Be our guest
Food & fun
Tindoll gets tour of installation
Coming together for organization day
page 6
page 4
Pentagram
Published for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
Vol. 60, no. 32 August 23, 2013
Thirty years of AFAP
TEAMWORK
Addressing quality of life issues for Soldiers, Families By J.D. Leipold Army News Service
PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Senior Career Counselor Master Sgt. James Meyers works at his desk in Bldg. 230 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base Aug. 21.
Meet the eyes, ears and laughs of retention team
The group does their job as a relaxed, cohesive unit. The team consists of retention offices on The face of Army retention is very visible Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, including within Joint Force Headquarters–National the Fort Myer and Fort McNair portions of Capital Region and Military District of the base, Fort Belvoir and Fort Meade. It Washington. That face is determined to help, is manned by a retention sergeant major, is very approachable and not afraid to infuse a retention operations NCO, senior career a bit of humor into their mission. counselors, career counselors and reserve The goals of the JFH-NCR/MDW retencomponent career counselors. tion team are to reenlist Soldiers on a longIn the first of a series of articles on the term basis, achieve and maintain Army force face of retention, four members of the team alignment and enlist, transfer or assign sepsee RETENTION, page 5 arating Soldiers into reserve components. By Jim Dresbach Pentagram Staff Writer
Just over 30 years ago, on Aug. 15, the Army reached out to its entire family — active and reserve-component Soldiers, their Families, retirees, survivors and civilian employees, asking them to identify quality-of-life issues and concerns for review and resolution by Army senior leadership. It was in 1983 when a ground-breaking white paper on the importance of increasing support to the Army family by then Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. John A. Wickham Jr., put into motion the Army Family Action Plan, or AFAP. Since inception, AFAP has reviewed 692 quality-of-life issues and resolved 520 of them while classifying 158 as unattainable. Additionally, the plan has been the driving force behind the enactment of 128 pieces of legislation and 184 Department of Defense and U.S. Army changes, while improving 208 programs and services. Throughout those 30 years, AFAP sponsored traditional conferences at 8th Army in South Korea; U.S. Army Pacific in Hawaii and U.S. Army Europe in Germany. Installations and garrisons within each of those command structures sent representatives to voice quality-of-life concerns and issues which would then be evaluated and forwarded to Washington. The review process could be laborious and take nearly 18 months to filter through to the Army staff for final approval or disapproval. As a result of the Army budget crunch and restrictions on travel and conference funding, AFAP made the decision in the spring to move away from the three regional conferences and instead streamline the reporting procedures down to a two-stage process. “As we transform to a garrison-based Army faced with unprecedented financial constraints, we need the voice of our customers to help guide and validate the changes the Army is making,”
see AFAP, page 5
CDC music program features homemade instruments By Julia LeDoux Pentagram Staff Writer
Call them the Cody Child Development Center idols. Students in the Strong Beginnings pre-kindergarten classes put on their annual music presentation Aug. 16, delighting parents and center staff with renditions of children’s classics played with instruments they made themselves. “It was a weeklong process,” said teacher Shirley Roseboro of the preparation that went into the concert. “Anything they had at home to make instruments, they
Index
Community Spotlight p.2 Commentary p.3 Community p.4 News Notes p.4 Feature p.9 Sports p.10 Classifieds p.13
brought in.” Kids from the Blue Jay classroom formed the Blue Jay Blues Brothers band while those in the Robins classroom became the Tye Dye Rock Band, even donning tye-dyed tee shirts for the occasion. “They’ve been looking forward to this all week,” said Joanna Balteo, whose son, Trevor, 4, rocked out with the Tye Dye band. “He and his brother like to get their band out in the living room.” Melissa Picco proudly pointed to her son, Jonathan, who was playing a harmonica.
“Like a lot of kids, he loves music and he is very curious about it. They’ve been really creative this week and incorporated a recycling element.” The kids happily performed using homemade tambourines, drums and other instruments. Dave Tomlinson took time off from his day job at the Pentagon to “moonlight” at the event, singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” with his daughters, Ashley, 5, and Cate, 2. “It was really cool,” he said. PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE “Ashley was excited all week Brianna Gilbert, right, 5, sings with Ashley Tomlinson, 5, for it. She knew the time, during the Strong Beginnings concert Aug. 16 at the Cody she knew the date, she knew Child Development Center. everything about it.”
Thirty-one years
Army Band drummer looks toward retirement
Pg. 8
Soldier songs
Army Drill Team member writes music about lives of servicemembers
Pg. 9
2
Friday, August 23, 2013
PENTAGRAM
PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE
Does this come in petite?
Ashlyn Picco, 3, tries on a helmet belonging to a performer from the Twilight Tattoo military pageant on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Whipple Field Aug. 13.
Community Spotlight Name? Clifford Montgomery Job title/where do you work? Firefighter – Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall Fire Department. Military service? None. Favorite sports team? The Bill Dance [fishing television program}. Favorite book? “Hoodwinked.” Favorite food? Cauliflower spread. Favorite movie? “Hoodwinked.” Favorite place you’ve ever traveled to or been stationed? Ridge, Md. What do you like most about working on/visiting JBM-HH? My fellow firefighters. What do you like most about living in the National Capital Region? All my family live in the NCR. What’s your favorite attraction to see in the NCR? My wife. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Don’t eat yellow snow. If you won the lottery, what would you do? Pay off our house and pay for my child’s education.
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
PHOTO BY JULIA LEDOUX
Caption This #31
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 #30 In true Marine fashion, a master sergeant took note of his surroundings and made a makeshift tent. Chelsea Place
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
Exercising caution at school crossings By Joseph Fentress U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City, Mo.
My dad was a dedicated Soldier for 31 years. While many would think being an Army chaplain is a piece-of-cake MOS, I witnessed firsthand how his Soldiers’ and their families’ pain weighed on him. Throughout those years, I saw him cry only a couple of times. One of those times was when he thought I, his youngest son, was dead. It was the morning of my first day of second grade at an elementary school outside of Fort Bragg, N.C. I remember not being able to find my cool Spider-Man jacket, and my mom forcing me to wear an old hooded wool coat due to the chill in the morning air. With three young children to get ready for school every morning, my mom was not one to argue with, so I didn’t protest too much. Once we were ready to go, my dad, in his dress greens, loaded us into the back seat of the car. My brother sat behind the driver, my sister in the middle and I was behind the passenger seat. We were all excited to start our school day. When we arrived at the school, my dad pulled over to the side of the road. The school was across the two-lane street that we had crossed what seemed like hundreds of times before. In my excitement, though, I jumped out, ran around the back of the car and then into the street toward the school. And then I woke up. I remember being confused and scared by how awkwardly my dad was sitting in the middle of the street while holding me. He was crying and screaming for an ambulance. It’s a sound no child ever wants to hear from one of his parents. I also remember wondering why my feet were cold. When I looked at my feet, my shoes were gone, and I asked my dad what had happened to them. By now, a crowd had formed and I was getting embarrassed. Against my dad’s pleading, I wiggled out of his grip and fought my way to a sitting position. As I looked for my brother and sister, I noticed a woman in the crowd who was crying more hysterically than my father. I instantly realized she must have been the person who hit me. By the time the ambulance arrived, I was standing and telling my dad I was fine. I still wanted to go to school, but instead, I was rushed to the hospital where several other chaplains arrived and lovingly put some of my dad’s pain onto their shoulders. I later found out the woman who hit me was a mother much like my own, just taking her child to school. It was determined she was following all traffic laws and not speeding. When I was hit, I was thrown about 10 feet in the air, cartwheeling so powerfully that my shoes were thrown more than 30 feet down the road. Fortunately, I landed feet first, and that big, ugly wool hood protected my head when it struck the street. (Thanks, mom!) The safety lessons I learned that day revolve entirely around risk management, which my family still uses on a daily basis. Child safety locks on your vehicles aren’t just there to ensure your children don’t open a door in a moving vehicle; they also enable responsible adults to keep their children in the vehicle until it is safe to exit under their supervision. Also, the importance of teaching children to use crosswalks and always look both ways is a safety lesson that not only needs to be emphasized throughout their childhood, but also needs to be taught through a parent’s example. As a safety specialist, I know safety doesn’t start at work and end when I get home. I consider myself the commanding general of my own little household post and hold myself accountable for the risk management tasks of not only keeping my children safe, but to also acknowledge risks when other children may be present. When in a school zone, consider the risk assessment matrix. One should not only explore the probability of an accident, but more importantly, the severity of an accident. A catastrophic accident will not only take you out of the mission, but could result in one of our future Soldiers from ever having the chance to serve. I will always regret putting my dad through that experience. Even more, I feel bad about putting that poor woman through an ordeal that she most likely won’t ever forget. After I returned from the hospital, my parents made me call her to apologize and tell her I was all right. While she could barely speak through her sobbing, she did let me know how thankful she was that I was OK. I am thankful, too, because I am here to serve my country today. (From Knowledge, the official safety magazine of the U.S. Army.)
Friday, August 23, 2013
3
Hagel initiatives focus on reducing sexual assault in Defense Department By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
The seven new initiatives to combat sexual assault announced by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel continue the pressure on an issue that can erode the effectiveness of the military, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Aug. 15. “Every service member and DoD civilian deserves a safe environment in which they are free from the threat of sexual harassment and assault,” Little said during a Pentagon news conference. Little, along with Jessica L. Wright, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, and Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, the director of the Joint Staff, briefed reporters. Hagel’s initiatives build on the analysis of DoD sexual assault prevention and response programs. “These include measures to improve victim support, strengthen pre-trial investigations, enhance oversight, and make prevention and response efforts more consistent across the military services,” Little said. These measures will incorporate the best practices of the services and make them common throughout the armed forces, Wright said. She also believes they will enhance the quality of the investigative and legal process and improve victim support. “We are committed to a dynamic and responsive sexual assault prevention program,” she said. “Through the multidiscipline program, we constant-
ly work to identify new ways to prevent sexual assault, as well as respond effectively and appropriately should a crime occur.” Wright stressed that prevention and response efforts are not static. “We continually evaluate our programs and seek ways for the department to improve them,” she said. “The department and military leaders at all levels continue to assess the current policies, identify the need for change, and seek methods to improve prevention and response efforts.” Scaparrotti said sexual
assault is a serious and persistent problem in the military. “It erodes the trust that is the bedrock of our profession,” he said. “Sexual assault is a crime, and it demands appropriate accountability. We are fully committed to combating sexual harassment and sexual assault in our ranks.” The bottom line of the initiatives is to make it clear that “sexual assault is not tolerated, not condoned, it is not ignored, and everyone in the department … is responsible to uphold our values and continue an environment of dignity and respect for all,” Wright said.
Techniques victims can use when dealing with sexual harassment All Soldiers and civilians have a responsibility to help resolve acts of sexual harassment. Examples of how to accomplish this follow: a. Direct approach. Confront the harasser and tell him or her that the behavior is not appreciated, not welcomed and that it must stop. Stay focused on the behavior and its impact. Use common courtesy. Write down thoughts before approaching the individual involved. b. Indirect approach. Send a letter to the harasser stating the facts, personal feelings about the inappropriate behavior and expected resolution. c. Third party. Request assistance from another person. Ask someone else to talk to the harasser, to accom-
pany the victim, or to intervene on behalf of the victim to resolve the conflict. d. Chain of command. Report the behavior to an immediate supervisor or others in chain of command and ask for assistance in resolving the situation. e. File a formal complaint. Details for filing an informal or formal complaint can be obtained by calling the Fort Myer 24-hour hotline at 202498-4009. For more information regarding SHARP, the U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment/ Assault Response and Prevention program, contact Installation Sexual Assault Response coordinator Nathaniel Robinson at 703244-9087, your unit SARC, or a victim advocate.
PHOTO BY SGT. JOSE A. TORRES JR .
Helicopter training
Cpl. Taylor Davis, infantryman, U.S. Army Drill Team, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), dismounts a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter at Davison Army Airfield on Fort Belvoir Aug, 15. The Drill Team conducted tactical training on weapons practice, radios, and mounting and dismounting aircraft.
Labor Day holiday hours of operation Most offices on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will be closed Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day, a federal holiday. Most military operations will be closed Friday, Aug. 30 to allow for military personnel taking a training holiday. The following facilities and places of business will have altered hours during the upcoming holiday. Listed hours apply to Sept. 2 unless otherwise noted. This list is not allencompassing. Please check with the facility you wish to visit for more details. • Headquarters Command Battalion – Closed Aug. 30 through Sept. 2 (curtailed operations) • Old Post and Memorial Chapel – Closed • Rader Health Clinic – Closed Sept. 2; open Aug. 30 with reduced staffing • Rader Dental Clinic Closed Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 • Fort McNair Health Clinic -- Closed Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 • Commissary – Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., holiday hours • Central Issue Facility – Closed
• Directorate of Environmental Management - Closed • Equal Opportunity Office – Closed • Fort Myer PX - Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Fort Myer Shoppette – Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Fort McNair Shoppette – Closed • Anthony’s Pizza – Closed • Subway – Open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Flower Shop – Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Barber Shop (Fort Myer) – Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Barber Shop (Henderson Hall) – Open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Barber Shop (Fort McNair) – Closed • Cleaners/Alteration – Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. • GNC – Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Optical Shop - Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Firestone – Open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Marine Corps Exchange, The Vineyard Wine & Spirits – Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. • CYSS – Building 483 –
Closed • Army Community Service – Closed • Fort Myer Fitness Center – Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Fort McNair Fitness Center – Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Cpl. Terry L. Smith Gymnasium – Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec Pool – Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Library – Closed • Recreation Center – Closed • USO - main offices will be closed Sept. 2, but centers will be open with volunteer support • Auto Shop – Closed • Fort Myer Officers Club – Closed • Fort McNair Officers Club – Closed • Spates Community Club – Closed • Java Café – Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Bowling Center – Open noon to 8 p.m. • MCCS Henderson Hall Car Wash – Open 24/7 • Legal Services & Claims Office – Closed Sept. 2
4
Friday, August 23, 2013
Community
Organization day shifts gears By Lauren V. Poindexter JBM-HH Public Affairs
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall gathered for a day of fun by celebrating its annual organization day Aug. 15 at the Spates Community Club. Organization day was for JBM-HH assigned and attached servicemembers, Department of Defense employees, Family membersand contractors as well as Radar Health Clinic employees. This year’s theme was centered on a “Car and Bike Show” theme. Offering a stationary bike ride, the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company allowed everyone a chance to put their “pedal to the metal.” The bike ride included a basic tutorial lesson and allowed participants to press the gas pedal as if they were actually riding. There was a buffet of traditional cookout food which included barbeque chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream. Music by Lee “DJ Sinbad” Purnell filled the air as he provided a variety of songs that included Usher’s “Yeah,” “Cotton Eyed Joe” and the highly requested “Wobble” which evoked participation amongst the crowd. Fifteen-year-old Evelyn De Jesus said her favorite part of the day was all of the dancing and fun she was having. Evelyn came with her father, Sgt. Cirilo De Jesus
of Headquarters Command Battalion, along with her brothers and sisters. The excitement continued when five people were requested to participate in five “Minute to Win It” type challenges. The first challenge required the contestants to sort cereal box tops. Then came “down the chute,” a game which challenged participants to roll a ping-pong ball down a metal measuring tape into a small cup. Spc. Charles Berkstresser and son Zander Berkstresser, 5, won the first two challenges. They said they were excited and surprised about it. The next challenge was “hanky panky,” during which contestants held one hand behind their backs and used their other hand to empty a box of 200 tissues. Rules dictated that contestants were not allowed to place their hands in the box. Eric Proctor, chief of plans and operations for the Directorate of Logistics, said, “The cookie-eating contest was my favorite event.” The cookie eating-contest, formally known as “face to cookie,” had contestants place a cookie on their forehead and manage to get it into their mouth without touching it. The final game, “bouncing tic tac toe” required contestants to bounce ping-pong balls into cups of water to get three in a row. Proctor also said that Lisa
Taylor’s 1967 yellow Chevrolet Camaro was his favorite car in a contest matching up different vehicles. The Camaro was a crowd pleaser as it won the people’s choice award and the best of show competitions. Taylor is the engineering business systems analyst with Directorate of Public Works. The People’s Choice award was selected by participants attending organization day, while the best of show and brunch at Spates awardees were chosen by JBM-HH’s Commander Col. Fern O. Sumpter and Command Sgt. Maj. Earlene Y. Lavender. Khalid Mustafaa’s 2009 Harley Davidson Street Glide won the best of show and brunch at Spates bike awards. Rich Richards’ 2012 Chevrolet Camaro won the brunch at Spates award for his automobile. Overall the event was a success. The weather was good, and the staff of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation worked hard. Employees had the opportunity to network, dance and enjoy the JBM-HH atmosphere. Staff Sgt. Daniel Hood, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers president, said he enjoyed having the opportunity to let everyone know about the BOSS program and its future events. For more pictures from Organizational day, log onto www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.
PHOTO BY LAUREN V. POINDEXTER
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s organization day activities continue as contestants try to get a cookie from their foreheads to their mouths, without using their hands Aug. 15. This was one of the five “Minute to Win It” type challenges.
Fundamentals, safety stressed for joint base motorcycle check-ride By Rhonda Apple Pentagram Staff Writer
As part of the motorcycle mentorship program, all servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and Family members are invited to participate in the Headquarters Command Battalion Motorcycle CheckRide, on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Sept. 6. Motorcyclists will meet from 8:30 to 9 a.m. at the Headquarters Command Battalion parking lot on Sheridan Ave. at Bldg. 417, on the Fort Myer side of the base. A safety brief takes place at 9 a.m., followed by a group ride. “The purpose of the ride is to establish who our riders are within our footprint at Headquarters
Battalion Command and build camaraderie among motorcycle riders,” said Master Sgt. James Meyers, JBM-HH senior career counselor, who also serves as the Motorcycle Mentorship Program team lead on the joint base and organizer of the event. “The event is also being held to get all the riders of differ-
ent levels together ... and share information about motorcycle safety. Hopefully, more seasoned, veteran riders will attend to help answer questions [from the newer, less experienced riders],” Meyers said. Those attending must wear personal protective equipment and must bring required documentation, per Headquarters
FILE PHOTO
Motorcyclists take part in a safety ride on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in 2011.
Command Battalion Motorcycle Inspection and Safety Program Policy Memorandum #16. Meyers said the ride itself will cover about 150 to 200 miles round trip, with a stop for lunch. “Ideally, we will ride in a variety of settings, including highway, suburban streets and scenic areas,” he added. “Attending the event and talking to someone who actually rides a bike is encouraged for anyone who is thinking about purchasing a motorcycle … that’s the great thing about the mentorship program,” Meyers said. To sign up for the ride or for more information, contact Meyers at 703-696-1321, or email james.c.meyers. mil@mail.mil, or Staff Sgt. Pablo Robledo at pablo.robledo.mil@ mail.mil.
PENTAGRAM
News Notes Death notice Anyone with debts owed to or by the estate of Private Second Class Christopher Wooten must contact 1st Lt. Reid, the summary court officer for the Soldier. Wooten passed away July 20, 2013. Have a say about organization day Did you attend the 2013 Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall organization day? To improve next year’s event by keeping what’s good and getting rid of what’s bad, planners would like to hear from participants who attended this year. Complete this survey at www.surveymonkey. com/s/2013OrgDay. Redskins tickets Redskins tickets are available to all eligible Department of Defense ID card holders at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Community Center. Tickets are sold ($260) in pairs only. Seats are located in section 129 of the stadium on the lower level end zone. Tickets remain for match-ups with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. Call the center at 703-696-3470 for more information. Fort Myer Exchange upgrades and hours For the next two months, the Fort Myer Post Exchange will be relocating sections of the store, including the customer service area, PowerZone, electronics section, sporting goods, hardware, linens and pet departments. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call 703-522-0664. JBM-HH Exchange seeks input The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is constantly seeking opportunities to improve on the Exchange benefit. As part of this effort, the Department of Defense’s oldest and largest exchange service relies on an ongoing customer satisfaction index to provide localized, real time snapshots of the job exchange facilities are doing to improve the value of support provided to Soldiers and their families. The survey, which addresses customer service, pricing, sales associate availability, merchandise assortment and other key issues, is administered at half of exchange main stores twice a year. JBM-HH shoppers’ opportunity to participate in the 2013 customer satisfaction index is Aug. 31-Sept. 12. During this time, troops and their families are encouraged to visit the exchange to provide feedback on local services. Beyond improving the exchange benefit, shoppers who participate will receive a coupon worth $5 off their next purchase at the exchange. “We want to hear from as many JBM-HH shoppers as possible,” said the exchange’s General Manager Nildy Eiley. “Efforts like the CSI are critical to not only improving the shopping experience, but also bolstering the dividend the exchange annually delivers to the community as healthy operations produce greater returns for Army quality of life programs.” Got anger issues? An anger management workshop is held every Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. in the Bldg. 12 conference room on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH. You may start the workshop at any time, but pre-register by calling 703-614-7204. Ruach Warrior bible study The Ruach (a Hebrew word meaning spirit of God) Warrior, a non-denominational bible study, is held every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m.-noon in the chapel on the first floor of Bldg. 29 on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH. Everyone is invited to participate. Call 703-614-9280 for information. Financial management assistance Marine Corps Community Services personal financial management program assists with everything from budgeting to investing. Classes are held throughout the month on a variety of topics, including planning for retirement. For a list of upcoming topics, call 703-614-6950. Job search classes Marine Corps Community Services career management center has classes scheduled to assist servicemembers and their families with their job searches. A military spouse career connections intake session will be held Aug. 28 from 10 a.m.-2p.m. All sessions are in Bldg. 29, on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH. Registration is required by calling 703-614-6828. Anger management An anger management (introductory level presentation for adults) class will be held Aug. 28 from 9-11 a.m.in the Army Community Service classroom in Bldg. 201 on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH. Pre-registration is required. Get information on the basic principles of emotion see NEWS NOTES, page 12
PENTAGRAM
Friday, August 23, 2013
Retention, from page 1 will be introduced to put the names with the faces of JFHQ-NCR/MDW retention. The part of the team to be introduced in this issue has 91 years of Army experience and 49 of those years have been spent in retention. The team leader, Sgt. Maj. Willene Orr, is a retention hall of famer, so to speak. The Homerville, Ga., native won the Secretary of the Army Counselor of the Year Award in 1999 while stationed in Germany, and she has been a part of the local retention team since June and a career counselor since PHOTOS BY RACHEL LARUE 1994. Her Army career Sgt. Maj. Willene Orr started when her per sonal college funding started getting tight. “I was going into my junior year, and my financial aid started dwindling down,” Orr said. “My mom saw an ad that said join the military for two years and get $25,000 [for school aid]. I initially came in for two years, and I’ve been in for 27.” Orr has built many relationships during her Army tenure. One relationship was born in Afghanistan while she doubled as a rear and forward career counselor. She was asked to serve as a VIP guide to Washington’s own first ladies of football. “The connection with the Washington Redskins grew with the 2010-2011 deployment when I was tasked as the action officer to escort the Washington Redskin cheerleaders and the adopted Soldier president platoon downrange [in Afghanistan],” she said with her perpetual smile. “I never met them before, but it was a wonderful experience for 10 days – 10 days I will never forget. We still stay in touch.” Orr’s office is located on the Fort McNair portion of the joint base, Bldg. 48, room 102 and can be reached at 202-685-2950. Sharing the Fort McNair venue with Orr is Master Sgt. Decarlo Jermaine Johnson. Born in Florida and raised in South Carolina, Johnson has an interesting nickname. Called “D. J. Squared” or “D.J. Squared Away” by his fellow counselors, Johnson puts his spare time to use as an AAU basketball coach and has been deemed the group funny man. His initial strategy about the longevity of his
5
Army career made his colleagues erupt in laugh- class at Troy University in order to earn his ter. criminal justice degree. “I came in with a Master Sgt. James Meyers, the Joint Base plan to stay for 20 Myer-Henderson Hall senior career counselor, is years because I like in the middle of one of those life-changing type the way I look in my of events which cause writer’s cramp and a pile uniform,” he said to the of paperwork — he’s purchasing a house. amusement and ribbing “I used to make jokes when people would from his fellow counsel- come in to sign their reenlistment contract ors. because it’s kind of like purchasing a home And why is Johnson with all the paperwork you have to sign,” called “D.J. Squared the Toledo, Ohio, native said. “I’ve learned Away”? now after signing some [homeowner] paperOrr has the explanawork, [reenlistment] paperwork is nothing tion. like buying a home. I Master Sgt. Decarlo “I call him ‘DJ signed like 50 pieces Jermaine Johnson Squared Away’ because of paper the other day he was running the just to get the mortcommand for 10 months in the absence of the gage rolling.” command career counselor,” the retention comThe retention team is mander said. “I tell you; he’s been superb to run tasked with serving the the command for 10 months with the support of Soldier, and Meyers, the team.” a father of three and Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal grandfather of two, justice from St. Leo University and has three finds it comforting to classes remaining to earn his master’s degree. assist a servicemember The 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) retenwith a reenlistment. tion office Senior Career Counselor is Master “I love this job Master Sgt. James Meyers Sgt. Matthew Middleton. He was reared in because you get to do Carlisle, Ohio, a town of 5,000 residents on the good for Soldiers,” he western banks of Interstate 75 between Dayton said. “When they come in your office, you find and Cincinnati. With the River City so close, out what their wants, needs and desires are, Manning is a life-long Reds and Bengals fan, and you try to work with Army policy to give but also includes the Alabama Crimson Tide them what they want, and to get them to stay football team as one of on the team. If you can do that, there’s no better his favorites. job satisfaction.” Middleton, who Meyers also finds satisfaction in motorcycle became a counselor in riding, bicycling and softball. The 26-year Army 2007, credits a number career man will run in both the 2013 Army of mentors at Schofield 10-Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon this Barracks, Hawaii, who autumn. assisted in pointing him “Right now, my passion is running, I guess,” toward correct career he said to chuckles from his fellow counseldecisions. He reflected ors. “Even though my body doesn’t see it as a on his own past reenlist- passion.” ments. As the JBM-HH Bldg. 59 retention meeting “At different points of began to break up, Orr added a secret about Master Sgt. your career, you have why retention group members click and respond Matthew Middleton different priorities,” he so well to each other. said. “The first time I “We share a lot of positive energy,” she said. reenlisted, I had just gotten married and had “I think that’s what pulls us together wherever a baby. That was the safe thing to do. I got to we come from. We never met each other before, go to Hawaii and got the bonus — it was a big but we have a connection gleaming from each bonus back then. Then I came to the crossroads other, and we get that positive energy from each of whether I was going to stay or get out. It was other.” more beneficial to stay in at the time.” (Next week: more retention team biographies.) Middleton is currently enrolled in his final
JOINT FORCE COMMAND RETENTION TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION FORT MYER — JBM-HH Master Sgt. James Meyers 703-696-1321 3d U.S. INFANTRY (THE OLD GUARD) Master Sgt. Matthew Middleton (Fort Myer - JBM-HH) 703-696-1085 FORT McNAIR — JBM-HH Sgt. Maj. Willene Orr 202-685-2950
Master Sgt. Decarlo Johnson 202-685-2826 FORT MEADE Sgt. 1st Class Christina DauriaCox 301-677-7760 FORT BELVOIR Sgt. 1st Class Samira Abdullah 703-805-4400 Master Sgt. Lesley Thurman 703-805-2102
AFAP, from page 1 said Christina Vine, who oversees the Headquarters Department of the Army AFAP program, and who is also an Army spouse and mother of twin youngsters. “Without a successful ground-level AFAP program, the voice of our customers is silenced and senior leaders lose essential situational awareness of what is and is not working in our communities,” she said. Following local garrison and tenant command AFAP conferences, prioritized issues requiring higher headquarters resolution will be forwarded directly to the assistant chief of staff for installation management, or ACSIM. This does away with running issues through mid-level commands. Vine said ACSIM leadership would coordinate with the Army staff to consolidate similar issues, then prepare information papers on which of those are viable. A cross-section of constituents from select Army commands will next prioritize the Army staff-vetted issues and return those to ACSIM who tallies and enters top issues into the resolution process. Action officers work the issues and report their progress during reviews chaired by the ACSIM. Those are then reviewed and possibly closed out through the general officer steering committee chaired by the Army vice chief of staff.
A few issues presently being reviewed include behavioral health care providers for children; an out-ofarea TRICARE 24/7 one-call resolution process that would help beneficiaries DOD-wide; funding of service dogs for wounded warriors; an outof-the-continental U.S. sex offender registry; and a recommendation to extend from one to three years the time a survivor can invest a Military Death Gratuity and Service Members’ Group Life Insurance into a Roth Individual Retirement Account or a Coverdell Education Savings Account. “We just closed an issue on the application process for citizenship and residency for Soldiers and families and basically that means they can do all their necessary physicals, fingerprints and everything they would normally have to do at an immigration office at their local military installation,” Vine said. “The big thing is we’re retaining the voice of the customer; the foundation in that the customer is still creating the issues,” she said. “Thirty years ago, General Wickham asserted a healthy family environment allows Soldiers to more fully concentrate on their mission, so he set about wanting to get feedback on what could be improved to enhance their standard of living and that’s how we started improving quality of life.”
LABOR DAY SPECIALS J e e p Grand G r a n d Cherokee C h e r o k e e Laredo Laredo 2014 2 0 1 4 Jeep
2013 2 0 1 3 Dodge D o d g e Dart D a r t SE SE
E71573
Savings Savings u p to to up $3,100 $3,100
Price includes all applicable Incentives (Military, College Grad, Returning Lessee) but Excludes Taxes, Tags and Freight. See Dealer for Details.
Sport J e e p Wrangler W r a n g l e r Unlimited U n l i m i t e d Sport 2014 2 0 1 4 Jeep
DD35054 $18,885 MSRP M S R P $18,885
Sale P rice Sale Price $15,995 $15,995 Price includes all applicable Incentives (Military, College Grad, Returning Lessee) but Excludes Taxes, Tags and Freight. See Dealer for Details.
2013 R a m 1500 R e g Cab 2 0 1 3 Ram 1 5 0 0 Reg Cab
E72004
Savings Savings u p to to up $3,200 $3,200 Price includes all applicable Incentives (Military, College Grad, Returning Lessee) but Excludes Taxes, Tags and Freight. See Dealer for Details.
Patriot 2014 2 0 1 4 Jeep J e e p Patriot
E74006
Savings Savings u p to to up $6,700 $6,700 Price includes all applicable Incentives (Military, College Grad, Returning Lessee) but Excludes Taxes, Tags and Freight. See Dealer for Details.
22013 0 1 3 CChrysler h r y s l e r 200 2 0 0 LX L X Sedan Sedan M S R P $$19,990 MSRP 19,990
Sale P rice Sale Price $16,888 $16,888
$19,985 MSRP M S R P $19,985
Price Sale S a l e Price $15,550 $15,550
Price includes all applicable Incentives (Military, College Grad, Returning Lessee) but Excludes Taxes, Tags and Freight. See Dealer for Details.
Price includes all applicable Incentives (Military, College Grad, Returning Lessee) but Excludes Taxes, Tags and Freight. See Dealer for Details.
See what it’s like to love car buying
1036237B
5060 Auth Way Marlow Heights, MD 20746
Sales: Service: Parts: (888) 845-0392 (888) 845-1528 (888) 856-5760
6
Friday, August 23, 2013
PENTAGRAM
PHOTOS
IMCOM tour
BY
RACHEL LARUE
The Director of the Army Installation Management Command’s Atlantic Region, Davis D. Tindoll, Jr., and IMCOM’s Atlantic Region Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin D. Sharkey, visit Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Aug. 20. Tindoll and Sharkey visited with command leadership at JBM-HH Headquarters Bldg. 59. They also toured the Technical Control Facility, and Delta Company 1/3 Infantry (The Old Guard) Barracks, Bldg. 247, along with JBM-HH Commander Col. Fern O. Sumpter and JBM-HH Command Sgt. Maj. Earlene Y. Lavender. Director of Public Works Ron Kaczmarek, Network Enterprise Center Acting Director Kevin Boyd, Director of Executive Management Housing Dee Spellman, Unaccompanied Personnel Housing representative Tony Cantillo and Director of Plans, Training Mobilization and Security Enoch Godbolt also took part in the tour. ABOVE LEFT — After a briefing in the command headquarters conference room, Tindoll and Sumpter leave Bldg. 59 for a bus tour of the base Aug. 20. ABOVE RIGHT — Tindoll listens to a briefing from joint base leaders in the command headquarters conference room prior to embarking on a tour of the installation. RIGHT — Lavender (right) and Sharkey, confer outside The Old Guard barracks during the tour.
01040398B
PENTAGRAM
Friday, August 23, 2013
7
Public access to Navy museum easier through August By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (AW) Tim Comerford Naval History and Heritage Command Public Affairs
A trial program running through August to generate greater public visitation to naval history is paying real dividends. The initiative provides an easier, alternate entrance to allow public visits by using the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail and entering the Washington Navy Yard through the Taylor Building which houses the Naval History and Heritage Command’s (NHHC) Cold War Gallery. The month-long trial allows enhanced access to the National Museum of the U.S. Navy (NMUSN), the Cold War Gallery, and the Display Ship Barry. The initiative also extends the Barry’s visiting hours. James Bruns, director of the NMUSN, is excited to have the extra visitors learn more about the Navy’s diverse history. “The numbers have been phenomenal,” Bruns said. “We are at the midpoint [of this program], and we have doubled the amount of visitors we had during this time last year.” Organizers feared furloughs might skew the visitation data, as has been seen in other areas. Across the Navy’s museum enterprise, federal furloughs and cutbacks that have
lowered the amount of visitors of many Navy museums by almost 10 percent. Even the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., which draws the largest crowds out of the Navy museum network, has seen a reduction is its attendance. Bruns credits part of the success here to the reserve Sailors who have helped increase access and visiting times. “The reservists have been absolutely essential,” Bruns said. According to Jennifer Marland, museum curator, Sailors also help to attract the visitors. She has been spending the past two weeks helping Sailors brush-up on naval history and navigating the museum. This allows them to help give visitors a better experience and direct them if they might have any questions. “Our visitors are excited to talk to Sailors,” Marland said. “I think it definitely helps that they actually get to speak with the people doing the jobs today that we show in our exhibitions.” Whether the attraction for visitors is ease of access or speaking with servicemembers, the result is the same. More people are learning how Navy history has positively influenced our nation’s path. The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is a trail running from Diamond Teague Park next to Nationals Ball Park in Washington, D.C., to a path just outside the walls of the
COURTESY PHOTO
An exhibit on covert submarine operations is on view at the Cold War Gallery in the Navy Museum, located at the Washington Navy Yard in the District.
Washington Navy Yard along the Anacostia River. Through the end of August, visitors can access the museums of the Washington Navy Yard through the Taylor Building,
1036249B
01040321B
which houses the Cold War Gallery or the 11th and O Street gate to the yard. The Display Ship Barry, National Museum of the United States Navy and Cold War Gallery are open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends. NHHC’s mission is to collect, preserve, and make available the artifacts, documents, art and knowledge that promote naval history and heritage’s relevancy for present and future generations and to remind America of the need to maintain a strong Navy to protect its citizens, their freedoms, and the global maritime commons. For more news from Naval History and Heritage Command, visit www. navy.mil/local/navhist/.
8
Friday, August 23, 2013
PENTAGRAM
A drum roll please
Army Band drummer looks toward retirement By Michael Norris Pentagram Assistant Editor
try to duplicate [the sounds] I heard, and one thing led to another.” There were a few bumps in the road. “In middle school there was a band director who asked me to play something like a paradiddle,” Overton said, tapping out a common drum pattern on his knee in demonstration. “He actually told me in front of everybody, ‘You will never ever play professionally,’ which really ticked me off.” The budding musician said he didn’t recall anyone else in class being judged as harshly. “Why would he tell me this,” he said he asked himself. “I just figured, ‘Well, I’ll show him.’” And he did, by turning a negative into a positive. When Overton returned to the school years later to lead master classes, he found the teacher had followed the drummer’s career. “He actually apologized every time I came down [to visit the school],” the sergeant major related. “He said he used the wrong choice of words; that he was just in one of those moods, having to deal with 50 or 60 middle school kids, some of whom didn’t want to be in the classroom. But I tell people that he’s the main reason for who I am today. I can laugh about it now, but I wasn’t laughing too much then.” After high school, Overton said he thought he needed to brush up on his musical “chops” a lot more. He said he figured, “If I’m going to go into the military — because that’s the only place I can really further my education in this — I’m going to go into the toughest [service] I can think of. If I’m going to do this I figured it should be the Marine Corps.” “The first serious musical instructor I had was at the Naval School of Music at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va.,” Overton said. “It’s a six-month course. The two years you would take in college you learn there in six months, because music is all you’re doing — 24-hours a day, seven days a week. It was a crash course and I just
learned how everything was properly done.” Overton had three duty stations as a Marine musician, with stints in field bands at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Okinawa, Japan, and the Marine Barracks at 8th and I in Washington, D.C., where he was with the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. After four years, Overton left the Marine Corps to attend college at Norfolk State University. John Lindberg, a Norfolk professor, said there are three qualities he looks for in predicting the success of a musician: natural talent, the ability to project one’s personality into the music, and preparation for whatever opportunities come your way. He said Overton had all three. “He is a born leader,” said Emery Fears, another Norfolk instructor. “He was like a magnet. Other students were attracted to his expertise.” Fears said the wealth of experience he brought with him to the university as a military musician made him stand out from his peers. Approaching graduation in 1982, the then 26-yearold Overton auditioned for The U.S. Army Band. He said he thought to himself, “Do I want to do this? I had worries of doing basic [training] again. At the time I was married with one kid. I didn’t know where it was going to take me. Anyway, I auditioned and I came here [to Fort Myer] a month later.” The percussionist is well known as a prankster and cut-up. While he is constantly aware of the solemn responsibility needed to carry out the missions he undertakes, the drummer is known for bringing levity to tense situations. Overton has a set of gag teeth he occasionally pops in his mouth to get a rise out of colleagues. The appliance isn’t obvious when his mouth is closed, but when he senses a tense moment, he cracks a smile, displaying a grill of crooked, stained teeth with one gold front tooth. Tension broken. His wife Yolanda has
occasionally tried to enlist Overton’s colleagues in ruses to prank her husband. “We like to get him when we can,” Shields said,
“because you never know when he’ll get you.” Shields keeps an official-looking
Although he plays in the all-volunteer Washington see Drummer, page 9 Redskins Marching Band for fun, refreshments, and free football games, in his heart of hearts, U.S. Army Band percussionist Sgt. Maj. Myles E. Overton III is a Dallas Cowboys fan. As a result, he gets a fair share of ribbing from other musicians on the team’s step ensemble. “It’s mostly about the musicianship and camaraderie,” he said, explaining how fellow Norfolk State University alumni are in the group. “Once I’m with a team, I’m with a team win or lose. And of course these two are arch rival teams. COURTESY PHOTO I mean they really get During a trip to London in the mid ‘90s, Sgt. Maj. Myles Overton serious. And if it weren’t for and members of The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps got to meet my size [Overton stands a Queen Elizabeth, a highlight in the percussionist’s military career. fit, broad-shouldered, 6-feet tall], I think some people would be trying to change my mind.” Overton refuses to take sides in another friendly rivalry. Prior to joining The United States Army Band (TUSAB) “Pershing’s Own,” he was a Marine who played with The U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps “The Commandant’s Own.” He won’t say which musical organization influenced him the most. “I like having done it all,” he said, demurring. “Why do I have to … choose sides? Music is a universal language.” Overton plays in The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, and holds the elite position of special drummer at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknowns. In addition, he fills-in as needed with The U.S. Army Concert Band, The U.S. Army Blues, and the Army Band’s pop/rock group, Downrange. Overton has been with The U.S. Army Band for 31 years and is preparing to retire at the end of August. He’s seen a lot in those COURTESY PHOTO three decades and has had As part of the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, Sgt. Maj. Myles Overton the opportunity to play in a (foreground) and Master Sgt. Edward Asten took part in a dedicalot of different contexts for tion ceremony for the George W. Bush Presidential Library and a large variety of audiences. Museum at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, in April. As part of his job with The Army Band, Overton has played alongside the Boston Pops Orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and at both the Olympic Games and the Special Olympics. He appeared at the Pentagon with members of “Pershing’s Own” to offer musical succor and rally the American people just days after the 9/11 terrorist attack and performed at the Kennedy Center on the 10th Anniversary of September 11. The sound of his drumbeat has captured the ears of U.S. presidents and European royalty. Overton was first captivated by music at age 6 or 7. He said his father would take him and his two brothers to the Neptune Festival Parade in Virginia Beach, not far from where he grew up in Norfolk, Va. “I saw the way people were moved by different bands that came by,” he said. “I kind of knew then it was something I might want to do. “At the time my parents couldn’t afford to have PHOTO BY -STAFF SGT. CHRIS BRANAGAN me take private lessons,” Sgt. Maj. Myles Overton (far right), in his role as special drummer at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery, particiOverton said, “…so I would pates in a wreath-laying ceremony on Memorial Day 2009 attended by President Barack Obama.
PENTAGRAM
Friday, August 23, 2013
9
From rifles to the microphone, drill team musician gives back to wounded warriors By Staff Sgt. Luisito Brooks Old Guard Public Affairs Staff Sgt. Nathan Fair found comfort in the strings of his guitar during stressful times as an infantryman in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I played because it was my way to unwind,” said Fair. “I needed it because I didn’t know if I would make it back from the battles that we were having three and four times a day.” Fair added that he had played the guitar for about 12 years but not for more than an audience of a couple Soldiers. “We would sit around a small fire, and I would play for these guys. I could see in their eyes that they really connected with my music. That really gave me confidence,” said Fair, an infantryman with the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment’s (The Old Guard) U.S. Army Drill Team. “They would tell me that I was really good and I should keep going with this.” The camaraderie between Fair and his fellow battle buddies enabled him to make it through some of the toughest times in war. When he had to deal with the unfortunate circumstance of losing one of them, he turned to his guitar. “Everyone dealt with this in their own way. I started writing music about experiences and hardships that many servicemembers go through after losing someone,” said Fair. “I enjoyed sharing my music with other Soldiers, but I also wanted my music to reach further.” Fair wasn’t sure where to take his passion for performing after returning home from his deployments. He eventually entered a singer/songwriter contest at a restaurant and brewery in Fayetteville,
“I started writing music about experiences and hardships that many servicemembers go through after losing someone. I enjoyed sharing my music with other Soldiers, but I also wanted my music to reach further.” — Staff Sgt. Nathan Fair
PHOTO
BY
SGT. JOSE A. TORRES JR.
Staff Sgt. Nathan Fair, Soldier with The 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Army Drill Team, poses for a photo during a break from drill team rehearsals on Fort McNair.
N.C., in 2011. “I really didn’t want to go at first, but all my friends told me I should. I just went along with everyone just for fun,” said Fair. “I didn’t think that I would win anything.” Fair was taken aback when he won first place with his song “Fallen Soldier,” a song he and a friend wrote during a deployment. “It was absolutely incredible,” said Fair. “From that moment, I started getting offers to open for different groups across the country.” Fair’s most recent performance, Country Music Television’s Bike Week
at the legendary Sturgis Buffalo Chip in South Dakota Aug. 6, showcased dozens of rock/country bands and musicians, vendors and entertainment for more than 700,000 people. “Some call this place the music and motorcycle Mecca because people come from all over to be a part of it,” said Fair. Fair earned a spot through a referral from Madison Rising, a patriotic rock band who also performed at the event. “I have opened for those guys many times, so after they got into CMT’s Bike Week, they fought to get
me there, too,” said Fair. “It was a dream come true to play there.” Two Navy Seals killed in Benghazi were honored during a memorial ceremony before Fair went on stage. He said because the crowd was cheering so loud after the ceremony, it made him somewhat nervous. “My knees were getting weak. It literally scared the crap out of me because prior to this, the most I ever played for was around 6,000 people,” said Fair. “I looked out across the sea of leather, motorcycles and amped-up Americans, and I was just blown away.”
He began to feel something unexpected out on that stage in front of all the listeners: calmness. “I just began to talk to the audience and all of a sudden I was relaxed. I introduced myself and said I was an active duty Soldier. The crowd just went crazy,” said Fair. Fair’s performance lasted just a few minutes, but he said, it seemed more like an eternity. “I guess I sang with such passion that I almost don’t remember a whole lot,” he said. “I just remember looking out over the audience and being lost in my words.” While Fair was performing, he failed to notice the reaction he received from viewers. Hundreds of thousands of bikers revved their engines as a sign of respect and love for his performance. “I knew they appreciated my music when I heard that. I can’t put into words what that felt like,” said Fair. “It was really crazy to see that many people in one place listening to me.” Fair has been through a lot of extreme situations, but nothing was more memorable than this performance. “I was very honored and humbled to represent my unit and the U.S. Army,” said Fair. “I love the military, this country and everything we stand for.”
sorts of weather conditions, and before all sorts of dignitaries from around the world. At times, the missions can be quite stressful. It’s critically important to have someone to keep it light. I think most of us who work with Sergeant Major Overton have come to appreciate his sense of humor and impeccable timing for making everyone around him laugh at the most stressful times.” A 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Tanner Welch, said Overton’s humor provides needed release in the downtime between ceremonies. Welch, sergeant of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns, said the drummer might say something amusing before heading out the door for a mission, but quickly pivots to become sober-minded and serious when the situation requires it. “It’s like flipping a switch with him,” Welch said. “There’s no disconnect. He brings smiles on a daily basis.” Overton was appointed special drummer at the Tomb of the Unknowns in the early ‘80s. He said
there’s nothing routine about the job. “I still get nervous. There’s not a time when I’m sitting there going, ‘I got this down.’ Oh, no, no,” he said. “You’re not in a band formation [at the tomb]. It’s just yourself and the bugler who plays taps and a wreath-bearer. The world is watching and there’s no room for errors or mistakes.” “During his long and distinguished career, Overton has probably been the Army’s most photographed Soldier, said Col. Thomas H. Palmatier, leader and commander of The U.S. Army Band. “As a drummer with The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets he has performed countless times at the White House and for historic events all around the world. His soldierly bearing, his unflappable poise under pressure, and his famous sense of humor, used to relax fellow participants, have inspired his fellow Soldiers.” In addition to participating in TUSAB workshops that help develop young talent at area high schools,, Overton has also forged alliances independently at area high schools.
Kenny Millard, assistant band director and percussion instructor at Anacostia Senior High School in the District of Columbia, is a fellow graduate of Norfolk State University, where both he and Overton participated in the university’s marching band, The Million Dollar Funk Squad. Millard said the drummer was instrumental in motivating his group and helping it win second place at a recent national highstep championship. “I can always call him in to do a clinic with my guys,” said Millard. “He knows his business and loves what he does.” His teaching can be “unconventional,” Millard added, citing the advice Overton gave students while running through a cadence: musicians should “listen to what’s around them all the time [including ambient sound] … everything has a beat.” Overton said being a member of The U.S. Army Band has brought many rewards. “When you go out from under this umbrella [the National Capital Area] you meet people who really appreciate what you’re
doing. They ask a lot of questions … they’ll give you a hug or a kiss. You see this mom that either has a son that’s still on active duty or has lost a husband,” he said, describing the reception band members get when on tour. “Then you get back [inside the Beltway] and you just feel good. You’re doing more than what you think you do. It’s more than just a paycheck. A lot of these places I’ve visited I never would have gone to had I not been here [at the Army Band]. So you have gratitude; like OK, what I’m doing here really means something.” Although he’s leaving The U.S. Army Band, Overton isn’t abandoning his avocation. He plans to remain in Woodbridge and continue teaching music out of his home. As his active duty days wind down, Overton doesn’t take his Army job for granted. One of his last big events was a wreathlaying at the Tomb of the Unknowns with President Barack Obama on Memorial Day. “I’ve done quite a few and it still made me nervous,” he said. “I think that’s a good thing.”
COURTESY PHOTO
Staff Sgt. Nathan Fair, a member of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment’s (The Old Guard) Army Drill Team, performs during Country Music Television’s Bike Week Aug. 6, at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip in South Dakota. The event showcased dozens of rock/country bands and musicians, vendors and entertainment for more than 700,000 people.
Drummer, from page 8 photo of a ramrod-straight Overton in dress uniform flashing his famous lessthan-pearly-whites on the wall of her office cubicle. Yolanda said it’s hard to get Overton’s band mates to play along on pranks because they know payback is likely. Overton laughed hearing this second-hand. “That’s respect,” he said, confirming there would indeed be consequences. Despite the fact his days with the Army Band are numbered, he added, “I’ve got a list of about 10 people I owe.” A propensity for humor might not seem the most essential requirement for a musician at the periphery of solemn public events like the visit of a foreign leader or a wreathlaying at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Thankfully, perhaps because he’s a drummer, he has good comic timing. “Most of the missions TUSAB performs are high-level with high visibility,” said Master Sgt. Edward Asten, Ceremonial Band percussion section leader and second primary drummer with the Herald Trumpets. “These missions happen in extremes of all
10
Sports
Friday, August 23, 2013
PENTAGRAM
Zembiec Pool hosts Half Iron Swim By Jim Dresbach Pentagram Staff Writer As the Northern Virginia sky produced a hazy, full blue moon and a hint of daybreak, all lanes of the Major Douglas A. Zembiec Pool were occupied early and often during Henderson Hall’s Semper Fit annual Half Iron Swim. Swimmers paced themselves through 42 and a half laps in the six-lane Henderson Hall pool from 6 a.m. until noon Aug. 21. Twentyseven swimmers participated in the endurance swim. Some nailed impressive times which crushed the 30-minute mark. The top time was 29 minutes and 30 seconds by Kevin Undeck, who swam in the fourth group, while the Navy’s Jim Doran finished in 29:49 during the final group swim of the morning. Each swimmer had an hour to cover 1.2 miles, and all participants finished in under 60 minutes. The 7:15 a.m. starters welcomed
a few first timers plus Heidi Schlagheck who finished in 36:07, which was the fourth-best female time. “This is my seventh time in a lap pool this year,” the former Air Force member said before her swim. “I’ll be happy if I come in under 45 [minutes]. I will be really happy if I come in under 40 [minutes].” The Army’s Susan Arnold made a 32:42 early morning time stand throughout the half iron swim and took home the best women’s time. “I did this last year, and it is about the same time I did last year,” she said. “It is a great program here [at Henderson Hall]. The Semper Fit fitness program is awesome. I work at the Pentagon, so to have this program [and the Half Iron Swim] first thing in the morning is awesome.” PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE Bridget Wilson claimed the female Participants swim 1.2 miles while counters count the number of laps during the Half runner-up prize with a 33:26 time, Iron Swim at the Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec Pool on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint and Margaret Nowicki claimed third Base Myer-Henderson Hall the morning of Aug. 21. place.
Marine Corps Marathon unveils 2013 course Marine Corps Marathon Public Affairs
The 38th Marine Corps Marathon, scheduled to take place Oct. 27, will feature a flatter course and a new approach to the U.S. Capitol. A change in course elevation occurs from miles six through nine, with runners now travelling north on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway to Beach Drive and then venturing back along the parkway on roads that are relatively flat. Previously, runners would turn left onto Canal Road after crossing the Key Bridge to Georgetown before scaling a 150-foot grade path around the Georgetown Reservoir between miles seven and eight. The course now will send runners immediately into the throngs of spectators along
01040519B
Georgetown’s renowned M Street, prior to entering the parkway on a route that hasn’t been part of the course since 2006. “This new course offers more spacious and flatter roadways for runners as they travel through National Park landscape and under historical bridges,” says Rick Nealis, marathon director. Another slight modification in the MCM course occurs along mile 19 on the National Mall with the marathon route now running on 3rd Street to Constitution, and then directly in front of the majestic U.S. Capitol along 1st Street. Runners will continue to travel adjacent to the Capitol and then head onto Maryland Avenue and back onto 3rd Street, capturing views of the
Smithsonian Museums and other landmarks. All MCM participants must maintain a 14 minute-per-mile pace throughout the marathon as the course closes seven hours after the start. Wheelchair and hand cycle participants begin at 7:40 a.m., with the 38th MCM immediately following at 7:55 a.m. on Route 110 in Arlington. The interactive 2013 MCM course map, created by Bethesda, Md.-based Geocentric, is now available at www.marinemarathon.com. The MCM, also known as the “People’s Marathon,” is the third largest marathon in the United States and the largest one not to offer prize money. For more information on the marathon, visit www.marinemarathon.com.
PENTAGRAM
1040320B
Friday, August 23, 2013
11
12
Friday, August 23, 2013
PENTAGRAM
News Notes cards. The national service officer will consult of the speaker system at the same time. For more with you about the condition for which you are information, call Michael Presley at 703-588management, specific information about the considering filing a claim. For service hours and 2810. impact of unmanaged anger and resources on more information, call 703-614-6828. how to recognize and manage anger triggers in Bullying awareness/prevention your own life. For more information or to regisFirst Friday A child safety (bullying awareness and preventer, call 703-696-3512/6511. Help make a tradition of First Friday each tion) class will be held Sept. 5 from 11:30 a.m.first Friday of the month from 4:30-11 p.m. at 12:30 p.m. in the ACS classroom in Bldg. 201 on Marine Club service changes the Marine Club on the Henderson Hall side of the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH. Information The Marine Club continues to have limited the base. The next event is Sept. 6. New wing for parents and caregivers regarding the dynamservice in August. On Mondays, the club will flavors — buffalo, honey BBQ, Caribbean jerk ics of bullying, what causes a child to bully, how offer menu service only, no buffet. On Aug. 28, and Thai sweet curry — are available for 40 the victim of the bullying is impacted and what the club will offer menu service only, no buffet. cents each 4:30 to 9 p.m. A deejay will start at adults and caregivers can do to prevent bullying On Fridays in August, the seafood buffet will be 6:30 p.m. Drink specials are available from 6:30- from occurring will be discussed. Preregistration replaced with a chef’s choice buffet, which will be 8:30 p.m. The event is open to all Department is required by calling 703-696-3512. posted to Facebook and the MCCS website, www. of Defense ID card holders and their guests. mccsHH.com. The club is open to all services, For information, call 703-614-2125. Parents helping parents: ranks, and Department of Defense personnel and child safety their guests. For more information, call 703-614Welcome to Korea An informational play morning event for parents, 2125. Come to Army Community Service for the “411” caregivers and their children (ages infant through on Korea on Sept. 6 from 10-11 a.m. Learn about 6 years of age) will be held Sept. 9 from 10 a.m.Make it a smooth move sponsorship, household and personal vehicle 11:30 a.m. in the ACS classroom in Bldg. 201 on Smooth move is an informal joint service brief shipments, pets, passport information, as well the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH. The session for servicemembers planning to PCS and will be as customs, culture and language. Class will be includes crafts, playtime, story time, and a brief held Aug. 29 from 1-3 p.m. in Bldg. 12 on the held in the Bldg. 201 on the Fort Myer portion of presentation on child safety-bullying awareness. Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH. Learn about JBM-HH. Participants will receive a packet of information your new duty station, moving with TRICARE, on how to continue the discussion of ensuring child arranging household goods shipments, sponsorGates and barrier maintenance safety at home and in their community. Space is ship and more. To register, call Willie Acevedo at Periodic preventative maintenance work will limited. Registration is required by calling 703-696703-614-7202. be conducted on JBM-HH gate bollards and 3512. pop-up barriers Sept. 4-6 according to the followVA claims assistance available ing schedule: Corporals course to begin If you are thinking of filing a claim with the Sept. 4: morning at Fort Myer’s Henry Gate; Headquarters and Service Battalion Department of Veterans Affairs, national service and afternoon for Gates 1 and 3, on Henderson Headquarters Marine Corps will conduct a corofficers from American Veterans can assist you. Hall. porals course from Sept. 9-24. For more informaA representative will be in Bldg. 29 on the Sept. 5: morning at Fort Myer’s Wright Gate; tion, contact Sgt. Massa V. Taylor at 703-614Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH in the career and afternoon at Fort Myer’s Hatfield Gate. 2014. resource management center on the second and Sept. 6: morning at Fort McNair’s Ceremonial fourth Thursday of each month (next meeting Gate; and afternoon at Fort McNair’s 2nd Street TOG blood drive Aug. 29). For assistance, bring your service Gate. The Old Guard blood drive will take place Sept. medical records, private physician’s records, DD Traffic disruption will be minimal during the 23 at the fitness center on the Fort Myer portion Form 214, marriage certificate, children’s birth work, but use caution when traveling through of JBM-HH from noon- 4 p.m., or until completed. certificates and your dependents’ social security the gates during this time. Expect to hear testing News Notes, from page 4
Please send your news notes to the Pentagram at pentagramjbmhh@yahoo.com.
Mortgage Services
Mortgage Services
VA Elite
Best VA Rates & Pricing in the Industry Loans that qualify:
01040396B
• 760+ FICO • $175,000 - $417,000 • Purchases up to 100% LTV • Programs also available for FICOs below 760
• Signature Service • Industry Leading turn times • One Day Condition Clearing • Superior Client Service • Direct Access to Underwriting
For more information contact MidAtlantic Financial Group of Fairfax, Inc at (703) 647-7436. Licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission, License #MC-4626, NMLS 393093. T6615100B
01040373B
01040747B
PENTAGRAM
Friday, August 23, 2013
Classifieds Call 301-670-2503
GERM: Large TH 4br, 2.5Ba fpl, deck, wlk out bsmt wlk to Twn cnter nr 270/Bus HOC $1795. 240-383-1000
063 Houses Wanted/Buy I Buy Houses CASH! Quick Sale Fair Price 703-940-5530
2Br, ALEXANDRIA: 2.5Ba, highrise condo, 1650 sq ft, designer kit, undreground parking, W/D, pool, tennis courts, express bus to Pentagon & Metro, close to Ft Belvoir, Mark Ctr, $1850/mo,703-922-1986
Pharmacy/ Phlebotomy Tech Trainees Needed Now Pharmacies/ hospitals now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-877-240-4524 CTO SCHEV
Dental/ Medical Assistant Trainees Needed Now Dental/Medical Offices now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-877-234-7706 CTO SCHEV
Call 301-670-2503 to place your web ad today! www.DCMilitaryBuyandSell.com
ARE So
YOU Are
READING Over 450,000
THIS Others!
AD? Why Advertise? Because it works!
Call 301-670-2503
TO PLACE YOUR AD!
13
14
Friday, August 23, 2013
01040614B
PENTAGRAM