Commanders Corner ………………………………………………… Page 3

Army Substance Abuse Program ………..………………………… Page 5

Army Reserve Child, Youth and School Support Services …… Page 7

Directorate of Information Management ………………………... Page 10

Yellow Ribbon Program

Soldiers Reintegrate at the “Las Vegas of the East" …….…… Page 13

President‟s new initiative mirrors Army Reserve‟s

commitment to military …………………………………………. Page 15

Reintegration takes teamwork, communication ………………. Page 17

MILTECH program offers job opportunities ……………………. Page 19

Man‟s best friend helps Soldiers cope with experiences ……. Page 25

Awards

99th RSC Honors an „Exceptional‟ Civilian …………………..…. Page 21

CW2 Delini Sooklall-Makarowski MSM ………………………….. Page 36

Iraq War veteran receives second Purple Heart ……………….. Page 55

One of our Own

Army Reserve chaplain highlights Soldiers‟ sacrifices

in new Civil War novel …………………………………………… Page 23

Women of Honor Series

Master Sgt. Trenest Abrams ……………………………….……… Page 42

Army Civilian Annette Kalbach ………………………………..…. Page 45

Army Civilian Tiffani A. Rollison ……………………………...….. Page 47

Delini Sharon Sooklall-Makarowski ………………………...……. Page 49

Selfless sacrifice highlighted during 99th RSC

Women‟s History Month event ……………………………………. Page 40

Photo Pages

Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble ……………………. Page 27

Major General Waff Promotion Ceremony ……………...………. Page 30

Blood Pressure Checks ……………………………………………. Page 32

Fort Wadsworth Press Conference ………………………………. Page 35

Zumba Workout ……………………………………………..………. Page 39

Career Day at Newcomb School ………………………………….. Page 62

Land Navigation Training ……………………………..…………… Page 64

Promotions

Promotion, reunion for officer ……………………………………. Page 29

Staff Sgt. Tammy Herne ………………………………...………….. Page 37

Staff Sgt. Heather Wright ……………………………...…………… Page 38

Miscellaneous

Fort Dix-ieland Band Strikes Again ……………………...………. Page 33

Financial workshop helps Army Reserve units

meet Soldiers‟ needs ……………………………………………. Page 51

99th RSC honors the father of the „Baby Ruth‟ …………...……. Page 57

Chaplain Assistant Mentorship Program enhances

personal, professional development …………………...……. Page 60

Army Reserve, Merchant Marine Academy

conduct joint training ……………………………...…… Page 63

99th Regional Support Command

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff

Commanding General

Command Sgt. Major Richard Castelveter

Command Sergeants Major

Maj. Adam Hackel

Chief of Public Affairs

Mr. Shawn Morris

Deputy Chief of Public Affairs

Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Public Affairs Chief/Editor

"Dauntless Digest" is produced using Associated Press style guidelines, and is authorized for publi-

cation by 99th Regional Support Command .

The contents of "Dauntless Digest" are unofficial and are not to be considered the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. government, the Depart-ment of Defense or 99th Regional Support Com-

mand.

"Dauntless Digest" is a command information publication for the 99th Regional Support Com-

mand, and is published in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1

It is an honor to be able to pen my first column in the Daunt-less Digest as your Commanding General. Since taking com-mand of the 99

th RSC on Oct. 1 of last year, I‘ve been im-

pressed time and again with the professionalism and dedica-tion of the Soldiers and Civilian staff of the 99

th - you are the

continuity of service here at the 99th; the link between past,

present and future.

Speaking of the past, I will say up front that the successes the 99

th RSC achieved during the past year clearly belong to

two of the great former leaders of the 99th - my good friend

Major General Bill Monk, and the near-legendary Bill Staub, whose last day as the Chief of Staff was Dec. 30. As you may know, the 99

th placed second in the 2010 Army Commu-

nities of Excellence Award Competition. It is remarkable to think that as ―new‖ as we are, we were one of the two finalists in the Army Reserve category. This is clearly due to the work and vision of Gen. Monk and Mr. Staub. We all owe a great debt to both of them for the work they have done. While Gen. Monk has been mobilized as the Deputy Military Executive to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology at the Pentagon, Mr. Staub has gone on to a well-earned re-tirement after 44 years, two months and 15 days of federal civil service to the Army and the nation.

As every end brings a new beginning, we were lucky enough to be able to replace Mr. Staub with the equally capable Dr. Mikey Kloster, the former Director of Human Resources for the 99th. We also saw the arrival of Brigadier General Dan Ammerman as our Deputy Commanding General, re-placing Brigadier General Mike Smith who was extended for an additional tour in theater. Obviously, Gen. Smith‘s talents were significant enough to warrant a rare in-theater extension for a General Of-ficer, and we appreciate all that he has done for the 99

th. Gen. Ammerman comes to us from the

Civil Affairs community, and will be commuting from metro Green Bay, Wis.

This past year also saw the retirement of CW5 Dan ―Chief Mac‖ MacLaughlin, the 99th‘s Command

Chief Warrant Officer. Although retired from the Army, Chief Mac is still serving as the mayor of Randolph, N.Y. To say that Chief Mac has ―retired‖ is clearly not to know him, given his ongoing ser-vice and contribution to the community in which he lives. Backfilling Chief Mac is CW5 Winfred Hill, who comes to us from Fort McPherson where he was in an IMA assignment at Third Army. In civil-ian life, Chief Hill is in law enforcement, and will be commuting from metro Atlanta, Ga.

We also saw the departure of Command Sergeant Major Kurt Timmer, who was selected as the Command Sergeant Major of the 200

th Military Police Command. This is clearly a loss for the 99

th,

yet a true gain for the 200th and a ―win‖ for the Army Reserve. In a ―win‖ for the 99

th, we are happy to

announce the arrival on April 1 of Command Sergeant Major Richard Castelveter, who comes to us from the 339

th Combat Support Hospital in Coraopolis. In civilian life, CSM Castelveter works for US

Airways as a Senior Purser on international flights, currently flying the Philadelphia- Tel Aviv route.

Even in the midst of significant senior leader transitions, we continue to focus on accomplishing the missions assigned to us, and we are hard at work in building and opening new Army Reserve Cen-ters, Armed Forces Reserve Centers and Area Maintenance Support Activities, while vacating and turning over numerous facilities that are well over 40 and 50 years old. During the past year, we‘ve broken ground on six future facilities and cut the ribbon on three brand-new, state-of-the-art Reserve Centers. Nearly two-dozen Reserve Centers are scheduled to begin construction or open their doors for business during the coming year. Clearly, we are providing the Soldiers and Civilians who work and train in our facilities the best and newest facilities possible to do their work for the Army Re-serve, and it is an honor to do so.

While we are building the Army Reserve structurally, we continue to build the emotional and spiritual strength of our Soldiers and Families as we continue to set the record for the number of Strong Bonds marriage retreat weekends, and continue to meet the needs of returning Soldiers and Fami-lies by providing first-class Yellow Ribbon reintegration events to assist them in the transition from their mobilized Warrior status back to the community as a civilian.

We also continue to prepare Soldiers and units for deployment through our Soldier Readiness Proc-essing Team, which provides Level 2 SRPs for Soldiers and units in our area of responsibility. Addi-tionally, they also support four Individual Ready Reserve Musters each year to IRR Soldiers who at-tend these extremely informative events that provide timely information to these Soldiers as they re-view what their options are for continued service in the Army Reserve. This past year saw musters in Philadelphia, Boston, New York and metro-Washington, D.C., and will be repeated again this year. As with the change in Command Group leadership, we welcome our new SRP Team Chief, Lieuten-ant Colonel (Promotable) Dan Magpanty. LTC(P) Magpanty recently completed 24 months as a mo-bilized battalion commander at Fort Bliss, Texas, although he will in fact be even farther than from his home of record in California.

Finally, we continue to provide casualty notification, casualty assistance and military funeral honors for our current and past Soldiers, ensuring that the Family members who are affected by these sig-nificant events are treated with timely information and respect throughout the process. These are often taxing events for the Soldiers offering the support, and we thank them for a job well done at the end of each event.

I am confident that we will continue to complete all our missions to the best of our ability, living up to the standards set for us by those who went before us wearing the Checkerboard, our 99

th Infantry

Division predecessors. These Warriors will celebrate their final reunion this year due to their dwin-dling numbers. We recently said goodbye to Frank Buckles, the last surviving World War One vet-eran, and we‘re losing our Second World War veterans at the tragic rate of 1,000 a day. Let‘s keep their past accomplishments in mind as we focus on our missions and all the new challenges and op-portunities for success that will make the 99

th RSC the standard-setter for RSCs for years to come.

DAUNTLESS!

As your Alcohol and Drug Control Office (ADCO) it is my re-sponsibility to keep you (the command) informed of any new or existing Army alcohol and drug testing or prevention poli-cies. I will also be acting as a referral agent for the com-mand‘s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

The Army is firmly committed to the elimination of substance abuse by its members. Substance abuse within the Armed Forces has been dramatically reduced over the years as a result of leadership, education, prevention and biochemical testing.

Per AR 600-85, the objective of the USAR program is to sus-tain a well-disciplined, mission-capable force ready for mobili-zation. As deployability is dependent upon a drug-free mem-bership, abuse of alcohol or other drugs is incompatible with service in the USAR. Well-organized and effective programs in urinalysis testing and alcohol and other drug prevention and education are critical to achieving this objective.

Drug testing rate

Company/Troop commanders will randomly select and test 10 percent of their assigned Soldiers each month or 25 per-cent each quarter. The Army Center of Substance Abuse Programs (ACASP) has identified a glaring deficiency with AR testing over the last two years. Per AR 600-85, Para 12-6, commanders will administer UIR‘s under the following conditions:

Deploying Soldiers 30 days before their deployment. Incoming commanders during a change of command. Commands at any time (preferably on a yearly basis to continue to assess the climate of the unit

regarding risk). Over the past two years, ACSAP has only confirmed approximately 1,000 samples; these numbers will have to increase.

EAP

The purpose of the Army Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a job-based program is to:

To help employees in identifying and resolving personal problems that may affect their Job per-

Mr. Alex Tremble is the 99th Regional Support Command ADCO and can be reached via email

alex.tremble@usar.army.mil or phone, 562-7057

formance and well-being.

To assist management in addressing productivity issues. To promote installation work/life/wellness programs.

Objectives

All new Federal employees are promptly trained on the availability of EAP services.

All supervisors of civilian employees receive training on the signs and symptoms of substance abuse and how and when to make proper use of EAP service. Annual training should be con-ducted for 33 percent of assigned supervisors.

The purpose and availability of EAP services are actively promoted and publicized throughout the year. A minimum of three hours training on such topics as stress management, EAP services, preven-tion‘s of violence in the workplace etc, will be conducted annually for the civilian workforce. —————————————————————————————————————————— The U.S. Army has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which is designed to provide free, confidential services, to include; screening to identify the employee's problem, short-term coun-seling and, when appropriate, a referral to a fa-cility or service (within or outside the Army) that can assist the employee in resolving his or her problem(s). It is the employee's responsibility to follow through with this referral, and to make the necessary financial arrangements for this ser-vice. Participation in the EAP is voluntary and, ultimately, it is the employee's decision to partici-pate or not. EAP services are available for employees who have a substance abuse problem, who are seek-ing help or whose drug test has been verified positive. In addition to substance abuse problems, the Army EAP provides comprehensive short-term counseling and referral services to help employees achieve a balance between their work, family, and other personal responsibilities. Job effectiveness can be adversely affected when employees are faced with emotional or behavioral problems, family responsibilities, financial and legal diffi-culties, and dependent (child/elder) care needs. EAP services can be extremely important in the prevention of, and intervention in, workplace violence incidents. Managers and supervisors are urged to become familiar with the EAP referral process and to make referrals and/or recommend to employees that they seek help through the installation EAP. If you have any questions concerning drug and alcohol treatment or prevention please don‘t hesi-tate to contact me at alex.tremble@usar.army.mil or phone, 562-7057 mobile 609-792-4081. You can also check the ADCO bulletin board for up to date information from ACSAP.

Army Reserve Family Programs/Child, Youth and School Services http://www.arfp.org/cyss

How to Prepare our Children and Stay Involved in their Education during Deployment http://www.militarychild.org/files/pdfs/DeploymentBooklet.pdf

No Cost Tutoring for Military Children www.tutor.com/military

Our Military Kids

www.ourmilitarykids.org

Susan Costain is the AYCSS rep for the 99th RSC can be reached via email at suzanne.costain@usar.army.mil or at 609-562-7678

Hello everyone, I would like to take a minute to tell you about the Army Reserve Child, Youth & School Services. Our mission is to provide Army Reserve Families the tools to overcom-

ing obstacles to academic success that children encounter as a result of the ―suddenly military lifestyle.‖ This means that as the School Support Specialist, I am here to be an ad-

vocate for you and your children on any education issues that may arise.

An example of issues that I can assist with are relocation and transitioning, conflicts with

school policies/procedures, special needs issues, testing/tutoring, homeschooling and school

choices (private, public, charter.) All of these topics can be difficult to navigate without the

added stressors of a military lifestyle. The added stressors of deployments and TDYs can

make these issues seem impossible to handle. Please contact me at 609-562-7678 or suz-

anne.costain@usar.army.mil with any issues that arise so that I may help alleviate this added

stress on your already busy lifestyle.

The Army Reserve Soldier is deploying at a higher rate than ever before and with this increased rate of deployment the Families left at home are faced with stressors that are affecting each member of that household. One of the most highly affected members of this familial unit is the Military Child.

The Military Child may experience feelings of depression, loss, abandonment and sadness. To help alleviate these negative feelings the caregiver may use the following tips and ideas to get through the time until the Family is together once again.

1. Discuss the deployment with the child before the parent leaves for duty. If the deployment will change the Child‘s lifestyle the child needs to hear about it in advance. 2. Many Children worry about the safety of the parent. Discuss the ways that the Soldier will be helping others and how they are trained to do the job. 3. Communicate with the child in a way they understand. Use common terms and experiences to

explain the situation. i.e. ―Remember when Jimmy‘s Dad went away and he came home?‖ 4. Notify the School (Teacher, Guidance Counselor and Principal) of the change in the Child‘s life-

style and ensure they will alert you of any issues that arise during this time. 5. Keep up your routine. By keeping the same routine it can assist with separation and attachments

issues. 6. Help your child create packages, letters and videos to send or share upon the Soldier‘s return. 7. Mark the days to Parents return on a calendar so that the Child can visualize the time to their re-

turn. 8. Limit television and other media coverage of the war to reduce the level of anxiety and worry. 9. Involve the child in activities and/or groups to keep them entertained, examples are Boy

Scouts/Girl Scouts, sports or lessons. (Ourmilitarykids.org offers $500 stipend for activities while Family member is deployed.)

10. Keep communication open with the child. If they are having a bad day emotionally, or behavior-ally, discuss reasons why, this may be their way of expressing their feelings.

Ten tips to help children deal with deployments

Every child expresses their feelings in a different way. The child may act out, separate from their friends or may seem exactly the same. No matter how the child expresses their feel-

ings, it is important that they be encouraged to discuss and express these without the fear of judgment or recrimination. If the child is experiencing issues at home or school that need

further help please contact your 99th

RSC School Support Specialist at 609-562-7678.

Customer service is the ticket for 99th RSC Info Management chief

For Claire Coletti, keeping 99th Regional Support Command employees and customers up and run-

ning on their computers takes time, patience and a whole lot of experience.

Coletti, who came to the 99th Regional Support Command from Fort Monmouth, N.J., gained her in-

formation technology experience from her prior Navy service as a data processor and technical as-sistant, as an Army contractor where she was a system‘s programmer and system administrator, and as an Army civilian as a information technology specialist.

As the Information Management customer support supervisor, she keeps the support of the 99th

RSC customers on the forefront of the mission through the ticket management process.

―The primary mission of the ticket manager is ensure the tickets are routed to the right queues to ex-pedite resolution for our custom-ers,‖ according to Coletti. ―The 99

th RSC Information Manage-

ment Office currently has seven queues with the oversight ability. Six of the queues are managed directly by me and the other one is managed by the Tier 2 group, which USARC oversees. The six queues are regarded as our Area of Responsibility even though USARC‘s one queue is also within our area.‖

USARC provides generalized guidelines to determine baseline services, also known as ―BASOPS.‖ This guidance is referred to as the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Informa-tion Management (C4IM) Services List. The 99th RSC IMO is called to determine at times whether requests are BASOPS or Mission. Sometimes this is obvious, and other times it is not an easy task.

―For example, if our customer occupies space on an installation, there are different factors that come into play in comparison to a customer who is not on an installation,‖ Coletti explained. ―The C4IM provides guidance that telecommunication services are BASOPS; however, for our customers who are not on an installation, USARC - not the 99

th RSC - provides the services. We do if the customer

is on an installation.‖

The other guidance the G-6 goes by is Army Regulation 25-1, which states that the installation Di-rectorate of Information Management provides services based on the C4IM. They also refer to the

Operation & Function manual which is derived from the AR 25-1. The O&F manual states that the Information Management Office is to evaluate whether a request is BASOPS or Mission regarded.

This guidance has established the ticket systems that are currently utilized, thus making it easy and usually quick to process help-desk tickets. Sometimes, the customers can impact the process as well.

―For the most part, when a ticket is submitted, I am looking to make sure it has been routed to the correct individual, so the ticket is handled by the correct group or person,‖ said Coletti. ―Otherwise, most of the team works independently to ensure they can effectively process the ticket‖.

―The IMO refers to this as self-assigning. About 95 percent of the tickets are self-assigned by our support team. I am lucky to have a great support team, which takes the initiative,‖ she added.

One of the most useful things that anyone can do when they submit a ticket is to reference a FACID,‖ said Coletti. ―Right away, I can ensure the location is within our AOR.‖

―Recently, I received a ticket from an individual who indicated only their cell phone number as a point of contact; however, their area code was from the west coast,‖ continued Coletti. ―This created many more questions as to whether I could help them or forward them to another RSC. Had I known the FACID, it would have eliminated that question and I could have moved on the ticket more quickly. USARC has contractors within our AOR that are able to work with the IMO when resources

are needed.‖

FACIDs may be going away as the 99th RSC transitions to GFEBS. Once it is indentified what the

FACIDs will be replaced with, the IMO directorate will provide another unique identifier as guidance to its customers. Even if the customer would provide a full address to their facility, this would be helpful too.

―Often, customers look at me with confusion when I refer to the different tiers,‖ said Coletti.

She explained that Tier I acts like a triage, with low-level quick repairs, basic software issues or printer installations that can be accomplished with remote access. Their target is to take care of 65 percent of the first-time calls of Tier I level within a 15-minute timeframe.

Tier II issues are more specialized with greater depth and time to allocate troubleshooting, such as troubleshooting hardware and creating print queues. It‘s also done remotely, but sometimes requires a hands-on approach.

Tier III are the USAR subject-matter experts who manage the Proxy, Exchange servers, and backup servers. They also attend to unresolved Tier II issues; software updates issues, Group Policy set-tings and creating the standard USAR Image that is applicable to 99

th RSC computers.

―A response you will often hear from me to a customer‘s question is, ―Did you submit a help-desk ticket?‖ said Coletti. ―I ask this because it helps me research progress of the request. But also, in the event I am not present, it is more accessible by our team in order to expedite the process. It also serves as a measurement and a resource for the individual to refer to in order to view how their ticket is going to be resolved. It also provides history if the ticket must be forwarded to another Tier if we are not able to resolve at our level or our group.‖

Help-desk tickets can be submitted either by phone at 1-877-777-6854 or the web at https://esdhelp If you have an emergency request, please submit by phone as a faster response may be available

immediately during the call. Further information can be found on the web link above for the USARC

CA Unicenter Service Desk such as Current Announcements for Service Outages and Status, Ticket

Status and a Knowledge Search.

Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Public Affairs Office

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Jan 30, 2011 - Approximately 200 Soldiers and 100 Family members de-scended on the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, N.J., to participate in the first Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event for the 99th Regional Support Command this year.

"Less than one percent of Americans are serving in the military -- a very small, elite group of people defending our nation and what we stand for," explained Col. Mikey Kloster, 99th RSC chief of staff and commander, 1st Mobilization Sup-port Group, during the opening remarks of the event. "Today is all about a chance for you to reach out and get into these resources."

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, which the Secretary of Defense initiated in 2008, provides information, services, referral, and proactive outreach programs to Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen in the reserve component and their Families through all phases of the deployment cycle.

The program consists of seven events that take place at intervals before and after mobili-zation, which gives the Soldiers and Family member‘s information, counseling, skills and techniques for upcoming deployments and re-deployments.

Events 1 and 2 are for Soldiers and their Families at the onset of a deployment. These events assist everyone for the separation. Event 3 and 4 are for Family members only and are often used to see how the family is doing and to assist them in planning the Soldier‘s homecoming.

Events 5,6, and 7 of the program are two-day events that happen 30, 60, and 90 days, after the Soldier returns home and is released from active duty, and include information on current benefits and re-sources available to help overcome the stress and challenges of reintegration.

For Sgt. Samuel Johnson, who deployed with the 88th Military Police Company, this was his first experi-ence as his family attended Event 5.

―The classes were very informative,‖ Johnson said. ―The best one for me was the Military One Source because of the resources they have for sleep issues.‖

Johnson is currently looking forward to Events 6 and 7 where he hopes that additional information will be available to him while he is still reintegrating.

Sgt. 1st Class Doris Urbina (right) inprocesses a family at the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event that was held at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, N.J.. The

Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event was hosted by the 99th Regional Support Command, headquartered at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The program consists of seven events that take place at intervals before and after mobiliza-

tion, which gives the Soldiers and Family members information, counseling, skills and techniques for upcoming deployments and re-deployments. For more

information about the Yellow Ribbon Program please check out http://www.arfp.org/ (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod)

Soldiers Reintegrate at the “Las Vegas of the East"

The Soldier and Family members had access to 13 vendors during the event that included DoD Recov-ery Care Program, Family Programs Survivor Outreach Services, Army One Source, Healthnet MHN (Military & Family Life Consultant), Essential Knowledge (Education), Military & Family Life Consultant Personal Finance Consultant, Ashford University, Disabled American Veterans, Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces, Atlantic City Police, Military One Source, Defense & Veterans Brain Injury Center, 99th RSC Child Youth & School Services.

Even though all of the vendors are equally impor-tant, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center had unique information to give to the participants.

―One of the signature injuries of our current wars is brain injury, primarily concussion,‖ explained Mel-doee Hursey, regional education coordinator for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. ―We want to make sure we are getting the word out there about what resources are available for our service members and their families.‖

Throughout the event, the busiest vendor tends to assist the service member and their family with em-ployment assistance.

―The employment thing especially in today‘s econ-omy is very tricky,‖ said Stephanie Baracani who went to college while her husband was deployed and is currently a stay- at-home mom.

―The employment services that were offered were very helpful to me,‖ Baracani said ―It was nice they extended the offers to the spouses. I can get help with my resume and get help getting back into the job market.‖

Yellow Ribbon Events are family centered and encourage parents to bring their children. To allow par-ents to stay focused during classes, free child care is provided throughout the day.

―Helping and supporting our troops is one thing we love to do,‖ said Shawn Lord from Skies the Limit Academy, who provided day care for the event.

The 99th Regional Support Command hosts Yellow Ribbon Reintegration events at various locations

once a month. For more information please contact Ana Gomez, (609) 562-7708, or Master Sgt. Abi-

gaile Taylor, (609) 562-7530

Soldiers and Family members descended on the Trump Plaza in Atlan-

tic City, N.J., to participate in the first Yellow Ribbon Reintegration

event for the 99th Regional Support Command this year. The program

consists of seven events that take place at intervals before and after

mobilization, which gives the Soldiers and Family members information,

counseling, skills and techniques for upcoming deployments and re-

deployments. For more information about the Yellow Ribbon Program

please check out http://www.arfp.org/ (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-

Michael Macleod)

http://www.arfp.org/ For more info on Army Family Programs go to

Story by – Mr. Shawn Morris, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Jan 30, 2011 - When President Barrack Obama announced a new plan this Jan. 24 to increase support to service members and their families, he echoed the covenant that has existed for years between the Army Reserve and its Citizen-Soldiers. This commitment was reaffirmed Jan 29 - 30 as the Army Reserve's 99th Regional Support Com-mand hosted a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Event at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, N.J. "Less than one percent of Americans are serv-ing in the military -- a very small, elite group of people defending our nation and what we stand for," explained Col. Mikey Kloster, 99th RSC chief of staff and commander, 1st Mobili-zation Support Group, to the Soldiers and fam-ily members attending the event. "Today is all about a chance for you to reach out and get into these resources." More than 200 redeployed Soldiers and 100 family members attended the two-day event, which offered classes on sexual assault pre-vention, resiliency, pay and finances, at-risk behavior, suicide awareness and prevention, substance abuse awareness, post-traumatic stress and combat-related stress, personnel policies, legal matters and post-deployment health assessments. ―I‘m super-thrilled to organize these events for the Soldiers and their families,‖ said Yara M. Lopez, chief, Well-Being Programs and Services Branch, 99

th RSC. ―All of these services really come in

handy for the Soldiers.‖ Additionally, organizations such as Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Ventnor Vet Cen-ter, Ashford University, GoArmyEd, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Employer Partner-ship of the Armed Forces, Fort McCoy Civilian Personnel Advisory Center, American Red Cross, Military One Source and others offered products and services designed to assist Soldiers and their families. These resources were consolidated in July 2008 when the Secretary of Defense initiated the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program to provide information, services, referrals and proactive outreach pro-grams to reserve-component service members and their families through all phases of the deploy-ment cycle.

First Lt. Williams explains the Army Strong Bonds program with a Soldier dur-

ing the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City,

N.J. The program consists of seven events that take place at intervals before

and after mobilization, which gives the Soldiers and Family members informa-

tion, counseling, skills and techniques for upcoming deployments and re-

deployments. For more information about the Yellow Ribbon Program please

check out www.arfp.org (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod)

President’s new initiative mirrors Army Reserve’s

commitment to military

The goal of the program is to prepare Soldiers and families for mobilization, sustain families during mobilization, and reintegrate Soldiers with their families, communities and employers upon their re-turn from deployment. "Our Congress and our America are taking care of our Soldiers," Kloster said. Taking care of Soldiers and their families is also the focus of Obama's new initiative entitled, ―Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America‘s Commitment.‖ It is the result of a May 2010 directive from the president to the National Security Staff to develop a coordinated, all-encompassing approach to supporting mili-tary families. ―There are so many people out there who care about the Army Reserve and about those who serve in our military,‖ said U.S. Army Reserve Ambassador Myron J. Ber-man of N.Y. during the Yellow Ribbon event. ―What people don‘t realize is that demobili-zation and reintegration is at least as difficult as the preparation for war.‖ According to the president‘s new initiative, this government-wide effort will enhance the well-being and psychological health of the military family, ensure excellence in military children's education and their development, develop career and educational opportuni-ties for military spouses, and increase child-care availability and quality for the armed forces. These goals are mirrored in the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. ―This program means a lot to me,‖ explained Ana Gomez, program manager, Yellow Ribbon Events, 99

th RSC, ―not only as a civilian, but as a Soldier who has deployed and was not afforded these op-

portunities and benefits.‖ Experiences such as Gomez‘s should be a thing of the past with programs such as Yellow Ribbon and ―Strengthening Our Military Families‖ in place for the future.

Soldiers and Family members descended on the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City,

N.J., to participate in the first Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event for the 99th Re-

gional Support Command this year. The program consists of seven events that

take place at intervals before and after mobilization, which gives the Soldiers and

Family members information, counseling, skills and techniques for upcoming de-

ployments and re-deployments. For more information about the Yellow Ribbon

Program please check out www.arfp.org (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael

Macleod)

Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

Reintegration takes teamwork, communication

Atlantic City, NJ, Feb 26, 2011 - Army Reserve Ambassador Alan V. Davis spoke with more than 400 Soldiers and Family Members at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, N.J., during a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Event hosted by the 99

th Regional Support Command.

―Going to war, training, deploying, executing a mission in a war is a transformative event," said Davis, a retired brigadier general who has seen time on the ground in Vietnam and has more than 32 years of combined active and Army Reserve service.

Davis knows how these events alter Soldiers and went on to explain that a deployment is life-changing, "not only for you the Soldier, but for you your family.‖

―One of the purposes here today is to now prepare you, as we say, to reintegrate you back from that experience into America as you find it today,‖ he continued.

One of the ways this process is accomplished is through the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

The program, which the Secretary of Defense initiated in 2008, provides information, services, refer-ral, and proactive outreach programs to Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen in the reserve com-ponent and their families through all phases of the deployment cycle. The YRRP consists of seven events that take place at intervals before and after mobilization, which give the Soldiers and Family members information, counseling, skills and techniques for upcoming deployments and re-deployments.

Any deployment or mobilization that takes a Soldier away from their home has an impact on their life that can present issues.

―When society puts Soldiers into war, they have always had challenges with what to do with those Soldiers and how to handle them and what their experiences are like after they return,‖ Davis ex-plained.

Davis went on and compared the Iliad and the Odyssey to illustrate how warriors from the past and the present share the same struggles and challenges.

"Going to war, training, deploying, executing a mission in a war is a transforma-

tive event," said Army Reserve Ambassador Alan V. Davis as he spoke with

more than 400 Soldiers and Family Members at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City,

N.J., during a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Event hosted by the 99th Regional

Support Command. (Photo by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod)

―If you strip away all of the fantasy parts of it .. it deals with the theme that war veterans return,‖ he stated.

The reality of a time for reintegration and resources available to Soldiers is something that cannot be measured accurately because each Soldier's experience is different.

Soldiers train up to two years in preparation for their deployments, and in those two years they and their families go through significant transformations as they prepare for time apart.

―If it takes two years for you to prepare... how long do you think it should take you to reintegrate back into society?‖asked Davis. ―It‘s not going to happen in 90 days.‖

―Our great nation is providing you with a lot of resources to help you," he continued. "Don‘t be impa-tient.. take the time to work through the issues, understand what you have gone through, understand that you are different, more importantly your family is different.‖

Reintegration when Soldiers return takes teamwork from everyone.

―War is won by small coherent teams who look out for each other that are highly proficient and well trained,‖ he explained. ―Integration is a team sport, it‘s a team of your family, your battle buddies, your fellow veterans, and other peers .. use that team!‖

Recalling his own experiences, Davis urged everyone to communicate.

―Talk about your experiences. Talk, share, communicate, even through the people and audiences you are talking to may not understand or comprehend.. it gives you a sense of therapy and will help you through this,‖ he said.

According to Davis, only 25 percent of Americans in the age groups that can serve in the Army ever raise their hand to say, "I am willing to serve and contribute," and of those few, an even smaller per-centage have risen to answer the call to duty and serve overseas.

―You stand out from America and other Americans because of where you have been, who you are, and the great Soldiers that you are,‖ explained Davis. ―You are unique individuals; each of you is a hero in your own way.‖

Want to know more about Army Reserves Ambassadors—check out the link below!

http://www.usar.army.mil/arweb/community/ambassadors/Pages/default.aspx

Story by – Mr. Shawn Morris,, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

MILTECH program offers job opportunities

Atlantic City, NJ, Feb 26, 2011 - As Army Reserve Soldiers return from deployment, many find that jobs are scarce and the competition for employment is fierce in these tough eco-nomic times.

To aid these warriors in their transition back to civil-ian life, more than 500 Military Technician jobs were offered to returning troops during the 99

th Re-

gional Support Command‘s Yellow Ribbon Reinte-gration Event Feb. 25-27 in Atlantic City, N.J.

"I have a list of over 500 jobs that are open right now," said Michelle Willenborg Marshall, a MILTECH recruiter who attends Yellow Ribbon events across the country.

MILTECHs are federal civilian employees who also serve as Soldiers in the Army Reserve or other re-serve component as a condition of employment, Marshall explained. They enjoy all the benefits of traditional federal employees, as well as those of-fered to active Reserve Soldiers.

―It‘s a lot easier to come into the system as a MILTECH,‖ said Marshall, a Bellevue, Iowa, native who spent her first four years of federal civil service as a MILTECH.

―I spent 12 years in the Army Reserve, so I know what these Soldiers are going through,‖ she added.

The MILTECH program currently employees more than 8,500 service members worldwide in occu-pations as diverse as aircraft maintenance, personnel, supply, financial management, logistics op-erations, and marine and mobile equipment maintenance.

Often times, the hardest part of obtaining a MILTECH position is getting through the online applica-tion process, commonly known as Resumix.

"I can give them feedback and comments on things to improve," said Marshall of applicants‘ online resumes. She also noted that, in certain situations, she can make by-name requests to fill certain positions with particular individuals.

Michelle Willenborg Marshall, a MILTECH recruiter, discusses the

many jobs available in the Military Technician Program with Nichole

Allen, a Yellow Ribbon attendee from Baltimore, Md. MILTECHs are

federal civilian employees who also serve as Soldiers in the Army

Reserve or other reserve component as a condition of employ-

ment.(Photo by – Mr. Shawn Morris, 99th RSC Public Affairs)

Perhaps the most important thing Marshall can offer Soldiers at Yellow Ribbon events is a sense of hope for the future.

―It gives an outlook that there are still possibilities,‖ said Nichole Allen, a Yellow Ribbon attendee from Baltimore, Md.

For more information on the MILTECH program, visit http://acpol.army.mil/employment/ or http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov, or call the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center at Fort McCoy, Wis., at (608) 388-2722.

Michelle Willenborg Marshall, a MILTECH recruiter, discusses

the many jobs available in the Military Technician Program

with Nichole Allen, a Yellow Ribbon attendee from Baltimore,

Md. MILTECHs are federal civilian employees who also serve

as Soldiers in the Army Reserve or other reserve component

as a condition of employment.(Photo by – Mr. Shawn Morris,

99th RSC Public Affairs)

Over the next 2 years, the Army will transition

from one automated recruitment tool - Resumix -

to another - USA Staffing - for advertising vacant

positions, accepting applications from job seek-

ers, and evaluating the job seeker's eligibility and

qualifications.

During this period of transition, each job an-

nouncement will have instructions to guide job

seekers through the application process for the

specified recruitment tool.

To maximize the capabilities of USA Staffing all

announcements will migrate to Army Civilian

Service and will no longer be available here.

Please bookmark the url armycivilianservice.com

and remember to save your resume in USAJobs

as well as the Army Resumix system.

http://www.armycivilianservice.com http://www.usajobs.gov/

Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

99th

RSC Honors an ‘Exceptional’ Civilian

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, Feb 26, 2011 - Maj. Gen. William D. R. Waff, commanding general of the 99

th Regional Support Command, personally honored

Mr. William M. Staub by awarding him the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Ser-vice Award during a ceremony at the Maj. John P. Pryor Armed Forces Reserve Center.

The Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service award is the highest award granted by the United States Army to civilian personnel. It is equivalent to the Distinguished Service Medal for military service. With the exception of nominations for bravery, nominees must have established a demonstrable pattern of excellence and achieve-ment.

―I have been in the Army for 35 years and this is only the second time I have seen this award,‖ said Waff. ―The quality of work that Bill Staub did especially to create this command is truly … unbeliev-able.‖

This award capstones Staub's 44 years of com-bined total federal service.

―I have been associated with the Army for 44 years… and there has not been a day that I re-gret,‖ said Staub. ―You can‘t image the level of pride I have in receiving this award.‖

The Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service citation read -

"While serving as Deputy for Management and Chief of Staff, 99

th Regional Support Command,

U.S. Army Reserve Command, from July 2005 through January 2011. Mr. Staub’s visionary leadership, tireless dedication to duty and man-agement skills ensured Army Reserve unit readi-ness and mission accomplishment in support of overseas contingency operations. Under his direc-tion, the 99

th Regional Support Command retooled its mission from Command and Control to a re-

gional 'Virtual Installation' providing customer and installation support activities for units within a 13-state region. Truly the 'best of the best,' Mr. Staub’s outstanding accomplishments are in the finest traditions of government service and are a great credit to him, the Reserve Command and the De-partment of the Army."

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff talks to a standing-room-only crowd after

presenting Mr. William M. Staub with the Decoration for Exceptional Civil-

ian Service Award during a ceremony at the Maj. John P. Pryor Armed

Forces Reserve Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Feb. 26.

The Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service Award is the highest

award granted by the United States Army to civilian personnel. (Photo by

Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod)

Staub took time to thank the many Civilians, Soldiers and other service members who served with him. He placed a special emphasis on thanking his high-school sweetheart and wife of 36 years, Sheila.

Staub also gave a very special thank you to Waff for sharing his promotion ceremony day with him.

―This is truly amazing!‖ Staub concluded.

“The quality of work that Bill Staub did especially to create this command is

truly … unbelievable.”

- Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff

Story by – Sgt. Frank Vaughn, 99th Regional Support Command Chaplain‟s Office

Chap. (Maj.) Charles Causey, deputy command chaplain of the 99th Regional Support Command, recently published, ―In Danger Every Hour: A Civil War Novel,‖ an endeavor he calls ―a dream come true.‖ ―I was deployed to Baghdad with 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade, 1st Cavalry Division as the brigade chaplain from summer 2006 to fall 2007,‖ said Causey, who was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. ―I had been studying the Civil War for about 10 years, and it went from reading for pleasure to studying biographies and reading jour-nals of key figures in that conflict. I decided during the deployment that I wanted to write a Civil War novel.‖ Causey said his reading and research sparked more than just an academic interest in the Civil War period. ―I developed a real love for the people and the hard-ships they had to go through,‖ said Causey, who earned a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evan-gelical Divinity School in Chicago in 2003. ―I teach resil-iency to Soldiers at Yellow Ribbon events, and it made me think of how people had to have that quality back then. They were marching in snow with strips of leather wrapped around their feet instead of actual shoes. Quartermasters couldn‘t keep up with the needs of the Soldiers, which also meant they sometimes would go two or three days without eating.‖ Causey, who has served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years as a logistics officer and chaplain, said he sees an obvious connection between his role as a chaplain and his heart for the needs of Soldiers serving in combat in the 19th century. ―I have counseled with Soldiers through not just physical-needs issues, but also issues of comfort, loneliness, fatigue, depression, personal relationship conflicts and conflicts with superiors in their command,‖ he said. ―One of the most important things Soldiers deal with in war is missing their fami-lies and not being there to directly care for them.‖ Soldiers were just as concerned for their families during the Civil War as they are today, and that shapes his mission as a chaplain, Causey said. ―It has always been true that the family has the heart and mind of the Soldier,‖ said Causey, who also holds bachelor‘s degrees in molecular biology from the University of Colorado in Boulder and biochemistry from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. ―You can‘t heal the Soldier without healing the family.‖

Army Reserve chaplain highlights Soldiers’ sacrifices in

new Civil War novel

Causey, who also serves as director of the Strong Bonds program for 99th RSC, works daily to bring healing to both Soldiers and their families. ―We do over 40 Strong Bonds events a year all over our region, and this is because we want to reach as many Soldiers and family members as we can to bring that healing,‖ said Causey. ―The skills we teach and coach at these retreats is part of that resiliency picture. Soldiers have to be strong and stay focused in combat. Spouses and children have to have those same qualities while their Soldier is deployed, and also after they return.‖ Strong Bonds is a commander‘s program, and the 99th RSC serviced a total of 2,100 Soldiers, spouses and children in fiscal year 2010. There was no such program in place during the Civil War to help with the issues families have during combat deployment. Causey, whose father Calvin was also a U.S. Army chaplain and served in the Vietnam War, brought these issues into focus in his novel. ―The story of ―In Danger Every Hour‖ is set in Winchester, Va., a town that changed hands between the Union and Confederacy over 20 times during the war,‖ he said. ―Women and children bore the brunt of the war in this town and small Virginia towns like this one while their men fought.‖ According to Causey‘s website, www.indangereveryhour.com, the novel is ―an unforgettable story…where several school friends once played along a creek and a stone wall. When war breaks out they are forced to choose which side they will fight for and who their friends and enemies will be. Riley, Ned and Molly go one way while Bruce, Moss, Jonesy and the newly married Henry go the other.‖ While this novel is a dream come true for Causey, his efforts as a chaplain represent something more: a mission and a calling.

“Cry „Havoc!‟ and let slip the dogs of war”

William Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar,” Act III, Scene I

Story by – Staff Sgt. Nicole Dykstra, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

Man’s best friend helps Soldiers cope with experiences

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Feb 26, 2011 - The transition and reintegration phase following a deployment can be difficult for many servicemembers. Each individual deals with the experience in a different way, so access to a wide variety of organizations and resources to ease the process is important.

K9 Soldiers was one of many organi-zations on hand to provide information and assistance to returning Soldiers during the 99

th Regional Support

Command‘s Yellow Ribbon Reintegra-tion Event in Atlantic City, N.J., Feb. 26.

K9 Soldiers is a 501(c)(3) charity or-ganized to support, benefit and im-prove the lives of military working dogs and their handlers. The organi-zation routinely sends care packages filled with supplies such as leashes, harnesses, training equipment and canine shampoo to deployed handlers and their dogs.

However, military working dog handlers make up only a tiny fraction of the armed forces. Realizing that many other service members could benefit from working with a dog, J.T. Gabriel, founder of K9 Soldiers, decided to try to expand the unique bond between service member and canine to those who performed other missions while deployed.

―Anyone who knows dogs, has dogs or loves dogs intuitively knows the therapeutic value of having one around,‖ said Gabriel. ―So we thought, ‗What if we introduced that bond to Soldiers who didn‘t go downrange with a dog but needed a battle buddy when they came home?‘‖

K9 Soldiers has partnered with Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania to provide canine training courses to warriors in transition and wounded warriors in a unique program that combines online academic work and field training. While the training is not yet available, K9 Soldiers hope to have the program off the ground for the fall 2011 semester, said Gabriel.

Top civilian canine instructors, as well as former military working dog trainers, have been recruited to provide instruction. Some of the topics the program will cover include canine anatomy and nutrition, emergency care, obedience and search and rescue training. After completing the online courses, service members will have an opportunity to put their skills into action by participating in field exer-cises with their dogs.

―We will teach the Soldiers how to train their dog, whether it be for general obedience, search and rescue, law enforcement or for personal protection,‖ said Gabriel. ―We understand that some Sol-diers come back with issues they aren‘t comfortable talking about, and having a dog around can help reduce their stress and help them reintegrate into society.‖

The dogs involved in the program will remain with the service member, provided they are willing and able to keep the dog, said Gabriel. She selects dogs with a high play-drive and good hips, often from kill shelters that may have difficulty finding an adoptive family for an energetic dog.

Breeds ideal for the training include Belgian Shepherds (Malinois), German Shepherds and Labra-dor Retrievers.

At this time, the Academic Canine Training and Practicum will only be available to former or current service members.

For more information, visit www.k9soldiers.org.

Drawing by United States Marine combat artist, Sgt.

Kristopher Battles

Soldiers and Civilians got a treat during African American History Month with a special perform-

ance from the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble

The (UCAE) Universal Creative Arts Ensemble's - Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble, Camden, N.J., was founded by Mr. Robert Dickerson and wife Wanda Dickerson in 1984. It is di-rected by both of them with the dedicated assistance of their oldest son, Jamal, who is the Chief

Choreographer and Artistic Director, and with the help of his lovely wife, Ronsha. This program con-sists of the education and history of the African Diaspora, African American History, African Dance, African Drum, African Masquerade, Creative Dance, Aerobic Dance, Modern Dance, Line Dance,

Praise Dance and the basic history and respect of many cultures in the world.

For more info please go to - http://universalafricandance.com

Photos by—Sgt 1st. Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST - Army Reserve Maj. Gen. William Waff's big day included more than a promotion. It was also a family reunion. Family, friends and a long list of distinguished guests were on hand to celebrate Waff's promotion from brigadier general to major general on Saturday at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve Center on base . "This is overwhelming," Waff said during his speech. "Having so many of you here truly means so much." Aside from receiving his second star from deputy commanding general of the Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Jon Miller, Waff was also treated to a family first. It was the first time all his cousins were in the same room at the same time. His cousins traveled from California, Illinois and Vermont to share Waff's special day. "It's a pretty big deal," said Waff's cousin, Elizabeth Murphy-Warawa, who flew in from Morris, Ill. "we lost touch 30 years ago and reconnected 10 years ago. I never met my cousins on the other side of my fam-ily but we all got together (Friday) night. It was very exciting." Waff is the commanding general of the 99th Regional Support Command, which has been headquar-tered at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst since 2008. The unit, which provides support to ongoing de-ployments, is one of only four regional readiness commands across the country. Waff's command spans 13 states on the East Coast. "He is the landlord of a very huge geographical footprint," Miller said. "There are only four in the country. He really has his work cut out for him." Waff was presented with a major general's flag, bearing two stars and was presented with a certificate of promotion. Waff was then honored with a 13-gun salute from cannons fired by the Pennsylvania National Guard outside the facility. Waff then shared the spotlight by presenting Bill Staub, former chief of staff of the 99th Regional Support Command with the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service for overseas contingency operations over the last six years. The award is the equivalent of the Distinguished Service Medal and is the highest award granted by the Army to a civilian. "I've only seen two of these in my long career and one of them is here today," Waff said. Staub thanked Waff for making the occasion special for both men. "It's truly amazing," Staub said to Waff. "You can't imagine the pride I have in receiving this award. And I thank you for sharing this day as it is truly your day." Mark Zimmaro can be reached at 609-871-8059 or mzimmaro@phillyBurbs.com Follow Mark on Twitter at twitter.com/mzimmaro

Promotion, reunion for officer

Story by - Mark Zimmaro, Burlington County Times Reporter

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

The 78th Army Band‘s* newest Music Performance Team

(MPT), the Fort Dix-ieland Band, has been busy.

Under the musical direction of SGT Robert Parks, the tradi-tional jazz group, affectionately called ―Fort Dix-ieland Band‖ membership includes SSG Nicholas Gresson, clarinet, SSG David Federico, percussion, SSG Brian Endlein, tenor sax, SGT Tyrone Tedrick, tuba, SGT Jared Burgan, trombone, SPC Bradley Mattson, trumpet, and is led by SGT Robert Parks, banjo.

The Fort Dix-ieland Band has been performing a great deal since it‘s conception in the summer of 2010. After just a few rehearsals, the ensemble found itself performing at the centennial National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort AP Hill. It‘s most recent perform-ance brought the ensemble to Wilmington, Delaware, to perform at the local VA Hospital on Sunday, March 20, 2011.

The Fort Dix-ieland Band hopes that bringing good music to those in need will help along the healing process. ―Music is a prescription that is easy to swallow and everyone enjoys,‖ said SGT Jared Bur-gan. The residents of the Wilmington VA seemed to agree as smiles on patients‘ faces and even some dancing staff members could be seen throughout the building during the band‘s performance.

SGT Tyrone Tedrick was instrumental in coordinating the day‘s events. He has been organizing vari-ous ensembles to perform at local VA clinics and hospitals throughout the tri-state area for several years now. ―It really is a pleasure to be able to give back to all the Vets who have already given us so much,‖ said SGT Tedrick.

*The 78th Army Band is the premier musical ambassador for the 99th RSC, United States Army Re-serve. The band is under the command of WO1 Eric Flowers. It consists of 44 musicians from Vir-ginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Fort Dix-ieland Band Strikes Again Staff Sgt. Brian Endlein, 78th Army Band

http://www.facebook.com/#!/78thArmyBand

Wanna see what is happening with the 78th Army Band

with just one mouse click .. Check them out on Facebook!

-

Staff Sgt. LaTonya Terry-Matthews

Reenlisted for 6 years

Currently is a Budget NCO for the 99th RSC

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

99th RSC Retention Office

Room L109, Main Lobby

SFC Mellarie Bolanos - 732-207-7296

SFC Jerry Perez - 570-793-9143

U.S Senator Charles E. Schumer announced on Jan.10 that Fort Wadsworth was chosen as

the site for the Staten Island Army Reserve Center. Brig. Gen. Dan Ammerman was on hand during the press conference to answer questions. (Photos by - Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-

Michael Macleod)

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Photos by Mr. Shawn Morris

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff awards the Meritorious Service Medal to CW2 Delini

Sooklall-Makarowski for exceptionally meri-torious service while assigned as the human

resource technician in support of the 99th Regional Support Command's Regional Per-

sonnel Service Center on March 10 at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve Center.

Staff Sgt. Tammy Herne, native of Philadelphia, Pa., received her

promotion to sergeant first class in January 2011.

CONGRATS SFC Herne

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Staff Sgt. Heather Wright re-ceived her promotion to ser-geant first class in February

2011.

CONGRATS SFC Wright!

Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod and Staff Sgt. Shawn Morris

Photos by Mr. Shawn Morris

Selfless sacrifice highlighted during 99th RSC Women‟s History Month

event

Story by – Mr. Shawn Morris, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J., March 11, 2011 – Honoring those from the past who sought a better future was the theme of the 99

th Regional Support Command‘s Women‘s His-

tory Month celebration at the John. P. Pryor Army Re-serve Center here. Dozens gathered to hear the Honorable Elizabeth Taylor, civil court judge of Bronx County in New York City and keynote speaker at the event. ―At one point, women were thought of as property,‖ ex-plained Taylor, a Bronx native and youngest of six chil-dren. ―We‘ve come a long way.‖ That way has been paved thorough the efforts of women throughout history who strived for gender equality, ac-cording to Mikey Kloster, chief of staff for the 99

th RSC.

―This year‘s theme is, ‗Our History is Our Strength,‘ and what that means to me is that women have the opportu-nity to continue to make history because of the women who came before us to allow us to be anything we want to be,‖ said Kloster, who also serves as a colonel in the Army Reserve. ―There was a time when women could only be wives and mothers, and there were some very courageous women who took on the task of getting to a point where women could be anything they wanted to be,‖ she continued. ―I certainly thank them because I‘ve had the opportunity to have an amazing career.‖ Taylor‘s career has taken her from the Ohio Northern Uni-versity School of Law campus, to practicing law in New York since 1995, to becoming a civil court judge in her hometown in 2008. But it‘s not her personal successes for which Taylor would like to be remembered. ―Once I graduated law school, I decided that I wanted to return to the Bronx to give back to my com-munity,‖ she explained. ―How I decided to do that was to start the Thurgood Marshall Jr. Mock Trial Program. ―We recruit attorneys to go out to middle schools and they prepare the students to take on roles as prosecutors, defense attorneys, and witnesses,‖ Taylor explained. ―These students, every year

The Honorable Elizabeth Taylor, civil court judge of Bronx County in New York City, talks about her career March 11

during the 99th Regional Support Command's Women's History Month celebration at the John P. Pryor Army Re-serve Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

(Photo by – Mr. Shawn Morris)

throughout the month of May, perform (mock) trials at the Bronx courthouse before actual judges.‖ The program, whose namesake was the first African-American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice, not only teaches children about the law, but also provides a way for lawyers to serve their communities outside the courtroom. ―Once you go out there and you achieve your dream – what you consider success – you should also consider giving back and helping out,‖ said Taylor, who began the mock-trial program in 1997. Women‘s History Month gives everyone a chance to give a little something back to the women in their lives. ―I hope that you take the time to thank the women who have made a difference in your lives, be-cause women do a lot of stuff – mothers, lawyers, judges, Soldiers – and at the end of the day, hopefully we have achieved what we wish to do,‖ said Kloster.

99th RSC „Women of Honor‟ highlights Master Sgt. Trenest Abrams

Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, MAR 15, 2011 –Since the formation of the Women‘s Army Corps in the 1940s, women have faced many challenges and contributed greatly to the U.S. Army through their accomplishments.

The 99th Regional Support Command will highlight one of its

many talented and professional women throughout the month of March in recognition of Women‘s History Month.

Women's History Month began March 1 and continues throughout the month. The national and Department of De-fense theme is "Our History is Our Strength" and "Army Strong" has never been a more apropos motto when refer-ring to our women warriors. They have been a major part of the Army‘s history since its inception and we have contin-ued to honor their service.

This week, Master Sgt. Trenest M. Abrams, a New Orleans native, will be the first in a series of women honored in March.

Abrams is currently the chief paralegal non-commissioned officer in charge for the 99

th RSC Office of Staff Judge Ad-

vocate.

Why did you join the Army/Army Reserve? I joined the Army because I wanted to be independent and adventurous. More importantly, I joined because I didn't want my parents to have to worry about struggling to come up with money to pay for college or to have to worry about taking care of me once I graduated from high school. That was my original reason. The reason why I stayed is because I learned to love the Army's way of life. The discipline, the teamwork, the loyalty, the integrity, the values that the Army stands for. I realized that this was unlike any other organization in the world and I have learned so much and I have been blessed to see so much of the world during my journey. It is where I met my husband of almost 20 years and we have had most of those adventures to-gether. A lot of what I have in my life today, I owe to the Army. It has been one of the best experi-ences of my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

My one regret is that I have missed out on significant family events because I was usually too far away or on an important mission and couldn't attend, but my family loves me, they understand why I can't always be there, and they are very proud of me, so knowing that makes it a little bit better. It will be tough to say good-bye in the next couple of years, but I know that I have done all that I can do as a Soldier and I have no regrets as far as my career is concerned. When it's time to pass on the gauntlet, I will do it with a smile. Do you have any deployment experience, and if so where and what did you do? I was mobilized at Fort Gordon for 11 months, and I worked with the 513

th Military Intelligence Brigade as-

sisting several battalions with legal issues in my ca-pacity as a paralegal NCO for the 345th MI BN. Do you feel like you are making an impact on the com-munity? Not as much as I would like to. It's just my husband and me and we live on Fort Dix. When we lived in Georgia, we started an association in our community and we spearheaded a project to have a beautiful entry-way built that labeled our community as it was meant to me labeled. The builder had previously placed a simple cardboard sign up and we decided that we deserved much better, especially since most of the homes in the neighbor-hood were selling for well over $140-170 (This is Georgia, not Jersey, back in the late '90s early 2000s). We had meetings and raised money and got people in the neighborhood to start caring about where we lived. We also hosted a bar-b-que once a year for the entire community to bring everyone to-gether to get to know each other so that we wouldn't be strangers to each other. We were very in-volved there, we just have had the opportunity to do that here. Do you feel like you are making a difference in the Army Reserve? I'd like to think that I am. I try to anyway. Are there any women that you look up to? First of all, I looked up to my mother. She was the strongest, bravest, wisest woman I knew. If I am half the woman she was (God rest her soul), I will be a great person.

Some of the other women that I admire is the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama; Sec-retary of State Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. What are some of the challenges you have encountered since joining the Army? It's been a challenge to transition from old school Army to modern day Army. Meaning, back in the day, Soldiers were much more disciplined than they are today, when junior Soldiers approached senior Soldiers, they were automatically at parade rest. They didn't speak unless they were spoken to. It wasn't about fear, it was about respect and that is the Army that I entered, but it isn't the Army that I am leaving behind. I have watched it change a lot over the years and I am not saying that one way is better than another way, it's just different, so one just was to adjust to a different way of doing things. For me, I finally had to break down in the last year or so and allow texting to be added to my cell phone because today's Soldiers won't pick up the phone, but they will send you about 100 texts throughout the day. That is how they communicate, so that is how they dragged this old fossil out of the dark ages because if that is the only way to communicate with my Soldiers, then so be it. What is the most rewarding experience you have had in the Army and why? One of the most rewarding experiences I have had was when a Soldier, who was struggling with an APFT event, came to me to ask for help. I worked with him and over time he passed the APFT, and never looked back. He went on to BNCOC, Jump School, and was promoted in the primary zone on his first look. I am so proud of that Soldier because he recognized that he needed help and he put in the time and effort needed to succeed. He showed up wherever and whenever I told him to, on time, every time. He credits me with the turnaround, but he did the work, I was just there to assist. He is proof that any Soldier can be successful at whatever they want to do if they put in the time and effort.

99th RSC „Women of Honor‟ highlights Army Civilian Annette Kalbach Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J., MAR 21, 2011 –Since the formation of the Women‘s Army Corps in the 1940s, women have faced many challenges and contributed greatly to the U.S. Army through their accomplishments.

The 99th Regional Support Command will highlight one of

its many talented and professional women throughout the month of March in recognition of Women‘s History Month.

Women's History Month began March 1 and continues throughout the month. The national and Department of Defense theme is "Our History is Our Strength" and "Army Strong" has never been a more apropos motto when referring to our women warriors. They have been a major part of the Army‘s history since its inception and we have continued to honor their service.

This week, Ms. Annette Kalbach, a New Jersey native, is the second in a series of women honored in March.

Kalbach is currently the command secretary for the command group at the 99th RSC.

What is your role in the Army/Army Reserve?

I am not in the Army, but I do work as a civilian for the Army Reserve. Prior to working for the Army Reserve, I worked as a civilian for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the National Marine Fisheries Service at Sandy Hook. I decided to come back to DOD because I missed working with the military so much. Over the years, the military became my family and after working for NOAA for the past 10 years, it was time to go home. So, when the opportunity arose, I took it. A secretarial position opened at the 99th Regional Support Command, I applied, and eventu-ally was hired in the position.

Do you feel like you are making an impact in the community?

Yes, I definitely feel like I am making a difference in the community. In July of 2009, I decided to join our township's first aid squad. After spending some time with a few members from the squad, I de-cided it was time to join the squad. After completing the three - month EMT course and then pass-ing the state exam, I am now an active volunteer EMT member with Wall First Aid and Rescue Squad. Not only do we provide support on first aid calls, but we provide services to marathons, Re-lay for Life, Wall Day, and mutual aid for our surrounding communities. The best part of being a vol-unteer with the squad is knowing that we have helped people who are in pain or are ill. That just gives me great satisfaction knowing that I have saved lives.

Are there any women who you look up to?

Yes, Christine Zetlin. Chris Zetlin was a dear friend/co-worker of mine from NOAA. She passed away from cancer in 2003. Chris could not stress enough to me how important it was to finish my college education. I already had an associate's degree in business management but she told me that I needed to go back and get my bachelor's degree. It's because of her that I am back in college working on my bachelor's degree. I am majoring in business administration with the management and marketing option.

Theresa Fitzgerald/Lisa Remo. Theresa and Lisa are both on the first aid squad. I joined the squad because of their passion for helping people. I would listen to their stories about the squad and I knew that I wanted to be like them.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered since working for the Army?

The biggest challenge that I have encountered is how different the Army works compared to NOAA, the Navy and the Air Force. Every branch of service has their own way of doing business. I started working for the Army without any prior knowledge or experience. It took me a while but I feel that I was able to apply my previous knowledge and experience and apply it to the Army way of doing business.

99th RSC „Women of Honor‟ highlights Army Civilian Tiffani A. Rollison

Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, MAR 15, 2011 –Since the formation of the Women‘s Army Corps in the 1940s, women have faced many challenges and contributed greatly to the U.S. Army through their accomplishments.

The 99th Regional Support Command will high-

light one of its many talented and professional women throughout the month of March in recog-nition of Women‘s History Month.

Women's History Month began March 1 and continues throughout the month. The national and Department of Defense theme is "Our His-tory is Our Strength" and "Army Strong" has never been a more apropos motto when refer-ring to our women warriors. They have been a major part of the Army‘s history since its incep-tion and we have continued to honor their ser-vice.

This week, Tiffani A. Rollison, a Long Island, N.Y., native, will be part of a series of women honored in March.

Rollison is currently the senior special agent/criminal investigator for the 99th RSC Directorate of

Emergency Services.

Why did you join the Army/Army Reserve?

I joined the Army because I wanted to be in law enforcement and go to college at the same time. As

a 17-year-old with no college degree, I didn‘t have many choices. I joined the military police corps

and started college immediately after arriving at my first duty station in Germany. I was on active

duty for seven years. Since getting out, I‘ve been working for the Army as a civilian, first starting out

as a federal police officer/K9 handler, then transferring over to criminal investigations.

Do you have any deployment experience, and if so where and what did you do?

Not combat-related, but I did deploy to Panama as a military police officer. I have extensive TDY ex-

perience. As a federal police officer/K9 handler, I was tasked out to the Secret Service to help with

presidential missions.

Do you feel like you are making an impact on the community?

I feel that being a woman in a predominately male career field has made an impact. I‘ve had numer-

ous women approach me and ask how they would go about getting into law enforcement.

Do you feel like you are making a difference in the Army Reserve?

I am not in the Reserve, but I feel as a civilian I am making a slight difference.

Are there any women that you look up to?

As a young private first class in Germany, Maj. Monika Lutz took me under her wing; she was like a

mother figure to me. She had been through a lot and I had a huge amount of respect for her. I have

since lost contact, but I haven‘t forgotten about her.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered since joining the Army?

When I was on active duty, there were many challenges I

encountered. For example, being the only female in a pla-

toon of all males while in the field, or being one of the few

females going through military working dog school. I re-

ceived top honor grad, so that wasn‘t an issue.

What is the most rewarding experience you have had in

the Army and why?

The most rewarding experience, besides being a military

working dog handler, was meeting my husband.

99th RSC „Women of Honor‟ highlights Delini Sharon Sooklall-

Makarowski Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, MAR 15, 2011 –Since the formation of the Women‘s Army Corps in the 1940s, women have faced many challenges and contributed greatly to the U.S. Army through their accomplishments.

The 99th Regional Support Command will highlight one of its many talented and professional women

throughout the month of March in recognition of Women‘s History Month.

Women's History Month began March 1 and contin-ues throughout the month. The national and Depart-ment of Defense theme is "Our History is Our Strength" and "Army Strong" has never been a more apropos motto when referring to our women warriors. They have been a major part of the Army‘s history since its inception and we have continued to honor their service.

This week, Delini Sharon Sooklall-Makarowski, a Co-lumbus, N.J., native, will be the last in a series of women honored in March.

Sooklall-Makarowski is currently the chief, Regional Personnel Service Center for the 99

th RSC Director-

ate of Human Resources. She also serves in the Army Reserve as a chief warrant officer two with the 98

th Training Division/G1 as a military personnel tech-

nician.

Why did you join the Army/Army Reserve?

I joined for an opportunity to challenge my passion for adventure, making a difference and helping others. As a late bloomer in the military world (I finished Basic Combat Training and Advanced Indi-vidual Training two weeks before my thirty-first birthday), I believe I already possessed the discipline to be a Soldier, which was evident in my ability to make it through initial training.

Do you have any deployment experience, and if so where and what did you do?

I deployed to Kuwait from 2005 thru 2006 at Camp Ali Al Salem/LSA and worked at the PPC Opera-tions and the PAP Team OIC. During that time, my additional duties included working with other Equal Opportunity Representatives within the Camp.

Do you feel like you are making an impact on the community?

I do believe I am making a impact within the communities I have traversed as a Soldier, to include

been a volunteer for the Family Readiness Group.

Do you feel like you are making a difference in the Army Reserve?

Yes – taking care of one Soldier at a time. Following through with Soldier issues is near and dear to

me and is a passion that is ignited every day. My current job is perfect in that it provides me with that

opportunity and I am in a position where my leaders encourage and promote Soldier care.

Are there any women that you look up to?

My mother – a woman ahead of her time. Growing up in a society where little focus was placed on

advancing women‘s issues, she prepared her daughters for success by her determination to provide

us with the basics to head out into the unknown. I left home when I was nineteen without any fear of

not succeeding.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered since joining the Army?

I have been fortunate to be in environments where leaders cared, saw my potential and nurtured me

for success. Therefore, I do not see any challenges as inhibitors but as opportunities to grow as a

professional and succeed.

What is the most rewarding experience you have had in the Army and why?

Becoming a Warrant Officer – As an AG Warrant, I have been gifted with the opportunity to sharpen

my skills and to realize my passion – TAKING CARE OF SOLDIERS!

Consists of an eagle rising with wings dis-

played,

adapted from the great seal of the United

States.

The eagle is standing on two arrows,

which symbolize the military arts and sciences.

The eagle rising is enclosed within a wreath.

Original Distinctive Insignia of the Army Warrant Officer

Financial workshop helps Army Reserve units meet Soldiers‟ needs By Mr. Shawn Morris, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J., March 28, 2011 – More than 100 Army Reserve Soldiers from across the country attended the 99

th Regional Support Command‘s Pay Refresher

Training Workshop March 8-11 in Virginia Beach, Va. This was the third and best-attended PRT workshop hosted by one of the four Regional Support Commands this fiscal year. ―All the RSCs have come together to conduct training so we can all be on one sheet of music across the board,‖ ex-plained Master Sgt. Alma Brown, senior finance operations non-commissioned officer for the 99

th RSC Resource Man-

agement Office. ―The main purpose of the conference is to refresh or inform any personnel who actually work in the pay environment,‖ she said, noting that the workshop is available to civilian em-ployees as well as full-time and part-time Soldiers. ―They come and get more information about pay or, if they‘re lack-ing in any area, it helps to strengthen them.‖ ―It was great training for the unit administrators and pay administrators who were there because they need to know what‘s going on in the pay arena so that they can make sure the Soldiers in their units are squared away when it comes to pay and entitlements,‖ added Maj. Benjamin McBride, finance division chief, RMO. Classes were offered during the four-day workshop on topics such as pay reports, the Defense Travel System, debts, accounts maintenance, entitlements, mobilizations and bonus processing. On the final day, each attendee was awarded a certificate of completion that is valid for two years. ―We‘re making sure that, outside of the courses they have to do initially, that they come to us for re-fresher training,‖ explained McBride. ―That way, they are up to speed on what‘s going on.‖ Each RSC is responsible for hosting two PRT workshops each fiscal year, and the 99

th RSC is

scheduled to host its second workshop of this fiscal year July 11-15 in Atlantic City, N.J. McBride hopes build upon the successes of this month‘s event to make future PRT workshops a win-win situation for both the attendees and host RSC. ―It makes life easier for them because they‘re doing things right, and it makes our lives easier be-cause we have less pay inquiries and issues that we have to try to fix,‖ concluded McBride.

Story by – Sgt. Frank Vaughn, 99th Regional Support Command Chaplain‘s Office

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y., Jan 30, 2011 – The chaplain‘s office of 99th Regional Support Command hosted a Strong Bonds family enrichment retreat in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Jan. 28-30.

This retreat, one of more than 40 scheduled for fiscal year 2011 in the 99th RSC 13-state area, focused on family communication, cooperation and values-sharing.

Capt. Rafael Urbina, operations officer for the 78th Train-ing Division, said the skills he learned were valuable in preparing his family for possible future deployments.

―My 11-year-old son, Diego, is getting into the process of becoming a teenager,‖ said Urbina, who is stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. ―This helped me realize I need to talk more with my kid and the things I learned here will especially be helpful to my family if I ever have to deploy again.‖

Urbina said the concept he values most from this retreat is how to build a home with the skills of listening, speak-ing effectively and cooperation among all family mem-bers. He also stressed the importance of passing on val-ues to his son.

―We have Army values instilled in us as Soldiers,‖ the 16-year Army veteran said. ―I want to pass those same val-ues of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, in-tegrity and personal courage on to my son.‖

In addition to communication concepts and the impor-tance of values in a family, this retreat also emphasized the importance of family cohesion.

Master Sgt. Manuel Jiminez, assistant inspector general for Army Medical Command, said his family needed to re-emphasize togetherness in the aftermath of his recent deployment to Baghdad.

―I just came back in July of last year,‖ said Jiminez, who resides in Tampa, Fla. ―I felt we needed training to bring the family back together after being apart for so long.‖

Capt. Rafael Urbina, operations officer for the 78th Training Division, attempts to negotiate a ―mine field‖ with the help of his son, Diego, during a communication exercise at a Strong Bonds family enrichment retreat hosted by the 99th Regional

Support Command Chaplain‘s Office in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Jan. 28-30. (Photo by Sgt. Frank Vaughn)

Strong Bonds family retreat teaches communication, values

The issue of values is also important to Jiminez. While his family has always had shared values, Jiminez said he felt they needed to be more intentional in their emphasis.

―One thing I realize from attending this retreat is that we need to talk about values on a schedule,‖ said Jiminez, who has served 21 years in the Army. ―We need to make time on our calendar every week to talk about issues and how our values affect the decisions we make.‖

Jiminez also found value in the process of at-tending this retreat.

―I wanted to do the family event so we could travel together and go through the whole ex-perience together,‖ Jiminez said.

Together. Values. Family. The 99th RSC Strong Bonds family enrichment retreats exist to pro-mote all three.

If you are interested in attending a Strong

Bonds family retreat, please contact Sgt. Juan Rodriguez at rrc099_strongbonds99@usar.army.mil

or (609) 562-7715.

Jaliz Jiminez ties a blindfold around the head of her father, Master Sgt.

Manuel Jiminez, assistant inspector general of U.S. Army Medical Com-

mand, as they prepare to participate in a ―mine field‖ communication exercise

at a Strong Bonds family enrichment retreat hosted by the 99th Regional

Support Command Chaplain‘s office in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Jan. 28-30. The

mine field exercise emphasized the importance of effective family communi-

cation during stressful situations, something Jiminez said his family needs to

be intentional with. (Photo by Sgt. Frank Vaughn)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/99th-RSC-Strong-Bonds/178409342179127

http://www.strongbonds.org/skins/strongbonds/home.aspx

Check out what is happening with Strong Bonds

Story by – Sgt. Frank Vaughn, 99th Regional Support Command Chaplain‘s Office

99th RSC Strong Bonds teaches relationship skills in relaxed setting

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J.— The chaplain section of 99th Regional Support Command led a Strong Bonds couples retreat in Washington recently. 1st Lt. John Martorana, a Judge Advocate General officer with 151st Legal Support Organization, and his wife Carolyn at-tended the event to reconnect with each other. ―We both work and have very little time to do things together,‖ said John. ―It was time for us to connect with one another and identify some issues in our marriage.‖ They were able to do this by using a new communication skill they learned during this retreat: the Speaker/Listener Tech-nique. ―This technique gave us a constructive way to seek problem solving,‖ said Carolyn. ―You‘re not here to air out your stuff in front of people. We were able to practice talking one-on-one. The Speaker/Listener Technique, according to Col. Mark Sachs, senior Strong Bonds instructor and a chaplain with 99th RSC, involves both the skills of speaking in a concise manner and actively listening. ―The speaker‘s job is to clearly communicate their point of view without attacking or accusing,‖ said Sachs. ―The listener‘s job is to restate what they heard the speaker say to demonstrate an understanding of what has been communicated.‖ In addition to learning a new skill, the Martoranas, who hail from Fredericksburg, Va., also said they valued the presence of the other couples in the program. ―We realized there were other couples that have been married a lot longer (than us) that were deal-ing some of the same issues we have,‖ said John, a graduate of Oklahoma City School of Law. ―We really benefitted from being around others who have been through all of this before. Their experi-ences really put our problems into perspective.‖ John also said he valued the opportunity to interact with the other couples in a relaxed setting. ―You move out rank during the weekend and that helps facilitate genuine discussion,‖ John said. ―You‘re able to actually listen to what people are saying without the military getting in the way.‖ Anyone who is interested in attending a 99th RSC Strong Bonds event may contact Sgt. Juan Rodri-guez at juan.r.rodriguez4@usar.army.mil or call him at (609) 562-7715 for more information.

First Lt. John Martorana, a Judge Advocate General

officer with 151st Legal Support Organization, cele-

brates with his wife Carolyn after successfully navigat-

ing her through a ―minefield‖ during a practical exer-

cise on communication at a Strong Bonds couples

retreat led by the chaplain section of 99th Regional

Support Command in Washington recently. (U.S.

Army photo by Sgt. Frank Vaughn)

Iraq War veteran receives second Purple Heart Story by – Mr. Shawn Morris, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, March 17, 2011 – An Army staff sergeant who was wounded twice in combat during the Iraq War received his second Purple Heart award during a ceremony at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve Center here. Staff Sgt. Shawn D. Carter received his award from Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff, com-manding general of the 99

th Regional Support

Command, in front of a standing-room-only crowd gathered to celebrate Carter‘s award and retirement from military service. ―This is just a great opportunity for us to honor one of our outstanding Soldiers,‖ said Waff, ―both recognizing his second award of the Pur-ple Heart – our nation‘s oldest military decora-tion – and also his retirement.‖ Carter deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom for the first time in 2003 as a Weap-ons Intelligence Analyst, and again in 2006 as a Weapons Intelligence Team Leader under the 4th Infantry Division with the 710th EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and 763rd EOD. He was first wounded Feb. 10, 2006, by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that was buried in the road. On Feb. 15, 2006, he was wounded again when his vehicle was struck while returning from an IED mission. Five years later, Carter is able to wear his Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, signifying that he has twice been awarded the Purple Heart. ―It‘s great to finally have this,‖ said Carter, a Pennsylvania native. ―I really don‘t know what to say but, ‗Thank you.‘‖ Carter, who first joined the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1987, reserved special praise for his family – wife Kathleen, daughter Kristyn and son Kevin – as well as the Soldiers with whom he served.

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff, commanding general of the 99th Regional

Support Command, right, awards Staff Sgt. Shawn D. Carter his second

Purple Heart medal for wounds sustained in Iraq in 2006 during a cere-

mony at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve Center on Joint Base

McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., March 17.(Photo by - Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-

Michael Macleod

―Without my family‘s support, I wouldn‘t be up here; without the support of my fellow Soldiers, I wouldn‘t have been here,‖ he said. Carter also received support from the Military Order of the Purple Heart, an organization formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration. ―I‘m just glad to be here with all my brothers and sisters in the military,‖ said Clarence Buddy Rhoades, commander of Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1777 located in Valley Forge, Pa. ―We‘ve come a long way from Vietnam, and I‘m so proud to be here.‖ Along with his Purple Heart award and retirement certificate, Carter received certificates of apprecia-tion from President Barack Obama and Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief of the Army Reserve, while his wife Kathleen received a certificate of appreciation from Gen. George W. Casey Jr., chief of staff of the Army.

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff, commanding general of the 99th

Regional Support Command, right, awards Staff Sgt. Shawn D.

Carter his second Purple Heart medal for wounds sustained in Iraq

in 2006 during a ceremony at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve

Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., March 17.

(Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod)

Clarence Buddy Rhoades, commander of Military Order of the Purple Heart

Chapter 1777, left, welcomes Staff Sgt. Shawn D. Carter as a MOPH life-

member during a ceremony held at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve

Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., March 17 to award Carter

his second Purple Heart medal for wounds sustained in Iraq in 2006. (Photo

by Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod)

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz

Waff, commanding general of

the 99th Regional Support

Command, right, awards Staff

Sgt. Shawn D. Carter his

second Purple Heart medal

for wounds sustained in Iraq

in 2006 during a ceremony at

the Maj. John P. Pryor Army

Reserve Center on Joint Base

McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.,

March 17. Carter shared the

moment with, from left,

daughter Kristyn, son Kevin

and wife Kathleen. (Photo by

Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael

Macleod)

99th RSC honors the father of the „Baby Ruth‟ Story by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

PRINCETON, N.J., March 18, 2011 – An early spring day blessed President Grover Cleveland‘s 174

th birthday which was commemorated with a special memorial service hosted by Maj. Gen. Wil-

liam D. Razz Waff, commanding general, 99th Regional Support Command, at the former president‘s

grave site in Princeton Cemetery.

The memorial service is part of the Presiden-tial Wreath Laying Ceremony program from the White House Military Office. The White House Military Office is responsible for coor-dinating the annual placement of Presidential Wreaths at tombs and resting places of for-mer presidents, other famous Americans and at certain memorials of historical signifi-cance.

Special guests included Robert Maguire, ci-vilian aide to the Secretary of the Army for New Jersey; Chad Goerner, mayor of Princeton Township; Councilman Kevin Wilkes, representing Mildred Trotman, mayor of Princeton Borough; Chief Master Sgt. Warren Wofford, 87

th Air Base Wing command chief; and Col. Patrick

Slowey, Army Support Activity – Dix commander.

The first democrat elected after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland had a rapid rise to the presidency.

―His rise in politics can only be said to be meteoric … In 1881, elected mayor of Buffalo; in 1882, governor of New York; and two years later, president of the United States,‖ Waff explained. ―No one else has had such a rapid rise in politics from the local to national level with such speed.‖

Cleveland become known as the ‗Guardian President‘ because of his popularity.

―He was a good listener while he himself was a spare talker who kept his comments and speeches brief.‖ Goerner said. ―His ability to win the popular vote three consecutive times is second only to Franklin Roosevelt.‖

Goerner went on and talked about how the Cleveland presidency had to endure some of the same economic issues that Americans are facing today.

―His second term was plagued by a deep economic crisis; public confidence was so fragile during this time that in his second term he was at continual odds with Congress,‖ he said.

As Cleveland‘s administration was working on regaining the public confidence, he was diagnosed with a terrible dis-ease.

―During his second term, he was diagnosed with cancer, cancer of the jaw; he feared that if the public found out about his cancer that markets would plunge and Congress would only become further separated from him in ideology and no progress would be made,‖ Goerner said.

―As a result, he decided to have surgery on his jaw on a yacht. Five physicians attended to him removing a signifi-cant piece of his upper jaw while on this yacht. It left him disfigured, which required a second surgery. The second surgery they implanted a plastic prosthesis to reconstruct his face; during this time, the public, the press and the Congress did not know,‖ explained Goerner.

Even as time goes on and technology changes, Cleve-land‘s life legacy still remains in a very unlikely place.

―The small element of his life legacy that still lingers today in our....candy store culture,‖ Wilkes explained. ―It is the candy bar the Baby Ruth named after his dear daughter who died at the age of 13.‖

―It was a national heartbreak shared across the county. This candy bar was named after her and til this day, it sur-vives,‖ concluded Wilkes.

Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff, commanding general, 99th Regional Support Command,

Chad Goerner, mayor of Princeton Township, and Councilman Kevin Wilkes, representing

Mildred Trotman, mayor of Princeton Borough, render honors during a ceremony celebrating President Grover Cleveland‘s 174th birthday.

(Photo by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael MacLeod)

―His rise in politics can only be said to be meteoric … In

1881, elected mayor of Buffalo; in 1882, governor of New

York; and two years later president of the United States,‖

explains Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff, commanding

general, 99th Regional Support Command, on the achieve-

ments of President Grover Cleveland during a special me-

morial service on his 174th birthday at his gravesite in

Princeton Cemetery. (Photo by – Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael

Photos by - Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Chaplain Assistant Mentorship Program enhances personal, profes-sional development Story by – Staff Sgt. Shawn Morris, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

More than a dozen chaplain assistants from across the country attended the first-ever Chaplain Assistant Mentorship Program hosted by the Army Reserve‘s 99th Regional Support Command March 12-13 in Be-thesda, Md. The two-day event offered training and men-torship by senior chaplain assistants in sub-jects ranging from Unit Ministry Team cohe-sion to confronting death on the battlefield to obtaining religious supplies on a limited budget. ―I felt there was a huge need for chaplain as-sistants to have a place and a way that they could come and get some training and engage each other,‖ explained Master Sgt. Daniel Roberts, non-commissioned officer in charge of the 99th RSC chaplain section. ―In the Army Reserve, chaplain assistants are not being mentored because, a lot of times, they‘re kind of remote from the next higher chaplain assis-tants.‖ ―I wanted to give folks an opportunity to come and get trained, to get mentored, to grow as non-commissioned officers, and to grow as people,‖ he added. Chaplain assistants hold a very special Military Occupation Specialty, providing various types of support to the chaplains and other Soldiers with whom they serve. ―A chaplain assistant has a couple of roles; he‘s a minister, he‘s an administrative guy for the chaplain, but he‘s also supposed to be able to handle a weapon,‖ explained Roberts, who deployed as part of De-sert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-91, to Haiti in 1997 and Kosovo in 1999. ―The Unit Ministry Team – the chaplain and the chaplain assistant – is a very integral part of any unit and our job is very unique in the fact that what we are called to do is nurture the living, care for our wounded, and also honor the dead,‖ explained Master Sgt. Lorenzia Henderson, chapel NCOIC at ASA-Fort Dix, N.J. ―Our mission is very important to supporting our Soldiers.‖ It was a desire to support the unique mission of chaplain assistants that led Roberts, with the support of 99

th RSC Chap. (Col.) Kenneth Kirk, to implement the 99

th RSC Chaplain Assistant Mentorship Program,

or CAMP. ―This is where the ‗rubber meets the road,‘ right here…taking care of Soldiers,‖ said Sgt. Maj. Jesus De-Jesus, acting command sergeant major for the 99th RSC. ―CAMP is not only going to make us stronger, it‘s going to make this organization stronger, and that‘s why we need it.‖

Master Sgt. Daniel Roberts, non-commissioned officer in charge of the 99th Re-gional Support Command chaplain section, instructs a class during the first-ever Chaplain Assistant Mentorship Program (CAMP) hosted by the 99th RSC March

12-13 in Bethesda, Md.

CAMP is the brainchild of Roberts and two former 99th RSC chaplain assistants, Henderson and Sgt. 1st Class Fred Cohen, and all three served as trainers and mentors for the event. ―The most important aspect of this training is cohesion; training chaplain assistants to understand the im-portance of cohesion – because the Reserve units are so spread out – and meeting all those other chap-lain assistants who are in the region and sharing ideas, success stories and best practices,‖ said Hen-derson, an Iraq War veteran and former Marine. ―There is a serious lack of MOS-specific mentorship from the senior level just because we are so spread out and we don‘t operate in units with other people in our MOS,‖ explained Cohen, chaplain section plans and operations NCO for First Army Division East, headquartered at Fort Meade, Md. Cohen said the idea for a chaplain assistant mentorship program originated with Henderson during his time with the 99th RSC, then grew into a two-day chaplain assistant workshop this past year during Cohen‘s service with the 99th RSC, and finally blossomed into CAMP under Roberts. ―Master Sgt. Roberts has taken it to a whole new level, taking what we did last year, building on it and really expanding the program into something that we didn‘t even think was possible,‖ said Cohen, who deployed to Afghanistan in 2008. Roberts has expanded the program beyond the 99th RSC‘s 13-state northeastern region, accepting Sol-diers from around the country who fall within the other three RSC‘s areas of responsibility. This is be-cause the Operational, Functional and Training commands that sent their chaplain assistants to CAMP are not constrained by the same geographical limits as the RSCs, but rather have chaplain assistants serving in units scattered across the nation. ―If they want to come, they‘re welcome to come,‖ Roberts said. ―My goal is to provide the training that they need.‖ According to several of the Soldiers attending CAMP, they‘re getting exactly the kind of training and mentorship they need to become better chaplain assistants. ―For the chaplain assistant corps to launch its own training strictly for chaplain assistants was very much needed,‖ said Sgt. 1st Class Jose Montes, chaplain assistant NCOIC for the Mobilization and Deployment Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas. ―This is definitely long overdue.‖ ―We hadn‘t heard of training like this specifically for chaplain assistants, so I think it‘s a great training op-portunity,‖ said Staff Sgt. Cynthia Thomas, chaplain assistant NCOIC for the 158th Infantry Brigade, Camp Shelby, Miss. ―As a whole, chaplain assistants need to take advantage of training opportunities.‖ ―Even from a junior-enlisted perspective, they cover so many areas that are applicable all the way up to sergeant major,‖ added Pfc. Rebecca Holzmann, chaplain assistant with 4th Brigade, 95th Division. A second CAMP weekend was held March 18-20 in Pittsburgh, and Roberts plans to expand the pro-gram in the future using lessons learned from this inaugural iteration of CAMP. ―I love training; it‘s where my heart is,‖ concluded Roberts.

Photos by Mr. Shawn Morris

Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod, 99th RSC Public Affairs Chief, talked about the importance of Public Affairs

and Combat Documentation in the Armed Services.

Col. Audrey Lewis (L), 99th RSC Dep-uty Staff Judge Advocate, and Col.

Benjamin Kulper (R), 99th Command Surgeon, talked about the proper wear-ing of the Military Class A Uniform and

the Uniform Code of Military Justice

Army Reserve, Merchant Marine Academy conduct joint training Story by – Staff Sgt. Shawn Morris, 99th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J., March 26, 2011 – Soldiers from the 800

th Military Police Brigade conducted a

joint training event here March 25-27 with nearly a dozen midshipmen from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The Soldiers shared their expertise in weap-ons maintenance and marksmanship with the midshipmen, who may be considering a career in the Army Reserve as a commis-sioned officer or warrant officer. ―(The USMMA) is the one service academy where the people, after they complete their course of study, have an eight-year military commitment to any branch of service,‖ ex-plained Chief Warrant Officer Five Winfred Hill, command chief warrant officer, 99

th

RSC. ―We are competing with the other branches of service to get the midshipmen to command vessels in the Army Reserve.‖ While each branch of service gives the graduating midshipmen the opportunity to serve their coun-try, the Army Reserve offers something the other services cannot, according to Hill. ―What the Army Reserve can offer them is commissioning as a warrant officer one, and if they truly want to operate vessels throughout their careers, we provide that opportunity for them,‖ he said. ―On the other hand, if they decide at some point in their career that they would like to be a traditional officer, they can still take that route also,‖ he added. The midshipmen who attended the joint training event were given a small taste of Army life as the Soldiers shared some cold-weather gear along with their knowledge of the M16 and M4 rifles, M9 pistol and M203 grenade launcher. The Soldiers and midshipmen also had the chance to spend some time discussing what‘s it‘s like to be an Army Reserve commissioned officer or warrant officer. ―The main focus was to give (the midshipmen) a small amount of tools to put in their tool box,‖ ex-plained Maj. Kevin Branch, Headquarters and Headquarters Company commander, 99

th RSC, who

spoke to the Soldiers and midshipmen during the weekend event. ―Three things I covered were competence, candor and compassion,‖ he said. ―Those are the three tools that I think are very important for a company-grade officer to grow into the profession, gain the respect of the Soldiers, and effectively lead.‖

Branch said the midshipmen seemed to integrate easily with the Soldiers. ―They were able to intermingle very well, they asked a lot of questions, they were very interested, and their curiosity was extremely high,‖ he said. ―Once they got a chance to be immersed in our cul-ture, they saw the professionalism of our non-commissioned officers, and of our officers and warrant officers as well, and it sparked a genuine interest in our branch of service. ―The criteria they use for admission (to the USMMA) is such high criteria that you‘re getting very in-telligent young men and women; they‘re well-rounded,‖ Branch continued. ―You‘ve got leadership, athleticism and intelligence, and that is directly proportionate to maturity, so you‘re getting a very high caliber of student when you‘re dealing with a student from a service academy.‖ Like the other federal service academies – the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), The U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis), the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy – a congres-sional recommendation is required for appointment to the USMMA, and its midshipmen live a strict, regimented four years of training and academics. The academic year is divided into three 13-week trimesters that last 11 months. Graduates earn bachelor of science degrees, as well as either a U.S. Coast Guard third mate or third assistant engi-neer license. ―By us reaching into that pool of candidates to gain and develop Army Reserve officers, it‘s bringing another pool of talent into our overall spectrum within the Army Reserve,‖ Branch said. The midshipmen team was led by 2

nd Lt. Ryan Perruquet, a USMMA graduate who is scheduled to

attend Army flight school in May. ―I‘m pretty much just showing (the midshipmen) the options that they have available, what the Army has to bring to the table,‖ Perruquet said. ―It‘s an opportunity to serve and do what you want to do.‖ ―This weekend was surprisingly educational and very informative,‖ said Midshipman Cody Schwab. ―I feel like this gave me a better view of the Army Reserve. ―This event has made my interest in the United States Army a lot stronger,‖ he added. The relationship between the USMMA and the Army Reserve began in 2005, when two midshipmen branched Army. In 2010, 20 midshipmen chose to serve in the Army – three as warrant officers in the Army Reserve and 17 as lieutenants in the active component, National Guard and Army Re-serve. ―As this program develops, we‘re going to get a lot more highly qualified candidates from the US-MMA to become Army officers and Army Reserve officers,‖ Branch concluded.

For more information on the Merchant Marine Academy please check out their homepage - http://usmma.edu

Photos by - Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Photos by - Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod

Congratulations to Staff Sgt. LaTonya Terry-Matthews who masterfully guided the little league basketball team know

as the Joint Base-Lakers, to the Minor League Champion-ship for this Area on March 12, 2011.

They competed against various teams from the local com-munity to include teams from Pemberton, Easthampton

and teams within Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.