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USAF HG female pallbearer honored to serve
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD.
American Legion National Commander discusses budget cuts, Veteran Affairs backlog
Outpatient surgeries coming to Joint Base Andrews
FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2013 | VOL. 2 NO. 10
COLIN POWELL VISITS JBA
BY BOBBY JONES
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
James Koutz, American Legion national commander, visited the Washington area March 9 and 10; he received a tour of military aircraft on Joint Base Andrews, visited several historic sites, joined a luncheon at American Legion Post 259, Clinton, Md. and was honored by The American Legion of Maryland during a National Commander’s Banquet at the Harry White Wilmer American Legion Post 82 in LaPlata, Md. “I received a call from President Obama to discuss various concerns pertaining to potential cuts, VA backlogs and mental health issues,” said James Koutz, American Legion national commander, at American Legion Post 259 in Clinton, Md. “That tells me something about this 2.4 million-member organi-
see CUTS, page 10
COURTESY PHOTO
James Koutz, American Legion National commander, has a one-on-one meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office in the White House to discuss his concerns over potential military budget cuts and VA backlogs Mar. 6. The National commander later addressed an audience at American Legion Post 259 in Clinton, Md. during a luncheon held in his honor March 9.
Sequestration impacts ripple across Air Force BY ALAN BLACK
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Air Force senior leaders issued updated guidance to leaders of Air Force major commands and addressed the service’s Airmen last week on how the service will operate under sequestration and a continuing resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year. Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Jamie Morin and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer detailed in a memorandum what the service will do to navigate through an uncertain fiscal environment. “On 1 March 2013, we expect to absorb over $12 billion in sequestration reductions while
we simultaneously work to mitigate an (overseas contingency operations) shortfall of $1.8 billion and operate under a highly restrictive continuing resolution,” they say in the memorandum. “These events are unprecedented for the department and the USAF,” Morin and Spencer wrote. In a letter to all Airmen, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III talked about what sequestration means for the service. “March is here, and unfortunately, so is sequestration ... that means the entire Department of Defense, including our Air Force, will experience about a nine percent budget cut
see RIPPLE, page 6
Join the 11th Wing Speakers Bureau 11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE According Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, every Airman has a story. The 11th Wing Public Affairs Office is looking for Airmen who enjoy getting out in the community to share their Air Force stories. The 11th Wing Speakers Bureau is now accepting requests for speakers from external public organizations. The purpose of the speakers bureau is to match senior 11th Wing leaders and Airmen from all ranks - civilian, officer and enlisted with interested audiences in an effort to foster understanding of the Air Force mission. The bureau is focused on community outreach activities in and around the National Capital Region, and can be a valuable resource for clubs and organizations to learn more about the Air Force and the people who perform our mission. 11th Wing speakers are invited to speak on a wide variety of subjects, including:
- Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) - Air Force history - Air Force medicine and health professions - Leadership and management - Air Force career or educational opportunities - Air Force Academy, ROTC and Officer Training School - Civil Service opportunities - Communications and computers - Meteorology/weather - Ethnic heritage and history - Women in the Air Force From training to your daily missions to personal experiences, 11th Wing Airmen now have the opportunity to tell audiences throughout the NCR about the Air Force by joining the 11th Wing Speakers Bureau. If you would like to share your story or enjoy speaking about any of the topics listed, please fill out the participation form and contact the 11th Wing Public Affairs office at 240-6124428, or send an email to 11wg. comrel@afncr.af.mil.
PHOTO/BOBBY JONES
Jacob Rhoads, 3, and brother Andrews, 7, of Crofton, Md. pose for a photo with Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, at the Andrews Exchange Main Store. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell visited the Joint Base Andrews Exchange March 9 to meet admirers and talk about his life and career.
Anyone can see JBA history at the MAC Lab BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
Joint Base Andrews is all about today’s mission and the future of the military. When new things are built, however, it never happens without some influence from the past. JBA and its affiliate the Davidsonville Listening Station are built upon places where other people lived and worked in the past. Evidence of those longlost communities form part of the Joint Base Andrews federal collection at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, as part of the Maryland Department of Planning Maryland Historical Trust efforts at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Md. Sara Rivers Cofield, curator for federal collections at the MAC Lab, explained that the JBA collections can be separated into two distinct kinds: prehistoric Early Woodland deposits from Native American communities who spent time along the shoreline near what would become the Davidsonville Listening Station, and items discarded on plantations, tenant farms and around homes from the 17th century until modern times on the future Joint Base Andrews, concentrated around Belle Chance Mansion, Chapel Two and other sites around base. “The hardest part of archaeology is that we have to know what everything is that people have ever made, anywhere, by a tiny fragment,” said Cofield. Some of those fragments are easy to identify---pottery that looks like it could have shattered just the other day; horse shoes that retain their familiar form; files and keyholes and hinges that clearly indicate how they were once used; and knife points sought by young explorers curious about prehistoric life. Other items, like fragments of Native American pottery created using local materials, are hard for the untrained eye to identify at all. Fortunately, people who are interested in learning about the history found beneath Joint Base Andrews don’t need credentials or an extensive education to see the artifacts in the the JBA federal
PHOTO/CHRIS BASHAM
Federal Collections Curator Sara Rivers Cofield shows how two Mockley ceramic fragments found at the Davidsonville Listening Station fit together. The fragments are from a piece of pottery dating from between 200 A.D. and 900 A.D.
collection. They just need an appointment to visit the MAC Lab and an eagerness to learn. Each item was found through surveys done as part of the base’s cultural resource management program, as required by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The law requires that all federal properties must look for and evaluate the historical and archaeological significance of items that might be found on their land, before any construction project. The law was passed to prevent old buildings and other sites from being destroyed during construction, before their significance could be known and documented, and in some cases preserved.
In a military setting, the first stage of cultural resource management is a Phase 1 survey, designed to identify the boundaries of sites that might include artifacts. Once artifacts are found, usually through small samples conducted systematically throughout a grid pattern, a Phase 2 survey helps to determine whether those artifacts are significant because of their association with a famous person or event, or their ability to yield information about lifeways and culture, especially with regards to Native American settlements. “Phase 1 and 2 are wise planning tools to help military lead-
see LAB, page 4
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Andrews Gazette
HOT TICKETS
Commentary
We need real solutions
Around Town March 15 and 16
Nordic Cool: GoteborgsOperans Danskompani John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street N.W. Eisenhower Theater, Washington, D.C. 8 p.m. The largest modern dance company in the Nordic region performs, sponsored by the Embassy of Sweden. For information, visit http://www.kennedy-center.org/ events/?event=XNIND.
March 16
Ranger Talk: Rosa Parks Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Washington, D.C. 3 p.m. Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on the bus inspired civil rights leaders. For information, visit http:// www.nps.gov/nama.
Every Sunday
Free Family Sundays at the Baltimore Museum of Art 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, Md. 2 p.m. Explore art and make your own with the whole family. For information, visit http://baltimore.org/events/id/5029.
March 17
10th Annual Rams Head Tavern St. Patty’s Day Party Ram’s Head, 33 West Street-Back parking lot, Annapolis, Md. 11 a.m. Fun for the Irish--and all the wannabee’s. For information, visit http://www.ramsheadtavern.com/annapolis/.
COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS
Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint Military Publications, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force or any branch of the United States military. The appearance of advertising in these publications, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the products and services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, martial status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non merit factor of the purchases, user or patron.
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Friday, March 15, 2013
BY CHRIS BASHAM STAFF WRITER
We started out the year on the good foot--county crime rates were down this January when compared to the previous year by almost every measure. Prince George’s County seemed to be turning around, with safer neighborhoods leading to the hope for a greater focus on business development and positive community efforts. Then the shootings started: a horrifying cluster of unrelated, unexplainable mayhem in which six Prince George’s County students were killed over the course of just a few months. Marcus Jones, Aaron Kidd, Markel Ross, Eliezer Reyes, Amber Stanley and Charles Walker Jr. are
dead, and with them the contributions they could have made to our county as adults. With them, also, we lost a little bit of the hope those year-end statistics seemed to offer. If our children can’t walk the neighborhood, or even be in their own homes, safely, what does it matter what the statistics say? Since all six shooting victims were students, the Prince George’s County Public Schools have budgeted $4.25 million to address school safety, including panic buttons, security cameras, electronic access systems and Situational Analysis Management System software intended to pinpoint trouble spots within school buildings. It sounds like the school board wants to do something to protect students, and
that’s obviously part of what parents expect the schools to do during the school day. Still, not one of those shootings occurred on school grounds. These children were not killed because the schools don’t have enough security. They died because some members of our society do not have enough respect for human life. Technological advancements and additional regulations won’t keep our young people safe--after all, it is already against the law to kill. What we need is a cultural transformation. County Executive Rushern Baker III (D) is working to create that sort of community-wide change through the county’s Transforming Neighbor-
Village offer independent living. The Hawthorn House provides assisted living and memory care near Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field. In addition to monthly resident fees, funding comes from donations and the Air Force Assistance Fund. For information, call 1-800 258-1413 or visit www.afenlistedwidows.org.
Belvoir, Va. The 270,000-square foot facility, two blocks from the present store, will offer one-stop service for all exchange activity on the post, including military clothing sales, home and garden items and a gun shop. Other new additions will be a Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Popeye’s Chicken and a Things Remembered gift shop. Current shops will remain the same along with the barber shop, beauty salon, optical shop and food court outlets. The refill pharmacy will also continue operations. Ultimately, the present exchange structure will be razed and the neighboring commissary relocated in that space.
see SOLUTIONS, page 7
Retiree Corner COURTESY OF THE RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE
Enlisted Village
Enlisted Village is home for widows, others The Air Force Enlisted Village was founded in 1967 after a survey conducted by the Air Force Sergeants Association found there were almost 50,000 widows of enlisted men living in poverty. With the help of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Ryan and his wife, a group of active duty and retired noncommissioned officers started the village with the goal of providing a home for spouses of surviving enlisted Air Force members. “Our mission at the village is simply to provide a home,” said retired CMSAF Jim Binnicker, the village’s chief executive officer. “It started out with only Air Force enlisted widows, but over the years we have changed that to include a lot of different kinds of people. ”We take care of Air Force enlisted widows first and foremost,” he added. “That’s the priority. Then we have moral dependents, when it’s just the right thing to do.” Located in Shalimar, Fla., Bob Hope Village and Theresa
Was that a fake Medicare call?
Fraudulent telephone calls involving Medicare cards have been reported. Callers seek verification of personal information and offer a new Medicare card. Beneficiaries are asked to verify their bank account, social security numbers and their address. Medicare does not call beneficiaries for such information. A beneficiary must call Medicare, or go online, to request a new card. If you are aware of any such calls, notify the Medicare Fraud line at 1-800633-4227.
Ft. Belvoir builds new Exchange
The nation’s largest military exchange store opens in June at Fort
The Retiree Activities Office is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visit the office in Building 1604 at California and Colorado Avenues or call us at 301 981-2726. Our e-mail address is raoandrews.af.mil. Call the office before your visit to ensure a volunteer is on duty. The RAO has a website at www.andrews.af.mil, click on “Retirees” for a wealth of information on retiree subjects, including past copies of “Retiree Activities Corner.”
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Friday, March 15, 2013
AFDW commander conducts town hall meetings BY MICHAEL P. KLEIMAN
AIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Air Force District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Sharon K.G. Dunbar held town hall meetings Tuesday and Thursday at the Andrews Base Theater to provide civilian and military members with the latest information about sequestration and the civilian administrative furlough process. Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, sequestration established mandatory federal spending cuts if deficit reduction legislation was not enacted into law. As a result, President Obama signed a sequester order on March 1. This order triggered the process to eliminate $85 billion in government spending over the next seven months. “The sequestration order initiated a $1.2 trillion reduction in government spending over a 10-year period. Half of this amount will be from the DOD budget,” said Dunbar. “For Fiscal Year 2013, DOD must reduce spending by $52 billion. Of that amount, $13.8 billion will come from the Air Force.” Dunbar told audiences the Air Force implemented cost-cutting measures prior to sequestration. These include flying only mission-essential operations and canceling all non-mission essential expenditures. “I requested our entire AFDW team attend these town hall meetings because our civilian Airmen are essential to our mission success,” Dunbar said. “Our civilians are tremendous patriots. Their expertise, experience and continuity contribute immeasurably to Air Force capabilities and success.” Sequestration involves the potential furlough of over 6,000 civilian employees in the National Capital Region, so representatives from AFDW Finance and Civilian Personnel offices were on hand to explain how this may affect civilian pay and work schedules. Most employ-
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/1ST LT. ASHLEIGH PECK
Air Force District of Washington Financial Management and Comptroller Director Maritza LoGrasso talks about the effects of the sequestration and furlough for AFDW personnel March 5 during a town hall meeting on Joint Base Andrews, Md. ìGovernment purchases cannot be made unless itís something you absolutely need this fiscal year, LoGrasso said.
Air Force District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Sharon K.G. Dunbar holds a town hall meeting for civilian and military personnel to discuss effects of the sequestration and furlough for the organization on March 5.
ees could be furloughed two days per pay period for the last 22 weeks of the fiscal year, equating to a 20 percent cut in pay
Furloughs can begin April 26, DOD Comptroller says BY JIM GARAMONE AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Unless Congress acts to end sequestration, furloughs for Defense Department civilian employees can begin April 26, the department’s comptroller said here today. Robert F. Hale discussed the furlough planning process with a Pentagon audience. The comptroller also took questions sent in via Facebook and Twitter. DOD is the only agency in the U.S. government that has to notify Congress when it wants to impose furloughs. Officials did that Feb. 20. “There is a 45day waiting period after we submit that notification before furloughs can start,” Hale said. The department asked commands to identify civilians who would be exempt from furloughs. That information is back in the Pentagon, Hale said, and officials are reviewing the recommendations. Their goal is to complete that review by March 15, he added. After notifying Congress, the department began legally required bargaining with unions. About a dozen unions have national consultation rights, Hale said, and local commanders are in the process of notifying several local unions.
“The unions, in this case, don’t have the right to bargain not to do the furloughs, he said. “They do have the right to bargain how they are implemented.” If Congress does not act on sequestration, later this month the department will send letters to the excepted employees and propose furloughs for the rest, Hale said. There is a sevenday period for people to reply to their letters, followed by a 30-day waiting period. “At the end of that period, we can send decisions of furloughs, and those furloughs can start,” he said. When the formal notice is sent, civilian employees have the right to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board. “We’ve never done this,” Hale said, “and I hope we never do. ... It’s not quite clear what this appeal right will be, but the appeal right is there.” If Congress does not act, civilian employees will be furloughed without pay for 22 days -- one day a week through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. For affected civilian employees, this amounts to a 20 percent cut in pay from the beginning of furloughs through the end of the fiscal year.
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Air Force District of Washington civilian and military personnel listen for details regarding the sequestration and furlough during a town hall meeting at the base theater March 6 at Joint Base Andrews, Md. The meeting was hosted by AFDW Commander Maj. Gen. Sharon K.G. Dunbar to discuss effects of the sequestration and furlough.
during this period. While on administrative furlough, federal employees would be placed on temporary non-duty, non-pay status. Potential furlough letters could be issued mid-month. A furlough decision letter could follow in late April on the effective date of furlough. With either, impacted civilian employees will receive individualized letters. Should an administrative furlough occur the Air Force is estimated to save $1 billion for the remainder of the fiscal year. “There are many unknowns associated with sequestration but one thing is clear - these are unprecedented times and we’ll get through them together as a team and family,” said Dunbar. Air Force leaders are concerned about the loss of pay causing financial and other personal hardships. Several resources are available to assist civilian Airmen including the Joint Base Andrews Military and
Family Support Center, (301) 981-7087; the AFDW Civilian Personnel Hotline, (240) 612-6608; and the AFDW Financial Management Hotline, (240) 612-5900. “You have my personal commitment that as soon as we get more information, we will pass it along. We plan to conduct more town hall meetings so we can discuss each step along the way. We’re all in this together,” said General Dunbar. The AFDW website contains the latest sequestration and furlough information at http://www.afdw.af.mil/sequestrationandfurlough/index.asp. Additional resources to assist civilian personnel are also available on the myPers site at https://mypers.af.mil. Personnel should enter “Civilian: Furlough Home Page” in the search window. For other furlough information, visit the Office of Personnel Management site at www.opm.gov.
New Air Force “Better Foods. Better Bodies.” healthy-eating campaign pilots at three bases BY AIR FORCE MEDICAL OPERATIONS AGENCY (AFMOA) HEALTH PROMOTION OFFICE The Office of the Air Force Surgeon General and Air Force Medical Operations Agency Health Promotion office have launched a pilot campaign focused on motivating Airmen and their families to eat healthier. The campaign - which adopted the tagline “Better Foods. Better Bodies.” - aims to raise awareness of healthy food options, increase knowledge of good nutritional choices and motivate Airmen and their families to eat better, both on and off base. The initial pilot program will be conducted at Joint Base Andrews and Langley and Lackland Air Force Bases before being rolled out to the entire Air Force. The BFBF campaign is a joint effort among four partners across the USAF and DoD: AFMOA, Army and Air Force Exchange Services, Air Force Personnel Center Food & Beverage and Fitness, and the Defense Commissary Agency. These groups have worked closely together over the past year to develop the campaign and join hands in encouraging Airmen and their families to eat smarter. “In the short term, healthy eating can help you look better, increase your energy and help your brain work faster and smarter. In the long term, it can improve heart health and prevent the onset of certain kinds of diseases like obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis,” said the campaign’s director, Mary Balch, Health Promotion office. “We want Airmen and their families to live long, healthy lives and we know a lot of that depends on what they put into their bodies. That’s why we started working with this great group of partners to create a campaign that would motivate and equip Airmen and their families across the Air Force to eat better.” BFBB provides online tools and resources to educate and enable individuals to make smarter food choices. Recipes, menu plans, quick tips and shopping lists
GRAPHIC/STEVE THOMPSON
The Office of the Air Force Surgeon General and Air Force Medical Operations Agency (AFMOA) Health Promotion office launched a pilot campaign recently focused on motivating Airmen and their families to eat healthier. The campaign – which adopted the tagline “Better Foods. Better Bodies.” – aims to raise awareness of healthy food options, increase knowledge of good nutritional choices and motivate Airmen and their families to eat better, both on and off base.
help incorporate healthy foods into busy days through planning and affordable, convenient changes. Campaign posters around base serve as visual reminders for Airmen and their families to purchase more designated “green” foods at dining facilities, healthy “Operation: BeFit” choices at EXpress shoppettes, and fruits and vegetables at commissaries. The commissaries will be offering special deals through coupon savings for items used in the recipes and menus. “AAFES is committed to fueling a healthier lifestyle for Airmen and their families,” said David Arens, who oversees the operations of AAFES shoppettes across the Air Force. “We’re proud to be partnering with the “Better Foods. Better Bodies.” campaign and are planning to roll out an abundance of healthier foods in our shoppettes that will enable Airmen to grab a healthy meal while on the go.” See the campaign content at http:// www.afms.af.mil/betterhealth/bfbb.
For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,
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visit www.dcmilitary.com.
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Andrews Gazette
Friday, March 15, 2013
Air Force suspends military tuition assistance
LAB, from page 1 ership decide to put things elsewhere, to protect important artifacts,” Cofield said. Joint Base Andrews has used those surveys in the past to help decide where to build. Unlike JBA, some other military installations, including Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., have gone on to Phase 3. “At Pax River, the presidential helo pad was going to be built, so they had to excavate (items of potential significance before construction could begin,)” Cofield said. Although some prehistoric and later sites have been identified on Joint Base Andrews and related properties, few of them were considered significant, undisturbed and rare enough to become part of the federal collection curated at the MAC Lab. Many of the earliest artifacts were found at the Davidsonville Listening Station because it is located along fresh water, a common area for long-term settlements by the Piscataway Indians and other Native American peoples. On JBA proper, there are few prehistoric artifacts, because of the lack of those fresh water sources. “You have to live in one place for a while for us to find accumulated stuff,” Cofield said. “Prehistoric communities used those lands but did not stay,” limiting the amount of discarded items to be found by modern surveys. When European settlers came to Prince George’s County to create plantations for cultivating tobacco and other profitable crops, however, the land where JBA would some day stand was well suited for farming. Items found on JBA include imported and locally made horse furniture, imported ceramics, window glass, construction and other nails, and other items that give a glimpse into antebellum and postbellum plantation life in Maryland. More modern sites, including early 20th-century bungalows occupied by tenant farmers, are not generally considered significant enough to preserve because they are commonplace to the area. Repeated forest fires, small-scale construction projects, and agricultural cultivation have disturbed much of the land on and around JBA, rendering little of it valuable and informative enough to be included on the national register of historic places. Changes in the way people dispose of unwanted items also make more modern things less likely to be found near where they were used---though early settlers often buried their trash in a pit on their property, or just left broken crockery and other items on the ground near their home, modern residents have their trash carted off to a central dump far from home. For those interested in the past, however, it’s a tantalizing collection, being stored, inventoried and sometimes preserved at the MAC Lab. Some items are not good candidates for preservation. Nails and other small iron pieces are vulnerable to oxidation from the moment they are removed from the ground. Those items are x-rayed to get a good image of their original shape and condition, and then stored for as long as they can last. Their labeled plastic bags eventually will hold little more than rusty powder, but the information is stored for researchers and the interested public in perpetuity. “You’ve captured the information without wasting your money on treating them,”
BY STAFF SGT. DAVID SALANITRI AIR FORCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS AGENCY
PHOTOS/CHRIS BASHAM
Sara Rivers Cofield, curator, federal collections at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Md. sorts items from the Joint Base Andrews federal collection. Each piece is labeled directly on the piece, and both inside and outside its plastic storage bags to identify what it is and where it was found while protecting it from further degradation.
Most of the interesting pieces found on Joint Base Andrews come from the land around Belle Chance Mansion, including an 18th-19th century iron stirrup, a Buckley crock sherd (light brown with dark gray marking); a fragment of Rhenish blue-and-grey stoneware from the 17th - 18th century; a Manganese mottled mug sherd (dark, glossy brown); tobacco pipe fragments from the 18th- 19th century; an iron horseshoe from the 18th- 19th century and a fragment of a scratch blue white salt-glaze stoneware bowl from 1730-1780.
Cofield said of small, delicate but common items like finishing nails. High-priority items and things that have a chance of doing well under conservation receive more treatment to preserve them from deterioration over time. All are welcome to come see and study
the items. To see a sample of collections from across the state, visit www.jefpat. org and click on the “diagnostics” page to see photographs of artifacts by category. To make an appointment to see a specific collection in person, contact Sara Rivers Cofield at srivers-cofield@mdp.state.md.us.
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In the wake of sequestration, the Air Force officially suspended military tuition assistance March 11. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley announced the Air Force has officially suspended military TA for the remainder of fiscal 2013. The program will continue to be evaluated to determine the way ahead in fiscal 2014. The Defense Department’s comptroller issued guidance to all of the services to “consider significant reductions in funding new tuition assistance applicants, effective immediately and for the duration of the current fiscal situation,” said Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Pentagon spokeswoman. The Army and Marine Corps canceled their TA programs March 8. Effective March 11, Airmen are not permitted to submit new requests for TA. Airmen currently enrolled in, or approved for future courses, are not affected and are allowed to complete those courses. “The Air Force has reached a turning point after a decade of war and substantial growth in its operations and resources,” Donley said, adding that the Air Force has had to make difficult choices to preserve readiness, to include: deep cuts to flying hour programs, cancellation of Air Force training and education programs and civilian furloughs. “This is an additional step the Air Force unfortunately had to take to operate within mandated budget limitations.” “We know how education strengthens our force,” he said. “We encourage Airmen to continue their pursuit of higher education through the variety of programs that are available.” Those include the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, (Chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), Reserve Education Assistance Program (Chapter 1607), the Post 9/11 GI Bill, federal grants and federal financial aid. National Guard Airmen may also be eligible for their state’s individual TA benefits. “Believe me, this was a tough decision because our Air Force truly values education,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody. “We’re still looking at the impacts for fiscal year 14 and will do our best to have TA reinstated, although we’ll likely need to review the eligibility requirements to ensure sustainability.” Airmen should contact their local education centers with questions and to get updates.
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Andrews Gazette
Friday, March 15, 2013
USAF HG female pallbearer honored to serve BY 1ST LT. ASHLEIGH PECK
AIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PUBLIC AFFAIRS
When Staff Sgt. Jennifer Powell, United States Air Force Honor Guard, joined the Body Bearers team, she was one of two women to do so since 1972. As a pallbearer, Powell is part of an eight-person team responsible for carrying the remains of deceased service members, their dependents, senior and national leaders to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery. The bearers begin by removing the casket from the caisson used to transport the deceased to the gravesite. Caskets can weigh anywhere from 600 to 800 pounds. The team carries the fallen to the gravesite while keeping the casket perfectly level and without showing any visible signs of strain as military bearing must be maintained at all times. The length of the carry can easily exceed 60 yards. “It takes quite a bit to become a part of the bearers, and to meld into the team that they already have,” Powell said. “The reason for that is because it requires a certain amount of strength to be a part of the team, and if you don’t have the strength they need, it could make your teammates weaker.” All pallbearers are held to the same physical requirements. Powell is one of two females currently qualified to perform the duty. “The two of us really wanted to be part of the team, so we worked hard to achieve the same standards and weight requirements as the men,” Powell said. When Powell joined the Air Force ten years ago, she enlisted as a dental assistant. But after personally experiencing the impacts of the Honor Guard, she was inspired to get involved. “My close uncle passed away
U.S AIR FORCE PHOTOS/STAFF SGT. CHRISTOPHER RUANO
Staff Sgt. Jennifer Powell, United States Air Force Honor Guard pallbearer, performs a 280-pound deadlift to continue to meet the weightlifting requirements to be part of the Body Bearing team. As a pallbearer, Powell is part of an eight-person team responsible for carrying the remains of deceased service members, their dependents, senior or national leaders to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery.
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Body Bearers prepare for a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
while I was stationed overseas. I was able to be there when he was given military honors,” Powell said. “To have the military present and lay him to rest was memorable and brought tears to my eyes.” Before serving as a pallbearer with the USAF Honor Guard, Powell volunteered to be part of
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Body Bearers carry the casket of our fallen at Arlington National Cemetery March 4. The eight-person element is responsible for carrying the remains of deceased service members, their dependents, senior and national leaders to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery.
the Base Honor Guard at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. “I did Honor Guard duty in
addition to being a dental assistant, but the urge to do it on a grander scale grew. I wanted to
play a bigger role; not only as a ceremonial guardsman, but also as a person,” she said. Powell joined the team a yearand-a-half ago and has contributed to more than 150 funerals since then. At each funeral, in addition to carrying the casket, the pallbearers hold the flag taut and level at rigid attention until the service is complete. Next, the flag is folded and presented to the next-of-kin. “My first funeral at Arlington was overwhelming. I’ve done several positions since I’ve been here and they all give me a different aspect,” Powell said. “It always reminds me of my uncle. I feel a big sense of pride in what I do, and it’s very fulfilling.” Powell insists that, with determination, it is very possible for other females to join the team as well. “To be one of the first female pallbearers is pretty cool,” Powell said. “But honestly, any female can do it if they want it and have the motivation and drive.” To learn more about what it’s like to be a pallbearer in the Air Force, stay tuned for a new Portraits of Capital Airmen video next week here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEE7A 2A88E1185DB0. To learn more about the generations of women who have shaped American history, visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov. The Honor Guard is one of two ceremonial units operating under the 11th Operations Group, 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington. The pallbearers or “Body Bearers” make up one unit of the USAF Honor Guard. Other USAF Honor Guard units include: Colors Flight, Drill Team, Firing Party, Training Flight and Pentagon Tours. To learn more about the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, visit their website here: http:// www.honorguard.af.mil/index. asp.
‘We can rebuild him - we have the technology’ BY STAFF SGT. PERRY ASTON 11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The Warfighter Eye Center at the 779th Medical Wing’s Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic on Joint Base Andrews Md., provides refractive surgery to all active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel from all branches of service who are stationed all over the world. The center also provides complete eye exams including diabetic evaluations, cataract evaluations, cataract surgery, and glaucoma evaluations. The center performs 20 refractive surgeries a week, and evaluates more than 150 candidates and month.
Col. Joseph A. Giovannini, M.D.; and Kelvin Branch, certified ophthalmic assistant for the 779th Medical Group, verify the patient’s prescription, personal information is correct and the laser is on the correct eye prior to surgery. The patient is having Photorefractive keratectomy surgery.
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/STAFF SGT. PERRY ASTON
Col. Joseph A. Giovannini, M.D. uses Rotary Epithelial Scrubber to remove an accurate amount of epithelium cells without trauma to 811th Security Forces Squadron response force member, Airman 1st Class J.D. Whelihanís eye. The laser can now reshape the eye as needed for the patient’s prescription.
Kelvin Branch, certified ophthalmic assistant; Col. Joseph A. Giovannini, M.D.; and Kara Fernald, certified ophthalmic assistant with the 779th Medical Group, prepare the laser surgery room for the next patient. The Warfighter Eye Center performs approximately 20 surgeries a week for patients stationed all over their world.
Warfighter Eye Center provides PRK, LASIK, or LASEK refractive surgery to all active duty branches of service, Guard and Reserve stationed all over the world. The center also provides complete eye exams including diabetic evaluations, cataract evaluations, cataract surgery, and glaucoma evaluations.
James Colgain, 779th Medical Group optometrist, uses a VK Digital slit lamp camera to take a picture of the patient’s cornea at Joint Base Andrews, Md. The binocular slit-lamp examination provides a stereoscopic magnified view of the eye structures in detail, enabling anatomical diagnoses to be made for a variety of eye conditions.
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Friday, March 15, 2013
Outpatient surgeries coming to Joint Base Andrews
Maj. James Goode, 779th Medical Group chief nurse anesthetist, preps for a simulation anesthesia exercise. Wounded service members from down range as well as active duty, Guard, Reserve, retirees and dependents residing in the National Capital Region are patients at MGMC. BY MELANIE MOORE
79 MDW PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER
With the acquisition of more than $500,000 in new surgical equipment and instrumentation, the operating rooms at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic on Joint Base Andrews are expanding their outpatient ambulatory surgical capabilities. Now surgeons at military hospitals across the National Capital Region are scheduling their outpatient surgeries at Joint Base Andrews. “Every month we credential numerous Army and Navy medics from other military treatment facilities who routinely operate with our Air Force physicians in our facility.” said Col. Rudy Cachuela, 779th Medical Group commander. Patients and visiting surgeons have lauded the facility for its ease of access, ample parking, friendly staff and convenient location for Southern Maryland and Northern Virginia residents. “My patients are extremely happy,” said Army Maj. Amy Vertrees, attending general surgeon at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. “Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic has gone out of their way to help, and I just can’t thank them all enough. It is a joy to go out there, and I am so happy with how this arrangement has worked out.”
RIPPLE, from page 1 across all programs -- starting now, and with no ability to adjust which accounts those cuts come from,” Welsh said. Sequestration, signed into law as part of the 2011 Budget Control Act, is a package of mandated cuts to the federal budget, totaling some $1.2 trillion over 10 years of which some $85 billion takes effect in fiscal 2013. In their memo, Morin and Spencer said a reduction of this magnitude would be devastating to our mission and our people. One of the most notable impacts is furloughing of approximately 180,000 civilian employees. Civilians may be furloughed without pay for up to 22 discontinuous (or 30 continuous) days spread over a maximum number of pay periods possible with no more than 16 hours furloughed in a single pay period. The covered pay periods are from April to September 2013. The memo noted that only the Air Force vice chief of staff or other high-level designees can approve limited mission-driven exemptions. Addressing the operational impacts, Welsh noted the immediate actions to training to protect the strategic advantage that air power provides -- the ability to respond at a moment’s notice. “Some of our flying units will start to cut back on training immediately to protect the readiness of units scheduled to deploy and those with key mission responsibilities,” he said.
Capt. Angela Pettis, 779th Medical Group registered staff nurse anesthetist, simulates inserting an IV into a patient’s hand Feb. 12.
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS ERIN O’SHEA
Maj. James Goode, 779th Medical Group chief nurse anesthetist, simulates putting a patient under anesthesia Feb. 12 on Joint Base Andrews, Md. Maj. Amy Vetrees, Walter Reed Medical Center general surgeon, performs a laparoscopic hernia surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is a less invasive procedure allowing surgeons to make a small incision and perform the surgery using a video camera and large monitor as a guide to operate on the patient internally.
Sterile surgical instruments are set up for surgery
Of the more visible actions taken to support readiness needs, leadership has cancelled all aviation support to public events for at least the remainder of the fiscal year and is standing down the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team. The memo also outlines additional impacts to education and training programs, weapon systems sustainment, working capital funds and investment accounts. On the education and training front, the Air Force will continue to attend all scheduled Defense Department and joint education and training events, but third quarter attendance at short-term professional military education courses will be reduced, as well as all Headquarters Air Force leadership development courses scheduled through April 2013. While the measures must be taken, Morin and Spencer stressed the need to carefully evaluate each action. “Implementation of these actions should be structured as best possible to minimize short- and long-term harm to our people and unit readiness,” they said. Welsh emphasized the importance of teamwork in working through these impacts. “The impacts of sequestration will be noticeable, they’ll likely affect you, and, in some areas, they’ll hurt our mission in a big way,” he said. “But we’ll hang together and get through this ... and hopefully our nation’s leaders can reach agreement and get things back on a more even keel soon.”
Prince George’s residents seek polished Silver Line upgrades BY ERICH WAGNER
PRINCE GEORGE’S GAZETTE
Despite Metro’s optimism that the Silver Line connecting Largo with Reston, Va., will vastly improve service for residents taking the train in Prince George’s starting in December, some county residents think the agency’s bus service could also use a service boost. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials touted the line’s hour-long commute from Largo to Virginia along with increased rail service at an open house for residents Tuesday night at Faith Temple #2 Baptist Church in Capitol Heights. Jim Hughes, director of intermodal planning at Metro, said that although most of the construction associated with the Silver Line is in Virginia, Prince George’s residents will see a very real improvement in rail service when Silver Line trains enter service. During peak hours, Hughes said trains will arrive around once every six minutes, while in off-peak hours and on weekends, trains will run once every 14 minutes. “There’s going to be more service out here,” Hughes said. “There will be about a 25 percent increase in trains during peak hours and twice as much service during off-peak hours and weekends.” Hughes said he has no concerns about the increase in service going over the capacity of current train infrastructure in the county, as the Blue Line sta-
Kristin Haldeman, a planning manager at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, (left) shows Yvonne Alston, 65, of Largo some of the anticipated improvements to bus and rail service as part of the construction of the Silver Line, which will run from Reston, Va. to Largo.
tions — including the 2004 opening of the Largo Town Center — are some of the most recently constructed stops in the system. Larry Glick, Metro’s planner for Metrobus service in Maryland, said that while WMATA needed to revamp bus service in Virginia to connect routes to the new stations, since the infrastructure in Prince George’s already exists, there will be no changes outside of those connected with routine ridership monitoring. Sasha Desrouleaux, 27, of Lanham, said he used to commute to work near Dulles International Airport in Virginia until the “gas expenses” became
too much. While the Silver Line will be a “great option” for those still making that daily trek, he described the news that bus service would not increase in Prince George’s as “a bummer.” “I think there could be more buses,” Desrouleaux said. “I would love to see a higher frequency and lower wait time than the up to an hour we see now. But I guess the [population] density is not as high as in the city.” Yvonne Alston, 65, of Largo said she is excited to see increased service, particularly in evenings and on weekends when she usually utilizes the system
see METRO, page 10
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Friday, March 15, 2013
JBA Buzz
NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST
How do you celebrate Spring Break? “This year, I have family visiting from Ohio. We’re going to tour the monuments in D.C. and also the Arlington Cemetery.”
Airman 1st Class Michelle Grove, 779th Medical Support Squadron biomedical maintenance technician
“My daughter will be on Spring Break next week from Troy University, Troy, Ala. We are going to spend time together at an Atlanta Hawks/ Los Angeles Lakers game.”
Navy Yeoman 1st Class Mary Priddy-Nash, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 23, Fort Belvoir “I’ll be spending my Spring Break working in the garden, cutting grass and having outdoors fun with my daughter.”
Navy Aircrewman Mechanical 2nd Class David Elhert, Navy Fleet Logistics Support Squadron
“I’d go to a nice vacation spot like Cancun or Miami and spend my Spring Break with friends. It’s also the perfect time to meet new people.”
Senior Airman Giusseppe Nunez, 11th Security Forces Squadron Elite Gate guard
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS NESHA HUMES
Maj. Gen. Howard D. Stendahl, Air Force Chief of Chaplains, speaks at The National Prayer Breakfast on Joint Base Andrews, Md., March 12. Stendahl leads a force of approximately 2,000 chaplains and chaplain assistants.
SOLUTIONS, from page 2 hoods Initiative. Local non-profit organizations and individuals are doing what they can, as well, to encourage everyone to treat themselves--and their neighbors--with dignity and respect. To turn away from gang activity and crime in favor of education, community uplift, and human kindness.
It’s easy to hide from the outside world, to stay in our safe places and lean on our fences, but there is no guarantee that those outside influences won’t seep in, soon or later. Each of us must look hard at what we can do to make real changes in the lives of the next generation, so there will be a next generation. What are you doing to help provide those real solutions?
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Andrews Gazette
Friday, March 15, 2013
11TH SFG FIREPOWER
An 11th Security Forces Group Airman opens a box of 7.62mm ammunition for a M240B Medium Machine Gun for heavy weapons qualification. Airmen from the 11th SFG qualified on the M240B, Squad Automatic Weapon, and the M203 grenade launcher.
Senior Airman Camerin Downs, 11th Security Forces Group Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor watches an Airman fire a M240B during heavy weapons qualification March 4 at Marine Corps Base Quantico firing range, Quantico, Va. SF Airmen qualify in heavy weapons as part of pre-deployment training.
Senior Airman Alfred Vassallo, 11th Security Forces Group Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor fires a M203 grenade during heavy weapons qualification.
Staff Sgt. Sean Hornaday, 11th Security Forces Group Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor fires an M240B on top of a HMMWV during heavy weapons qualification.
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS/STAFF SGT. PERRY ASTON
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Senior Airman Camerin Downs, 11th Security Forces Group Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor watches an Airman fire a M240B during heavy weapons qualification.
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Friday, March 15, 2013
Women’s roles evolve quickly following World War II BY MARTHA LOCKWOOD AIR FORCE NEWS SERVICE
Within the time span it took for women in television to transform from the female stereotypes portrayed on “I Love Lucy” to the more modern, late-century version found on “Murphy Brown,” women in the U.S. Air Force were making strides that far outpaced their Hollywood counterparts. By the end of World War II, women were fully incorporated into the military, although still primarily limited to mostly clerical roles such as typists, clerks and mail sorters, and represented only about two percent of the force. Less than a year after the Air Force became its own service, President Harry Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, accepting women as a permanent part of the military. It was the beginning of the Women’s Air Force, and for the next 30 years would represent a separate, but equal part of the military. During the Korean War (1950-53), the only Air Force women permitted to serve in the Korean battle zone were medical air evacuation nurses. Servicewomen who had joined the Reserves following World War II, were involuntarily recalled to active duty as Women in the Air Force (WAF). Together, with already in-service WAFs, the women carried out support roles at rear-echelon bases in Japan. They were air traffic controllers, weather observers, radar operators and photo interpreters. Nurses served stateside, and flight nurses served in the Korean theater. By the end of the Korean War (1953), 12,800 WAF officers and enlisted women were serving worldwide, and in 1955, Air Force nurses experienced a moment of turnabout when men were accepted into the Air Force Nurse Corps. These events would prove to be a harbinger of women’s emerging equality in all aspects of military service. Yet, it would take two more decades and service in another war to achieve parity. The Vietnam War (1965-75) numbers reveal a different story than the Korean War. American women military serving in Southeast Asia numbered 7,000, with 600 to 800 reported to be WAFs. However, although the numbers may vary, it is more interesting to note the solid achievements and the expanding role of women in the military that evolved during that time of intense service. No longer thought of only as nurses or medical evacuation personnel, WAFs also served in a variety of support staff assignments, in hospitals, with MASH Units, in service clubs, in headquarters offices, intelligence, and a in variety of personnel positions throughout Southeast Asia. With the 1967 repeal of the two-percent cap on the number of women serving, and the lifting of the restriction on the highest grade women could achieve, the first of many glass ceilings was shattered. Then, in 1968 the passage of Public Law 90-130 allowed women to enlist in the Air National Guard, and on campuses in 1969, Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC) opened to women. Perhaps the most notable (to date) women’s accomplishment came in 1971 when Jeanne M. Holm was promoted to brigadier general. She was the first female airman to reach that rank. It was an achievement that would serve as inspiration for women throughout the WAFs for two years, until 1973, when she was promoted to major general. It was that same year, 1973, that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Air Force Lt. Sharon Frontiero and changed military life forever. The Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the inequities in benefits for the dependents of military women. Until then, military women with dependents were not authorized housing, nor were their dependents eligible for the benefits and privileges afforded the dependents of male military members, such
as medical, commissary and post exchange benefits. By the end of the Vietnam War (1975) the Department of Defense had reversed policies and provided pregnant women with the option of electing discharge or remaining on active duty. Previous policies had required women to be discharged if they became pregnant or if they adopted a child. By the conclusion of the WAF program (1976) when women were accepted into the Air Force on an equal basis with men, women were laying a solid groundwork for attaining leadership positions and equal opportunities. It was that year--our country’s bicentennial--more than 200 years since women first served on the battlefield of the American Revolution as nurses, water bearers, cooks, laundresses and saboteurs--that women were admitted to the service academies. After that, the sky was the limit. In 1976, the Air Force selected the first woman reservist for the undergraduate pilot training program, and the Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) assigned the first woman aircrew member to alert duty. In 1980, the first women graduated from the service academies, and just two years after that (1982) the Air Force selected the first woman aviator for Test Pilot School. Six Air Force women served as pilots, copilots and
Caption This
Send your silly captions for this week’s photo to cbashamdcmilitary.com. The funniest captions will be used in a future issue of The Andrews Gazette.
1038001B
boom operators on the KC-135 and KC-10 tankers that refueled F-111Fs during the raid on Libya in 1986. That year was a banner year academically for women as, for the first time in history, the Air Force Academy’s top graduate was a woman. The War in the Persian Gulf (1990-91) deployed 40,000 American military women during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. And at the end of that war, the Air Force Reserve selected its first woman senior advisor and Congress repealed laws banning women from flying in combat. It wasn’t until 1993 that women stood on the threshold of space. In that year, Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms (then Maj. Helms) a member of the first class of the U. S. Air Force Academy (‘80) to graduate women, became the first American military woman in space as part of the Space Shuttle Endeavor team. By then, the Civil War had been over for 125 years and our nation had seen, endured, and survived two World Wars, the riots of the 60s, the war protests of the 70s, and the Space Shuttle Challenger setback of the 80s. The best was yet to come. (Martha Lockwood is the chief of Air Force Information Products for the Defense Media Activity)
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First AF woman 4-star comes full circle Young Janet Libby was definitely someone going places at Beavercreek High School near Dayton, Ohio. She was in the National Honor Society, on both the German and Ski clubs and a soccer athlete as well. But even those friends and well-wishers who would have signed her senior yearbook with words like “you’ll go far,” and “you’ll be a success in life,” could never have imagined that the young daughter of an Air Force pilot would go on to become the first female in the Air Force to attain the rank of four-star general, and only the second in military history. Today, Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger has come full circle from those Beavercreek roots as the commander of the Air Force Materiel Command, a major command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, just a few miles from where she graduated from high school. She is responsible for more than 80,000 Airmen and civilians worldwide, along with a $60 billion annual budget, leading an organization that supports the warfighting efforts through state-of-the-art technology, weapon systems management, systems development and evaluation and a global supply-chain management system. It didn’t take long following her graduation from high school for Wolfenbarger to make her mark. After a suggestion from her dad a year earlier, she applied and was accepted in 1976 into the first class at the Air Force Academy to accept women. “The Air Force Academy was an opportunity for me to be stretched in so many ways: physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Wolfenbarger at a women’s conference in San Diego in 2011. “It was an opportunity to prove to myself that, in fact, I could withstand those kinds of experiences, and come out on the other end realizing that I was far more capable than I ever thought I would be. The experience gave me a belief in myself that I have relied upon ever since.”
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1980, she has spent most of her career in the acquisition field, leaving her imprint on the purchase, testing and implementation of the F-22 Raptor, the B-2 Spirit and the C-17 Globemaster III programs. She went on to earn a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in aeronautics and astronautics. Although Wolfenbarger is proud of her accomplishments and the direction women are headed in the Air Force, she said that she never wanted to be recognized for simply being a woman. “I wanted to do well and be recognized because I worked hard,” said Wolfenbarger. “I did the very best I could at every job I held.” During the early 1980s, when Wolfenbarger was in the early stages of her career, she told stories of women who could be discharged for getting pregnant or even adopting a child. There were also many more career fields closed to women at the time. She believes that over the past three decades, women have made tremendous strides. “We now have, not only maternity leave, but also paternity leave for our service members,” she said. “Also, when I joined, there were a host of career fields closed to women, but we can now, as a service, proudly say that we have 97 percent of our career fields open to women.” Even though Wolfenbarger believes many women entering the Air Force today may take for granted their equal status, she said there are still areas of progress yet to be overcome. “I think one of our challenges when we serve our country is that there is such a drive to support our nation in whatever mission we are assigned. I think there has to be a constant reminder that we all have to search for that work and life balance because, in the end, it is our families, our friends and our health that we have to rely on when our careers are over.”
Friday, March 15, 2013
Religious Services on base Islamic
Prayer Room in Chapel 1 Annex Daily Prayer Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Prayer Service Friday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Gospel Service 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Family Night at Base Theater Family meal 5 p.m. Christian Education and AWANA Kid’s Program 6 p.m.
Jewish
Roman Catholic
Kiddush/Sabbath dinner Friday, 6 p.m. All are welcome. To RSVP and for location contact: Rabbi, Capt. Schechter at 240-671-2270 or sarah.schechter@us.af.mil. You can find a complete listing of Yom Kippur services in the National Capital Region through www.jewishindc.com.
Protestant:
Sunday Services Chapel 2, Traditional Service 9 a.m. Base Theater, Contemporary Service 10 a.m.
CUTS, from page 1 zation,” said Koutz, referring to Obama’s interest in the American Legion’s concerns affecting military affairs. “I was in Washington on Legion business and the president heard about it and called me to meet with him in the Oval Office to discuss my concerns,” said Koutz, who went on to say that he and the president discussed potential cuts to the Veterans Administration’s programs. “I told the president we were concerned if the promises made to the troops would be kept. In particular, I wanted to ensure they were taken care of… especially aid for the wounded troops coming home,” said Koutz. “We served our country. He assured me that there would be no cuts in the VA. The VA is exempt, he said.” Koutz also expressed his concerns on national security with the potential of budget cuts affecting border patrol law enforcement staffing and the USS Harry S. Truman CVN-65 berthed in Norfolk, Va. “I said I’m concerned about the Truman aircraft carrier, still sitting in Norfolk instead of being deployed in the Persian Gulf. He listened to me and addressed my concerns about the border patrol staffing and the Truman as well.” One of the chief concerns expressed by Koutz during the meeting was the current
METRO, from page 6 to attend events and visit museums in Washington, D.C. She said she hopes the increased frequency of trains will lead more people from around the region to explore shopping and entertainment op-
Reconciliation by appointment, call 301981-2111 Daily and Saturday Mass have been temporarily suspended. Chapel 1, 1345 W. Perimeter Road. Mass Sunday, 8:30 a.m. Chapel 2, 3715 Fetchet Ave. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) classes Monday, 6 p.m. For information, pastoral counseling and religious accommodation of all faith traditions call 301-981-2111 or visit the chapel office at 1345 W Perimeter Road. shortage of mental health professionals available to active duty members and veterans returning from war. “Today we have 17 to 22 veterans committing suicide every day,” Koutz noted. “And it’s for that reason that we’re concerned that there aren’t enough staff members and not enough money funded to mental health. There are a lot of hospitals, but staffing doctors with this specialty are hard to find. I realized it may take awhile, but first we have to get funding into place to support it. The president was also concerned about the backlog of VA claims,” said Koutz, noting the current backlog was over a million claims. “I was in with the president for 47 minutes, and I felt like he was really concerned and would take action because he said he would get back to me concerning my concerns,” said Koutz. “It is not often that you get a chance to have a meaningful conversation with the president, faceto-face, for that long.” The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutualhelp, wartime veteran’s organization. The legion is a community-service organization which now numbers nearly 3 million members -- men and women -- in nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts worldwide. These Posts are organized into 55 Departments -- one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines.
tions in the county. “We’ve been trying to get more business in the area,” Alston said. “So I think the increased service could be a positive for business.” This story originally appeared in the March 13 edition of the Prince George’s Gazette.
For more news from other bases
around the Washington, D.C. area,
visit www.dcmilitary.com.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Andrews Gazette
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Andrews Gazette
Friday, March 15, 2013
Easter Hours:
March 27th 10am-6pm March 28th 9am-6pm Good Friday March 29th some vendors will be open 9am-7pm
Fresh baked goods, candies, cheeses, meats, produce and so much more!
Dutch Village Farmers Market 5030 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
sales@dutchvillagemarket.com
Homemade Furniture & Crafts
To receive our weekly specials and newsletter, please visit our website.
www.dutchvillagemfarmersmarket.com Regular Hours: Thursday 10 - 6; Friday 9 - 7; Saturday 9 - 3
Check Out Our Gluten-Free Products! Check Out Our New Dining Area! Eat Free On Your Birthday At The Kountry Grille! Pancakes: All You Can Eat For 99 Cents! Gourmet Coffee
Sam’s Wings
March 21, 22 & 23
March 21, 22 & 23
FREE
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FREE Fries
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2 Pounds of Chicken Drumsticks With $10 Purchase
10% Discount
C & K Meats
Stoltzfus Deli
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March 21, 22 & 23
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1 Pound of Apple Maple Pork Grillers
Medium Size White Potato Salad
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J & R Bakery
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Yoder’s Ribs
Sadie Ann’s Soft Pretzels
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March 21, 22 & 23
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Slice Cheese Pizza Dutch Village Farmers Market 301-780-7310
Dutch Village Farmers Market 301-574-0778
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March 21, 22 & 23
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March 21, 22 & 23
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2-wings, 2-drumsticks, 3-pot wedges, greenbeans, 1-roll, and a drink for
With Any Purchase of Latte or Frappe
Stoltzfus Poultry
Apple Butter
With $10 Purchase
March 21, 22 & 23
Slice of Country Cinnamon Apple Pie With Any Purchase
Dutch Village Farmers Market 301-574-1085
20 % OFF Any Purchase
Dutch Village Farmers Market 301-574-4501
March 21, 22 & 23
March 21, 22 & 23
Buy One Smoked Chicken Leg And Get One
FREE
Dutch Village Farmers Market 301-780-3547
Dutch Village Farmers Market 301-780-6599
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Pint of Ice Cream
With $5 Purchase