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May require up to a $36 activation fee/line, credit approval and deposit. Up to $350/line early termination fee (ETF) for advanced devices and up to $200 ETF/line for other devices (no ETF for Agreements cancelled in compliance with Sprint’s Return Policy). IL Port-in Offer: Offer ends: 12/31/2012. $100 port-in credit for smartphones, feature phones and mobile broadband devices. Available only to eligible Individual-liable accounts with a valid Corp. ID. Requires port-in from an active wireless line/mobile number or landline/number that comes through the port process to a new-line on an eligible Sprint service plan. Ported new-line activation must remain active with Sprint for 61 days to receive full service credit. You should continue paying your bill while waiting for your service credit to avoid service disruption and possible credit delay. Offer excludes Nextel Direct Connect devices, upgrades, replacements, and ports made between Sprint entities or providers associated with Sprint (i.e., Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance), telephone numbers active on Sprint within the previous 60 days, all Corporate-liable, all plans less than $10, and $19.99 Tablet plans. Port-in Payment Expectations: Service credit will appear in adjustment summary section at account level on invoice and will appear as a “VALUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CREDIT.” If the service credit does not appear on the first or second invoice following the 61st day, visit sprint.com/promo and click on “Escalation”. Individual-Liable Discount: Individual-Liable Discount: Available only to eligible employees of the company, organization or Government agency participating in the discount program (requires ongoing verification). Discounts are subject to change according to the company’s, organization's or agency's agreement with Sprint and are available upon request for select plans (monthly service charges only). No discounts apply to secondary lines, Add-A-Phone lines or add-ons $29.99 or less. Other Terms: Coverage not available everywhere. Nationwide Sprint Network reaches over 282 million people. Sprint reserves the right to modify, extend or cancel offers at any time. May not be combinable with other offers. Offers not N125592 available in all markets/retail locations. Other restrictions apply. © 2012 Sprint. All rights reserved. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
From our Family to yours, Happy Holidays! This time of year leads my thought to friends and Family scattered over the world. Time spent (or not spent) with them brings back memories and traditions shared. This month Family and MWR share with you some of our cherished traditions and a reader contributes her favorite memory and her hope of continuing the tradition with her Family. My favorite tradition growing up was the ribbon hat. The last child out of bed and downstairs was tasked to hand out the gifts under the tree. Each ribbon, bow and decoration that came off of a gift was stuck to a paper plate the child had to wear as a hat. By the time our Family of five was done, the hat was usually larger than the kid’s head! The picture taken afterward was sent to friends and Family around the world. Hockey is a sport my Family loves and this year we are missing out! Adam talks about the lockout on page 10 and how we, as fans, are hurt in the long run. The absence of hockey, Family and friends along with numerous other reasons can lead to the holiday blues. Acknowledging that fact the blues exist (especially around the holidays) is the first step to coping with combating it. Stress management and a balanced life is important all year long and Char’ gives us a few pointers. If you are still searching for gift ideas and you have a techie or a car enthusiast in your house, check out the articles by Floyd and Ruben for a few ideas. The Exchange and Air Assault Auto are great places to stock up on your holiday gifts! Our cover photo this month features MWR Marketing’s children and I want to say a special Thank You to Lowe’s on Madison Street for providing us the beautiful location and props.
Editor Tara Goodson
Contributors
Floyd Bolton CynDe Clack William D. Corlew, III Mignon Deason Charlene Frasher Ruben Osuna Jessica Ryan Adam Slyfield Lisa Taylor Linda Withee
Tara Goodson, Editor mwrlifeeditor@fortcampbellmwr.com
Inside this issue 3
Winter Holiday Traditions Traditions to warm the heart.
Publisher
Creative ink
Creative Director
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Fort Campbell’s Operation Rising Star Winner
7
After Holiday Sales and Bargains
Sears Hallett
Advertising
Jenny Roecker 931-627-4969 mwrmag@gmail.com
Our local Operation Rising Star winner is shooting for the stars.
Stock up on next year’s supplies and gifts right after the season is over for the best savings.
10 Game on Ice
Photography
A long winter without the rink.
Paula Hallett Deborah Young
12 Gadgets Abound
Big Stock AnsonLu Fresh Paint pkruger Igor Stepovik TCToman
pg 14 pg 24 pg 24 pg 19 pg 24
DepositPhotos aklyoko74 Apriori
cover pg 10
Thinkstock pages 3, 4, 7, 12, 18, 19, 20, 29 Disclaimers: Fort Campbell’s MWR Life Magazine is a monthly magazine produced by the Fort Campbell MWR Marketing Department under the authority of AR 215-1. Facilities and activities publicized are open to authorized patrons.The mention or appearance of commercial advertisers, commercial sponsors and/or their logos does not constitute endorsement by the Federal Government. The information in this issue is current at the time of publication; activities and events are subject to change. MWR Marketing is located at 5663 Screaming Eagle Blvd, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. For more information, call 270-798-7535 or log on to www.fortcampbellmwr.com. 24 hr. event line - 270-798-3172 www.facebook.com/fortcampbellmwr
Tech toys are hot this time of year!
14 Out of Balance?
Strive for balance to keep stress under control.
18 ‘Tis the Season to Be Careful
Keep your celebrations safe and merry this year.
19 Holiday Getaway
Leisure Travel Services offers more than just local getaways.
24 Merry Motor-Head Christmas
What do you buy for the car enthusiast in your life? Check out the suggestions from Air Assault Auto.
25 Forging a Path for Women
1LT Gerschultz leads the way for women in the Army.
29 Holly, Jolly and Blue?
Holiday blues? How you can combat a common ailment this time of year.
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Keeping it Together
Winter Holiday Traditions by Jessica Ryan As a child, I always looked forward to waking up on Christmas morning and seeing what gifts Santa left under the Christmas tree. My parents always had a strict rule about Christmas: my sister and I could not open our presents until my parents woke up on that morning. Looking back, I believed my parents purposely waited to wake up late so they could jokingly test our patience. Once they finally woke up, we all gathered around the Christmas tree and opened our gifts. What I loved the most about Christmas was not the presents. Instead, I loved the small moments that made Christmas a special day: my mom making her famous Thai stuffed chicken wings, my dad deceivingly wrapping our gifts to our amusement and my sister and I putting aside our sibling rivalry as we exchanged presents. Spending Christmas morning with my Family is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Let’s see what some of our MWR Life readers’ and writers’ winter holiday traditions are:
Dad’s Christmas Joy By Cathy Sandlin My dad, and how much he loved Christmas is the basis for our Family’s tradition. He loved seeing the joy of Christmas on others faces. That’s something I didn’t realize until I became an adult with my own children. My dad grew up during the depression and his dad passed away when he was two years old. His mom worked several jobs to support the Family. As my uncle tells it, there were several years that Christmas was never celebrated, but that never deterred my dad form the joy he spread to everyone.
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The first year after my first child was born, we stayed with my parents while my husband served with the Army in Korea. That’s when I truly saw my Dad in a new light. My brothers and sisters were teenagers, I had a new baby and the excitement generated by my dad was contagious. It was probably there every year, but seeing it for the first time as a new parent was incredible. It filled my heart with so much love for my Dad; I continue to look for it every year since then and am never disappointed. I don’t know if I’ve managed to capture that excitement and joy my dad felt for Christmas, I hope so because I had the perfect example. Christmas is about the joy in your heart that spills out onto your face.
My parents would wait until Christmas Eve to help Santa wrap and put together all the toys. By the time everything was placed perfectly beneath the tree it would be well after midnight. Of course, Mom was ready for bed. She had to get up early to get the turkey in the oven. But my parents would stop to enjoy a drink together. Sitting in the dark with the tree lit up and all the gifts underneath, made them recognize how thankful they were and how good the past year had been to them. We weren’t rich by any means; Mom didn’t work outside the home and Dad was an auto mechanic. Some years the gifts were few but my parents always made sure the presentation was magical. Dad truly couldn’t wait until morning to share it all. As I got older, I stopped believing in the miracle of Christmas. That changed the year I remembered hearing the faint sound of bells and something scratching at my window. Of course, I woke my sister and we snuck down to see the tree lights on in the living room; Mom and Dad excitedly looking out the front window. “Quick girls, come see Santa!” my dad exclaimed. Of course Santa was gone by the time we climbed up to the window. But I will never forget the excitement in his voice and on his face.
Baking a Tradition By Keri McPeak
Ever since I was in my early teens I make some sort of “gingerbread house.” It is usually is a sugar cookie house since I don't care much for gingerbread, but I have done one out of mint white chocolate and milk chocolate. I then decorate it and put it on display a couple days before Christmas. This way it does not get stale; since no one wants to eat a stale house and eating it is half the fun.
Time is a Gift By Eden Barnett The holidays are one of the best times to take part in Family traditions. As a child, my Family and I did a variety of things; like baking cookies for Santa and waking to find only crumbs left in the morning. To most kids, Christmas morning is their favorite part of Christmas, and it definitely was one of mine; but one of my most favorite times was the evening we spent putting up all of the household Christmas decorations. As a Family, we always popped in a Christmas CD, put the tree up, wrapped it in multi-colored lights, and littered the house with garland. We all gathered around the living room to look at all of the work we had done, and simply enjoyed spending an evening together where we weren’t all running around or in separate rooms. The best part of Christmas for me, was just being together. That was my favorite time.
Creating Memories as We Go By CynDe Clack As I sat here thinking about my Family’s holiday traditions, I realized that while some have stayed the same over the years, others have changed with wherever we were stationed. There are those traditions that have been carried down from childhood, like being allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day (at some crazy early hour that seemed reasonable to me a child but seems insane to me as a parent); always emptying our stocking first, one at a time while everyone watches; and having the youngest
person, who can read, hand the gifts out from under the tree. But the traditions that have changed as we moved around the world are also great memories. Like when we lived in Okinawa, Japan, we got up early, opened gifts and then headed for the beach where we spent the day playing and enjoying Family time. I think the one tradition that started with our Family and that we’ve followed for 30 years is the decorating of our tree. Not that we decorate it on a certain day or in a particular order but that we always go for the items that mean something special to us; and that makes for a very unusual Christmas tree. Every place we’ve been, we buy or pick up something that will end up as an “ornament”. They’re rarely ever what are considered a “real” ornament. We have shells, Japanese toys, small embroidered bags, masks, puzzle pieces, and anything else that reminds us of joyful days together, all hanging on our tree. Now some people might look at our tree and wonder why we don’t have anything that matches but when we look at it, we see a Family vacation or a favorite place to visit, we remember an eight year old’s party or a play we really enjoyed. It takes hours to put the tree up every year because to us, our Christmas tree is a diary of our lives together, so every piece gets held up and talked about and then we decide who should have the honor or hanging this or that ornament on the tree. This would be my most precious holiday tradition.
share is one more holiday in each other's company. We each give the group experiences we can all enjoy - for example, this year, my father is taking us all to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on December 26. As a Family that loves the arts, this is a terrific gift for the group and we will have the shared experience to remember. It has become the memories that we share that really mean the most to us, rather than any tangible thing that can be wrapped and put under a tree. We enjoy meals together, whether out at a favorite, or even a new restaurant, and we cook favorite foods from our vast years of shared meals at tables around the world, and we are all thankful for the precious moments that we still have to love one another.
Traditional Stories By Lauren Ours One of my favorite memories every Christmas Eve was making hot chocolate with the Family, getting into our pajamas, snuggling up on the couch and reading the Christmas story from the Bible. My parents bought my brother, God-sister and I these amazing antique bibles when we are kids.
Gifts Aren’t Always Wapped By Melissa Schaffner As we have all grown up and there are no children in our home at the holidays, we have all realized the value of the actual time we spend together and that it is truly a gift to one another at each year’s end. We are all so busy during the year, and while our Family is very loving and connected, we don’t see one another as often as we would like to because of work schedules, etc. Various Family members spend significant money to travel to gather in one location in the last weeks of December, and the best gift we can
They held onto the bibles until we were either married or out of the house on our own and then passed them on to us. On Christmas Eve, we would get the antique Bible out and read the Christmas story from it. Not only did I enjoy the quality time with my Family, but also I loved reading from that beautiful Bible. The pages were so old and the pictures were so large. That moment together, sharing the true meaning of Christmas and spending quality time together as a Family was always so special. My husband and I have continued the tradition in our home today and we still sit down together as a couple, and this Christmas with our daughter, and share the Christmas story before we go to bed on Christmas Eve.
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Courtney Blair
Bright Lights
Fort Campbell’s Operation Rising Star Winner by Jessica Ryan Each year, millions of viewers tune into music competition shows like American Idol and The Voice to watch singing hopefuls compete for a recording deal and professional music career. What many do not know is that IMCOM, G-9 Family and MWR Programs provides the same opportunity for aspiring singers in the military community. This fall, Soldiers, Family members and Reservists competed in Operation Rising Star. Commonly referred to as “the Army version of American Idol”, singers participate in their Garrison’s competition for cash prizes. According to Amy Leon, Senior Marketing and Events Coordinator at IMCOM G-9 Family and MWR Programs, Operation Rising Star strives to showcase the talent in the military community and create esprit de corps through community involvement and support. Similar to other talent competition television shows, the audience vote is critical to a contestant’s success. While each local competition has many talented singers, both the audience and judges will determine who will become the first place winner. The winner may have the opportunity to advance to the Army-wide finals in San Antonio, Texas and represent their garrison. In late September, Courtney Blair became the first place winner in the Fort Campbell competition. Married to SGT William Blair, a medic in Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Blair was new to the Army and learned about the competition from a friend. She, however, was not new to performing. Since junior high school, Blair performed in numerous talent competitions and choir groups including The Choraliers at La Vergne High School in
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La Vergne, Tennessee. She also received a bachelor’s degree in music business from Middle Tennessee State University. More recently, Blair won The Eagle’s 94.3 Eagleoke sContest at Clarksville’s Rivers and Spires Festival earlier this year. Blair, like the other contestants, began the competition with a rocky start. The singing hopefuls had to perform a Michael Jackson song in the competition’s first round. Blair gave an energetic performance of Jackson’s “Dirty Diana,” but it was obvious Blair’s true voice would come out. As the next round “Then and Now” approached, she decided to step up her game and wowed the audience and judges with her versatility and “country attitude.” In that round, she belted out Etta James’ 1960 ballad “At Last” and Carrie Underwood’s 2008 single “Last Name.” Her diligence paid off as she soon became a front runner in the competition. During the finals, Blair took the stage by storm with two powerful performances. Her judges’ pick song was Miranda Lambert’s girl power anthem “Gunpowder and Lead.” Afterwards, she returned to the stage to perform a song of her choice – Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the Party.” Her voice and stage presence made her a top contender. It was no surprise when Blair became the first place winner. Even though Blair is a seasoned performer, she is humble about her success. She remarked that her Family and friends helped her succeed in the competition. “I couldn’t have done it without them,” said Blair. “They were supporting me the whole way through.” Each week, her mother Carol Raney and her stepfather Rod Raney drove from Nashville to root for Blair. Carol designed homemade “Team Courtney” shirts
which were worn by her fans. Her husband even convinced members of his unit to come to the competition and join their cheering section. Her Family was confident that she would win the competition. To them, they see how alive Blair becomes when she performs on stage. “She has a natural God-given talent. I want to see her go as far as she can with it,” said Carol. “It’s the one thing that I find gives her pure joy and I see the joy she gives other people when she is singing.” For now, Blair looks forward to continuing her singing career and hopes to perform for bigger audiences. The Operation Rising Star Army-wide finals will be held in early December and broadcasted on the Pentagon Channel. For more information about Operation Rising Star and the upcoming Army-wide finals, visit www.oprisingstar.com.
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Family Finances
After Holiday Sales and Bargains by Linda Withee
Many people consider the holiday season a time to spread joy and give thanks, but shopping for gifts, decorations and food often comes with excess stress. One way to reduce the stress is to plan ahead. The day after Christmas is not too soon to begin planning for next year. After-Christmas sales are one of the more notable shopping events of the year. Almost all stores offer discounts, and many are willing to match their competitors’ discounts. According to Dealnews.com, after-Christmas sales tend to put a lot of emphasis on in-store shopping. This is perhaps in response to the many returns beginning on the day after Christmas. Sales are a great way to encourage shoppers to exchange their return item immediately in the same store. Some shoppers use the day to scour for bargains on items that stores could not sell before Christmas. Others are seeking to use the gift cards they just received. Savings can be found both in-store and online. There are some websites dedicated to helping us find the deals and bargains. Be sure to compare prices offered by different stores to find the best deals. Some shopping websites specialize in providing printable coupons for specific stores and items. Still others have after Christmas sale pages that break down deals
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by category. These assist the shopper to make the best use of shopping time by researching and planning before hitting the stores. The value of gift cards can be maximized by pairing them with coupons and sale prices. Take note that sometimes the prices vary between in the store and on the web site. Shopping online also offers the advantage of not dealing with the possible chaos of the day after Christmas shopping. Don’t forget to factor in shipping costs in case your store isn’t offering free shipping. Also, the ship-to-store shipping option allows customers to shop at their leisure on their computers and pick up their purchases in a physical store at their convenience. This strategy avoids standing in lines for hours. After-Christmas sales are a great time to find bargains, and not just for Christmas items. This is a great time to find low prices on items specific to the holidays, such as gift wrap, cards, and decorations. By stocking up on these items now you should be able to spend less and reduce stress next year by being prepared early. Don’t forget the other occasions that will be coming up. Solid colored party supplies, gift wrap, decorations, and candy will fit many other holidays throughout the year. Examples are red for Valentine’s Day, and green for St. Patrick’s Day. Red, white, gold, and blue will do for all patriotic holidays. All solid colors can be used any time, including birthdays. Coupons for holiday foods, baking supplies and candy are widely available leading up to Christmas. These same coupons can often be used after the holidays during the clearance
sales to get an even better deal. Just check the expiration dates. Many of the items on clearance will have holiday packaging, but the contents are good any time. If you make a lot of your Christmas gifts, use the after Christmas sales to stock up on craft supplies for next year’s gifts. You can also plan ahead for gift giving occasions during the rest of the year by purchasing gifts now while bargains are available. Gift sets with holiday packaging can be repackaged separately. Clothing is usually on clearance to make room for the spring merchandise before it arrives in the stores. This is an opportune time to refresh your winter wardrobe. Remember to check electronics departments for returned items that cannot be sold at full price. If boxes have been opened, check to be sure an owner’s manual and all parts or accessories are there. Don’t hesitate to ask to have electronics plugged in to be sure they are working. If anything is missing negotiate for a lower price. Check the drug stores for after-Christmas bargains. They generally mark down their merchandise faster than other stores. Thrift stores often receive more donations at the end of the year from people wanting the tax deduction. This means you might find more to choose from this time of year. You might even find a thrift store clearance sale due to the large volume of merchandise. Now is the time to gear up for a second round of seasonal shopping. Don’t miss out on great finds and low prices! If you need assistance creating a budget for the entire year, please call the ACS Financial Readiness Program at (270) 798-5800 to make an appointment.
This ‘n That
Game on Ice by Adam Slyfield
It seems like every time you turn around one of the sports leagues is locked out. This time it’s the National Hockey League They have already canceled the regular season games through November 30. As usual, the lockout is over money and how the revenue will be split between the players and the league. Other issues in getting a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) deal done include salary arbitration and unrestricted free agency. For the third time in two years one of the major sports in North America has been locked out, the NFL in 2009, NBA in 2010 and the NHL currently. Like most fans, you say you won’t go back and support a league that has locked out twice in the past eight years, but as soon as the puck drops you’re buying $5 hot dogs and $8 drinks from the concession stand and your favorite players jersey online; giving your hard earned money to the same league that took away what you love just weeks before. Is it our fault as fans that these lockouts happen? The owners know they will make the money back as soon as the lockout is over because we can’t stay away. Fans are often used as
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leverage in negotiations to get a bigger slice of the nearly $4 billion pie that the NHL earns every year. I believe we the fans have the power to bring change! It’s a hard decision to make, but we as fans can choose not to purchase tickets or jerseys. The current NHL commissioner is Gary Bettman; he was hired in 1993 and has grown the league’s revenue from $400 million when he took over, to now nearly $4 billion in 2011. Bettman has been under a lot of criticism by fans; he is accused of trying to “Americanize” the game, moving franchises to the American south. Teams that have traditionally been in the northern states and Canada have relocated to the south - much to the delight of hockey fans in Nashville, Carolina and Atlanta. Southern fans should have much praise for him for bringing the game of hockey to markets that would normally not have the opportunity to see the sport up close and personal. Bettman has also seen three other lockouts since he was hired: 1994, 2004 and a referee lockout in 1993. The guy on the other side of the CBA fight is Donald Fehr. He was hired by the National Hockey League Players
Association (NHLPA), becoming the first person to be involved in two lockouts. Fehr is very familiar with and has had success at negotiating lockouts to a successful outcome. He was the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) from 1986-2009. Fehr led the MLB Players Union through the ‘94-‘95 strike and subsequent World Series cancellation. If he is willing to cancel the World Series of “America’s Favorite Pasttime” to prove his point, then I’m sure he is willing to cancel the Stanley Cup this year to settle the arguments between the League and the Players Union. Donald Fehr does not have much to lose by playing the waiting game with the owners; his only goal is to get the Players Union what they want in a new CBA contract. That tactic worked once with the MLB and its fairly certain he is willing to go back to the well. Not good for fans who just want to see the players back on the ice. With the NHL season nowhere in sight, we can only dream of what could have been this year in the NHL and hope that the owners and Players Union come to an agreement.
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Gadgets Abound
Tech World
by Floyd Bolton The holiday season is fast approaching and this is the perfect time of year for the tech savvy person in your life. Everything from phones to cameras have advanced by leaps and bounds in the last few years. Check out your choices at The Exchange to satisfy the techie in your life. Many consumers look for ease of use while comparing products. Apple products are the poster children for ease of use digital systems. While many systems focus on features, their gadgets focus on simplicity. Satellite companies such as DirecTV produce remotes that are intuitive but sometimes might take a slight learning curve to get used to. Other remotes have built in digital screens that symbolize the object that you are using or, at a minimum, has on-screen text so that the user can see what functions the operator is wanting to access. Anyway you look at it, these remotes and other gadgets are now more tailor-made for human hands. Let’s look at a few gadgets that provide ease of use. While most will agree that iPhone generations one through four have a screen that is fairly small and a little tedious to use when texting, the fifth generation may have solved that problem with a larger screen, yet slimmer in design. With that in mind, in steps the LG Voyager, built specifically for texting. It combines the best of both worlds with an iPhone style touch screen control, but with a
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slide out keyboard. The Samsung Galaxy Note has a bigger screen than ordinary cell phones with larger touch screen buttons. How are you at taking pictures? The Canon Powershot SD1100 has an all-optical view finder that is also great in darker settings such as concerts in an auditorium. That also keeps the folks next to you from becoming annoyed with the glow from the screen type viewfinder that most other cameras use. Its controls are conveniently grouped to the right of the display with easy to follow on screen menus. Read a lot? The Barnes and Noble NOOK Color eBook offers easier reading features compared to the Kindle. It also has options to change the text sizes. What about the gamer or athlete in your life? The latest Nintendo Wii Game Console has many different features to keep you in the game. Not a fan of the Wii? Playstation and Xbox offer many games and activities to get your heart pumping! For the little more tech savvy, Microsoft has announced it will be incorporating cable TV within the Xbox 360 in an attempt to replace cumbersome set top boxes, and feature an all-in-one package. The only issue with that is that many TV companies are also doing the same, thereby eliminating those boxes altogether. Either way, the component
will stream all types of media from the internet. While the battle may be on to gain consumer popularity, all of the components from Blu-Ray players, set top boxes, and cable boxes, will be offering cable channels, streaming audio and video, and video games, and each with its own competitive experience. Traveling during the holiday or getting ready to deploy? Try the Bose Quiet Comfort 15 over ear headphones with noise cancellation circuitry. When
activated, the noise cancelling circuitry all but removes that annoying drone of the plane’s interior, an irritating seatmate or even a child that doesn’t enjoy flying. Any way you slice it, the technology world is in a whirlwind and is ever changing. This holiday season is a great time to get your tech toys updated and check out the new products. Watch for specials and deals at our local Exchange.
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Healthy Habits by Char by Charlene Frasher
Out of Balance? thoughts, a sense of loneliness and isolation, aches and pains, and sleeping too much or too little. It is very common for the stressors to be extreme in either a positive or negative direction. This translates to super high-highs and super low-lows. In today’s society stress has been deemed a negative, but don’t forget positive life experiences such as getting married, taking a new exciting job or even a dream vacation can cause stress. The situations and pressures that cause stress can be either internal or external, depending on the individual. Some stressors cannot be controlled; however, the beauty in each stressful Many people use happiness and joy as a measurement of balance in our lives, whether it’s professional or personal. In my opinion, happiness can be a choice but joy comes from your heart and lives in your spirit. You can choose to be happy, but live without joy; therefore you become out of balance. When you are out of balance you become out of control and you are more apt to be frazzled because of those little stressors in life that seem to push every button you have. The symptoms from stress come in many forms: cognitive, emotional, physical and behavioral. Indications of bad stress are negative
situation is that you have the ability to control your reaction and learn how to overcome each one with positivity and find joy in the outcome. Managing your stress is about taking charge! Take charge of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, environment, and the way you deal with the challenges that arise daily. Simply planning ahead will help to reduce stressors that make life seem miserable. Take a moment to think and then rethink the situation. If your response is a negative one, make an attempt to flip it to a positive one. Find something optimistic out of it and own it. Control the negative by flooding it with positivity. For those times in between when you are out of balance, try a few relaxation techniques to help alleviate the stress. I am not saying you won’t or shouldn’t have stress, remember it’s about balancing the stress. Check out yoga, meditation and deep breathing as they activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response, just the same as flipping the negative into positive. When practiced regularly, these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels, boost your feelings of joy and serenity, and increase your ability to stay calm and collected under pressure.
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Child, Youth & School Services 1. Bastogne (CDC) (270) 412-4485 2. Eagle (CDC) (270) 412-3303/3304 3. Gardner Hills (CDC) (270) 412-0392 4. Part Day Preschool (CDC) (270) 412-6767 5. Polk (CDC) (270) 412-4471 6. Tennessee (CDC) (270) 412-4477 7. Watters #1 (CDC) (270) 439-7993 8. Watters #2 (CDC) (270) 439-7996 9. CYSS Division Adminstrative Office (270) 798-6539 10. Family Child Care (FCC) (270) 798-4959 10. Parent Central Services (CYSS Central Registration) (270) 798-0674 11. Billy C. Colwell Center (270) 412-2315 12. Gardner Hills (SAS) (270) 461-0641 13. Airborne (SAS) (270) 461-1047 14. Bastogne (SAS) (270) 461-0995/0996 10. School Liaison (270) 798-9874 15. SKIESUnlimited Center (270) 412-5811 16. Teen Club 24/7 (270) 956-1033 16. Youth Center (Taylor) (270) 798-3643 16. Youth Sports (270) 798-6355 Community Services 17. Army Community Service (ACS) & ACS Director (270) 798-9322 18. Family Resource Center (FRC) (270) 956-2935 19. Financial Readiness (270) 798-5518 17. Lending Closet (270) 798-6313 20. Soldier & Family Assistance Center (SFAC) (270) 412-6000 21. Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) (270) 798-0277 22. ASYMCA Backdoor Boutique (270) 956-1566 23. ASYMCA Family Center (270) 798-7422 Dining & Entertainment 24. 19th Hole (Cole Park) (270) 798-1822 25. Conference & Catering Center (Joe Swing) (270) 798-2175 24. Community Activities Center (Cole Park) (270) 798-4610 26. Dawg Haus (270) 798-0766 24. Southern Buffet (Cole Park) (270) 798-4610 27. Sportsman’s Lodge (931) 431-4140
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Recreation & Leisure Baldanado Pool (270) 798-5207 Dolan Pool (270) 798-5350 Gardner Indoor Pool (270) 798-6310 Singles Pool (270) 798-4247 The Zone (270) 461-0603 BOSS Program (270) 798-7858 Bowling Center (Hooper) (270) 798-5887 Golf Club (Cole Park) (270) 798-4906 Challenge Course (270) 412-7855 Adventure Program (270) 412-7854 Archery Range (270) 798-2175 Dog Park, North (270) 798-2175 Dog Park, South (270) 798-2175 Hunting & Fishing (270) 798-2175 Paintball (270) 956-3118 Parks & Pavilions Office (270) 798-2175 Riding Stables (270) 798-2629 RV Park (Eagles Rest) (270) 798-2175 RV Park (Fletchers Fork) (270) 798-2175 Skeet Range (270) 412-4015 Small Arms Recreational Range 16 (270) 798-3001 Recreation Center (Dale Wayrynen) (270) 798-7391 Sports & Fitness Estep Wellness Center (270) 798-4664/4023 Fryar Stadium, Sports Admin Office (270) 798-3094 Fratellenico PFF (270) 798-9418 Freedom Fighter PFF (270) 798-7355 Gertsch PFF (270) 798-2753 Lozada PFF (270) 798-4306 Olive PFF (270) 798-4101 Softball Complex, North (270) 798-3320 Softball Complex, South (270) 798-3320 Trades & Services Army Education Center (270) 798-3201 Arts & Crafts Center (Guenette) (270) 798-6693 Auto Service Center (Air Assault Auto) (270) 956-1101/1100 Auto Skills (North) (270) 798-5612
58. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 66 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87.
Engraving Etc. Specialty Store (270) 798-0171 Equipment Rental (Gear-to-Go) (270) 798-6806 Library (R.F. Sink) (270) 798-5729 Veterinary Services (270) 798-3614 Travel & Lodging IHG Hotel (931) 431-4496 IHG Hotel (Satellite Location) (270) 439-2229 Leisure Travel Services Office (270) 798-7436 Miscellaneous Services 101st Airborne Division Headquarters (270) 798-9793 Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (270) 798-8055 Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (270) 798-7161 Commissary (270) 798-3663 Division Parade Field Fisher House (270) 798-8330 Gate 4 Visitor Center & Vehicle Registration (270) 798-5047 Gate 7 Visitor Center & Vehicle Registration (270) 956-4495 In/Out Processing & MWR Public Relations (270) 798-7535 MWR Director (270) 798-9953 MWR Unit Funds & MWR Collections (270) 798-6818 Museum (Don F. Pratt) (270) 798-3215/4986 Wilson Theater (931) 431-3636 The Exchange Airfield Mini Mall/Burger King Green Beans Coffee (270) 640-4614 Community Town Center Class Six (270) 431-3622 Military Clothing Store (270) 798-4212 Pizza Hut Delivery (270) 439-1113 Exchange/Food Court/Mall (270) 439-1841 Exchange Administration Office (270) 439-1846 Firestone (270) 439-1865 Gardner Hills Mini Mal1 (Burger King/Subway) (270) 697-1020 Kentucky Shoppette (24hr gas) (270) 439-1914 KFC & Taco Bell (270) 439-6353 Troop Mini Mall (gas) (270) 431-2410 Tennessee Shoppette (gas) (270) 431-4944
‘Tis the Season...to Be Careful
Families in Motion
by CynDe Clack Keep your celebrations “celebrations” by considering a few safety tips. Remember other Families homes may not always be childproofed. If you bring your child to a holiday party, ensure you check their house for any potential hazards. This should include looking at the lower branches of a Christmas tree. Ornaments that are located at eye level to your child are very tempting for them to grab and they could actually pull the tree down on top of themselves! It should go without saying, but please keep an eye on your own children. It’s not fair to your host/hostess and other guests if you let your child run wild. Be wary around certain plants. Holly berries, mistletoe, and the bright red leaves on rhododendron (all used to decorate for the holidays) are toxic but very pleasing to a young child’s eye. Evergreen needles are non-toxic but may have been sprayed with pesticides. Keep a close eye on infants and toddlers who are likely to want to taste everything in sight. The same can be said for your pets. If you’re at a gathering with children of all ages, make sure your younger one isn’t
getting their tiny hands on toys that could be dangerous. Watch out for smaller pieces that could choke your child if swallowed. Other choking hazards can include foods like nuts, hard candy, grapes, and popcorn. When going to an adults only party; be sure to leave contact information for the babysitter and provide emergency numbers and how best to reach you when you go out. And last but not least – a few notes on fire safety. Don’t leave food cooking unattended, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Extinguish your fire and blow out candles when you go to sleep, or if you’re leaving the room for an extended time. It may be nice to come home to a lit tree, but it won’t be very merry if a short starts an electrical fire. Turn off lights when you go out and at bedtime. Remember - don’t overload your extension cords. Have a safe celebration season with your Family!
Off the Beaten Path
Holiday Getaway by Mignon Deason
It’s that time of year again! Fall colors have given way to colder days, making it time for hot cocoa, warm blankets and crackling fires. It’s also time for the holidays we celebrate with loved ones. With military Families coming from all over, many will venture back home to celebrate the holidays with Family and friends. While others may choose to stay close to home, some will celebrate their holiday on a cruise ship or on some tropical beach. But how do you decide? With so much to do in the winter, from skiing or snowboarding to holiday concerts and shows, there is something sure to please anyone. I have always been one to enjoy a parade. It all started with watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on TV while the turkey baked in the oven. My favorite has always been the giant character balloons and of course the big debut of Santa himself at the end. There are great local parades happening in the area. Clarksville’s parade is not to be missed on December 1! It is an evening parade with all entrants displaying twinkling lights on
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Rockettes, kicking their legs in perfect unison. Did you know you can see them live just a short drive from here? That’s right; the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular show comes to the Grand Ole Opry House each year as part of Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas Celebration. This is a Family friendly show incorporating the best of holiday shows
their themed floats, marching bands, dancers and of course those crazy clowns. This year’s theme is “Christmas around the World”. Hopkinsville’s parade will be also be on December 1 but begins at 10:00 a.m., allowing you plenty of time to catch both. This year’s theme for Hopkinsville’s parade is “Hometown Christmas”. If that’s not enough for you, head to Nashville on December 7 and catch their parade “A Christmas Salute”. Another thing I always remember from the Macy’s Parade is the famous Radio City
and a live nativity. After you are dazzled by the Rockettes, you can don your winter parka for a tour of the most amazing ice sculptures at Gaylord’s ICE! featuring Shrek the Halls. Millions of pounds of colored
carved ICE recreate Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and all their pals in a whimsical holiday tale. There are even giant ice slides for young and old to enjoy. Gaylord Opryland is always decorated elaborately with millions of twinkling lights, making for a truly magical experience, whether you are staying the night at the enormous Gaylord Opryland Hotel or just visiting for the day. What about for you adventurous winter sports fanatics? Did you know you can go skiing or snowboarding just a few short hours away? With areas such as Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Paoli Peaks, Indiana; or Sugar Mountain, North Carolina; you don’t have to drive too far for fun in the snow. With military discounts on lift tickets or equipment rentals and lessons, these resorts offer great options for the novice or the expert. While the snow may not always be nature made, due to our unpredictable climate here in the mid-south, rest assured man can make enough snow at each of these resorts to keep you entertained. Speaking of Gatlinburg, there is so much more to do and see in this quaint little town. Gatlinburg is located right in the heart of the Smoky Mountains National park. You have several options in one of a kind craft shops, great restaurants, and might I say, some of the most mouth watering pancakes ever made. No shortage of activities and fun! You can enjoy a friendly game of putt-putt down the side of a mountain, see sharks and
other deep water creatures swimming all around you at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, take in the oddities collected at the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, and check out who the tallest man is or who has the longest fingernails at Guinness World
Records Museum. After all that daytime fun, sit back and warm your toes in front of a fire at your own private log cabin or take in a dinner show like Dixie Stampede in nearby Pigeon Forge or the hilarious Black Bear Jamboree. On your way back home, don’t forget to stop in Sevierville to get some awesome deals at the outlet stores for everyone on your holiday shopping list.
food all evening, cruises have fast become one of the most popular vacations in America. You can take a short three or four day jaunt to the Bahamas or a longer seven day sailing around the Caribbean Islands. Be sure to catch sight of some dolphins guiding you out to sea as you leave each port, take in a Vegas style show, try your luck in the casino or just sit back and people watch up on the Lido deck by the pool. Cruises are fun for kids too! With excellent kids and teen programs to keep your young ones entertained and making new friends at sea this is an ideal Family friendly vacation over the holidays. There are so many possibilities in the winter for getaways, road trips, vacations and holiday fun. Travel season doesn’t just end with summer anymore. Call Leisure Travel Services at (270) 798-7436 or check us out at www.fortcampbellmwr.com. With so many possibilities, let MWR Leisure Travel Services help you with all your winter and holiday fun.
Perhaps you are looking into that warm getaway to someplace tropical, picturing yourself under a beach umbrella, fruity concoction in your hand and nothing but blue sky above and emerald blue seas lapping at your feet. That sounds absolutely amazing, doesn’t it? Get away from the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season and just relax on a beach, at an all inclusive resort. With your passport, the entire Caribbean is your oyster. No passport? That’s OK! US Citizens can still travel to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands and get the same warm fun in the sun experience. Want that tropical getaway, but can’t decide on where to go? How about a cruise? Cruises offer multiple ports of call and the best part: you only have to unpack once! You can visit Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel all in the same week. With so much to do at the ports and then entertainment and gourmet
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Merry Motor-Head Christmas
All Revved Up
by Ruben Osuna Oh the season is upon us and ‘tis the time to give, and hopefully to receive - if you’ve been good. You can never plan far enough ahead when it comes to giving that person you care about the perfect gift. As we all know, car enthusiasts can be very selective when it comes to the things they buy for their cars. They are always want something unique and try to recreate that perfect picture that exists only in their head. So what are some of the things that you should be consider? The number one item is wheels and tires; everyone wants bigger, wider, shinier wheels and tires. Audio and video would be number two and all other aftermarket accessories (rain guards, lights, mufflers, dress up kits, etc) would probably fall under number three. Budget accordingly and buy smart!
The best way to get wheels and tires is in a package deal. Often it is cheaper to buy a wheels and tires package than just the wheels or tires alone. That’s because the more you buy, the more discount that you can usually get. Wheels and tires are vehicle specific, so you want to make sure you know the year, make, model, and engine size of your recipient’s car. When you finally decide what you want to get, try to get it ordered as soon as possible. There can be some shipping involved and you want to have ample time in case something happens, like the wrong tires being ordered. You don’t want to make this a last minute purchase. Let’s face it, everyone wants that touch screen GPS radio that will play your songs wirelessly and make calls for you, all while playing a DVD in the back seat for the kids. There are plenty of units out there that will do all that. When it comes to a car’s radio, it can be broken down to three categories. Do they want loud; do they want quality; or do they want
both? It’s easy to get loud, a little harder to get quality and difficult to get both. When I say easy, hard, and difficult, I’m talking dollar signs. So make sure you talk to your enthusiast and listen to what they want. They might love their current radio, but feel like there’s something missing. You may only have to add a few things and not have to change the whole system. A great gift idea is integration. What’s integration? You can add iPod controls, Bluetooth, and all kinds of extras to your current radio. That’s integration. Remember when your enthusiast was talking about getting those rain guards? What about that 12,000 pound front mount winch adapter plate? You are not sure what that is, are you? Most people don’t understand the car lingo. Make sure to ask what they would like and make some mental notes, then take those notes and put them on paper so you don’t forget. An even better idea is writing a memo on your smart phone. There are plenty of apps for that, and you’re always on your phone anyway; that way they’ll never suspect anything. An even better way to make it all more special is to have it installed. Don’t just hand them a big heavy box, hand them a big empty box because
it’s all done and they can enjoy their gift right away. Luckily for you, there’s a place right here on Fort Campbell that can help you get that person the right gift. That place is Air Assault Auto, located at 5300 Airborne Street across from the Hooper Bowling Center. Air Assault Auto specializes in audio/video, lift kits, wheels & tires, and all aftermarket accessories. With their “25% down and drive program”, you can take it with you and pay 25% down and pay the rest in six monthly payments, same as cash. They can install and customize everything they sell. They are offering 10% off all BDS suspension lift kits, tires, and JL Audio during the holidays until December 31, 2012. Please call (270) 956-1100/1101.
Fort Campbell Area Car Audio Locations Sonus Car Audio (931) 802-8913 Ave Car Audio (931) 503-9977 Audio Specialists (270) 885-1690
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Hometown Hero
Forging a Path for Women by Lisa Taylor “I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women; but I must say that if all that has been said by orators and poets since the creation of the world in praise of women were applied to the women of America, it would not do them justice for their conduct during this war.” ~Abraham Lincoln Women have always played a vital role in the success of our armed forces. Today women continue to make great strides achieving one milestone after another, often even excelling beyond the skills of their male counterparts. This month we are thrilled to feature 1st Lieutenant Jennifer Lynn Gerschultz, a Military Police Officer, as December’s Hometown Hero. Gerschultz has served in the Army for eight years, first as an enlisted Soldier before being selected for West Point and commissioning back into the Army as an officer. While deployed, Gerschultz was assigned as an Afghan mentor taking part in the first wave of Female Engagement Teams (FET) assign to mentor Afghan female police officers. MWR Life: Tell us about your work with Afghan female police officers.
1LT Gerschultz: The first six months of my last deployment I was assigned as a mentor to a police substation commander. We were city center of Kandahar, substation one. There, we slowly integrated females into the Afghan security forces. We had a total of 12 females that would actually come and do ranges with us. My primary duty was to act as a security team with my platoon. We were assigned to mentor all of the Afghan males that worked at that substation, patrol with them every day and teach them basic patrolling skills. The second six months of my deployment I was located in Kabul to take over the female engagement initiative for the Afghan uniformed police. In my Area of Operations (AO), the eight provinces that fell under the north of Kabul, we had a total of 86 female Afghan police that worked with us. I primarily mentored the women at the 202nd Zone Headquarters. They in turn would take the things we taught them to train other female police in other provinces, much like “train the trainer.” When we could we would get out to the provinces to see the progress they were making. We did a substantially good job of integrating the FET from the battle space zoners so that the work that I couldn’t do from the zone headquarters in Kabul
could be done at the provincial level and even down at the district level. Every brigade here at Fort Campbell is now establishing a FET team and these FET teams will deploy as a brigade asset. MWR Life: Prior to the creation of the FET mentor program would you say there was minimal female presence in the Afghan police force? 1LT Gerschultz: Yes, female presence was very minimal. This was actually the first push to assign female mentors to Afghan female police. In the past the Marines have worked a lot with the females in the Afghan National Army but never the Afghan female police. In conjunction with the United Nation’s gender specialists we set up programs in Kabul to send women to the police academy and to get them dispersed throughout the provinces. MWR Life: What did you study while you attended West Point? 1LT Gerschultz: Your first two years are a basic field of study; during the second two years you focus on a major just like any other university. I completed a major in geospatial information sciences and I minored in civil engineering. MWR Life: What is geospatial information science? 1LT Gerschultz: It is the study of spatial relations of people, geography, land and space. Geospatial information sciences incorporate a lot of satellite work and analysis. It is a cross between what topographic engineers and military intelligence analysis do. The primary place for people with this type of degree to work would be the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency in Washington D.C. MWR Life: What made you decide to stay in the Army if working for National Geospatial Intelligence Agency was an option you could have pursued? 1LT Gerschultz: I decided to go back to the Army after West Point because the Army provided me an opportunity to lead and the opportunity to go out and work with people all over the world. MWR Life: What are some of your greatest achievements and what awards have you received? 1LT Gerschultz: I earned my Australian Jump Wings
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mental capacity. MWR Life: Knowing what you do now, what advice would you give the younger version of yourself? 1LT Gerschultz: I would say take a little more time to yourself rather than being the social butterfly. Take some time to read, look at the Sergeant Major of the Army’s reading list and knock some of those out. It’s amazing what I could have learned eight years ago that I am just now learning because I am reading some of those books. Also, I would say take some of those people that you respect and pick some mentors and hold on to those mentors. Keep in contact with them your entire career. MWR Life: What advice do you have for other single Soldiers?
when I trained with the Aussies at Fort Bragg when I was a private. I never got to jump into Australia though. Next I completed the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge for military proficiency while I was in the Basic Ops Leadership Course. For the work that I did while I was in Kandahar and Kabul I received a Bronze Star. After my last deployment I received a Purple Heart and CAB (Combat Action Badge) for my actions during an event that took place on August 27 of last year (2011) when a VBIED (vehicle born improvised explosive device) hit our station in Kandahar. Several of my Soldiers were critically wounded and one was KIA. MWR Life: Tell us what happened that day. 1LT Gerschultz: We were living at the police substation with the Afghan and one of the Taliban members came down from sub-district 9 which is up north. He drove past our station twice and then he tried to ram our gate to breach our force protection. Luckily we always kept our MATV (Military All-Terrain Vehicle) parked in front of the gate so it blocked him from entering. Upon his third attempt he detonated a 500 lb. vehicle born explosive. The part of the blast that affected the PSS [police substation] completely decimated everything. My entire platoon was within 40 feet of the explosion. MWR Life: Which military schools have you attended? From what I understand you are one of few female Pathfinders. 1LT Gerschultz: When I first enlisted I went to EMT school because I was a medic. After graduation I went to Airborne School, spent some time at Fort Bragg and then I was deployed to Hurricane
Katrina. When I came back I found out I was accepted to West Point. My sophomore year at West Point I attended Air Assault School. Upon graduation I went to Pathfinders School during my grad leave. MWR Life: What was it like being a female taking these courses? 1LT Gerschultz: I was treated the same. It was a bit difficult for me because I am short making it difficult to keep up at times. The guys are pretty motivated when they see females doing the same thing as them and keeping up and having the same
1LT Gerschultz: Always remember that there is more beyond the motor pool, beyond the job that you are doing right then. There are so many opportunities, branch out, reenlist for a PCS, go see and do something else. Take some of your weekends and go on vacation with your friends. Get out of the barracks! Go down to Nashville and see what the rest of life is like. Meet people other than those in the military. Every day the men and women who fight for us work diligently to find balance between their career and their personal lives. As you gather with your Family this holiday season, remember to give thanks for those who have and continue to sacrifice for us every day.
Body, Mind & Spirit
Holly, Jolly and Blue by William D. Corlew Traditionally, the holiday season is a great opportunity to enjoy your favorite festive activities; a time to usher away the year with celebration and start the arriving year with promise and renewal. From mid to late October and in some cases, until February for St. Valentine’s Day, the holidays are sure to bring surprise, delight, and merriment to everyone – young and old alike. At the end of every year, we all get a chance to relax and breath a bit There is nothing quite like relaxing to all the flavors the holiday season brings; the aromas of cider and eggnog, potpourri with a hint of pine and citrus, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger bread cookies, sage and allspice, red velvet cake, pumpkin-spice coffee, fruit cake, and no table in America would be complete without Aunt Sally’s famous Chess Pie. Yes, truly the holidays are especially great for savoring and salivating over seasonal cuisine. The opposite side of this “savory recipe” is the notion of the arduous task to fill everyone’s holiday wish with joy, laughter, and fun; unfortunately for you the season of happiness usually results in the season to “STRESS.” You regularly encounter long lines at the register, limited parking, crowded stores, numerous rain checks, the MMA-event between two parents over the hottest toy, and the unmistakable attraction of the holiday mall musk-fragrance and unforgettable department store whiff. Each year you've waited patiently for the weather to cool while days shorten. Daily tasks are put off for another day and songs from years ago begin to flood television, radio, and over Muzak loudspeakers in stores -it's nothing new, it's the same-ole stuff that occurs year-after-year-after-year. It’s the holidays and “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” How does this yearly event cause such a variety of reactions in so many people? Do the first strains of holiday music bring you joy and happiness or panic and chaos? Are we in fact, predestined for the blues? An article by Dr. Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., “How to Avoid the Holiday Blues”, recommends the following: first, “maintain realistic expectations
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and relinquish the idea that you must partake in every holiday ritual.” Soldiers are great planners; therefore, use the backward planning strategy and if there is not enough time, reconsider the task. Attempt to manage or balance your time and
efforts between Family, friends, and coworkers. While it’s nice to receive many party invites, the best parties are the ones that you attend. Therefore, attend sparingly to truly enjoy the atmosphere and company. Second, “stick with your
routines, including eating, drinking, and sleeping habits. If you over do it and then skimp on your usual exercise, you’ll just end up feeling heavy, bloated, and tired.” The temptation to start a “second plate” or “take an extra plate home” is overwhelming, especially if it’s Aunt Sally’s famous Chess Pie. Enjoy what the holidays bring, but do so in moderation. Third, “Make a budget for spending and avoid trying to buy perfect gifts. You’ll feel better knowing you didn’t rack up your credit card bill.” As a child, one of my perfect gifts was a Stretch Armstrong; we stretched him from the living room through the front door. Even Stretch has his limits; he split in two and leaked blue-goo all over my mother’s rug. Needless to say, she was not impressed and we were disappointed in ruining the perfect gift that someone put a lot of time and effort into finding. I recently, spoke with Specialist Clint Cointsinch, Behavioral Health Technician at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital and his advice is to forego the holiday blues is “avoid the commercial holiday completely”, don’t get caught-up in the hype, expectation, or tedious seasonal habits as the result of the holiday. Second, “find others and celebrate together.” Third, “reflect on certain aromas, traditions or memories as a child during the holidays.” Lastly, “avoid malls or other major shopping areas and support local businesses.” You may get a better deal as well as a discount. Consider the following by Hugh Downs, “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” Bottom-line, avoid overly saturating yourself with holiday cheer and seasonal festivities and allow yourself time to reflect on the things that make this time of the year special versus relentlessly trying to find that special gift for another. You are what matters most and the time you spend with others will always supersede the value of a holiday gift.
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