DispatchTheDecember

2011

D u g w a y P r o v i n g G r o u n d , U t a hR e n d e r i n g D a n g e r f r o m C h e m / B i o A g e n t s I r r e l e v a n tD u g w a y P r o v i n g G r o u n d - S c i e n c e S e r v i n g Wa r f i g h t e r s a n d C i t i z e n s N o . 1

Commanders Holiday Wishes here

A new format for

The Dispatch

Beginning with this edition, The Dugway Dispatch has been redesigned to make it simpler and faster to get information to our readers. The redesign is part of a Public Affairs Office effort to broaden avenues of information for command news to the Dugway workforce, residents, and our Utah national readers. With the shorter format,The Dispatch will be published at least twice a month. Edition size will vary from two to eight pages depending on the number of stories. To help track the editions, the issues will be numbered on the black line under the nameplate and to the right of Dugway’s mission statement: Dugway Proving Ground – Serving Warfighters and Citizens. Editions will renumber monthly. Some editions will carry favorite reader columns such as Questions for: and Hometown Cheers. A new column is planned to highlight employees’ hobbies and interests. We encourage readers to continue to submit their Cheers and ask for your support with our new column. One of the publishing avenues we are focusing on is the Dugway Proving Ground Facebook page.

Donna and I want to take this opportunity to wish you the warmest of Holiday greetings. In this season of joy and hope, we would like to offer our thanks to all of you for all you do to serve and defend our country during this crucial time in our history, and we want you all to know how much we appreciate the work done by the entire Dugway team. Whether you work in security, lodging, the Ditto Diner or the test area - each one of us makes a positive impression on our customers. It is not just the test officer or the program manager that makes the difference. I believe that by providing excellent customer service across all of Dugway we will continue to grow our customer base. As you to enjoy this special time of year, I ask you to pause and remember those who have sacrificed and served so that we may spend this season in the peaceful company of our friends and loved ones. uSee New Format page 2

Story by Bonnie A. RobinsonPublic Affairs Specialist

In particular, I would ask you to keep those deployed far from home in your thoughts and prayers. All too often we take the gifts of freedom and democracy for granted. Remember that the blessings, abundance, and opportunities we enjoy

here in America came at a high price. During this holiday season, please take care of yourselves and your Families by keeping safety in mind. Use caution when traveling or even walking in icy conditions. Make sure you allow yourself extra time to scrape your windshields properly and ensure your vehicles are in proper condition for cold weather. In addition, we all should have an emergency kit in our vehicles. If you plan to attend festivities outside your home, designate a driver if you plan to drink, take proper

precautions for winter sporting events. We want ALL of you to come back to work in one piece in January. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the entire Estes family!

COL A. Scott Estes

Holiday wishes; a salute to your service

Frost& FogCold chilly days have left their mark on Dugway. Heavy fog blankets English Village covering the trees and grass in ice crystals in the early morning darkness of December.

Photo by Bonnie A. Robinson

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This multi-monthly publication is authorized under the provisions of AR 360-1 in the interest of the Soldiers, employees, contractors and Family members of DPG. Views and opinions are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army. All photographs are U.S. Army photos unless otherwise indicated. Submit all stories via e-mail to the PAO. Distribution is by e-mail copies. The Dispatch is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Content is not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or DPG.

DISPATCH

Most people don’t need to be told what isn’t working. The acceptance of the way things are can bereplaced with real actions that build a community, workforce and the installation. Let the command know when there’s a problem. Here’s how: Leave your message along with your name, or anonymously, on the Commander’s Hotline at 831-3737.

DISPATCHTHE December 2011 No. 1

Commander Col. A. Scott EstesPublic Affairs Officer Paula A. ThomasPublic Affairs Specialist Al VogelPublic Affairs Specialist Bonnie A. RobinsonCommander’s Hotline (435) 831- 3737Public Affairs Office U.S. Army Dugway Proving GroundATTN: TEDT-DP-PA; Bldg. 5450Dugway, UT 84022-5000Phone: (435) 831-2116; Fax: (435) 831-3410Email: Bonnie.a.robinson .civ@.army.mil

THE

Skull Valley Road can be dangerous too. The bowed road and steep drops on the road side can easily flip and roll a vehicle if the driver gets too close to the edge and losses control. I know this because one of my daughters was involved in a rollover just outside Dugway’s front gate. The car she was riding in drifted to close to the side of the road and the driver lost control on the narrow shoulder. The next morning it was alarming to see the car’s roof caved in. It was a miracle that no one was killed, but they could have been. In 2010 the Tooele County Highway Patrol responded to and investigated 325 crashes. Of those crashes, 126 involved some form of injury to either the driver or the occupants inside the vehicle. Sixty-one of the crashes involved vehicles traveling above the posted speed limit or at a speed unsafe for the existing road conditions. Seven of these accidents were fatal, said Corporal Andrew Prescott of the Utah Highway Patrol in Tooele County in a recent interview. So why do drivers speed? Here are five common reasons we might tell ourselves and why they won’t hold up.

Get the latest Dispatch at: www.facebook.com/USArmyDPGJoin the discussion

New FormatContinued from page 1u

Dugway’s Facebook page began in September. On Dugway’s page, readers will find The Dispatch, and other stories we are sharing from the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, and local Utah and national news publications. A big advantage of the Dugway’s Facebook page is that our readers will have access to Dugway stories and command information using their home computers, lap tops and smart phones. Another advantage is an around-the-clock way to communicate with our readers, and it gives our readers a way to comment on the information we are providing. Weather information will be available on our page and we will alert employees of weather-related concerns. The Facebook feature that has already received the most attention, is the ability share more photographs than a traditional news publication. It has been a terrific way to share vintage photos of Dugway Proving Ground. Other features we like are that readers can “Like” or “comment” on our stories and we can link to other Dugway pages. We encourage readers to “Like” and share comments. Readers who want to “Like” or make a comment will need to create a Facebook account, or profile. For readers who are not comfortable on Facebook — no worries. We will continue to place The Dispatch in the Dugway Public Affairs link and send the link via e-mail. We will also continue to send The Dispatch to our Dispatch and Home List distribution lists. The Dispatch distribution list is available to anyone who would like to receive an e-mail copy of the paper. The Home List is primarily for Dugway residents, since it includes announcements sent to the workforce during the workweek. If you have a story idea, news tip, or are interested in being placed on one of our distribution lists contact the PAO office. We can be reached by e-mail at: bonnie.a.robinson.civ@mail.mil, or albert.c.vogel.civ@mail.mil or at the PAO telephone number (435) 831-2116. We look forward to hearing from you.

There are few things more terrifying than driving around a blind turn to find another car, or truck, headed straight toward you. The only chance you have is to tap your brakes and hope it gives the other driver an extra second or two to drop back, speed up, or move over in time to avoid a head-on collision. If the approaching vehicle is speeding, or if the road is icy, whisper a prayer, or wish for a bit of good luck because you’re going need it. Though it may not look it, Johnson’s Pass on State Route 199, and Skull Valley Road are major traffic arteries for the more than 1,200 Dugway Proving Ground employees and residents who drive it every day. These are busy roads. Yet some drivers think they are Mario Andretti, and the road to Dugway is the Indianapolis Motor Raceway. According to the Utah Highway Patrol Johnson’s Pass is considered one the most dangerous roads in Tooele County, because of its many hairpin curves, steep slopes, vertical drops and its narrow, almost non-existent, shoulders.

Editorial by Bonnie A. RobinsonPublic Affairs Specialist

See Speeding page 4

Safety on the Dugway 500 “We can replace a cow, but we would feel horrible if someone was killed because they hit one of our cows. Speeding ... sure can be dangerous. We’d just like for drivers to slow down in this area.”

Darrell Johnson, Rush Valley rancher whose family has grazed cattle in Johnson’s Pass since 1856.

Photo by James Esteban

What some people say...

Cattle frequently graze along the roadside near Dugway’s front gate.

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Meet Neele Manß (pronounced Manss), a 16-year-old student at Dugway High School staying with Bob and Teresa Jones. Neele plays piano, enjoys skiing and socializing with friends, dislikes scary movies, heights and root beer. She wants to try Smores, loves Nutella chocolate spread and has acquired a taste for Mountain Dew. Neele (pronounced Neelah) also enjoys reading, “When I have a book in German,” she said. German? Yep … Neele is a foreign exchange student at Dugway High School, the first since a Japanese exchange student about 20 years ago. The daughter of Ralf and Claudia Manß, Neele has two siblings: sister Emma, 9, and brother Fritz, 15. Her father works for a firm thatmakes fuel trucks, her mother cares for the sheep and Breton draught horses they raise on a small ranch outside Kassel, a village in central Germany. Despite a stark difference, Neele is not homesick, thanks to frequent video teleconferencing with her family in Germany and, “My host family is so nice.” Neele was sponsored through Face the World, for whom Bob’s cousin is a representative. Before moving to Dugway Proving Ground, the Jones sponsored two other girls, from Germany and Switzerland, in Hermiston, Ore. Bob is a network engineer for IT; Teresa is a bagger at the Commissary. Their 17-year-old son, Will, attends Dugway High School.

Neele’s English is excellent; German students begin studying it in 5th grade and continue into the 10th grade, with an emphasis on grammar and essays throughout. German schools are tough, “It’s actually like college,” she said. Neele’s last three years of classes were 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with plenty of homework, tests and strict rules. Will said he enjoys having Neele around because, “It’s someone to talk to.” They get along well, with plenty of typical teenaged teasing and

banter. “He’s always like, when I leave the house, ‘Don’t leave!’” Neele laughed. Will blushed and shrugged. This is Neele’s first trip to the U.S. Because there is much American culture in Germany, especially on TV, there were few big surprises. But arriving in early August, she was unprepared for the heat. Central Germany is forested, moist and green – a hot day is in the low 80s. Shortly after arriving, the Jones and Neele visited Las Vegas, where despite the 90-plus heat Neele enjoyed walking along The Strip, visiting the Coca-Cola and M&M stores, seeing the live lions in MGM Grand, and acrobats in Circus Circus casinos. The family hopes to have a vacation in Los Angeles before she leaves in early June. At school, Neele fits in with the other students. She helped create the

Halloween Haunted House but during a trial run, “I didn’t see any of the people because I went through with closed eyes,” she laughed. At Lagoon, she enjoyed the water park but the roller coaster terrified her. She’s not afraid to study, though. Principal Robin Nielson praises her scholastics. “To be a good student in a language that is not your first language is really

Story and photos by Al VogelPublic Affairs Specialist

Meet Dugway High School’s foreign exchange student a credit to her,” Nielson said. Neele also ran on the cross country team, where Nielson is one of three coaches. “She really improved,” Nielson said. “When she first started she couldn’t run three miles. Her times improved from 28:59 at the beginning to 27:45. She showed constant improvement for the entire season. She’s not only had to make an adjustment to the sport, but to the dry heat and altitude (about 5,000 feet or 1,524 meters).” She may join the basketball team, and track this spring, but says she’s not much of an athlete. “I’m not that good in sports, because I’m always [the one] who gets a ball against the head,” she laughed. Neele enjoys the scenery and community closeness here. “ I like Dugway, everybody is so nice, so friendly,” Neele said. “My class of 18 to 20 students is so close. And it’s so safe here, I like that.” Someday, Neele would like to return to the U.S. to study in a large city. The 16-year-old isn’t sure of a career; she’s examining architecture, law and medicine but has four years to decide. However, there is nicht chance her career will involve heights, haunted houses or roller coasters, of that she’s already sure.

Neele Manß (right) gets help from Dugway High School U.S. History teacher Mandy Laub, at left. Neele(pronounced Neelah) has been active in school sports and other activities.

Neele Manß, a 16-year-old foreign exchange student attends Dugway High School. She lives on a ranch near Kassel, in central Germany with her parents, a brother

Annual AFAP Conference scheduled Jan. 10 Dugway’s Army Family Action Plan conference will be held Jan. 10, at the Dugway Community Club. AFAP is a Army-wide initiative that allows Soldiers, retirees, Department of the Army civilians, National Guard, Reserves and Family Members, the opportunity to

tell Army leadership what is working and what isn’t and what they think will fix it. AFAP alerts Dugway leaders to areas of concern and gives them the opportunity to quickly put plans into place to help resolve the issues. About 90 percent of AFAP

issues are retained and worked on at local level, resulting in ongoing community improvements. Issues beyond the local level are forwarded to Headquarters, Department of the Army. To volunteer as a delegate call Brent Console at 831-2387.

December 2011 No. 1DISPATCHTHE4

1. Some drivers believe that they can drive 7 to 8 mph over the posted speed before they will be ticketed. “Speeding is always a concern,” Prescott said. “In Tooele County we have a large number of residents that travel a great distance to and from work. As a law enforcement officer I am given discretion to issue a citation, or a warning, if a driver is speeding. That being said, I stop vehicles for any speed over the posted limit. It’s a safety issue.” 2. Some drivers believe that excuses such as being late for work makes speeding acceptable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, leaving a few minutes early can give you the time you need to reach your destination without breaking any speed limits. Most employees should realize that arriving at work on time is considered by management to be part of their job performance objectives. So they plan for worst case scenarios, such as, slower delivery trucks, snow storms, and even wild fires during the summer months. This allows them to take the time to observe speed limits, drive at a safe pace, and arrive early to start the day with a lot less stress. 3. Some drivers claim they are moving with the flow of the traffic, or trying not to be a hazard to other vehicles. “Going with the flow is a bad excuse,” Prescott said. “Speeding not only puts your life in danger, it puts your passengers and other motorists around you in danger too. Drivers need to pay attention to their speedometer.” According to rbernsteinlaw.com, a legal help line for traffic tickets, DUI and criminal defense, “Traffic court judges have heard lots of excuses. But one that will never get you anywhere is: ‘I was just going with the flow of traffic.’ “As a driver, you are obligated to follow the speed limit. If you are clocked speeding by a police officer, you can present defenses in court. But it’s not a defense to say that you were going at the same pace as other cars on the road. “Think about it: If someone is on trial for murder, they wouldn’t argue “I only killed the person because other people were doing it.” Adults are responsible for their own actions, and doing what the crowd is doing doesn’t constitute a legal defense.” 4. Some people claim that going a few miles over the speed limit is no big deal, because they are always in control of their vehicle. Always in control? Not possible! No one can control the unexpected. Animals in Johnson’s Pass and along Skull Valley Road can be expected, but where, and when, they move cannot. Darrell Johnson, a cattle rancher who owns land from Rush Valley to the narrows in Johnson’s

Pass should know. His family has grazed cattle in the valley since 1856. “Cattle graze on open ranges in various parts of the pass and valley. I get called out sometimes in the early morning hours to round up them up. Sometimes they’re not even ours,” he said in a telephone interview in October. “The area along Route 199 is posted as open range. This means that cattle can graze along the side of the road,” said Johnson, who has only lost one calf in 20 years. “Our cows have grazed there, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t extremely concerned about the drivers and passengers along this stretch.” “We can replace a cow, but we would feel absolutely horrible if someone was killed because they hit one of our cows. Speeding through those curves sure can be dangerous. We’d just like for drivers to slow down in this area,” he added. Cattle is not the only animal Dugway drivers need to be concerned about. Deer often cross the road in Johnson’s Pass. Drivers also have to watch for Mustangs and other horses along Skull Valley Road. Hitting any of these larger animals could cause significant injury or death. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources at wildlife.utah.gov, more than 200 mule deer were hit by motorists in Tooele County last year. No statistics were available for horses. On AutoInsurance.net, a network of five major vehicle insurers, collisions with deer or other large animals can cause, on average, $3,000 to $10,000 when bodily damages are factored into an accident. 5. Some vanpool drivers, and drivers of larger vehicles, may believe that the size of their vehicle provides an added measure of safety. In April the Institute for Highway Safety found that larger vans are less stable than other vehicles, and can be particularly susceptible to rollover. The IHS study showed the odds of a rollover increased 400 percent when a vehicle is fully loaded with passengers, compared to when a driver is alone. This is due to an increased center of gravity caused by the passengers additional weight. The study also tested the effects of adverse weather conditions. No surprise, wet or icy weather increases the possibility of a rollover. The Utah Transit Authority posted the following guidance for larger vans on its web site. At highway speeds of 50 to 55 mph, van drivers need a minimum of a 10 to 12 second gap in oncoming traffic to pass safely. At 55 mph, vans will travel more than 800 feet in 10 to 12 seconds. This means more than 1600 feet, or about one-third of a mile, is needed to safely pass another vehicle. There it is Mario: Five common excuses for speeding that just don’t hold up. Speeding in Johnson’s Pass and on Skull Valley Road is reckless and it could be deadly. So let off on that gas pedal. Slow down. Obey the posted speed limits. Icy, wet or dry; cows or no cows — don’t speed. Stay alive!

Continued from page 2u

Speeding Winter Fun For Kids

Activities to Beat Cabin Fever Blues

Play Snow Games You don’t have to tell kids to go outside and play in the snow. Try shaking up their snowsuits with winter play activities that include a snowy hike, outdoor hockey or a frosty game of frisbee.

Families tend to hibernate when the temperatures get colder, but there’s plenty of winter fun for kids and parents to enjoy together that will help you forget all about the winter blahs and keep all everyone occupied until the spring thaw.

Help the kids learn about their family roots. They can interview you, their grandparents and other family members to hear the names and stories of people who have helped make them who they are today.

We all love our digital cameras. But then our pictures usually sit on a hard drive and aren’t viewed as much as the pictures we once took with our film cameras. Print your favorite pics and start scrapbooking with your kids.

Start Scrapbooking

Trace your Family Tree

Courtesy photos

Can candy be dangerous to kids health? Here’s what’s new

The upcoming holidays provide us with easy, natural opportunities to communicate with the people we care about. It’s natural to want to share our own and our family member’s successes by writing an annual holiday letter. But there are a couple of challenges: how to write it without sounding like a bragger and how to avoid merely listing job promotions, vacations, and children’s accomplishments. Here are five tips from Lynn Gaertner-Johnston founder of Syntax Training for writing the perfect holiday letter. 1. Instead of writing about your daughter’s triumph in the school musical, examine what that activity actually taught her. Then write about how she learned to work with others —even those she might not have liked at first—and how the experience made her grow.

Writing a annual holiday family letter? Five tips to help get it right 2. Instead of telling about your fabulous job promotion, think about why that promotion was important to you. Then write about what you hope to accomplish in the job, and how it is important in your life.

3. Instead of telling about your son’s scholarship to that Ivy League school, consider how hard he worked to get that scholarship. Write about how proud you are of that work, and what he hopes to study and accomplish.

4. If you have had a bad year, with few successes or happy moments. Write about what you learned about yourself, your family, your life. Write about the important little moments that make up your reality. Write about your hopes and dreams for next year, and extend your good wishes for others.

5. For holiday letters, as with everything you write, think about your reader. What would he or she enjoy knowing about your year? What do you want your reader to know? Hopefully you will enjoy sharing your memories with others and writing about why 2011 was a happy, meaningful year for you.

December 2011 No. 1 DISPATCHTHE 5

Gummy bears a childhood treat? Maybe — not so much. Recently stories, video clips and tweets have been circulating on social media about “drunken gummy bears” On YouTube, viewers can watch videos giving instructions on how to prepare these alcoholic-laced candies. The small rubbery-textured gelatin-shaped bears are doused vodka and placed in refrigerators inside plastic covered containers for several days, to soak up the alcohol. Videos show young adults, or teens, (it’s hard to tell the age) marinating the little candy critters to use as chewy shooters to get an alcoholic buzz. Recently parent and teacher groups, as well as national news outlets, have warned that teens and kids may be using the candies to become intoxicated. Several how-to videos show the process. One clip shows two girls preparing and tasting the finished product. Even the nauseated look on their faces as they chew the vodka-saturated bears might not be

enough to stop teens or kids from trying to make their own drunken gummy bears, fish or worms. The process isn’t foolproof. Some videos show the bear-shaped confectionery as a melted mess. But the unsuccessful video hosts just shrug it off and encourage their viewers to drink the lumpy concoction. Gummy bears are not the only candy on YouTube that has parents and teachers concerned. Cellophane wrapped, rolled wafer-like, hard candies are being crushed by kids, opened on both ends, and the pulverized sugar is inhaled to simulate smoking a cigarette. Health experts are concerned the sugary-dust may pull sugar particles into lungs. Videos show some kids coughing violently to clear the powder they have inhaled. According to the American Lung Association this behavior can be especially dangerous to children who have asthma or bronchial illnesses, since the candy particles can inflame or tighten airways. A third candy causing health concerns is red licorice sticks. Videos show kids lighting and

Story by Bonnie A. RobinsonPublic Affairs Specialist

trying to smoke the sticks. This is usually unsuccessful, because the fire melts the tips. The real concern is that children could start a fire with a match or a lighter. Here is the good news: Dugway Police dispatcher, Jennifer Ball, reports no substance abuse among Dugway teens or kids at this time. Sgt. 1st Class Lewis Taubert of the Health Clinic was surprised by these trends but has not received reports of this behavior at Dugway. “We encourage parents and teachers to be aware of these kinds of dangerous trends,” he said. Dugway High School Principal Robin Nielson said that she had heard of kids crushing candy to appear to be smoking (though not at Dugway), but she had not heard of the drunken gummy bears or of children smoking licorice. “We have a zero drug use policy in the Tooele School District,” she said. “Nor will we tolerate look-alike drug activity. We do, however, encourage our students to make positive choices in all that they do.” Still, candies may be something to keep in mind if teens or kids show up short of breath or appear to be intoxicated.

Holiday cookie-baking researchers at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning the public against eating raw cookie dough. This is not new information. For generations bakers and cookie dough afictionatos shrugged off warnings of how raw cookie dough can make them sick to their stomachs. In a new CDC study, national out breaks of E coli were traced in 77 people in more than 30 states to their habit of snacking on uncooked, prepackaged cookie dough. Of the 77 people tracked, 35 had to be hospitalized. For years suspected illness was blamed on raw eggs, which can carry salmonella. But in the 2009 outbreak the culprit turned out to be the flour. It seems eating raw cookie dough not only makes you fat, it can make you sick.

Courtesy iStockphoto

Eating raw cookie dough can be a risky holiday treat

Story by Bonnie A. RobinsonPublic Affairs Specialist

WARNING