COMMENTARY What motivates you?, Page 2
dcmilitary.com
Air Force NEWS
SECURITY Security Blotter, Page 8
Reflecting on Veterans Day, Page 6
an independent publication of comprint military publications at Joint Base Andrews, Md.
Friday, November 20, 2015 | Vol. 4 No. 46
Hero Service Dogs provide comfort, care for veterans
Kids ship out to ‘Boot Camp’
U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class J.D. Maidens/ Released
Attendees of Operation Basic Boot Camp stand at parade rest for their morning briefing on Joint Base Andrews Nov. 7. The event included physical training, a mock military in-processing station, basic drills and military knowledge classes, a survival class and capture the flag to help military children better understand and appreciate parental military service. By Airman 1st Class J.D. Maidens 11th Wing Public Affairs
A service dog brings a laundry basket to a Hero Dogs Inc. trainer during a series of demonstrations performed at a “Veterans and Service Dogs: An Information Session” event held at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza Nov. 14.
The Joint Base Andrews’ Operation Basic Boot Camp, an event designed to help military children better understand and appreciate parental military service, was held on JBA Nov. 7. Approximately 55 kids took part in a day mimicking their parent’s military life. “We wanted to give back to the community and wanted to show the kids
see Dogs, page 5
see Boot Camp, page 4
Bobby Jones
Opening your home, heart to adoption By Leslie C. Smith Staff writer
As the holidays approach, many are anticipating the warmth found not only in a home but of the love of family. Perhaps it finds you asking if there is room in your home and heart. National Adoption Month provides an opportunity to learn what adoption can mean not only to a child but also to you. Adopt US Kids (www.adoptuskids. org) is a project of the U.S. Government and is funded through a grant and operates as a cooperative agree-
ment with the children’s bureau which is responsible for the care of children that have been abused and neglected. Since 2002, the goal of the project has been two-fold. The first goal is to raise public awareness of the need for adoptive families along with foster families for children in the U.S. foster care system. Also the organization provides tools and technical assistance to states that have custody of children in foster care to help them improve their programs to recruit families. Every year for the last 11 years the campaign has focused on different seg-
ments of the adoption population most in need of adoption; and this year the focus is on the 15- 18 age group in foster care. According to Kathy Ledesma, National Project Director for AdoptUSKids, there are currently 415,000 children in foster care in the U.S.; and, of those, 108,000 will never go home to their families and they need to be adopted. “About 15 percent of them are between the ages of 15 and 18. They are over-represented in the system because it takes longer to find families
for them,” Ledesma added. Taking on a teenager can seem daunting to some but there are situations where it’s ideal. “We know from operating the national adoption photo listing website we have the children most in need of national recruitment we know that families that end up adopting these older youth are usually older themselves – usually ranging from their older 40s into their 60s. “Empty nesters tend to adopt teen-
see adoption, page 10