Jbj 040414

Joint Base Journal

www.facebook.com/jointbase JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING www.cnic.navy.mil/jbab

News and information for and about the premierJoint Base and its region

Vol. 5, No. 12 April 4, 2014

INSIDERenewable Energy

and AlternativeFuel Projects

ExpandPage 2

Flight forLife

Page 4

U.S. Air ForceBand makes

positive impact oncommunity youth

Page 6

BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Forty-seven high school musicstudents from Ohio visited JointBase Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) re-cently to glean decades of invalu-able music knowledge and guid-ance under the tutelage of the AirForce Band’s esteemed premierjazz ensemble band, Airmen ofNote.

“Our students thoroughly en-joyed visiting and observing theAirmen of Note in action. It waswonderful for our students to seeboth musicians and military pro-fessionals at work. Seeing the en-semble work in rehearsal was par-ticularly interesting, as studentswere exposed to great music aswell as the process and dedicationit takes to perform music at a highlevel,” said Greg Benson, directorof bands at Gallia Academy HighSchool in Gallipolis, Ohio.

The students sat in on themorning rehearsal with the Air-men at JBAB last week. They freelysung along to the classic tunesgleefully capturing the memorable

event with their smart phones.Some even camped out right onthe rehearsal floor waving their il-luminated phones back and forthlike concertgoers.

Led by Air Force Tech. Sgt. TylerKuebler, a native of Augora Hills,Calif., the Airmen played stringedinstruments, horns, drums, a pia-no, and sang. They performed popfavorites from Chicago’s “You’rethe Inspiration” to Otis Redding’s“Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”

The band stopped between setsto talk about musical instruments,like the saxophone, and the life ofa being a musician in the armedforces.

Some in the group were so in-spired by the visit that they wouldconsider enlisting into the militaryto pursue a career in music, Ben-son explained.

“After our visit with the jazzensemble, many students ap-proached me saying how muchthey had been inspired by the visitand would love to pursue a ca-reer as a military musician in the

Air Force Band members mentor high school music students

BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL


PUBLIC AFFAIRS

At a town hall meeting at JointBase Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) lastmonth, senior military and civilianleaders presented an overview of afederal workforce reduction planthat is set to impact hundreds ofpositions at military installationsthroughout the National CapitalRegion (NCR).

“This was information givingpeople an update on where NavalDistrict Washington (NDW) regionis [in the process]. So we constant-ly update and stay engaged withthe employees and show themthe impact regarding what man-agement is doing, what they havedone and what is still expected of

us,” NDW Human Resource OfficeDirector Felix Petersen said at theMarch 25 meeting at JBAB’s Bol-ling Club.

Implementation of the reduc-tion in force (RIF), which had pre-viously been delayed, goes intoeffect Aug. 23. It will eliminate 31specific billets on that date andimpact hundreds of positionsthroughout the NCR, according toNDW.

“Three things can occur: invol-untary separation, involuntary de-motion, and reassignment result-ing from a displaced or anotheremployee. Those are the threethings that can occur in a RIF,” Pe-tersen said.

In calculating who goes andwho stays the RIF applies a reten-tion registration tool to determine

the retention status of the federalemployees in the region, Petersenexplained.

That tool looks at key catego-ries such as length of service andveteran’s preference to establishwhether an employee will be re-tained, reassigned or separated,he said.

Employees should receive no-tices May 9 about their retentionstatus indicating whether theyare in fact affected, retained, re-assigned or separated, Petersensaid.

According to district comman-dant Rear Adm. Mark Rich, themajority of the funding at Com-mander, Navy Installations Com-mand (CNIC) is spent on peopleand labor costs. And the RIF is away to reduce those expenses by

shrinking operations in the faceof one the harshest economic cli-mates he has witnessed over thepast three decades.

The elimination of 31 billetsdoes not translate into the lossof only 31 jobs, Rich said. It will,rather, impact approximately 124positions throughout the region,he said.

Rich projects one in four em-ployees will be impacted by theRIF. He urged all workers to beinformed of their protections andrights concerning the RIF in orderto minimize the likelihood of anunfavorable shift in their careerpaths.

NDW Regional Executive Direc-tor Tom McGuire believes manyare starting to get a clearer picturewhat is taking place and how they

can better position themselves forsuccess.

“I think now people are startingto understand fully well. Our mainfocus is [asking], are we doing ev-erything we can to help people geta good outcome,” McGuire said.

Employees affected by the RIFhave strong protections availableto them and informational ses-sions like this one are an excellentstarting point.

“It is good for us to get outand have this discussion. It is alsogood to get out and field questionsabout absolutely anything whetherits RIF related or something else,”McGuire said.

The next and final town hallmeeting will take place on thesame RIF implementation date,according to Petersen.

Naval District Washington representatives discuss reduction in force impact at town hall meeting

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL

Master Sgt. Steven Erickson, a native of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and members of the U.S. Air Force Band’sjazz ensemble Airmen of Note rehearse before an audience of music students from Gallia Academy High Schoolin Gallipolis, Ohio.See BAND, Page 7

2 Friday, April 4, 2014 Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Joint Base Journal

BY SHAWN MILLERNDW PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Beyond efforts in Naval District Wash-ington (NDW) to reduce traditional energyconsumption and become more efficient,two of the key factors to building a sustain-able future are renewable energy and alter-native fuels.

As technology advances and these utili-ties become more financially accessible,NDW and Naval Facilities EngineeringCommand (NAVFAC) plan to develop andimplement various projects at installationsthroughout the region.

“These opportunities will produce util-ity cost savings and support energy securitywhile integrating and diversifying utilitydistribution systems to include increasingSmart Grid and Micro Grid capabilities,”the NDW/NAVFACWashington Energy Pro-gram states. “Similar to our traditional en-ergy project portfolios, we will create renew-able energy portfolios based on approachesthat identify the best locations for renew-able generation, and public and private fi-nancing options.”

Navy energy leaders are evaluating anumber of renewable and alternative ener-gy sources including wind, solar, biomass,geothermal, and alternative fuel non-tacti-cal vehicles. Additionally, the Navy has seta goal of making half of all installations netzero energy consumers.

Net zero refers to buildings that produceas much or more energy than they consumeon an annual basis. In Naval Support Activ-ity (NSA) Washington, the Washington NavyYard Visitor Center recently became certi-fied as a net zero building through the use ofgeothermal and micro-wind turbines, alongwith LED lighting and cellulose insulation.

Two micro-wind turbines on the neigh-boring parking deck help provide electricityinto a battery system which can be used inthe event of a power failure.

Beyond the net zero project at the visi-tors’ center, NDW is also exploring alterna-tive fuel non-tactical vehicle options. Sev-eral electric cars and charging stations arelocated on the first floor of the parking deck.

Lt. Cmdr. Keith Benson, NDW energydirector, said NDW is in the process of col-lecting electric vehicle and alternative fueldata important to future decisions on howvehicles and fuel are used. NDW and NAV-FAC have set a goal to reduce petroleum us-

age and to annually increase alternative fuelusage by 10 percent.

Benson said NDW has been conduct-ing numerous studies on renewable energycapabilities in the last year to support TaskForce Energy and the 1-Gigawatt Task Force,a Department of the Navy (DON)-charteredproject to oversee implementation of theNavy energy strategy.

“We have partnered with the NationalRenewable Energy Lab (NREL) to expandour renewable energy capabilities and de-termine the sites that we want to investin,” Benson explained. “We specifically fo-cused on photovoltaic and found that wehave more than 40 megawatts of capabil-

ity within NDW that need further analysisand development.”

With the Washington, D.C. SolarRenewable Energy Certificate (SREC)market offering incentive credits forsolar projects, Benson said Joint BaseAnacostia-Bolling (JBAB) was identifiedas a good location to explore photovol-taic options.

“JBAB presents the best opportunityand has a current capability of 10 mega-watts over two sites, Bolling and Anacos-tia,” Benson said.

Expanding use of renewable energy andalternative fuels represents one of the fiveenergy “pillars” identified to achieve goals

laid out in the 2013 NDW Energy PolicyStatement, working in conjunction with en-ergy efficiency, security, information, andbuilding a positive energy culture.

In 2009, Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV)Ray Mabus set five energy goals for DON:increase alternative energy use Navywide,increase alternative energy ashore, reducenon-tactical petroleum use, sail the “GreatGreen Fleet,” and acquire energy efficiency,according to a 2012 DON Strategy for Re-newable Energy report.

For more news and information fromaround the region, visit www.facebook.com/NavDistWash or follow @NavalDist-Wash on Twitter.

Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuel Projects Expand

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY SHAWN MILLER

As part of the Naval District Washington (NDW) and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington (NAVFAC) Energy Program, alterna-tive fuels and renewable energy options are being explored to help reduce consumption and become more efficient. Electric car chargingstations were installed in a parking garage at the Washington Navy Yard as part of the program’s efforts to expand energy options.

BY DAWN SYKULLAJOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING

MORALE, WELFARE

& RECREATION MARKETING

Registration has officially opened for theThird Annual Navy-Air Force Half Marathonand 11th Annual Navy 5-Miler. The race hasbeen named one of the year’s best half mar-athons by Runner’s World Magazine.

The Navy-Air Force Half Marathon Teamwill welcome thousands of participants torun in our Nation’s Capital on Sunday, Sep-tember 14, 2014. Online registration is nowopen for two races, the Navy-Air Force HalfMarathon (13.1 miles) and the Navy 5 Miler(5 miles) at www.navyairforcehalfmara-thon.com.

Runners, both military affiliated and ci-vilian, of all experience levels will start andfinish the race in the shadow of the Wash-

ington Monument. The USATF-certifiedcourse travels by all of the iconic Washing-ton, D.C. memorials and stretches to in-clude the East and West Potomac Parks andthe scenic Rock Creek Parkway.

All Half Marathon finishers will receivea medal as they cross the finish line. Navy5 Miler finishers will receive a military coinas a tribute to our military tradition of ac-knowledging special achievements. Anawards ceremony will take place immedi-ately following the race at the WashingtonMonument. Awards include the top threemale and female, master male and masterfemale, as well as wounded warrior maleand female finishers in both races. Teamcategories will also be awarded to the topthree teams in the Military Challenge, Cor-porate Challenge and Open Challenge forboth distances.

Register now at www.navyairforcehalf-marathon.com for the lowest rates and usethe promo code “14EBird” for an additional$5 off the registration fee (expires April 12,2014). Be sure to share the promo code withfamily and friends.

For the half-marathon, individual entryfees begin at $80 for military and $90 forcivilians through May 31. From June 1-July31, the fee is $90 for military and $100 forcivilians. From August 1 until online regis-tration closes, the military fee is $100 and$110 for civilians.

The 5 Miler individual entry fees begin at$45 for military and $50 for civilians throughMay 31, increasing to $50 for military and$55 for civilians from June 1-July 31. FromAugust 1 until online registration closes, thefee is $55 for military and $60 for civilians.

Teams may also register online for the

Half Marathon or 5 Miler at no additionalcharge. There is a timed and scored teamcompetition and a most participant’s teamchallenge. The timed and scored team com-petition requires a minimum of four mem-bers to score, one being female, with amaxi-mum of eight members per team. The mostparticipant’s team challenge is a fun, infor-mal challenge to encourage esprit de corpsamong different groups.

Additional amenities to race weekendwill include a Packet Pick-Up and EXPOon Saturday, September 13. The EXPO willfeature various vendors offering great dealson clothing, shoes, accessories and otherhot items!

Register today for the best deal and getready to Prepare, Execute and Achieve! Formore race information please visit www.na-vyairforcehalfmarathon.com.

Navy-Air ForceHalfMarathon/FiveMiler RegistrationNowOpen

3Friday, April 4, 2014Joint Base Journal Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

This commercial enterprise Navy newspaper is an au-thorized publication for members of the U.S. military ser-vices, retirees, DoD civilians and their family members.Contents of Joint Base Journal do not necessarily reflect theofficial views of the U.S. government, Department of De-fense, U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force and does not imply en-dorsement thereof. The appearance of advertising in thispublication, including inserts or supplements, does notconstitute endorsement by theDepartment ofDefense, theNavy, Air Force, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling or ComprintMilitary Publications of the products or services advertised.

Published by Comprint Military Publications, a divi-sion of Post-NewsweekMedia, Inc., 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, MD, 20877, a private firm in no way con-nectedwithDoD, theU.S.Navyor theU.S. Air Force, underexclusive contract with Naval DistrictWashington.

The editorial content of Joint Base Journal is editedand approved by the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling PublicAffairs Office. Tenant commands and others are encour-aged to submit news, high-quality photos and informa-tional items for publication. All submitted content mustbe received by noon on the Friday prior to publication.E-mail submissions to [email protected].

To place display advertising, call 240-473-7538.To place classified advertising, call 301-670-2505. Ev-

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JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLINGWASHINGTON, D.C.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE: PHONE: 202-767-4781EMAIL: [email protected]

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Joseph P. CironePublic Affairs Officer202-404-7206

Chief Master Sgt. Richard J. Simonsen Jr., USAFSenior Enlisted Leader

Lt. Cmdr. Jim Remington, USNPublic Affairs Projects

JOINT BASE JOURNALRobert W. MitchellPhoto Journalist

COMPRINT MILITARYPUBLICATIONS

Maxine MinarPresident

John RivesPublisher

Deirdre ParryCopy/Layout Editor

BY ANDREW REVELOS

The 2014 Navy Birthday Ball is manymonths away, but the Naval Support Ac-tivity South Potomac Navy Ball Commit-tee is working hard to raise funds that willenhance the event and help make it moreaffordable for junior service members. Thefirst fundraising efforts are donut sales heldevery other Thursday at sites across NavalSupport Facility Dahlgren. The next donutsales will be held April 10 and 24.

This year’s ball is being organized bymembers of the Joint Warfare Analysis Cen-ter, who want attendees to be as diverse asthe members of their organization. Servicemembers from all branches assigned to Na-val Support Facilities Dahlgren and IndianHead, as well as civilian employees assignedto NSASP-hosted commands and activities,are encouraged to attend. The ball celebrat-ing the Navy’s 239th birthday will be held atthe Fredericksburg Hospitality House andConference Center on Oct. 10, 2014.

Cmdr. Pete Corrao, assigned to JWAC,is the chairman of the NSASP Navy BallCommittee this year. “Naval Support Activ-ity South Potomac encompasses more thanjust Navy people,” he said. “We’ve got ourSailors, but JWAC is joint, so we’ll have ser-vice members from all branches. Many ofour volunteers and coworkers are civilians,so we want them to come as well. We alsowant all the civilians who support activitiesat South Potomac there, along with our re-tirees. It’s a birthday party at the end of theday and we want to invite everybody.”

The tentative theme of this year’s ballis the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which pitted theImperial Japanese Navy against the U.S.and Australian navies Oct. 23-26, 1944. Itis widely considered by historians to be thelargest naval battle in history and included

all aspects of naval combat-aircraft, surfaceships and submarines. This year will markthe 70th anniversary of the battle. “There isa lot of history there,” said Corrao. “It is amajor milestone.”

All of the nations that participated in theBattle of Leyte Gulf are longtime allies today;members of both the Australian Royal Navyand Japan Maritime Self Defense Force arehosted at NSF Dahlgren. “The onetime ad-versaries in [the Pacific]-the Japanese, theU.S., the Australians and the Philippines areall working together now to keep the Pacificsafe,” said Corrao, who is currently search-ing for a guest speaker with knowledge ofboth naval history in the Pacific and currentevents to address the theme.

Corrao hopes that members of those na-tions’ armed services based at NSASP will at-tend. “I’d like them to come to the ball,” hesaid. “I think the theme is very relevant.”

Of course, any successful Navy BirthdayBall requires much organization and fundraising. “We’re always in the market forvolunteers,” said Corrao. “We want to offsetthe cost of the ball to make it more afford-able, particularly to the junior Sailors. A lotof junior Sailors and a lot of senior Sailorsnever make it to a ball. It’s one of the semi-nal events we do in the Navy. It’s a reflectionof a great naval tradition. We want people toget excited about the history and heritage ofthe Navy.”

The NSASP Navy Ball Committee meetsat 10 a.m. every other Friday at Cannon-ball Lanes, with the next meeting sched-uled for April 4. Readers who wish to vol-unteer or support the NSASP Navy Ballare encouraged to attend. For more infor-mation, visit www.navyball.org or [email protected].

Navy Ball Committee kicks off fundraising

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY ANDREW REVELOS

Tech. Sgt. Veronica Babauta, right, and Lt. Col. Jason Palmer, center, Airmen assigned to theJoint Warfare Analysis Center and members of the Naval Support Activity South PotomacNavy Ball Committee, sells a box of fresh donuts to Jill Morrissett, a JWAC employee, onMarch 13. The NSASP Navy Ball Committee is selling donuts every other Thursday to raisefunds for this year’s ball and make it more affordable for attendees; the next donut salesare scheduled for April 10 and 24.

01041287


COMMENTARY BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS AARON STOUT

11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Last November, I was offered a chance to support amission to Afghanistan. I jumped before I even knew thefull details. My mission had me rendezvous with embed-ded Washington Post reporters in Afghanistan and escortthem back to the U.S. I also documented an aeromedicalevacuation and the life-saving measures implemented tosave our wounded warriors.

As military members, sometimes we are asked to sacri-fice life and limb to protect the values we hold dear. Un-fortunately, many of us may never really come to realizethis until our first trip down range.

My epiphany came when a Marine, severely woundedby an improvised explosive device, was loaded onto theback of the C-17 Globemaster III and secured in placedirectly across from where I sat. I vividly remember thethought I had: “Does he have arms or legs?” The tubes andwires that were keeping him alive were too numerous tocount, almost as though he was buried thoroughly undervines in a vineyard; it was surreal.

From the moment he was on board, people swarmedhim, pushing buttons, checking gauges and writing stuffdown. A whirlwind of medics and doctors all focused onkeeping him alive and giving him the best in urgent care.

Thankfully, the military has learned a great deal fromthis and prior conflicts. It has taken those lessons learnedto set in place myriad precautionary measures to ensurefirst, the saving of our lives, and then our limbs - and itseems to be working.

Maj. Matthew Weber, a medical service corps officerat the 86th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility atRamstein Air Base, Germany, said, “we are seeing the low-est numbers of injured troops being evacuated out of the-ater since the beginning of the war.”

Due to this particular Marine’s critical condition, thedoctor in Afghanistan deemed the best care possible forhim would be available at Walter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center, Bethesda Md., so he was evacuated out.

I noticed something once we were on our way toRamstein: There was a divide between the people caringfor him and those caring for the other injured on the air-

craft; all of his care was done by the same three people.It was explained to me during the flight by Maj. Shane

Runyon, a nurse 10th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacua-tion Flight, attending to the Marine, that the three of themwere not members of the AE team but were their ownteam, a Critical Care Air Transport Team. They are a morespecialized team for critically wounded patients who needto maintain a certain level of care during transport.

The AE team took care of the other, less severe, but noless important, patients on the aircraft.

When speaking to Maj. Juan Sanchez, a flight nursewith the AE team, he told me, “the ultimate goal of the AEmission is to have critically injured patients out of theaterand back stateside within 72 - 96 hours.”

During the flight, I saw his foot twitch and thought,“Oh my gosh! He’s waking up!” With urgency, I went totell the team taking care of him. Runyon explained thathe was being kept in a semiconscious state that allowedhim to respond to the team with simple head nods but hewould never remember the flight.

We eventually landed in Germany and all the patientswere unloaded by classification of their illness or injuryand then transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Cen-ter, Landstuhl, Germany, where military personnel fromAfghanistan, Kuwait, Africa and parts of Europe are treat-ed and evaluated for return to their duty station, or homefor more extensive care.

While at Landstuhl, Lt. Col. David Zonies, the chief oftrauma and critical care, explained how today, approxi-mately 99 percent of troops that make it into the systemsurvive. The challenge comes from getting an injured troopthe immediate, lifesaving medical treatment they need onsite and getting them to the nearest medical facility.

We talked about the measures the Air Force takes withits doctors to ensure they stay proficient as they are pull-ing them out of the theater with the draw-down.

The doctors are being embedded into universities, includ-

Flight for life

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS AARON STOUT

Lt. Col. Richard Lorraine cares for an intensive care patient during a flight back to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 19, 2013.Lorraine, a member of a Critical Care Air Transport Team belongs to the 111th Medical Group.

See FLIGHT, Page 9

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SHAWN MILLER

NDW PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Despite winter stubbornly re-fusing to release its icy grip aroundNaval District Washington (NDW),spring is officially here with respiteon the way for those people wish-ing for warmer weather.

With spring comes an increasein outdoor activity and a renewedcall for safe transportation andrecreation by military and civilianpersonnel dusting off their mo-torcycles and bicycles, as well asrunners and walkers abandoningtreadmills for better scenery.

Whether running, riding or driv-ing a vehicle, safety managers re-mind everyone to stay alert asmorepeople share roadways and paths,both on installations and off.

Before jumping onto a mo-torcycle or bicycle, however, rid-ers should conduct a thoroughpre-ride maintenance check toensure everything is still in orderafter a long winter, said GeorgeRevoir Jr., Naval Support Activity(NSA) Washington safety instal-lation program director. For newor novice riders, this includes fa-miliarizing oneself and becomingcomfortable with all the controls,he added.

“A few seconds spent in con-fusion with controls can spell thedifference in mishap survivabil-ity,” Revoir said. “Attend a motor-cycle rider safety training course.In-depth training on motorcyclesafe operation has been shownto reduce mishaps and injuries tomotorcycle operators.”

For new riders looking intobuying a motorcycle, Revoir saidto resist the urge to start out witha 1000cc sport bike, and insteadstart with a smaller, more manage-able bike to practice with.

“Once skills and experiencehave grown to enable mastery ofthe larger, more powerful ma-chine, you can advance up to thelarger machine with the knowl-edge level and skill set to make youa safe, capable rider,” he said.

For both motorcycle and bi-cycle riders, helmets are the mostbasic and necessary safety equip-ment. All active-duty personnelare required to wear helmets at alltimes both on and off installations,for motorcycles as well as bicycles.

Motorcycle riders are also re-quired to wear eye protection,sturdy over-the-ankle footwear,and protective clothing to includefull-finger gloves, full-length trou-sers and long sleeve shirts. Abra-sion resistant jackets made ofleather, Kevlar, or Cordura con-taining impact padding and highvisibility materials are highly rec-ommended, according to the NavyTraffic Safety Program guidelines.

Cyclists are expected to wearbrightly colored clothing and ridewith traffic in single file, obeyingthe same rules as motorists. Whenriding at night or in times of lowvisibility, cyclists are required tohave a white light on the front oftheir bike visible from 500 feet, anda red light on the back visible from600 feet. Beyond wearing a hel-met, other recommended safetygear includes protective clothing

such as gloves and safety clips toprevent clothing from becomingtangled in the chain.

For patrons using the Washing-ton Navy Yard Riverwalk, Revoirsaid cyclists are not permitted onthe trail due to the narrow path-way that can lead to injury of bothcyclists and pedestrians.

Runners and other pedestri-ans should use sidewalks andpathways wherever possible, andwalk against traffic when alongroadways. Brightly colored cloth-ing should be worn at night or inlow visibility.

“The biggest thing is being vis-ible,” said Jim Ganz, NSA Bethes-da safety manager. “You’re notrunning in a bubble. There are somany other things around you.”

Just as distracted driving isdangerous to motorists, Ganz saidheadphones and other devicesused by runners and cyclists areprohibited while on installationsto ensure safety.

“My advice for anybody, wheth-er you’re civilian or military,” Ganzadded, “is if the Navy traffic safetyinstructions say you shouldn’t dothis on an installation because it’s

not safe, you probably shouldn’tdo it off base.”

Sharing the road means motor-ists need to follow some rules aswell.

“Respect a motorcycle as a full-size vehicle with the same rightsand privileges as any vehicle onthe roadway,” said Revoir.

Motorists should be aware thatmotorcycles are often harder tosee, Revoir said, and should al-ways allow extra following roombetween themselves and the rider.Vehicle drivers should check blindspots and always signal their in-tentions before changing lanes.

When passing bicycles, allow atleast four feet of space between thevehicle and the cyclist and pass ata safe, prudent speed, Revoir said.When necessary and safe, driversmay legally cross a yellow centerline to pass a bicycle.

Ganz said whether boundby regulations or not, person-nel should use common sense asthey get outdoors during springto maintain safety because whilesomeone may be legally correctduring an accident, runners, cy-clists and motorcyclists will stillbe on the wrong side of the laws ofphysics when dealing with traffic.

“We want to make sure thatpeople have fun,” Ganz said. “Wealso want to make sure that peoplecome back to work the next day.”

For more information on mo-torcycle requirements and safetycourses, see your local command’smotorcycle safety representative.

For Navy regulations and safetyinformation, visit safetycenter.navy.mil.

Spring Safety Means Sharing the Road

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST 2ND CLASS KIONA MILLER

The Washington Navy Yard Riverwalk, which opened in 2011, offers pe-destrians a scenic avenue for walking and running along the AnacostiaRiver. Due to narrow sections and heavy foot traffic, bicycles, roller-blades, scooters and skateboards are prohibited. To stay up to date withinformation and closures affecting the Riverwalk, visit www.twitter.com/WNYRiverwalk.

BY DONNA CIPOLLONI

TESTER STAFF WRITER

If you’re a kid who gets excitedabout science, technology, engi-neering and mathematics (STEM),the only thing cooler than attend-ing a STEM event would be hover-ing 5 inches above it.

Thanks to a team of Naval AirSystems Command (NAVAIR) en-gineers and their hand-built hover-craft, that’s exactly what some of theyoung attendees were able to do atSTEMDayonMarch15at theCollegeof SouthernMaryland.

Students in grades 5-8 who par-ticipated in the event experienced sixhands-on, fun andengagingdemon-strations as well as participate in theSTEM carnival, which consisted of10 different activities — includingthe hovercraft.

“Hands-on activities like thehovercraft let kids see the sci-ence they learn about [such as aircurrents and friction] in action,”explained Chris McDaniel, crash-worthy systems engineer with NA-VAIR’s Human Systems Depart-ment (AIR 4.6.6.4).

NAVAIR leadership identifiedthe University of Maryland Me-chanical Engineer Co-op Partner-ship and its graduates working atNaval Air Station Patuxent River as

a resource to build the hovercraft;and McDaniel, along with CoreyGolladay and Daniel Bonnet an-swered the call. Todd Jackson, aUniversity of Arizona aerospaceengineer, joined shortly thereafterto round out the team.

Beginning with a kit containingnot much more than an engine,a propeller and some screws, theteam set about redesigning andmodifying the hovercraft to meettheir specific needs.

“Since we knew kids would beriding it, we wanted it to be verysafe,” said Golladay, with NA-VAIR’s Range Department, AirVehicle Modification and Instru-mentation (AIR 5.2) “We addeda pressure plate to the back of theseat that would shut off the engineif someone leaned forward and weattached a kill switch to the back ofthe craft with cable so if there was anemergency, we could pull on it andthe hovercraft would shutoff, deflateand lower to the ground.”

Although the craft traveled 100feet along a designated track, theteam elaborated on the steering sys-tem by adding an old helicopter joystick that allowed the student pilotstomanipulate thevehicle slightly andexperience the sensation of steering.

“They felt like they were control-ling it,” Golladay said, “but we were

really in full control at all times.”Working before and after their

normal office hours, most of theteam’s members volunteered 20-30hours each during the project; whileGolladay racked up nearly 60.

One of the most time consumingtasks was applying fiberglass to thehovercraft, which served as an out-side layer covering the innerplywoodconstruction.

“Fiberglass makes it rigid andprovides structure and finished coat-ing all in one,” Golladay said, “but itmust harden for eight hours beforeyoucandoanythingelse, and it’s verylabor intensive.”

As their STEMDay deadline drewnearer, an additional eight engineersstepped in to assist with various lastminute tasks, and the team learned avaluable lesson.

“We had to fabricate just abouteverything but the propeller,” Mc-Daniel said. “We could’ve spentmore time in the beginning figuringoutwhatwehad todoandhowmanypeople we needed to do it. Themoreyou can frontload a project in termsofengineering; thebetteroff youare.”

The team worked the SaturdaySTEMevent for fourhoursandassistedthe steady stream of students anxioustotaketheir turnaboardthehovercraft.

“After the event, another 10 adultvolunteersalso rode it,”Golladaysaid.

The hovercraft will be put intostorage and brought out again for fu-ture demonstrations, and there is talkthatnextyear’sSTEMDaybuildmightinvolve aCO2-poweredGoKart.

Triton Mission Systems AirspaceIntegration IPT Lead Johann Soto,who acted as the team’s projectman-ager,praisedthemfortheirwillingnessto supportNAVAIR’s STEMoutreach.

“Through their interest [to inspirestudents], they are ensuring that NA-

VAIR will continue to have talentedand driven STEMprofessionals readyto successfully execute our future en-deavors,” he said. “Given theway thisteam of ESDPs [Engineer and Scien-tist Development Program] ralliedaround the project to meet technicaland schedule goals, I would love tosee them rotate throughout our pro-grams to expand their own abilitiesand become empowered to evolvethe capabilities of the organization.”

Visual Learning: Participants see science in action with hands-on activities

COURTESY PHOTOA student is about to pilot a hovercraft during a STEM (science, technology,engineering and mathematics) Day event March 15 at the College of South-ern Maryland. Built by volunteer Naval Air Systems Command engineers, thehovercraft was a popular demonstration with the 5th- to 8th-grade eventparticipants.


BY JIM GOODWIN

PENTAGRAM EDITOR

Marine commanders have anew tool to help ensure service-members who struggle with sui-cide receive needed follow-ontreatment and access to resources.

The Marine Intercept Programis intended to complement exist-ing Marine Corps prevention andtreatment programs by providingan added layer of counseling andcoordination for those identifiedwith suicide ideations or who haveattempted suicide, according toMarine and Family Programs Di-vision officials.

Announced in February viaMarine Administrative message073-14, the program is meant tohelp “close any potential gaps” incare for those identified via a seri-ous incident or personnel casualtyreport as having attempted suicideor having suicide ideation. Once aSailor or Marine is identified by aformal command report as havinga suicidal ideation or following anactual suicide attempt, a MarineCorps Community Counselingand Prevention Program (CCP)counselor makes contact with theidentified person. That begins an“evidence-based safety plan andassessment of suicide risk,” ac-cording to Lt.. Cm dr. Sam J. Ste-phens of the Community Counsel-ing and Prevention Program..

From there, those identifiedby a command generated reportare connected with professionalcounselors - graduate-level edu-cated, state-licensed providers -

who provide continuous “caringcontacts” and coordination of careservices, according to Stephens.

“The CCP counselor doesnot duplicate or replace - butrather augments - other behav-ioral health services by provid-ing care coordination wheneverneeded,” said Stephens, who isalso a U.S. Navy psychologist, viaemail. “They are equally capableand skilled in counseling as anybehavioral health provider youwould find outside of the installa-tion gates world-wide.”

Local-level careAlthough new, the program’s

principle of urgent, continuouscommunication to foster long-term care stems from a similarapproach taken by the Corps’Wounded Warrior Regiment,which began the practice of of-fering regular contact to Marineswho experienced suicide ideationor previous suicide attempts.. Ma-rine and Family Programs Divi-sion at Headquarters U.S. MarineCorps transferred that continualcontact and care concept to the lo-cal level, implementing the CCP atmajor Marine Corps installations.

In other words, the counselorworking with an individual Ma-rine or Sailor is more than just afriendly voice at the other end of a1-800 hotline.

“The individual accepting ser-vices receives regular contact froma caring voice,” said Stephens.“They are reminded that they areimportant, they are reminded

that there is hope, and they havea partner in developing a strategyto stay safe.”

Locally, the program is man-aged by the Marine and Fam-ily Services Program office on theHenderson Hall portion of thejoint base. The local program hastwo CCP counselors to supportthose assigned to Henderson Halland Headquarters and ServiceBattalion, Headquarters U.S. Ma-rine Corps. The Marine and Fam-ily Programs office here can bereached at 703-614-7204.

While the program is not in-tended to replace the Corps’ cur-rent suicide prevention programs,it is meant to compliment theguidance and direction providedin Marine Corps Order 1720.2, theMarine Corps Suicide PreventionProgram.

“We would like those withsuicidal thoughts to know: thereis hope, getting help works, lifechanges, do not give up,” he said.

Communication, collabora-tion keys to success

The program provides a sys-tematic, collaborative approachto intervention and prevention,as detailed in the Marine admin-istrative message. Specific rolesand responsibilities are listed inthemessage, which charges Head-quarters U.S. Marine Corps forcontacting the appropriate local-level CCP and unit commanderwithin 24 hours following receiptof a serious incident or person-nel casualty report. Battalion and

squadron commanders are direct-ed to provide assistance in ensur-ing the assigned CCP counselormakes contact with the identifiedservicemember.

Moreover, CCP counselorsrecommend courses of action tosupport at-risk Marines and Sail-ors, including collaboration withoutside agencies, such as militaryunits and behavioral health ser-vice providers.

In fact, communication is thekey ingredient to ensuring successof the program, according to Ste-phens. Counselors are in contactwith the identified servicemember aminimum of six times, according totheMarine administrativemessage.

“Communication...has beenpurposefully built in to all aspectsof MIP,” said Stephens. “Main-taining communication with thecommand is necessary to keepMarines where they are valued.”

To that end, Stephens encour-ages commanders and other unitleaders to improve the chances ofsuccessful intervention by com-pleting serious incident and per-sonnel casualty reports in a timelymanner. In turn, such timely re-porting can help decrease stigmasabout suicide, encourage help-seeking and foster a “highly col-laborative approach” to the pro-gram, he said.

New program aids suicide prevention, intervention

PHOTO BY SARAH CHERRY

The Marine Corps announced the Marine Intercept Program Feb. 21. Theprogram goes hand-in-hand with the Suicide Prevention Program, provid-ing follow-up care and counseling for Marines who have attempted sui-cide or had suicidal ideations.

BY LT. CMDR. JIMREMINGTON


PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The U.S. Air Force Band’s MaxImpact rock band made a posi-tive impact on students at CharlesHart Middle School March 26 withgrooves as solid as the messagesbeing delivered.

The student body, which in-cludes more than 100 residents

of Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling(JBAB), responded enthusiastical-ly to the energy and positive vibesthe band was giving off throughcovers of Michael Jackson, Jour-ney, and Stevie Wonder amongothers. There were lots of smiles,cheers, and plenty of students andfaculty alike who could not helpthemselves but to dance at theirseats or in the aisles.

In between songs, Master Sgt.Ryan Carson, a native of Rapid

City, S.D. and a vocalist for thegroup took the opportunity toshare some life wisdom aboutteam work and looking out for oneanother.

“In the Air Force we have a say-ing ‘No action, talk only.’ Don’t dothat with your friends. When theyneed a hand, what you need to do

is help them. You need to encour-age them. You need to give themhelp. Don’t just say, ‘Hey man I’mthinking about you.’ Help themalong that path. Help them to dothe right thing. That’s what teamwork is all about.”

Continuing along the themeCarson said that the Air Force

could not complete its everydaymission without team work.

“Everyone knows we have pret-ty awesome jets. You think it’s justthat pilot who gets that airplane inthe air? Absolutely not. We’ve got

U.S. Air Force Band makes positive impact on community youth

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LT. CMDR JIM REMINGTON

Charles Hart Middle School students respond to Principal Billy Kearney’s energetic dance performance on stagewith the U.S. Air Force Band’s rock ensemble Max Impact. “Sometimes you’ve got to let them see that you’rereal,” said Kearney.

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LT. CMDR. JIM REMINGTON

Charles Hart Middle School Principal Billy Kearney shows his moves onstage with the U.S. Air Force Band’s rock ensemble Max Impact during anassembly in the school’s auditorium March 26.

See YOUTH, Page 7

BY JONATHAN STOCKAIR FORCE SURGEON

GENERAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The Air Force has recently completedimplementation of its secure health caremessaging system, MiCare, to all 76 of itsmedical treatment facilities worldwide.

As ofMarch 1,more than 360,000 Air Forcehealth care beneficiaries and 2,300 providershave signed up for this service, which allowsthe patient and provider to communicateon a secure network regarding non-urgenthealth care concerns.

TheMiCare network also allows beneficia-ries to view their health care record,make ap-pointments and fill prescriptions and allowsproviders to push important preventativecare updates to the members.

Overall, Airmen, their families and bene-ficiaries using MiCare can expect a decreasein trips to the MTF and more personal com-munication with their health care team.

What’s happening with MiCare atthe Military Treatment

Facility (MTF)?“At the beginning of MiCare’s deploy-

ment, MTFs were instructed to have 25 per-cent of beneficiaries empaneled by three

months and 50 percent within a year,” saidMaria Faison, a Nurse Informatics, MiCareproject manager with the Air Force Medi-cal Operations Agency. “However, we havehad many MTFs surpass this goal within acouple months because the portal’s pro-cesses are now updated to allow users toe-register and be transferred more easilybetween MTFs during PCS season.”

Many MTFs have been using creativemarketing ideas to inform their beneficia-ries about MiCare and the many reasonswhy they should be using it. Clinics havebeen placing posters at facilities, updatingtheir waiting room videos to include MiCareinformation, and some are even creating vid-eos for use on social media.

Although many MTF’s MiCare programshave not been up and running until recent-ly, a few bases currently leading in partici-pation are Dyess Air Force Base, Texas,with 63 percent of patients, followed close-ly by Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Robins AFB, Ga.;and Maxwell AFB, Ala. The Pentagon hasjust crossed more than 50 percent partici-pation in the program.

“These bases have had the support ofleadership and are utilizing high-perfor-

Health care messagingnow fully implemented


See MESSAGING SERVICE, Page 8

BY CAT DEBINDERWRNMMC PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF WRITER

Some people claim meditation does forthe mind what working out at the gym doesfor the body. But, can meditation improvehealth or prevent problems? There arehealth care professionals at Walter Reed Na-tional Military Medical Center (WRNMMC)who say it can.

“The mind and body are intimately in-terconnected,” said Alexandra Arbogast,program coordinator and senior therapistof the Mind-Body Medicine Program atWRNMMC. “Therefore, our state of mindimpacts our physical health, for better orworse,” she added. For example, she saidpeople’s blood pressure and heart rate in-crease when stressed.

Dr. Jodi Albert, a clinical psychologist atWRNMMC who meditates regularly, said

there are many forms of meditation. Someforms of meditation are more active, suchas “walking meditation, swimming, creativearts, looking at and listening to an ocean orlistening to peacefulmusic,” Albert explained.

“The form of meditation that most peo-ple are aware of is ‘mantra’ meditation, inwhich people sit quietly for 15 to 20 min-utes, typically twice a day, and repeat a wordor mantra, such as ‘Om’ over and over tohelp quiet the mind and body,” said Albert.

She said research suggests a range ofbenefits such as reduced production ofstress hormones, reduced blood pressure,improved relaxation and concentration andimprovements in various stress-related con-ditions.

Mind-Body Medicine Program OffersMeditation to Patients, Staff

PHOTO BY CAT DEBINDER

Walter Reed Bethesda offers the Mind-Body Medicine class, giving participants the opportu-nity for meditation, which researches say can reduce stress and improve overall health.

See MEDITATION, Page 8

future. All around, the visit to the baseand with the Air Force ensembles was anincredible and unique experience for ourstudents that capped off our Washington,D.C. trip perfectly,” he said.

The March 26 visit by Gallia lines upwith calls by Air Force leaders for the bandto have a greater presence in educatingstudents in the community, according toAirmen of Note Noncommissioned Offi-cer in Charge Air Force Senior Master Sgt.Tim Leahey, a native of Altoona, Penn.

“The band last year was given guid-ance to do more outreach in the educa-tional community and we branded whatwe call the AIM [Advancing Innovationthrough Music] program,” he said.

The AIM program links professionalAir Force musicians with students fromlocal schools in the area offering personalmusic instruction and mentorship.

“We go into the schools, and it mightjust be a few of us going to talk to someelementary school kids or we might bringthe whole jazz ensemble to work with an-other high school jazz ensemble. What wetypically do, is we will hear them play, givethem a brief overview and then we willsplit into sectionals so the kids can get alot of one-on-one attention,” Leahey said.

Air Force Master Sgt. Brian MacDon-ald, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., andtrumpeter in the group for the past 15years, said reaching out to the communityis all part of being in the band.

“We have school groups come insometimes and we do many outreachclinics. We work with many D.C. metrohigh schools and their bands,” he said.

School visits and other communityoutreach activities are expected to in-crease in the coming months as theweather gets warmer urging local orga-nizations to engage in more recreationalactivities, explained Air Force Master Sgt.Bryce Bunner who escorted the studentsto the rehearsal facility.

“In the spring time we get a lot ofschool groups. It is a chance for the localyouth to spend the day with the Air ForceBand,” he said.

Bunner is head of outreach coordina-tion for the band. He is also a principalviolinist for the Air Force Strings.

Gallia students had previously vis-ited the national capital region, and per-formed at Union Station as well as GeorgeMason University. During their perfor-mance at George Mason they had the op-portunity to work with Mark Camphouse,an Illinois-based composer whose workinvolves symphonic wind instruments,Benson said.

BANDn continued from 1

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL

U.S. Air Force Band’s jazz ensemble Airmen of Note works through a new song for their reper-toire during a visit by music students at Gallia Academy High School, Gallipolis, Ohio.

a whole lot of people and things that gointo making that thing fly. Gas. Peopleto pump that gas. Mechanics to fix thatairplane so that it can go off and do itsmission safely,” Carson said. “And thenwe need security forces, which are whatwe call our police officers, to watch thatflight line and keep it safe from peoplewho might want to do the planes harm,and the list goes on and on.”

Carson explained that the same ap-plies to their school, sports teams, orany other organization that has severalindividuals working for a common pur-pose. But to send the message home,Carson and the band provided contrast-ing examples of teamwork, first bad andthen good, to see what very different out-comes each brings.

“Let me give you an example of whathappens if everyone just does their ownthing.” Carson said as each of the musi-cians played their instruments, each in adifferent rhythm and key. “Listen to thismess.”

Teamwork, cooperation, and work-

ing toward a common purpose howeveryield very different results.

Carson asked the drummer to laydown a beat, saying that the beat was in-teresting, made everyone ant to move it,but with nothing else it might get a littleboring.

“So what happens we have a teammate come along, say Master Sgt. DavidFoster (a native of Houston, Tex.) comesin on the bass and adds to it,” said Car-son, “See everyone’s head is starting tomove a little bit more. We’ve got two indi-viduals doing separate things but as partof a team, making one sound together.”

The band continued building themusic one instrument at a time until itroused almost everyone in the audito-rium to their feet for Stevie Wonder’s hit“Superstition.”

Before the performance came to anend and students returned to their regu-larly scheduled classes, Carson asked forall faculty members to come forward fora dance competition. In the end he in-vited Principal Billy Kearney up on thestage to show off his moves which earnedhim a standing ovation.

“Sometimes you’ve got to let them seethat you’re real,” said Kearney.

YOUTHn continued from 6


Marianne Leas, also a therapist in the Mind-Body Medi-cine Program, explained with increased insight individualsincrease awareness of unconscious patterns that contrib-ute to acute and chronic disease.

“By changing habitual ways of responding to stress —physically, emotionally, or cognitively — we can learn tore-balance our nervous system and our lives in general,”Leas said.

Arbogast refers to meditation as a core skill that involves“bringing ones’ attention back to the present moment withan attitude of openness and curiosity.” She said that dur-ing meditation, the attention to the present moment willwander and the main task is to keep bringing it back to thepresent. “In this way we can train our attention to be morestable, let go of mental and emotional clutter, and achievegreater peace of mind.”

One of the most positive aspects of meditation is it doesnot require a great deal of time or expensive equipment,said the therapists.

“Research has shown that regular meditation practice,as little as 10 minutes a day, strengthens parts of the brainassociated with attention, emotion regulation, stress man-

agement and pro-social behaviors such as a sense of empa-thy for others,” Arbogast added.

The senior therapist said she sometimes recommendsand teaches meditation and other mind-body techniquesto patients with positive results.

“In general, patients who start meditating, and espe-cially those who practice regularly, report feeling less over-whelmed, more relaxed, better able to reduce stress andmanage their emotions,” Arbogast explained.

Susan Emerson, a Walter Reed Bethesda patient whotakes advantage of the Mind-Body Medicine classes, saidmeditation practices she has learned at WRNMMC havemade a “huge improvement” in her life.

“I have a history of solving other people’s problemsand meeting stressful deadlines on projects. The medita-tion practices and Stress Resiliency classes have helped mestep back and look at my inner self,” she said.

Emerson said she is much less stressed and has let go ofanger she wasn’t aware of.

Leas said one of her patients who now meditates toldher, “There is more laughter at our table during dinner.”

For more information about the Mind-Body MedicineProgram, contact Arbogast at (301) 319-4960 or [email protected].

MEDITATIONn continued from 7

mance teams from within to constantly monitor theirprogress and improve local practices to make MiCare amore effective system,” Faison said.

How does MiCare compare with others?Although they use a different name for their secure

messaging system, both the Army and Navy have madeconsiderable progress signing up users. The sister ser-vices have enrolled roughly 523,000 users combined, asof Feb. 28. This joint venture has more than 850,000 com-bined users through all services, as well as 7,600 provid-ers and more than 17,500 primary care team membersusing the system.

The civilian sector is also moving toward offeringmore patient portals since this service will assist theirbeneficiaries to make smart non-urgent care decisionsrather than sitting in a waiting room or going to an ur-gent care facility.

“So far, everyone is hitting the same roadblocks on try-ing to increase participation further where there is reluc-tance to trust new technology,” said Col. Gwendolyn John-son, the deputy for Clinical and Business Analysis Divisionand a MiCare project lead. “The best tools to breaking thebarrier are through education and internal marketing. Ifthe staff can realize how MiCare can empower and engageour patients, then their enthusiasm will show and increasemore patient enrollment.”

A recent secure messaging satisfaction survey dem-onstrated that 97 percent of more than 13,000 surveyrespondents were satisfied with their secure messagingtransaction and more than 86 percent agreed it helpedthem avoid a trip to an emergency room or an MTF for amedical problem.

To find out more about MiCare please visit www.afms.af.mil/MiCare or ask your health care team during yournext visit.

MESSAGING SERVICEn continued from 7

BY STAFF SGT. SUZANNE S. LANE

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS

The Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) Chapel is wellknown for its long standing Christmas Cantata. The sec-ond annual Ecumenical Lenten Cantata follows in thatsame tradition of excellence.

The JBAB Chapel ecumenical community brings tolife through scripture and song of Joel Raney’s, “The LastSeven Days”. The cantata depicts Jesus’ entrance into Je-

rusalem on Palm Sunday and the week’s events throughChrist’s crucifixion and burial on Friday evening.

The combination of voices and musicians expressingtheir common connection in the week of the Passion ofChrist.

Start your Holy week journey by joining us at the Cha-pel Center on April 11th at 7 p.m.

A potluck meatless supper will be held afterwards, allare welcome to attend.

For more information please contact 202-767-5900.

Ecumenical Lenten Tenebrae Cantata

1041652

Comprint Military Publications is seeking interested militaryspouses in the Northern VA area to sell advertising into our

military newspapers & websites. A great way to support yourfamily’s income while supporting your military community’spublications. Telecommuting is available for part of the week!Looking to share your understanding of military lifestyle with

local businesses who want to reach the bases/posts.

For more details please contact Publisher John Rives at:[email protected], and include your resume.

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WE WWE WANT YOUANT YOUWE WWE WANT YOUANT YOUWE WANT YOU


BY JIM DRESBACHPENTAGRAM STAFF WRITER

Heroes honored heroes March 25 at Ar-lington National Cemetery and the Womenin Military Service for America Memorialauditorium.

March 25 is annually remembered asMedal of Honor Day, and 30 MoH recipi-ents gathered to recognize three U.S. citi-zens who made life-changing, courageousdecisions over the past year. The three wererecognized as the 2014 recipients of the Citi-zens Service Before Self award, which is de-signed to recognize “everyday citizens.”

Honored posthumously was Sparks,Nev., middle school teacher Michael Lands-berry, who confronted a gunman and al-lowed his students to escape to safety.Landsberry, a former Marine and memberof the Nevada Air National Guard, was fa-tally shot Oct. 21, 2013. Accepting the Citi-zen Honors medal and commendation wasLandsberry’s widow, Sharon.

California Eagle Scout Connor Stottswas lauded for rescuing three friends fromocean riptide currents, and former SoldierTroy Yocum was honored for his endeavorsin assisting military families and veteransstruggling with Post Traumatic Stress Dis-order and depression.

“These awards serve a critical purposein our society to honor the selfless serviceof everyday citizens,” said keynote speakerRoger Krone, Boeing Defense, Space andSecurity president. “Often in today’s world,the word ‘hero’ is used too easily, and itsmeaning frays in time and becomes lost.Gathering here at Arlington National Cem-etery, the final resting place for so manywho faithfully served our nation, we renew

its meaning by celebrating the actions of theheroes who are all around us.”

Before the ceremony, MoH servicemem-bers joined 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (TheOld Guard) and The U.S. Army Band at theTomb of the Unknowns for a wreath-layingceremony in a late March snow storm. Es-corted by Joint Force Headquarters-Na-tional Capital Region/Military District ofWashington Commander Maj. Gen. JeffreyS. Buchanan, MoH recipients Gary Beikirch,Hershel Williams, James Taylor and ClintonRomesha placed a wreath of remembranceat the tomb.

Yocum, a native of Louisville, Ky., walkedacross America to help raise $1.3 million tosupport military families and currently isheading a community program to build aretreat in Shepherdsville, Ky., for militaryfamilies scarred by veteran suicides. He isinspired by all who have worn an Ameri-can military uniform; and specifically, hisgrandfather, who suffered from PTSD.

“My grandfather was a World War II vet-eran, and when I was one, he took his ownlife,” Yocum explained. “He suffered frompost-traumatic stress for 40 years. Now, mygrandfather was always my hero, but grow-ing up, I had so many people telling me ath-letes and actors are famous and the heroes.I never felt that way. I always felt that veter-ans are real heroes.”

Since the award’s inception in 2008, 24people have received the honor. Nomi-nees considered are those who have com-mitted an act of “extraordinary heroism”clearly demonstrating “a willingness toplace his or her own life at risk for oth-ers,” according to the Congressional MoHFoundation website.

Heroism defined

PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE

Troy Yocum, Sharon Landsberry and Connor Stotts pose for photographs during the CitizenHonors Ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial March 25 in Arling-ton, Va. Yocum and Stotts received Citizen Service Before Self medals. Landsberry receivedthe medal on behalf of her late husband Michael.

ing theUniversity ofMaryland, to ensure theystay current.

Usually, the wounded that are not cat-egorized as urgent or critical are preppedand transported to the 86th CASF the eve-ning before they fly out.

As a result of the wounded Marine’scondition, he was not sent to the CASF butwas held at Landstuhl until the aircraft wasready to receive him.

I met back up with the Marine on myflight back to Andrews. He instantly seemed

different, better even. He was more con-scious and was no longer intubated, thoughhe still had heaps of tubes and wires strewnacross him.

Due to crew rest limitations, the CCATTwho had brought him this far switched outand another team tended to his care.

Upon landingatAndrews,hewasgreetedbya fellow Marine and ushered off of the aircraftand onto a bus that took him toWalter Reed.

With shrapnel in his lung, arm and vari-ous other places in his body, theMarine sur-vived because hemade it into the system. Asskilled as the enemy has become at injuringour troops, we have become more skilled atsaving their lives.

FLIGHTn continued from 4

1041806


Immunization ClinicThe 579th Medical Group Immuniza-

tion Clinic will be open Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.On Thursdays, the clinic will be open from 8a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:15p.m. The clinic closes at 12 p.m. for train-ing the first Wednesday of each month. Formore information, call 202-404-6724.

Toastmasters Club seeks membersThe Bolling Toastmasters Club is avail-

able for everyone on JBAB as a place topractice your leadership skills. Toastmas-ters clubs are where leaders are made,and leadership starts with good commu-nication. The program is self-paced, andit works. The Bolling Toastmasters Clubmeets Wednesdays from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.at the JBAB Chapel Center. Visitors arewelcome. For more information, call JimQueen at 301-452-6931.

Boys and Girls Club volunteersThe Boys and Girls Club of Greater

Washington needs volunteer coaches fortheir youth baseball league for 10-year-olds and 12-year-olds. For more informa-tion or to sign up, call 512-560-5548 from7 a.m.-5 p.m. or email [email protected].

JBAB Cub ScoutsAttention all boys grades 1st through

5th interested in scouting. Please contactthe JBAB Cub Scouts, Pack 343, at [email protected] for more information.Each den holds their own meetings eachmonth along with one pack event. Boys willearn badges together and can work on indi-vidual achievements as well. Come join usfor popcorn, camping and so much more.

JBAB Cyclists on FacebookBasically a forum for all JBAB riders to

get together. We organize group rides over

lunch and during commuting hours. Visit usonline at www.facebook.com/groups/jbab-cyclists. Formore information, email [email protected].

Navy Wives Clubs of AmericaThe D.C. Metro chapter of Navy Wives

Clubs of America, Eleanor Roosevelt #37,hosts meetings every second Thursday ofthe month to discuss and plan volunteeractivities in the local military and civil-ian communities. Military spouses of allbranches are welcome to attend. For moreinformation, email [email protected] visit www.facebook.com/NWCA37.

Firth-Sterling Gate operationsThe Firth-Sterling gate is closed on week-

ends. Once the gate’s automated featuresbecome available, the gate will be accessibleby any Common Access Card (CAC) holder24/7 during normal FPCON “A” conditions.

NAVY 311“NAVY 311” is the place to go for all

types of information to help support Navymilitary, civilian and retiree personnel andtheir families. Access NAVY 311 at 1-855-NAVY-311 or (DSN) 510- NAVY-311. You canalso email [email protected] or visit www.NAVY311.navy.mil.

Post Office closed for one hourThe JBAB Post Office is closed Monday

- Friday for lunch from 2-3 p.m. For moreinformation, call 202-767-4419.

Air Force Wives’ Club Thrift ShopThe Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club Thrift

Shop is located at 13 Brookley Ave and isopen Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Donations are acceptedduring business hours only. Profits fromthe AFOWC Thrift shop go toward collegescholarships and other military charitableorganizations. For more information aboutthe AFOWC or its Thrift Shop call 202-563-6666 or email [email protected].

JNOTESMiscellaneous items related to your health, your career, your life and your community

CATHOLIC SERVICES

ReconciliationSunday 9 a.m. Chapel Center

RosarySunday 9:10 a.m. Chapel Center

MassTuesday 11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterWednesday 11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterThursday 11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterFriday 7 a.m. Chapel Center

Saturday 5 p.m. Chapel CenterSunday 9:30 a.m. Chapel Center

PROTESTANT SERVICES

Sunday WorshipGospel 11:30 a.m. Chapel CenterGeneral Protestant 11 a.m. Chapel 2

Sunday SchoolSept - May 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Any questions about these services orother religious needs call 202-767-5900.

Chapel

BY CHUCK LUCAS


RETIREE AFFAIRS OFFICE

Military retirees and eligible depen-dents in the National Capital Area are in-vited to participate in a dental screeningprogram that could lead to potential treat-ment for selected members.

For the 20th straight year, the Air Force79th Medical Wing’s Advanced Educationin General Dentistry program at Joint BaseAndrews and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling(JBAB) is offering dental examinations.

Interested persons should call the JBABRetiree Activities Office (RAO) at 202-767-5244 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. onWednesday,April 23. Calls at any other time to the RAOor dental clinics will not be honored.

Dental technicians will review the call-er’s dental history, looking for conditionsthat meet the needs for resident training.

Selected retirees and dependents willbe scheduled for examinations at the An-drews dental clinic, Wednesday morning,May 7, and at the JBAB clinic, Wednesday,May 14.

Air Force Col. Jeffrey Denton, directorof residency training, said they plan to of-fer examinations to as many as 96 retirees– 48 at each location. “Results of the examswill be reviewed by the dental staff,” headded. “Those with conditions determinedto meet the educational needs of our resi-dents will be considered for appointments,probably starting in October and runningthrough next summer.”

Retired Air Force Col. John Moser, RAOdirector, expressed his appreciation to thedental staff for this unique opportunity forlocal retirees. “We continue to be indebtedto the dental staff for including the retireecommunity to the extent possible.”

Retiree DentalScreenings Offered

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.


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