Jbjournal 041715

Joint Base Journal Vol. 6, No. 15

April 17, 2015

News and information for and about Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling www.facebook.com/JBABdc

J OINT B ASE A NACOSTIA-B OLLING

www.cnic.navy.mil/jbab

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LT. CMDR. JIM REMINGTON

INSIDE

Register for National Prayer Breakfast

Remembering: Operation Babylift

JBAB offers Motorcycle Safety course

Page 2

Page 4

Page 5

2

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Friday, April 17, 2015

Joint Base Journal

Spring temps bring buds, blossoms to JBAB U.S. NAVY PHOTOS BY LT. CMDR. JIM REMINGTON JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Spring temperatures finally overpowered the chill of winter at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling during the week ending April 17.

With the daytime highs consistently above 60 degrees, trees around the base responded by bursting open with blossoms and the first buds of greenery.

National Prayer Breakfast focuses on values, offers spiritual resiliency

BY MICHELLE L. GORDON JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) and Joint Base Andrews (JBA) will co-host a National Prayer Breakfast, April 28, at Bolling Club on JBAB. Each year, the annual prayer breakfast is held during the spring to coincide with the May 7 National Day of Prayer, said event coordinator Chaplain (Air Force Capt.) Kraig Smith.

“The National Prayer Breakfast offers attendees a spiritual resiliency,” he said. “It also allows them to begin their day focusing on the values that our country was founded on. It’s a great way to start the day.”

Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Bobby V. Page, Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, will be the guest speaker. As a member of the special staff of the chief of staff, Page assists the chief of chaplains in establishing guidance on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel and their dependents.

“The theme this year is ‘Night Vision Goggles: Seeing God’s Presence in Difficult Times’,” said Smith. “Basically, being able

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE JBAB CHAPLAIN’S OFFICE

to see and feel God, and recognize his handiwork when it feels like he’s not around — that’s what Chaplain Page will talk about.”

The program will begin at 7

a.m., in the Capital Ballroom. It is open to all, but prior registration is required. To register, visit www.tinyurl.com/2015-npb. The cost to attend is $5 includes a breakfast buffet. For more infor-

mation, call the JBAB Chapel at 202-767-5900.

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for

the nation, according to www.nationaldayofprayer.org. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.”

Joint Base Journal

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Friday, April 17, 2015

3

Warfighter & Family Readiness Programs & Events View all event information at www.MyWFR.com or www.Facebook.com/MyWFR

April is Month of the Military Child Free Bowling

April 19 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Potomac Lanes Bowling Center All children of active duty military personnel bowl for free!

Month of the Military Child Celebration

April 24 | 3-6 p.m. | Bolling Green Park, Pavilions 7 & 8 Join Child & Youth Programs for festivities as we celebrate YOU — the Military Child! Enjoy free games, face painting and petting zoo! Rain date is May 1.

Barracuda Swim Team

Register online at www.MyWFR.com by May 1.

Season: May 26-July 25 Cost: $50, includes a swim team t-shirt.

Swimmers are required to purchase their own swimsuits suitable for competition.

Special Events Last Chance to Register for the Chili Cook-Off

April 25 | Noon | Slip Inn, Bldg. 2482 The Chili Cook-Off is right around the corner and we want YOU to show off your chili cooking skills! Compete with Clay, the 2014 Chili King, as he defends his title!

The community will vote for their favorites! Awards will be given to 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place. Register by April 22 online at www.

MyWFR.com or in person at Capital Cove Marina.

Challenge other commands and fight for the title of the 2015 Sports Day Champions!

Compete in the 5K run, basketball, volleyball, kickball, tug-of-war and more during the full day competition.Open to all active duty, dependents, DOD civilians, retirees and contractors attached to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Register today at Fitness Center I, Bldg. 15. For more information: 202-767-5895.

Slip Inn Arnold Ave., Bldg. 2482 | 202-767-5840

Slip Inn Tiki Bar Grand Opening

May 1 | 4 p.m. | Slip Inn Kick off the grand opening of the Tiki Bar and the 2015 Sounds of Summer Concert Series with DJ Chris and the band “Gonzo’s Nose.” DJ Chris: 4 p.m.; Gonzo’s Nose: 6 p.m.

Potomac Lanes Bowling Center McChord St. Bldg. 1310 | 202-5631701/1702

Summer Bowling Leagues

Summer leagues are now forming. Bowling leagues start in May and June. Call Potomac Lanes at 202-563-1701 for register or for more details.

Play Bingo at Potomac Lanes

Win up to $8,000 per game and daily prizes! Sign up for your VIP Bingo Payer’s Card today at Potomac Lanes!

Cosmic Saturday

Every Saturday | 8 p.m.-Midnight| Potomac Lanes Bowling Center Unlimited bowling and shoe rental for only $15; $12 for active military personnel and their families.

Earth Day Fun Day

April 25 | 9 a.m. | Slip Inn, Bldg. 2482 Volunteers are needed to help clean up the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling waterfront!

Register to volunteer online at www.MyWFR.com or call 202-404-7077. The cleanup will be followed by an Earth Day Celebration at the Slip Inn featuring Chili Cook-off, blessing of the Marina Fleet and prizes!

Burst of Color 5K

May 9 | 10 a.m. | Giesboro Park Register by April 30 to run or to volunteer at MyWFR.com. $15 per person. Free for active duty and children under age 5.

Sports Day

May 8 | 7 a.m.-4 p.m. | Gieseboro Park

Bolling Club Theisen St., Bldg. 50 | 202-767-6794

Play Bingo Three times a week!

Sundays at 12:30 p.m. | Tuesdays at noon | Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.

Win cash prizes!

Mother’s Day Brunch

May 10 | 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. | Bolling Club, Washington Dining Room Let the Bolling Club help make your Mother’s Day a true celebration! Call 202767-6794 today to make your reservation.

Club Members: $26.95; Non-Members: $29.95.

Joint Base Journal JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING WASHINGTON, D.C. PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE: PHONE: 202-767-4781 EMAIL: MICHELLE.GORDON@NAVY.MIL This commercial enterprise Navy newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services, retirees, DoD civilians and their family members. Contents of Joint Base Journal do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. government, Department of Defense, U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force and does not imply endorsement thereof.

The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Navy, Air Force, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling or Comprint Military Publications of the

Third Friday

April 17| 6 p.m.-1 a.m. | Bolling Club, Wings Bar and Grill Be the star of Karaoke with DJ Chris!

Champagne Sunday Brunch

April 19 | 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | Bolling Club, Washington Dining Room Enjoy the BEST Champagne Brunch in the Capital Region a carving station, omelet station, bacon, sausage and grits as well as seafood newberg, eggs benedict and made to order waffles with assorted desserts. Club Members: $17.95; NonMembers: $22.95

All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

Tuesday-Friday: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Social Hour

Wednesdays & Fridays | 5 p.m. | Bolling Club

Card Holders. Membership is not required.

Cost is $5 per hour.

Hours of Operation: Tuesday & Thursday: 2-8 p.m. and Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Information, Tickets & Travel (ITT) Office 4570 Chappie James Blvd. (Located inside the Commissary) | 202-404-6576

New York City Day Trip

April 25 | 7 a.m.-11 p.m. | ITT Office Spend the day in the big apple! ITT is offering motor coach transportation to New York City for $55, per person (ages 2 & older). The bus departs from Fitness Center II, Bldg. 419 at 7 a.m. and arrives at Macy’s Department Store by noon. You will have six hours to shop, sightsee or even watch a Broadway show!

Auto Hobby Shop

2-for-1 Steak Night

Brookley Ave. Bldg. P9 | 202-767-4571

Every Thursday | 5-8:30 p.m.

Choose from a juicy 12oz rib eye or New York strip steak! Club Members: $24.95 for two people; Non-Members: $24.95 per person

Capital Cove Marina Giovannoli Way, Bldg. 90 | 202-767-5424

Auto Hobby April Specials

1. Receive a free spring inspection with the purchase of an oil change — Starting at $13.50 2. Air conditioning service only $75 (not including Freon) 3. Tire rotation: $20 4.

Coolant flush including one gallon of coolant: $75

Fitness & Sports

Blessing of the Marina Fleet

April 25 | 12:30 p.m. | Capital Cove Marina Pier All Marina Slip Holders and guests are invited to take part and enjoy the festivities during this annual event. The USCG Auxiliary will be on hand to conduct Vessel Safety Checks. Avoid a wait and reserve an appointment by visiting or calling the Capital Cove Marina, 202-767-5424.

Arts & Crafts Center Arnold Ave, Bldg. 4472 | 202-7676997/202-767-8560

Magdalene’s Custom Framing Classes

1st & 3rd Saturday of each month | 9:30 a.m. | Arts & Crafts Center Cost is $50, plus supplies. You will learn to turn glass, mats and moulding into a beautiful frame that keeps memories for a lifetime. Mother’s Day Special: 10 percent off one Mother’s Day Gift

Wood Shop The Wood Shop is open to all DOD ID

products or services advertised.

Published by Comprint Military Publications, a division of Post-Newsweek Media, Inc., 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877, a private firm in no way connected with DoD, the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive contract with Naval District Washington.

The editorial content of Joint Base Journal is edited and approved by the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Public Affairs Office. Tenant commands and others are encouraged to submit news, high-quality photos and informational items for publication. All submitted content must be received by noon Friday, at least two weeks prior to publication.

E-mail submissions to michelle.gordon@navy.mil.

To place display advertising, call 240-473-7538.

To place classified advertising, call 301-670-2505. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.

Women Sports Leagues now being offered!

Call Fitness Center I at 202-767-5895 for details!

Recreational Kickball League

May 4 | 6 & 7 p.m. | Gieseboro Park Register to play in JBAB’s Kickball League. Open to all military, dependents, civilians and contractors attached to JBAB. Register by April 24 at Fitness Center I, Bldg.

P-15.

Recreational Soccer League

May 4 | 6 & 7 p.m. | Giesboro Park Register to play in JBAB’s Soccer League.

Cost: $25. Open to all military, dependents, civilians and contractors attached to JBAB. Register by April 24 at Fitness Center I, Bldg.

P-15.

24-Hour Fitness

Workout any time you want at the 24Hour Fitness Center. Sign up at Fitness Center I, Bldg. P-15.

Capt. Frank Mays, USN

Commander

Col. Kendall D. Peters, USAF

Vice Commander

CMSgt. Kevin Kloeppel, USAF Senior Enlisted Leader

Michelle L. Gordon Public Affairs Officer

Lt. Cmdr. Jim Remington, USN Public Affairs Projects

JOINT BASE JOURNAL Jeremy K. Johnson Photojournalist

COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS Maxine Minar President

John Rives Publisher

Deirdre Parry

Copy/Layout Editor

4

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Friday, April 17, 2015

Joint Base Journal

Remembering: Five DIA employees killed in Operation Babylift

Reconciliation

DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HISTORY OFFICE

Rosary

On Apr. 4, 1975, five Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) employees — Celeste Brown, Vivienne Clark, Dorothy Curtiss, Joan Pray and Doris Watkins — lost their lives trying to save the lives of Vietnamese infants and children fleeing Saigon in Operation Babylift.

As the government of South Vietnam collapsed in the face of a massive North Vietnamese offensive, President Gerald Ford ordered the evacuation of Vietnamese orphans from Saigon.

The Air Force Military Airlift Command (MAC) was responsible for the flights and Army Maj. Gen. Homer Smith, the U.S. defense attaché in Saigon, provided escorts and coordinated requirements of the withdrawal airlifts. Operation Babylift would process 400 war orphans and their escorts for evacuation each day from Tan Son Nhut airbase, adjacent to the defense attaché office complex.

The first available plane was a C-5A Galaxy transport that arrived in Saigon the morning of April 4.

Ground crews and an Air Force medical crew loaded the babies and small children aboard the plane. Also onboard were members of the defense attaché office

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

A U.S. serviceman feeds an orphan infant during Operation Babylift. staff, including the five DIA employees.

Just after 5 p.m. local time, the last of the 314 passengers were onboard and the transport took off.

Twelve minutes later, the locks on the rear cargo door of the C-5A failed, and the aft pressure door, part of the loading ramp, and the cargo door, blew off, severely damaging the flight controls in the tail.

The pilots attempted an emergency landing at Tan Son Nhut airbase, but the plane crashed in a marsh two miles short of the runway. The impact crushed the cargo deck where many

of the orphans had been placed. In all, 138 people died in the crash including Brown, Clark, Curtiss, Pray and Watkins. It was the single largest loss of life in DIA history until the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Operation Babylift continued through Apr. 26, 1975, ultimately bringing more than 3,300 infants and children to the United States.

Today the DIA Patriots Memorial honors our personnel who died in service of the United States. It commemorates the profound individual sacrifices made

by DIA members, and acts

as a reminder of the selflessness, dedication and courage required to confront national challenges in the past, present and future.

Defense attachés are an integral part of the DIA team. Appointed by the Secretary of Defense, they are responsible for all Department of Defense activities and personnel assigned to the embassy of the country in which they serve. Defense attachés are the primary military advisor to the ambassador and country team on military issues and developments.

Additionally, they represent the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and greater DOD elements. Defense attaches plan and coordinate U.S. military activities with that nation’s armed forces, observe and report on military developments, oversee U.S. military training programs and support DOD and other high level visits.

DIA uses all-source defense intelligence to prevent strategic surprise and deliver a decision advantage to warfighters, defense planners and policymakers.

The agency collects and analyzes key data using a variety of tools, and deploys its personnel globally, alongside war fighters and interagency partners, to defend America’s national security interests.

Chapel Schedule

CATHOLIC SERVICES Sunday 9 a.m.

Chapel Center Sunday 9:10 a.m.

Chapel Center

PROTESTANT SERVICES

Sunday Worship

Gospel 11:30 a.m.

Chapel Center

General Protestant 11 a.m.

Chapel 2

Mass (Chapel Center)

Tuesday 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday 11:30 a.m.

Thursday 11:30 a.m.

Friday 7 a.m.

Saturday 5 p.m.

Sunday 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School

September - May 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Questions about these services or other religious needs can be directed to 202-767-5900.

Chaplain’s Religious Enrichment Development Operations The Chaplain’s Religious Enrichment Development Operations (CREDO) offers a variety of programs aimed at improving communication, adding resiliency, and training service members in valuable life skills.

Marriage Enrichment Retreat (MER) - Couples enjoy a free weekend at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia, where they learn and apply marriage skills such as communication and problem solving in a fun, small group atmosphere. Using personality inventories, participants learn that differences in marriages can be ways to enhance and complete one another in the marriage journey. The next MER is scheduled for May 8.

Personal Resiliency Retreat (PRR) - The PRR highlights the essential components of hindsight, insight, and foresight in order to equip military personnel to accomplish the mission. Overall, the goal of a PRR is to give participants an opportunity to grow and mature as individuals by reflecting on their lives.

For more information, or to register for a retreat, contact the CREDO office, 202-767-5901/5900, send an email to: credo.ndw.fcm@navy.mil, or stop by the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) Chapel and inquire within.

Celebrate Earth Day, help JBAB shoreline

1050955

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON PUBLIC AFFAIRS

A volunteer removes trash from the Potomac River shoreline during an Earth Day event held in April, 2014. The 2015 Potomac River Earth Day Clean-up takes place Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) Marina. Volunteers are needed to help remove trash from the shoreline.

The event will be followed by an Earth Day Celebration at Slip Inn featuring a Chili Cook-off and Blessing of the Marina Fleet.

Volunteers will receive a T-shirt while supplies last.

Individuals interested in volunteering should complete a registration form at www.MYWFR.com. Children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent at all times.

Joint Base Journal

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Friday, April 17, 2015

5

JBAB safety begins 2015 motorcycle safety courses

BY LT. CMDR. JIM REMINGTON JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling’s (JBAB) Safety Department has begun its 2015 motorcycle training season, providing service members, retirees and Department of Defense civilians the opportunity to take the requisite training to ride a motorcycle on any Navy installation, at no cost.

“Anyone who wants to ride a motorcycle on a Navy installation needs to complete a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Rider Course (BRC) and subsequent refresher classes or an experienced rider course,” said Dean McKinsey, JBAB’s traffic safety and motorcycle coordinator.

JBAB’s Motor Vehicle Supervision Instruction (JBABINST 11200.1B) obliges motorcyclists to register their motorcycle with all of the same information mandated for vehicles on the installation with the additional requirement of presenting a current MSF card or a driver’s license with the MSF identifier. JBAB’s motorcycle training courses satisfy the training requirement for both obtaining and staying current as an MSF cardholder.

“We just started up again in March [after a break since last November] because not too many people ride motorcycles in the winter. There was also a transition from one contract to another which started up in March. We anticipate going from March through November [2015] for motorcycle classes,” McKinsey said.

The MSF BRC is an entry-level course for riders who have either never ridden a motorcycle before, or who are at the starting point for obtaining a new MSF card. BRC is a two-day course split between classroom time and a practical hands-on riding portion at JBAB’s vehicle training range, a blacktop area near the Navy Personnel Support Division (PSD), Building 92.

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LT. CMDR. JIM REMINGTON

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling’s (JBAB) Safety Department has begun its 2015 motorcycle training season, providing qualified riders and owners the opportunity to take required motorcycle training at no cost to the member.

“You have 7:30 a.m. until roughly 11 a.m. each day in the classroom. The actual training range portion is from 1 p.m. until approximately 4 p.m.,” said McKinsey.

Active duty military members have priority for the courses since each branch of the armed forces compels its members wishing to operate a motorcycle to take an MSF BRC, whether or not he or she intends to do so at a military installation.

Anyone wishing to register for a Navysponsored MSF course at JBAB or any other installation can do so online (no common access card required), at www.navymotorcyclerider.com. Visitors to the site can view course schedules and register online.

In addition to BRC, the Navy offers oneday advanced and refresher training courses that include the Experienced Rider Course,

the Advanced Rider Course, and a Sports Bike Rider Course.

In addition to having the proper training and documentation, motorcycle operators and passengers must adhere to JBAB’s requirement for personal protective equipment (PPE) which is stipulated in JBABINST 11200.1B. “Approved protective helmets, eye protection, hard-soled shoes, full-finger gloves, long trousers, and bright colored or reflective outer upper garment will be worn by operators and passengers when in operation,” the instruction reads. “The chinstrap must be properly fastened under the chin while wearing the helmet. The wearing of open-toed shoes, tank-tops, half-tops, halter-tops, and/or bathing suits is prohibited while operating a motorcycle or moped.”

JBAB prepares for hurricane season

BY JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING PUBLIC AFFAIRS Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) will participate in the Navy’s annual emergency preparedness, Hurricane Exercise/Citadel Gale 2015 (HURREX/CG 15), April 20 - May 1.

Conducted by U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF), headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, and Washington-based Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), the exercise prepares the Navy to respond to weather threats to U.S. coastal regions, and to maintain the ability to deploy forces even under the most adverse weather conditions.

HURREX/CG 15 will involve two simulated storm systems developing and intensifying to hurricane strength, threatening the Caribbean Islands, East Coast and Gulf Coast regions.

This exercise will test JBAB’s capabilities and implementation of emergency preparedness and recovery/consequence management procedures, said Tim Trammell, JBAB director of future operations.

During the exercise, base personnel and residents will hear announcements or warning sirens over the JBAB Emergency Warning System, as well as see messages on JBAB social media websites. All base personnel and visitors can also expect traffic re-routing and possible traffic delays in specific exercise locations throughout the two-week exercise.

All Navy commands with personnel in these regions will participate in HURREX/CG 15, to include reviewing and exercising heavy weather instructions and procedures and accounting for Sailors, Department of the Navy civilians, and Navy families in the affected regions through the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS).

“Spark it up!” event to be held at Bolling Club

BY CHERYL BRUNNER STONECROFT MILITARY

Stonecroft Military and Protestant Women of the Chapel will hold a “Life Skills Seminar” April 24. The event takes place from 11 a.m. - 2:50 p.m. at Bolling Club.

This is the first time the event will be offered at a military base within the National Capital Region.

At Spark it Up!, service members, military dependents, retirees, and community members are taught practical life skills covering a variety of topics, including financial management, stress management and how

to pursue a career path that will empower participants with tools that can be used to live full and successful lives.

Attendees will be exposed to spiritual approaches to life from subject matter experts through lectures and guided discussions.

The event is free for most who attend.

A nominal fee to cover the cost of lunch is charged for non-military affiliated participants. For more information about the event and instructions for registration, contact Cheryl Brunner, Stonecroft Military’s JBAB military liaison, at 703-436-7130.

1050116

Active duty personnel should also check their service-specific requirements for PPE which specify standards for helmets, eye protection, footwear, and clothing (Sailors see OPNAVINST 5100.12J; Airmen see AFI 91-207; Marines see MCO 5100.19F; and Soldiers see AR 385-10).

“We require that when you [drive a motorcycle] on base that you have the PPE because motorcycles are hard to see, even in broad daylight sometimes,” said McKinsey. “You could be looking right at one, but you’re looking at traffic. You’re not looking for a body in front of you; you’re looking for cars and trucks.”

In the near-term, JBAB Safety is offering the BRC on April 20-21 and April 27-28, the Experienced Rider Course on April 23 and 29, and the Advanced Rider Course on April 30. For later dates, consult www.navymotorcyclerider.com.

Courses could fill up quickly according to McKinsey, so early registration is recommended. By contract, each instructor is authorized to supervise six students. Each class is therefore capped at six seats unless a second instructor is scheduled (for a maximum of 12 students).

Aside from the benefits of knowledge that can lead to greater safety on a motorcycle, McKinsey said the courses offered by JBAB Safety are a good deal in a two other ways.

“This is authorized training,” he said, “So students don’t have to take leave for the courses — that goes for both military and civilians alike.”

He also noted similar courses would cost from $250 to $400 in the private sector.

Other area bases offering these courses are Naval Support Facility Dahlgren and Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

6

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Friday, April 17, 2015

Joint Base Journal

Navy-Air Force races inspire D.C. mom to stay fit

BY JEREMY K. JOHNSON JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARRIE TILLEY

Carrie Tilley ran the Navy-Air Force 5-Miler in September 2014. She plans to run the NavyAir Force Half Marathon this year.

Carrie Tilley is many things. She’s a Navy spouse, a mother of two, and most recently - a footrace enthusiast.

Tilley, a D.C. resident since 2013 and whose husband is stationed at Washington Navy Yard, is one of thousands who will be running the Navy-Air Force Half Marathon this September.

It will be the second time she’s participated in a Navy-Air Force running event.

“I did the 5-miler last year and I’m going to do the half marathon this year,” said Tilley.

The decision comes from her recently discovered love of running.

“I’m a member of a local moms’ [running] group called Moms Run This Town,” explained Tilley. “Between all of the ladies, they do a lot of races. I got involved with them and started signing up for races. After I had my second son, I decided I wanted to lose all the pregnancy weight that I had gained. This group was very inspirational in getting me out there and walking - so I decided to try running again. Now I love it.”

It was a big change for her, she added, because running was never something she was enthusiastic about.

“Prior to joining the running group, I never ran recreationally. What little I did, I did in school - we had to run there - and then I was in Navy ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps). For five years I did the required running through that, but I had

two double-knee surgeries and I just never enjoyed running.”

The group’s approach to running heavily influenced her change of heart toward the sport.

“I ran with a group of women who enjoyed running,” she said, “They made it fun. Their opinion is, ‘If you get out there and run, you’re a runner.’ You don’t have to run the entire time. If you run and you do walk intervals, you’re still a runner.

From the first moment I made one run, I had people that were my pace, or people willing to slow down to make sure I wasn’t running by myself. It was always fun. We were laughing, we were listening to music and we were dancing. Before you knew it we had completed five, six [and] 10 miles.

It was just something where they made me realize, ‘I can actually do this.’ I just kept on doing it.”

After hearing about the run from her group, Tilley decided to try the Navy 5-miler.

“When I signed up for the 5-miler last year, it was right before I was running my first half marathon last May. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like doing half marathons and decided that I would take the fall off to do lower-mileage races until I figured out if I liked doing that distance. I did three half marathons - one in May, one in June and one in August - and fell in love with that distance. When it came time to signup this year, there was no doubt that I had to sign up for the half marathon versus the 5-miler.”

Navigating race day was easy, she added.

“The day of the race was gorgeous and

Rockville

T6617470

1050953

they had so many volunteers; it was easy to find out where we were going and when we were starting. Altogether, I had a wonderful time. It was a very enjoyable course to run - especially with all the wounded warriors on it. They were very inspiring.”

Tilley advises anyone considering their first D.C. running event to make a Navy-Air Force race their first.

“No matter what your skill level is right now, give it a shot,” she emphasized. “If all you can do is walk the race, go out and enjoy yourself. See the beautiful sights of D.C. See the camaraderie between all the runners, the people in the handbikes and the wounded warriors who are getting out there. It’s such an enjoyable experience to see the sights of the city that early - with such motivating people - that it’s worth doing it at least once.”

Now that she’s embraced running, Tilley is proud to be sharing her healthy new habit with her children.

“I enjoy being able to show my sons the joy of running, exercising and staying healthy,” she said. “It might be hard to be pushing them in a double jogger, but to see them and see their faces when I come home from a race with my medal around my neck - my oldest always thinks that I’ve won the race, he comes up to me and tells me how proud he is of me - I just like seeing the joy and his growing interest in running.”

Registration is now open. Costs for uniformed registrants are reduced, but prices increase progressively June 1 and Aug. 1.

Runners can find out more and sign-up at www.NavyHalf.com.

Joint Base Journal

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Friday, April 17, 2015

7

8

Friday, April 17, 2015

1050704

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Joint Base Journal