Reenlistment
Yule buddies
Soldier continues service
Marines make fast friends
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Pentagram
Published for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
Vol. 60, no. 47 December 6, 2013
Fox named acting deputy defense secretary
ARMY PROFESSION
By Claudette Roulo American Forces Press Service
PHOTO
BY
STAFF SGT. LUISITO BROOKS
The 14th Sergeant Major of the Army, Raymond F. Chandler III, visits servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and families Dec. 3 at Conmy Hall on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.
SMA Chandler visits JBM-HH By Staff Sgt. Luisito Brooks 3d Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Public Affairs
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III, and his wife, Jeanne, visited with servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians and families on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Dec. 3. During his visit, Chandler held an interactive discussion about Army policies, professionalism and character; and answered a few questions at Conmy Hall. He also addressed major issues facing the Army today, like suicide, hazing and sexual assault. “The first line in the Creed of the NonCommissioned Officer says ‘No one is more
professional than I,’” said Chandler. “It is one of the most important lines, and we need to live up to it.” He explained if Soldiers would help one another and keep each other accountable, many problems that Soldiers face could be avoided. Chandler spoke to the crowd about policies that affect all Soldiers; he even talked about individual goals and progression as the Army continues to downsize. With the ongoing Army-wide drawdown, promotions are an important topic and Soldiers can still distinguish themselves in many ways, said Chandler. Gaining a civilsee SMA, page 9
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Dec. 3 that President Barack Obama has nominated Christine H. Fox to serve as acting deputy defense secretary. Fox is a “brilliant defense thinker and proven manager,” Hagel said. Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter departed Dec. 4, and Fox is scheduled to assume her duties the following day, making her the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in the Defense Department. Until June, she served as the director of DoD’s cost assessment and program evaluation. “Over the last five years, Christine has played a key role in helping shape solutions to the core challenges facing the Department of Defense,” a senior defense official said. Hagel relied on Fox’s judgment and deep analytical expertise during the strategic choices and management review earlier this year, the official said. “As a key leader of the strategic choices and management review, she helped identify the challenges, choices and opportunities for reform facing the department during this period of unprecedented budget uncertainty,” Hagel said. Fox’s appointment enables Hagel to add a senior manager to his leadership team at a pivotal moment for the department and permits the existing senior management team to remain in place and continue their critical leadership of the military services and DoD components, the official said. “She will be able to help me shape our priorities from day one because she knows the intricacies of the department’s budget, programs and global operations better than anyone,” Hagel said.
JBM-HH shines bright during annual tree lighting By Julia LeDoux Pentagram Staff Writer
The Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall community kicked off the holiday season Dec. 4 with its annual tree lighting ceremony in front of Bldg. 59 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base. Dozens of servicemembers, civilians and their families gathered for the event, which included a holiday sing-a-long with music provided by
Index
Community Spotlight p.2 Safety tip p.3 Community p.4 News Notes p.4 Feature p.7 Classifieds p.11
The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and a visit from a certain Jolly Old Elf. Joint base Commander Col. Fern O. Sumpter asked attendees to remember the nation’s servicemembers who are deployed around the world during this special time of year. “During this time of the holidays, regardless of what holiday you celebrate in your individual home, [I ask that]
you remember all of our deployed forces around the world. We hear a lot right now about Afghanistan; but frankly, the military is deployed in over 150 locations now,” she said. Sumpter was joined in lighting the tree by Joint Force National Capital Region/Military District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, and see TREE, page 8
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Part of the Army family
Advent season
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JBM-HH staff honored
BY
RACHEL LARUE
JBM-HH community members attend the annual tree lighting festival outside of Bldg. 59 Dec. 4.
Chapel holiday services