “With the sixmonths of being gone fromhome I can focus on schooland get it out of the way.”The five-week online

class will afford her a chanceto interact with her instruc-tor and members of her on-line class. She can also ac-cess resources offered by theuniversity that include anonline library.She considers that her

higher education will be amarketable commodity onceher Air Force career is com-plete and she applies forwork in the civilian sector.

“It’s important because adegree shows that you tookthe time out to get your-self together,” said Smith.“It shows you’re motivatedand you’re passionate aboutschool. It might not be whoyou know but what youknow inside, and if you havethat degree that’s a good ac-complishment for yourselfand for your future.”She encourages Airmen

to include a higher educa-tion goal when planning fortheir next deployment.“If you can make time to

go to the gym, you can maketime to sign up for school,”said Smith. “In six monthsyou can easily complete twoclasses.”The flight chief of the

380th Expeditionary ForceSupport Squadron educa-tion services office saidthere are many opportuni-ties available for Airmento continue their educationduring their deployment.Tech. Sgt. George White-

head said the 380th AEWeducation office maintains anational test control centerand can administer College-Level Examination Program(CLEP) and Defense Activ-ity for Non-Traditional Edu-cation Support (DANTES)

exams for Airmen who areinterested in challengingcollege-level coursework forCCAF credit.“We have a master listing

of CLEP and DANTES ex-ams that apply towards theCCAF degree,” said White-head. “So we have a lot ofpeople that come throughand utilize our study mate-rial and study and CLEPtheir way to their degree..”The University of Mary-

land University College alsooffers college classes thatare taught to deployed Air-men in an onsite classroomenvironment.“I would encourage peo-

ple to take advantage ofschool while they’re here,”said Whitehead. “In myopinion, it’s about perfor-mance. To make yourselfmore marketable you needto be able to show somethingfor yourself. What separatesyou from the other person isthat you’ve taken the timeto increase your education.The more you know, themore you can do. The AirForce culture is real big onpersonal development, so tohave that achievement is abig deal.”Smith looks forward to

returning home and receiv-ing her hard-earned as-sociate in applied sciencedegree. She intends to par-ticipate in her home unitgraduation ceremony.“My goal is to come back

home and walk across thestage and get my diploma,”said Smith.Smith doesn’t plan on

stopping her education onceshe’s been awarded her as-sociate degree. She plans tocontinue her education andis interested in pursuing abachelor’s degree in busi-ness marketing.

A degree of success

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY SENIOR MAS-TER SGT. ERIC PETERSON

Air ForceStaff Sgt. ChandraSmith reviewsabookatthe 380thAir ExpeditionaryWing’s learning resourcecen-ter at anundisclosed locationinSouthwestAsia June4.

and always available. Debo-rah Young says that staff atThe Foundation Schoolmadea lasting impression on herson. She happily informsthat her son has come outof his box and grown a lot,although he has a little wayto go.“It’s been like a second

family. His therapist hasbeen like a second mom.She’s become family to usand has always been therefor us. I love Foundation. Ireally do. I’m almost sorry to

say that he’s leaving. For me,it’s been a tearful moment.I’m relieved but Foundationhas been a family. Founda-tion really pulled him outof a rut. They’ve really beenthere for him.”Theresa McAlpine is the

Director of The Links Pro-gram, which is an outreachprogram for The FoundationSchool. McAlpine had beenAntonio Young’s therapistthe entire time he attendedThe Foundation School.“I am so proud of him.

This has been a long road.When Antonio first came hedid not want to talk or do

any work. He’s gone fromthat to talking now, makingeye contact and he smiles.He’s evolved,”McAlpine said.Roberta Shaw attended

her nephew’s graduation.She looked thoughtfully atYoung, then commentedabout his achievement.“I am excited for him. I

am excited for his mother. Ilove them both dearly. Anto-nio is the last of the grand-children to graduate fromhigh school. They all havetheir diplomas. They will goforward in strength, and infaith, and in joy.”

GRADUATE, from page 1

ficer. Cornett organized andloaded approximately 25combat-ready ANA soldiers,and departed for GizabAs the Mi-17 helicopter

formation traveled to thelanding zone secured byANPnear the town center, hostilesengaged with small armsfire. Cornett called out en-emy positions while the firsthelicopter was able to dropoff its commando passengersand pick up the ANP officer.“While directing evasive

maneuvers, Cornett covered[the helicopters’] movementswith suppressive fire,” Lt.Col. Timothy Buck, 1st Heli-copter Squadron commander,said. “The crew’s expedientresponse to Staff Sgt. Cor-nett’s direction allowed theformation to escape follow-on[rocket-propelled grenade]fire.”During the engagement,

several rounds struck Cor-nett’s helicopter and a roundstruck Tech. Sgt. James “JJ”Juniper, a 441st Air Expedi-tionary Advisor Squadronspecial missions aviator, inthe neck causing life-threat-ening bleeding.“I tried to make contact to

check for initial battle dam-age and Sgt. Juniper didn’treply,” Cornett said. “All of asudden, I saw a bloody handreach up and try to hit on theflight engineer’s door to gethis attention.”After Juniper was shot,

the mission changed fromtroop movement to getting

Juniper medical attention,Cornett said.“When I saw his hand, I

knew then he wasn’t dead,but I didn’t know if he wouldsurvive,” Cornett said. “Ilooked over to Sgt. Jacobs; heshot up and headed towardSgt. Juniper while I contin-ued suppressive fire. Whenwe were clear of hostiles,I climbed over the AfghanCommandos and applied di-rect pressure to the wound; Idid everything I rememberedfrom training and hoped forthe best.”Cornett and Jacobs con-

tinued to assist Juniper onthe return flight to TKA andrelay medical information.“It was a 30 minute flight

to the hospital; there wasblood all over the floor andon us,” Cornett said. “After15-20 minutes, we startedto realize [his wound] wasstabilizing and the blood losswas controlled.”When the formation

reached TKA, Cornettprepped Juniper for trans-port and helped him into anambulance. Cornett wentwith him to the medical fa-cility where he discussed thedetails of the injuries.Juniper was at the de-

ployed location for less than30 days when he was shot..He received a Purple Heartfor wounds sustained dur-ing combat. Even after sus-taining an injury and beingoffered a trip home, Juni-per said the Air Force paidto train him for six monthsbefore deploying him so hewanted to stay, Cornett said.“I feel very honored and

proud to receive such a pres-tigious award, but I ammoregrateful that we all made ithome,” Cornett said. “I maybe receiving this award, butI know that each person onmy crew played a critical rolein saving JJ’s life as well asgetting us out of there alive.”

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS RYAN J. SONNIER

Staff Sgt.MarkCornett, 1st Helicopter Squadron specialmission aviator instructor, stands in front of aUH-1NHueyhelicopter assigned to the 1st Helicopter Squadron onJoint BaseAndrews,Md., June 17.

AWARD, from page 1

7Friday, June 27, 2014 Andrews Gazette

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