January 2011
BOSS Flash
Looking Back at 2010 Inside this issue: 2010 Recap Commander’s Corner
p.3
Command Sergeant Major’s Corner
p.4
What is BOSS
p.5
IMCOM-K BOSS Quarterly
p.6
Hyundai Luxury Bus Donation
p.7
CRC/Stanley Fun in the Sun
p.8
Yongsan New Year’s Eve Celebration
p.9
Humphreys Ski Trip
p.10
Daegu BOSS Birthday Bash
p.11
IMCOM-K & FMWR Event Calendar
p.12
IMCOM-K Winter Fest
p.13
Lyrical Avenue
p.14
DON’T BE THAT GUY
p.15
BOSS Supports ACS
p.16
BOSS Supports ASAP
p.17
BOSS Supports SAPRP
p.18-19
BOSS Contacts
p.20
Commander’s Corner
Brigadier General David G. Fox IMCOM Korea Region Commander
What does IMCOM do for the Army Family in Korea? IMCOM’s role in Korea IMCOM is striving to make The Army Family Covenant and Transformation in Korea reality for the Soldiers, Family Members and Civilians living here. IMCOM’s goal across the board is to create and uphold standardized, funded programs and services; increased accessibility to quality health care; quality Soldier and Family housing; ensuring excellence in schools, youth services and child care and expanding education and employment opportunities for Family members in Korea. These initiatives have a single goal: To ease the burden on Families by giving them standard quality of life and access to support services across the Army. As Command Sponsorship billets increase here, IMCOM-Korea is stepping up its initiatives to meet the demands of a growing Army community. The Army Family Covenant is a top priority for the command, which implements many of the Family support programs available in Korea. History of IMCOM The Installation Management Command, a single organization with six regional offices worldwide, was activated on Oct. 24, 2006, to apply a uniform business structure to manage U.S. Army installations, sustain the environment and enhance the well-being of the military community. It consolidated three organizations under a single command as a direct reporting unit: The former Installation Management Agency; Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, and the Army Environmental Command, which is a subordinate command of IMCOM. The command brings together all base operations support services to ensure optimal care, support and training of our fighting force, overseeing all facets of installation support, including environmental programs, construction, morale and welfare, family care, force protection, logistics, public works, and the planning, programming and budget matters that provide resources for these functions. The establishment of IMCOM was a historic, comprehensive change enabling the Army to enhance quality of life for soldiers, enable tactical units to focus on training, deployment and operations, strengthen combat readiness to prevail in transformation, and support the Army’s Vision.
Command Sergeant Major’s Corner
Command Sergeant Major David A. Abbott IMCOM Korea Region
Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS), is an ever-growing program designed to give Soldiers the opportunity to explore the dynamic Republic of Korea and its traditions. BOSS has an array of consecutive recreational events that introduce Soldiers to different socio-cultural experiences. BOSS continuously sets an impressive stride when it comes to providing Soldiers with leisure activities; to name a few, the BOSS Beach Blast- a vibrant summer beach party held in Daejeon Beach, and the Han River Cruise- a luxury cruise along Seoul’s Han River. BOSS gives Soldiers a chance to enjoy themselves and experience what Korea has to offer in an exuberant and safe environment. BOSS provides Soldiers with a voice to bring up quality of life issues affecting their everyday lives while serving their crucial military duties across the Korean Peninsula. Soldiers from every U.S. Garrison can count with the immeasurable support from Command Sergeants Major who dedicate their valuable time as Senior Military Advisors for the BOSS program. Quality of life issues that may surface are solved at the lowest level in the Chain of Command. BOSS welcomes volunteers to partake organizing events, assisting with community projects and building networks in order to cultivate practical resources. Opportunities such as tutoring English at local schools, or spending time at the libraries reading books to children, is a great way to help the community members and maintain the strong relationship that we have successfully established. To find out more about BOSS contact your unit BOSS representative or visit the BOSS office located at the Community Activity Centers.
What is BOSS? Better Opportunities for Single and Unaccompanied Soldiers, or BOSS, is a dynamic Soldier program in Korea. It is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for single or geographically single Soldiers of all ranks by providing them an effective voice at the installation where they serve. Soldiers and MWR advisors work hand-in-hand with Commanders, Command Sergeants’ Major, and First Sergeants to provide superior leisure programs and help direct the resolution of quality of life issues for Soldiers. What is BOSS? The Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) Program supports the overall quality of single and unaccompanied Soldiers' lives. BOSS identifies real Soldier well being issues and concerns by recommending improvements through the chain of command. BOSS encourages and assists single Soldiers in identifying and planning for recreational and leisure activities. Additionally, it gives single Soldiers the opportunity to participate in and contribute to their respective communities. History of BOSS The BOSS program was established in 1989 to respond to the recreational needs of single soldiers, who make up 40% of the Army. As the program was implemented throughout the Army, it became evident that well being was the primary concern of single soldiers. In 1991, the Chief of Staff of the Army officially expanded BOSS to include all aspects of soldiers' lives. BOSS members later began to express an interest in participating in community service projects. Recreation and leisure, well being (Quality of Life), and community service are the core components of the BOSS program. How Does BOSS Work? Installations establish a formal BOSS program, to include a BOSS council consisting of single Soldier representatives from installation units. Typically, the installation Command Sergeant Major serves as the senior military advisor to the council. An installation MWR advisor is appointed to provide guidance in planning activities, financial accountability, and marketing. Motivated single Soldiers with strong senior military and MWR guidance are the backbone of the BOSS program. Who May Participate in BOSS events? All events are targeted to the single and unaccompanied Soldier. Although the intent of the BOSS program in Korea is for single and unaccompanied Soldiers; events are typically open to all authorized MWR users. What Happens to the Issues Raised by BOSS? Issues addressed during a BOSS meeting will be formatted and submitted to the senior military advisor to seek resolution through the proper command channels or staff agency. Issues that cannot be resolved at the installation level are coordinated with the installation Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) coordinator and may be released by the installation commander to go forward to the major Army command (MACOM) AFAP. What is the Soldier's Role in BOSS? BOSS councils are comprised of single and unaccompanied Soldiers from major subordinate commands and separate units on an installation. Single and unaccompanied Soldiers have and opportunity to become unit representatives, volunteer to assist in planning an event, and/or attend BOSS activities. The Department of the Army BOSS circular 608-04-01 defines the roles of the chain of command and MWR
IMCOM-K BOSS Quarterly
Soldiers from across the Korean peninsula spoke out passionately about what Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers has to offer and can offer in the future during its annual conference at the Community Activity Center Nov. 17. More than 90 BOSS representatives and Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation advisors participated in the conference that covered an array of topics ranging from sexual assault, alcohol and drug awareness, and financial management on how to improve BOSS programs. The conference gave the representatives an opportunity to share ideas and information about their BOSS programs, including best practices and how to effectively promote BOSS events. Equally important to the participants was the chance to learn about organizations that are available to partner or assist with BOSS programs. The conferees were pleased with the event. “This conference was really productive,” said Pfc. Kala Rachal, who works in the Troop Medical Clinic on Red Cloud Garrison and is assignec to the 168th Multi-Functional Medical Battalion. “I love the fact that we had the opportunity to discuss how to make the BOSS program better, but we also got to speak passionately about issues that affect Soldiers on a daily basis.” Rachal cited an intense discussion among the participants about alcohol and how it affects a Soldier’s decision-making. The end result was a recommendation for more BOSS programs to give Soldiers something to do so they don’t abuse alcohol when they get bored. Command Sgt. Maj. Nidal Saeed, U.S. Garrison Red Cloud Command Sergeant Major, also felt the Soldiers’ active participation in the conference made it productive and that will benefit BOSS programs across the peninsula. “The Soldiers shared great ideas and had an opportunity to network and share contact information, “ Saeed said. “The different areas also came up with some great event sharing ideas that all areas can join in together, like the annual Beach Blast and Han River Cruise to name a few.” BOSS leaders in Korea have already earned a reputation across the Army for their excellent programs. “The Korea Region BOSS program is one of the most successful programs in the army worldwide,” Saeed said. Earlier this year at the Department of the Army BOSS Forum in Orlando, Fla., the Korea Region BOSS programs was selected as the best overall Army-wide and the USAG Red Cloud and Area I program was selected as the Best Large Installation program. Article by: Mardicio Barrot USAG Red Cloud Public Affairs
Hyundai Bus Donation
Hyundai presents luxury buses to U.S. Forces in Korea- The chairman and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor Company formally presented two luxury buses to U.S. Forces Korea leadership during a ceremony here Thursday - a gesture meant to promote goodwill between Korea and the U.S. military. The buses are specifically for the transportation of U.S. Soldiers in Korea to and from Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation events across the peninsula, said Brady Lawrence, Installation Management Command Korea FMWR spokesman. Hyundai CEO Chung Mong-koo said the sponsorship of these buses is also meant to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War and to express gratitude for what U.S. Service members do to maintain peace and security in the region. These 28-passenger buses are specifically designed for greater passenger comfort; an upgrade over the standard 45 passenger buses typically used for transportation here. Although the acceptance ceremony was held Thursday, they were personally delivered Oct. 16 by Hyundai's Vice Chairman Choi Han-young. Lawrence said these buses come at good time because they help avoid the expense of replacing buses with nonappropriate funds. Their combined value is more than $270,000. "These two beautiful buses will be put to good use for soldiers participating in [FMWR] events across Korea," said USFK Commander Gen. Walter Sharp. He added that the generous sponsorship of the buses contributes to the strong alliance between South Korea and the United States. "A small gift it may be," said Chung at the ceremony, "but I hope that it will help improve the welfare of USFK and their families in Korea. I hope that it also enhances the friendship between the U.S. and Korea." Currently the plan is to assign one bus to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and the other to USAG Red Cloud, since those areas have the largest concentration of Soldiers. However, Lawrence added that the buses are to be shared among all the garrisons and that geographic placement doesn't constitute garrison ownership. Article by: Russell Wicke IMCOM Korea Public Affairs
Featured Area Events
CRC/Stanley Fun in the Sun KKOGGI Beach Jul 9
Featured Area Events
Yongsan New Year’s Eve Celebration Dragon Hill Lodge Dec 31
Featured Area Events
Humphreys Ski Trip Hyunday Ski Resort Jan 8
Featured Area Events
Daegu BOSS Birthday Bash Community Activity Cntr. Oct 27
Lyrical Avenue A LETTER TO GOD…. DEAR GOD, MY GREATEST FEAR IS THE FEAR OF LOVE BECAUSE I WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE IT, EVEN IF IT WAS SENT FROM UP ABOVE. SO WHEN YOU SEND ME, MY QUEEN PLEASE DRAPE HER IN A GOLDEN LIGHT. LET THE BELLS RING AND THE ANGEL'S SING, SO THAT I WILL KNOW SHE IS MY QUEEN. LET HER BE STRONG WHERE I AM WEAK, FOR THIS IS THE WOMEN THAT I SEEK. ONE WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO SHOW HER EMOTION AND TO HER I WILL GIVE MY DEVOTION. ONE WHO WILL NOT CAUSE ME ANY PAIN, BUT WHO COULD ALWAYS ENDURE THE RAIN. SHE WILL NOT BE PERFECT, FAR FROM IT YOU SEE, BUT LIKE A PUZZLE, SHE WILL FIT ME PERFECTLY. SO WITH MY HEAD HUNG LOW, AND MY ARMS HELD HIGH THANK YOU LORD FOR MAKING HER WILLING TO COMPROMISE. AND WHILE STILL ON BENDED KNEE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CREATING HER JUST FOR ME.
Poem by SGT Bryon McGainey
BOSS Supports– DON’T BE THAT GUY That Guy is a multi-media campaign that uses online and offline communication with the goal of reducing excessive drinking among young servicemen. The campaign encourages young enlisted personnel to reject binge drinking because it detracts from the things they care about: family, friends, dating, sex, money, and reputation. The campaign uses humor to deliver a serious message and provides viral tools so you can be part of the effort to eradicate That Guy. The campaign is a reminder to everyone: Don't Be That Guy!
BOSS Supports– ACS
ACS launches new program for single parents- You may not be able to distinguish them from other Soldiers, but single parent Soldiers are growing in number Army-wide. To help them deal with the pressures of balancing the dual duties of being a good parent and Soldier, Army Community Service, in cooperation with Better Opportunities for Single and Unaccompanied Soldiers launched a new program, the Single Parent Network, in the Yongsan Readiness Center Oct. 21. The BOSS program supports the overall quality of life of Single and unaccompanied Soldiers by increase retention and readiness rates by addressing grassroots issues at the Soldier level. "The Single Parent Network is a new program initiated by the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program that is designed to connect single parents in the community for the purpose of sharing resources, information and mutual support," said ACS Family Advocacy Specialist Shana Lewis. "In addition, the network is a forum for identifying and addressing problematic issues faced by single parents in the military community in Korea." Single parents often come together for support within each unit, and the ACS Single Parent Network offers a wider umbrella for that same connection and support. Group members include both active duty and DOD civilian single parents, as well as dual military parents who are geographically separated, Lewis added. "BOSS recently began to collaborate with the Family Advocacy Program as a valued partner in working to support single parent families in the community," BOSS Coordinator Sgt. Bryon McGainey said. "BOSS supports the ACS Single Parent Network in many ways, including opening their tour packages to single parent families." McGainey says that they hope to eventually connect single parent fathers with single parent mothers to provide positive female role models to children without maternal contact. Likewise, female single parent Soldiers may eventually send their children to a male single parent Soldier to gain positive paternal contact. The ACS Single Parent Network is open to all Yongsan community members currently caring for a child by themselves. Contact the ACS Family Advocacy Program at 738-8861/5151 or contact BOSS Coordinator Sgt. Bryon McGainey at 738-5466 to participate in the Yongsan BOSS program. U.S. Army photo and article by: Pvt. Kim Hyung-joon
USAG Yongsan PAO
BOSS Supports– ASAP Alcohol and Sexual Assault Alcohol and sexual assault often happen together. In some cases, the victim is also intoxicated. Drinking makes it easy for the perpetrator to ignore sexual boundaries, while the victim's intoxication makes it more difficult for her to guard against an attack. Alcohol use does not cause sexual violence. Putting alcohol into your system does not cause you to commit a sexual assault anymore than putting gasoline into your car causes you to drive to the airport. Gasoline makes it easier to do what you want to do (e.g., drive a car) while alcohol also makes it easier to do what you want to do (e.g., grope women). If you do not at least think about doing something when sober, you are not likely to do it when drunk. For example, no one worries about becoming so intoxicated that he will lose control and stab himself in the eye with a fork. Why? Because he would never consider doing that when sober. Alcohol acts as a permission slip. By reducing inhibitions, alcohol often makes it more likely that someone will choose to sexually assault another person. As one man in a violent offender program noted, “When I first came to your program I told you that I hit my wife because I was drunk; now I realize that I drank so that I could hit her.” He realized that alcohol did not excuse or even explain the abuse. Instead, alcohol was the way that he had tried to avoid responsibility for the abuse. Sexual assault occurs despite alcohol use, not because of it. When someone is extremely intoxicated, we call that person “impaired.” “Impaired” means that you have more difficulty performing tasks. Therefore, if you are going to sexually assault someone when drunk, you have to try harder, focus your attention and be more determined than if you were sober. In effect, people who sexually assault when drunk, do so, not because they are intoxicated, but despite their intoxication. They have to overcome the impairment to commit the sexual assault. Sexual assault and substance abuse are separate issues. If someone violates sexual boundaries while drunk, that person has two problems that need to be addressed. Taking responsibility for alcohol consumption addresses only half of the problem. The perpetrator also needs to take responsibility for the sexual violence. On the most basic level, the perpetrator needs to learn that all sexual contact without permission is sexual violence.
Article by: Tina Felder-Jones Alcohol, Drug and Suicide Prevention Coordintator USAG-Yongsan
BOSS Supports– SAPRP
BOSS Supports– SAPRP Overview of Bystander Intervention A bystander, or witness, is someone who sees a situation but may or may not know what to do, may think others will act or may be afraid to do something. Bystander education programs teach potential witnesses safe and positive ways that they can act to prevent or intervene when there is a risk for sexual violence. A bystander approach gives community members specific roles that they can use in preventing sexual violence, including naming and stopping situations before they happen, stepping in during an incident, and speaking out against ideas and behaviors that support sexual violence. This approach develops skills to be an effective and supportive ally to survivors after an assault has taken place. Did you know...? You must have consent to engage in any and all sexual behaviors. Consent is hearing the word “yes.” It is not the absence of hearing “no.” It’s the LAW! Questions to ask yourself (Good group discussion) Do you know someone who has been sexually assaulted? How would you react if it were your sister/mother? How does gender impact this situation? Is this a special issue for you as a Soldier/DOD civilian? If yes, how so? Are Soldiers negatively affected by the standards (to be tough, aggressive, etc.) set by leadership, parents, and, most importantly, themselves? Do you believe aggression in military settings can lead to sexual assaults? Why and how? How do you define masculinity? Femininity? Does masculinity need to be “proved” more than femininity? Is there more pressure to act masculine than to act feminine? What does it mean for a male to be “weak”? What kinds of things do people in your Unit/work force believe about rape and abuse? Do they think it’s a real problem or that it’s exaggerated? Are there sexual assault cases currently in the news and what lessons are to be learned? Are there contradictory messages about sex in our society? Article Information gathered by: SGT Bryon McGainey Information taken directly from www.mencanstoprape.org
BOSS Contacts IMCOM Korea Region BOSS CSM David Abbott, CSM IMCOM Korea BOSS Senior Military Advisor Shaun Ally, Regional Program Manager shaun.ally@korea.army.mil 725-6070 SGT Bryon McGainey, Regional Coordinator bryon.mcgainey@korea.army.mil
USAG Red Cloud / USAG Casey
USAG Humphreys
SPC Carlos Castelan
SPC Donna Leis
732-5366
753-8825
carlos.castelan@korea.army.mil
usagboss@gmail.com
USAG Yongsan
USAG Daegu
SPC Julius Amory
SGT Alfredo Hernandez
723-3291
764-4426
john.m.oconner2@korea.army.mil
alfredo.hernandez4@korea.army.mil