Timber!! Tree limb nearly fallson Headquarters Building

CDC SummerPAGE X

Commander’sColumn..p.2SocialSecurity ...p.2PracticalMoneyMatters..p.2HailsandFarewells ...p.3EAP...p.6SHARP...p.6Safety ...p.6

INDEX

RRiigghhtt TTooddaayy BBeetttteerr TToommoorrrrooww““BBeetttteerr ttoommoorrrrooww”” means that every day, we will make improvements. Everytime we start a manufacturing or administrative process, it should be more ef-ficient and more environmentally friendly than it was before. Every day shouldbe safer than the last one.

Accomplishing the mission ““rriigghhtt ttooddaayy”” simply means complying with regu-lations, policies, plans, work instructions, SOPs, and other requirements. Wewill not compromise the quality of products that will be used by our Warfight-ers and when we make these products, we will minimize impact on the envi-ronment and we will ensure no one gets hurt in the process.

September 13, 2018 September 13, 2018 Volume 34, Number 9Volume 34, Number 9

PBASAFETYGLANCE

Safety Element forfiscal year 2018:Lost Day Case:

0.14Award Goal: 0.57

* Lost time injuries forfiscal year 2018 isone. There are zerolost time injuries asof September 2018.

*Recordable injuriesfor fiscal year 2018are nine. Recordableinjuies are zero as ofSeptmber 2018.

*Pine Bluff Arsenaldays without a losttime injury is 138.

*Pine Bluff Arsenaldays without arecordable injury is56.

*Estimated hoursworked without a losttime injury: 584,795

ON THEINSIDE

PBA24/7 SHARP

Hotline870-209-4093

Ortiz visits Holston ...p.5

IN BRIEFPine Bluff Arsenal will

host a Hispanic HeritageMonth luncheon Sept. 26 at11:30 a.m., at the Army Re-serve Center.Speaker will be Arsenal

Commander Col. Luis A.Ortiz. Tickets are $12 andmust be purchased by Sept.20. Lunch will be cateredby El Parian Restaurant inWhite Hall.Points of contact for this

event to purchase ticketsare the Commanders officeat 540-3004; Equal Em-ployment Office at 540-3095; Welton Boyce at540-2969 or Megan Bookerat 540-3418.

According to information from R.J. England with Pine Bluff Arsenal’s Directorate ofPublic Works, no damage was caused when a large tree limb fell around 6 a.m., July27 behind Pine Bluff Arsenal’s Headquarters Building. England said the tree limb,which was dying, fell and nearly missed the building. For safety reasons, the dam-aged tree and one other tree were removed from the area. Rob Aikman, Luke Dick-son and Fred Magnini, with DPW’s Roads and Grounds Division, cut the trees downand ground the stumps. After a good rain, grass should grow over the stump area,said England. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY HUGH MORGAN

The United State Senateconfirmed the promotionof Col. Michelle M.T.Letcher, Commander ofU.S. Army Joint MunitionsCommand, to the rank ofBrigadier General July 31.This is a great honor forLetcher and demonstratesher continued dedication,leadership, and hard workfor the Army and the Na-tion. The ceremony will beheld Sept. 18. Time is stillpending. U.S. ARMY PHOTO-JMC

PPrroommoottiioonnttoo BBGG sseett ffoorr

LLeettcchheerr

PBA represented at recent Guard training

Top photo, Capt. (P) Dallas Heltz gives the thumbs up as he poses with several M485 il-lumination mortar rounds in a tent during Operation Western Strike at Camp Gurnsey,Wy. Heltz is the current chief legal counsel for Pine Bluff Arsenal. These rounds are pro-duced at the Arsenal U.S. ARMY PHOTO PROVIDED BY DALLAS HELTZ

Bottom photo, M485 illumination mortar rounds are shot during Operation WesternStrike, a recent training mission conducted by the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade,Arkansas National Guard, at Camp Gurnsey, Wy. These mortar rounds are produced atPine Bluff Arsenal. U.S. ARMY PHOTO-ARKANSAS NATIONAL GUARD

BByy RRaacchheell SSeellbbyyPine Bluff Arsenal was

well represented in atraining conducted by the142nd Field ArtilleryBrigade with the ArkansasNational Guard. The annual training, an

Emergency DeploymentReadiness Exercise, washeld during June at CampGuernsey, Wy. Capt. (P) Dallas Heltz,

the Arsenal’s Chief LegalCounsel, has been withthe brigade for four years,and works as the unit’sJAG or Judge Advocate.Heltz was promoted tomajor Sept. 8. “As the brigade judge

advocate, I serve the 06commander and I am hispersonal JAG,” he said.“I’m at the brigade levelbut assist the lower levelbattalions. As the JAG, Igive all the legal advice tothe 06 commander andbattalion commanders. Iassist in legal affairs forthe entire brigade and Iachieve this through an-other JAG and a paralegalplus there is an enlistedparalegal in all the battal-ions.”M485 illumination

mortar rounds, producedat the Arsenal, were alsoused during the trainingexercise. According toLinda Wallace with theArsenal’s Directorate ofMaterial Management, areplenishment shipmentof approximately 150M485s were sent toWyoming at the end ofJune. In a phone conver-

SEE OWS, PAGE 4

September 13, 2018 - The Arsenal Sentinel – Page 3

Hails and FarewellsHHaaiillss

SSeeaann MM.. CCoonnnneellllyy, MechanicalEngineer, has joined the Directorateof Public Works, Engineering andPlans Division.

TTeeddddyy RR SSppiivveeyy, Firefighter(BLS/HAZMAT Technician), hasjoined the Directorate of EmergencyServices, Fire Protection & Preven-tion Division.

DDaavviidd JJ.. PPiinneellll, Utility SystemsOperator, has joined the Directorateof Public Works, Operations andMaintenance Division

FFiinniiss AA.. MMaarrttiinn, Supply Techni-cian, has joined the Directorate ofMaterial Management.

WWiilllliiaamm MMoooorree JJrr.., ChemicalEquipment Repairer, has joined theDirectorate of Chemical and Biolog-ical Defense Operations.

PPeetteerr BBeetthheeaa, Mechanical Engi-neer, has joined the Directorate ofEngineering and Technology.

TTrraannssffeerrss

MMiilllliicceenntt RR.. HHoobbssoonn, ProgramAnalyst, has transferred from the Di-rectorate of Public Works to the De-partment of the Navy.

JJooeell SS.. MMaarrrriiootttt, General Engi-neer, has transferred from the Direc-torate of Public Works to the UnitedStates Veterans Administration,North Little Rock, Ark.

CPAC Corner

GIGContinued from Page 2

hefty tax bill because they’ll owe thefull amount at filing time. If you don’t want to be caught off

guard at filing time, consider one ofthe following ways to prepare: • SSaavvee ppaarrtt ooff yyoouurr ccoonnttrraacctt iinn--

ccoommee.. Knowing that you’ll eventu-ally have to pay taxes on the contractor freelance income you earn, youcould set aside a portion of themoney in a savings account as youreceive it. An added financial bene-fit of doing this is that you could earninterest on the savings throughoutthe year.• MMaakkee eessttiimmaatteedd ttaaxx ppaayymmeennttss.. If

you owe more than $1,000 in taxeswhen you file your return, you mayhave to pay an additional penalty forunderpaying your taxes throughoutthe year. To avoid this, you can makeestimated tax payments online, byphone or by mail each quarter. • IInnccrreeaassee yyoouurr WW--44((ss)) wwiitthhhhoolldd--

iinnggss.. If you’re an employee (as op-posed to a contractor), the FormW-4 you fill out helps the company

determine how much money itshould withhold and send to the IRSfrom each of your paychecks. Whenyou start a new side gig, you can up-date your Form W-4 and changeyour withholdings based on yournew total income. To determine the correct with-

holdings, you can use the worksheetattached to the W-4 or try the freeIRS tool online. Once you figure outthe correct withholdings amount, fillout a new Form W-4 and give it toyour company’s HR department (orwhoever manages your payroll). Youcan update your W-4 as many timesas you want throughout the year. BBoottttoomm lliinnee:: There are many ways

to get a side gig and earn extramoney, and the new tax bill meansmany contract workers may be ableto keep more of the money they earn.However, freelancers and contrac-tors should still take steps through-out the year to avoid being caught offguard when they file a tax returnnext year.

CorrectionCol. Michelle M.T. Letcher’s name was printed wrong in the August Ar-

senal Sentinel. Letcher is the Commanding General of U.S. Army Joint Mu-nitions Command.

Editor’s note: Thisarticle and the recom-mendations includedwithin it are providedfor informational andeducational purposesonly and should not berelied upon for tax,legal, regulatory orother advice. Recom-mendations should beindependently evalu-ated by a tax profes-sional in light of yourspecific needs and anyapplicable laws andregulations. NeitherVisa nor Mr. Norton isresponsible for your useof the recommenda-tions or other informa-tion, including errors ofany kind, contained inthis document.

BByy HHuugghh NNoorrttoonnPPrraaccttiiccaall MMoonneeyy SSkkiillllssWhether they’re

renting out a spareroom, driving others,delivering food or prod-

ucts, selling crafts or of-fering services online,many people are tryingto find new and inter-esting ways to makemoney outside of theirnine-to-five jobs. Someturn to online plat-forms that connect con-tractors with work andothers are creatingtheir own small busi-nesses. Either way, aside gig can help youmake ends meet or pro-vide you with extraspending money. The idea of joining

the “gig economy” maybe even more enticingfor some after the pas-sage of the Tax Cuts andJob Act (the new taxbill), which offers somecontractors and busi-ness owners a tax breakif they meet certainoutlined criteria. Evenif you’re eligible for thenew deduction, youshould still plan ahead

to avoid a surprise nexttax season. What does the new

tax bill offer freelancersand contractors? Inshort, you may be ableto deduct 20 percent ofthe net income (yourincome after expenses)you earn as a sole pro-prietor or contractor.Owners of a pass-through entity, such asan S-corporation orlimited liability com-pany (LLC), could alsobe eligible. The deduction does-

n’t apply to income youearn as an employee ofa temp company, evenif you’ve moved fromone short-term gig toanother. And there areexceptions for high-in-come earners. Butmany people who worka regular job and have aside gig, or even a fewside gigs, could be eligi-ble.

Freelancers and con-tractors still have to paytaxes. The new deduc-tion could help limithow much you’ll owewhen you file a tax re-turn next year. How-ever, even if you areeligible for the deduc-tions, your net incomewill likely still be sub-ject to income taxes –you should consult a taxprofessional for furtherinformation. You couldalso have to pay SocialSecurity, Medicare andself-employment taxeson all your earnings (in-cluding the deductibleportion). Unlike income

earned as an employee,when you work as anindependent contrac-tor, taxes generallyaren’t taken out of yourpaychecks. As a result,contractors could face a

This past Tuesdaymarked the 18th an-niversary of the 9-11 at-tacks on our Nation. Ihope everyone took amoment to reflect onthe profound sacrificesof that day. We con-tinue to rememberthose that died, as wellas the military servicemembers, civilians andcontractors that havegiven their lives in Iraq,Afghanistan and else-where. Pine Bluff Arsenal is

an important part ofour Nation’s military.The products we makeand maintain here savelives and protect ourSoldiers. I know every-one here takes greatpride in what they doon a daily basis.The Arsenal’s guiding

values and expectationsfocus on excellence, re-sponsiveness, leadership,accountability, commu-nication and teamwork.We have a greater re-sponsibility during thistime to keep our ex-penses down, focus onbeing effective and effi-cient and retaining ourcritical manufacturingcapabilities. We need to ensure

our products performeach and every timethey are needed. Weshould apply a greatfocus on strategic is-sues, listen to our cus-tomers and showcasewhat we can do forthem. A great exampleof our ability to do all ofthis was the productionof the four millionthgrenade without an in-cident since we startedinstalling our ownstarter patches. That is

dependability and at-tention to detail. That islife for our military thatdepends on our prod-ucts. Military personnelthank you and will con-tinue to depend on yourwork. A strategic transition

workshop was held inAugust to further assistmy transition as Arse-nal commander, and tosharpen our strategicfocus. The two-dayworkshop brought di-rectors, office chiefsand other leaders fromacross the Arsenalworkforce together toexamine, brainstormand develop strategiesin dealing with chal-lenges facing the Arse-nal today. The transition work-

shop provided me theopportunity to commu-nicate my vision to theworkforce. It allowed usto come together as ateam and talk about thefuture of the Arsenal.The workshop did notjust apply to what hap-pens in the next twoyears, but allowed us tosee how we prepare forthe next 10 to 20 yearsdown the road. In early August, a

Protection Assessmentand Fire and Emer-gency Services Opera-tional ReadinessInspection (ORI) wasconducted by U.S.Army Material Com-mand. Nine criticaltasks were evaluatedand assessed. Eightwere rated green andone amber. An actionplan is being developedto address all the find-ings from the combinedassessment and inspec-tion. September is Na-

tional Suicide Preven-tion Awareness Month.Pine Bluff Arsenal’sArmy Substance AbuseProgram/Employee As-sistance Program willsponsor a two milewalk Sept. 15, 8 a.m., atthe Jefferson RegionalMedical Center Well-ness Center in PineBluff. For informationabout this event, con-tact EAP at 540-3094.As we continue into

September, we are nowpast Labor Day. Schoolis in full swing. Theweather continues to beunpredictable withstorms and heat. Pleasecontinue to stay mind-ful of the daily weatherchanges and heat indexupdates sent out byDES. Take scheduledbreaks, limit outdoorwork during hot timesduring the day and stayhydrated. Continue towatch out for yourteammates and besafety conscious.Team Pine Bluff is all

of us. In order for thisArsenal to be successfuland continue to oper-ate, it takes all of us todo our part. Our part

includes being account-able for all of our ac-tions and ensuring thatwe pay attention towhatever we are doingwhether it is working,walking, running, rid-ing, or driving. I men-tion this because I haveobserved that there aretimes as I ride through-out the installationthere is trash on theside of the road and inmany cases this trash isnew soda cans or plas-tic bottles. I ask myselfwhy? Why would a per-son want to discard asoda can or anythinginstead of taking it tothe trash? My immedi-ate thought goes to thefact that the driver orpassenger was dis-tracted, and tossed thecan or bottle becausehe/she was thinking ofsomething else. So I ask that all of us

pay attention to ourdriving, while driving.Do not talk on the cellphone, do not read textor email, do not speed(pay attention to yourspeed gauge), in otherwords, just concentrateon driving. Please donot throw trash out ofyour vehicle.I chose the trash ex-

ample because it is themost basic example. Ifyou treat that particu-lar situation withoutregard for anyone else,than what else are youneglecting? We workin an installation thathas inherent dangers.We cannot afford tolose a member of ourteam for lack of con-centration. Thank you for what

you do every day.

SEE GIG, PAGE 3

Page 2 – The Arsenal Sentinel – September 13, 2018

This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of theU.S. Army. Contents of the Arsenal Sentinel are not necessarilythe official view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, De-partment of Defense, Department of Army or the Pine Bluff Ar-senal. It is published monthly using the offset method by thePublic Affairs Office of the Pine Bluff Arsenal. Address mail to:Editor, AMSSB-OPB-IN, 10020 Kabrich Circle, Pine Bluff, AR71602-9500. Telephone: 870-540-3421 or DSN 966-3421.Printed circulation: Approximately 1,200. The appearance of ad-vertising in this publication including inserts or supplementsdoes not constitute endorsement by the Department of Army orGate House Media, of the products or services advertised. Alleditorial content of the Arsenal Sentinel is prepared, edited, pro-vided and approved by the Public Affairs Office of the Pine BluffArsenal. The Sentinel is printed by Gate House Media, a privatefirm in no way connected with the Department of Army, underexclusive written contract with the Pine Bluff Arsenal. The civil-ian printer is responsible for all commercial advertising. Univer-sal Resource Locator: http://www.pba.army.mil.

Arsenal Sentinel

GateHouse Media, Printer

Col. Luis A. Ortiz, CommanderRoch Byrne, Deputy to the CommanderCheryl Avery, Public Affairs Officer

Rachel Selby, EditorHugh Morgan, PhotographerStan Nelson, Webmaster

PPiinnee BBlluuffff AArrsseennaallAArrmmyy SSuubbssttaannccee AAbbuussee PPrrooggrraamm

((AASSAAPP))EEmmppllooyyeeee AAssssiissttaannccee PPrrooggrraamm

((EEAAPP))EAP can helpyou with:*Emotional problems*Financial problems*Marriage andfamily problems*Substance abuse*Health management issues*Stress management

EAP can help you:*Identify problems*Resolve issues*Improve your quality of life

..Manynames..one goal,to help you in atime of personal crisis or other

trouble.

Come visit with EAP staff members Pat Jenkins, PaulaSmith, Cassandra Cosen and

Dee Jermon at Building 13-040 or call 870-540-3094.

Commander’s Column

Col. Luis A.Ortiz

Social Security

AR 360-1 is the regulation that governs the releaseof public information. This includes what to release and how to release it to

the public, non-releasable subjects, and items thatneed to be cleared through public affairs channels priorto release. The Public Affairs Program is the overall re-sponsibility of the Arsenal commander. Only the commanders and their designated repre-

sentatives are authorized to speak for the Pine BluffArsenal. The PAO acts as the liaison between themedia and the installation. However, employees areencouraged to speak to civilian professional groups onmatters in which the individual has personal knowl-edge and expertise. This needs to be coordinated through the Public Af-

fairs Office. They shouldn’t comment on military mat-ters that are beyond their knowledge and experience.Obviously, classified information won’t be discussed atall.

Army Regulation-360

"Army Professionals,by our solemn oath, vol-untarily incur an extraor-dinary moral obligation touphold the Army Values,which apply to all aspectsof our life. Although ourlives are changed by theInternet and social mediain general, the standardsof our conduct have not. Online misconduct is

misconduct -wherever,whenever, and however itoccurs. Whether in theform of online harass-ment, assault, bullying,hazing, stalking, discrim-ination, retaliation, im-proper relationships, orany other type of miscon-duct, we hold ourselvesand others accountable. Trustworthy Army Pro-

fessionals do not tolerate

double standards; any-thing that is unacceptableto say or do in person isalso unacceptable to writeor post online. When using electronic

communication, mem-bers of the Army Teamshould apply "Think,Type, Post"-"Think" about what

messages/information isbeing communicated andwho could potentiallyview it; "Type" messagesor convey informationthat is consistent with theArmy Values; and "Post" ifthe message/informationis responsible and demon-strates dignity and respectfor others. Remember whenever

on online -Think, Type,Post."

Online ConductTThhiinnkk.. TTyyppee.. PPoosstt

Lakita CatoPine Bluff Commercial

Advertising

Practical Money Matters

LLiikkee PPiinnee BBlluuffff AArrsseennaalloonn FFaacceebbooookk aatt

UU..SS.. AArrmmyy PPiinnee BBlluuffff AArrsseennaall

aanndd TTwwiitttteerr aatt@@PPBB__AArrsseennaall

BByy TToonnyyaa CCaatteerrSSoocciiaall SSeeccuurriittyy PPuubblliicc AAffffaaiirrss Social Security and Medicare have a few things

in common. Both programs help safeguard mil-lions of Americans as well as improve the qualityof life for our family and friends. Although bothprograms are household names, many people maynot be familiar with the details of Medicare. Medicare is our country’s health insurance

program for people age 65 or older. The programhelps with the cost of health care, but it doesn’tcover all medical expenses or the cost of mostlong-term care. You have choices for how you get Medicare cov-

erage. If you choose to have original Medicarecoverage, you can buy a Medicare supplementpolicy (called Medigap) from a private insurancecompany to cover some of the costs that Medicaredoes not.Medicare has four parts: • MMeeddiiccaarree PPaarrtt AA ((hhoossppiittaall iinnssuurraannccee)) helps

pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nurs-ing facility (following a hospital stay). Part A alsopays for some home health care and hospice care. • MMeeddiiccaarree PPaarrtt BB ((mmeeddiiccaall iinnssuurraannccee)) helps

pay for services from doctors and other healthcare providers, outpatient care, home health care,durable medical equipment, and some preventiveservices. • MMeeddiiccaarree PPaarrtt CC ((MMeeddiiccaarree AAddvvaannttaaggee)) in-

cludes all benefits and services covered under PartA and Part B. Some plans include Medicare pre-scription drug coverage (Medicare Part D) andother extra benefits and services. • MMeeddiiccaarree PPaarrtt DD ((MMeeddiiccaarree pprreessccrriippttiioonn ddrruugg

ccoovveerraaggee)) helps cover the cost of prescriptiondrugs. Some people with limited resources and in-come may also be able to get Extra Help with thecosts—monthly premiums, annual deductibles,and prescription co-payments—related to aMedicare prescription drug plan. The Extra Helpis estimated to be worth about $4,900 per year.You must meet the resources and income re-quirement.Medicare’s different parts are further explained in

our publication at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10043.pdf.If you can’t afford to pay your Medicare premi-

ums and other medical costs, you may be able toget help from your state. States offer programs forpeople eligible for or entitled to Medicare whohave low income. Some programs may pay forMedicare premiums and some pay Medicare de-ductibles and coinsurance. To qualify, you musthave Medicare Part A and have limited incomeand resources.You can learn more about Medicare, including

how to apply for Medicare and get a replacementMedicare card, at www.socialsecurity.gov/bene-fits/medicare.

MMeeddiiccaarree EExxppllaaiinneedd

GGiigg eeccoonnoommyy mmoorree eennttiicciinngg wwiitthh nneeww ttaaxx bbiillll

ShaneMarriott was presented a U.S.ArmyAchievement Medal for CivilianService by Steve Redman, Director of Material Management, for his con-tributions to the Arsenal as the Energy Manager. Marriott has been serv-ing as the program manager in multiple energy reduction projects. TheArsenal now boasts to be the top fifth performer in all of U.S. Army Ma-teriel Command’s 22 reporting installations in reduction of energy use in-tensity against a fiscal year 2015 baseline with a14.3 percent reduction. In addition, water use forthe Arsenal saw a 66.3 percent reduction from a2007 fiscal year baseline ranking the installationseventh in the 22 AMC reporting installations.Marriott, who recently transferred to the Veter-ans Administration in North Little Rock,Ark., had18 years of dedicated service to the Arsenal. U.S.ARMYPHOTO

Page 4 – The Arsenal Sentinel – September 13, 2018

OWSContinued from Page 1

Capt. (P) Dallas Heltz poses for a selfie during Operation Western Strike.Heltz was promoted tomajor Sept. 8. Look at that beautifulWyoming landand sky in the background. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY DALLAS HELTZ

sation with Chief Warrant Officer 3Travis Reinhardt, whose office sup-ported the training inWyoming, therounds sent from PBA will be ex-pended during future artillery unittrainings.“Themobilization for this training

included rail movement of the entirebrigade for the first time sinceDesert Storm. The destination justhappened to be Wyoming.” saidHeltz. “The 142d is a contingencybrigade and has to be ready to go ata 30-day notice. This mean the unithas to be operating on the groundwithin the 30-day time frame. Thisincludes the load and unload – prettymuch everything.”He explained that it would be sim-

ilar to him moving his office acrosspost and cataloging what it took todo the move. “We would know howmany boxes each desk area took, etc.,“he said. “If we ever had to do some-thing similar in the future, we coulddo it super-fast and know what as-sets would be needed.”According to information from

the Arkansas National Guard PublicAffairs Office, the rail operations forOperation Western Strike were con-ducted at Fort Chaffee, Ark., nearFort Smith. Approximately 100 Sol-diers from across the brigade partic-ipated in the movement of theequipment, and approximately 900vehicles were loaded onto flatbedtrucks and rail cars during the oper-ation.Heltz said there are two main

areas that take up themajority of du-ties with the brigade, one of whichincludes personnel. “This is verysimilar to what I do at the Arsenal,”said Heltz. “The second major de-mand is operational law. As the JAG,I think op law is a neat and fun areabecause you are applying the law ofarmed conflict, international/na-

tional law, etc. There are just somany lanes there. I’m there to an-swer the commander’s questionswithin those lanes.”The Soldiers are so incredibly

well-trained and sophisticated, saidHeltz. “They want to follow the law.They want tomake sure because sec-ondsmatter,” he said. “Sometimes weare so deep into the exercise thatthings are understood and full sen-tences of explanation are not evenneeded. Facts matter during armedconflict.”The exercise operations in

Wyoming took approximately 20days, said Heltz. “I’ve really enjoyedbeing a part of this unit,” he said, ex-plaining that he is being promotedout of the brigade. “I am becomingthe chief of domestic operational lawfor the state of Arkansas. This is theguard’s domestic mission side –which includes disaster response.However, if the 142d deploys I willdeploy with them.”Battalions from Alabama and

Tennessee were also part of the exer-cise.At the conclusion of the exercise

in Wyoming, the 142d FAB Com-mander Lt. Col. (P) Nick Jaskolski,said he was incredibly proud of theSoldiers. “The Soldiers here are tiedto a broader network – their familiesand employers. Without the supportof their employers and especially thefamilies, there is no way we would beable to accomplish what we did,” hesaid during a Facebook video createdby the PAO. “I’m continually hum-bled by the sacrifices the Soldiersmake, and even more important thesacrifices of the family, as well as theunderstanding of the employers. Theemployers give that Soldier time tocomplete their training to be ready.That is something that is so incredi-bly important.”

Lachowsky joins Business Ops

ZZaacchh LLaacchhoowwsskkyy

BByy RRaacchheell SSeellbbyyA new engineer

joined Pine Bluff Arse-nal’s Directorate ofBusiness Operations inJune and has been as-signed to the task ofoverseeing public andprivate partnerships forthe installation. Zach Lachowsky

comes to the Arsenalfresh out of college,graduating in May fromArkansas TechnicalUniversity in Russel-lville, Ark. “I was hiredin as a general engineerbut have also beendoing some junior proj-ect management worksince I’ve been here,” hesaid. “Most of my taskshave been centered onpublic/private partner-ships.”Originally from

Ozark, Ark., Lachowskyhas a Bachelor of Sci-ence in Mechanical En-gineering and anAssociates of Science inNuclear Technology. Hecurrently lives inBryant, Ark.“It has been a bit of a

learning curve for me inthe area of public/pri-vate partnerships. Itwasn’t something Iknew much about,however, I have alreadytraveled and had the

opportunity to talk tosome potential part-ners,” he said. “Part ofthese opportunities areabout developingstrategies with the vari-ous corporations.”Lachowsky also had

the chance to partici-pate in a two-day In-dustry Day event June7. The event broughtmore than 124 atten-dees together and wasorganized by the Arse-nal and the Joint Pro-gram Executive Officefor Chemical, Biologi-cal, Radiological andNuclear Defense. Ap-proximately 46 chemi-

cal and biological de-fense companies wererepresented.“Industry Day was

during my second weekhere. It was good visi-bility and being able tosit down and have one-on-one conversationswith the companies wasgreat,” he said. As a junior project

manager, Lachowskyhas been providing sup-port to Justin Lieberand Jordan Freer, proj-ect managers for Busi-ness Operations. “I was recently as-

signed my first projectwhich involves the cre-ation of two prototypesfor a Nuclear, Biologi-cal, Chemical Recon-naissance Vehicle. Thisis a variant of theStryker vehicle – whichis an eight-wheeled ar-mored fighting vehicle,”he said. “The proto-types are scheduledright now for fiscal year2021.”Lachowsky also

served in the U.S. Armyfor three and a halfyears. “When I got outof high school, I joinedthe Army with the in-fantry,” he said. “I did atour in Iraq and Jordanduring the draw downperiod around 2011.”

Achievement Medal

Top photo, Carla Easterling with Pine Bluff Arse-nal’s Recreation Services and Debbie Johnson,bottom photo, with Child and Youth Serviceswere recognized recently with a Thanks-A-Million Certificate by Missy Brodnax, director ofFamily Morale, Welfare and Recreation, fordemonstrating the U.S. Army Installation Man-agement Command principles of Service, Excel-lence, Respect, Vision, Integrity, Communicationand Empowerment. U.S. ARMY PHOTO-MWR

September 13, 2018 - The Arsenal Sentinel – Page 5

Col. Luis Ortiz, commander of Pine Bluff Arsenal, Holston and RadfordArmyAmmunition Plants, vis-its with members of the government staff at Holston Army Ammunition Plant Aug. 13. U.S. ARMYPHOTO BY KATHY COLE-HSAAP

BByy KKaatthhyy OO.. CCoolleeHHSSAAAAPP PPuubblliicc AAffffaaiirrssHolston Army Am-

munition Plant wel-comed Col. Luis Ortiz,Commander of PineBluff Arsenal, Holstonand Radford Army Am-munition Plants Aug. 13. Ortiz assumed com-

mand July 19, and thiswas his first visit toHolston. Ortiz wasgreeted by JosephKennedy, Com-mander’s Representa-tive, and met with thegovernment staff. During his visit,

Ortiz presented Gene

Faxon, HSAAP’s Safetymanager, his certificateof completion of hisCP-12 Explosives SafetyProfessional Level 2certificate. He dis-cussed with the staff his

priorities for Holstonand the direction forthe future. Ortiz received a

plant tour which high-lighted the HSAAP’songoing modernizationprojects.Holston AAP is a

Government-Owned,Contractor- Operatedfacility located inKingsport, Tenn. BAESystems is the currentoperating contractor. Since 1942, Holston

has produced explo-sives in support of theDepartment of De-

fense. Holston AAP is asubordinate installa-tion of the Joint Muni-tions Command. JMC operates a na-

tionwide network ofconventional ammuni-tion manufacturingplants and storage de-pots, and provides on-site ammunition expertsto U.S. combat unitswherever they are sta-tioned or deployed. JMC's customers are

U.S. forces of all militaryservices, other U.S. gov-ernment agencies andallied nations.

Ortiz visits Holson Army Ammo Plant

Achievement Medals

Cameron Funderberg, engineering intern, was pre-sented a U.S. Army Achievement Medal for CivilianService by Pine Bluff Arsenal Commander Col. LuisOrtiz during a staff meeting in August. Funderbergwas recognized for his exceptional service to theArsenal from May 29 to Aug. 30. His internship sup-ported various Directorates with projects of key im-portance to our customers. His work includedsupport of the M1121 start up, white phosphorusfilling operation and validation of Lightning Pro-tection Systems on the installation.

Colby Vestal, engineering intern, was presented aU.S. Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Serviceby Pine Bluff Arsenal Commander Col. Luis Ortizduring a staff meeting in August. Vestal was recog-nized for his exceptional service to the Arsenalfrom May 29 to Aug. 30. His internship supportedvarious Directorates with projects of key impor-tance to our customers. His work included supportof the M819 81mm red phosphorus smoke mortar,M18 colored smoke grenade, M8 smoke pot and theClothing and Textile production lines.

Davis R. Harp, engineering intern, was presented aU.S. Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Serviceby Pine Bluff Arsenal Commander Col. Luis Ortizduring a staff meeting in August. Harp was recog-nized for his exceptional service to the Arsenalfrom May 29 to Aug. 30. His internship supportedvarious Directorates with projects of key impor-tance to our customers. His work included supportof Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction kit-ting.

Perry Doles, engineering intern, was presented aU.S. Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Serviceby Pine Bluff Arsenal Commander Col. Luis Ortizduring a staff meeting in August. Doles was wasrecognized for his exceptional service to the Arse-nal from May 29 to Aug. 30. His internship sup-ported various Directorates with projects of keyimportance to our customers. His work includedsupport of the white phosphorus fill line, M295 De-contamination kit and Large Filter Production lines.

Skylar Redman, engi-neering intern, waspresented a U.S. ArmyAchievement Medalfor Civilian Service byPine Bluff ArsenalCommander Col. LuisOrtiz during a staffmeeting in August.Redman was recog-nized for his excep-tional service fromMay 29 to Aug. 30. Hisinternship supportedvarious Directorateswith projects of keyimportance to ourcustomers. His workincluded inspection ofLightning ProtectionSystems in the BombStorage Area and sup-port of Patient Pro-tective Wraps.

Cool Breezes Menu

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Page 6 – The Arsenal Sentinel – September 13, 2018

EAP Corner

Safety Corner

CCoouurrtteessyy ooff PPiinnee BBlluuffff AArrsseennaall’’ss EEmmppllooyyeeee AAssssiissttaannccee PPrrooggrraammSeptember is Suicide Prevention

Month. The National Suicide Preven-tion theme for this year is “Working To-gether to Prevent Suicide”, and theArmy’s theme for this year is “Make ItYour Mission to #Be There”.Suicide prevention remains a uni-

versal challenge. Globally every year,suicide is among the top 20 leadingcauses of death for people of all ages.It is responsible for over 800,000deaths, which equates to one suicideevery 40 seconds. Every life lost represents some-

one’s partner, child, parent, friend orcolleague. For each suicide, approxi-mately 135 people suffer intensegrief. This amounts to 108 millionpeople per year who are profoundlyimpacted by suicidal behavior. Suici-dal behavior includes suicide, andalso encompass suicidal ideation andsuicide attempts. For every suicide,25 people make a suicide attemptand many more have seriousthoughts of suicide, (Robert D. Gold-ney, 2018). More than four times as many

men as women die by suicide; butwomen attempt suicide more oftenduring their lives than men. Suiciderates are highest among the elderly,particularly older white males. Over70 percent of older suicide victimshave visited their primary carephysician within the month of theirdeath, and many did not tell theirdoctor that they were depressed nordid the doctor detect depressionsymptoms.Firearms are the most common

means by which people take theirlives. Other common methods in-clude overdose of medication, as-phyxiation, and hanging. Warningsigns that an individual is immi-nently planning to kill him or herselfmay include the making of a will,getting his/her affairs in order, sud-

denly visiting or writing letters toloved ones, buying instruments ofsuicide, experiencing a suddenchange in mood, or writing a suicidenote. Many people who completesuicide do not tell any health profes-sional of their intent in the monthsbefore they do so. If they communi-cate a plan to anyone, it is morelikely to be a friend or family mem-ber.People consider suicide when they

are feeling hopeless and cannot seeother options for solving problems.Sometimes when people are ex-tremely distressed they believe thatsuicide is their only option. Individ-uals who contemplate suicide are not“crazy”. Often suicidal people feelterribly isolated and because of theirdistress they may not believe thatthey can turn to someone for helpfurthering the isolation. Suicidal behavior is often related

to psychiatric disorders, such as de-pression, substance use, or border-line personality disorder. Suicidalbehavior is more likely to be experi-enced by individuals who have suf-fered losses or extremely stressfulevents. While there is no one best meas-

ure to predict the potential for some-one to attempt suicide, there areseveral factors that place individualsat greater risk, (2018, Be There).Other risk factors include:• Previous suicide attempt(s),• History of mental disorders, par-ticularly depression,• History of alcohol and substanceabuse,• Family history of suicide,• Family history of child maltreat-ment,• Feelings of hopelessness,• Impulsive or aggressive tenden-cies,• Barriers to accessing mental

health treatment,• Loss (relational, social, work, or fi-

Be There

nancial),• Physical illness,• Easy access to lethal methods,• Unwillingness to seek help be-cause of the stigma attached to men-tal health and substance abusedisorders or suicidal thoughts,• Cultural and religious beliefs forinstance, the belief that suicide is anoble resolution of a personaldilemma,• Local epidemics of suicide• Isolation, a feeling of being sepa-rate from other people.

We acknowledge all who experi-ence the challenges of suicidalideation, and those who have lostloved ones through suicide. Alwaysremember there should be no shamein seeking support and help whenthings overwhelm you. Also remember, the Arsenal’s Em-

ployee Assistance Program staff isavailable to support you in develop-ing or revising a self-care plan that isunique to your goals. We are housedin Building 13-040 and can bereached at 870-540-3094.

CCoouurrtteessyy ooff SSaaffeettyy DDiivviissiioonn,, PPiinneeBBlluuffff AArrsseennaall DDiirreeccttoorraattee ooff RRiisskkMMaannaaggeemmeenntt aanndd RReegguullaattoorryy AAffffaaiirrssWorkplace hazards are all around

us. Some are easily seen while othersare less obvious. Some employees arehighly-trained and professionally ex-perienced enough to solely focustheir job responsibilities on recog-nizing potential hazards. Many otherpositions are not centrally focusedon identifying safety concerns. Howcan you better control the hazardrecognition in your workplace? It’sall centered on employee involve-ment.Imagine yourself in a training

classroom speaking to your employ-ees and you ask them, “What doessafety truly mean?” Some might say,“Staying safe while working” ormaybe “Staying up-to-date withOSHA standards.” These answersare correct, but do they truly conveythe core meaning of safety to youremployees?Safety means getting employees

home the same way they arrived.That requires everyone to be think-ing safe, and doing safe. It’s preven-tative maintenance, just likeeverything else. Take for exampleyour vehicle. Oil needs to be changedor the engine will eventually fail.Tires and brakes need to be replacedevery so often in order to prevent anaccident. Things need to be checkedand maintained daily or you run therisk of failure. The same goes withsafety in the workplace; it is a dailyconcern that requires constant at-tention. Some daily safety concernsmight include the required fall pro-tection when working above certainheights or the personal protectiveequipment that is necessary to pro-tect your eyes, hands and feet. If yoursafety equipment is not properlymaintained, like your car, it willeventually fail and cause an accident.Each year, nearly 5.7 million non-

fatal accidents occur in the work-place and approximately 6,000workplace fatalities are reported.The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration is responsible forworker safety and health protection,recording annual fatality and injurystatistics and passing regulationsand directives to reduce those num-bers each year. Workplace hazardscould be reduced by applying somein-house safety programs and stay-ing current with the most up-to-daterecordkeeping.How can we get employees on

board with workplace safety? It’s allcentered on employee involvement.Not involving your employees withthe development and maintenanceof the safety culture you’re trying toachieve is like overlooking a checkengine light or ignoring the concernsof your mechanic. By involving em-

ployees in safety efforts you will em-power them to think safe, do safe.Three ways to involve your employ-ees with safety are: safety team lead-ers, safety committee meetings, andemployee incentives.Safety professionals might wish

they could be everywhere at alltimes, but this is just not possible.Implementing safety team leaderscan help safety managers with issuesrelated to this inability to be every-where at once. Selecting experiencedfield workers with strong, hands-onsafety knowledge to be leaders willhelp spread awareness to other em-ployees about safety. Safety teamleaders will have a sense of owner-ship with their additional roles andresponsibilities associated with theirjob description.Implementing a safety committee

within your company is a great wayto get employees involved in varioussafety topics. An optimal member-ship within your committee wouldinclude management, safety profes-sionals, safety team leaders and afield representative from every de-partment. The committee wouldallow members to share ideas, raisesafety awareness and voice employeesafety concerns. By involving management, safety

team leaders and field representa-tives, a safety committee can achievegreat improvements to overall safety.Committees allow groups to sharethoughts and learn from each other’sexperiences while also spreading awealth of beneficial resources. Theyprovide the opportunity to focus onprocesses and policies that are work-ing well and those which are not.This strategy helps foster a safetyculture that develops values inachieving and promoting betteroverall safety and wellness withinyour company.Behavior-based training is a

proven method for creating habits ofright and wrong. Rewarding youremployees for safe work practiceswill encourage workers to continueworking safely. Most companiesmake it clear there are disciplinaryactions for unsafe behaviors butmight overlook the importance ofalso recognizing good behaviors. Safety team leaders will be en-

couraged to guide field employees inperforming their jobs responsibly ineffort to receive the employee incen-tives. However, it is important tokeep the entire team on top of thesubject and have a balance of disci-plinary action. The balance is to en-sure that employees don’t hide orskew statistics of certain safety haz-ards and/or accidents in hopes ofstill receiving an incentive. Em-ployee incentives require everyoneunderstand the true meaning of thereward associated with safe behav-iors.

TThhiinnkk SSaaffee,, DDoo SSaaffee

September 13, 2018 - The Arsenal Sentinel – Page 7

PPrroovviiddeedd bbyy OOffffiiccee oofftthhee DDeeppuuttyy CChhiieeff ooffSSttaaffff,, GG--33//55//77 WWhhaatt iiss iitt??National Prepared-

ness Month is an an-nual event to focus thenation's attention onthe importance of tak-ing action to preparefor potential emergen-cies and disasters. Thisyear's theme is "Disas-ters Happen. PrepareNow. Learn How." Sept.15 is the National Dayof Action when citizensare encouraged to par-ticipate in emergencypreparedness activitiessuch as learning about

the hazards that affecttheir community andways to increase self-re-siliency through educa-tion and preparedness.

WWhhaatt hhaass tthhee AArrmmyyddoonnee//iiss ddooiinngg??The Army supports

National PreparednessMonth as part of its en-during culture of pre-paredness andresilience. To promotethese concepts, theArmy:•Maintains the Ready

Army website, a one-stop shop of useful toolsand information to helpSoldiers, Civilians, and

Family members pre-pare for emergencies byencouraging Familiesto be informed, make aplan, build a kit and getinvolved.•Through Depart-

ment of the Army Pam-phlet 525-27, ArmyEmergency Manage-ment Program, theArmy provides a com-prehensive method forplanning, organizing,training, equipping,and exercising the forcein preparation foremergencies Soldiersmay face.•Established a Facil-

ity Working Group to

Page 8 – The Arsenal Sentinel – September 13, 2018

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iinndduussttrriiaall aanndd mmaaiinntteennaannccee ssuupppplliieess!!!!

SSttoopp bbyy bbuuiillddiinngg 2233--333300 oorr ccaallll 554400--33441177//33441166 ttooddaayy!!

Do You Remember??

The billboard above was located on Dollarway Road in Pine Bluff during the destruction of the chem-cal weapons that were housed at Pine Bluff Arsenal. The chemical demilitarization mission endedin 2010. Residents in the area could get information from the Outreach Office for Chemical Dis-posal, located in the Woodlands Shopping Center, at that time. The photo of the billboard ran inthe Arsenal Sentinel in January 2005. U.S. ARMY-PBA FILE PHOTO

BByy KKiimmbbeerrllyy HHaannssoonnUU..SS.. AArrmmyy MMaatteerriieell CCoommmmaannddArmy Materiel Command civilian leaders of

the Army's 31 career programs spent two dayslearning about personnel reform initiatives, shar-ing best practices and discussing what it means tobe a ready Army civilian.The Career Program Managers Summit

brought together about 70 command and activitymanagers from across the enterprise inHuntsville, Alabama, Aug. 28-29, hosted byAMC's Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, G-1,Max Wyche. Army Materiel Command's 50,000 civilians

make up 96 percent of the organization's totalemployees, and comprise more than a quarter ofthe Army's civilian workforce.In 2010, the Army transitioned all civilian em-

ployees into one of 31 career programs, and re-newed emphasis on career program management.AMC has Command Career Program Managersat the headquarters, and Activity Career ProgramManagers at each major subordinate command.Guided by Army Regulation 690-950, they facil-itate the training, education and professional de-velopment of the civilians in their career program. "Your functional roles are extremely impor-

tant," said AMC Executive Deputy to the Com-manding General Lisha Adams. "You know theskills and competencies required to perform yourfunctions. Your experiences will help guide whatour careerists need to do for the future."From streamlining human resources and per-

sonnel management through a cloud-based sys-tem, to decreasing the number of pay systemsacross DOD, Paula Patrick, Deputy Assistant Sec-retary of the Army for Civilian Personnel, briefedthe managers on multiple reform initiatives un-derway."We see career programs as a fundamental way

of getting things done and communicating withcivilian personnel," said Patrick. Attendees also heard from the Army's Chief of

Civilian Training and Leader Development Divi-sion, G-3/5/7, Lisa Rycroft, who challenged Ca-reer Program Managers to think morestrategically about training. "We have to get better at matching training re-

quirements to Army needs and priorities," shesaid. "The goal is to train the right people on theright skills at the right time."Ultimately, the summit was intended to share

best practices and create some equity in the waycareer programs are managed across the enter-prise, said Wyche. The goal was to arm managerswith information, contacts and resources to helptheir careerists succeed."We need your functional expertise to help lay

down a path for our civilian workforce," Adamssaid. "It's about more than hiring the right per-son, but we also have to ensure they are trainedand have the right path to follow along their ca-reers."

AAMMCC SSuummmmiitt pprroovviiddeessffoouunnddaattiioonn ffoorr cciivviilliiaannccaarreeeerr mmaannaaggmmeenntt

Col. Michelle M. T. Letcher, Commander of U.S. Army Joint Munitions Com-mand, held her first town hall July 26 as the organization’s senior leader.Letcher spoke of the current lines of effort, which include strategic readi-ness, future force, Soldiers and people, and Shape the Fight initiative.Staff members were given the opportunity to ask questions to understandthe Commander’s thoughts and future vision. “The work we do brings sta-bility across the world. All of us touch the Warfighter each and every day.I am very impressed with the work ethic of people in JMC,” said Letcher.U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY JMC

JMC Town Hall

SSeepptteemmbbeerr iiss NNaattiioonnaall PPrreeppaarreeddnneessss MMoonntthhaddress the uniqueemergency prepared-ness needs of theArmy's off-installationfacilities such as re-cruiting stations, ROTCdetachments, andArmy-operated dams,locks, and similar infra-structure.WWhhaatt ccoonnttiinnuueedd eeffffoorrttssddooeess tthhee AArrmmyy hhaavveeppllaannnneedd??The Army is working

with the American Na-tional Standards Insti-tute to develop aCertified Army Emer-gency Manager creden-tial. This initiative willcreate a cadre of ArmyEmergency Manage-ment professionals whocan carry their expert-ise to Army commandsworldwide. The Army is the ex-

ecutive agent for devel-oping an improvedmass warning and noti-fication capability, andwill field a system tobetter inform personnelof potential threats tomissions, personnel,and infrastructure.