Pentagram 111314

Vol. 61, No. 45 November 13, 2014

Pentagram

Published For Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

First Lady: hiring women vets makes ‘good business sense’

By Julia LeDoux Pentagram Staff Writer First Lady Michelle Obama on Nov. 10 told female veterans to cast modesty aside when they are in the market for a new job.

“If you want a new job, you can’t be modest,” Obama said during the Business and Professional Women’s and Redbook’s first-ever interactive women’s veterans’ career development forum held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, Va. “And believe me, you all have so much to show off.”

And while the unemployment rate for veterans continues to drop, Obama noted that female veterans have a harder time finding jobs than their male counterparts.

“Last month, the unemployment rate for women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan was 11.2 percent, five points higher than men who served in the same conflicts and more than double the rate for civilian women, and that’s just wrong,” she said.

Obama said that over the past six years business leaders around the country have told her that veterans bring valuable skill sets such as team building and leadership experience with them when they transition to civilian careers.

“But unfortunately, that message hasn’t made it into every company or organization across the country,” she said.

To help spread the word that hiring veterans makes good business sense,

see FIRST LADY, page 4

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Princess Anne makes official visit to Arlington National Cemetery

By Jim Dresbach Pentagram Staff Writer The centuries-old British-American relationship added another chapter to its history when Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom visited and paid respects to fallen American service members at Arlington National Cemetery Nov. 6.

Accompanied by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence KCVO CB ADC(P) and Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and U.S. Army Military District of Washington Commanding General Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, the princess endured an afternoon downpour to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Dressed in a black overcoat, a red scarf and holding an umbrella, the princess spent a moment alone in front of the tombs and finished with

see ROYAL, page 4

The Department of Defense hosted a Hiring Heroes Career Fair Nov. 6 for transitioning service members, wounded warriors, veterans and family members Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall.

According to Karen Hannah, human resources specialist and Hiring Heroes program manager at DoD,

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BY

RACHEL LARUE

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 6. Princess Anne laid a wreath at the tomb and unveiled a Victoria Cross memorial plaque.

386 job seekers visited the fair, held in the Spates Community Center on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base.

The event drew a total of 73 employers from various areas, including 22 DoD agencies, 17 other federal agencies and 34 private sector companies. These included Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northrup Grumman, the Prince William County Police Department and many more.

News Notes JBM-HH Turkey Trot

The second race of the JBM-HH Commanders Holiday Race Series continues with the Turkey Trot 5K run and 1-mile walk Nov. 14. Male and female top winners of the 5K run will each receive gift certificates for turkeys. Awards will be presented for the top male and female finishers for the 1-mile walk and top finisher for each age group of the 5K run. The race starts at the Fort Myer Fitness Center, Bldg. 414, at 6:35 a.m. Registration is free and the first 150 to register will be eligible for a turkey trot T-shirt. Race day registration is accepted from 5:30 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. at the Fort Myer Fitness Center.

This is the second race of the FMWR Holiday Race Series Challenge Coin. To be eligible for the challenge coin, runners and walkers must register online and complete all three Holiday Race Series races. For further information, call 703-939-1045 or 703-696-0594.

All employees required to file a financial disclosure must also receive annual ethics training. Training for members of the Military District of Washington, Joint Forces-National Capital Region and JBM-HH who have not received this training must satisfy the requirement by attending a session at the Town Hall on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base Nov. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon. For more information, contact Amanda O’Neill at amanda.m.oneill2.civ@ mail.mil or Tracy Hernandez at tracy.r.hernandez. civ@mail.mil or by calling 202-685-4582.

Volunteers needed for food assistance center

Many organizations also provided on-the-spot or pre-scheduled job interviews to candidates. In total, employers conducted 72 interviews, Hannah said in an email to the Pentagram following the career fair.

DoD’s Hiring Heroes program has been organizing career fairs since 2005, but this was the first to be held on JBM-HH. “It’s only fitting that we host today’s

Marine Corps Community Services on the Henderson Hall portion of JBM-HH is seeking volunteers to help move turkeys and stock shelves at the Arlington Food Assistance Center in support of the Thanksgiving holiday. Volunteers are needed between Nov. 17-22, 7 to 9 a.m., and for distribution of the food between 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those interested in helping out should contact Trish Sowell at 703-693-4840 or sowellpl@usmc-mccs.org.

see CAREER, page 4

see NEWS NOTES, page 4

Stay connected!

Index Community Spotlight . . .

Community . . . . . . . . . .

News Notes . . . . . . . . . .

In photos: Royal visit . . .

In photos: Veterans Day .

Veterans Day . . . . . . . . .

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . .

DAMIEN SALAS

Ethics training

Hiring Heroes Career Fair helps vets find jobs

By Guv Callahan Pentagram Staff Writer

BY

First Lady Michelle Obama gives keynote remarks at the Women Veterans Career Development Forum Nov. 10, at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, Va.

page 2 page 3 page 4 page 6 page 6 page 7 page 9

Visit the official JBM-HH social media websites to obtain pertinent news about local-area events, traffic closures and other relevant local news.

Facebook.com/jbmhh

Flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh

@jbmhh

slideshare.net/jbmhh

www.army.mil/jbmhh

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

PENTAGRAM

Commandant’s Birthday Run

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DAMIEN SALAS

Headquarters and Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall and National Capital Region-based Marines participate in the Commandant’s Birthday Run Nov. 7, from the Pentagon to the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va. Commandant Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., left, and Sgt. Maj. Micheal P. Barrett, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, led hundreds of Marines on the run, stopping at the memorial to sing all three verses of the Marines’ Hymn. The event was in recognition of the Corps’ 239th birthday, which was Nov. 10. For more photos from this event, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.

Caption This no. 43

Community Spotlight Name: Brenda L. Magnin Job title/where do you work: Workforce Prep.

Specialist (HIRED! Program) and Middle School and Teen Programmer.

Military service or other unit name: Child,Youth and School Services and Army spouse.

What’s the most rewarding part of your current position and why? The most rewarding part of my job is sharing my passion and dedication with our military and Department of Defense youth as I help them prepare for the workforce after graduation, whether it is high school or college or just hanging out with them in the Teen Lounge at the Youth Center.

Youths from as far back as 2009 still contact me to request a letter of recommendation or to let me know how they are doing. I’m proud of each and every one of them.

COURTESY

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Brenda L. Magnin, pictured left.

Favorite quote: “Live a life that matters.”

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Favorite sports team: Green Bay Packers…Go Pack Go!!

Favorite book: “Gone For Soldiers.”

Favorite band/music artist: John Denver.

Favorite movie: The Harry Potter movies.

Favorite place you’ve ever traveled to or been stationed: Fort Richardson, Alaska.

What do you like most about working on/visiting JBM-HH: I live and work on Fort Myer and above all I love working with military/DoD youth and being a part of this very historical post.

Caption This no. 42 winner

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Take care of yourself, both physically and mentally.

“Mother and I vote you the Blue Ribbon grand winner, Tommy, the Tractor!”

If you won the lottery, what would you do? Donate to our favorite charity,“Wounded Warriors” first, pay off all bills, give money to family members and take a month-long vacation to Alaska to fish and hike with my husband, Steve.

What are your goals for the year? Celebrate and enjoy my husband’s retirement after 28 years of Army service and get used to our new adventure as civilians.

Pentagram Printed on recycled paper

www.army.mil/jbmhh

DAMIEN SALAS

Each week, “Caption This” will feature a photo taken on 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 to pentagramjbmhh@yahoo.com, left in the comments on www.facebook.com/jbmhh or dropped off at Headquarters Bldg. 59, suite 116. Don’t forget to add the Caption This number, your name, rank or position and where you work.

The winner’s name, caption and the photo will be printed in the newspaper.

If you have a photo you think would make a great Caption This, send it in.

What do you like most about living in the National Capital Region?

Being able to visit the war memorials, especially on Memorial Day andVeterans Day.

What advice do you have for someone getting stationed at JBM-HH? Take advantage of all the wonderful sights to see in D.C. but don’t forget to learn all you can about Fort Myer and Fort McNair. They will discover so many interesting and historical facts about this garrison.

BY

- Carol Ann Kelly A Pentagram reader PHOTO

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 e-mailed to james.m.goodwin3.civ@mail.mil.

Circulation of 24,000 is printed by offset every Thursday 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.

BY

DAMIEN SALAS

Editorial staff Commander Col. Michael D. Henderson Command Sergeant Major Command Sgt. Maj. Randall E. Woods Director of Public Affairs Mary Ann Hodges Command Information Officer Sharon Walker

Pentagram staff Editor Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Photographer Graphic Designer

Jim Goodwin Jim Dresbach Julia LeDoux Guv Callahan Damien Salas Rachel Larue Helen Klein

703-696-5401 703-696-5488 703-696-7605 703-696-7607 703-696-1363 703-696-7606 703-696-3114

Community

PENTAGRAM

Veterans honored at ANC observance

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America’s veterans past and present were saluted Nov. 11 during the National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery.

“You are the veterans of America, the most trusted among us and the most tested of all Americans,” said Vice President Joe Biden.

“Collectively, you represent generations of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen

see VETERANS DAY, page 5

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In Alexandria, veterans, families remember Vietnam

RACHEL LARUE

Executive Director, Army National Military Cemeteries Patrick K. Hallinan, center, and Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and Military District of Washington Commanding General Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, right, render honors during a National Veterans Day Observance at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 11. Vice President Joe Biden also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

By Julia LeDoux Pentagram Staff Writer

Thursday, November 13, 2014

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BY

DAMIEN SALAS

Brig. Gen. John W. Nicholson Sr., tells Vietnam war stories Nov. 11, at a ceremony in Alexandria, Va. to commemorate 67 Vietnam War casualties at the Capt. Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Forty-four Soldiers, 15 Marines, five Airmen and three Sailors from Alexandria, Va., lost their lives fighting in the Vietnam War.

By Damien Salas Pentagram Staff Writer Veterans and service members alongside their friends and families gathered Nov. 11, at the Capt. Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Alexandria, Va., for a cere-

mony to commemorate the lives of 44 Soldiers, 15 Marines, five Airmen and three Sailors from northern Virginia lost while serving in the Vietnam War. Guest speaker, Brig. Gen. John W. Nicholson Sr., told

see TOG VET, page 7

Indoors doesn’t have to be boring for tots

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BY

DAMIEN SALAS

Alia Reese reads My Mommy/Daddy is a Marine to children of service members stationed around the National Capital Region in the Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall Nov. 6 during a playgroup hosted by the installation’s Army and Marine New Parent Support Programs.

By Julia LeDoux Pentagram Staff Writer The weather is turning colder, but that’s not stopping little ones and their parents from socializing, learning and having fun on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Army Community Service and Marine Corps Community Services l New Parent Support Programs have joined forces to revitalize indoor play morning groups by combining interactive play and music with story time.

“Each week, we’ll have a new book and reader come in for the group,” said Renee Lilley, family readiness officer for Headquarters and Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps Henderson Hall.

Pamela Hirsch and Mary Cargill with the ACS New Parent Support Program said the indoor play morning group is designed for children up to the age of 5 and features not only reading, but interactive play and

see STORY, page 8

The U.S. Army Band performance schedule Nov. 16 7:30 p.m.

The U.S. Army Voices will perform with The Richmond Pops Band at the Altria Theater in Richmond, Va. Call 877-686-5366 for information about tickets for this event.

Nov. 18 7:30 p.m.

The “Pershing’s Own” Chamber of Music recital will take place at Brucker Hall on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base.

Nov. 22 7:30 p.m.

The U.S. Army Orchestra presents “Around the world in 80 minutes,” featuring such classical favorites

by Copland, Debussy and Mozart. This event takes place at the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts in Bowie, Md.

Nov. 23 3 p.m.

The U.S. Army Orchestra presents “Around the world in 80 minutes,” featuring such classical favorites by Copland, Debussy and Mozart. This event takes place at Brucker Hall on the Fort Myer portion of JBMHH.

Nov. 25 7:30 p.m.

The “Pershing’s Own” Chamber of Music recital will take place at Brucker Hall on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base.

Performances are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. All outdoor concerts are subject to cancellation or location change due to weather considerations. Please call 703-696-3399 for up-todate information on concert cancellations or location changes.

For additional details and a full calendar of performances, visit www.usarmyband.com/eventcalendar.html.

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

First Lady, from page 1 Obama announced that online networks LinkedIn and Coursera will partner with the federal government to help service members, veterans and their spouses. They can now import their LinkedIn profiles to the Veterans Employment Center, the federal government’s web site that connects transitioning service members, their spouses and veterans to civilian career opportunities. Coursera will offer one free verified certificate for an online course under the partnership.

Carla Moss, information and referral program manager for Army Community Service on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, said the event surpassed the expectations of its attendees.

“The professional and personal connections that were created during this event will be long lasting and will affect the lives of everyone that participated,” she said.

In addition to Obama’s keynote address, Moss said other highlights of the day long conference for her were appearances by entrepreneur Bobbi Brown and Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald.

Redbook Editor-in-Chief Meredith Rollins said the nation’s military veterans deserve honor, and support.

“They put their lives on the line for us when they’re in the service

PENTAGRAM

News Notes, from page 1

Summerall parking lot closed Nov. 18-19

Summerall parking lot on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base will be closed Nov. 18 at 9 p.m. until Nov. 19 at 9 a.m. This closure is in support of a Department of the Army ceremony. For more information, call 703-696-3290.

Flu shots offered at Memorial Chapel

Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic will offer seasonal flu clinics at Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base Nov. 18 and 20. Each clinic is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

These clinics are open to active duty military service members and their beneficiaries (ages 2 and up), retirees and their beneficiaries (ages 2 and up) and DoD civilians. Children younger than 2 years of age must go to their primary care doctor to receive the vaccine. For more information, call 703-696-2994.

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BY

DAMIEN SALAS

First Lady Michelle Obama shakes hands with attendees after giving keynote remarks at the Women Veterans Career Development Forum Nov. 10, at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, Va.

and we need to help them when they return to civilian life, now and forever,” she said.

The day long event also honored business women and employers

helping veterans, and provided workshops and panels on resume building, personal branding, education, finances, interviewing and work attire.

Tour of National Museum of the American Indian slated

In honor of Native Americans, the JBM-HH Equal Opportunity Office has arranged a tour of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Nov. 19. Bus transportation will depart from Bldg. 405 of the Fort Myer portion of the joint base at 9:30 a.m.

You must register in order to ride the bus to the museum. RSVP by Nov. 17 to Master Sgt. Ken Kang at kenny.h.kang.mil@mail.mil; Sgt. 1st Class Adrienne Robinson at adrienne.d.robinson. mil@mail.mil; or Sgt. 1st Class Michael Swinton at michael.l.swinton.mil@mail.mil or call them at 703-696-8729/2964.

Manage your health care with TRICARE Online

Did you know you can manage your health care from your home? With TRICARE Online, you can schedule and cancel medical appointments with your assigned provider from your home. You can also download your lab results, order prescriptions, and receive e-mails or text messages from your provider.

Simply log-onto TRICARE Online at www.tricare. mil/SecureLogin.aspx using one of the following options: Common Access Card (CAC) login, Defense Finance and Accounting Service My Pay account login, Department of Defense Self-Service (DS) Account (login and password.) TRICARE Online is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For additional information, please visit TRICARE Online or call 877-TRICARE or 703-696-3452.

Two civilian employees need annual leave assist

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RACHEL LARUE

Members of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 6. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom, laid a wreath at the tomb and unveiled a Victoria Cross memorial plaque.

Royal, from page 1 a simple bow at the conclusion of the ceremony. Before the wreath-laying, a 19-gun cannon salute by the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Presidential Salute Battery announced her entrance into the cemetery.

The royal couple also witnessed The Old Guard’s hourly changing of the guard.

Members of The Old Guard Honor Guard and The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” also took part in the wreath-laying ceremony.

Following the wreath-laying, Princess Anne unveiled a bronze memorial plaque remembering World Career, from page 1 Hiring Heroes Career Fair, as it gives us another great opportunity to provide support with the prospect of job opportunities for our transitioning service members, wounded warriors, veterans and families,” said JBM-HH Commander Col. Mike Henderson.

Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and Military District of Washington Commanding General Commander Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan stressed that service members are professionals with a unique set of skills and values.

“Hiring a veteran makes sound business sense – you are hiring a proven professional with the ability to lead, guide, and direct and understand the true meaning of teamwork with experience that cannot be matched by any other profession,” he said.

And employers took notice.

According to the results of the job fair, employers extended 40 job offers throughout the day.

In her brief keynote remarks, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jessica L. Garfola Wright, said veterans and retired service members would bring a wealth of experience to their new professions.

“They are calm, cool and collected under stress,” she said. “They make decisions that a normal [person] doesn’t normally have to make.”

Wright, a veteran herself, said

War I American service members awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest military honor and the equivalent to the United States’ Medal of Honor.

British royalty visits to Arlington National Cemetery have taken place over the past 75 years. The first reigning British monarch to visit the United States, King George VI, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in June 1939.

Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II has made numerous official state visits to the United States, and her first as sovereign occurred in 1957. Then, she visited Arlington to place a wreath at the Tomb of the

Unknown Soldier.

The queen’s husband, Prince Phillip, attended the burial of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 25, 1963, and the queen’s grandson, Prince Harry also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns May 2013 and visited ANC’s Section 60 where many American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.

The Princess Royal is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. Princess Anne last made an official visit to the United States in 1994.

A Directorate of Emergency Services employee, Christopher Watson, and a Directorate of Resource Management (budge office) employee, Mary Jones Williams, are approved recipients of the civilian personnel annual leave donor program. Due to medical issues, they have exhausted both sick and annual leave.

Department of the Army civilian employees who would like to donate annual leave to Watson and Williams must fill out Form OPM 630A, “Request to Donate Annual Leave to Leave Recipient Under the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (Within Agency)” at www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/opm630a.pdf.

If you are a federal government civilian employee outside the Department of the Army and want to donate annual leave to Watson and Williams, you must complete OPM 630B, “Request to Donate Annual Leave to Leave Recipient Under the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (Outside Agency)” at www. opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/opm630b.pdf or www.opm. gov/oca/leave/HTML/formindx.asp.

Contact Donna Belk-Stafford at 703-696-0275 for more information, and email completed forms directly to her at donna.m.belk-stafford.civ@mail. mil or fax the form to 703-696-0879.

Indoor play morning and story time

Come and bring your children (up to age five) to this weekly event of fun, music, engaging play and story time. Each session will feature a reading by different people and different books. Play morning is every Thursday, 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Choir Room of Memorial Chapel at the Fort Myer portion of the joint base. The program ends April 30, 2015.

For more information, please call 703-696-6368.

Monday Night Football at Spates Club

Stop by Spates Community Club on Mondays throughout the football season for Monday Night Football. Doors open at 7 p.m. Free food is provided by the USO and drinks vary in price. It’s a fun, relaxed environment, safe for kids too, so bring out the family if you’d like. For more information, call 703-527-1300.

Army medicine offers online Ebola info

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BY

RACHEL LARUE

Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jessica L. Garfola Wright gives remarks during the Hiring Heroes Career Fair in Spates Community Center on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Nov. 6. Participating employers included various federal agencies, private sector companies and local police departments.

transitioning could be difficult for service members and urged employers to consider the caliber of applicants they’d be receiving.

“These individuals are America’s finest,” she said. “We’re asking them to go into the American public and

be prosperous citizens, which is a new world for them. I know.”

For more i n for m at ion on JBM-HH’s employment and transition services, visit www.jbmhh. army.mil/WEB/JBMHH/Services/ ArmyCareerAlumni.html.

The November special supplement on Ebola virus disease provides information for beneficiaries and includes a public service announcement from the Army Surgeon General, frequently asked questions about the Ebola, information and resources and risk communication messages. The supplement is accessible online at www.army.mil/article/137560.

Toastmasters International in session

Interested in improving your public speaking, listening or leadership skills? If so, the new toastmasters club invites you to our weekly meeting Tuesdays, 5:30- 6:45 p.m. in the Pentagon Main Cafeteria (directly under CVS and behind Subway and Dunkin Donuts). Space is available on a “first come, first served” basis. For more information, contact Carl or Bert at carl.e.sabath.civ@mail.mil or 703 695-2804 or jose.h.romero6.civ@mail.mil or 703 695-3443.

see NEWS NOTES, page 5

PENTAGRAM

News Notes, from page 4

Exceptional family member class

The Exceptional Family Member Program teaches advocacy skills during a class at Marine Barracks Washington, Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees must register by Nov. 14. This class is also offered at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in the Marine and Family Programs building Nov. 20, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees must register by Nov. 29.

For more info or to register, please call 703-693-5353.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Army, RAND partner on ‘Today’s Soldier Survey’

Turkey Bowl football

T he Si ng le M a r i ne Program at the Henderson Hall portion of the joint base is hosting a Turkey Bowl flag football tournament Nov. 21, 10 a.m. at the Fort Myer softball field, open to all joint base active duty and civilian personnel. For more information, please visit www. mccsHH.com/SMP.html or call 703-696-0033.

Dining facility holiday meal open to retirees, dependents

The Fort Myer Dining Facility (located at Bldg.

404 on McNair Road on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base) will serve a special Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 24, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This meal is open to all active duty, military retirees and their dependents, and civilians with a DoD ID card. Cost of the Nov. 24 meal is $7.70 while cost for the Nov. 27 meal is $4.65. For more information, call 703-696-2087.

Annual holiday tree lighting on JBM-HH

The annual holiday tree lighting ceremony held at Bldg. 59 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base will take place Dec. 3. The preceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m., with the tree lighting to begin at 5 p.m. After the tree is lit, the community is welcomed to Brucker Hall for a special visit with Santa.

FILE

PHOTO BY

RACHEL LARUE

Soldiers march in formation after finishing the Army Birthday Run at the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall June 20. Army officials want to know what problems Soldiers and their families face and are seeking feedback via a webbased survey.

By Army News Service The Army and the RAND Corporation are working together to conduct a Soldier needs assessment survey at 45 Army installations.

The survey, called “Today’s Soldier Survey,” is available online to randomly selected active-duty Soldiers, who will be notified by e-mail that they have been selected to participate. The survey became available in September and will end next month.

Soldiers will be able to respond to questions on problems they and their families have experienced over the past year. The results of this survey will help senior leaders identify the needs of Soldiers and their families, how Soldiers prioritize those needs, and how the Army can best address the most pressing unmet needs - whether through Army-provided services or community and non-federal entity partnerships.

“The challenges that face Soldiers and families are complex and diverse,” said Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno. “As Army leaders, we’re asking for input from our Soldiers to help us prioritize resources and services most important to them and to their families.

We must ensure that support services are both needed and effective.”

“This survey is a path for Soldiers to help senior Army leaders understand the Soldier’s point of view,” said Dr. Cara Sims, RAND project manager.

“We need to understand how Soldiers prioritize problems and how they address those problems.

“Especially in a time of declining resources, the Army wants to be sure it is prioritizing services that are important to Soldiers. We want to be sure that services are effective in helping Soldiers manage their needs and the needs of their families.”

This study is not to be confused with the Military Workplace Study administered by RAND at about the same time, Sims said.

“Our survey has a much broader focus,” she said.

“Today’s Soldier seeks to understand the challenges and needs of today’s Soldiers and families in a general sense and covers domains ranging from military practices and culture to financial and legal issues,” she said. “The focus is also solely on the Army, whereas the

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Veterans Day, from page 3 who have served and sacrificed for all of us. You are not only the heart and soul, but you are the very spine of this nation.”

With American flags flying around the Memorial Amphitheater and the sounds of patriotic music supplied by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Corps Band, veterans, their families and supporters gathered for the annual observance. Biden gave the annual Veterans Day speech and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington Commanding General Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan.

Biden said that less than 1 percent of America’s population serves in the military, but over 99 percent of “Americans owe that 1 percent so much more than we could ever repay. We have an obligation to care for and equip those who we send to war and care for them and their families when they come home ... It’s the only sacred obligation a government has.”

Biden also singled out the current generation of 9/11 service members, saying that “never before has America asked so much of an all-volunteer force.” He said the 3.5 million men and women of that generation made the decision to join the military knowing with near certainty they would be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. He noted that more than 2.6 million men and women have served in those wars.

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald said it is fitting that Veterans Day is celebrated so close to Thanksgiving.

“Veterans Day is a day to give thanks and to ask the Almighty’s blessing on those who serve and have served the cause of peace,” he said. “It’s also a day of sacred remembrance and it’s a day of prayers and promises. We pray and promise and those who are serving will never be forgotten.”

The Disabled American Veterans served as the host organization for the observance.

“On Veterans Day, we all think about our brothers and sisters,” said Ron Hope, the DAV’s national commander. “Those we looked up to and those we lost. For us, Veterans Day can never be just another day of the year.”

For more JBM-HH event photos,visit us online at:

www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh

see RAND, page 8

News Note policy!

Read in full

News Notes submissions must be less than 100 words, contain all pertinent details — to include the five “W’s” — as well as a point of contact, phone number and/ or website for additional information. News Notes must be submitted no later than noon, Wednesdays, for consideration for publication in the following week’s Pentagram. For example, information submitted for publication in News Notes on Tuesday, Dec. 2, will be published in the Pentagram Thursday, Dec. 11. Priority will be given to those announcements of events and deadlines occurring during the publication week. Please send your news notes to the Pentagram at pentagramjbmhh@yahoo.com.

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

PENTAGRAM

PHOTOS

BY

RACHEL LARUE

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom, left, escorted by Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and Military District of Washington Commanding General Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 6. Princess Anne laid a wreath at the tomb and unveiled a Victoria Cross memorial plaque. For more photos from this event, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.

Royal visit

LEFT- Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom, center, and her husband Vice Adm. Sir Timothy Laurence KCVO CB ADC(P), left, speak with Joint Force HeadquartersNational Capital Region and Military District of Washington Commanding General Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan during a changing of the guard ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 6. Princess Anne laid a wreath at the tomb and unveiled a Victoria Cross memorial plaque. For more photos from this event, visit: www. flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.

Members of the United States Marine Band perform during a Veterans Day ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 11. For more photos from this event, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.

PHOTOS

BY

RACHEL LARUE

Audience members watch as remarks are given during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 11.

Veterans Day at ANC

LEFT AND ABOVE- Vice President Joe Biden gives remarks during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 11. Biden also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. For more photos from this event, visit: www. flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Luta Mae Cornelius McGrath, a 106-year-old veteran, stands with assistance during the National Anthem in the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 11. For more photos from this event, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.

PENTAGRAM

Thursday, November 13, 2014

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Hagel says Vietnam Wall teaches sacrifice, need for questioning of policies PHOTOS

BY

DAMIEN SALAS

Veterans and their families stand at attention Nov. 11, as members of the United States Military Academy Class of 1959 lay a wreath to commemorate 67 Vietnam War casualties at the Capt. Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Alexandria, Va. Forty-four Soldiers, 15 Marines, five Airmen and three Sailors from Alexandria, Va., lost their lives fighting in the Vietnam War.

PHOTOS

BY

DAMIEN SALAS

A statuette of Versace stands at the front of the room next to a frame holding the Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to him for his actions before and after captivity.

TOG Vet, from page 3

PHOTO

BY JIM

DRESBACH

A pair of red roses are left in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s panel 48E this Veterans Day, Nov. 11, where thousands of American service members are eternally remembered in script and stone.

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity The Vietnam Veterans Memorial teaches Americans to honor those who sacrificed, but also to be honest and to question the policies that send Americans to war, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Nov. 11.

Hagel served as an Army sergeant in the 9th Infantry Division during the war and spoke about the meaning of the memorial, and his first Veterans Day as a veteran in Omaha, Neb. “I’ve always remembered that Veterans Day in 1969, because it reminded me of the one constant throughout the Vietnam War – the uncommon valor of common Americans from every corner of our country,” he said. “They were the quiet heroes of our time. Some of these Veterans are here today, and the names of many more are memorialized on the wall behind us.”

The wall lists the names of the more than 58,000 Americans killed during the war. Those looking at the names also see the reflections of themselves.

“As it records the names of the past, and reflects our hopes for the future, it also offers a reminder – a message that carries across generations: The Wall reminds us to honor those who defend our country – from making sure they’re treated with the dignity, respect, and appreciation they deserve, to caring for those who return home with visible – and invisible – wounds of war,” Hagel said.

No matter when, where or what war, the United States has “a sacred responsibility” to care for and honor those who

sacrificed, the secretary said.

The wall also reminds Americans to be honest. “There is nothing to be gained by glossing over the darker portions of a war that bitterly divided America,” Hagel said. “We must openly acknowledge past mistakes, and learn from them, because that is how we avoid repeating them.”

The wall reminds Americans to not take security for granted, and that “we must always question our policies that send our citizens to war, because our nation’s policies must always be worthy of the sacrifices we ask of the men and women who defend our country,” he said.

As secretary, Hagel has a private lunch each month with junior-enlisted personnel. “What they tell me – and what every American should know – is that today’s service members don’t want to be glorified or given special treatment,” he said. “The entire 9/11 generation volunteered to serve at a time of war, and they have a strong desire to continue making a difference in the world.”

These men and women want to continue to serve even after leaving the military, he said. “They don’t need a hand-out or a hand-up – they just want the opportunity to continue proving themselves,” Hagel said. “It falls on us to make sure they get that opportunity – the opportunity that too many veterans were denied in the past.”

Hagel called on all Americans to honor veterans by “creating new opportunities for them to contribute after their service in uniform, so they can continue to help make a better world. America is forever grateful for their service to our country.”

stories of Versace – a Soldier turned priest – who withstood nearly two years of physical and moral torture after being captured by Viet Cong forces in 1963.

“They couldn’t break him,” said Nicholson. “And they couldn’t bend him either. When I had the opportunity to attempt to rescue [Versace], I met people whose lives were influenced by his presence, even as a prisoner.”

Nicholson and Versace crossed paths several times during their careers. Both served as officers with the 3d U.S Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer before they were assigned to the same military advisory unit in South Vietnam, where Versace quickly gained recognition for his off-duty humanitarian efforts, especially projects benefitting Vietnamese children.

During the war, Nicholson led troops to villages terrorized by the Vietcong to aid untrained locals in the fight against communism, where he found unexpected

stories of Versace’s efforts.

In one village, Nicholson recalls an elderly woman squatting down next to him, and with tears streaming down her face, “told a story of [Versace], using the word ‘prophet’ to describe him several times,” he said.

“His fluency in the Vietnamese language equipped him with the verbal skills to refute what the communists were trying to instill— fear,” said Nicholson. “And he didn’t hesitate to rebut them. He would say ‘the American’s are here to help us, just like they saved whole countries in Western Europe.’”

With the aid of Vietnamese fighters, Nicholson made three attempts to recover the prisoner of war from a camp where the Viet Cong beat, starved and eventually murdered the Medal of Honor recipient.

Versace’s alma mater, The United States Military Academy, the class of 1959, performed a wreath laying in his honor during the ceremony.

EMD: Help keep JBM-HH storm water clean this fall

By Guv Callahan Pentagram Staff Writer As the temperature and leaves start to fall, Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall’s Environmental Management Division is encouraging the base’s residents, employees and visitors to be more environmentally conscious and help prevent storm water pollution on the installation.

On all three portions of JBM-HH, a network of pipes and inlets, or the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), collect storm water when it rains, said JBM-HH EMD’s Tiffany Lee. Fort Myer and Henderson Hall have one network, regulated by Virginia. Fort McNair’s storm water system is regulated by the District of Columbia.

Unlike wastewater from bathrooms and sinks, the storm water sewer does not go through a treatment plant. Instead, JBM-HH’s separate storm water network feeds directly into streams that connect to the Chesapeake Bay. For this reason, Lee said the JBM-HH community has to be mindful of potential pollutants during rainy seasons.

Storm water can carry pollutants as soon as it hits the ground and starts to flow toward a drainage source. Cigarette butts, trash, automobile oil, sediment and fallen leaves can all damage the water

supply of streams and other bodies that JBM-HH’s MS4 feeds.

According to documents from EMD, fallen, decomposing leaves are a major source of phosphorus, a common pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay and one of the main pollutants entering storm drains in the fall. If not properly cleared, fallen leaves can also back up sewer systems and cause flooding. Residents and employees should be mindful of clogged drains and dispose of their leaves properly, Lee said.

Lee said there were many other simple ways the JBM-HH community could help prevent storm water pollution.

To avoid polluting J BM-HH’s storm water, residents, employees and visitors should: • Never discard trash or cigarette butts on the ground.

• Maintain their vehicles regularly.

• Never top-off a vehicle’s gas tank when refueling.

• Use commercial car washes that recycle wash water.

• Immediately clean up spilled materials, such as oil and detergents.

Lee said the JBM-HH community should report conditions causing or that could cause pollution to EMD at 703-696-8055.

Any hazardous spills of oil or other pollutants should be reported by calling 9-1-1.

For more JBM-HH event photos from this issue, visit us online at:

PHOTO

BY JIM

DRESBACH

John Jenkins, whose grandfather was a Vietnam-era Army colonel, sits in front of the thousands of names empaneled at the National Mall’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Nov. 11.

www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh

8

Thursday, November 13, 2014

PENTAGRAM

Story, from page 3

Children of service members stationed around the National Capital Region play instruments during a playgroup Nov. 6 in Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

PHOTOS

BY

DAMIEN SALAS

Jonathan Mohr and son, Dutch, participate in a playgroup at the Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Nov. 6, hosted by the joint base’s Army and Marine New Parent Support Programs.

Maj. Summer Nagy and daughter, Jasmine, do arts and crafts in the Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Nov. 6, for a playgroup hosted by the joint base’s Army and Marine New Parent Support Programs.

From left, Courtney Loughry and son, Grant, pass a ball around with Mary Cargill, Army Community Service, New Parent Support Program in the Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Nov. 6, during a playgroup hosted by the joint base’s Army and Marine New Parent Support Programs.

plenty of music.

T he prog ram got underway Nov. 6, when Marine spouse Alia Reese, who husband is attached to H & S Battalion and works in the Commandant’s Office, read from her books, “My Mommy is a Marine” and “My Daddy is a Marine.”

Reese said the books can be personalized by placing family photos in specially designated slots on each page and help youngsters to understand what their service member parents job involves.

Reese said she got the idea for the book when her husband began deploying when their oldest daughter, who is now 12, was a baby.

“It was pretty obvious from the start that Travis was going to be gone, he was going to come home and it was going to repeat,” she said. “I started looking around for books that would describe to her what he was doing and why he needed to be gone. She was a baby, but I knew she was going to grow up and have those questions. There were not a whole lot of resources at that time.”

Reese got the idea for the personalized books from her uncle, who put together photo albums for her of the time they spent together when she was a child.

More than a dozen youngsters and their parents took part in the inaugural play morning. Among them was Karilyn Simmons, who recently celebrated her first birthday and her mom, Sabrina.

“She loves playtime, she’s a very active baby,” said Sabrina. “I’m glad for every playdate, especially since its cold now and we can’t go to the playground anymore.”

Indoor play morning and story time is held every Thursday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base through April of 2015. Registration is requested by calling 703-696-3512.

RAND, from page 5

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Military Workplace Study went to all services and the Coast Guard.”

Traditional Department of Defense and Department of the Army evaluations ask Soldiers and family members about t heir use of existing on-post programs. This unique survey, however, places the experiences of today’s Soldiers first, asking what types of problems they recently experienced, how they prioritized problems, if they sought help from Army or non-Army resources, and if they ultimately received the support they needed.

“Unchecked problems among Soldiers and their families can grow into time-consuming distractions for them, for units, and for commanders,” said Sims. “Unmet needs can negatively affect Soldier and family well-being as well as unit morale, retention, and readiness.”

For more information, visit www.rand.org/surveys/ todays-soldier.html.

PENTAGRAM

Thursday, November 13, 2014

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

PENTAGRAM

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