Pentagram 08092013

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Listening

Old Post Chapel return anticipated

SMA holds town hall at Pentagon

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Pentagram

Published for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

Vol. 60, no. 30 August 9, 2013

Purple Heart celebrates 231 years

PHOTO BY

ERIN A. KIRK-CUOMO

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, seen in this March 15 file photo, announces a reduction in furlough days of civilian employees during a background briefing with media Aug. 6. Hagel signed a memo cutting furlough days for about 650,000 Defense Department civilian employees from 11 to six.

Hagel announces reduction in civilian furlough days American Forces Press Service

Hundreds of thousands of Defense Department civilian employees who have had to take a weekly unpaid day off from work since July 8 are getting some relief, as the total number of furlough days has been reduced from 11 to six, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Aug. 6. Here is the complete text of the secretary’s announcement: When I announced my decision on May 14 to impose furloughs of up to 11 days on civil-

ian employees to help close the budget gap caused by sequestration, I also said we would do everything possible to find the money to reduce furlough days for our people. With the end of the fiscal year next month, managers across the DoD are making final decisions necessary to ensure we make the $37 billion spending cuts mandated by sequestration, while also doing everything possible to limit damage to military readiness and our workforce. We are joined in this regard by managers in non-defense agencies who see FURLOUGH, page 8

On Feb. 22, 1932, by Executive Order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart was revived. The original Purple Heart was established by George Washington -- then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army -- on Aug. 7, 1782. The Badge of Military Merit was only awarded to three Revolutionary War Soldiers. Although never abolished, the award of the badge was not proposed again officially until after World War I. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917. Eight facts about the Purple Heart: 1) Until 1931, the Purple Heart was known as the Badge of Military Merit. 2) The three words inscribed on the reverse side of the Purple Heart are “For Military Merit.” 3) Per surviving records, Sgt. Elijah Churchill Sgt. William Brown and Sgt. Daniel Bissell, Jr. are the three noncommissioned officers who received the original honor badge (Purple Heart). 4) In 1931 Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, was named to redesign the newly revived medal. 5) After its disuse following the Revolution, the Purple Heart was revived on the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth (the original creator of the medal). 6) On Dec. 3, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt extended the use of the Purple Heart to all services. 7) The Purple Heart is ranked immediately behind the Bronze Star in order of precedence among the personal awards. 8) The Purple Heart is the oldest military award that is still given to members of the U.S. military and differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not “recommended” for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria. For more information about the Purple Heart, visit http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/ purhrt.html.

Family members of international fellows at NDU go to school By Julia LeDoux Pentagram Staff Writer

It’s a scenario that American military families are familiar with: You’ve been assigned to a foreign country and you don’t speak its language, know little about its culture and history, but it’s going to be “home” to you and yours until the next set of orders sends you off to another locale. Family members of International Fellows and select civilians – active duty military officers from foreign countries who are studying at the National Defense University on the Fort McNair portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall -- face a similar situation. A volunteer program at the university seeks to help them strengthen their English speaking skills while introducing them to the history, traditions and culture that make America unique. Daniel Magalotti, the acting public affairs officer at NDU, said the English for Speakers of Other

Index

Community Spotlight Furlough Hours Community News Notes Feature Classifieds

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Languages or ESOL program consists of classes for children, young teens, young adults and spouses. “Every year we hold a one-week program, this is only for the families,” stressed Magalotti. “Officers [international fellows] themselves are enrolled in a writing course over the summer where they learn academic writing, university-level writing … That’s an actual course that NDU teaches.” Noting that there are 98 international fellows from more than 50 countries enrolled at the university this year, Magalotti said about 80 percent of the students bring their families with them. “The ESOL volunteers teach them English for a week, but it’s really about building communities and introducing the families to each other. It’s really a great volunteer program and a way to reach out to the families. Our mission is primarily for the officers [fellows], but the families are here. We really want to build a community.”

PHOTO

BY

RACHEL LARUE

Children in the English for Speakers of other Languages class for 6- to 9-year-olds, instructed by Eun Ju “Christie” Kim, jump while counting to 100 July 30. The volunteerled program introduces families of National Defense University’s International Fellows to American culture, see ESOL, page 7 history, traditions and lifestyles.

In the swim

MCM

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O’ Club offers end of summer activities

Race officials sanction bib transfers


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PENTAGRAM

PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE

Sun salutation

A participant takes part in the Army Ten-Miler qualifying race for the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall team July 26. This year’s Army Ten-Miler race will be held Oct. 20.

Community Spotlight Name? Frank A. Hook Job title/where do you work? Security guard. Military service? Marine veteran. Favorite sports team? Ohio State Buckeyes. Favorite book? Anne Rice books. Favorite food? Soul food. Favorite place you’ve ever traveled to or been stationed? Blue Ridge Mountains and Okinawa, Japan. What do you like most about working on/visiting JBM-HH? We are this close to Arlington National Cemetery. It is our backyard. What are your goals for the year? 1) Make it through furloughs. 2) Get a job with DACP or any other police department. What do you like most about living in the National Capital Region? Everything to do – it is a quad state (including Delaware). Everything is a weekend trip away. What’s your favorite attraction to see in the NCR? All the museums. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Commander, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Col. Fern O. Sumpter’s vision and philosophy: With a team of resource management savvy and technically competent DoD professionals, establish JBM–HH as DoD’s premier provider of consistent, quality services that enhance readiness and the overall well-being of our customers. We must be ... - Experts at what we do … constantly improving our skills and knowledge. - Focused … set priorities and complete the mission. - Committed … to the mission and each other, fostering a community of excellence. - Professional/respectful … remain calm, even when others are not … count on each other at all times, treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Pentagram Printed on recycled paper

http://www.army.mil/jbmhh

Caption This

Caption This #29

PHOTO BY

CPL. LARRY BABILYA

If you’ve ever looked at a photo, read the caption underneath and thought you could do better, now is your chance. Each week, “Caption This” will have a photo taken from around the base. It’s up to you to figure out the best, funniest or craziest caption that describes what’s going on in the picture. The only rule is you have to KEEP IT CLEAN! “Caption This” submissions can be sent either by emailing them to pentagramjbmhh@yahoo.com, commenting on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/jbmhh or just stopping by Headquarters Bldg. 59, suite 116 and dropping it off. Don’t forget to add the “Caption This” number, your name, rank or position and where you work. Every week the Pentagram staff will pick their favorite. The winner’s name, caption along with the photo, will be printed in the newspaper. Compete with your friends and coworkers and see who can come up with the best one. And if you have a photo you think would make a great “Caption This,” send it in.

The Pentagram is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Pentagram are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, or Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The content of this publication is the responsibility of the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Public Affairs Office. Pictures not otherwise credited are U.S. Army photographs. News items should be submitted to the Pentagram, 204 Lee Ave., Bldg. 59, Fort Myer, VA 22211-1199. They may also be faxed to (703) 696-0055 or e-mailed to courtney.a.dock-abuhl.civ@mail.mil. Circulation of 24,000 is printed by offset every Friday as a civilian enterprise newspaper by Comprint Military Publications. Comprint Military Publications is located at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Telephone (301) 921-2800. Commercial advertising should be placed with the printer. Comprint Military Publications is a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army or Department of the Navy. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, to include all inserts and supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army or Department of the Navy of the products or 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, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation of this policy of equal opportunity by an advertiser shall result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.

Caption This #28 “When no one’s lookin’ I’m hoppin’ into that car behind me ... save me a couple miles and a heart attack.” Mary C. Valko

Editorial staff Commander Command Sergeant Major Director of Public Affairs Command Information Officer

Col. Fern O. Sumpter Earlene Y. Lavender Mary Ann Hodges Sharon Walker

Pentagram staff Editor Assistant Editor Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Photographer

Courtney Dock Michael Norris Rhonda Apple Julia LeDoux Jim Dresbach Rachel Larue

(703) 696-5401 (703) 696-7607 (703) 696-1363 (703) 696-7605 (703) 696-5488 (703) 696-7606


PENTAGRAM

Safety tip Focus on the can, not the can’t By Tracey Russell Ground Directorate U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center

There is a great deal of controversy surrounding Public Law 111-383, more commonly referred to as the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, or NDAA, among many Army commanders and leaders. Much of the controversy, however, is rooted in misperception. At issue is Section 1062 of the law, concerning: “Prohibition of infringing on the individual right to lawfully acquire, possess, own, carry, and otherwise use privately owned firearms, ammunition, and other weapons.” This section of the law, which is intended to protect the Second Amendment rights of servicemembers, has been interpreted by many leaders to mean that they can no longer talk to their Soldiers about privately-owned weapons. At the heart of the issue is that the law states “in general” that the secretary of defense (and subsequently subordinate commanders and leaders), “… shall not prohibit, issue any requirement relating to, or collect or record any information relating to the otherwiselawfulacquisition,possession,ownership, carrying, or other use of a privately-owned firearm, privately-owned ammunition, or another privatelyowned weapon by a member of the Armed forces ...” The law does provide exceptions in the general rule for military installations and other properties owned or operated by the Department of Defense. Additionally, the law provides exceptions for situations such as the belief that a Soldier presents a threat to himself or others. Congress amended the law in the 2013 NDAA to clarify the threat exemption, and ALARACT 063/2013, Control and Reporting of Privately Owned Weapons, provides further guidance. So essentially, what the law does state is that under normal conditions, you can only inquire about or collect information on privately owned weapons brought onto a military owned or operated property or installation. However, what the law does not do in any shape or form is prohibit you from discussing the safe handling of privately-owned weapons with your Soldiers. Not only can you discuss privately-owned weapons with your Soldiers, you should talk about this issue, as well as the safe handling of military weapons. In the five-year period from fiscal 2008 through 2012, 29 Soldiers lost their lives as a result of accidents involving the discharge of a firearm, while another 160 non-fatal injuries were reported. Eighteen of the 29 fatalities occurred off duty with a privately-owned weapon; the other 11 occurred on duty with military weapons. (Statistics are from October 2012). The basic tenets of safe weapons handling apply to all weapons regardless who owns them. For starters, we don’t hand new recruits an M-4 and expect them to operate it safely without training. We also don’t assume that once they have qualified with an M-4 that they are qualified to operate a .50-caliber machine gun. Therefore, you, in addition to your Soldiers, should never assume that because you are an expert with an M-4 that you are an expert with all weapons. While you can’t order a Soldier to participate in training with their privately-owned weapons, you can recommend and provide information on privately owned weapons training available in your local area or consider offering a voluntary basic weapons safety class, as Fort Sill is currently doing. You can also mandate that all of your Soldiers attend safety classes covering privately-owned weapons. Privately-owned weapons classes should stress the need to know appropriate laws, regulations and procedures for the transport, storage and registration of weapons, as they vary among states, localities and military installations. The classes should also stress never mixing weapons and alcohol. The majority of fatal accidents involving privately-owned weapons have also involved alcohol. Most importantly, anyone handling any type of firearm needs to think weapons safety: • Treat every weapon as if it is loaded. • Handle every weapon with care. • Identify the target before you fire. • Never point the muzzle at anything you don’t intend to shoot. • Keep the weapon on safe and your finger off the trigger until you intend to fire. For more information on safe weapons handling, check out the Range & Weapons Safety Toolbox at https://safety.army.mil/rangeweaponssafety. The toolbox includes a section dedicated to privately-owned weapons, which contains a copy of ALARACT 063/2013, along with safety messages, presentations, videos, posters and links to other tools and resources. Remember to focus on what you can do. A very wise first sergeant once told me that if you aren’t listening, you aren’t leading. From personal experience, I know that if you truly listen to your Soldiers, there is very little they won’t tell you, to include their recent purchase of an awesome weapon. No, you can’t record that information, but you can use the opportunity to share some safety tips. (From Knowledge, the official safety magazine of the U.S. Army.)

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Sergeant major of the Army holds first Pentagon town hall By J.D. Leipold Army News Service

For the first time ever, the Army’s senior enlisted advisor held a town hall meeting for Soldiers who are stationed at the Pentagon. Those Soldiers don’t normally get the messages he takes to installations and posts during his worldwide travel. Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler came to speak to a full house of some 350 Soldiers in the Pentagon auditorium, Aug. 5, to remind them about what it entails to be a part of the Army profession and to relate his own story on seeking behavioral healthcare. “The overarching theme is that the Army profession demands character, commitment and competence from our individuals and to use that connection for some of the challenges our Army faces such as sexual assault, suicide and hazing,” he said. “Each one of those is something we can influence and change if we try to remember who we are and what we say we are as professionals.” In other words, he asked the standingroom-only crowd to review who they perceive themselves to be. “This is about living the creed, and the first line says no one is more professional than I,” he said. “Do we walk it? That’s my challenge today for you; to consider whether you are truly walking and living the creed. Because character, commitment and competence defines our professionalism.” The SMA also addressed suicide, a topic that is high on the list of Army senior leadership priorities. “I see suicide and our ability to reduce suicide in the Army as

a direct reflection on our professionalism,” Chandler said candidly. “I believe suicide is preventable. As a professional Soldier, you’re expected to perform at the highest level of any human being. You’re expected, without hesitation, to take another human being’s life. You might have to do it not once, not twice, but as many times as necessary. That takes a huge toll on the human body and on the mind.” The difference between a Soldier and a policeman, he added, is that in just about any city across the country, the act of pulling a firearm and firing it, even without hitting anybody, means a visit to behavioral healthcare counseling. It’s part of the employment contract, he said, because the expectation is that firing a weapon will take a toll on police officers, affecting their mental health, and possibly leaving them less healthy than before the event. Chandler, a veteran of nearly 32 years, acknowledged that Soldiers have a difficult time seeking behavioral health counseling. “We’re generally expectedtolooksomeone in the eye, through the sight of a rifle, then pull the trigger,” he said. But when Chandler tours installations and posts, he relates his own experience in behavioral healthcare counseling, something he sought after recognizing his own mortality while deployed to Iraq in 2004. He’d just returned from a patrol and was about to relax when a 122mm rocket zipped in and exploded. “It knocked me around a bit,” he said. “But more importantly, my whole sense of ‘I’m the man,’ came crashing

to the ground. I’d seen death and got pretty scared so what did I do? I stuffed my feelings, a classic example of something many men do.” He said the feelings about what happened in Iraq built up in him over time. It wasn’t until 2009, when he found out he’d been selected to be the first non-commissioned officer, or NCO, commandant of the Sergeants Major Academy, that he

interviewed for the SMA position by then Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George Casey Jr. The general asked Chandler, in so many words, if he had any skeletons in the closet that could cause embarrassment to the Army. “I told him I’d been in behavioral healthcare counseling for two years,” he said. Chandler said Casey asked him if he’d be comfortable sharing his experiences in behavior-

PHOTO BY J. D. LEOPOLD

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III took his messages on character, commitment and competence -- all absolutes of the Army profession -- to some 350 Soldiers stationed at the Pentagon on Aug. 5. Chandler asked the mostly senior noncommissioned officers to think about core values and ask themselves if they are willing to do what it takes to guide their charges through some of the biggest challenges the Army faces.

imploded. He recognized that his success or failure was going to make a statement about NCOs. He said he wasn’t sure he could do it. “Nobody saw what was going on,” he said. “I didn’t have a battle buddy. I started on this downward spiral that was really affecting my marriage, my children, my own quality of life. I got to a pretty dark place, but in the end I got the help.” Chandler said he followed through on a commitment to himself to seek out behavioral health counseling, something he stuck to twice a week for the next two years. Before his tour at the academy ended, he was

al healthcare with other Soldiers, saying it would be good for the Army, and Chandler agreed. “I believe that if a senior leader can choose a person like me to be the Sergeant Major of the Army, then there really is no stigma except for what we make up ourselves,” Chandler said. “The chief was a professional and walked his talk. So for each of you in this room, I guarantee there’s someone who needs to talk to a behavioral health care specialist. Do it. You can get better and continue to move forward and be successful within your profession and your career after the Army.” The SMA next see SMA, page 7

JBM-HH adjusted hours, closures The following is a list of activities on Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall that will have abbreviated operating hours due to sequestration and furloughs. This list is not all encompassing, and it is highly recommended to call ahead to the facility or activity you wish to visit for more details. Please check back next week for updated information about operating hours due to changes in civilian furloughs. You can also log onto www.army.mil/ jbmhh or www.facebook.com/ jbmhh for the most up-to-date information regarding operating hours on JBM-HH. Monday closures: • Commissary • Directorate of Resource Management: Payroll Customer Service Representative Section • Retirement Services • CRD Community Activities Tuesday closures: • Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec Pool: No Tuesday classes Wednesday closures: • Auto Shop Friday closures: • Security Office • Directorate of Human Resources - ID section

• Education Services (JBMHH, Fort Meade, Fort Belvoir) • Directorate of Safety JBM-HH Safety Office • Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare & RecreationACS • Fort Myer Legal Assistance and Claims • Fitness Center on the Fort McNair portion of JBM-HH: Closing at 2 p.m. on Fridays • Myer Flyer: Will not run on Fridays • JBM-HH Consolidated In-Processing • Fort McNair Health Clinic • Fort Myer Legal Services will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and closed from noon-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. • Rader Clinic Friday operations will proceed as follows: On Fridays, the clinic, to include pharmacy, laboratory and radiology, will only be open to Rader-assigned patients who have acute care appointments; the pharmacy staff, reduced to one pharmacist and one pharmacy technician, will only fill medications for the patients with appointments on that day. On Fridays, because civilian personnel will be furloughed, the clinic will be staffed by

active duty personnel who will address acute treatment issues only. For more information about sequestration, furloughs and resources available, log onto //www.army.mil/ article/96832/Sequestration_ Resources/. •The DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic pharmacy at the Pentagon is now closed from noon-1 p.m. every day. Weekdays, the pharmacy is open from 7 a.m.-noon and from 1-4 p.m., except on the fourth Thursday of the month. On the fourth Thursday of the month, the pharmacy will be open from 7-11 a.m. Use of the DiLorenzo pharmacy is limited to those who are authorized to use military medical facilities and who have unescorted access to the Pentagon. Get more information at www.dthc.capmed. mil/PatientCenter/SitePages/ Pharmacy.aspx. Call 703-6928810 for more information. Rader Dental Clinic will take urgent care and dental appointments on Fridays through the end of furloughs. To get an “urgent care” appointment, call 1-855-2276331; for a dental appointment, call 703-696-3460.


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Community

Understanding process required for reassignments helps Soldiers ensure smoother transition By Rhonda Apple Pentagram Staff Writer

If you’ve experienced a permanent change of station while serving in the military, you know moving from one assignment to another is not a simple task. There is a lot to do and much paperwork involved. Helping to make the transition from one installation to the next as smooth as possible are personnel working at the Military Personnel Division’s reassignment section. “It’s no different than walking in a store and the expectation is coming out with a product,” said Douglas Russell, chief of MPD on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. “A lot of times, when customers come here [to the reassignment section], they’re expecting to walk in and walk out with orders. We want to ensure folks understand the process … and that we provide outstanding customer service.” Russell said JBM-HH is like no other installation because of its customer base. “We deal with high-ranking military members from the Pentagon, the White House and high-visibility agencies. We also deal with enlisted Soldiers … two distinct groups of clientele,” he said. Although Soldiers transfer year-round, the Army experiences peak season with personnel reassignments from May through September. “We have a large volume of Soldiers moving to and from the National Capital Region during these months. In 2012, we had about 2,700 Soldiers coming into the area for orders … and about the same number of personnel left here on orders,” said Russell. Sequestration and furloughs have added to the challenge of reassignments, with a shorter work week and fewer employees to finalize orders for the personnel moving in and out of the area. Russell and Cynthia Gray, team lead for JBM-HH’s personnel reassignment section, both agreed the impact of government furloughs have affected the employees and customers there. “Normally during peak season, once all the paperwork is completed and returned to us, it takes about seven to 10 working days for us to do everything so the individual receives their orders. Because of the furlough, it’s taking about 10 to 14 working days,” Gray said. “There are four employees and myself, as lead, working here, so we have less people and less time to complete everything each week.” Gray said there is so much more to the reassignment section than just processing PCS orders. “We do deployment orders for Soldiers and high-ranking officers … we do confinement orders for Soldiers going to military jail.” Russell added the reassignment section also processes short-fuse assignments – servicemembers who are reassigned and must be at their next command in a much shorter amount of time. “These people have much less time to get everything done … we’ve experienced an increase of these types of orders,” he said. “We inform everyone that [the individual] is on assignment, where they are going, and the [required] paperwork that needs to be completed and returned to us so we can cut the orders. We try to deal with the S1 personnel, or the admin support people in their respective offices. Because of the volume, we can’t do one-on-one work with each individual, and that’s why we send the paperwork to the S1 personnel.” Gray said her section has specific requirements from the Army which it can pass on to each individual [via their admin section].

“For example, the Army wants to know if the servicemember has an exceptional Family member. If they do have one, we give the paperwork they completed to Army Community Service.” She said this process is in place to ensure when the servicemember moves with their Family, the exceptional Family member is indeed taken care of at the next assignment. There also are different requirements for personnel transferring overseas. “We have to ensure the exceptional Family member is accommodated at the overseas command. The exceptional Family member paperwork has to go before a board of doctors at the new command so it can be decided whether or not the Family member can be accommodated, and whether or not different housing is required,” Gray explained. Gray said normally this process takes about 30 days to complete. Gray also wanted to remind servicemembers there may be immunizations and other medical procedures which must be completed before the servicemember and their Families transfer overseas, as well as the necessary requirements for moving with pets. “Passports also are an issue. The passport office will expedite a Soldier’s passport, but they will not expedite a passport for the Family members,” she said. “Also, personnel here may want to sell or rent their homes before transferring to their next duty station, while others need time to try to end their lease early.” Gray said a lot of servicemembers experienced DITY, or do it yourself moves, because there weren’t enough carriers available. “I’ve already been informed the transportation office is booked for August,” added Russell. Gray and Russell agreed that to ensure a smoother transaction toward getting orders processed, each servicemember should do their part by filling out the assigned paperwork and be aware of time requirements and deadlines involved to process the necessary documents. They urged servicemembers to not wait until the last minute to start preparing to move. “Starting the process of paperwork can be started as soon as each military member is notified they’re transferring on orders. To get the best quality service, pre-plan and get everything done, from arranging household goods move and all the other things you must do,” Gray said. “We want everyone to understand there is an Army process we are required to follow to ensure everything is done correctly. We work very closely with their administrative personnel to make sure each servicemember is getting quality service. However, there are these things Soldiers can do to help themselves and their Families,” added Russell. The JBM-HH reassignments section conducts a levy briefing every other Wednesday in Bldg. 205’s second-floor conference room, from 9 a.m. until about 11:30 a.m. Different information experts are on hand to discuss everything servicemembers need to know about moving, including transportation, legal, medical and financial personnel and representatives from ACS. Russell said all personnel who are being reassigned get an email notification about the briefings, which are required for enlisted personnel and highly encouraged for officers to attend. Family members are also encouraged to attend. The next levy briefing will be Aug. 21. “Our goal is to make the PCS move as smooth as possible for Soldiers and their families,” said Russell.

End of summer activities aplenty courtesy of MWR By Jim Dresbach Pentagram Staff Writer

The days of summer are melting off the calendar, but Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation has a large docket of activities to provide to servicemembers, retirees, military Families and civilians before the autumn leaves hit the ground. A swim at the Fort Myer Officers Club complex combined with an outdoor movie is a popular way to spend an evening. The final Dive-In Movie will take place at the club’s 50-Yard Pool Aug. 17. Admission is free and gates open at 8:15 p.m. The scheduled movie is “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” All audience members must provide their own flotation devices – only rafts and inner tubes are allowed. In case of inclement weather, the Dive-In Movie event will be cancelled.

Another popular pool event is set for Saturday, Sept. 7. After the officers club pools are officially closed for swimming (Labor Day, Sept. 2), the annual Doggie Dip will provide man’s best friend an opportunity to invade the waters. “We’ve already had calls [about the doggy dip] confirming the date; some people don’t want to miss it,” said MWR specialist Todd Hopkins. “We expect over 100 participants this year, as we had close to 100 last year.” The family pet event is free and will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Other MWR upcoming events include Organization Day at Spates Community Club (Aug. 15), the Women’s Equality 5K run and Walk (Aug. 23) and the Slice of Summer Scramble golf tournament Sept. 27. For more information in regard to these events, call 703-522-5932 or 703-939-1045.

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News Notes Reduced stock shelves at commissary during inventory Although the commissary will remain open, employees must do an inventory Aug. 10 and 11. The Fort Myer commissary stocks nearly 10,000 line items, all of which must be inventoried while remaining for sale; shelf re-stocking may be minimal. For more information, call 703-696-3674. Backpack distribution Operation Homefront D.C. Metro has 5,000 backpacks that it will distribute this summer to military children. Each backpack is full of school supplies and children of active duty servicemembers E-6 and below are eligible to get one. The backpacks will be handed out Aug. 12 in Woodbridge, Va.; Aug. 13 in California, Md.; Aug. 14 in Lanham, Md.; Aug. 15 in Morningside, Md.; and Aug. 16 in Aberdeen, Md. Families must register at www.operationhomefront.net/dcmetro to receive the backpacks. Come shred with us The Directorate of Environmental Management is having shredding events Aug. 13-14 and e-recycling Aug. 15. On Aug. 13, shredding will occur on the Fort McNair portion of the joint base at Bldg. 29 from 9-10 a.m. and at Bldg. 62 from 10-11 a.m. On Aug. 14, shredding will take place at Bldg. 29 on the Henderson Hall portion of the joint base from 9-10 a.m.; at Bldg. 59 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base from 10-11 a.m.; and at Bldg. 321 on Fort Myer from 11 a.m.-noon. On Aug. 15, there will be an electronics recycle event. No government equipment is accepted; large items such as CRT monitors and televisions cannot be accepted. Call Roy Croom at 703-696-3791 for details. Women’s Equality Day 5K run/walk Women’s Equality Day will be celebrated Aug. 23 with a 5K run/walk beginning at Bldg. 414 on the Fort Myer side of the joint base. This is free and open to all military personnel, civilian employees, family members and retirees. Registration is now open at www.jbmhhmwr.com or register on the day of the event between 5:15-6:15 a.m. at the fitness center. For more information, contact the Equal Opportunity Office at michael.l.swinton.mil@mail.mil or by calling 703-696-8729 or Adrienne.d.robinson2. mil@mail.mil or by calling 703-696-2964. Redskins tickets The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Community Center opens its sale of Redskins tickets to all eligible Department of Defense ID card holders August 9 at 11 am. Tickets are sold ($260) in pairs only. Seats are located in section 129 of the stadium on the lower level end zone and are great seats. Call the community center at 703-696-3470 for more information. Transitioning? Think Army Reserve Sgt. Major of the Army Raymond Chandler encourages Soldiers to consider continuing their service in the Army Reserve. If you are planning to leave active duty, learn more about the Army Reserve. By serving part-time in the Army Reserve, you can build a civilian career, continue your education and keep most of the benefits you earned on active duty. The Army Reserve has positions in most MOSs in thousands of places across the country. To learn more, visit http://bcove.me/j3c7gu2k and Chandler’s web page at www.army.mil/leaders/sma or www.goarmy.com. Military separations If you’re retiring or separating from the military, don’t wait until the last minute to complete your paperwork. Contact the Military Personnel Division or your agency administrative representative to get your paperwork started. For more information, call 703-696-0296/3521/3332. EMHD closure update Although the executive management and housing directorate will be closed on Fridays during furlough, Family housing residents should continue calling service orders 24/7 to Meckley Services at 703-696-2632. Barracks residents will continue calling service orders to the Directorate of Public Works at 703-696-3263. DPW no longer accepting some job orders The Directorate of Public Works can no longer accept fiscal year 2013 reimbursable (customer funded) individual job orders (DA4283s) or reimbursable demand maintenance orders. Customers may resume submission of reimbursable individual job orders/DMOs Oct. 1. The MICC at Fort Belvoir stopped accepting contracting actions in May. The only exceptions are as follows: Those involving life, health or safety issues or those approved by the DPW director. For more information, call David McCauley at 703-696-0477. New aquatics training for Marines Marine Corps Community Services Semper Fit is offering aquatics maximum power intense training for active duty Marines only. Sessions are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30-7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec Pool. For more information, call 703-693-7351. Continued on next page


PENTAGRAM

Friday, August 9, 2013

News Notes p.m. To register for the brief, call 703-614-7202. For a comprehensive Marine Club service changes in overview of the classes and resource offered, visit www.mccsHH.com. August The Marine Club will have limited International spouse group service in August. On Mondays, the meets club will offer menu service only, no Join a forum that offers internabuffet. Aug. 14 and 28 the club will tional spouses an opportunity to meet offer menu service only, no buffet. other spouses and get information on On Aug. 21, the club will service a various relevant topics, the installabreakfast for lunch buffet for $9.75. tion and surrounding area. The group On Fridays in August, the seafood meets Aug. 13 from 2-3:30 p.m. in buffet will be replaced with a chef’s Bldg. 201 on the Fort Myer portion choice buffet, which will be posted of JBM-HH. To register, contact to Facebook and the MCCS website, www.mccsHH.com. The club is open to Kelly Weidner at 703-696-0153 Kelly.M.Weidner.ctr@mail.mil. all services, ranks, and Department of or Defense personnel and their guests. For Quantico Marine Band concert more information, call 703-614-2125. The Quantico Marine Corps Band presents an evening of iconic music Half Iron swim registration from the silver screen. This free family open Registration is open for the Semper event will be held outside the National Fit half iron swim to be held at the Museum of the Marine Corps in Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec Pool Aug. Triangle, Va. Seating is open, so bring 21 from 6 a.m.-noon. Participants will chairs,blanketsandfoodtoenjoyduring have 60 minutes to swim 1.2 miles the concert Aug. 14 beginning at 7 p.m. in this single entry event. The regRader Clinic closing early istration fee is $15, and registered The Andrew Rader U.S. Army participants will receive a T-shirt. Health Clinic will close at 11 a.m. Aug. Register and pay at the pool. For 15 for organizational day. There will more information, call 703-693-7351. be no patient services after 11 a.m. Golf with us TOG blood drives Department of Defense personnel The Old Guard has two more blood and their guests are invited to golf drives scheduled this year. The next with MCCS Henderson Hall’s Semper one is Aug. 20 and the last one will Fit branch in monthly tournaments be held Sept. 23. Both are taking held at locations in northern Virginia place at the fitness center on the through September. The August “Golf Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH from with Us” tournament, to be held at Lee’s noon until 4 p.m., or until completed. Hill Aug. 23, is open for registration on the MCCS Henderson Hall website, First Friday www.mccsHH.com/SemperFit.html. Help make a tradition of First The deadline to register is Aug. 9, Friday each first Friday of the month, and the fee is $57, which includes from 4:30-11:30 p.m. at the Marine 18 holes, greens fees, cart, lunch Club on the Henderson Hall side of and a chance to win door prizes. For the joint base. The next First Friday more information, call 703-697-2706. is scheduled to be held Sept. 6. New flavors of wings, including spicy Marine new parent support buffalo, parmesan garlic, Caribbean August workshops jerk and Thai curry, will be available The MCCS new parent support for 40 cents each from 4:30-9 p.m. program holds “1-2-3 Magic” Aug. The event is open to all Department 12 from 1-3 p.m. The class, will be of Defense ID card holders and their held in Bldg. 29’s conference room guests. For more information, call 703on the Henderson Hall portion of the 614-2125 and see www.mccsHH.com. joint base, teaches the 1-2-3 Magic discipline method and is offered to Fort Myer Exchange upgrades parents of children ages 5 and below. and hours Register by calling 703-614-7204. For the next four months, the Fort If you would like more informa- Myer Post Exchange will be relocattion, call 703-614-7204 or visit ing sections of the store, including w w w . m c c s H H . c o m / N P S P . h t m l . the customer service area, PowerZone, electronics section, sporting goods, New in town? hardware, linens and pet departments. The next welcome aboard brief Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, is Aug. 13 from 8-10:30 a.m. at the 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 Marine Club aboard the Henderson p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For Hall portion of JBM-HH. A free more information, call 703-522-0664. walking tour of the Henderson Hall portion follows the brief, and after a break for lunch, there is a bus tour Please send your news notes to of the local area, including downtown the Pentagram at Washington, D.C., starting at 12:30 pentagramjbmhh@yahoo.com. Continued from previous page

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Marine Corps Marathon transfer program open Marine Corps Marathon Public Affairs

Marine Corps Marathon participants who are no longer able to compete in the 38th MCM Oct. 27 have an opportunity to transfer their entry to another runner through the MCM’s transfer program. Unique to The People’s Marathon, the transfer program enables those already registered for this year’s marathon to opt out of participating while helping another runner secure a spot for the event. The MCM sold-out in a record 2 hours, 27 minutes as public registration opened on March 27. To initiate a transfer, runners currently registered must complete the MCM’s online transfer request form available at www. marinemarathon.com. Once the request is processed, the registered runner will receive an email including a unique code, password and hyperlink to the online transfer registration form. The runner will then forward this information to the individual seeking to register. All transfer requests must be completed by Aug. 30. Once submitted, the transfer cannot be cancelled. The new runner will complete the transferee form and pay a $30 fee to finalize the transaction. All new

runners must complete their registration for the 38th MCM by Sept. 4. When transferring an entry, MCM runners will not receive a refund for the initial registration fees they paid in March. Any such monetary transactions will be handled only between the transferring runners. Also, entries may not be transferred more than once. Only runners currently registered for the 38th MCM can transfer an entry to another runner. Runners often find transfer partners on the MCM Facebook page. Those currently registered for the 38th MCM are eligible to transfer their participation to the MCM10K, the 6.2 mile event held in conjunction with The People’s Marathon. To transfer to the MCM10K, registered marathon runners must complete the MCM10K transfer form available at marinemarathon. com between now and Aug. 30. Although there are no additional fees to transfer from the MCM to the MCM10K, there also are no refunds for those who initially registered for the full marathon. There is no transfer program available for MCM10K registered runners to transfer to another runner. The MCM10K is currently open for registration at www.marinemarathon.com at a cost of $48.

PHOTO

BY

RACHEL LARUE

Augustus Maiyo, first place finisher in the Marine Corps Marathon with a time of 2:20:20, runs past a water station Oct. 28, 2012.

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PENTAGRAM

Old Guard Soldiers prepare for Old Post Chapel reopening By Jim Dresbach Pentagram Staff Writer

Trusted and reliable, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Memorial Chapel has admirably filled in as the primary on-base funeral site during the past eight months, but as of Sept. 19, the Old Post Chapel will reclaim the bulk of military burial rites. When the Old Post Chapel reopens next month, past funeral routines will be revisited by the JBM-HH Caisson Platoon and The U.S. Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” while representatives from Arlington National Cemetery and the JBM-HH Police Department will put to bed their logistical Memorial Chapel ceremonial game plans. The Old Post Chapel, built by future World War II general and then Fort Myer Post Commander George S. Patton from 1934 through 1935, has been closed since January to modernize the historic structure. After nine months of work, it will reopen and funeral caissons will once again roll in the vicinity of Lee Avenue and McNair Road. The Caisson Platoon’s footwork and hoof work were altered slightly when funerals were shifted a quarter mile south on McNair Road to Memorial Chapel at the beginning of this year. “We have to go in and out through Selfridge Gate to minimize our presence on McNair Road [during Memorial Chapel funerals],” said Caisson Operations NCO Staff Sgt. John Ford. “We don’t want to hold up traffic too much.” Transitioning from Memorial to Old Post for the Caisson Platoon was relatively routine and daily changes were minute. “There are some small changes, operationally,” Ford said of administering to a military funeral at Memorial Chapel. “It’s a little easier on us and the horses [at Old Post Chapel] given that Old Post

Chapel has hitching posts for us -- Memorial Chapel does not. We have to have somebody holding the horses when we dismount prior to a mission.” While the six-horse caisson had more ground to cover to reach the vicinity of Carpenter and McNair Roads, military police and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall law enforcement handled the diplomatic task of traffic tie-ups in the area. The group orchestrated a traffic plan to allow respectful access to Arlington National Cemetery via Memorial Chapel Gate while trying not to clog traffic in the heart of the joint base. “There was a lot of traffic control we had to deal with. We usually don’t prepare any type of plan unless it’s a larger funeral at Memorial Chapel,” Lt. Ronald Foster, base traffic chief, said. “We have a whole lot less [traffic] headaches [at Old Post Chapel]. But we were talking about [traffic delays] at a main thoroughfare at a main intersection of Carpenter and McNair and that was difficult at times when you had people trying to get to Rader Clinic, the commissary or the CDC. [The move back to Old Post Chapel] will actually help us out.” Many members of “Pershing’s Own” enjoy both sites but find the convenience of playing yards from their home base of Brucker Hall quite an advantage. “They each have their own unique situations. I enjoy either one,” musician Staff Sgt. Kevin Maloney said of performing at the chapels. “There is a little more of an intimate feel to the Old Post Chapel when we play out there. I imagine it will be nice to be back. “Logistically on our part, there is not much in terms of band preparation, but at the Old Post, we can just march outside and not rely on [bus] transportation to get to Memorial,” Maloney continued. Clarinetist Staff Sgt. Chris

PHOTO

BY

RACHEL LARUE

Marines line up outside the Old Post Chapel Oct. 16, 2012 for the funeral of retired Marine Brig. Gen. James R. Van Den Elzen, first Chief of Staff of the U.S. Central Command, according to his obituary.

Reardon is a TUSAB newcomer and has yet to participate in a funeral procession from the Old Post Chapel. He will get that chance in a month’s time. “It will be easier to just walk out the front door [of Brucker Hall] and go across the street,” he said, citing the convenience factor of the move back to the 78-year-old chapel. “It will be easier to come back inside to rehydrate and things like that.” Twelve-year percussion veteran Sgt. 1st Class Tom Dell’Omo noted that the move to Memorial prompted the band to be more prepared prior to a procession. “Once we’re over there, you need to have everything you need,” he said. “If we need a uniform change or you forget something, we’re way out of pocket over there. That required a little more attention on our part. We really had to make sure we were squared away.” As Old Guard Soldiers say goodbye to the larger Memorial Chapel and its expansive formation space, many expect their blood to pump a

bit faster on the return to Old Post Chapel. “I don’t know if everybody is aware that [Old Post Chapel] is Patton’s chapel, and that is what he put here for his Soldiers. I’m definitely aware of it,” the Caisson’s Ford remarked. “The chapel has been host to a number of wedding ceremonies on the weekends. There is an aspect that it is going to be good to get back to Old Post Chapel for the historical relevance of it. When I eventually pass and I have a funeral service, I want Old Post Chapel to be my chapel.” Dell’Omo has a personal connection to the soon-to-be reopened chapel and admits his pulse will be elevated when he again returns to march through the Old Post Chapel Gate into Arlington National Cemetery. “My grandparents are buried at Arlington, and part of his service was here at the Old Post,” he said. “I’ve been to friends’ marriages at the Old Post, so I have a lot of different emotions there. It definitely is a more storied place.”

JBM-HH Chaplains hold second Directorate of the Quarter luncheon By Rhonda Apple Pentagram Staff Writer

The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Chaplains office hosted the second Directorate of the Quarter luncheon Aug. 7 at the Fort Myer Officers Club. Directorate of Human Resources employees on JBM-HH were hosted at the event. “The reason we do this is because we wanted to come up with creative ways to show our work force how much we appreciate all that they do for us … they work so hard and long, and especially during this time of furlough, when their paychecks are significantly decreased,” said Chap.(Lt. Col.) Clyde Scott, JBM-HH installation chaplain. JBM-HH Commander Col. Fern O. Sumpter and Command Sgt. Maj. Earlene Y. Lavender attended the luncheon. “I want to thank you personally for everything that you do every day. It’s not easy dealing with the population that we deal with,”

The 50-yard swimming pool at the Fort Myer Officers Club will be closed Aug. 12 to allow for the replacement of the filtration system. During this time the 25-meter, figure 8 and wading pools will be operational from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For additional information contact Christina Darensbourg at 703-696-0299/703939-1022 or Todd Hopkins at 703-6960594/703-939-1045.

PHOTO

BY

RACHEL LARUE

Chap. (Maj.) Jerald Jacobs, deputy chaplain for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, speaks at the quarterly luncheon to celebrate the accomplishments of the Directorate of Human Resources Aug. 7. For more photos, log onto www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh/sets.

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Emergency pool repairs at Fort Myer Officers Club 50-yard pool

said Sumpter. Sumpter presented commander’s coins for “being outstanding civilian employees and customer service representatives” to Education Technician Catherine Aikens; Human Resources Specialist Cynthia Gray; Human Resources Assistant Kirk Melvin; Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Specialist Carol Frazelle; Guidance Counselor Karen Powell; Management Analyst Toni Jelks; Administrative Support Assistant Michele Boutin and Supervisor, Organizational Workforce Specialist Edward Green. Boutin and Green were also recognized by the chaplains for exceptional service and each received a figurine of the Old Post Chapel. “We’re assembled here today to honor a dedicated group of professionals who work hard to find, recruit, train, support and honor the magnificent employees that makes Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall possible,” said Chap. (Maj.) Jerald Jacobs, JBM-HH deputy chaplain. “You keep the human in human resources.”

Fort Myer Campus Center www.park.edu/virginia 703-527-5258 ftmy@park.edu

Henderson Hall Campus Center 703-525-7275 hend@park.edu


PENTAGRAM

Friday, August 9, 2013

ESOL, from page 1 Lead instructor Fredericka “Freddie” Wall on July 30 condensed history and taught her group of spouses about what led up to the American Revolution. “After a while, [the colonists] said ‘I don’t feel like I’m English anymore. I left England. I didn’t like the king because he told me I had to go to his church, and I wanted to go to a different church. I really want to be separated from the king. I don’t really want him to be my king anymore. He’s over there, I’m over here,’” she said. Along the walls of Wall’s classroom were self-portraits that each woman had drawn. After the history lesson, Wall broke her class down into several groups and had the women discuss what they had just learned. “It’s great fun. We have fun,” said Beatrice LaBorie, who is from France. “We’re making new friends from other countries.” Volunteer instructor Eun Ju SMA, from page 3 addressed sexual assault, playing a video highlighting former women Soldiers who had been sexually assaulted, raped, and either reported their cases, but were fundamentally told to let the incident pass or didn’t report the incident because they didn’t trust the chain of command. Either way, leadership failed the victims, he said. He asked the NCOs if they’d ever had anything stolen by a fellow Soldier. Most everyone raised their hand. Then he asked a master sergeant if she’d reported the incident. She said no, because she didn’t trust the chain of command.

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“Christie” Kim, who teaches ESOL to predominately Spanish-speaking students at a public school in Maryland, led her group of 6- to 9-year-olds in counting from one to 100 last week. “This is my first time working with ESOL students from different countries and it’s really interesting to see how they interact because they have to use English with each other,” she said. Maya Shafran Liss and Aakash Timmapurkar, students in Jori Beck’s class for 10- to 14-year-olds, said the sessions were helping to improve their English speaking skills. “It’s helping,” said Shafran Liss, 10, who is from Israel. “I didn’t speak English in Israel. We really don’t know to speak English.” “It’s helping me to improve my vocabulary,” agreed Timmapurkar, 12, who is from India. Magalotti said the international fellows “really appreciate these family programs.”

That’s a typical story and pretty sad, Chandler said. “We get angry or upset when something is stolen by another Soldier. We should be furious about the fact that we have fellow Soldiers perpetuating criminal behavior on fellow Soldiers, stealing a person’s dignity and respect, something that cannot be replaced, because it’s not a material item,” he said. Chandler reminded the NCOs that commitment to their Soldiers is a tenant of the Army profession. Chandler concluded the town hall with a video reporting the suicide of Pvt. Danny Chen in Afghanistan in late 2011, after he had endured verbal

and physical hazing by eight Soldiers for six weeks. Seven of those Soldiers were court-martialed and received significant fines, penalties and prison sentences. “A young man chose to end his life, at least in part by the fact of what his fellow Soldiers did,” Chandler said. “So the actions of one which we tolerate becomes the hallmark for everybody else in this room and you are better than that. “You would not tolerate that behavior,” he said. “I’m asking you to be that leader, that person of character, of commitment and competence, who is looking out for the most precious gift the Army has, the Soldier.”

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Friday, August 9, 2013

Furlough, from page 1 are also working to accommodate sequestration cuts while minimizing mission damage. As part of that effort at the Department of Defense, I am announcing today that, thanks to the DoD’s efforts to identify savings and help from Congress, we will reduce the total numbers of furlough days for DoD civilian employees from 11 to six. When sequestration took effect on March 1, DoD faced shortfalls of more than $30 billion in its budget for day-to-day operating costs because of sequestration and problems with wartime funding. At that point we faced the very real possibility of unpaid furloughs for civilian employees of up to 22 days. As early as January, DoD leaders began making painful and far reaching changes to close this shortfall: civilian hiring freezes, layoffs

PENTAGRAM

of temporary workers, significant cuts in facilities maintenance, and more. We also sharply cut training and maintenance. The Air Force stopped flying in many squadrons, the Navy kept ships in port, and the Army cancelled training events. These actions have seriously reduced military readiness. By early May, even after taking these steps, we still faced day-to-day budgetary shortfalls of $11 billion. At that point, I decided that cutting any deeper into training and maintenance would jeopardize our core readiness mission and national security, which is why I announced furloughs of 11 days. Hoping to be able to reduce furloughs, we submitted a large reprogramming proposal to Congress in May, asking them to let us move funds from acquisition accounts into dayto-day operating accounts. Congress approved most of this request in late

July, and we are working with them to meet remaining needs. We are also experiencing less than expected costs in some areas, such as transportation of equipment out of Afghanistan. Where necessary, we have taken aggressive action to transfer funds among services and agencies. And the furloughs have saved us money. As a result of these management initiatives, reduced costs, and reprogramming from Congress, we have determined that we can make some improvements in training and readiness and still meet the sequestration cuts. The Air Force has begun flying again in key squadrons, the Army has increased funding for organizational training at selected units, and the Navy has restarted some maintenance and ordered deployments that otherwise would not have happened. While we are still depending on furlough savings, we will be able to make up our budgetary shortfall in this fiscal year with fewer furlough days than initially announced. This has been one of the most volatile and uncertain budget cycles the Department of Defense has ever experienced. Our fiscal planning has been conducted under a

cloud of uncertainty with the imposition of sequestration and changing rules as Congress made adjustments to our spending authorities. As we look ahead to fiscal year 2014, less than two months away, the Department of Defense still faces major fiscal challenges. If Congress does not change the Budget Control Act, DoD will be forced to cut an additional $52 billion in FY 2014, starting on October 1. This represents 40 percent more than this year’s sequester-mandated cuts of $37 billion. Facing this uncertainty, I cannot be sure what will happen next year, but I want to assure our civilian employees that we will do everything possible to avoid more furloughs. I want to thank our civilian workers for their patience and dedication during these extraordinarily tough times, and for their continued service and devotion to our department and our country. I know how difficult this has been for all of you and your Families. Your contribution to national security is invaluable, and I look forward to one day putting this difficult period behind us. Thank you and God Bless you and your Families. PHOTO

BY JULIA

LADOUX

Camp Navy corpsmen describe their jobs Aug. 6 to members of the Navy Teen Council at the Solomons Island Navy Recreation Center. Marines from Headquarters and Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall assisted teens from across the globe during the youth camping event. Pick up the Aug. 16 edition of the Pentagram to read more about the Marine’s involvement in the event. 1036247B

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PENTAGRAM

Friday, August 9, 2013

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